Journal Spotlight
Cutting Cancer Research Funding Is A Costly Gamble With Millions of Lives
“The [National Cancer Institute (NCI)] is a national treasure. If funding is diminished, it will be catastrophic to millions of patients and families who will experience the devastation of cancer in the coming years,” Richard J. Boxer, MD, wrote in an editorial Viewpoint published in JAMA Oncology ...
Use of Bispecific Antibody in Older Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Multiple Myeloma
The ASCO Post Staff
Although treatment with the bispecific antibody teclistamab was approved for patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma, based on the MajesTEC-1 study results, only 15% of patients in the phase I/II trial were aged 75 or older. To learn more about the safety and efficacy of this agent in ...
CRISPR-Cas9–Edited Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
Matthew Stenger
In a first-in-human, single-institution phase I trial reported in The Lancet Oncology,1 Lou et al found that autologous tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes genetically edited with CRISPR-Cas9 to target the intracellular immune checkpoint CISH were tolerable and showed evidence of activity in patients wit...
Strategy for Managing Immunotherapy-Induced Parkinsonism in Patients With Multiple Myeloma
The JAK (Janus kinase) inhibitor ruxolitinib may prove to be an effective treatment of parkinsonism arising from immunotherapy for patients with multiple myeloma, according to the results of two case reports by Baldeep Wirk, MD, and Jin Lim, MD, PhD, both of Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmon...
Final Results of LIBRETTO-001: Selpercatinib in RET Fusion–Positive NSCLC
Matthew Stenger
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Alexander Drilon, MD, of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Weill Cornell Medical Center, New York, and colleagues, final results of the registrational phase I/II LIBRETTO-001 trial showed continued benefit of the RET receptor tyrosine kin...
Benefit of Regular Physical Activity Prior to Cancer Diagnosis
The ASCO Post Staff
Regular physical activity prior to a cancer diagnosis may be linked to a lower risk of disease progression and mortality, according to a recent study conducted by Professor Jon S. Patricios, MBBCh, of the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, and colleagues and published in the Br...
Metformin May Impact Immunotherapy in NSCLC
The ASCO Post Staff
Metformin may strengthen the effects of immunotherapy and improve recurrence-free survival in patients with lung cancer with overweight or obesity, according to a recently published article in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.1 The investigators looked at data from two groups of patient...
Addition of Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy to Surgery for Recurrent Ovarian Cancer
Julia Cipriano, MS
Based on results from the ongoing multicenter phase III CHIPOR trial, which were reported in The Lancet Oncology Jean-Marc Classe, MD, PhD, Head of the Oncological Surgery Department at the Institut de Cancérologie de l’Ouest, Saint Herblain, France, and colleagues, the addition of hyperthermic in...
Cetuximab vs Durvalumab in Treatment of Head and Neck Cancers
The ASCO Post Staff
Durvalumab, an immune checkpoint inhibitor, has shown activity in treating a wide range of cancers and has been proposed as a potentially safer and more effective option than cetuximab, according to Loren K. Mell, MD, Professor and Vice Chair of Clinical and Translational Research at University of...
Nodal Burden and Recurrence in Patients With Breast Cancer With Residual Isolated Tumor Cells After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy
Matthew Stenger
In a retrospective study (OPBC-05/ICARO) reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Giacomo Montagna, MD, MPH, of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, and colleagues found that nodal burden in patients with breast cancer with residual isolated tumor cells after neoadjuvant chemothe...
Perioperative Toripalimab in Locoregionally Advanced Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma
Matthew Stenger
Hai-Qiang Mai, MD, of the Department of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center in Guangzhou, China, and colleagues reported their findings from a single-center phase II trial in The Lancet Oncology.1 They found that the addition of perioperative toripalimab to concurrent ...
Pooled Analysis of Long-Term Outcomes With Nivolumab With or Without Ipilimumab in Advanced Melanoma
Matthew Stenger
Georgina V. Long, PhD, MBBS, FRACP, of Melanoma Institute Australia and Royal North Shore and Mater Hospitals, The University of Sydney, and colleagues shared their findings from a pooled analysis of long-term outcomes in advanced melanoma reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.1 They found ...
Impact of ASH Minority Recruitment Initiative on Retaining, Engaging Underrepresented Hematologists
The ASCO Post Staff
Participants of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) Minority Recruitment Initiative had lower attrition rates in graduate and medical programs, were more likely to pursue a career in hematology, and had high levels of engagement at ASH beyond their participation in the program, according to a...
Outcomes of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Treatment for Cancer in Black vs White Patients in the U.S. VHA System
Matthew Stenger
In a retrospective cohort study reported in The Lancet Oncology, Sean Miller, MD, of Veterans Affairs Ann Arbor Healthcare System, and colleagues found that immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment for cancer had similar efficacy and reduced toxicity in Black patients vs White patients in the U.S. Vete...
Temozolomide Plus Radiotherapy for Low-Grade Gliomas
The ASCO Post Staff
Based on the phase III E3F05 trial, conducted by the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group (ECOG-ACRIN), the combination of radiation therapy and temozolomide appeared to be more effective than radiotherapy alone in the treatment of low-grade gliomas. The trial followed 172 patients for more than 10 year...
High Burden of Chronic Health Conditions, Disability, and Cognitive and Physical Limitations Reported in LGBTQ+ Cancer Survivors
Jo Cavallo
Although improvements in the early detection and treatment of cancer have reduced cancer-related mortality rates and increased the number of cancer survivors in the United States to more than 18 million,1 not all patients with the disease are benefiting from these advances. Austin R. Waters, MSPH, a...
CABINET Trial Supports Multitargeted Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor for Advanced Neuroendocrine Tumors
Julia Cipriano, MS
As reported in The New England Journal of Medicine by Chan et al, the multicenter phase III CABINET trial has shown significantly improved progression-free survival with the multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor cabozantinib vs a placebo in previously treated patients with progressive, advanced ...
Combination Targeted Therapy Produces Durable Remissions in Some Patients With Relapsed Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma
Jo Cavallo
The results from a phase Ib/II study of a five-drug targeted therapy regimen—venetoclax, ibrutinib, prednisone, obinutuzumab, and lenalidomide (ViPOR)—in the treatment of relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) showed the treatment produced durable remissions and potential cures...
Adjuvant Dabrafenib Plus Trametinib for Stage III BRAF V600–Mutated Melanoma: Final Results of the COMBI-AD Trial
Julia Cipriano, MS
Georgina V. Long, MD, PhD, of the Melanoma Institute Australia and the University of Sydney, and colleagues reported the final follow-up analysis of the phase III COMBI-AD trial at the 2024 ASCO Annual Meeting (Abstract 9500) and published their findings in The New England Journal of Medicine.1 With...
New Studies Explore Relationships Between Heart Failure and Lymphoma, Arterial Thromboembolism and Cancer
Matthew Stenger
In two studies recently reported in JACC: CardioOncology, Upshaw and colleagues1 examined the impact of preexisting heart failure on mortality in older patients in the United States with newly diagnosed Hodgkin lymphoma, and Gon and colleagues2 analyzed the incidence and impact of arterial thromboem...
Lorlatinib vs Crizotinib in Advanced ALK-Positive NSCLC: 5-Year Outcomes From Phase III CROWN Trial
Matthew Stenger
In an article in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, corresponding author Benjamin J. Solomon, MBBS, BS, PhD, of Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, and colleagues provided a long-term analysis of 5-year outcomes from the phase III CROWN trial.1 Median progression-free survival had not been reac...
Enfortumab Vedotin-ejfv Plus Pembrolizumab Improves Survival vs Platinum-Based Chemotherapy in Advanced Urothelial Cancer
Matthew Stenger
As reported in The New England Journal of Medicine by Thomas Powles, MD, Barts Cancer Institute Biomedical Research Centre, Queen Mary University of London, and colleagues, the phase III EV-302 trial has shown that the combination of the antibody–drug conjugate enfortumab vedotin-ejfv, which is dire...
Addition of Ibrutinib to Immunochemotherapy and ASCT Improves Survival in Mantle Cell Lymphoma
Matthew Stenger
As reported in The Lancet by Martin Dreyling, MD, PhD, of Ludwig Maximilian University Hospital Munich, and colleagues, results in the European Mantle Cell Lymphoma Network phase III TRIANGLE trial indicate that the addition of ibrutinib to immunochemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation...
Addition of Adjuvant Ribociclib to Nonsteroidal Aromatase Inhibitor Therapy Improves Survival in Early Breast Cancer
Matthew Stenger
As reported in The New England Journal of Medicine by Dennis Slamon, MD, PhD, of the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, and colleagues, interim analysis of the phase III NATALEE trial has shown improved invasive disease–free survival with the addition of ...
KEYNOTE-564: Adjuvant Pembrolizumab Improves Overall Survival vs Placebo in Renal Cell Carcinoma
Matthew Stenger
As reported in The New England Journal of Medicine by Toni K. Choueiri, MD, FASCO, of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, and colleagues, the third prespecified interim analysis of overall survival in the phase III KEYNOTE-564 trial has shown significant benefit with adjuvant pe...
ALINA Trial: Adjuvant Alectinib Improves Survival vs Platinum-Based Chemotherapy in ALK-Positive NSCLC
Matthew Stenger
As reported in The New England Journal of Medicine by Yi‑Long Wu, MD, of Guangdong Lung Cancer Institute, Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital, and colleagues, the phase III ALINA trial has shown significantly improved disease-free survival with adjuvant alectinib vs platinum-based chemotherapy ...
Noninferiority of Simple vs Radical Hysterectomy for Pelvic Recurrence in Low-Risk Cervical Cancer
Matthew Stenger
As reported in The New England Journal of Medicine by Marie Plante, MD, of Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Quebec, and colleagues, the phase III CX.5 SHAPE trial has shown noninferiority of simple vs radical hysterectomy in the frequency of pelvic recurrence in women with low-risk cervical can...
Study Finds the Financial Hardship Caused by Cancer Is Long-Lasting for Many Working-Age Adults
When combined with high out-of-pocket costs for cancer care, nearly 60% of working-age cancer survivors report experiencing at least one type of financial hardship, including being unable to afford medical bills, distress and worry, or delaying or forgoing needed care because of cost, according to s...
Cell-Free DNA Blood-Based Test and Next-Generation Multitarget Stool DNA Test in Colorectal Cancer Screening
Matthew Stenger
In two studies reported in The New England Journal of Medicine, investigators found that a cell-free DNA (cfDNA) blood-based test (ECLIPSE study)1 and a next-generation multitarget stool DNA test (BLUE-C study)2 both showed high sensitivity for colorectal cancer and high specificity for advanced neo...
Use of Combination Immunotherapy Before Lung Cancer Surgery
The ASCO Post Staff
Combination immunotherapy with the anti–PD-L1 monoclonal antibody durvalumab and other novel agents seemed to outperform durvalumab alone in the neoadjuvant setting for early-stage non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to researchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Ho...
Brachytherapy Boost May Decrease the Duration of Androgen-Deprivation Therapy for High-Risk Prostate Cancer
Manuj Agarwal, MD
The optimal management of high-risk prostate cancer remains a topic of ongoing investigation. The quest for therapy that maximizes cancer control while minimizing toxicity is constant. Over the past decade, there has been mounting evidence that the addition of a brachytherapy boost to external-beam...
Relationship Between Second Malignant Neoplasm and Heart Disease Studied in Childhood Cancer Survivors
Susan Reckling, MA
In a French study of more than 7,000 childhood cancer survivors, published in JACC: CardioOncology, Thibaud Charrier, PhD, of the Université Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France, and colleagues reported that the occurrence of a second malignant neoplasm among these childhood cancer survivors seemed to be...
OVHIPEC-1 Trial: Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy Plus Interval Cytoreductive Surgery Improves Survival in Advanced Ovarian Cancer
Matthew Stenger
The final survival analysis of the Dutch-Belgian phase III OVHIPEC-1 trial showed that the addition of hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) to interval cytoreductive surgery was associated with maintained progression-free and overall survival benefits at 10 years in women with advanced ...
International Collaborative Research Efforts in Cardio-Oncology
Susan Reckling, MA
At the 2023 Global Cardio-Oncology Symposium (GCOS), international experts explored the ongoing collaborative efforts to improve the cardiovascular health of patients being treated for cancer as well as the bidirectional challenges of translating basic research to clinical care. Focus on Basic and ...
First-Line Dabrafenib Plus Trametinib vs Standard Chemotherapy for Pediatric Low-Grade Glioma With BRAF V600 Mutations
Matthew Stenger
As reported in The New England Journal of Medicine by Eric Bouffet, MD, of the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, and colleagues, a phase II trial has shown a significant improvement in objective response rate and other efficacy outcomes with first-line dabrafenib plus trametinib vs standard chemo...
PROpel Trial: Olaparib Plus Abiraterone in Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer Unselected for HRR Mutation Status
Matthew Stenger
As reported in The Lancet Oncology by Fred Saad, MD, of the Centre Hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal, and colleagues, the final prespecified overall survival analysis of the phase III PROpel trial has shown no significant benefit with the addition of first-line olaparib to abiraterone in patie...
Addition of Tumor Treating Fields Therapy to Standard Systemic Therapy Improves Survival in Metastatic NSCLC after Progression on Platinum-Based Therapy
Matthew Stenger
In a phase III trial (LUNAR) reported in The Lancet Oncology, Ticiana Leal, MD, Winship Cancer Institute at Emory University, and colleagues found that the addition of Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields) therapy to standard systemic therapy improved overall survival in patients with metastatic non-smal...
Diagnosis of Cardiovascular Disease and Risk of Subsequent Incident Cancer Diagnosis
Matthew Stenger
In a retrospective cohort study reported in JACC: CardioOncology, Caitlin F. Bell, MD, of the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, and colleagues found that persons with a diagnosis of cardiovascular disease (CVD) were more likely to have a subsequent incident...
Ipilimumab Plus Nivolumab May Improve Outcomes in Refractory Metastatic Melanoma, Study Suggests
The ASCO Post Staff
Researchers have discovered that the combination of the CTLA-4 inhibitor ipilimumab and the PD-1 inhibitor nivolumab may be an effective second-line therapy in patients with PD-1 blockade–refractory metastatic melanoma, according to a recent study conducted by the SWOG Cancer Research Network and ...
Patterns in Early-Onset Cancer in the United States From 2010 to 2019
Matthew Stenger
In a study using SEER (Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results) registry data reported in JAMA Network Open, Daniel Q. Huang, MBBS, MMED, of the National University of Singapore, and colleagues found that the incidence of cancer among U.S. persons up to age 50 (early-onset cancer) increased sign...
First-Line Pembrolizumab Plus Lenvatinib Active in Advanced Non–Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma
Matthew Stenger
In a phase II trial (KEYNOTE-B61) reported in The Lancet Oncology, Laurence Albiges, MD, PhD, of Gustave Roussy, Paris–Saclay University, Villejuif, France, and colleagues found that first-line pembrolizumab plus lenvatinib produced durable responses in patients with advanced non–clear cell renal ...
Addition of Nivolumab to Stereotactic Ablative Radiotherapy in Early-Stage or Isolated Lung Parenchymal Recurrent NSCLC
Matthew Stenger
In a phase II trial (I-SABR) reported in The Lancet, Joe Y. Chang, MD, of the Department of Radiation Oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, and colleagues found that the addition of immunotherapy with nivolumab to stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) improved...
Association of Lifestyle and Cardiovascular Risk Factors With Hospitalization for Heart Failure Subtypes in Breast Cancer Survivors
Matthew Stenger
In an analysis from the Women’s Health Initiative reported in JACC: CardioOncology, Kerryn W. Reding, PhD, MPH, RN, of the University of Washington at Seattle, and colleagues, identified the incidence of hospitalization for heart failure among postmenopausal breast cancer survivors. They reported th...
Cardiovascular Mortality and Cancer Mortality Over Time Among Cancer Survivors
Matthew Stenger
In an English retrospective cohort study reported in JACC: Cardio-Oncology, Helen Strongman, PhD, of the Department of Non-Communicable Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and colleagues found that cardiovascular mortality ultimately exceeded mortality from common p...
Rucaparib vs Physician’s Choice of Single-Agent Therapy in BRCA-Mutated Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer
Matthew Stenger
As reported in The New England Journal of Medicine by Karim Fizazi, MD, PhD, of Gustave Roussy Institute, Paris-Saclay University, and colleagues, the phase III TRITON3 trial has shown significantly improved progression-free survival with rucaparib vs physician-selected single-agent therapy in the e...
ASCO-CAP Guideline Update Confirms Previous Recommendations for HER2 Testing in Breast Cancer
Emily A. Kuhl, PhD
In partnership with the College of American Pathologists (CAP), ASCO has affirmed findings from its 2018 practice guideline on the use of HER2 testing in breast cancer. Notably, the ASCO/CAP expert panel found there is currently no justification for a new designation of HER2 test results for patient...
Investigators Evaluate the Effect of Body Mass Index on Outcomes in Patients With Head and Neck Cancer
The ASCO Post Staff
Investigators reported that patients with head and neck cancer who had an overweight body mass index (BMI) may have had better outcomes, longer overall and progression-free survival, and lower rates of locoregional failure than those patients with a normal or obese BMI, according to a recent study p...
Addition of Tislelizumab to Chemotherapy Improves Survival in Treatment of Metastatic Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Matthew Stenger
As reported in The Lancet Oncology by Jianming Xu, MD, of Fifth Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, corresponding author Harry H. Yoon, MD, of the Department of Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, and colleagues, an interim analysis of the phase III RATIONALE-306 trial has shown imp...
Certain Cancers Will Likely Rise Exponentially Because of COVID-19 Screening Delays, Study Predicts
The ASCO Post Staff
Delays in cancer screening during the COVID-19 pandemic will likely cause a significant increase in cancer cases that could have been caught earlier with screening. These cases may now be diagnosed at later stages, placing an increased burden on an already-strained health-care system, according to a...
Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors Show Promise for People Living With HIV
Matthew Stenger
New research involving people living with HIV treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors has provided valuable insights into the safety and efficacy of immunotherapy in this historically excluded population, according to data published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.1 The real-world data analysi...
