Foundation Medicine Got More from Bill Gates

Not full-genome sequencing.  but much better than Oncotype or Mammotype.   Costs similar around $5k.

Complete Genomics is another pioneer complete sequencer

http://www.boston.com/businessupdates/2013/01/08/bill-gates-invests-foundation-medicine-which-uses-genome-data-for-cancer-diagnostics/BtipX6STIA5prjmrjJkHzI/story.html

A new angle of attack from Japan via T-cell

T-cell attack from Japan

Drug to prevent blood clots

Considering how many BC patients actually die of blood clots, this new drug is very interesting:

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-12-08/blood-thinner-from-pfizer-bristol-myers-blocks-leg-clots.html

What cost in 2 months delay in diagnosing/treating Advanced Breast Cancer?

This paper gives us some idea:

Waiting ≥ 60 days to initiate treatment was associated with a significant 66% and 85% increased risk of overall and breast cancer–related death, respectively, among late-stage patients

http://jco.ascopubs.org/content/early/2012/11/16/JCO.2012.39.7695.abstract

PD-991 with Femara

CDK inhibitor along with femara giving 26months PFS instead of <10 months PFS with femara alone.   Phase II trial only.   But still impressive.

http://www.fool.com/investing/businesswire/2012/12/05/pfizer-presents-phase-2-data-showing-investigation.aspx

http://erc.endocrinology-journals.org/content/18/4/C19.long

TEDMED 20 greatest medical challenges

There's one item that includes Cancer as "Management of Chronic Conditions".   I don't think majority of stage 4 aggressive breast cancer is really manageable yet, certainly not chronic in the way diabetes and heart disease patients have decades to expect.

Here's the list:

www.tedmed.com/greatchallenges

Don't get me wrong, I love TED, and would probably love TEDMED too.  But apparently cancer cure is NOT very challenging for them.   

Komen acknowledges stage IVers, great start!

the girl in the komen ads and why she personally support komen:
http://mybiggirlpants.blogspot.com/2012/02/i-stand-with-susan-g-komen-for-cure.html

i also agree with the great commentary by Ginny Knackmuhs:
http://mbcnbuzz.wordpress.com/2012/09/10/stage-iv-ad-from-komen-is-this-a-crack-in-the-pink-wall/

quote:

Call me crazy, but maybe some day we’ll actually see a Komen ad that says this:

“The true source of HOPE for metastatic disease is research. That’s why we at Komen are dramatically increasing funding for research into the cause of metastases (the spread of cancer) to stop it in its tracks and save the lives of the estimated 155,000 women and men living with metastatic or stage IV breast cancer in the US, as well as the lives of 30% of early stage survivors who will have metastatic recurrences in the future.”