Novartis Website Offers Practical Cancer Information

EAST HANOVER, NJ—The driving force behind Novartis Oncology’s new oncology/hematology website is practicality—providing practical information in an easily accessible manner. The new site, for oncologists, hematologists,nurses, patients, and consumers, is located at www.novartisoncology.com.

The site includes information on Novartis’ Living With Cancer Initiative, a multifaceted program for patients that provides information on clinical trials and cancer organizations.

Another feature of the site is an explanation of Novartis’ three-tiered approach to conducting research: at the cellular level (addressing multidrug resistance and investigating antiproliferative agents to inhibit cancer cell growth); the host/tumor level (disrupting host/tumor interaction through the inhibition of angiogenesis and tumor metastasis); and the patient support level (overcoming the sequelae of cancer and the side ffects of its treatment).

The website also provides a brief overview of Novartis Oncology products, but more extensive information is available through hotlinks to the company’s product-specific websites on Aredia (pamid-ronate disodium for injection), Femara (letrozole tablets), and Sandostatin LAR Depot (octreotide acetate for injectable suspension).

Aredia is approved for the treatment of osteolytic bone metastases in patients with multiple myeloma or breast cancer in conjunction with standard antineoplastic therapy; hypercalcemia of malignancy; and Paget’s disease. The website is located at www.Aredia.net.

Femara Website

The Femara website (located at www.femara.com) offers extensive information on the role of Femara, an aromatase inhibitor, in treating advanced breast cancer patients. The agent is approved for use in advanced breast cancer in postmenopausal women with disease progression after antiestrogen therapy.

The website includes, for physicians, a treatment algorithm visually depicting the point at which aromatase inhibitors and specifically Femara should be considered.

For patients, the Femara site provides educational information on hormonal agents, including visuals of how Femara deprives cancer cells of the estrogen that may trigger their growth and multiplication. Frequently asked questions about Femara are included, as well as a glossary of terms used in discussions of advanced breast cancer.

Carcinoid Tumor Website

The carcinoid tumor website (www.carcinoidinfo.com) is designed to provide oncologists and other health care professionals easy access to information about carcinoid tumors and carcinoid syndrome. The site houses information on the disease’s pathophysiology, epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment, as well as a library of select clinical studies, medical meetings, and related website links.

Extensive information also is available on Novartis’ Sandostatin LAR Depot, a once-a-month agent approved for the treatment of acromegaly and to control the symptoms of vasoactive intestinal peptide-secreting tumors (VIPomas).