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The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and the US National Cancer Institute (NCI) have initiated a series of cancer-focused seminars [Scelo G, Hofmann JN, Banks RE et al. International cancer seminars: a focus on kidney cancer. Ann Oncol 2016; 27(8): 1382-1385]. In this, the second seminar, IARC and NCI convened a workshop in order to examine the state of the current science on esophageal squamous cell carcinoma etiology, genetics, early detection, treatment, and palliation, was reviewed to identify the most critical open research questions. The results of these discussions were summarized by formulating a series of 'difficult questions', which should inform and prioritize future research efforts.

Recombinant human growth hormone (r-hGH) is given as substitution therapy to growth hormone-deficient children at 0.01–0.025 mg/kg/day. Higher doses are used for short stature due to Turner’s syndrome and for idiopathic short stature (approximately 0.05 mg/kg/day). For metabolic indications such as AIDS-associated wasting and severe burns, even higher doses are required, up to 0.2 mg/kg/day. Worldwide experience with low and medium doses of r-hGH is well documented. Data on long-term treatment with pharmacological doses of r-hGH are scarce. Serono’s clinical program for AIDS-associated wasting provides placebo-controlled data on 355 treated patients. The total experience in clinical trials covers more than 100 person-years of treatment on approximately 600 patients. The most common side effects were tissue turgor complex and musculoskeletal discomfort. Leukopenia was found more frequently in placebo patients. Neoplasm, hyperglycemia, hypertriglyceridemia, carpal tunnel syndrome, pseudotumor cerebri and hypercalcemia were not found to be more significant than with substitution therapy.

Human gonadotrophins are follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG). All three gonadotrophins are new produced in vitro by recombinant DNA technology. Being complex heterodimeric proteins, an eukaryotic cell line, has been selected for expression and large scale production (Chinese hamster ovary cells). The advantages of producing the gonadotrophins in vitro rather than extracting them from human fluids are : (i) a fully controlled production process from bulk to finished product; (ii) high purity and specific activity; (iii) batch-to-batch consistency; and (iv) complete absence of contamination by the other gonadotrophins. Pharmacokinetic characterization of recombinant human gonadotrophins has shown that this first generation have pharmacokinetic characteristics very similar to the extractive gonadotrophins with an apparent terminal half-life after s.c. administration of ∼37 h, 12 h and 32 h for recombinant FSH (rHFSH), recombinant LH (rhLH) and recombinant HCG (rhHCG) respectively. Clinical efficacy and safety have been demonstrated in several randomized, well-controlled studies, comparing rhFSH administered s.c. with uhFSH administered i.m. for stimulating follicular development prior to assisted reproductive technology and in WHO Group II anovulation. To date, ∼1300 patients have been treated with rhFSH. Moreover, rhLH has recently been successfully used in association with rhFSH for inducing ovulation and pregnancy in WHO I anovulatory patients and rhCG has been successfully used for triggering final follicular maturation prior to assisted reproductive technology.

e14026 Background: Patients with colorectal cancer are often highly motivated to seek information about lifestyle and dietary changes which may optimize outcomes. Using data from two large National...