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Advances in non-small-cell lung cancer over the past decade have resulted in new treatments with minimal toxic effects and dramatic clinical benefits. 2010 saw continued advancement in our understanding of the molecular genetics of lung cancer and of specific targeted inhibitors with remarkable clinical benefit in selected populations.
Outcomes for patients with oropharyngeal cancer are determined by their tumor characteristics and associated demographics. The role of human papilloma virus-related disease for prognosis and outcomes with chemoradiotherapy is being more clearly defined. EGFR inhibitors are used in conjunction with radiotherapy, and the importance of optimizing radiation quality and minimizing toxicity is the focus of ongoing studies.
2010 has been another prolific year in breast cancer research with a number of original observations bringing us closer to personalized care. Studies with novel targeted agents in defined breast cancer subgroups have revealed exciting developments and highlight the importance of patient selection.
2010 was not a year of survival breakthroughs in hematologic malignancies. However, in Hodgkin's disease and multiple myeloma new therapies emerged as the standard of care and nilotinib may be considered the treatment choice for newly diagnosed chronic myeloid leukemia.
Randomized phase III trials have established new standards of care for advanced biliary cancer, HER2-positive advanced gastric or gastro-esophageal junction cancer, and preliminarily, for metastatic pancreatic cancer. There is now a validated predictive biomarker to guide use of adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with stage II colon cancer.
PET–CT is important for the staging of disease, but also in detecting mechanisms of resistance at the molecular level. In combination with tracers, these imaging modalities can delineate the underlying processes of resistance, such as tumor-cell proliferation, hypoxia, and vascular density. The authors of this Review discuss how the use of various tracers makes it possible to predict outcome and monitor response to treatment. By selecting patients on the basis of their mechanism of resistance, it should be possible to avoid the rejection of treatment options by assessing individuals rather than a population as a whole.
Advances in the understanding of the molecular pathology of the two types of endometrial carcinoma have underpinned the first steps in the development and testing of targeted therapies. This Review discusses the therapeutic targets, molecular diversity of tumors, oncogene addiction and synthetic lethality in this hard-to-treat disease.
A long-term follow-up study that assessed the effect of daily aspirin on colorectal cancer incidence concluded that it significantly reduced the risk of colon cancer, but not rectal cancer. Detailed analysis of the findings indicate that it is too soon to recommend daily aspirin for cancer prevention in healthy individuals.
