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SUMMARY:ALK Hunting in Colorado - new drugs for lung cancer's new diseases
  - Dr Ross Camidge\,  University of Colorado Hospital (UCH) and the Univer
 sity of Colorado Cancer Center\,
DTSTART:20120503T160000Z
DTEND:20120503T170000Z
UID:TALK34994@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Mala Jayasundera
DESCRIPTION:Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) kills more people globally 
 than any other type of cancer. Although histological distinctions between 
 subtypes of NSCLC have long been known\, relevant molecular distinctions h
 ave only been described within the last few years. ALK gene rearrangements
  were described in approximately 4% of adenocarcinoma of the lung in 2007.
  At the same time\, by chance\, an experimental ALK inhibitor\, crizotinib
 \, was also available in Phase I clinical trials. Adopting a novel approac
 h of prescreening patients for evidence of ALK activation to enroll into a
 n expanded cohort of this Phase I study began in late 2008. The dramatic a
 ctivity of the drug in this molecularly defined subtype of NSCLC lead to t
 he US FDA granting accelerated approval of crizotinib for the treatment of
  ALK positive NSCLC in August 2011\, making it one of the fastest licensed
  oncology drugs. Given that molecular profiling is increasingly subdividin
 g common cancers\, distinct 'new' diseases are now being revealed ready to
  be chacterized by modern oncologists. The implications of the crizotinib 
 example for oncology drug development and recent breakthroughs in our unde
 rstanding of ALK positive lung cancer's unique biology\, treatment effects
  and resistance to both standard and experimental therapies will be discus
 sed.
LOCATION:CRI Lecture Theatre
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