Medical News

STUDY SHOWS FOOT MELANOMA SURVIVAL RATE IS JUST 1 IN 2

PARK RIDGE, IL August 23, 2003 ?- Malignant melanoma is increasing faster than any other cancer, and a new study published in the current issue of the Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery shows the overall five-year survival rate for melanoma of the foot and ankle is significantly lower than for melanomas found on other areas of the body.

In the United States, some 40,000 new cases of cutaneous malignant melanoma (melanoma of the skin) are diagnosed every year and the disease accounts for up to 10,000 deaths annually. Melanoma is the most common foot malignancy and is more likely to be misdiagnosed than a melanoma located elsewhere, according to lead author Susan M. Walsh, DPM, AACFAS, a podiatric foot and ankle surgeon in Rhode Island. Her data showed that the overall five-year survival rate was 52 percent for patients with a primary melanoma of the foot or ankle compared to 84 percent for patients with melanoma on the thigh or calf.

?The results of this study should be a strong reminder for physicians and patients to be vigilant in checking the feet carefully for evidence of skin cancer,? said Walsh. ?A malignant melanoma on the foot, especially if it isn?t painful and on the bottom of the foot, won?t be as readily noticed as a lesion on the face or arm. Foot melanomas, therefore, are more advanced and more dangerous when they are diagnosed and treated,? she added.

Melanomas can be found anywhere on the foot, including under a toenail. They most often appear as pigmented lesions. Risk factors may be similar to other skin cancers, such as excessive unprotected sun exposure, family history of skin cancer, numerous moles on the body and having fair skin, blue eyes or red hair. Further, populations normally at low risk for skin cancer, such as blacks, Hispanics and Asians, also can develop melanomas on their feet.

Walsh advises physicians to be highly suspicious whenever a patient has a pigmented or unusual lesion on the foot. To be safe, anyone with moles on their feet should watch them carefully and have them removed and biopsied by a podiatric foot and ankle surgeon if they change in color and shape. To locate a podiatric foot and ankle surgeon in your area, contact ACFAS toll-free at 1-888-THE FEET or at www.acfas.org.

The Journal of Foot & Ankle Surgery is published by the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons, the professional organization for podiatric foot and ankle surgeons, doctors of podiatric medicine (DPM) who are graduates of four-year podiatric medical colleges and have completed surgical residencies. The organization is dedicated to developing surgical standards for the care of the foot and ankle, sponsoring research, and providing continuing education for its members.    
   

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November has just been declared Lung Cancer Awareness Month in Illinois. For anyone who has been touched by lung cancer, please join us at the 1st annual Lung Cancer Walk and Rally, benefiting A.L.C.A.S.E., the Alliance for Lung Cancer Advocacy, Support & Education. The 1-mile walk and rally will be on November 8th at 8:30 a.m. at Benet Academy in Lisle, Illinois. There will be food, entertainment, ribbons, t-shirts, and festivities.

In December of 2002, I lost my beloved father, Robert J. Krawitz, to lung cancer. Bob Krawitz was a loving father, uncle and brother, who treated everyone with tremendous love and compassion. He is only one of the approximately 160,000 beloved Americans who died of respiratory cancers last year-more than the combined total of 40,000 breast cancer deaths, 56,600 colorectal cancer deaths, 30,200 prostate cancer deaths, 13,100 brain cancer deaths, and 21,700 deaths from all of the leukemias.

Unfortunately, as one looks for rallies or walks to attend that are aimed at fighting lung cancer, one is bombarded with walks for other cancers, but none for lung cancer. As one looks on www.google.com for more information about Lung Cancer Awareness Month, one receives only 821 hits, verses the 59,700 hits for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. In addition, on www.google.com, there are less than 5 hits for lung cancer walks, but about 15,000 hits for breast cancer walks.

While we certainly need to have this type of attention focused on breast and other cancers, lung cancer also deserves tremendous attention!

Interestingly, the ribbon for lung cancer awareness is a clear ribbon with an outline around it, symbolizing the fact that lung cancer is really an invisible disease that few pay attention to. During the walk and rally, each member will have a chance to ?fill-in? a large poster of the ribbon, so that at the end of the rally, we will no longer be so invisible!

There are tens of thousands of people in Chicago who have been touched by this disease! Please come and show that we are not invisible!

-Renee Kosiarek
Adjunct Instructor, DePaul University College of Law & Waubonsee Community College
630-357-2276 (I am available for questions and/or interviews)!

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September 11, 2004 — Surgeons at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, NJ, are now treating early-stage prostate cancer with the assistance of a surgical robot, dramatically reducing the risk of impotence and incontinence and eliminating an uncomfortable recovery period.

The da Vinci Surgical System is a state-of-the-art surgical robot that gives surgeons more precise views of the prostate and surrounding tissue, as well as greater dexterity.

?Surgical removal of the prostate is one of the most common and effective treatments for early-stage prostate cancer,? said Jonathon Hwang, MD, Director of Robotics and Minimally Invasive Urology at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. ?Many men avoid surgical procedures because of the high risk of incontinence and impotence and the difficult recovery, but the da Vinci is changing that.?

The da Vinci uses miniature instruments to perform the procedure, allowing for very small incisions. A surgeon controls the da Vinci?s arms from a remote console that precisely translates his hand, wrist and finger movements to the robotic arms inside the patient while providing a three-dimensional view of those movements.

Urologists at Robert Wood Johnson say the enhanced views offered by the da Vinci mean less chance of damaging surrounding nerves and tissue and a reduced risk of scarring.

?With optical magnification up to ten times larger than the actual size and three-dimensional depth perception, we can better preserve the nerves that are crucial to maintain potency and continence while successfully removing the cancerous prostate gland,? noted Dr. Hwang, who is also an Assistant Professor of Urology at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. ?Our patients have done very well after surgery using the da Vinci and it is the only type of prostate cancer surgery that I would recommend to my patients.?

With the da Vinci robot, surgeons make keyhole openings rather than a single four-inch incision. These small openings result in less pain, less blood loss, faster catheter removal and a shorter hospital stay, with some patients returning to work as early as two weeks after the procedure.

Patients who undergo this surgery generally leave the hospital the next day and their recuperation time is less, adds Robert Weiss, MD, a urologic oncologist at the hospital.

A growing number of top hospitals are using the da Vinci to treat prostate cancer. Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital is the only medical center in Central New Jersey currently making use of the technology.

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August 13, 2004 — Research and Markets announces the addition of this new report entitled “Progress on Novel Strategies & Drugs” to its offerings.

This issue of “BSG Cancer Highlights” presents a progress analysis on what has been identified as new and interesting strategies for the treatment of cancer. Presentation of industry related achievements on hypoxia induced prodrugs, aurora kinase inhibitors, IGF-R1 antagonists, apoptosis inducing biological drugs, new taxane entities, mitotic inhibitors, mTOR and cell adhesion blockers have been studied as well as the drug target situation. Additionally, progress on PEG formulations of cancer drugs has been studied.

The prodrugs are designed to be non-toxic until selectively activated by bioreduction in hypoxic cells to selectively inhibit their targets, e.g. topoisomerase II. Aurora kinases are down regulating the tumor suppressor p53. Inhibitors of the Aurora kinase family therefore have potential to block growth of all tumor types. Researchers has reported that IGF-1R is an attractive target for development of therapeutics since it can make tumor cells more sensitive to conventional chemotherapy or other anticancer agents. Some biological drug candidates have been found to be involved as a growth inhibitors and promoters of cell death in the natural control of excessive and/or abnormal proliferation. Furthermore, novel analogs of taxotere have been shown inhibit the growth of both paclitaxel and docetaxel sensitive and resistant tumor cell lines. Clinical data is now emerging.

Mitotic kinesins play essential roles during all phases of mitosis. These enzymes are “molecular motors” that transform energy released by hydrolysis of ATP into mechanical force. Targeting specific proteins during mitosis is a strategy that is becoming more and more interesting.

Cell adhesion is of outmost importance for tumor growth and spreading as well as the tumor vascular tree. Utilizing drugs targeting cell adhesion molecules such as cadherins promising results have been obtained. PEG-technology of cancer drugs has now reached all the way into phase III trials.

Many of these drugs have entered clinical trials and results are emerging. Results from these studies suggest that continuing efforts will be invested in these drugs. Patents related to these drugs and targets have been studied and relevant patents are described.

Companies such as Wyeth, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Merck Co. Inc, GlaxoSmithKline, AstraZeneca, Novartis, Schering-Plough, Pfizer Aventis, Genentech, Immunex, Vertex Pharmaceutical, Callisto Pharmaceuticals, Procyon BioPharma, Taxolog Inc, PharmaMar, Adherex Technologies, Novacea, Inc, KuDOS Pharmaceuticals and several others are involved in developing new drugs utilizing these strategies.

For a complete index of this report click on http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/220873

About Research and Markets Ltd.
Research and Markets Ltd. are Europe’s largest resource for market research. R&M distribute thousands of major research publications from the world’s leading publishers, consultants and market analysts. R&M provide you with the latest forecasts on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest market trends.

For additional information on ResearchandMarkets.com, their range of reports or their value-added services, visit their web site at http://www.researchandmarkets.com or mailto:press@researchandmarkets.com

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Indianapolis, IN February 15, 2004–Cancer Comfort, an online cancer resource center, has officially launched a fundraising campaign for ?Sarah?s Gift?. Sarah?s Gift was created with the help of 12-year old cancer patient, Sarah, who underwent a bone marrow transplant in August 2003 at Seattle Children?s Hospital.

?I first met Sarah through a volunteer organization, Chemo Angels, in May 2003?, states Kathy Browning, founder of Cancer Comfort. ?While researching the web for cancer resources, I ran across Chemo Angels. This organization connects individuals to ?angel? cancer patients and I was lucky enough to be assigned to Sarah.”

Cancer Comfort offers an exclusive line of Daily Comfort Kits, specifically designed for individuals undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatments. The gift line includes all-natural, unscented personal care items, which take into consideration the special needs of the cancer patient. Browning states ?We thoroughly tested every item included in our Daily Comfort Kits. Each one provides a benefit and comfort to individuals during a very difficult time?.

Browning and Sarah created ?Sarah?s Gift? - a gift of comfort for children with cancer. Packaged in a backpack to provide discreet transportation of an IV bag and pump; Sarah’s Gift is filled with personal care products, comfort items, toys and games that stimulate the mind and provide a creative outlet, and gifts and resources for the caregiver.

?The response to ?Sarah?s Gift? has been wonderful.? Browning continues, ?Product vendors have been very generous in providing products needed for the kits, and we are truly grateful.? Cancer Comfort plans to donate 30 kits to Seattle Children?s Hospital in March. Browning will fly out to Seattle to meet Sarah and together they will present Sarah’s Gift to the children.

Cancer Comfort is currently raising funds through individual donations and corporate sponsors. “I’m confident we’ll reach our goal.” States Browning. “Once people hear about Sarah, they are inspired by her courage and positive outlook. It just takes time to get the word out.”

To make a donation, become a sponsor, or obtain additional information visit the Cancer Comfort website at http://www.cancercomfort.com.

Cancer Comfort
Contact: Kathy Browning
317.291.4751
kathy@cancercomfort.net

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Kansas City, MO August 2, 2004 — Melissa Pulis, MSM, CCLS, Child Life Manager at CMH Hospitals and Clinics spearheaded the use of this new ceiling treatment to ease their young patient?s stress and find a distraction to help medical personnel in diagnosis and treatments.

During the months of June and July of this year, CMH installed over (25) CeilingScenes in various areas including; radiology, diagnostic, treatment, and patient?s rooms.

Melissa concludes: ?These ceiling tiles have totally changed the feeling of the areas where they are installed. The children love to look at them and it really lifts their spirits and gives them something else to think about beside their problems, treatment, or how long they have to be hospitalized. The CeilingScenes are like visual candy and it really improves their mood and outlook.?

Larry Losr, President of Applied Visual Concepts, the parent of CeilingScenes products, states: This is a very cost effective ($35.95 to $65.95 ea.) method of totally transforming a very sterile, and foreign environment into a friendly, more pleasant place to be.

CeilingScenes are produced and sold by
Applied Visual Concepts,
Holland MI. phone-616 546 3543
www.CeilingScenes.com

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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA September 02, 2003 ?- “Targeted Etanercept for Treatment-Refractory Pain Due to Bone Metastasis: Two Case Reports,” is the title of a new medical article published in the August 2003 issue(volume 25, No. 8, 2003, pp.2279-2288) of the peer-reviewed medical journal Clinical Therapeutics and written by Edward Tobinick, MD, medical director of the Institute for Neurological Research in Los Angeles. The treatments were conducted at the private INR? without outside support or sponsorship. The full text of the article is available online at the journal website, www.clinicaltherapeutics.com, and will be accessible without charge for about the next 30 days.

“It is fascinating that this new therapeutic agent appears to have the potential to ameliorate not only the bone destruction that occurs in rheumatoid arthritis, but also the pain which accompanies bone destruction when certain cancers metastasize to the spine”, said Dr. Tobinick. “The scientific basis for this new off-label use is experimental evidence that suggested that drugs of this class (TNF-alpha antagonists) may inhibit the biologic activity of osteoclasts(cells that lead to bone resorption), and that osteoclasts may be the mediators of malignant bone destruction. What came as a real surprise, however, was the rapidity, extent, and duration of the pain relief experienced by both treated patients.”

The working hypothesis is that delivery of etanercept in anatomic proximity to the site of spinal metastasis (”targeted administration”) results in a high local concentration of the drug, allowing it to have a therapeutic paracrine effect. It is postulated that TNF-alpha released by cancer cells stimulates osteoclasts to invade and resorb the surrounding bone, which results in release of tumor growth factors from the bone. Etanercept may interfere with this cycle by interrupting tumor-induced osteoclast activation.

Other recent pilot studies have also suggested that etanercept may have a role in cancer treatment (see abstracts presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology meetings: abstract 83, 2002, “A phase II trial of etanercept, a tumor necrosis factor inhibitor in recurrent ovarian cancer” and abstract 2374, 2003, “Pilot study of recombinant human soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor (P75) fusion protein etanercept in patients with relapsed cutaneous T-cell lymphomas”).

“The Clinical Therapeutics article presents preliminary, open-label results which require confirmation. Although it is premature to make any generalized treatment recommendations, further study is urgently called for, preferably utilizing a placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind design, because of the unmet clinical need of this class of patients,” said Dr. Tobinick.

A multi-center trial of etanercept administered systemically for the treatment of cancer-associated weight loss is currently underway (National Cancer Institute protocol NCI-P02-0232). In view of the dramatic clinical responses to targeted etanercept documented in this new article from the INR it is hoped that multi-center clinical trials under the auspices of the National Cancer Institute will be initiated without undue delay.

FURTHER BACKGROUND:

This potential new clinical use for etanercept joins other new, off-label uses of TNF-alpha inhibitors which have been discussed in recently published articles:

?Perispinal TNF-alpha inhibition for discogenic pain,? E. Tobinick and S. Davoodifar, Swiss Medical Weekly 2003;133:170-177. Abstract and full text at www.smw.ch.

?Targeted etanercept for discogenic neck pain: uncontrolled, open-label results in two adults,? E. Tobinick, Clinical Therapeutics 2003 April;25:1211-1218.

“Tumor necrosis factor-alpha antibody, infliximab, used to manage severe sciatica,? J. Karppinen, Spine 2003 April 15;28:750-754. Abstract and full text at www.spinejournal.com.

In addition, abstract OP0018 presented at the Annual Congress for European Rheumatology, EULAR 2003, on June 19, 2003, entitled “Efficacy of etanercept in the treatment of acute sciatica”, authored by S. Genevay MD, S. Stingelin MD, and C. Gabay MD, from the Division of Rheumatology, University Hospital Geneva, Geneva Switzerland provides additional independent scientific support for the use of etanercept for the treatment of sciatic pain associated with disc herniation, a treatment modality pioneered by the INR in Los Angeles several years ago. In the U.S. this use of etanercept, detailed in several of the patents listed below, is licensed exclusively to the Institute for Neurological Research in Los Angeles.

The use of etanercept, infliximab and other recombinant DNA medications for the treatment of pain due to cancer metastasis to bone and other neurological disorders is protected by multiple U.S. patents and by a recently issued Australian patent, all of which have been awarded to Dr. Tobinick(see below). Please note that these medications have not been proven to be either safe or effective for these new off-label uses. These medications can have adverse effects. Please see the manufacturers’ prescribing information for a discussion of approved indications and adverse effects.

Partial list of U.S. Patents awarded to Edward Tobinick, M.D.:

1. 6,015,557 Tumor necrosis factor antagonists for the treatment of neurological disorders. Filed March 23, 1999, issued January 18, 2000.
2. 6,177,077 TNF inhibitors for the treatment of neurological disorders.
3. 6,379,666 TNF inhibitors for the treatment of neurological, retinal, and muscular disorders.
4. 6,419,934 TNF modulators for treating neurological disorders associated with viral infection.
5. 6,419,944 Cytokine antagonists for the treatment of localized disorders.
6. 6,423,321 Cytokine antagonists for the treatment of sensorineural hearing loss.
7. 6,428,787 TNF inhibitors for the treatment of retinal disorders.
8. 6,471,961 Interleukin antagonists for the treatment of neurological, retinal and muscular disorders.
9. 6,537,549 Cytokine antagonists for the treatment of localized disorders, filed April 25, 2001, issued March 25, 2003.
10. Australian patent 758,523 Tumor necrosis factor antagonists for the treatment of neurological disorders, issued July 3, 2003.

This press release was issued by Edward Lewis Tobinick, MD, A Medical Corporation which conducts a private medical practice at the INR. Edward Lewis Tobinick, MD, A Medical Corporation is solely responsible for the contents of this press release. The contents of this press release are for educational purposes only and should not be construed as treatment recommendations for any of the clinical disorders discussed. Further information is available on the website: www.nrimed.com.

Press Release: For Distribution September 02, 2003.

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