35th ESMO Congress: Milan, Italy (FieraMilanoCity), 8-12 October 2010 -Press
Programme Curtain Raiser

LUGANO, Switzerland, Oct. 4 /CNW/ - Press releases will be issued during the Congress, on a daily basis.

Please contact the ESMO Press Office at [email protected] if you would like to receive the full text of the press releases/abstracts in advance, available as of Wednesday, 6 October 2010

R. Bastian, DE

Surgical technique relieves painful spine fractures in patients with metastatic cancer (embargo: 9 October, 9:00 Milan time)

Many patients with multiple myeloma, or those whose cancer has spread beyond the initial tumor site, suffer compression fractures in their spine. A surgical technique appears to offer quick and effective relief for debilitating spinal fractures often suffered by these patients.

D. Spigel, DE

New targeted therapy adds benefit to erlotinib in some patients with advanced lung cancer (embargo: 9 October, 11:00 Milan time)

A subset of lung cancer patients seem to live longer and experience delays in disease progression when a new drug that targets a cancer-associated molecule is added to treatment with erlotinib.

C. Zhou, CN

Erlotinib improves progression-free survival as first-line therapy in advanced lung cancer: Phase-III data (embargo: 9 October, 11:00 Milan time)

For patients with advanced lung cancer whose tumors carry EGFR activating mutations, first-line treatment with erlotinib nearly tripled progression-free survival compared to a standard chemotherapy combination.

Y.T. MA, UK

Study reveals cancer-linked epigenetic effects of smoking (embargo: 9 October, 13:00 Milan time)

For the first time, scientists have reported direct evidence that taking up smoking results in epigenetic changes associated with the development of cancer.

U. Matulonis, US

Investigational ovarian cancer drug shows promise against platinum-resistant disease in Phase-II study (embargo: 9 October, 13:00 Milan time)

A drug being developed as a treatment for ovarian cancer has shown single agent activity with durable disease control in some patients in a Phase-II clinical trial.

G. Long, AU

Melanoma drug shrinks brain metastases in Phase-I/II study (embargo: 10 October, 11:00 Milan time)

A new drug being developed to treat potentially deadly melanoma skin cancers has shown a promising ability to shrink secondary tumors, known as metastases, in the brain in patients with advanced forms of the disease.

A. Palumbo, IT

High response rate seen in Phase-III trial of chemotherapy, new drug and stem cells in myeloma (embargo: 10 October, 12:30 Milan time)

The first study of its kind comparing two different approaches to treating newly diagnosed multiple myeloma has found that both treatments achieved a positive response.

M. Clavarezza, IT

Most Italian breast cancer patients older, and diagnosed very early (embargo: 10 October, 12:30 Milan time)

A study of breast cancer in Italian women has found that more than 70% of those affected by the disease are over the age of 50 years, and the disease is identified before it has spread to the lymph nodes in more than 60% of cases.

H.A. Azim, BE

Study finds breast-feeding safe for women after breast cancer treatment (embargo: 10 October, 12:30 Milan time)

Women who have survived breast cancer should not be denied the opportunity to breast-feed their children. There is no evidence that breastfeeding is dangerous for mother or child after breast cancer treatment.

K.M. Tveit, NO

Cetuximab adds no benefit to chemotherapy in first-line treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer - New Phase-III data (embargo: 10 October, 13:30 Milan time)

Adding the targeted drug cetuximab to a three-drug chemotherapy regimen for first-line treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer does not improve response rate, progression-free survival or overall survival.

A. Gennari, IT

Prolonging first-line chemotherapy improves outcomes for patients with metastatic breast cancer (embargo: 10 October, 15:30 Milan time)

Patients with metastatic breast cancer live longer on average if their chemotherapy is continued after their cancer is brought under control, a new meta-analysis shows.

J. O'Shaughnessy, US

Iniparib extends overall survival in metastatic triple-negative breast cancer: final Phase-II results (embargo: 10 October, 15:30 Milan time)

Women with an aggressive subtype of metastatic breast cancer appear to live longer when treated with iniparib plus chemotherapy, compared to chemotherapy alone, the results of a randomized Phase-II trial show.

M. Pavel, DE

Phase-III study shows everolimus delays tumor progression in hard-to-treat neuroendocrine tumors (embargo: 11 October, 10:30 Milan time)

The results of a large Phase-III clinical trial have shown that the drug everolimus delays tumor progression in patients with a hard-to-treat group of rare cancers that affect particular hormone-producing cells.

B. Koczwara, AU

Fertility concerns of cancer survivors inadequately addressed, study finds (embargo: 11 October, 12:30 Milan time)

Many cancer survivors experience changes in sexual function that leave them feeling guilt and a longing for intimacy. The researchers say that these sexuality and fertility concerns are often not adequately addressed by doctors.

Y. Loriot, FR

Sexual issues a major concern for cancer patients taking new targeted drugs (embargo: 11 October, 12:30 Milan time)

New drugs that target specific molecular mechanisms of cancer have improved the treatment of cancer patients in recent years, but those benefits may come with a cost to the patient's sex life, researchers have found.

B. You, FR

Early cancer drug trials flawed by inconsistencies in prohibited drug lists, study finds (embargo: 11 October, 12:30 Milan time)

Substantial inconsistencies in a basic aspect of the way Phase-I and Phase-II cancer clinical trials are designed. Researchers report finding unexpectedly large differences in the lists of drugs that trial designers say participants should not be given to avoid potentially dangerous drug-drug interactions.

T. Mok, CN

New Phase-II study shows first-line promise of lung cancer drug PF-299 (embargo: 11 October, 13:15 Milan time)

A new-generation lung cancer drug has shown an impressive ability to prevent disease progression when administered as a first-line treatment in patients with advanced disease.

A. Necchi, IT

Pazopanib shows promise in Phase-II trial for relapsed/refractory urothelial cancer (embargo: 11 October, 13:30 Milan time)

An ongoing Phase-II trial investigating a new, targeted therapy for metastatic urothelial cancer has generated promising early results.

J. Vermorken, NL

Panitumumab fails to add overall survival benefit in recurrent/metastatic head and neck cancer: full Phase-III results (embargo: 11 October, 13:30 Milan time)

Adding the monoclonal anti-EGFR antibody panitumumab to chemotherapy did not significantly improve overall survival for patients with recurrent and/or metastatic head and neck cancer, according to Phase-III trial results.

J. Baselga, US

Adding cetuximab to chemotherapy doubles response rate in hard-to-treat breast cancer (embargo: 11 October, 15:00 Milan time)

For the first time researchers have proven that targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor can provide substantial clinical benefit for women with hard-to-treat "triple negative" breast cancer.

E. Perez, US

New type of targeted therapy shows promise as first-line therapy for HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer (embargo: 11 October, 15:00 Milan time)

A new type of breast cancer treatment has shown encouraging activity as a first-line therapy in HER2-positive metastatic disease.

J. De Bono, UK

Abiraterone acetate improves survival in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: Phase-III results (embargo: 11 October, 15:00 Milan time)

Patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer who have progressed after chemotherapy live significantly longer if treated with the drug abiraterone acetate compared to placebo, the results of a large Phase-III clinical trial confirm.

C.H. Yang, TW

Final results from landmark trial confirm survival benefits of EGFR mutations in lung cancer (embargo: 11 October, 15:00 Milan time)

Mature results from a landmark Phase-III trial have confirmed that patients with EGFR mutation-positive advanced non-small cell lung cancer have better overall survival when treated with gefitinib or chemotherapy than patients whose tumors do not carry such mutations.

V. Miller, US

Afatinib benefits lung cancer patients whose cancer progressed after treatment with EGFR inhibitors (embargo: 11 October, 15:00 Milan time)

Lung cancer patients who have already been treated with the EGFR inhibitors erlotinib or gefitinib seem to gain further benefits in terms of progression-free survival and tumor shrinkage when treated with the new drug afatinib, the results of a Phase-IIb/III trial show.

T. Perren, UK

Promising early results suggest bevacizumab adds survival benefit in newly diagnosed ovarian cancer (embargo: 11 October, 15:00 Milan time)

Early results from a large Phase-III trial suggest that adding bevacizumab to chemotherapy as a treatment for newly diagnosed ovarian cancer reduces the risk of disease progression during the first year of treatment.

Embargo Policy

All information presented at the 35th ESMO Congress is embargoed until the start of the session during which the abstract is presented. Journalists are required to observe embargoes as indicated.

Appointments for media representatives

Full details available at http://www.esmo.org/newsroom/events

Friday, 8 October 2010, 12:00-13:00

Opening Press Conference

Latest available data on the global cancer burden; main topics to be presented during the Congress, including the most recent advances in the treatment of cancer; Congress statistics and highlights for members of the media will be offered to attending journalists helping them to make their way through what will be a very exciting meeting, thanks to a top-quality program.

- Prof. David J. Kerr, ESMO President

- Prof. Rolf A. Stahel, ESMO2010 Scientific Chair

- Prof. Fortunato Ciardiello, ESMO2010 Press Officer

Saturday, 9 October 2010, 8:15-9:00

Press Briefing Day 1

Advanced breast cancer, Chest tumors, Palliative Care

Saturday, 9 October 2010, 12:00-12:45

Press Conference - The battle against rare cancers in Europe

More clinical trials for rare cancers are needed in Europe. Current lack of information, late diagnosis or misdiagnosis and practical obstacles to research, treatment and care will be discussed.

Sunday, 10 October 2010, 8:15-9:00

Press Briefing Day 2

Early and advanced breast cancer

Sunday, 10 October 2010, 12:15-13:00

Press Conference - Cancer patient long-term rehabilitation: body and beyond

Welfare and healthcare, public and private employment, equal treatment, communications and awareness will be discussed (at national and European level) to raise interest in cancer patient issues that are too often underestimated.

Monday, 11 October 2010, 8:15-9:00

Press Briefing Day 3

Advanced breast cancer, Chest tumors, Gynecological cancers, Genitourinary tumors

Tuesday, 12 October 2010, 8:15-9:00

Wrap-up

Your opportunity to ask any unanswered questions Closing comments by the President on the most important congress scientific presentations Updated event figures

General information

- The full conference program is available at http://www.esmo.org/events/milan-2010-congress/program.html

- All press events will be held in Room Asia, Press Center, Mezzanine Bridge but can be followed also remotely via toll-free dial-in:

- Australia: 1-800-00-59-03

- Belgium: 0800-39-244

- Canada: (1)866-416-25-55

- China North: 10-800-712-18-94

- China South: 10-800-120-18-94

- France: 0800-946-502

- Italy: 800-136-706

- Japan: 00531-12-12-66

- Netherlands: 0800-949-45-17

- Spain: 900-803-963

- Switzerland: 800-24-67-87-00

- UK: 800-3681-054

- USA: (1)866-291-41-66

- Other numbers available upon request

- Interested journalists are kindly requested to notify us asap if they intend to use the remote dial-in

- You can contact the ESMO Press Office at [email protected] to pre-book your interviews both in presence and remotely. Experts in various oncology fields will be available in the ESMO Media Ambassador Corner in the Press Center for interviews every day.

Media registration

On-site registration is possible at the Press Registration Desk. You will be asked for your press card and a letter of assignment.

For further information: Vanessa Pavinato, Mobile: [phone], E-Mail: [email protected], Congress Press Office tel.: [phone] (as of Thursday, 7 October)