Conference Report of the 44th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, Chicago, May 30-June 3, 2008 -: Changes in cancer therapy -: Has chemotherapy reached its limits?

The recent ASCO was dominated by changes in oncological therapy away from combination chemotherapy to combinations of established cytostatic agents and targeted therapies. The low number of breast cancer reports was noticeable; nevertheless some interesting results were presented. In the neoadjuvant setting, data from the PREPARE trial confirmed the higher efficacy of dose-dense concepts. Regarding adjuvant therapies, results of the tAnGo trial provided proof that inclusion of an additional chemotherapy (Gemcitabine) does not improve efficacy or prognosis. Final data from the TBP and the EGF 104900 trials demonstrated the efficacy of Trastuzumab treatment after progression. In the treatment of gynecological malignancies, there was little that had the potential to change the current standard, but a multitude of new agents and agent combinations were presented. Results of the NOVEL trial showed a benefit with regard to disease-free and overall survival accompanied by higher anemia rates with a dose-dense paclitaxel regimen for the adjuvant treatment of ovarian cancer. The results of the PORTEC 2 endometrium cancer trial were also presented. In higher intermediate risk endometrium cancers without lymphonodectomy there were no significant differences with regard to disease-free and overall Survival, but fewer side effects were observed with brachytherapy. A wide range of targeted therapies currently under examination in phase 11 studies were reported for cervical cancer. In conclusion there were no major changes in state of the art therapies, but existing trends were confirmed and new concepts were presented.