This message was sent to ##Email## January 25, 2018     Home  |   About   Subscribe  |   Archive  |   Advertise    HEALTH CARE NEWS AND UPDATES Boosting cancer therapy with cross-dressed immune cells Medical Xpress Researchers at EPFL have created artificial molecules that can help the immune system to recognize and attack cancer tumors. The study is published in Nature Methods. Immunotherapies are breakthrough treatments that stimulate the patient's immune cells to attack the tumor through the recognition of aberrant molecules called tumor antigens. They can be very effective, but currently can only cure a minority of patients with solid tumors. Researchers and physicians are now looking into ways of increasing the precision and strength of the immune attack on the tumor.  READ MORE Cancer stem cell survival is controlled by hedgehog signaling proteins Technology Networks Colon cancer is the third most common cancer and fourth most common cause of death worldwide. Colon tumors consist of different types of cells, which play different roles in the growth of the tumor. The development and spread of cancer is thought to be caused by a subpopulation of cells that possess stem cell characteristics, including the capacity for self-renewal, differentiation and therapy resistance. These "cancer stem cells" are also thought to be the source cancer recurrence following initial treatment success.  READ MORE    SPONSORED CONTENT Promoted by Immunogen, Inc. Mirvetuximab soravtansine, a folate receptor alpha-targeting investigational agent being evaluated in ovarian cancer FORWARD I: A phase 3 study of mirvetuximab soravtansine in patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer FORWARD II: Clinical trial evaluating mirvetuximab soravtansine combination therapies in ovarian cancer   Killing cancer cells with the body's own internal clock Genetic Literacy Project Women who work night shifts have substantially higher risks of breast, digestive system and skin cancers, a recent study found. The findings reinforced a connection researchers have observed between cancer and the circadian clock, a biological system that controls the daily schedule of physiological processes. Now, in findings that could lead to a new class of cancer drugs, researchers have uncovered details about a key molecular link between circadian rhythm and cancer.  READ MORE Personalized dendritic cell vaccines could improve cancer immunotherapy Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News Dendritic cell vaccines, a promising cancer immunotherapy approach, usually come from dendritic cells that have been force-fed with tumor antigens. Dendritic cells, however, can also be modified so that they gorge themselves on antigen-carrying exosomes released by tumor cells. Even better, modified dendritic cells aren’t finicky. Although ordinary dendritic cells usually consume antigens from lab-grown cancer cells, modified dendritic cells may feast on antigen-carrying exosomes from a patient’s own tumor, improving the prospects for personalized dendritic cell vaccines.  READ MORE    PRODUCT SHOWCASE Advertisement Wiley's Oncology Apps Enjoy our journals? There’s an app for those! Journals such as those from the American Cancer Society ™, Journal of Surgical Oncology, Cancer Science and more are now available for your iPad and iPhone. Sample issues and abstracts, as well as open articles, can be accessed for free. A subscription to the journal is required to read the full text. Click here to learn more! Reducing your risk of cervical cancer U.S. News & World Report January, Cervical Health Awareness Month, serves as an important reminder to speak with your doctor about how to protect yourself against human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and to screen for cervical cancer. While the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends annual gynecological examinations for healthy women, recent recommendations have changed for cervical cancer screening. It's important to be aware of preventative HPV vaccinations as well as the recommended timeline for screenings.  READ MORE Single blood test screens for 8 cancer types Medical Xpress Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center researchers developed a single blood test that screens for eight common cancer types and helps identify the location of the cancer. The test, called CancerSEEK, is a unique noninvasive, multianalyte test that simultaneously evaluates levels of eight cancer proteins and the presence of cancer gene mutations from circulating DNA in the blood. The test is aimed at screening for eight common cancer types that account for more than 60 percent of cancer deaths in the U.S. Five of the cancers covered by the test currently have no screening test.  READ MORE .  PRODUCT SHOWCASE Help Doctors Without Borders Today Donate now to help Doctors Without Borders bring emergency medical care where it is needed most. Doctors Without Borders USA relies on unrestricted donations from private donors so when an emergency strikes we assess the needs and can act fast. Donate today. Hormonal breast cancer therapy linked to chronic disease FIGO Women who have received hormonal therapy for breast cancer face a higher risk of developing chronic conditions in later life, according to new research. Led by the University of South Australia (UniSA), the study found that breast cancer survivors who had received hormonal cancer treatment experienced higher rates of depression, osteoporosis, diabetes, cardiovascular conditions, pain and gastric disorders. In Australia, hormonal therapy is currently used to reduce the risk of recurrence for 70 percent of breast cancer patients.  READ MORE Why are cancer drugs more expensive than ever? Houston Chronicle The cost of cancer drugs in the United States has ballooned to levels many experts find troubling. The average price was less than $10,000 per year before 2000. By 2015, that had increased to $140,000 per year. According to Memorial Sloan-Kettering's Center for Health Policy and Outcomes, the average cost of new cancer drugs approved by the FDA in 2016 was $172,000. Why? The pharmaceutical industry tries to defend these higher prices because of the need for investment in research and development. Advocates for higher prices say that it costs $2.6 billion to develop a new cancer drug and take it to the market.  READ MORE     .  SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT     Novel approach can improve both colorectal cancer screening outcomes and adherence Oncology Nurse Advisor The CellMax biomimetic platform (CMx) demonstrated high specificity and sensitivity for colorectal cancer (CRC) and for precancerous lesions, according to research being presented at the 2018 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium in San Francisco, California. Although CRC is highly preventable— especially when detected as precancerous lesions — current screening methods have low sensitivity for precancerous lesions and are inconvenient, leading to high rates of noncompliance.  READ MORE Clinical trial scenarios help to appropriately include patients with brain metastases Cure New guidelines may help to include patients with cancer who also have central nervous system (CNS) involvement in appropriate clinical trials of anti-cancer drugs. Clinical trials designed to evaluate the use of anti-cancer drugs for the treatment of cancer typically exclude patients whose disease has spread to the brain or CNS for a number of reasons, including the misperception that they are poor clinical trial candidates. And if patients with these metastases do make it in to a clinical trial, such studies fail to clearly capture information on a drug’s effect on the brain.  READ MORE  ACS CANCER PROGRAMS UPDATES ACS Quality and Safety Conference: Partners in Quality — Call for abstracts closes on Friday ACS Quality Programs The 2018 ACS Quality and Safety Conference: Partners in Quality will be held in Orlando, July 21-24. This education program brings health care professionals together to discuss and apply current knowledge pertaining to national and local quality initiatives in the field of surgery. Attendees will learn techniques to manage, analyze and interpret data to make a positive impact at their facilities.  READ MORE SRGS: Surgical Infection America College of Surgeons The latest issue of the American College of Surgeons Selected Readings in General Surgery (SRGS), Surgical Infection, explores the most critical surgical approaches to controlling infection, including surgeon participation in multidisciplinary infection management teams, an enhanced understanding of emerging pathogens and resistant bacteria, timely diagnosis and effective initial therapy.  READ MORE NCDB PUF application period opened Jan. 22 NCDB The National Cancer Database (NCDB) is pleased to announce that the Participant User File (PUF) application opened Jan. 22 and be open through Feb. 23. The NCDB will accept applications for site-specific files, which include cases diagnosed between 2004 and 2015. The NCDB PUF is a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) compliant data file containing cases submitted to the Commission on Cancer's (CoC) NCDB and complies with the terms of the Business Associate Agreement between the American College of Surgeons and cancer programs accredited by the CoC; i.e., no patients or facilities can be identified. The PUF is designed to provide investigators at CoC-accredited cancer programs with a data resource they can use to review and advance the quality of care delivered to cancer patients through analyses of cases reported to the NCDB. For more information review the PUF Website. Questions regarding the NCDB PUFs or the RFA process for a PUF may be directed to NCDB technical staff at NCDB_PUF@facs.org.  READ MORE CoC launches Special Study ACS-CRP The Commission on Cancer (CoC) initiated a pilot study at 20 CoC accredited facilities in the fall of 2017 as a component of the Comparison of Operative to Monitoring and Endocrine Therapy (COMET) clinical trial (PIs: Drs. Shelley Hwang, Ann Partridge, Alastair Thompson). The study examines the risks and benefits of active surveillance compared to usual care for patients diagnosed with low risk Ductal Carcinoma in situ (DCIS), commonly known as stage 0 breast cancer. The pilot study concluded Jan. 1, 2018. Following data analysis, a CoC Special Study will be launched in spring 2018 to investigate outcomes from DCIS treatment retrospectively.  READ MORE AJCC at HIMSS18 AJCC The American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) will be exhibiting at HIMSS18 in Las Vegas, March 5-9, 2018. Make sure to visit Booth 10632 to meet the AJCC staff and learn about the API interface to access the Eighth Edition of the AJCC Cancer Staging Manual.  READ MORE 2018 NAPBC Standards Manual now available NAPBC The National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC) has released the 2018 NAPBC Standards Manual. You can download a PDF of the manual from the NAPBC Standards web page. Click the 2018 NAPBC Standards Manual link at the top of the standards web page. If your browser is set to auto-download, check the downloads folder on your computer after clicking the link. The 2018 NAPBC Standards Manual will be available online and as a PDF. The NAPBC will not have printed copies of the manual for purchase. Please contact us at NAPBC@facs.org with any questions or comments.  READ MORE Applications for NAPRC accreditation being accepted American College of Surgeons - NAPRC The National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer (NAPRC) is now accepting applications. The NAPRC was developed to ensure that rectal cancer patients receive appropriate care following a multidisciplinary approach. Programs will be evaluated on the standards and metrics outlined in The National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer Standards Manual 2017 (revised October 2017).  READ MORE  IMPORTANT DATES AND DEADLINES Date Event Location Jan. 8, 2018 Call for Data opened Jan. 22, 2018 PUF application submission opens Jan. 26, 2018 ACS Quality and Safety Conference abstract submission closes Feb. 4, 2018 World Cancer Day 2018 Feb. 23, 2018 PUF application submission closes June 1, 2018 Call for Data closes Oct. 21-25, 2018 ACS Clinical Congress Boston, MA    TRENDING ARTICLES Missed last week's issue? See which articles your colleagues read most. 1st treatment approved for breast cancer with BRCA genetic mutation (The Washington Post) Ancient history: Two mummies discovered with cancer (Cure) UC professor makes new breast cancer discovery (The News Record) Patients with small cell lung cancer often unable to receive standard-of-care therapy (Journal of Clinical Pathways) Oral microbiome tied to H&N cancer risk (MedPage Today) Don't be left behind. Click here to see what else you missed.   The Brief Connect with AJCC Connect with CoC Connect with NAPBC Recent Issues | Subscribe | Unsubscribe | Advertise | Web Version  Colby Horton, Vice President of Publishing, 469-420-2601 | Download media kit Ashley Harrington, Senior Content Editor, 469-420-2642 | Contribute news Disclaimer: The Brief is a digest of news selected for the Commission on Cancer (CoC) and the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), both quality programs of the American College of Surgeons, from thousands of sources by the editors of MultiBriefs, an independent organization that also manages and sells advertising. The Cancer Programs do not endorse any of the advertised products and services. Opinions expressed in the articles are those of the authors and not of the American College of Surgeons, and the Cancer Programs. 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