Good News for Cancer Patients

[christymike]

Slew of Anti-Angiogenic Drugs on the Way

Aug. 6 — Avastin is only one of many new drugs designed to block the signals that tell cancers to form new blood vessels for their continued growth. While Avastin may be generating the most buzz, cancer experts say that an entire fleet of anti-angiogenic drugs are hot on its trail, several with clinical trial results on the horizon this year.

• List of Antiangiogenic Drugs in Clinical Trials

Like all new drugs, these antiangiogenic drugs will go through a series of rigorous testing before FDA approval. After preclinical trials in the lab and then in animals, three phases of human clinical trials must be done to test and validate the drug's safety and effectiveness in patients.

According to the Angiogenesis Foundation, Avastin is one of five antiangiogenic drugs currently in Phase III trials, the last stage before FDA approval. 67 trials in earlier stages are currently underway across the country.

On the heels of Avastin are Neovastat, a liquid cocktail being tested for renal cell carcinoma and non-small cell lung cancer, PTK787, which comes in the form of a pill and is in testing for colorectal cancer, Revimid, a pill which targets melanoma and multiple myeloma, and Thalomid, a pill which is in testing for a variety of cancers including lung, prostate, and ovarian.

Antiangiogenic drugs are part of a larger group of what is being called "targeted" therapies; like smart bombs, these drugs find their target — in this case, angiogenic factors which encourage blood vessel growth to the tumors — and destroy them. However, the mechanisms by which they go about doing this vary.

Anti-angiogenic drugs also share a distinct advantage over traditional treatments such as chemotherapy. While chemo attacks all dividing cells, anti-angiogenic drugs disrupt only processes unique to cancer. The expected result is more effective treatment with fewer side effects.

"This will be an important year for cancer patients," said Dr. William Li, president and medical Director of the Angiogenesis Foundation. "In the fall of this year, we'll know if [Neovastat] is the second successful anti-angiogenesis drug … this year could be a double hitter."

One of the unique properties of Neovastat is that it's a drink. "The field is moving quick," said Li. "Think of how treatment is changing." Unlike Avastin, he added, which only targets one angiogenic factor called VEGF, Neovastat targets five simultaneously.

While far from a cancer cure, the incredible potential for anti-angiogenesis therapy is apparent. Drugs like Avastin are leading the way for potential new treatments against breast, prostate, and lung cancers. "With these drugs we may be looking at cancer as a more chronic, manageable condition … as opposed to fatal, uncontrollable disease," said Li.

— By ABCNEWS' Eric Choy

[Don Wood]

Thanks, Christy.

[christymike]

You are always welcome! =) Is nt this great news you guys?? its one step closer.. things like these articles just make you feel more positive dont they.? Im in such a good mood today.. Did anyone happen to catch it on abc news yesterday? They did a whole topic on my local news here about it yesterday from the same hospital that my dad goes to so maybe he did pick the right one? Oh well.. Bless you all and we will over come wont we!

[john]

That is interesting about Neovastat. This is essential modified shark cartilage. Remeber all the bad press about shark cartilage? In anycase I read that it can not be administered orally because of it's bioavailability - it does not pass through the digestive system into the body because the molecules are too big.

Maybe they figured a way to get the drug into the body orally, but previously - I am almost 100% that this was administered by injection - but I appear to be wrong

http://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/11571.c ... 522&tab=HC

Look at shark cartilage in the following article

http://nccam.nci.nih.gov/about/advisory ... 98nov.html

Based on this shark cartilage "might" be something to try. I imagine they figured out a way to make the shark cartilage "digestable". I remember a thread on this board w/ Jenny G where I discuraged the use of shark cartilage based on the FTC findings and other research. It is interesting that a drug company is trying to make money off of this while other companies were told to close down. THOUGH there is a difference in that the drug company is going to spend a ton of money to get it through trials BEFORE they make any money.

There are alot of newer drugs that will come to the forefront fairly soon:

1) RNA interference based drugs

2) drugs and tumor markers based on "proteomics" similar to 1)

3) lymphangiogenesis - the idea (I believe) behind this is that most cells stay put e.g. "lung cells" stay in the lung due to contact inhibition. Lymphocytes have the ability to go anywhere in the body - thus a means of metastasis

Praying for a cure

[KHK2971]

Thanks for the info! My Dad is on thalomid and seems to be handling it well, although we haven't had any scans yet to see if it's working.

[Jenny G.]

Christy,

Thanks for posting this. I love to see encouraging news. I came to the same conclusion as John after further investigation on the shark cartilage so I really appreciate the information he added. My aunt still believes in it and continues to give it to my uncle who is a 6 year survivor of liver cancer with a recent recurrence.

Jenny

[LindaMRG]

WOW, thanks for sharing this great, exciting news!!!!! Just what I needed to hear today!!

[Hebbie]

Thanks for sharing the great article, I do love to hear good news on the cancer treatment front!

Has everyone seen the article in this month's CURE MAGAZINE? Lung Cancer was the cover story and had the latest treatments and trials listed. Worth picking up a copy of!