Plumbing the Core and Nibbling at the Margins of Cancer
Cancer Commons Editor in Chief George Lundberg, MD, is the face and curator of this invitation-only column
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February 21, 2020
Comprehensive Molecular Testing Needed for Stage IV Lung Cancer
With:A Q&A with David Spigel, MD, Chief Scientific Officer, Director of the Lung Cancer Research Program, and Principal Investigator at Sarah Cannon Research Institute. Email: dspigel@tnonc.com Q: You are an expert medical oncologist with particular interest in lung cancer. The various forms of lung cancer are serious diagnoses, all potentially lethal malignancies. There are theoretical, investigational, and clinical justifications to perform molecular testing of… Read more »
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November 4, 2019
Using Molecular Testing to Guide Treatment for Advanced Colorectal Cancer
With:A Q&A with Kalpana Kannan, PhD, former Scientist at Cancer Commons Q: Colorectal cancer is common, and although many cases in earlier stages are cured by surgery alone or with adjuvant chemotherapy, it is still a lethal threat for many patients. Nonetheless, several new targeted and immunotherapeutic agents are now available. When should patients receive molecular testing for their colorectal cancer, what information should… Read more »
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October 7, 2019
Emphasizing Oncogeriatrics
With:A Q&A with Nicolò Matteo Luca Battisti, MD, Medical Oncologist at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom, and Chair of the Young Interest Group of the International Society of Geriatric Oncology (SIOG); nicolo.battisti@gmail.com Q: Everyone knows that the practice of pediatric oncology is very different from adult oncology. How does the growing field of oncogeriatrics differ from usual adult oncology? A:… Read more »
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September 9, 2019
How to Treat Uveal Melanoma that Recurs in the Liver?
With: Emma Shtivelman, PhDA Q&A with Emma Shtivelman, PhD, Chief Scientist at Cancer Commons; emma@cancercommons.org Q: Malignant melanoma may arise from multiple sites, including the eye. What would you recommend be done for a 50-year-old man in the San Francisco Bay Area who was entirely well for nine years after undergoing enucleation surgery for a large uveal melanoma, but has now been informed by his physician that… Read more »
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August 26, 2019
The Importance of Brain Tumor-Initiating Cells in Glioblastoma
With:A Q&A with Anita Hjelmeland, PhD, Associate Professor of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology at the University of Alabama Birmingham School of Medicine; hjelmea@uab.edu Q: The inner workings of malignant gliomas are mysterious to many of us. Why does the prognosis of patients with these tumors remain poor? A: Glioblastoma is a primary brain tumor that is treated with surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. While… Read more »
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August 5, 2019
Navigating Pancreatic Cancer—The Basics
With: Lola Rahib, PhDA Q&A with Lola Rahib, PhD, Lead Scientist, Pancreas Cancer, at Cancer Commons, Los Altos, CA; lola.rahib@cancercommons.org Q: Navigating a pancreatic cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming and confusing for patients and their loved ones. How can patients and their caregivers ensure having the knowledge, support, and plan they need to be able to navigate treatment options and other aspects of the disease? A: Patients… Read more »
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July 1, 2019
Can Preclinical Data Guide Clinical Cancer Therapy?
With:A Q&A with Keith Flaherty, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Director of Developmental Therapeutics, Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; kflaherty@mgh.harvard.edu Originally published Aug 31, 2016 Q: Under what circumstances and to what extent are you willing to take clinical actions on a cancer patient based primarily on preclinical data? A: There are two scenarios that come to mind when thinking about… Read more »
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May 28, 2019
New Glioblastoma Trial Adds Whole-Brain Irradiation to Plerixafor
With:A Q&A with Martin Brown, D.Phil, FASTRO, Emeritus Professor (mbrown@stanford.edu), and Lawrence Recht, MD, Professor, at Stanford University’s Department of Neurology (lrecht@stanford.edu) Q: The treatment of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a serious challenge. Recurrence after initial surgery is common and subsequent treatment almost always unsuccessful. Just as “an army marches on its stomach,” GBM growth depends on blood supply. Successful use of the FDA-approved… Read more »
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May 13, 2019
Serious Caveats in Screening for Pancreatic Cancer
With:A Q&A with Rama Gullapalli, MD, PhD; a physician-scientist in the departments of Pathology, Chemical and Biological Engineering at the University of New Mexico. His research lab focuses on the role of the environment in hepatobiliary cancers. He is also a practicing molecular pathologist with an interest in emerging molecular diagnostics, next generation sequencing and bioinformatics. Email: rgullapalli@salud.unm.edu Q: A recent New York Times… Read more »
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April 29, 2019
Encouraging and Paying for Clinical Trials, Right to Try, and Expanded Access: Part Three
With: Mark Shapiro, PhDA Q&A with Mark Shapiro, PhD,Vice President of Clinical Development at xCures, Inc., Partner at Pharma Initiatives; mshapiro@xcures.com. This is the final installment in a three-part series in which Dr. Shapiro has shared his thoughts on the question below. Read part 1 and part 2. Q: Treatment of Americans with advanced cancer is complex and challenging and can be very expensive. Many urge greater participation of such patients… Read more »