Top Advances in Cancer Treatment By Kurt Ullman, Contributing Writer, MedPage Today Published: December 27, 2011 Advances in screening and prevention, treatments for refractory cancers, and ways to reduce cancer recurrence were part and parcel of the progress made against the disease in 2011, according to the American Society of Clinical Oncology. ............................... Hard-to-treat cancers also were the focus of treatment advances. These included: The use of BRAF inhibitor vemurafenib (Zelboraf) to improve survival in advanced melanoma Adding ipilimumab (Yervoy) plus chemotherapy to increase survival in those with metastatic melanoma Use of bevacizumab (Avastin) in delaying progression of ovarian cancers High-dose chemotherapy that improved the survival of children with neuroblastomas Governmental policy developments also were important during the year, according to the editorial board. The board pointed to progress in the areas of increased efficiency and greater prioritization of trials, as well as talks about sustaining federal resources for clinical trials as important to future cancer care. "It has been 40 years since President Richard Nixon signed the National Cancer Act of 1971, which many view as the nation's declaration of the 'War On Cancer,'" wrote ASCO president Michael P. Link, MD, in an accompanying message. "Cancer research has transformed cancer care in the past 40 years, and this year's Clinical Cancer Advances illustrates how far we have come in the past year alone." The authors disclosed many potential conflicts including consultant or advisory roles, honoraria, research funding, and other renumeration from multiple industry sources. Primary source: Journal of Clinical Oncology Source reference: Vogelzang NJ, et al "Clinical cancer advances 2011: Annual report on progress against cancer from the American Society of Clinical Oncology" J Clin Oncol 2011; DOI: 10.1200/JCO.2011.40.1919.