Updated: Clinical characteristics of patients with COVID-19
Dr Siddharth analysed the clinical characteristics of 1,689 #COVID19 patients from 21 publications, and the demographics of 2,198 2019nCoV patients.
Entries by Stijn van den Borne, MSc
COVID-19 in Hong Kong: the end of the beginning?
Watching the daily increase in Covid-19 cases in Hong Kong is scary. However, a more useful analysis is the ‘epidemic curve’, which looks at the date of symptom onset of cases rather than the date of case detection.
How do people get COVID-19 in Hong Kong
Dr Siddharth Sridhar, Specialist in Clinical Microbiology & Infection, looked at the main settings of Covid-19 transmission in Hong Kong (as of 20/2/2020)
2019-nCoV – Summary of the situation in HK as of Feb 6, 2020
Dr Siddharth Sridhar provides a brief overview on the infections with 2019-nCoV in Hong Kong as of Feb 6, 2020. Are they imported cases, local transmissions? And if locally transmitted how closely are the patients related?
How infectious is novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV)
Dr Siddharth Sridhar describes the basic reproduction number – a measure of how ‘infectious’ a pathogen is and how likely it is to spread through a community – for 2019-nCoV, and compares this with the early phases of the SARS and measles outbreaks.
2019-nCoV: how stable are coronaviruses in the environment?
Dr Siddharth Sridhar, looked at how stable coronaviruses are on a variety of environmental surfaces, and provides recommendations to prevent infection with 2019-nCoV.
Who gets severe novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) infection?
Here, I examined the data of 28 patients from 5 publications who had severe pneumonia due to 2019-nCoV requiring ICU admission and/or resulting in death.
Highlights of the 8th Asia Pacific Symposium on Cerebrovascular Disease
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ASCO 2019 Lung Cancer: 36 Oral Presentations of the ASCO19 lung cancer track summarised
Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) was a key feature of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2019 annual meeting. This year, exciting results with neoadjuvant immunotherapy (I-O) from the LCMC3, NEOSTAR, and GECP16/03_NADIM studies as well as combinations of I-O and PARP-inhibitors with chemoradiation therapy, and more. A summary of 36 oral presentations on NSCLC, SCLC, and Mesothelioma.
ASCO 2019 Breast Cancer: The ASCO19 breast cancer track summarised
Breast cancer: a front-runner when it comes to the development of novel therapeutic strategies. With the advent of newer targeted- and immunotherapies, oncologists have an increment of options to offer their patients. The American Society of Clinical Oncology’s (ASCO) 2019 Breast Cancer track offered an extensive look at the latest advancements and updates from on-going trials covering the various subtypes of breast cancer.
FDA approves avelumab plus axitinib for renal cell carcinoma
On 14 May 2019, the FDA approved the combination of avelumab (Bavencio®, Merck KGaA/Pfizer) plus axitinib (Inlyta®, Pfizer) for the first-line treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients.
Can a novel, temporary, and fully resorbable surgical implant improve the outcome of common hockey and soccer injuries?
UPPSALA, Sweden, April 24, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Researchers of the Erasmus University Medical Center in Rotterdam − the Netherlands, consider that the synthetic and fully resorbable TIGR® Matrix surgical mesh (Novus Scientific AB, Uppsala − Sweden) may reduce frequent risks related to the surgical repair of Sportsman’s hernia.
KEYNOTE-158: pembrolizumab in previously treated advanced cervical cancer
Immunotherapy with programmed death 1 (PD-1) antibody pembrolizumab led to an objective response rate (ORR) of 14.6% in previously treated advanced cervical cancer patients with PD-L1–positive disease, as reported by Chung et al. on behalf of the KEYNOTE-158 investigators in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Atezolizumab +/- cobimetinib vs regorafenib for previously treated metastatic colorectal cancer (IMblaze370)
Combining programmed death 1 ligand (PD-L1) inhibitor atezolizumab with MEK-inhibitor cobimetinib in patients with previously treated metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) does not improve the overall survival (OS) when compared to regorafenib, as was reported by the investigators of the IMblaze370 (NCT02788279) trial in the Lancet Oncology.
Combinations: upcoming treatment strategies in metastatic renal cell carcinoma
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Erasmus University MC investigating a new surgical matrix to reduce post-operative complications
The synthetic and fully resorbable TIGR®Matrix surgical mesh (Novus Scientific AB, Uppsala − Sweden) might be an interesting candidate for the prevention of complications frequently observed with permanent mesh placement, according to Professor Johan Lange of the Erasmus University in Rotterdam − the Netherlands.
Keytruda® FDA approved for recurrent and metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma
On 19 December 2018, pembrolizumab (Keytruda®, Merck) received accelerated approval by the FDA for the treatment of recurrent locally advanced or metastatic (R/M) Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) in adult and paediatric patients.
I-O in Special Populations: Chronic Viral Hepatitis Carriers
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ESMO 2018 HCC: The ESMO18 hepatobiliary cancer track summarised
Whereas this year’s American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting (ASCO 2018) boasted two Phase III studies and four Phase II studies with notable results in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the trend did not continue to the European Society for Medical Oncology Conference (ESMO 2018), held in Münich, Germany between October 19-23, 2018. The focus for this years ESMO was mostly on biliary-tract cancers (BTC). Welcome to the hepatobiliary track of ESMO 2018.
Management of Immune-Mediated Hepatitis: a Case Report
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Early treatment with ocrelizumab lowers 5-year brain atrophy rates in MS
Relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) patients initiating ocrelizumab (Ocrevus®, Roche/Genentech) two years earlier had significant reductions in 5-year brain atrophy rates when compared to those switching from interferon β-1a, as reported in the latest results from the OPERA studies’ extension phase.
First-line osimertinib vs EGFR-TKI in Asian patients with advanced NSCLC
First-line osimertinib was associated with a clinically meaningful progression-free survival (PFS) improvement when compared to a standard-of-care (SOC) epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) in a sub-analysis of Asian patients who participated in the FLAURA trial (NCT02296125).
ImmunoOncology: Dr Oscar Chan on the treatment of irAE rash
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Prof Stefan Kasper on I-O in EXTREME-ineligible SCCHN
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I-O in Special Populations: the Treatment of Immunotherapy-Induced Pneumonitis
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ASCO 2018 Breast Cancer: The ASCO18 breast cancer track summarised
Breast cancer: a front-runner when it comes to the development of novel therapeutic strategies. With the advent of newer targeted- and immunotherapies, oncologists have an increment of options to offer their patients. The American Society of Clinical Oncology’s (ASCO) 2018 Breast Cancer track offered an extensive look at the latest advancements and updates from on-going trials covering the various subtypes of breast cancer.
FDA safety alert: use of immunotherapy in metastatic urothelial cancer with low PD-L1 expression
On May 18, the United States (US) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an alert about the decreased survival in studies with pembrolizumab (Keytruda®) and atezolizumab (Tecentriq®) as single agent first-line therapy for patients with metastatic urothelial cancer (mUCC) and low expression of the programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) protein.
AACR 2018: first-line atezolizumab, bevacizumab plus chemotherapy active in non-squamous NSCLC
First-line atezolizumab plus bevacizumab, carboplatin and paclitaxel improves PFS in patients with non-squamous NSCLC. Two presentations on the IMPower150 study by Martin Reck (ELCC 2018) and Mark Socinski (AACR 2018) discussed the frontline addition of atezolizumab to bevacizumab and chemotherapy in different lung cancer subgroups (NCT02366143).
FDA approves daratumumab plus VMP for transplant ineligible myeloma patients
On 7 May 2018 the US FDA approved daratumumab (DARZALEX®) in combination with the VMP regimen (bortezomib (VELCADE®), melphalan, and prednisone) for the treatment of patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma who are ineligible for autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT).
US FDA approved CAR-T cell and BiTE immunotherapy – Updated 2-May-2018
The two CAR-T cell immunotherapies axicabtagene ciloleucel (Yescarta®) and tisagenlecleucel (Kymriah®) and the BiTE blinatumomab (Blincyto®) have in common that they target CD19 on the cancer cells. Do you know all the US FDA approved CAR-T and BiTE immunotherapies?
Nivolumab-Ipilimumab Combination: A New Option for TMB-High NSCLC (CheckMate 227)
AACR 2018: First-line nivolumab-ipilimumab in TMB-high NSCLC with was associated with a more than tripled 1-year progression-free survival (PFS) rate compared to platinum-based chemotherapy in the Phase III CheckMate 227 trial (NCT02477826).
Frontline Combination of Pembrolizumab and Chemotherapy: A New Standard of Care for Non-squamous NSCLC
AACR 2018: Frontline pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy in NSCLC reduces the risk of death by more than 50%. The Phase III KEYNOTE-189 trial combined pembrolizumab (Keytruda®) plus standard of care platinum-based chemotherapy in non-squamous non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) without EGFR or ALK genetic aberrations (NCT0278680)
Pembrolizumab effective in frontline NSCLC with low PD-L1 expression
Pembrolizumab (Keytruda®) as single-agent immunotherapy in the frontline setting of any histology NSCLC with a PD-L1 expression ≥1% was associated with improved overall survival (OS) when compared to platinum-doublet chemotherapy in the KEYNOTE-042.
I-O in Special Populations: Diabetes and Concomitant Steroids
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Crizotinib beneficial for East-Asian NSCLC patients with ROS1 alterations
Crizotinib in Asian NSCLC patients with ROS1 alterations was associated with a 71.7% objective response rate (ORR) with a median duration of response (DOR) of 19.7 months (95% CI, 14.1 months – not reached). Learn more about the results with crizotinib in East-Asian non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients harbouring c-ros oncogene 1 (ROS1) rearrangements.
Nivolumab for NPC: immunotherapy active in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NCI-9742)
Nivolumab (OpdivoⓇ) immunotherapy is active in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). A study published in JCO by Brigette Ma (CUHK) and a team of researchers from Hong Kong, Singapore, and the US showed promising results with nivolumab in NPC. Read more about immunotherapy in NPC.
Making sense of 1st-line immunotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)
The expansion of therapeutic options with immunotherapies will reflect a dramatic change in the guidelines for lung cancer, where immunotherapies mostly compete with the use of chemotherapeutic agents. A brief communication on immunotherapies for NSCLC.
Achieving Long-Term Survival in the First-Line Treatment of Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma; A Balancing Act of Efficacy and Side-Effects
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TIVA: enhanced recovery by optimized anesthetics
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Do you know your lifetime risk on Pancreatic Cancer?
November turns purple for pancreatic cancer awareness. Focus is on one of the most difficult-to-treat tumours with the final objective: to double the survival of pancreatic cancer by 2020. What is your risk to develop pancreatic cancer? And how likely are you to get cured of the disease?
CSA2017: Prof Huang Yuguang on the use of ERAS and TIVA in China
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CSA2017: Prof Xiong Lize on the status of ERAS in China
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Luminal Breast Cancer: can CDK4/6 Inhibition by Palbociclib Improve on Chemotherapy?
Can chemotherapy be avoided in women with hormone-sensitive breast cancer? This is a prominent question in the treatment of breast cancer around the globe.
Pembrolizumab approved for advanced gastric cancer
On September 22, 2017, the FDA granted accelerated approval to pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA, Merck) for use in patients with locally advanced or metastatic, gastric or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinoma positive for PD-L1 as determined by an FDA-approved companion diagnostic (CDx) and progressing after ≥2 prior systemic therapies, including a fluoropyrimidine- and platinum-containing regimen, and, when appropriate, HER2-targeted therapy.
Nivolumab approved for sorafenib-refractory HCC
On September 22, 2017, the Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to nivolumab (OPDIVO, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.) for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients who have been previously treated with sorafenib. Approval was based on a 154-patient subgroup of CHECKMATE-040 (NCT 01658878), a multicenter, open-label trial conducted in patients with HCC and […]
Nivolumab for Renal Carcinoma: Getting the Most Out of PD-1 Immunotherapy
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25th Annual Meeting of the Chinese Society of Anaesthesiology
Almost 10,000 doctors from China joining together to learn about the latest developments in anaesthesiology. Impressions of the 25th Annual Meeting of the Chinese Society of Anaesthesiology – CSA2017 – 中华医学会第25 次全国麻醉学术年会
Latest global trends of health measure and impact on survival rate
Lack of strength and diabetes are becoming epidemic in the ageing population, and patients often ignore early signs and are unaware how to prevent these problems.
Pharma Digital Marketing: Lackluster or Blockbuster?
Pharmaceutical companies are not delivering the online content physicians consider supportive in better patient management. This was concluded by a survey among 2,784 U.S. physicians across 25+ different specialities. Only 27% agreed that pharma websites are a credible source of information.
Should all Women with Endocrine-Sensitive and Operable Breast Cancer Receive Adjuvant Hormonal Therapy?
One in six women with early, operable breast cancer may not need years of adjuvant hormonal therapy after primary treatment. This was the conclusion of a recent study published in JAMA (the Journal of the American Medical Association) Oncology.
Interested in Attending an Immunooncology Conference?
The CICS Annual Conference on Immuno Oncology is offering the most significant advances in the world of oncology. The goal of the meeting is to convey the clinical and translational advances in various areas of cancer immunology to medical oncologists, medical students, and other health professionals.
AMNOG: Germany Pharmaceuticals Pricing Legislation Overview
Germany has introduced a new price-evaluation system for pharmaceuticals in 2011. How does this system work? And has the implementations been a successful one? An overview of the efficacy-measures of the AMNOG.
ESMO16 Breast Cancer: Palbociclib, Ribociclib and Abemaciclib Data
Cyclin-dependent Kinase 4 and 6 (CDK4/6) inhibitors have shown clinical activity in patients with endocrine-resistant metastatic breast cancer. During the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Annual Meeting 2016, significant updates on studies with CDK4/6 inhibitors ribociclib, palbociclib and abemaciclib were presented.
PD-L1 Biomarker: a Comparison of ASCO2016 PD-1 and PD-L1 Data
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Novel Biomarker for Ipilimumab Treatment may aid Future Patient Selection in Several Malignancies
The number of different types of T-helper cells (Th) and cytotoxic T cells (CD8) may predict response to ipilimumab in several malignancies. This was concluded by Dr Juan Pablo Márquez Manríquez who presented the study at the ESMO conference on behalf of the investigators of the Sonora Cancer Research Center (CICS) in Mexico and the United States (U.S.).
ESMO16 Ipilimumab data – Download the PPT
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ESMO16 Pembrolizumab data – Download the PPT
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ESMO16 Durvalumab, Avelumab, Tremelimumab Data – Download the PPT
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ESMO16 Atezolizumab data – Download the PPT
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ESMO16 Nivolumab data – Download the PPT
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Cancer symptom awareness linked to survival
Increased cancer awareness improves survival, according to a recent study by Cancer Research UK (CRUK) published in the British Journal of Cancer (BJC). The researchers matched cancer symptom awareness from a population-based survey in over 35,000 people across the UK with the cancer registry.
ASCO Guideline NeoAdjuvant Chemotherapy for Ovarian Cancer Updated
In women with stage IIIC or IV ovarian cancer, primary cytoreductive surgery (PCS) may be preferred when there is a high chance to achieve cytoreduction to <1 cm with acceptable morbidity. This was concluded by an expert panel who published clinical guidelines in the Journal of Clinical Oncology (JCO) this week.
IMM101 plus Gemcitabine Hopeful in Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer
A phase II proof-of-concept (POC) study investigating the safety and tolerability of immune modulator IMM-101 plus gemcitabine vs. single agent gemcitabine in advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) showed significant improved progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in metastatic patients receiving the combination treatment.
Palbociclib (Ibrance®): First in Class CDK4/6 Inhibitor
At the American Association for Cancer Research, 2014 annual meeting (AACR) Richard Finn presented the results of the PALOMA-1 study with Ibrance® (palbociclib), an oral inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 (CDK4/6). Based on the results of this Phase 2 study, palbociclib was recently approved by the United States Drug and Food Administration (U.S. FDA). What is the current level of evidence on palbociclib in approved indications?
Ki67 in Breast Cancer: an overview
Recent studies have shown new possible applications for Ki67. Huh et al. showed that low Ki67 levels in healthy breast tissue correlated with a lesser lifetime chance of breast cancer. Another study by Arnedos and colleagues concluded that palbociclib was able to invoke a significant Ki67-level drop. After a decade of Ki67-controversies, these results put the marker back in the spotlight.
ASCO16 Ribociclib & Abemaciclib Data
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ASCO16 palbociclib (Ibrance©) Data
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ASCO16 Avelumab, Durvalumab, and Tremelimumab
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ASCO16 Atezolizumab (Tecentriq©) Data
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ASCO16 Ipilimumab (Yervoy©) Data
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ASCO16 Nivolumab (Opdivo©) Data
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ASCO16 Pembrolizumab (Keytruda©) Data
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