ASCO Audio Journal of Oncology in Advance – October 15th, 2006

Gordon McVie

Martine Piccart

Bella Kaufman

Jean-Yves Douillard

ESMO Congress Reviewed

GORDON MCVIE, European Institute of Oncology, Milan
In Istanbul, Gordon McVie gave his opinion about the achievements of the 2006 European Society for Medical Oncology Congress. He added his comments regarding the news emerging from the Congress.

Trastuzumab in Early Breast Cancer: Latest Results; Gene Arrays to Avoid Chemotherapy?

REFERENCE: 31st European Society for Medical Oncology Congress, Istanbul, 29 September – 3 October 2006 Special Session
MARTINE PICCART, Jules Bordet Institute, Brussels
COMMENT: Gordon McVie
The latest evidence on how best to use trastuzumab in the treatment of early breast cancer was discussed at the ESMO conference by Martine Piccart from Brussels, who presented mature data from the HERA study of 5,000 patients conducted by the Breast International Group (BIG). The conference also heard about the group’s new “Microarray In Node-negative Disease may Avoid ChemoTherapy” (MINDACT) study, just beginning, in which 6,000 women are to be assessed by gene arrays to distinguish whether or not they require chemotherapy for their node negative disease.

Trastuzumab Plus Anastrozole: Better for Patients with Metastatic HER2+, ER+ Breast Cancer

REFERENCE: 31st European Society for Medical Oncology Congress, Istanbul, 29 September – 3 October 2006, Abstract LBA2
BELLA KAUFMAN, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel
COMMENT: Gordon McVie
A combination of trastuzumab administered concurrently with anastrozole has extended progression-free survival in postmenopausal women with metastatic breast cancers expressing both the HER2 and estrogen receptors. Bella Kaufman from the Chaim Sheba Center in Israel discussed her findings with Peter Goodwin during the ESMO congress in Istanbul.

Adjuvant Cisplatin Plus Vinorelbine: Better Survival with Non Small-Cell Lung Cancer

REFERENCE: ESMO, Istanbul, 29 September – 3 October, 2006 Abstract: 710 o
JEAN-YVES DOUILLARD, Centre René Gauducheau, Nantes
COMMENT: Gordon McVie
A pooled analysis of adjuvant chemotherapy for lung cancer, the Lung Adjuvant Cisplatin Evaluation (LACE), has revealed that a combination of vinorelbine with cisplatin yields the best results, with the greatest improvements in survival, among patients diagnosed with stage III disease. During the Istanbul conference, Jean-Yves Douillard told Peter Goodwin about his conclusions.