More about presentations at AACR10

Five presentations at the 101th annual meeting of the American Association of Cancer Research were highlighted a news release from Geron Corporation (dated March 3, 2010). One presentation that had an explicit focus on CSC was this poster:

Imetelstat, a telomerase inhibitor in phase I trials in solid tumor and hematological malignancies, has broad activity against multiple types of cancer stem cells [Presentation Abstract].

Also mentioned in the news release was an oral presentation by Jerry W Shay, given as part of the Major Symposium entitled: Role of Telomeres and Telomerase in Chromosomal Stability and Disease [Session Detail]. The presentation was:

Role of telomerase in normal and neoplastic stem cells [Presentation Abstract].

Another poster about the telomerase inhibitor imetelstat (GRN163L) was:

Sensitivity and resistance of non-small cell lung cancer to the telomerase inhibitor imetelstat [Presentation Abstract].

Comments: A search of the ClinicalTrials.gov database for GRN163L revealed 6 trials. Four were ongoing, but not recruiting participants. Two were still recruiting: 1) Safety and Dose Study of GRN163L Administered to Patients With Refractory or Relapsed Solid Tumor Malignancies; 2) A Study of GRN163L With Paclitaxel and Bevacizumab to Treat Patients With Locally Recurrent Or Metastatic Breast Cancer.

An analogous search for imetelstat yielded the same 6 trials. All 6 trials have been sponsored by Geron Corporation.

CSC targeted to prevent relapse

Cancer stem cells targeted to prevent relapse by Vivek Sinanan, The Johns Hopkins News-Letter, October 26, 2009. In part, the news item appears to be based on this editorial: Controversies in cancer stem cells by Richard J Jones, J Mol Med 2009(Oct 23) [Epub ahead of print][PubMed Citation][Full text]. In turn, the editorial cites these articles, which will be published in J Mol Med 2009; 87(11):

• Cancer stem cells: controversies in multiple myeloma, Sarah K Brennan, William Matsui, J Mol Med 2009(Sep 17) [Epub ahead of print][PubMed Citation].


• Brain cancer stem cells, Sara GM Piccirillo and 4 co-authors, including Khalid Shah, J Mol Med 2009(Sep 29) [Epub ahead of print][PubMed Citation].


• Colon cancer stem cells, Lucia Ricci-Vitiani and 4 co-authors, including Ruggero De Maria, J Mol Med 2009(Sep 2) [Epub ahead of print][PubMed Citation].


• Cancer stem cells-clinical relevance, Richard J Jones, J Mol Med 2009(Oct 10) [Epub ahead of print][PubMed Citation].

Bright future for CSC therapies?

Opinion: A Stem of Hope for Cancer Treatments, Manish Singh, Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News, June 12, 2009. Excerpts:

Three Attack Strategies
Investigations currently in progress target cancer stem cells using one of three approaches: small molecules, mAbs, or vaccines. Small molecule therapies work by perturbing the signaling pathway of cancer stem cells to put brakes on tumorogenesis. mAbs, on the other hand, are focused on recognizing certain markers that are highly expressed on CSCs but not on normal cells or normal stem cells. Lastly, active immunotherapy utilizes the native immune system to recognize and destroy cancer stem cells while leaving normal cells intact. While a few companies have been started de novo to focus on these programs, a number of existing compounds are also being tested for their effect on cancer stem cells.

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Our understanding of stem cells is in its infancy today, but there can be no doubt about their potential to solve some of the most complicated health problems in both regenerative medicine as well as cancer. Regenerative medicine is much more complicated due to several stages of development that the stem cells have to undergo to regenerate tissue. However, it may be easier to find therapeutic application in cancer, where the goal is to capture and destroy these tumor-initiating stem cells. Based on several encouraging clinical and preclinical studies combined with significant interest from large pharma to acquire these early-stage assets even before they enter the clinic, a bright future may be in store for cancer stem cell therapies.