Fox Chase Cancer Center News

PHILADELAPHIA, PA (June 26, 2012)—Surgery and radiation therapy are the two most common forms of treatment for newly diagnosed, non-metastatic prostate cancer. Now, an entirely new treatment for prostate cancer is under investigation at Fox Chase Cancer Center—a vaccine therapy called ProstAtak™.

PHILADELPHIA, PA (June 11, 2012)—The biological rule that people receive half of their genetic material from their fathers and half from their mothers does not always apply, it seems.

In the first such case on record, researchers at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia have identified a child with a severe form of immune deficiency due to having received two copies of a disordered gene from his mother. Indeed, the child inherited two entire copies of the same chromosome, made up of thousands of genes, from his mother alone, with no contribution from his father.

CHICAGO, IL (June 2, 2012)––Though it would seem logical, cancer patients don’t always choose therapies with the best chance for survival—cost and side effects are also major considerations.   Little has been known about the extent to which cost and side effects influence a patient’s treatment decision.

CHICAGO, IL (June 2, 2012)––A new compound that targets anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive (ALK+) non-small cell lung cancer is well-tolerated by patients and is already showing early signs of activity, including in patients who no longer respond to crizotinib—the only approved ALK inhibitor.  Results of this Novartis-sponsored sudy will be presented by a researcher from Fox Chase Cancer Center during the 2012 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology on Sunday, June 3.  

CHICAGO, IL (June 2, 2012)––Inflammatory breast cancer is a very aggressive type of cancer associated with early metastasis and poor survival rates, and the prognosis is even worse for patients with tumors expressing the ErbB2 receptor. The ErbB2-inhibiting drug lapatinib can slow the spread of cancer cells in individuals with advanced breast cancer who have already tried other chemotherapy medications.

CHICAGO, IL (June 2, 2012)––More than one-fifth of people who have received referrals to test for cancer-causing genes say they will only undergo testing if their insurance covers the cost—just as more insurers are instituting cost-sharing for medical services like genetic testing, according to new findings from Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia released at this year's 2012 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology on Saturday, June 2.

CHICAGO, IL (June 2, 2012)––For some patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer, treatment may begin before they undergo cystectomy, or surgical removal of the bladder. They may be advised by oncologists to receive chemotherapy before surgery. A large randomized clinical trial published in 2003 demonstrated a survival benefit for neoadjuvant, or pre-surgical, MVAC (methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin and cisplatin) using a standard dose and schedule. However, in an effort to improve toxicity, standard MVAC has been essentially abandoned in favor of other regimens.

CHICAGO, IL (June 2, 2012)––Each year, through its Special Awards Program, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) recognizes researchers, patient advocates, and leaders of the global oncology community who, through their work, have made significant contributions to enhancing cancer care. These recipients of ASCO’s highest, most prestigious awards collectively represent significant strides in cancer treatment and leadership in the oncology community. This year, one of the Special Awards honorees is retired Fox Chase Cancer Center faculty member Robert F.