Tiny Pacemaker

Massive innovation in computer/cell phone/battery technologies enables this tiny pacemaker.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-24535624

Within a decade, it could be even smaller with better battery life.   Innovation never stops.  It never stopped before and will not stop in the future.   Without even knowing a lot what we know today about immune system, HIV got a cure within 15 years of the virus being first discovered.

Are we the cancer patients, including the breast cancer patients the only ones stuck in an innovation-deficient hell, where the word "cure" dare not appear in peer reviewed scientific journals?   There are lots of hope, lots of interesting research, but the focus on metastasis is not always there.  Hopefully this is changing:
http://wrbw.membercenter.worldnow.com/story/23667473/fifteen-leading-charities-and-advocacy-groups-join-forces-to-change-the-way-metastatic-breast-cancer-is-understood-and-to-increase-focus-on-research



http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22956040
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-10/gcrc-dav101513.php

Valproic acid encourages virus to fight cancer.   Dandy


http://www.aacr.org/home/public--media/aacr-press-releases.aspx?d=3179

OMI helps identify therapy response easily.

BXQ-350 for pancreatic cancer and brain cancer

This is about BXQ-350 for pancreatic cancer and brain cancer:

http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/201310130522/NEWS10/310130052&nclick_check=1

Quote from:

Getting this far has been an achievement of its own for Bexion’s team. Fewer than 10 percent of drugs that undergo animal testing ever make it to phase 1 human trials.

And its challenges are just beginning. About 10 percent of drugs that get this far ultimately gain U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval, a total that drops to 4.7 percent for cancer drugs, according to a 2011 study.

Triple-negative tumors targetted with cystine transporter blocker

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-10/uoc--tbc100213.php

Timmerman found that she could significantly slow growth of triple-negative tumors using an FDA-approved anti-inflammatory drug called sulfasalazine to block a specific cystine transporter called xCT. While sulfasalazine itself would not be appropriate for treating cancer, Timmerman said, it could serve as a "lead compound" that could be used to develop drugs that specifically target xCT on tumor cells.

mouse model of Patient's MBC shows interesting similarity

http://www.sciencenewsline.com/summary/2013091923340031.html


This article goes over current TNBC treatment.   It offer hopes without the reality check that the so called "double"ed PFS probably means a few additional months.    Complete pathological response as experienced by this patient featured remains a "miracle", not the expected.
http://www.curetoday.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/article.show/id/2/article_id/2157

Perjeta approved Neoadjuvant use

http://www.onclive.com/web-exclusives/In-Historic-Vote-on-Pertuzumab-ODAC-Suggests-Approval-of-First-Neoadjuvant-Regimen-for-Cancer

Despite my reservation for adjuvant drug research, neoadjuvant regimen is a different thing and much more exciting development to watch, and has the potential to revolutionalize and speed up cancer research.


http://www.cancernetwork.com/conference-reports/asco2013/breast-cancer-symposium/content/article/10165/2157691

How a neoadjuvant studies shows that biomarkers changed during the course of early breast cancer therapy.


http://www.inspire.com/groups/advanced-breast-cancer/discussion/long-interesting-clinical-trials/

Someone on inspire posted a lot of interesting clinical trials collated list.

Entinostat breakthrough status

http://www.onclive.com/web-exclusives/Breakthrough-Designation-Granted-to-Entinostat-for-Advanced-Breast-Cancer

Quote:
In a March 2012 follow-up analysis published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, the median PFS was 4.3 months versus 2.3 months, for entinostat and placebo, respectively (HR = 0.73; P = 0.06). In patients resistant to NSAIs (n = 45), the median PFS was 3.72 months compared to 1.78 months, in favor of the combination (HR = 0.47). - 

The median overall survival in the combination arm was 28.1 months compared to 19.8 months in the exemestane arm (HR = 0.59; P = 0.036). In a subset of patients (n = 49) with increased protein acetylation, the median PFS with the combination was 8.5 months compared with 2.8 months for patients without acetylation (HR = 0.32). 


My comment: Results are not terribly impressive.  But if this could be comboed with other targetted drug then this could be good.   

The key is the test for "protein acetylation"  (49/130).   The other patients might not have benefitted at all.   While the patients with increased protein acetylation (49/130)  seem to benefit at a much higher rate.



In other news:   Breast Cancer Index (BCI) Gene fingerprint identifies subset of HR+ EBC women at risk for 5+yr recurrence.   Lancet Oncology:
http://www.newsday.com/news/health/researchers-focus-on-likelihood-of-breast-cancer-recurrence-1.6056863

RealTime imaging of brain tumor using SRS

http://www.medicaldaily.com/new-laser-based-scalpel-may-revolutionize-brain-cancer-surgery-255492