News from the cancer side, August 21

It’s been ages since I had brought you some cancer news. I was away, travelling in southern Africa during the last three weeks. Knowing that Internet access is rather difficult where I was going, I didn’t even bring my laptop with me. Can you imagine three week without a computer? Try it! It can be pretty relaxing. Anyway, I’m back and here I am, once again bringing you weekly cancer news round up.

News from the survivors

On Larry King Live this Friday: Prostate cancer survivors speak to save lives
Today, Friday, August 21, former state secretary Colin Powell, tennis champ John McEnroe and L.A. Dodger’s manager Joe Torre will be guests on Larry Kind Live on CNN. They speak out on one of the deadliest cancers for men… on surviving and preventing prostate cancer. 9 pm PT, 6 pm ET on CNN.

News from the legislators

FDA Launches New Center for Tobacco Products
Following the passage of the historic Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act in June, the US FDA launched on August 19 its new Center for Tobacco products “in an historic effort to curb the hundreds of thousands of deaths caused by those products each year.” The act gave the US FDA regulatory powers over tobacco products and the center will oversee its implementation which would include “setting performance standards, reviewing premarket applications for new and modified risk tobacco products, and establishing and enforcing advertising and promotion restrictions.” Appointed as the first director of the center is Dr. Lawrence Deyton, a clinical professor of medicine and health policy at George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences and an expert on veterans’ health issues, public health, and tobacco use.

News from the drug makers

Insulin glargine and cancer: Existing evidence does not warrant alarm
Claims of glargine increasing cancer risk are unfounded, experts say. Glargine is a long-acting insulin analog commonly prescribed for the management of diabetes. The claims were put forward by a small observational study earlier this year. However, as more data are coming, experts believe it was “an unwarranted alarm.” Doctors and patients are advised not to stop but continue using glargine. Glargine is marketed as Lantus by Sanofi-Aventis.

Prostate Cancer Foundation supports research on new drug for bone density in prostate cancer patients
Research on bone metastasis funded by the Prostate Cancer Foundation (PFC) is also looking at a new targeted therapy with the hormone-blocking agent denosumab. The treatment aims to stop bone loss, increased bone density, and decrease fracture risks in cancer patients with bone metastasis. Standard treatment for advanced and metastatic prostate cancer is the androgen-deprivation therapy which although effective, comes with a serious side effect – bone loss, which leads to fractures and poor quality of life.  Denosumab, now being tested in Phase III clinical trials, might be safer alternative to current standard treatments.

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