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Warning: Gleevec heart effects
Novartis issued a letter to US health professionals on October 19, 2006 regarding the small risk of congestive heart failure from imatinib (Gleevec). The letter is posted on the website of the FDA (link to letter). The Prescribing Information document has also been updated to include the new warning. See our earlier news story for […]
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Dr. von Mehren on GIST
Margaret von Mehren, MD, of Fox-Chase Cancer Center, recently gave an interview on GIST treatment to Medscape. You can complete a free registration to view the entire interview at Medscape. Major points included: role of surgery after kinase inhibitor treatment importance of a patient’s particular mutation in determining response to different drugs (such as imatinib […]
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PET Scans & Medicare
National Oncologic PET Registry http://www.cancerpetregistry.org/ Medicare has started a project to determine the potential benefits of PET scans for additional cancer applications, as input data to determine whether additional cancers and purposes should be covered by Medicare’s rules for paying for PET scans. Currently Medicare does not pay for PET scans for soft tissue sarcoma […]
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GSI attends ASCO
Three members of GIST Support International attended the meeting of ASCO (American Society of Clinical Oncology) in Atlanta June 2-6, 2006. Karen Loomis, Leslie Norman, MD, and Paul Rubin, MD volunteered their time to navigate the huge and hectic convention. Jim Loomis, Karen’s husband, also gave his time to go. They heard lectures, spent time […]
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Sutent approved in Canada
Pfizer Canada announced May 31, 2006 that its oral multi-targeted agent, SUTENT (sunitinib malate) has been approved by Health Canada for the treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumour (GIST) after failure of imatinib mesylate treatment due to intolerance or resistance.
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Searchable online Canadian database of health product adverse reactions
You can read the descriptive news story or go directly to the database.
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Novartis GIST Registry
Help Novartis Oncology collect information from doctors on the diagnosis and management of GIST via doctor participation in a GIST Registry. Print a brochure about the GIST Registry to bring to your doctor.
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ESMO GIST/Sarcoma meeting
On May 17-18, 2006 the European Society for Medical Oncology is sponsoring an International Symposium on Sarcoma and GIST, held in Milan, Italy. World experts will discuss translation of new knowledge into better diagnostic and prognostic procedures for patients and potential new targets for treatment. Link to a story on Medical News Today and stay […]
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Sarcoma Awareness Week
The Sarcoma Alliance urges all sarcoma patients to participate in Sarcoma Awareness Week June 11-18, 2006 by doing something on the local level to gain attention for sarcoma. Arthur Beckert prepared a list of possible activites you could do in your community: download the list here. For more information contact the Sarcoma Alliance at info@sarcomaalliance.org […]
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Phase I Clinical Trial of IPI-504
— Novel Treatment Paradigm Has Potential to Address Resistance to Current Targeted Therapies — CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Jan. 10 /PRNewswire/ — Infinity Pharmaceuticals, Inc.today announced the initiation of a second Phase I clinical trial of IPI-504,the company’s Heat Shock Protein 90 (Hsp90) inhibitor and lead investigationalanti-cancer agent. This study, part of the Company’s evolving oncologydevelopment program, […]
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