Is Pembrolizumab Effective in Patients With Brain Metastases?
In a phase II clinical trial, investigators found that 42% of patients with brain metastases benefited from treatment with the immune checkpoint inhibitor pembrolizumab, with 7 of the 57 patients in the trial surviving for longer than 2 years. The study authors cautioned that these benefits must be ...
Veterans Exposed to Agent Orange May Be at Increased Risk of Developing Myeloproliferative Neoplasms
A population-based study using information from a database of veterans found that those who had been exposed to Agent Orange may be at an increased risk of developing myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs). Agent Orange is a herbicide that was used by the U.S. military in Korea and Vietnam to clear...
Impact of Changing Opioid Prescription Landscape for Patients With Cancer
Despite the common use of opioids in clinical settings, new and persistent opioid prescriptions have declined among patients both with and without cancer, according to new findings presented by Baum et al at the 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting (Abstract 1592). However, the declines in opioid use among...
Early Cessation of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy May Lead to Worse Outcomes in Patients With Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer
Patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer who receive fewer than three cycles of chemotherapy prior to cystectomy may have an increased risk of cancer recurrence and worse survival outcomes, according to the findings of a retrospective study presented by Chakraborty et al at the 2023 ASCO Annual ...
Zanidatamab Shows Activity in Refractory HER2-Amplified Biliary Tract Cancer
The HER2-targeted bispecific antibody zanidatamab demonstrated durable responses in patients with treatment-refractory HER2-positive biliary tract cancer, according to research presented by Shubham Pant, MD, and colleagues at the 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting (Abstract 4008). The results were also...
Addition of Olaparib and Durvalumab to Standard of Care May Prolong Progression-Free Survival in Patients With Advanced Ovarian Cancer
Patients with newly diagnosed advanced ovarian cancer without a BRCA mutation who received durvalumab and olaparib in addition to the standard of care had improved progression-free survival compared with those who received the standard of care alone, according to the interim analysis of DUO-O, an...
Adding Ribociclib to Endocrine Therapy May Reduce Recurrence Risk in Patients With Hormone Receptor–Positive, HER2-Negative Early-Stage Breast Cancer
Adding the CDK4/6 inhibitor ribociclib to endocrine therapy resulted in a significant improvement in invasive disease–free survival for patients with hormone receptor–positive, HER2-negative early-stage breast cancer. Findings from the phase III NATALEE trial were presented by Dennis J. Slamon, MD, ...
Simple Hysterectomy May Be a Safe Option for Patients With Early-Stage, Low-Risk Cervical Cancer
Simple hysterectomy with pelvic lymph node dissection may be a safe treatment option for patients with early-stage, low-risk cervical cancer and may help improve quality of life, according to results from the large, international phase III SHAPE clinical trial. The research was presented by Plante...
Extended Lymphadenectomy May Not Benefit Patients With Clinically Localized Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer
Extended lymphadenectomy in patients undergoing radical cystectomy for clinically localized muscle-invasive bladder cancer was not associated with improved disease-free survival or overall survival and may increase the risk of adverse events and postsurgical mortality, according to new findings...
Study Finds Wide Variations in Intratumoral Microbiome of Patients With Early- vs Late-Onset Colorectal Cancer
Researchers have found that the bacteria, fungi, and viruses within the tumors of patients with colorectal cancer varied significantly depending on whether they were diagnosed with early-onset or late-onset disease, according to new findings presented by Weinberg et al at the 2023 ASCO Annual...
ATOM Coalition Seeks to Ensure Equitable Cancer Care in Low- and Middle-Income Countries
A new global health initiative, the Access to Oncology Medicines (ATOM) Coalition, may be capable of reducing the burden of suffering and death from cancer in low- and middle-income countries by improving patient access to essential cancer medicine. Gilberto Lopes, MD, FASCO, MBA, will highlight...
FDA Approves Olaparib Plus Abiraterone and Prednisone or Prednisolone for BRCA-Mutated Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer
On May 31, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved olaparib (Lynparza) in combination with abiraterone and prednisone (or prednisolone) for adult patients with deleterious or suspected deleterious BRCA-mutated metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, as determined by an...
Chemotherapy Dose Intensity and Survival in Older Women With Early-Stage Breast Cancer: Analysis From the HOPE Trial
In an analysis from the HOPE trial reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Mina S. Sedrak, MD, MS, and colleagues found that approximately one-fifth of older women with early-stage breast cancer received a relative dose intensity (RDI) of neoadjuvant/adjuvant chemotherapy that was below...
TAILORx Update: 12-Year Recurrence and Survival Outcomes for Patients With Early-Stage Breast Cancer
Long-term recurrence and survival data are now available from the groundbreaking TAILORx trial. With 12 years of follow-up, the updated analysis—reported by Sparano et al at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS) 2022 (Abstract GS1-05)—confirms the original findings that chemotherapy may...
SGLT2 Inhibitors and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Older, Anthracycline-Treated Patients With Cancer
In a population-based cohort study reported in JACC: CardioOncology, Abdel-Qadir et al found that receipt of sodium glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors was associated with a reduced risk of hospitalization for heart failure—but not risk for heart failure—among patients aged ≥ 65 years with...
Diffusing Alpha-Emitter Radiation Therapy for Recurrent or Unresectable Skin Cancers
In a small study reported in JAMA Network Open, D’Andrea et al found that diffusing alpha-emitter radiation therapy—a novel solid tumor management strategy using alpha-particle interstitial brachytherapy—appeared to be safe and showed activity in patients with recurrent or unresectable skin...
HER3-Targeting Antibody-Drug Conjugates Show Encouraging Results in Breast Cancer Subtypes
Early-phase data from the SOLTI TOT-HER3 and ICARUS-BREAST01 trials suggest that the novel HER3-directed antibody-drug conjugate patritumab deruxtecan may have beneficial activity in patients with hormone receptor–positive/HER2-negative and triple-negative breast cancer subtypes, according to...
CRISPR Approach May Help Identify Promising Therapeutic Targets in Patients With Multiple Myeloma
Researchers have identified 116 genes as key molecular vulnerabilities for multiple myeloma, according to a novel study published by de Matos Simoes et al in Nature Cancer. The findings demonstrated the potential for these genes to act as leads and help researchers discover new therapeutic options...
UICC Urges Action on World No Tobacco Day to Prevent Tobacco-Related Cancer Deaths
The Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) has called for greater action for World No Tobacco Day on May 31, 2023 in light of a new study published by Safiri et al in Cancer Medicine, which found that 2.5 million tobacco-related cancer deaths were reported in 2019.
The UICC is a global...
Patients Who Practice Qigong May Be Able to Improve Their Cancer-Related Fatigue
Researchers have found that patients with cancer-related fatigue who practiced qigong may have demonstrated clinically significant improvements in their fatigue burden after 10 weeks, according to a new study published by Zimmerman et al in Integrative Cancer Therapies. The findings revealed that...
Expert Point of View: Rebecca A. Dent, MD, MSc
Invited discussant Rebecca A. Dent, MD, MSc, Senior Consultant, National Cancer Center Singapore, and Chairman of Medical Oncology at Duke-NUS Medical School, called the findings from these studies “very promising” and “provocative” but acknowledged that the small number of patients precludes...
FDA Approves Flotufolastat Fluorine-18 Injection, First Radiohybrid PSMA-Targeted PET Imaging Agent for Prostate Cancer
On May 30, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the optimized, high-affinity radiohybrid prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-targeted positron-emission tomography (PET) imaging agent flotufolastat fluorine-18 (Posluma). Flotufolastat F-18 is indicated for PET imaging of...
Incidence of Colorectal, Lung, and Breast Cancers May Be Rising Due to COVID-19–Related Screening Delays
Delays in cancer screenings during the COVID-19 pandemic may have resulted in lower reported incidences of colorectal, lung, and breast cancers, reflecting potentially high rates of undiagnosed cancer and later-stage diagnoses, according to a new study published by Romatoski et al in the Journal of ...
New Bladder Cancer Classification May Predict Response to BCG Immunotherapy in Patients With Non–Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer
Researchers have developed a new strategy to identify which patients with non–muscle-invasive bladder cancer may be most likely to resist first-line treatment with Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) immunotherapy, according to a new study published by Jong et al in Science Translational Medicine. The...
Addition of First-Line Dalpiciclib to Letrozole or Anastrozole in Hormone Receptor–Positive, HER2-Negative Advanced Breast Cancer
In an interim analysis of a Chinese phase III trial (DAWNA-2) reported in The Lancet Oncology, Zhang et al found that the addition of the CDK4/6 inhibitor dalpiciclib to letrozole or anastrozole improved progression-free survival as first-line treatment in patients with advanced hormone...
Long-Term Outcomes With Single-Fraction vs Multifraction SABR for Pulmonary Oligometastases
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Shankar Siva, PhD, and colleagues, long-term outcomes of the Trans Tasman Radiation Oncology Group (TROG) 13.01 SAFRON II phase II trial showed no difference in overall survival with single-fraction vs multifraction stereotactic ablative body...
MGMT Promoter Methylation and Survival Outcomes in Low-Grade and Anaplastic Gliomas After Alkylating Chemotherapy
In a study reported in JAMA Oncology, Kinslow et al found that MGMT promoter methylation (mMGMT) was associated with improved survival outcomes in patients receiving alkylating chemotherapy for low-grade and anaplastic gliomas.
Study Details
The study involved 411 patients with grade II or III...
Minimally Invasive Distal Pancreatectomy in Patients With Resectable Pancreatic Cancer
Results from the international, randomized DIPLOMA trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT04483726) comparing minimally invasive distal pancreatectomy (MIDP) with open distal pancreatectomy (ODP) in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma showed that the rate of radical resection following...
Using a Health Systems Strengthening Approach in the United States–Mexico Border Region Improved Survival Rates for Children With ALL
The implementation of a collaborative program between North American and Mexican medical institutions to achieve sustainable, high-quality care at a public hospital in the United States–Mexico border region for children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and improve outcomes has resulted in...
Telephone-Based Weight Loss Intervention for Patients With Breast Cancer and Overweight/Obesity
A randomized study by Jennifer A. Ligibel, MD, Director of the Leonard P. Zakim Center for Integrative Therapies and Healthy Living at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, evaluating the impact of a telephone-based weight loss intervention in...
Medicaid Expansion Associated With a Reduction in Mortality for Black Patients With Gastrointestinal Cancers
Studies showed that racial minorities experience disparities in access to cancer treatment and survival. In an effort to improve access to care for disadvantaged populations, the Affordable Care Act provided funding to states to expand Medicaid eligibility criteria and provide coverage to...
Luspatercept Improves Reliance on Blood Transfusions for Patients With Lower-Risk MDS
Patients with lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) who received luspatercept to treat anemia instead of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs)—the current standard of care—needed fewer blood transfusions and clinic visits. These findings from the phase III COMMANDS trial will be presented...
Adding Pembrolizumab to Chemotherapy May Improve Survival in Patients With Advanced Cervical Cancer
Adding the PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab to chemotherapy, with or without bevacizumab, improved overall survival and progression-free survival in patients with persistent, recurrent, or metastatic cervical cancer, regardless of whether the cancer expressed PD-L1. These findings from the KEYNOTE-826...
Effect of HER2 Expression Levels on Survival Outcomes in Patients With Metastatic Breast Cancer Receiving Targeted Therapy Plus Endocrine Therapy
In a single-institution cohort study reported in JAMA Network Open, Jason A. Mouabbi, MD, and colleagues found no difference in survival outcomes between patients with hormone receptor–positive metastatic breast cancer with low vs no HER2 expression who received targeted therapy and endocrine...
Anti–PD-L1 Combination vs Sunitinib in Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma
In a meta-analysis reported in a research letter in JAMA Network Open, Maiorano et al found that first-line anti–PD-L1 treatment combinations did not significantly improve overall survival vs sunitinib in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma. A progression-free survival benefit was...
Computer‐Aided Diagnosis May Improve Breast Ultrasound Performance
Deep learning–based computer-aided diagnosis on breast ultrasound may significantly improve radiologists’ diagnostic performance and reduce the frequency of benign breast biopsies, according to a new study published by He et al in the American Journal of Roentgenology. Compared with previous...
Interleukin-21 Identified as Potential New Therapeutic Target to Prevent Endocrine Autoimmune Adverse Effects From Cancer Immunotherapy
Researchers have discovered that interleukin-21 may be a potential therapeutic target to help reduce the endocrine autoimmune adverse effects and prevent the thyroid autoimmunity experienced by patients with cancer undergoing treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors, according to a novel study...
Prevalence of Functional Limitations in U.S. Cancer Survivors
In a study reported in a research letter in JAMA Oncology, Patel et al found that the prevalence of self-reported functional limitations in U.S. cancer survivors increased between 1999 and 2018.
Study Details
The analysis included adults in the 1999 to 2018 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) ...
BCG Vaccines May Provide Protective Effect Against Alzheimer's Disease
Researchers have found that patients treated with the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine may have a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, according to a novel study published by Weinberg et al in JAMA Network Open.
Background
The BCG vaccine has been known to offer...
FDA Approves Avapritinib for Indolent Systemic Mastocytosis
On May 22, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the tyrosine kinase inhibitor avapritinib (Ayvakit) for the treatment of adults with indolent systemic mastocytosis. Avapritinib is the first and only approved therapy for indolent systemic mastocytosis. Systemic mastocytosis is a rare ...
Tumor Mutational Burden and Outcomes in Patients With Advanced Cancers Treated With Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors
In a study reported in JAMA Network Open, Charu Aggarwal, MD, MPH, and colleagues found that patients with advanced solid cancers and a high tumor mutational burden (TMB-H) had improved overall survival with immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy vs those with a low tumor mutational burden (TMB-L).
...
Addition of Panitumumab to Trifluridine/Tipiracil in Anti-EGFR Treatment Rechallenge in Refractory RAS Wild-Type Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
In the Italian phase II VELO trial reported in JAMA Oncology, Napolitano et al found that anti-EGFR treatment rechallenge with the addition of panitumumab to trifluridine/tipiracil improved progression-free survival in the third-line setting for patients with RAS wild-type metastatic colorectal...
Radical Cystectomy vs Trimodality Therapy for Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer
In a retrospective analysis reported in The Lancet Oncology, Zlotta et al found that trimodality therapy was associated with similar outcomes compared to radical cystectomy in patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer.
Study Details
The study involved 722 patients with clinical stage T2–T4N0M0 ...
FDA Grants Accelerated Approval to Epcoritamab-bysp for Relapsed or Refractory B-Cell Lymphoma
On May 19, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted accelerated approval to the bispecific CD20-directed CD3 T-cell engager epcoritamab-bysp (Epkinly) for patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL)–not otherwise specified, including DLBCL arising from...
Assay Prediction of pCR in Patients With HER2-Positive Breast Cancer Treated With Neoadjuvant Paclitaxel, Trastuzumab, and Pertuzumab
In an analysis reported in JAMA Oncology, Waks et al found that the HER2DX assay performed well in predicting the likelihood of pathologic complete response (pCR) in patients with early HER2-positive breast cancer receiving de-escalated neoadjuvant treatment with paclitaxel, trastuzumab, and...
Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children With Cancer and COVID-19
In a U.S. cohort study reported in JAMA Oncology, Martin et al described the clinical course and potential factors associated with post–COVID-19 multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children with cancer also infected with COVID-19. Post–COVID-19 multisystem inflammatory syndrome is a...
Study Analyzes Relationship Between Cancer Survivors’ Tobacco Use, Symptom Burden, and Motivation to Quit Smoking
Investigators have found that current smoking and vaping may be associated with a higher burden of symptoms among adult cancer survivors but that these symptoms may not have had an impact on the desire to quit smoking. The new study was published by Price et al in Cancer.
Background
Continued...
Late Major Surgical Intervention in Survivors of Childhood Cancer
In an analysis from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS) reported in The Lancet Oncology, Dieffenbach et al found that childhood cancer survivors had a heavy cumulative burden of late major surgical interventions.
Study Details
The study involved data from the CCSS on 5-year survivors of...
Association Between Overweight/Obesity and Risk of Gastrointestinal Cancer
Researchers have found that individuals in early and middle adulthood who have a body mass index (BMI) indicating that they have overweight or obesity may be at an increased risk of developing gastrointestinal cancer, according to a new study published by Loomans-Kropp and Umar in JAMA Network...
Use of 5α-Reductase Inhibitors and Prostate Cancer Mortality
In a systematic review and meta-analysis reported in JAMA Oncology, Baboudjian et al found no significant association between the use of 5α-reductase inhibitors (5-ARIs) and the risk of prostate cancer mortality.
As stated by the investigators, “Recently, several large, high-quality analyses have...
NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology: 2023 Updates
In 1996, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network® published its first set of Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines®) covering eight tumor types. Guidelines are now published for more than 60 tumor types, subtypes, and topics. During the NCCN’s 28th Annual Conference, updates...
Specialist Palliative Care for Patients Undergoing Major Abdominal Surgery for Cancer
In a single-center trial reported in JAMA Surgery, Shinall et al found that specialist palliative care did not improve quality of life or survival vs usual care in patients undergoing nonpalliative major abdominal surgery for cancer.
Study Details
In the trial, 235 patients scheduled for...
Augmented Early Intensification and Higher Consolidation Methotrexate Dosing Show No Benefit in Childhood ALL
Results of the Intercontinental-Berlin-Frankfurt-Münster 2009 trial in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) were reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Campbell et al. Findings included no benefit of augmented early intensification in intermediate-risk or high-risk patients and no...
Cancer-Specific Mortality Rates Vary Widely Across the Globe, Study Finds
Investigators have found that in the majority of countries studied, the recent mortality rates for all major cancer types have decreased except for lung cancer among female patients and hepatic cancer among male patients—where increasing rates were observed in most countries, according to a novel...
Does Prediagnosis Smoking Cessation Improve Overall Survival in Patients With NSCLC?
In a cohort study reported in JAMA Network Open, Wang et al found that overall survival in patients with non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who stopped smoking prior to their cancer diagnosis was better than overall survival among those who were current smokers at the time of their diagnosis.
...
First-Line Venetoclax Combinations vs Chemoimmunotherapy in Fit Patients With CLL
In the phase III GAIA–CLL13 trial reported in The New England Journal of Medicine, Barbara Eichhorst, MD, and colleagues found better outcomes with venetoclax plus obinutuzumab and venetoclax, obinutuzumab, and ibrutinib compared with chemoimmunotherapy as first-line treatment in fit patients with ...
Implantable Ultrasound Device to Open Blood-Brain Barrier for Peritumoral Delivery of Albumin-Bound Paclitaxel in Recurrent Glioblastoma
In a small single-institution phase I trial reported in The Lancet Oncology, Sonabend et al found that an implantable device for low-intensity pulsed ultrasound with concomitant administration of intravenous microbubbles (LIPU-MB) may be safely used to open the blood-brain barrier to permit...
Trastuzumab/Pertuzumab Plus Neoadjuvant Paclitaxel or Endocrine Therapy in Hormone Receptor–Positive, HER2-Positive Early Breast Cancer
In a German phase II trial (WSG-TP-II) reported in JAMA Oncology, Gluz et al found that the addition of neoadjuvant paclitaxel monotherapy to trastuzumab/pertuzumab resulted in a higher pathologic complete response (pCR) rate in patients with hormone receptor–positive, HER2-positive early breast...
Patients With Cervical Cancer May Be at Higher Risk for Urinary Tract Infections After Radical Hysterectomies
Patients with early-stage cervical cancer may have an increased risk of developing catheter-associated urinary tract infections following radical hysterectomies if they had a history of smoking or used catheters for more than 7 days postsurgery, according to a new study by Mercadel et al in the...
Addition of Quizartinib to Chemotherapy in Newly Diagnosed FLT3-ITD–Positive Acute Myeloid Leukemia
As reported in The Lancet by Erba et al, the phase III QuANTUM-First trial has shown prolonged overall survival with the addition of the FLT3 inhibitor quizartinib to chemotherapy in patients with newly diagnosed FLT3-internal-tandem-duplication (ITD)-positive acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
Study...
HPV Self-Collection Kits May Increase Cervical Cancer Screenings Among Underscreened, Underserved Patients
Researchers have found that mailing human papillomavirus (HPV) self-collection kits in addition to offering scheduling assistance to underscreened, underserved patients may increase the rate of cervical cancer screenings compared with scheduling assistance alone, according to a new study published...
Combined Delivery of DNX-2401 Plus Pembrolizumab May Be Safe and Effective in Patients With Recurrent Glioblastoma
Intratumoral delivery of the engineered oncolytic virus DNX-2401 in combination with subsequent immunotherapy with pembrolizumab may be safe and effective at improving survival outcomes in patients with recurrent glioblastoma, according to a study published by Nassiri et al in Nature Medicine.
...
Phase II Trial of Guadecitabine Plus Atezolizumab in Patients With Metastatic Bladder Cancer
Although hypomethylating agents previously appeared to be a promising treatment option for patients with bladder cancer refractory to immunotherapy, researchers were forced to halt a recent phase II clinical trial after patients experienced either no response to treatment or rapid tumor...
Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors Show Promise for People Living With HIV
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 by El Zarif et al in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. The...
Extreme Poverty May Be a Key Driver for Relapse in Pediatric Patients With ALL
Pediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) living in extreme poverty and undergoing maintenance therapy may have almost a twofold greater risk of relapse compared with pediatric patients who weren’t living in extreme poverty, according to a new study published by Wadhwa et al in...
Addition of Bevacizumab to Trifluridine/Tipiracil in Refractory Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
As reported in The New England Journal of Medicine by Prager et al, the phase III SUNLIGHT trial has shown prolonged overall survival with the addition of bevacizumab to trifluridine/tipiracil (FTD-TPI) in previously treated patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.
As stated by the...
Induction Failure in Pediatric and Young Adult Patients With T-Cell ALL
In an analysis reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, O’Connor et al found that pediatric and young adult patients with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) who did not respond to induction therapy had poorer outcomes vs those with induction response. The investigators also attempted...
Potential Utility of Polygenic Risk Scores in Cancer Screening in the United Kingdom
In a modeling study reported in The Lancet Oncology, Huntley et al found that the extension of UK cancer screening programs for breast, prostate, and colorectal cancers to a polygenic risk score (PRS)-defined high-risk group of patients with cancer may improve cancer case detection and avoidance of ...
Patients With Cancer May Prefer Telemedicine Appointments Over In-Person Visits When Both Are Available
Investigators have found that telemedicine may consistently outperform in-person visits for cancer care when assessed for access to care, provider response, and patient experience, according to a new study published by Patel et al in JNCCN–Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network.
...
Immigrant Adults With Hepatocellular Carcinoma May Have Higher Survival Rates Than Those Born in the United States
Immigrant adult patients who have hepatocellular carcinoma and reside in the United States may have higher rates of survival compared with those who have the disease and were born in the United States, according to a new study published by Zhou et al in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. ...
Long-Term Risk Prediction for Invasive Breast Cancer: AI System Plus Volumetric Density on Screening Mammography
In a study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Vachon et al found that the combination of an artificial intelligence (AI) imaging algorithm, together with measures of breast density on mammography screening, were capable of long-term prediction of risk of invasive breast cancer.
As...
Familial Clonal Hematopoiesis in Individuals With a Mutation in Telomere-Related Gene POT1
In a study reported in The New England Journal of Medicine, DeBoy et al found that individuals carrying germline heterozygous loss-of-function mutations in the telomere-related gene POT1 had long telomeres and may be at risk for benign and malignant neoplasms as part of a familial clonal...
Patient-Reported Outcomes From the NRG Oncology/RTOG 0815 in Intermediate-Risk Prostate Cancer
In an analysis of the phase III NRG Oncology/RTOG 0815 study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Benjamin Movsas, MD, and colleagues found few differences in patient-reported outcomes among patients with intermediate-risk prostate cancer receiving short-term total androgen suppression...
Addition of Short-Term ADT to Dose-Escalated Radiotherapy in Intermediate-Risk Prostate Cancer
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Daniel J. Krauss, MD, and colleagues, the phase III NRG Oncology/RTOG 0815 study showed no significant improvement in overall survival with the addition of short-term androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) to dose-escalated radiotherapy in patients...
President Biden Announces Intent to Nominate Monica M. Bertagnolli, MD, as Director of the NIH
In a statement released by The White House on May 15, President Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate Monica M. Bertagnolli, MD, as Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the world’s preeminent biomedical research organization. As the statement makes clear, Dr. Bertagnolli is a ...
Young Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders May Face Highest Rates of Cancer Mortality
Investigators have found that young Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander patients may experience the highest rates of cancer mortality of any racial group in the United States among those aged 20 to 49 years. The new data were published by Haque et al in the Journal of the National Cancer...
Cabozantinib in Combination With Nivolumab and Ipilimumab May Slow Progression of Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma
The targeted kinase inhibitor cabozantinib plus a two-drug immunotherapy combination of nivolumab and ipilimumab may be capable of slowing cancer progression in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma who received no prior lines of therapy, according to a study published by Choueiri et al in...
Adding Azacitidine to Standard Chemotherapy May Be Effective for Patients With PTCL-TFH
Researchers have found that azacitidine may be capable of increasing the effectiveness of chemotherapy and aiding nearly 90% of patients who had peripheral T-cell lymphoma with the T follicular helper cell phenotype (PTCL-TFH) achieve remission, according to a novel study published by Ruan et al in ...
Ibrutinib and Rituximab vs Fludarabine, Cyclophosphamide, and Rituximab in Previously Untreated Patients With CLL
As reported in The Lancet Oncology by Peter Hillmen, MBChB, PhD, and colleagues, an interim analysis of the UK phase III FLAIR trial has shown significantly improved progression-free survival with ibrutinib and rituximab vs fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, and rituximab (FCR) in previously untreated...
Interruption of Adjuvant Endocrine Therapy to Attempt Pregnancy in Women With Breast Cancer
In a study reported in The New England Journal of Medicine, Ann H. Partridge, MD, MPH, and colleagues found that temporary interruption of adjuvant endocrine therapy to attempt pregnancy was not associated with an increased short-term risk of breast cancer events among women with hormone...
Ruxolitinib for Patients With Polycythemia Vera Intolerant or Resistant to Hydroxycarbamide
In a UK phase II trial (MAJIC-PV) reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Harrison et al found that ruxolitinib produced a higher complete response rate vs best available therapy in patients with polycythemia vera intolerant of or resistant to hydroxycarbamide.
Study Details
In the...
Novel Calculator May Identify Patients With Favorable-Prognosis Hematologic Cancers
Researchers have developed a calculator that may be capable of identifying patients who have multiple myeloma and light-chain amyloidosis with more benign profiles and, consequently, better prognoses, according to a novel study published by Burgos et al in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. The...
Lenalidomide in Previously Treated Children With Low-Grade Gliomas
In a Children’s Oncology Group phase II trial reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Katherine E. Warren, MD, and colleagues found that lenalidomide showed activity in children with pilocytic astrocytomas and optic pathway gliomas who did not respond to initial therapy.
As noted by the...
Longitudinal Change in Mammographic Breast Density and Risk of Breast Cancer
In a study reported in JAMA Oncology, Jiang et al found that breast density decreased over time among patients undergoing mammographic screening for breast cancer, but that the decrease was smaller in the affected breast among patients who developed breast cancer vs the decrease observed in...
Abiraterone Acetate Plus Prednisolone With or Without Enzalutamide in Patients With Metastatic Prostate Cancer Initiating ADT
In an analysis of the final results of two STAMPEDE platform phase III trials reported in The Lancet Oncology, Gerhardt Attard, PhD, and colleagues found that the addition of enzalutamide to abiraterone plus prednisolone did not appear to improve survival outcomes and was associated with worse...
Racial Disparities in the Risk of Ovarian Cancer for Patients With Fibroids and Endometriosis
A case-control study published recently by Harris et al in Obstetrics & Gynecology evaluated associations between endometriosis, uterine leiomyomas, and ovarian cancer risk by race, as well as the impact of hysterectomy on these associations. The investigators found that hysterectomy may modify ...
New Breast Cancer Screening Guidelines Call for Earlier, More Intensive Screenings for Women at High Risk
Updated recommendations from the American College of Radiology encouraged all women—particularly Black women and Ashkenazi Jewish women—to undergo risk assessments at 25 years of age to determine whether they may need breast cancer screenings earlier than age 40, according to new guidelines...
Tucatinib Plus Trastuzumab in HER2-Positive, Refractory, RAS Wild-Type, Unresectable or Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
As reported in The Lancet Oncology by John H. Strickler, MD, and colleagues, the phase II MOUNTAINEER trial has shown the activity of the combination of tucatinib plus trastuzumab in patients with HER2-positive, chemotherapy-refractory, RAS wild-type, unresectable or metastatic colorectal cancer.
Bariatric Surgery May Reduce Risk of Obesity-Related Cancers by More Than Half
Researchers have found that patients who are obese and undergo bariatric surgery may have a greater than 50% decreased incidence rate of obesity-related cancer compared with patients who did not have the weight-loss procedure, according to new findings presented by Chittajalu et al at Digestive...
Three New Studies Unveil Recent Developments in the Screening and Treatment of Biliary Tract Cancer and Colorectal Cancer
Researchers have revealed the impacts of several new developments in screening and treating patients with biliary tract cancer and colorectal cancer—including the development of patient-derived organoids to test chemotherapy response, the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to...
Pragmatica-Lung Trial Begins Enrolling Patients With NSCLC Who Did Not Respond to Previous Therapy
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) announced that it has helped launch the randomized phase III Pragmatica-Lung trial examining the efficacy of ramucirumab plus pembrolizumab in treating patients with advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The new study is one of the first NCI-supported...
ASTRO and ESTRO Issue New Clinical Guidelines on Local Therapy for Patients With Oligometastatic NSCLC
The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) and the European Society for Radiotherapy & Oncology (ESTRO) provided advice on the use of definitive local therapy—including radiation and surgery—to treat patients with oligometastatic non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to new...
Study Identifies Mutations That May Be Associated With Poor Outcomes in Patients With NSCLC Treated With KRAS G12C Inhibitors
Researchers have discovered that co-occurring mutations in three tumor-suppressor genes—KEAP1, SMARCA4, and CDKN2A—may be linked with poor clinical outcomes in patients with KRAS G12C–mutant non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who were treated with the KRAS G12C inhibitors adagrasib or sotorasib,
Confirmatory Mediastinoscopy vs Immediate Resection After Endosonography for Resectable NSCLC
In a trial (MEDIASTrial) reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Bousema et al found that immediate lung tumor resection after negative systematic endosonography was noninferior to confirmatory mediastinoscopy in the detection of unforeseen N2 disease in patients with non–small cell lung...
Toripalimab Plus Chemotherapy May Improve Event-Free Survival in Resectable Stage III NSCLC
An interim analysis of the Neotorch study highlighted the potential of immunotherapy for the treatment of early-stage non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to data presented by Lu et al during the ASCO Plenary Series: April 2023 Session (Abstract 425126). The findings showed a significant...
Pain Control for Localized Spine Metastases: Stereotactic Radiosurgery vs Conventional Radiotherapy
As reported in JAMA Oncology by Ryu et al, the phase III portion of the NRG Oncology/RTOG 0631 trial showed no benefit in pain relief with use of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) vs conventional external-beam radiotherapy (EBRT) in patients with one to three sites of vertebral metastases.
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Extension of Adjuvant Anastrozole After Initial Therapeutic Regimen in Postmenopausal Patients With Hormone Receptor–Positive Breast Cancer
In a Japanese phase III trial (AERAS) reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Iwase et al found that an additional 5 years of adjuvant anastrozole after 5 years of anastrozole or tamoxifen followed by anastrozole was associated with improved disease-free survival vs no further anastrozole...
Does Stem Cell Transplantation Extend Survival in Patients With Advanced Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphomas?
In a French study (CUTALLO) reported in The Lancet, de Masson et al found that patients with advanced-stage cutaneous T-cell lymphomas who were able to undergo allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) had prolonged progression-free survival vs matched patients receiving...
Antibacterial Treatment May Resolve Acute Radiation Dermatitis in Patients With Breast Cancer Undergoing Radiation Therapy
Researchers have found that acute radiation dermatitis may involve the skin bacterium Staphylococcus aureus and that a simple, low-cost treatment may prevent severe cases in patients undergoing radiation therapy, according to two novel studies published by Kost et al—one a randomized clinical trial ...
Sotorasib in Pretreated Patients With KRAS G12C–Mutated NSCLC: 2-Year Analysis of CodeBreaK100
In an analysis published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Grace K. Dy, MD, and colleagues report 2-year outcomes of the CodeBreaK100 phase I/II trial of sotorasib in previously treated patients with KRAS G12C–mutated locally advanced or metastatic non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). According...
