memo - Magazine of European Medical Oncology

Pircher, Andreas

2018 memo - Magazine of European Medical Oncology

doi: 10.1007/s12254-018-0394-0

2018 memo - Magazine of European Medical Oncology

doi: 10.1007/s12254-018-0401-5

Vogl, Ursula

2018 memo - Magazine of European Medical Oncology

doi: 10.1007/s12254-018-0393-1

Dworzak, Michael

2018 memo - Magazine of European Medical Oncology

doi: 10.1007/s12254-018-0395-z

Sillaber, Alois

2018 memo - Magazine of European Medical Oncology

doi: 10.1007/s12254-017-0379-4

Daher, Sameh; Bar, Jair

2018 memo - Magazine of European Medical Oncology

doi: 10.1007/s12254-018-0391-3

Angiogenesis inhibition is a promising way to inhibit and eradicate cancer. Many attempts have been made to use this tool for the treatment of lung cancer. Some success has been reported, and antiangiogenic drugs are actively being investigated in combination with other types of anticancer treatments.

Berghoff, Anna; Preusser, Matthias

2018 memo - Magazine of European Medical Oncology

doi: 10.1007/s12254-018-0384-2pmid: 29606977

Brain metastases are a major challenge in modern oncology, as treatment options upon the diagnosis of symptomatic brain metastases are limited. Neo-angiogenesis was identified as a hallmark of brain metastasis development and inhibition using anti-angiogenic therapy might therefore be an experimental promising preventive as well as therapeutic approach. The current review will summarize the current available data on the efficacy of neo-angiogenic therapies in patients with brain metastases.

Vanderstichele, Adriaan; Olbrecht, Siel; Vergote, Ignace

2018 memo - Magazine of European Medical Oncology

doi: 10.1007/s12254-018-0392-2

Antiangiogenic compounds were the first active targeted agents implemented in the treatment of ovarian cancer. Bevacizumab and tyrosine kinase inhibitors such as pazopanib, nintedanib and cediranib target the VEGF pathway, while trebananib was developed as an inhibitor of the angiopoietin pathway. All these compounds have been extensively evaluated and, in this review, we provide a structured overview of the randomized trials that have been performed in both primary and relapsed ovarian cancer. From this data, it is evident that antiangiogenic therapy has its place in ovarian cancer. If not during first-line treatment, then at least at some point for the treatment of relapsed disease. In addition, we address and summarize the trials designed to address the remaining issues related to treatment duration, continuation beyond progression and optimal combination. The future clinical development of angiogenesis inhibitors in ovarian cancer indeed looks at combinations with poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors, immune checkpoint inhibitors and vascular disrupting agents. Finally, an overview is given of the retrospective translational studies that were performed on the samples of the two pivotal first-line trials GOG(Gynecologic Oncology Group)-218 and ICON(International Collaborative Ovarian Neoplasm study)7, with initial evidence for the predictive value of the BRCA status, some molecular subtypes and histological assessment of microvessel density. If confirmed, these biomarkers could further improve the implementation of antiangiogenic therapy in ovarian cancer.

Horak, Peter

2018 memo - Magazine of European Medical Oncology

doi: 10.1007/s12254-018-0386-0

The STAMPEDE and CHAARTED trials brought about practice-changing innovation in the management of patients with metastatic, castration-naive prostate cancer (CNPC). These trials reported a clinically meaningful overall survival benefit of chemohormonal therapy consisting of the addition of six cycles of docetaxel to androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) in high-volume metastatic CNPC. Moreover, the STAMPEDE study also transformed our thinking about conducting clinical trials through its adaptive, multigroup, multistage trial design. With the recent results of the LATITUDE trial and publication of another STAMPEDE cohort, the combination of ADT and abiraterone/prednisone became a viable alternative to chemohormonal therapy. Results of these trials have been exhaustively scrutinized and finally incorporated in recent guidelines, although the appropriate selection of patients who will benefit from either therapeutic option remains to be discussed individually. As both combinations lead to an almost identical survival benefit, the decision is often based on patient-related factors and/or personal preferences. This short review provides evidence to support decision-making between chemohormonal therapy and the combination of ADT plus abiraterone/prednisone as well as an outlook on current therapeutic developments in advanced prostate cancer.

Ferner, Muna; Keck, Andrea; Niedersüß-Beke, Dora; Strasser-Weippl, Kathrin

2018 memo - Magazine of European Medical Oncology

doi: 10.1007/s12254-017-0376-7

This mini-review and case report demonstrates how systemic and local treatments work synergistically for patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). Although new targeted and immunotherapies have revolutionized the treatment armamentarium of mRCC and dramatically improved patients’ prognosis, local treatment remains an important part of therapy. Here, we report on a patient who benefitted enormously from the combination and interaction of both therapeutic approaches, and we summarize the literature and guidelines that supported our treatment decisions in this case.

Resch, Irene; Shariat, Shahrokh; Gust, Kilian

2018 memo - Magazine of European Medical Oncology

doi: 10.1007/s12254-018-0396-ypmid: 29606979

Until recently, there were no true innovations in the management of locally advanced (aUC) and metastatic urothelial cancer (mUC) in the last three decades. Vinflunine has been approved by the EMA (European Medicines Agency) with only limited improvement compared to best supportive care in second line treatment. In addition, gemcitabine/cisplatin has been established as an alternative to methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin, and cisplatin (MVAC). The advent of checkpoint inhibitors (CPI) revolutionized the care of these patients, transforming a unanimously deadly disease into one with hope through sustained disease control. Five immune CPI have recently been approved for aUC/mUC by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) including atezolizumab, nivolumab, pembrolizumab, durvalumab and avelumab. All five CPI are FDA-approved as second-line therapy with atezolizumab and pembrolizumab also being approved for first-line therapy in cisplatin-ineligible patients. The rapid acceptance in the treatment algorithm of UC is based on the impressive clinical efficacy of these agents in some patients, combined with their excellent safety profile. These new agents are indeed the most important advancement in UC care. However, the challenge in the age of precision medicine is to identify the patients who are most likely to benefit from CPIs, as the majority of patients do not respond to CPI. Toward this goal, validation of clinical, molecular and imaging biomarkers that serve for prediction and monitoring of treatment response are of central necessity.

Bardi, Edit; Kager, Leo

2018 memo - Magazine of European Medical Oncology

doi: 10.1007/s12254-018-0387-z

Survival after childhood cancer has improved substantially; therefore, the number of childhood cancer survivors is increasing. This growing population of childhood cancer survivors, however, is at risk of a spectrum of adverse health outcomes. Unfortunately, until now, there was a lack of comprehensive follow-up recommendations. The purpose of this article is to provide information on recently developed harmonized evidence-based guidelines on surveillance investigations to screen for the early detection of breast cancer, cardiomyopathy, male gonadotoxicity, and premature ovarian failure in childhood cancer survivors. We point out the need for a multidisciplinary pediatric and adult specialist team, who together develop multidisciplinary long-term follow-up clinics.

Willenbacher, Ella; Balog, Agnes; Willenbacher, Wolfgang

2018 memo - Magazine of European Medical Oncology

doi: 10.1007/s12254-018-0383-3pmid: 29606980

The treatment of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma has changed dramatically over the past 20 years, from near uniform application of chemotherapy to a patient performance status- and risk-based approach. Furthermore, initiation of treatment criteria have evolved from a pure end-organ damage-based definition to include risk factors of transformation to frank myeloma. Besides, the mainly cytogenetically defined Multiple Myeloma (MM) risk status, transplant eligibility of patients still serves primarily to allocate patients within a rational treatment algorithm.

Ghannam, Malik; Bryan, Maria; Kuross, Erik; Berry, Brent

2018 memo - Magazine of European Medical Oncology

doi: 10.1007/s12254-018-0388-ypmid: 29606981

Kiesewetter, Barbara; Dediu, Mircea; Bartsch, Rupert

2018 memo - Magazine of European Medical Oncology

doi: 10.1007/s12254-018-0385-1pmid: 29606982

This article is not intended to be a comprehensive review of all highlights presented at the recent ESMO Annual Meeting, but rather a summary from a personal point of view in three very different fields of oncology. Breast cancer and lung cancer are traditionally in the focus of interest, and again, relevant new data were presented. The third part of this overview is focused on novel treatment strategies in malignant lymphoma, a field that is also quickly evolving and traditionally underrepresented at meetings dealing with solid cancers.

2018 memo - Magazine of European Medical Oncology

doi: 10.1007/s12254-018-0382-4

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