Results of the EORTC 55971 trial: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by interval debulking surgery is not inferior to primary debulking surgery followed by chemotherapy as a treatment option for patients with stage IIIC or IV ovarian carcinoma
Posted on 2 September 2010
The standard of care for patients with advanced ovarian cancer has been primary debulking surgery; ovarian carcinoma is often not diagnosed until it is at an advanced stage. Treatment involving neoadjuvant chemotherapy prior to interval debulking surgery has been investigated by several institutions, but prospective, randomized, controlled trials assessing the role of primary debulking surgery in the treatment of advanced ovarian cancer have not been conducted. However, such a study would provide needed clarification concerning these treatments, because a meta-analysis involving 835 patients indicated that neoadjuvant chemotherapy resulted in a worse outcome as compared to primary debulking surgery.[1]
In the September 2, 2010 edition of the New England Journal of Medicine, Ignace Vergote et al., reported for the the EORTC Gynecological Cancer Group and the NCIC–Clinical Trials Group on a Gynecologic Cancer Intergroup study, the results of the EORTC 55971 trial demonstrating that neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by interval debulking surgery is not inferior to primary debulking surgery followed by chemotherapy as a treatment option for patients with bulky stage IIIC or IV ovarian carcinoma.[2] In this study 670 patients with biopsy-proven stage IIIC or IV invasive epithelial ovarian carcinoma, primary peritoneal carcinoma, or fallopian-tube carcinoma were randomly assigned to receive either primary debulking surgery followed by platinum-based chemotherapy or to receive neoadjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy followed by interval debulking surgery and then platinum-based chemotherapy. Comparing the group assigned to neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by interval debulking to the group assigned to primary debulking surgery followed by chemotherapy, the hazard ratio for death (intention to treat analysis) was 0.98 (90% CI, 0.84 to 1.13; P = 0.01 for noninferiority), and the hazard ratio for progressive disease was 1.01 (90% CI, 0.89 to 1.15). Complete resection of all macroscopic tumors (at primary or interval surgery) was the strongest independent variable predicting overall survival. The authors note that whenever debulking surgery is performed, be it as the primary treatment or following neoadjuvant chemotherapy, complete resection of all macroscopic disease should be the objective. Interval debulking was associated with a lower postoperative mortality, shorter operation time, less grade 3 hemorrhage, venous complications and infections.
Vergote concludes “This study is the first randomized study on surgery in the primary treatment of advanced ovarian cancer. The study shows neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by interval debulking results in the same survival but fewer complications than primary debulking surgery. Surgical consultation and careful analysis of important predictive factors of debulking surgery resulting in no residual macroscopic tumor, such as co-morbidities, age, disease burden, location of metastatic sites, performance status, and stage, should be taken into account when deciding whether a patient is a candidate for primary debulking surgery with an acceptable morbidity. In addition to computerized axial tomography and/or positron emission tomography, laparoscopy might provide additional information on the disease burden.”
John Bean
[1] Bristow RE, Chi DS. Platinum-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy and interval surgical cytoreduction for advanced ovarian cancer: a meta-analysis. Gynecol Oncol 2006;103:1070-6. [2] Vergote I, Tropé CG, Amant F, Kristensen GB, Ehlen T, Johnson N, Verheijen RHM, van der Burg MEL, Lacave AJ, Panici PB, Kenter GC, Casado A, Mendiola C, Coens C, Verleye L, Stuart GCE, Pecorelli S, and Reed NS, for the Gynecologic Cancer Intergroup study of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer–Gynaecological Cancer Group and the NCIC–Clinical Trials Group. Treatment Options in Stage IIIc or IV Ovarian Cancer: Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy or Primary Surgery in Stage IIIC or IV Ovarian Cancer. N Engl J Med 2010;363:xxx-xx.
The EORTC participates as full partner of the 12th Joint ECCO-AACR-EORTC-ESMO Workshop on “Methods in Clinical Cancer Research 2010”
Posted on 1 September 2010
The 12th Joint ECCO-AACR-EORTC-ESMO Workshop on “Methods in Clinical Cancer Research 2010” was held on 19 – 25 June 2010 in Waldhaus Flims, Switzerland. This conference was jointly organized by the European CanCer Organisation (ECCO), American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), the European Organisation for the Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC), and European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO). The EORTC participated for the first time as a full partner of this workshop.
The design of cancer clinical trials is of the utmost significance, because errors in the design and conduct of a clinical trial can make it impossible to derive a well-informed answer to the question that the trial is asking. A poorly designed cancer clinical trial can cause promising avenues of research based on sound scientific work to be abandoned and delay the introduction of new treatments into the general medical oncology practice. It is therefore of critical importance that young oncologists are trained in effective clinical trial design.
Another concern is that the number of individuals engaged as clinical researchers is decreasing. This course, then, also serves to support prospective clinical investigators.
The response of ECCO, AACR, EORTC, and ESMO to these problems has been to jointly design a program that will introduce junior clinical oncologists to the principles of good clinical design, expose them to the full gamut of possibilities in cancer clinical research, and ultimately educate them about cancer clinical trial designs that will lead to improved regimens for cancer therapy.
This year, 84 students representing 16 European countries, Canada, the United States, Egypt, Singapore, Russia, Israel, Zimbabwe, and Morocco attended the workshop. The 39 faculty members hailed from Europe and USA and represented different areas of expertise and interest including medical oncology (adults and children), hematology, radiation oncology, surgery, radiology, and statistics.
Students attending this year’s workshop attended educational sessions, participated in discussion groups related to specific clinical research topics such as the design for early trials, bio-banking / translational research, and pediatric clinical trials, and worked in small teams developing protocols. By the end of the workshop most students had produced a well developed draft of their protocols and were very satisfied with their experience at the workshop. The EORTC looks forward to organizing future workshops with ECCO, AACR, and ESMO so that future clinical oncologists can benefit from this training.
Thierry Gorlia, Sandrine Marreaud, Jan Bogaerts, and John Bean
Successes and achievements of the EORTC PROBE project
Posted on 1 September 2010
PROBE, Patient Reported Outcomes and Behavioral Evidence, is a project designed to illuminate many critical albeit underappreciated topics that have a significant impact on psychosocial and Health Related Quality Of Life (HRQOL) issues in the care of patients with cancer. PROBE strives to develop a deeper understanding of these issues not only in relation to common cancer disease sites such as breast and colorectal, but also in rarer diseases such as glioblastoma, small cell lung cancer, and mesothelioma. Data that are obtained over the course of this project will provide an invaluable insight into the plethora of psychosocial issues that cancer patients face across different cultures and at different times in the disease cycle. As such, these data will help future researchers, health care workers, and governments to plan patient care, clinical trials, and services for improved psychosocial/HRQOL care. The PROBE database will provide unique research opportunities for investigators interested in psychosocial oncology.
The PROBE project is supported by Global Health Partnerships, GHP, whose goal is to support the growth of promising cancer and tobacco control organizations united by the shared mission of accelerating the pace of progress in the fight against cancer. Geographically, GHP targets Asia, Africa, Latin America, Middle East, Europe, the United States, and Canada. GHP began operating in 2007, and the Pfizer Foundation together with the Pfizer country offices have committed $47 million of support over a four year period (2008-2011) to 31 Global Health Partnerships grantees impacting more than 45 countries. The EORTC Quality of Life Department is one of these recipients with the PROBE project. GHP grants are managed by four intermediaries: the King Baudouin Foundation US, Give 2 Asia, TCC Group, and The Resource Foundation with oversight from the Pfizer Foundation.
Near term goals of the PROBE project include publishing articles in key journals in order to help raise the visibility and boost improvements in the psychosocial aspects of care for cancer patients. PROBE plans psychosocial symposiums to discuss results, explore key topics, and reach consensus with senior partners and institutions concerning the program and results as well as to assess analysis or plans within the program. PROBE raises awareness of the psychosocial and HRQOL status of cancer patients among policymakers and healthcare workers by presenting its findings and results at major conferences in collaboration with participating partners.
Over the past three years PROBE has been very active and has published numerous abstracts, given a number of presentations (oral and poster), and organized several symposia. Scientific presentations concerning PROBE have been made at numerous conferences including those conducted by American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO), European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO), International Union against Cancer (UICC), International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR), International Society for Quality of Life Research (ISOQOL), European CanCer Organisation (ECCO), and Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC). PROBE investigators were invited to present at the British Columbia Cancer Agency in Vancouver, the EORTC Quality of Life Department meeting in Rome, German Cancer Congress in Berlin, as well as at an internal EORTC staff educational session on PROBE and psychosocial issues.
PROBE investigators have been invited to several EORTC Groups meetings to give presentations on the psychosocial care of cancer patients. These EORTC Groups have included the EORTC Brain Tumor Group, EORTC Gynecological Cancer Group, EORTC Radiation Oncology Group, and the EORTC Breast Cancer Group. Invitations such as these allow the PROBE team to educate and train researchers, clinicians and other health care professionals on how they can improve psychosocial care during treatment of their cancer patients and demonstrate the keen interest from the medical world in the work PROBE is doing. Furthermore, these opportunities to speak to the EORTC Groups members helps to improve the visibility of PROBE and its work concerning the psychosocial needs of cancer patients.
Recently, PROBE hosted a mini Symposium on PROBE at the UICC held in Shenzhen, China. The following presentations were given:
- Andrew Bottomley: HRQOL and the EORTC: Making best use of existing HRQOL clinical trial data: Key results from PROBE
- Chantal Quinten: Quality of Life as prognostic factor in cancer
- Francesca Martinelli: A symptom index for cancer patients based on the QLQ-C30
- Corneel Coens: Statistical analysis of HRQOL data in clinical trials: current issues
- David Collingridge: Publishing PRO and QOL studies in high impact oncology journals
The UICC Board also invited PROBE to give a presentation during the plenary session highlighting its results to date.
Another mini symposium being hosted by PROBE will take place at the EORTC Quality of Life Department Group meeting on 24 September 2010, in Leipzig. The agenda for this symposium includes the following presentations:
- Andrew Bottomley: HRQOL and the EORTC: Making best use of existing HRQOL clinical trial data: Key results from PROBE
- Chantal Quinten: Survival prognostication in EORTC clinical trials
- Francesca Martinelli: Exploring internal relationships among EORTC QLQ-C30 indicators from EORTC clinical trials
- John Maringwa: Answering the EORTC group’s questions? What do EORTC clinical trials tell us about minimal clinically important differences?
Last year’s inaugural PROBE symposium could become an annual affair and provide a forum for teaching key issues in psychosocial care and for training fellows in better psychosocial care. Indeed, considering the success of that first PROBE symposium and the call for more courses, we wish to establish this symposium as a model for future global conferences. The PROBE team plans to conduct its second Symposium in September 2011 and anticipates an audience of 600 people. Andrew Bottomley recently negotiated for this event to be hosted by the European Parliament who will provide the financial support for the symposium. This arrangement will significantly increase the political focus of the event and increase awareness of the importance of psychosocial issues among the European Parliament membership, the 27 EU member states, and other non-EU member states. Keynote speakers from the European Parliament will include Marisa Matias, Member of the European Parliament and Chair of the Forum against Cancer Europe (FACE) as well as representatives from MEPs Against Cancer (MAC). Members of the news media will be invited to attend this symposium, among whom will be David McNamee, Senior Editor, The Lancet. Overall, this level of participation and coverage connotes excellent recognition of the work that has been carried out by PROBE thus far and demonstrates that the European Parliament and its members are keen to be involved in our work and eager to help improve the psychosocial care of cancer patients
In order to sustain efforts in this important area of cancer patient care, PROBE plans to continue seeking grant and sponsor support. To date, several grants proposals have been submitted, and work in this regard will continue during the second half of 2010. Initially, we did not anticipate such broad success and interest from so many international bodies, such as the National Cancer Institute of Canada – Clinical Trials Group (NCIC-CTG), the Medical Research Council (MRC), and the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Gynaekologische Onkologie Group (AGO), for the PROBE project, but having piqued this interest, we look forward to continuing this project that addresses such important and widely appreciated needs.
Over the long term, efforts by the PROBE team will result in a consensus statement concerning psychosocial and HRQOL issues supported by key psychosocial groups, will address the most topical areas in psychosocial oncology, and will thereby lead to improved services. PROBE envisages the assembly of a database of key psychosocial and HRQOL data that will be useful for future research and for exploring key questions in psychosocial oncology. Thus, PROBE can play an important role in helping to facilitate the planning of new treatments and promote a better understanding of cancer care. PROBE is a means and a way to promote understanding and discussion of the values of psychosocial/HRQOL issues and their practical impact on patients with cancer.
For more information about PROBE, please see: www.eortc.be/probe/
John Bean, Chantal Quinten, and Andrew Bottomley
Newly founded EORTC Endocrine Tumors Task Force
Posted on 1 September 2010
A newly founded EORTC task force, the Endocrine Tumors Task Force (EnTF) is taking shape at the EORTC. This task force will have an estimated potential access to more than 2000 thyroid carcinomas and over 600 adrenal cancers every year. The EnTF currently involves institutions in Belgium, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Switzerland, The Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, and Slovenia, and it is continuing to expand throughout Europe.
Within EnTF there will be a fair balance of endocrinologists and oncologists, and the EnTF will benefit from existing EORTC scientific expertise and operational support. Specifically, the EnTF will have access to radiation oncologists, imagers, head and neck specialists, and pathologists among others. In addition they will have access to expert review provided by the EORTC New Drug Advisory and Translational Research Advisory committees. The EORTC has extensive experience in European and transatlantic collaborations and can provide scientific and operational support including methodology and biostatistical expertise, regulatory affairs, Pharmacovigilance, and access to biorepositories and an in-house imaging platform.
The Endocrine Task Force objectives are to run academic studies in thyroid and adrenal gland malignancies, conduct strong integrated translational research to identify new targets and biomarkers, and build efficient platforms/databases to help knowledge development to optimize treatment.
This new task force within the EORTC Clinical Research Division is chaired by Prof. Martin Schlumberger, who is organizing the 14th International Thyroid Conference which will be held in Paris from 11-16 September 2010. More information about this conference can be found at: http://www.eortc.be/seminar/OtherMeetingsConfCourses.htm
For more information about the EnTF visit: www.eortc.be/home/EnTF/ or contact Dr. Denis Lacombe, MD, MSc Scientific Director EORTC, Denis.Lacombe@eortc.be
Denis Lacombe
Dr. Leen Verleye completes Research Fellowship at EORTC Headquarters with the EORTC Gynecological Cancer Group
Posted on 1 September 2010
This past June, Dr. Leen Verleye completed a three year stay at EORTC Headquarters as a Research Fellow in the EORTC Gynecological Cancer Group (GCG). During her fellowship Dr. Verleye was involved in several studies conducted by the GCG, and the results of these studies will lead to improvements in the treatment and follow-up of patients with ovarian and cervical cancers. Support for her fellowship was provided by Fonds Cancer (FOCA) and the Dr. Vivien Piercy Memorial Fund.
In a study published in the European Journal of Cancer, Dr. Verleye and co-workers defined quality indicators that can be used to monitor and improve the quality of surgery for ovarian cancer. [1] Surgery is central in the treatment and staging of ovarian cancer, and optimal quality ovarian cancer surgery should be synonymous with complete staging and removal of all macroscopic tumors while limiting patient harm and ensuring best patient outcome. However, the quality of ovarian cancer surgery does vary, and quality indicators are necessary to assess and improve the quality of ovarian cancer care. The GCG researchers conducted a literature search using medical subject heading terms in order to identify candidate quality indicators. They defined five quality indicators for staging of presumed early-stage ovarian cancer and six quality indicators for primary debulking surgery for advanced disease that can be used to monitor and improve the quality of surgery for ovarian cancer patients. These indicators will enable valid comparisons to be made between clinical practice and outcome and have already been applied to surgery reports collected within the EORTC 55971 / NCIC-CTG OV13 trial. Preliminary results of that project were presented at the 12th Biennial meeting of the International Gynecological Cancer Society (IGCS) in Bangkok. In addition, the surgical pathology reports were audited, and the results of this audit were also presented at this meeting.
In another paper, Dr. Verleye and members of the GCG studied the factors influencing the quality of a radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy and proposed a set of quality indicators that can be used to audit and improve the quality of surgical care for patients with these stages of cervical cancer.[2] Radical hysterectomy combined with a pelvic lymphadenectomy or chemo-radiation is the accepted treatment for International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stages Ia2–IIa cervical cancer. They found that the quality of a radical hysterectomy can be improved by assuring a sufficient number of operations per surgeon. In addition, monitoring outcome parameters such as local recurrence rate, survival, and short- and long-term morbidity can identify areas in need of improvement. Lymph node count can be used as a quality assurance tool, and precise definition and description of the radicality of an operation will improve standardization. They noted that randomized trials have shown that the omission of peritoneal closure and retroperitoneal drainage and early bowel stimulation have a beneficial influence on perioperative morbidity.
Dr. Verleye was also involved in project to identify areas for improvement in radiotherapy treatment in the EORTC 55994 trial, a randomized trial involving FIGO stage Ib2, IIa >4cm and IIb cervical cancer patients who receive either concomitant chemoradiation or neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radical hysterectomy. In this trial, protocol radiotherapy consists of 45-50Gy external beam pelvic radiotherapy (EBRT) in fractions of 180-200 cGy and brachytherapy to a minimum total dose of 75 GyEQD2 to point A. Maximum treatment duration is 50 days. They found that for external beam therapy, overall treatment time and dose distribution within the planning target volume (PTV) should receive more attention. Data collection on brachytherapy appeared problematic, and they concluded that in order to improve the quality of chemoradiation for cervical cancer, standard protocols for the handling of treatment interruptions and individualized, image-guided treatment planning are indicated for both EBRT and brachytherapy. They also concluded that modern reporting methods will facilitate further optimization of therapy. Preliminary results of this project were presented at the 16th International Meeting of the European Society of Gynaecological Oncology (ESGO) meeting in Belgrade and will be published soon.
Quality of surgery is an important determinant of ovarian cancer patient outcome, and while at the EORTC, Dr. Verleye was instrumental in drafting guidance for establishing an expert center for advanced ovarian cancer surgery and highlighting the need to develop and implement evidence-based European surgical guidelines, provide surgical training for gynecological oncologists, and establish comprehensive cancer networks with sufficient resources. [3],[4] She also found time to actively participate in the translational research projects of the EORTC 55971/NCIC-CTG OV13 trial. Preliminary results of this work were also presented at the IGCS meeting in Bangkok.
Dr. Verleye received her Medical Degree cum laude from the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium, where she subsequently followed specialty training in Obstetrics & Gynecology. She has a strong desire to further her knowledge in the field of gynecological oncology, and at St. Radboud University Nijmegen, the Netherlands, she is working towards her doctoral degree in Quality Assurance in that area.
Currently, Dr. Verleye is pursuing subspecialty training in gynecological oncology at the University Medical Center Utrecht. She will maintain her connections with the EORTC as a member of the GCG and will work closely with the Quality Assurance Committee of that group and EORTC Headquarters.
We wish Leen much future success in the field of gynecological oncology and look forward to a continuing working relationship.
John Bean
[1] L. VERLEYE, P.B. OTTEVANGER, W. VAN DER GRAAF, N.S. REED, I. VERGOTE, of the GYNAECOLOGICAL CANCER GROUP (GCG) OF EUROPEAN ORGANISATION FOR RESEARCH AND TREATMENT OF CANCER (EORTC). EORTC-GCG process quality indicators for ovarian cancer surgery. Eur J Cancer 45 (4): 517-526, 2009. [2] L. VERLEYE, I. VERGOTE, N. REED, P.B. OTTEVANGER. Quality assurance for radical hysterectomy for cervical cancer: The view of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer – Gynecological Cancer Group (EORTC-GCG). Ann Oncol 20 (10): 1631-1638, 2009. [3] L. VERLEYE, P.B. OTTEVANGER, I. VERGOTE. Surgical program building in advanced ovarian cancer: The European perspective. Gynecologic Oncology. Gynecol Oncol. 2009, 114(2suppl):S10-14. [4] Verleye L et al., Patterns of care in surgery for ovarian cancer in Europe, Eur J Surg Oncol (2010), doi:10.1016/j. ejso.2010.06.006
Fostering the Role of Pathology and Biobanking: 17 September 2010, EORTC Headquarters
Posted on 1 September 2010
Translational research is a key component of the EORTC strategy for placing the EORTC at the forefront of clinical and translational research with innovative trials. To further support translational research at the EORTC, a policy for biological material collection, storage and use (biobanking) is being developed, the principles of which were approved by the EORTC Board in October 2009. The involvement and feedback of pathologists and experienced biobankers within the EORTC network are fundamental to this effort, and, accordingly, a meeting, Fostering the Role of Pathology and Biobanking, will take place on 17 September 2010 at EORTC Headquarters.
Key topics to be covered during this meeting include:
- establishment of EORTC Group biobanks and feedback on EORTC Groups current status in collection activities;
- biological material custodianship;
- access to biological materials;
- EORTC quality criteria for biobanking centers;
- how EORTC NOCI (Network of Core Institutions) centers can help support EORTC Group biobanks;
- long-term continuity of established infrastructures;
- tele-pathology tools for supporting pathology and pathology research.
The objectives for this meeting are to:
- finalize the principles of the EORTC biobanking policy;
- maximize EORTC networking, i.e., stimulate interaction between Pathologists of Groups and NOCI and the Pathobiology Group;
- set up procedures and monitor the implementation of the policy across EORTC disease oriented groups and the involvement of NOCI.
The EORTC Pathobiology Group, pathologists and translational research representatives involved in the activities of the disease oriented groups, and pathologists from NOCI will all be present to promote cross-fertilization between the EORTC Translational and Clinical Research Divisions. This meeting provides an opportunity for feedback and comments and also for discussion of the implementation and implications of the new policy across all EORTC groups.
Jacqueline Hall, Head EORTC Headquarters Translational Research Unit Nadia Harbeck; Chair Translational Research Division Maria Grazia Daidone, Chair EORTC Pathobiology Group Stefan Sleijfer, Chair Translational Research Advisory Committee Denis Lacombe, EORTC Headquarters Scientific DirectorStudies opened since 27 May 2010 and in regulatory process
Posted on 1 September 2010
Study Opened since 27 May 2010
EORTC trial 21081
A phase III study of Ienalidomide maintenance after debulking with gemcitabine or liposomal doxorubicin +/- radiotherapy in patients with advanced cutaneous T-cell lymphoma not previously treated with intravenous chemotherapy
Target Accrual: 100 patients
Study Coordinator:
- Martine Bagot – Hôpital Saint-Louis (AP-HP), Paris
Studies to be opened soon (in regulatory process)
EORTC trial 26081 – 22086
Phase III Intergroup Study of Radiotherapy versus Temozolomide Alone versus Radiotherapy with Concomitant and Adjuvant Temozolomide for Patients with Newly Diagnosed Anaplastic Oligodendroglioma or Anaplastic Mixed Glioma with Chromosomal Co-delections of 1p and 19q.
Target Accrual: 544 patients
Study Coordinators:
- Martin J. Van den Bent – Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam
- Frederic Dhermain – Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif
- Wolfgang Wick – Universitaetsklinikum Heidelberg – Kopfklinik, Heidelberg
EORTC trial 26091
Randomized trial assessing the significance of Bevacizumab in recurrent grade II and grade III gliomas
Target Accrual: 144 patients
Study Coordinators:
- Martin van den Bent – Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam
- Ahmed Idbaih – CHU Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris
EORTC trial 10085
Clinical and biological characterization of Male Breast Cancer: an international retrospective EORTC, BIG and NABCG intergroup study.
Target Accrual: 1800 patients
Study Coordinator:
- Fatima Cardoso – Institut Jules Bordet – Brussels
EORTC trial 58081
Translational research – observational study for identification of new possible prognostic factors and future therapeutic targets in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)
Target Accrual: This trial is a prospective observational – biobanking study.
Study Coordinators:
- Helene Cave, Hôpital Robert Debre (AP-HP), Paris
- Yves Benoit, Universiteit Gent, Gent
EORTC trial 40071
Effectiveness of first line treatment with lapatinib and ECF/X in metastatic gastric cancer according to HER2 and EGFR status: a randomized phase II trial
Target Accrual: 228 patients
Study Coordinator:
- Arnaud Roth – Hôpital Cantonal Universitaire De Genève, Genève
EORTC trial 22071-24071
Randomized Phase III trial on postoperative chemoradiation in combination with anti EGFR-antibody versus postoperative chemoradiation in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) with high risk of locoregional recurrence
Target Accrual: 800 patients for the main study, 150 patients for the pre-study
Study Coordinators:
- Wilfried Budach – Heinrich-Heine Universitaetsklinik Dusseldorf, Duesseldorf
- Johannes Langendijk – University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen
- Carla Van Herpen – Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, Nijmegen
EORTC trial 62091
A phase IIb/III multicenter study comparing the efficacy of Trabectedin administered as a 3-hour or 24 hour infusion to doxorubicin in patients with advanced or metastatic untreated soft tissue sarcoma
Target Accrual: 340 patients
Study Coordinator:
- Binh Bui-Nguyen – Institut Bergonie, Bordeaux
Jennifer Crespo and John Bean
5th EORTC-NCI-ASCO Annual Meeting on “Molecular Markers in Cancer”
Posted on 1 September 2010
5th EORTC-NCI-ASCO Annual Meeting on “Molecular Markers in Cancer” (ENASCO) will be held 26 – 29 October 2011, at the SQUARE Meeting Centre in Brussels, Belgium. This meeting provides a forum for discussions concerning the field of cancer markers and the translation of laboratory research into clinical practice. It brings together oncology clinicians, pathologists and researchers active in this field. More than 300 participants representing academia and the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries from both Europe as well as the United States are expected to attend this event.
Jennifer Crespo and John Bean
“Future of Independent Academic Clinical Research in Europe” conference to be held on 2 September 2010 at the Palais des Académies in Brussels
Posted on 27 May 2010
A conference on the Future of Independent Academic Clinical Research in Europe is being organized by the Royal Academies of Medicine of Belgium under the auspices of the Belgian Presidency of the European Union. As a member of the Royal Academies of Medicine of Belgium, Prof. Françoise Meunier, Director General of the EORTC, will chair this conference which will be held on 2 September 2010 at the Palais des Académies in Brussels. There will be a prestigious panel of speakers from academia in Europe including Prof. Harald zur Hausen, winner of the 2008 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his discovery of human papilloma viruses causing cervical cancer. Read more
16th ECCO – 36th ESMO Multidisciplinary Cancer Congress to be held in Stockholm, Sweden, on 23 – 27 September, 2011
Posted on 27 May 2010
Building on the successes of the former ECCO and ESMO meeting, the first jointly organized Congress, ECCO 15 – ESMO 34, Berlin, September 21 – 24, 2009, marked an occasion of many firsts and a new phase and a new day for European oncology.
With a record attendance of almost 15,000 participants, 26 different tracks devised by over 100 leading experts, some 600 invited speakers and more abstracts and late breaking data presented than ever before, and perhaps more importantly, the views of every discipline put together in a truly multidisciplinary forum, enriched our knowledge and represented an important milestone in progressing oncology as a whole. Read more