20141121 – The Cancer Letter

publication date: Nov. 21, 2014

Here is what we know: A surgical device used to perform about 100,000 hysterectomies and myomectomies every year in the U.S. has been shown to spread cells from undetected or missed uterine cancers—rapidly upstaging the disease.

And here is what we don’t know: What will FDA do about it?

The agency is under pressure to respond to the growing outcry from patient advocates, who want a ban on the device.

Conversation with The Cancer Letter

Demetri: Morcellation Worsens Outcomes In Patients with Undiagnosed Cancers

As an oncologist who treats sarcoma, George Demetri has seen the adverse consequences of power morcellation, the surgical technique widely used to perform laparoscopic hysterectomies and remove putative fibroids.

In a small minority of cases, these fibroids instead represent unsuspected malignancies—including rare and aggressive leiomyosarcomas—which were impossible to detect prior to the morcellation procedure.

The Cancer Letter is taking a Thanksgiving Break.

The next issue will be published on Dec. 5.

CPRIT Awards 32 Grants

The Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas awarded 20 grants through its product development program, five grants through its prevention program, and seven recruitment grants through its research program, totaling more than $65 million.

ASCO Proposes Principles For Future Debate on Medicaid

The American Society of Clinical Oncology has proposed a set of principles for shaping future debate of the role of Medicaid.

Obituary

Connie Curran, 67, C-Change Executive Director

Connie Curran, 67, the first executive director of C-Change, died Nov. 10.

C-Change brings together leaders in cancer from the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors.

Curran was born in Berlin, Wis. She held degrees from the University of Wisconsin, DePaul University, and Northern Illinois University. She also is a graduate of Harvard University Business School’s Owner/President Management program.

FDA News

In Brief

D. Gary Gilliland Named President and Director of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Mark Gilbert named chief of Neuro-Oncology Branch at NIH
Bert Vogelstein awarded Warren Triennial Prize by Massachusetts General Hospital
Susan Mayne appointed director of FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
Merck KGaA and Pfizer Inc. to co-develop anti-PD-LI antibody
NYU Langone Medical Center and Lutheran Medical Center to create integrated healthcare network
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Astellas Pharma Inc. announce three-year collaboration
Tapimmune Inc. and Vaccine & Gene Therapy Institute of Florida form partnership
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital opens Marlo Thomas Center
Karmanos Cancer Institute honored by Michigan Cancer Consortium