The FDA approved Zolinza for treating of advanced forms of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL). Zolinza is the first in a new class of cancer drugs to win FDA approval. The drugs, called histone deacetylase inhibitors, are thought to silence some genes that, when left unchecked, allow cancerous cells to proliferate.
"We see CTCL as the tip of the iceberg," said Dr. Stanley Frankel, senior director of clinical research in oncology for Merck. (Which licensed the drug from a biotech firm) "It proves that this pathway can be attacked effectively and therefore make for an entirely new way of treating cancers."
While some early trial results seem promising, Zolinza's effect on the larger cancer question remains to be seen, said Dr. Len Lichtenfeld, the American Cancer Society's deputy chief medical officer. The pathway targeted by the drug is a relative newcomer in the cancer field, he added.
"There is a lot of excitement about targeted therapies. This is not the same type of mechanism as those other agents; nonetheless, any new approach to treating cancer — any novel approach that uses a new pathway, that can be taken by mouth, has limited side effects — merits more attention and hopefully will be successful over time," Lichtenfeld said.
Well that's what you think.
I can't wait for the next spate of articles from those reporters and pundits who I have named the Circle of Cancer Cynics. Their motto: if the drug doesn't increase survival by more than a month or so...who needs it? Founding member: Merrill Goozner who sees Avastin as a useless drug since it does not prolong median survival in cancer patients who have failed other treatments and are about to die. Platinum members include every reporter who has written or rewritten the "so much money and the portions are so small" story about cancer drugs into the ground. Gold members include the handful of doctors who get paid to say these sort of things in Europe and Canada to justify rationing
Using this new litmus test, Zolinza should be scrapped in favor of surgery, painful radiation and chemotherapy or just plain dying and stop wasting all the money that could be spent on universal health care for all. According to a report on the drug given at ASCO, the overall response rate for vorinostat was 29.5%. Time to progression was 148 days for all patients and greater than 203 days for responders.
Less than two lousy months of delayed tumor progression AND NO survival benefit?
Why if Goozner and co had their way, the government would set the research agenda consistent with other social goals -- like universal healthcare -- and have had the FDA reject the drug on the basis of some 5 year multi-center comparative effectiveness study developed, designed and administrered by the government. Every drug would have to pass through that hoop instead of going directly to doctors and patients.
Problem is, taking a look backward we see that survival rates have risen and mortality as a function of diagnosed cancer has declined because of the timely access to these 'useless' drugs. And their value to patients and their families -- in terms of more productive time together -- is in the hundreds of billions.
But if you are part of the Circle of Cancer Cynics, there is no accounting for value or quality of life over time or ever. Either a drug cures you or you should stick with what is now around.
I'd like to see them tell that to parents with kids dying of cancer. They don't have the guts.
"We see CTCL as the tip of the iceberg," said Dr. Stanley Frankel, senior director of clinical research in oncology for Merck. (Which licensed the drug from a biotech firm) "It proves that this pathway can be attacked effectively and therefore make for an entirely new way of treating cancers."
While some early trial results seem promising, Zolinza's effect on the larger cancer question remains to be seen, said Dr. Len Lichtenfeld, the American Cancer Society's deputy chief medical officer. The pathway targeted by the drug is a relative newcomer in the cancer field, he added.
"There is a lot of excitement about targeted therapies. This is not the same type of mechanism as those other agents; nonetheless, any new approach to treating cancer — any novel approach that uses a new pathway, that can be taken by mouth, has limited side effects — merits more attention and hopefully will be successful over time," Lichtenfeld said.
Well that's what you think.
I can't wait for the next spate of articles from those reporters and pundits who I have named the Circle of Cancer Cynics. Their motto: if the drug doesn't increase survival by more than a month or so...who needs it? Founding member: Merrill Goozner who sees Avastin as a useless drug since it does not prolong median survival in cancer patients who have failed other treatments and are about to die. Platinum members include every reporter who has written or rewritten the "so much money and the portions are so small" story about cancer drugs into the ground. Gold members include the handful of doctors who get paid to say these sort of things in Europe and Canada to justify rationing
Using this new litmus test, Zolinza should be scrapped in favor of surgery, painful radiation and chemotherapy or just plain dying and stop wasting all the money that could be spent on universal health care for all. According to a report on the drug given at ASCO, the overall response rate for vorinostat was 29.5%. Time to progression was 148 days for all patients and greater than 203 days for responders.
Less than two lousy months of delayed tumor progression AND NO survival benefit?
Why if Goozner and co had their way, the government would set the research agenda consistent with other social goals -- like universal healthcare -- and have had the FDA reject the drug on the basis of some 5 year multi-center comparative effectiveness study developed, designed and administrered by the government. Every drug would have to pass through that hoop instead of going directly to doctors and patients.
Problem is, taking a look backward we see that survival rates have risen and mortality as a function of diagnosed cancer has declined because of the timely access to these 'useless' drugs. And their value to patients and their families -- in terms of more productive time together -- is in the hundreds of billions.
But if you are part of the Circle of Cancer Cynics, there is no accounting for value or quality of life over time or ever. Either a drug cures you or you should stick with what is now around.
I'd like to see them tell that to parents with kids dying of cancer. They don't have the guts.
