In the Literature
Updated Results From the ADAURA Trial: Continued Disease-Free Survival Benefit With Adjuvant Osimertinib vs Placebo in EGFR-Mutated Stage IB–IIIA NSCLC
Matthew Stenger
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Roy S. Herbst, MD, PhD, of Yale Cancer Center and Yale School of Medicine, and colleagues, updated findings in the phase III ADAURA trial showed continued disease-free survival benefit with adjuvant osimertinib vs placebo after complete resection in...
Experimental Drug Under Study in Liver Cancer
The ASCO Post Staff
A new drug that inhibits an enzyme playing a crucial role in cell division and growth has shown signs of anticancer activity with manageable side effects in patients with liver cancer who have been treated unsuccessfully previously with up to three lines of treatment. These findings were presented a...
AKT Inhibitor Shows Signs of Activity in a Trial Matching Drugs to Tumor Gene Mutations
The ASCO Post Staff
In a trial matching the genetic makeup of tumors with new treatments, tumors shrank in 22% of patients with cancer who received the AKT inhibitor ipatasertib. Participants included those with breast cancer and endometrial cancer as well as those with two rarer types of cancer, anal and salivary glan...
Liquid Biopsies May Identify Patients With Cancer at Higher Risk of Developing Additional Blood Cancers
The ASCO Post Staff
Researchers have found that liquid biopsies may be able to detect the blood disorder clonal hematopoiesis, which places patients at higher risk of developing blood cancers. The findings were presented at the 2022 European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC)–National Cancer Inst...
Study Finds AYA Leukemia Survivors Have Higher 10-Year Mortality Rates Than the General Population
The ASCO Post Staff
Although considered a rare occurrence in adolescents and young adults (AYAs), aged 15 to 39 years, the incidence of cancer in this age group has been increasing by approximately 30% since the 1970s. This year, it is estimated that nearly 90,000 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in this populatio...
In Vitro and Ex Vivo Activity of Gentian Violet in Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma
Matthew Stenger
As reported in JAMA Dermatology, Jianqiang Wu, MD, PhD, and Gary S. Wood, MD, found that the widely available nonprescription topical antimicrobial agent gentian violet has potent activity against cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) in studies in vitro and ex vivo. The study involved high-throughpu...
Reduction in Elective Radiotherapy Dose and Field in Definitive Chemoradiotherapy for HPV-Associated Oropharyngeal Carcinoma
Matthew Stenger
In a single-center retrospective cohort study reported in JAMA Oncology, C. Jillian Tsai, MD, PhD, and colleagues found that a systematic approach of reducing radiotherapy dose and target volume to elective treatment regions was associated with a high rate of locoregional control in patients with hu...
Association of Breast Cancer Subtypes With Pathogenic Germline Variants in Nine Breast Cancer Susceptibility Genes
Matthew Stenger
In a study reported in JAMA Oncology, researchers from the Breast Cancer Association Consortium found that pathogenic germline variants in nine breast cancer susceptibility genes were associated with different breast cancer subtypes, although most were also associated with triple-negative disease. ...
Pyrotinib and Capecitabine in HER2-Positive Breast Cancer With Brain Metastases
Matthew Stenger
In the Chinese phase II PERMEATE trial reported in The Lancet Oncology, Yan et al found that the combination of the pan-HER receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor pyrotinib plus capecitabine produced high intracranial response rates in women with HER2-positive breast cancer and brain metastases, particu...
Does the Presence of Neuronal Autoantibodies Contribute to Cognitive Impairment in Patients With Lung Cancer?
Matthew Stenger
In a German prospective cross-sectional study reported in JAMA Oncology, Bartels et al found that a high proportion of patients with lung cancer had neuronal antibodies that may be associated with increased risk of cognitive impairment. As stated by the investigators, “Paraneoplastic neurological...
Predicting Chemotherapy Resistance in Patients With Gestational Trophoblastic Neoplasia
Matthew Stenger
In a retrospective cohort study reported in The Lancet Oncology, Braga et al identified metastatic disease, choriocarcinoma histology, and higher pretreatment human chorionic gonadotropin concentration as independent predictors of resistance to single-agent chemotherapy in women with low-risk gest...
International Esodata Study Group Model for Predicting 90-Day Mortality After Esophagectomy
Matthew Stenger
In a retrospective analysis reported by researchers from the International Esodata Study Group (IESG) in JAMA Surgery, D’Journo et al developed a model for predicting risk of 90-day mortality following esophagectomy for patients with esophageal or gastroesophageal junction cancer. As stated by the ...
Tisotumab Vedotin in Recurrent or Metastatic Cervical Cancer
Matthew Stenger and compiled by Liz Pasini.
In a phase II study (innovaTV 204/GOG-3023/ENGOT-cx6) reported in The Lancet Oncology, Robert L. Coleman, MD, and colleagues found that the antibody-drug conjugate tisotumab vedotin produced durable responses in previously treated patients with recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer. In the tria...
Lobaplatin- vs Cisplatin-Based Induction and Chemoradiotherapy in Previously Untreated Locoregionally Advanced Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma
Matthew Stenger and compiled by Liz Pasini.
In a Chinese phase III trial reported in The Lancet Oncology, Xing Lv, MD, and colleagues found noninferior progression-free survival with induction therapy with the third-generation platinum lobaplatin/fluorouracil (5-FU) vs cisplatin/5-FU, followed by lobaplatin- vs cisplatin-based chemoradiothera...
Overall Survival With Olaparib vs Placebo Maintenance in Patients With Platinum-Sensitive Relapsed Ovarian Cancer and BRCA1/2 Mutation
Matthew Stenger
As reported in The Lancet Oncology by Andrés Poveda, MD, and colleagues, the phase III SOLO2/ENGOT-Ov21 trial has shown a large numeric but statistically nonsignificant improvement in the secondary endpoint of overall survival with olaparib tablet maintenance therapy vs placebo in patients with plat...
Pembrolizumab in Microsatellite Instability–High Advanced Gastric or Gastroesophageal Junction Cancer
Matthew Stenger
In an analysis reported in JAMA Oncology, Joseph Chao, MD, and colleagues found improved outcomes with pembrolizumab treatment in patients with microsatellite instability–high (MSI-H) advanced gastric or gastroesophageal junction cancer, irrespective of line of treatment. The findings suggest that M...
Hypofractionated vs Conventionally Fractionated Radiotherapy for Locally Advanced Bladder Cancer
Matthew Stenger
In an individual patient-level meta-analysis of two phase III trials reported in The Lancet Oncology, Choudhury et al found that a hypofractionated radiotherapy regimen was associated with improved invasive locoregional control and similar toxicity vs a standard fractionation regimen in patients w...
Salpingo-Oophorectomy to Reduce Ovarian Cancer Risk in Women With BRCA1 or BRCA2 Pathogenic Variants May Also Reduce Breast Cancer Risk
Matthew Stenger
In a study reported in JAMA Oncology, Choi et al found that risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy in women with BRCA1 or BRCA2 pathogenic variants was associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer within 5 years after surgery, with evidence of longer-term risk reduction among those with BRCA1 varian...
Breast Cancer–Specific Mortality by Race/Ethnicity and 21-Gene Recurrence Scores
Matthew Stenger
In a U.S. population–based cohort study reported in JAMA Oncology, Hoskins et al found that among patients with estrogen receptor–positive breast cancer, Black women were more likely than White women to have a high Oncotype DX 21-gene recurrence score. Researchers also found that breast cancer–speci...
mFOLFIRINOX or Gemcitabine/Nab-paclitaxel for Resectable Pancreatic Cancer: Improved Overall Survival?
Matthew Stenger
In a phase II trial reported in JAMA Oncology, Davendra P.S. Sohal, MD, MPH, and colleagues found that neither of two perioperative chemotherapy regimens was associated with improved overall survival in patients with resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma compared with historical rates in adjuv...
Development and Performance of a Population-Based Benchmark Model for Use of Cancer Surgery in High-Income Countries
Matthew Stenger
In a study reported in The Lancet Oncology, Perera et al developed a population-based benchmark model for guideline-recommended use of surgery for primary cancers in high-income countries. Actual use of surgery was often consistent with model predictions but sometimes varied markedly. Study Details...
Changes in Radiotherapy Use in England During the First Peak of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Matthew Stenger
In a population-based study reported in The Lancet Oncology, Spencer et al found that mean weekly radiotherapy courses for cancer and attendance for receipt of fractions declined significantly during the first peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in England. However, use of hypofractionated radiotherapy ra...
Capivasertib for AKT1 E17K–Mutated Metastatic Cancers: NCI-MATCH Subprotocol EAY131-Y
Matthew Stenger and compiled by Liz Pasini
As reported in JAMA Oncology by Kevin Kalinsky, MD, MS, and colleagues, the NCI-MATCH trial’s phase II subprotocol EAY131-Y has shown activity of the pan-AKT inhibitor capivasertib in a range of metastatic tumors with an AKT1 E17K mutation. The phase II trial enrolled 35 evaluable adult patients ...
Stereotactic Ablative Body Radiotherapy in Extracranial Oligometastatic Cancers
Matthew Stenger and compiled by Liz Pasini
In a registry-based observational study reported in The Lancet Oncology, Anastasia Chalkidou, PhD, and colleagues found that stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR) was associated with high overall survival and low rates of toxicity in patients with extracranial oligometastatic cancers. The ...
Addition of Sitagliptin to Prophylaxis for Acute Graft-vs-Host Disease
Matthew Stenger and compiled by Liz Pasini
In a phase II trial reported in The New England Journal of Medicine, Sherif S. Farag, MD, PhD, and colleagues found that the addition of the dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4; CD26) inhibitor sitagliptin to tacrolimus and sirolimus prophylaxis resulted in a low rate of acute graft-vs-host disease amon...
Researchers Develop Prognostic Model to Guide Systemic Therapy for Early-Stage HER2-Positive Breast Cancer
Matthew Stenger
As reported in The Lancet Oncology, Prat et al have developed a prognostic risk score model—HER2DX—that can be used to identify patients with early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer who might be candidates for escalated or de-escalated systemic treatment. As stated by the investigators, “In early...
Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy vs Lymphadenectomy for Staging of Intermediate- and High-Grade Endometrial Cancers
Matthew Stenger
In a Canadian prospective cohort study (SENTOR) reported in JAMA Surgery, Cusimano et al found that sentinel lymph node biopsy showed “acceptable diagnostic accuracy” compared with lymphadenectomy in detecting nodal metastatic disease in patients with intermediate- and high-grade endometrial cancers...
Unique Barriers to Pain Control
Khalid L. Rehman, MD, FACP, MPA
I read with great interest your interview with Virginia LeBaron, PhD, APRN, about barriers to adequate pain control (“Despite Growing Awareness, the Global Crisis of Untreated Cancer Pain Persists,” The ASCO Post, October 15, 2014). Having served as the medical director of a hospice, I am passionat...
Radiotherapy in Good-Prognosis DLBCL
Theodore E. Yaeger, MD, FACR, FACRO, FRSM
I was disturbed by the article on “Radiotherapy in Good-Prognosis DLBCL” published recently in The ASCO Post.1 As a practicing radiation oncologist for 30 years, I have seen the evolution of radiation techniques (and philosophy) for non-Hodgkin lymphoma progress from regional—or even systemic—dosi...
Mitomycin Gel for Low-Grade Upper Tract Urothelial Cancer
Matthew Stenger
On April 15, 2020, mitomycin gel was approved for the treatment of adult patients with low-grade upper tract urothelial cancer.1,2 Mitomycin gel is for pyelocalyceal use alone and not for intravenous, topical, or oral administration. Supporting Efficacy Data Approval was based on findings in the o...
Recurrence Risk in Black and White Women With Borderline Estrogen Receptor–Positive Breast Cancer
Matthew Stenger and compiled by Liz Pasini.
In a study reported in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Halei C. Benefield, PhD, and colleagues found that black women with borderline estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer had significantly poorer disease-free interval compared with those with ER-positive disease, irrespective ...
First-Line Atezolizumab Plus Nab-paclitaxel in Advanced Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Second Overall Survival Interim Analysis
Matthew Stenger and compiled by Liz Pasini.
As reported in The Lancet Oncology by Peter Schmid, MD, and colleagues, the prespecified second interim analysis of overall survival in the phase III IMpassion130 trial has shown no overall survival benefit with the addition of atezolizumab to nab-paclitaxel as first-line treatment of unresectable...
TIVO-3: Third- or Fourth-Line Tivozanib vs Sorafenib in Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma
Matthew Stenger and compiled by Liz Pasini.
As reported in The Lancet Oncology by Brian I. Rini, MD, and colleagues, the phase III TIVO-3 trial has shown a statistically significant increase in progression-free survival with tivozanib vs sorafenib as a third- or fourth-line treatment for advanced renal cell carcinoma. Study Details The open...
Olaparib for Previously Treated, Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer With DNA Repair Gene Aberrations
Matthew Stenger and compiled by Liz Pasini.
In the phase II TOPARP-B trial—reported by Joaquin Mateo, MD, in The Lancet Oncology—investigators found that olaparib showed good activity in men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer and DNA damage response (DDR) gene aberrations who had received one or two prior taxane regimens. S...
Does the Addition of Ramucirumab to Docetaxel Improve Overall Survival in Previously Treated Urothelial Carcinoma?
Matthew Stenger and compiled by Liz Pasini.
As reported in The Lancet Oncology by Daniel P. Petrylak, MD, and colleagues, the phase III RANGE trial has shown no significant improvement in overall survival with the addition of ramucirumab to docetaxel in patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma previously treated wit...
Sequencing of Enzalutamide and Abiraterone Acetate in Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer
Matthew Stenger and compiled by Liz Pasini.
In a Canadian phase II crossover trial reported in The Lancet Oncology, Kim N. Chi, MD, and colleagues found that time to second prostate-specific antigen (PSA) progression from start of treatment was longer with crossover from abiraterone acetate/prednisone to enzalutamide vs the reverse sequence...
Swedish Study of Risk-Adapted Screening Starting Ages for Relatives of Patients With Breast Cancer
Matthew Stenger and compiled by Liz Pasini.
In a study reported in JAMA Oncology, Trasias Mukama, MPH, and colleagues identified risk-adapted screening starting ages for relatives of patients with breast cancer according to the number of affected first-degree and second-degree relatives and the age at diagnosis of affected relatives. The n...
Breast-Conserving Surgery and Partial-Breast Reirradiation in Patients With Ipsilateral Disease Recurrence
Matthew Stenger and compiled by Liz Pasini.
Findings from the phase II NRG Oncology/RTOG 1014 trial, reported in JAMA Oncology by Douglas W. Arthur, MD, and colleagues showed that partial-breast reirradiation after second lumpectomy for recurrence of ipsilateral breast cancer following previous whole-breast irradiation was an effective trea...
ctDNA and Recurrence Risk After Surgery and Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Stage III Colon Cancer
Matthew Stenger and compiled by Liz Janetschek Pasini.
In a cohort biomarker study reported in JAMA Oncology, Jeanne Tie, MD, and colleagues showed that the circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA)-positive status after surgery and chemotherapy was associated with an increased risk of disease recurrence in patients with stage III colon cancer. Study Details Th...
Colorectal Cancer Screening With Fecal Immunochemical Testing, Sigmoidoscopy, or Colonoscopy for Patients Aged 50 to 79
Matthew Stenger and compiled by Liz Janetschek Pasini.
As reported in The British Medical Journal (BMJ) by Lise M. Helsingen, MD, PhD, and colleagues, a clinical practice guideline on colorectal cancer screening published as a BMJ Rapid Recommendations guideline indicates that previously unscreened individuals aged 50 to 79 years old with 15-year colore...
Nivolumab Plus Bevacizumab in Relapsed Ovarian Cancer
Matthew Stenger and compiled by Liz Janetschek Pasini.
In a phase II trial reported in JAMA Oncology, Joyce F. Liu, MD, MPH, and colleagues found evidence of the activity of combined nivolumab and bevacizumab in relapsed ovarian cancer, with activity appearing to be greater in platinum-sensitive disease. Study Details In the trial, 38 women with relap...
Thermal Ablation vs Cryotherapy or Loop Excision in Zambian Women Positive for Cervical Precancer
Matthew Stenger and compiled by Liz Janetschek Pasini.
In the pilot phase of an ongoing randomized trial reported in The Lancet Oncology, Partha Basu, MD, and colleagues found that thermal ablation and cryotherapy produced similar treatment success rates in Zambian women positive for cervical precancer on visual inspection with acetic acid. The inves...
Acute Toxicity With Intensity-Modulated Fractionated Radiotherapy vs Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy for Prostate Cancer
Matthew Stenger and compiled by Liz Pasini.
In an analysis from the phase III PACE-B trial reported in The Lancet Oncology, Nicholas van As, MD, and colleagues found that shortened treatment courses with stereotactic body radiotherapy did not increase gastrointestinal or genitourinary acute toxicity vs intensity-modulated fractionated radio...
Apalutamide Treatment for Metastatic Castration-Sensitive Prostate Cancer and Health-Related Quality of Life
Matthew Stenger and compiled by Liz Pasini.
In an analysis of the phase III TITAN trial reported in The Lancet Oncology, Neeraj Agarwal, MD, and colleagues found that that treatment with apalatuamide was associated with preserved health-related quality of life, including pain and fatigue outcomes, in patients with metastatic castration-sens...
Nivolumab vs Taxane Therapy in Refractory Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Matthew Stenger and compiled by Liz Pasini.
As reported in The Lancet Oncology by Ken Kato, MD, and colleagues, the phase III ATTRACTION-3 trial conducted in predominantly Asian patients has shown a survival benefit with nivolumab vs paclitaxel or docetaxel in patients with advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma who were refractory to ...
Swallowing-Related Quality of Life After Radiotherapy vs Surgery for Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Matthew Stenger and compiled by Liz Janetschek.
In the phase II ORATOR trial reported in The Lancet Oncology, Anthony Nichols, MD, and colleagues found a statistical but not clinically meaningful improvement in swallowing-related quality of life outcomes 1 year after treatment with radiotherapy vs transoral robotic surgery and neck dissection i...
Prior Antibiotic Treatment and Response to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy in Patients With Cancer
Matthew Stenger and compiled by Liz Janetschek.
In a study presented in a brief report in JAMA Oncology, David J. Pinato, MD, PhD, and colleagues found that past—but not concurrent—use of broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy was associated with poorer treatment outcomes in patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors for various cancers in rout...
POLE/POLD1 Mutations and Outcomes With Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy
Matthew Stenger and compiled by Liz Janetschek.
In a research letter published in JAMA Oncology, Feng Wang, MD, PhD, and colleagues identified the frequency of mutations in DNA polymerase epsilon (POLE) and delta 1 (POLD1) genes across cancer types and found that these mutations were associated with better survival outcomes among patients recei...
Addition of Induction Gemcitabine/Cisplatin to Chemoradiotherapy in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma
Matthew Stenger and compiled by Liz Janetschek.
In a Chinese phase III trial reported in The New England Journal of Medicine, Yuan Zhang, MD, PhD, and colleagues found that the addition of gemcitabine/cisplatin induction chemotherapy to standard platinum-based chemoradiotherapy improved recurrence-free survival vs chemoradiotherapy alone in locor...
Combination CDK4/6 and EGFR Inhibition in Platinum- and Cetuximab-Resistant HPV-Unrelated Head and Neck Cancer
Matthew Stenger
In a phase II study reported in The Lancet Oncology, Douglas Adkins, MD, and colleagues found that the combination of the cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 (CDK4/6) inhibitor palbociclib and the EGFR inhibitor cetuximab showed activity in patients with either platinum- or cetuximab-resistant human papillo...
