COSMIC-313: Triplet Therapy Is Active in Renal Cell Carcinoma, but Toxicities Pose a Challenge
The addition of cabozantinib to nivolumab plus ipilimumab prolonged progression-free survival in untreated intermediate-risk patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC), according to the first results of the phase III COSMIC-313 trial. These findings were presented as a Presidential Symposium ...
Health-Related Quality of Life for Survivors of Metastatic Prostate Cancer
Survivors of prostate cancer originally diagnosed with metastatic disease may experience significantly worse health-related quality of life than those diagnosed with early-stage disease and individuals without a cancer history across all domains, according to a new study by Zheng et al in published ...
Medicaid Expansion and Palliative Care Use Among Patients Newly Diagnosed With Advanced Cancer
Recent data showed that Medicaid expansion may be associated with increased use of palliative care among newly diagnosed individuals with stage IV cancer, although overall usage of palliative care was low. In addition, the increase after Medicaid expansion varied by cancer type, according to a...
Historical Housing Discrimination May Adversely Affect Contemporary Colon Cancer Care and Outcomes
Recent findings showed that historical housing discrimination may negatively affect contemporary care and outcomes for patients diagnosed with colon cancer, according to a study by Hussaini et al in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. The findings were also presented at the 2022 ASCO Quality Care...
Association of Social Vulnerability With Mortality From Comorbid Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease
In a U.S. cross-sectional study reported in JACC:CardioOncology, Ganatra et al found that mortality from comorbid cancer and cardiovascular disease was significantly higher in counties with higher vs lower social vulnerability.
Study Details
The study used the Centers for Disease Control and...
Toxicity Outcomes With Stereotactic Ablative Radiotherapy for Patients With Up to Five Oligometastases
As reported in JAMA Oncology by Olson et al, the primary toxicity results of the phase II SABR-5 trial have shown a low rate of toxic effects with stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) for patients with up to five oligometastases.
As stated by the investigators: “After the publication of the...
Chemotherapy for Children With Type II or III Pleuropulmonary Blastoma
In an analysis from the International PPB/DICER1 Registry reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Schultz et al found that chemotherapy with IVADo (ifosfamide, vincristine, actinomycin-D, and doxorubicin) appeared to be associated with similar or improved outcomes vs historical controls among ...
New Study Highlights Sexual Problems Among Young Women Who Have Had Cancer
Young women who are cancer survivors may be at a much higher risk of sexual problems, including loss of libido and discomfort, according to research published by Wettergren et al in the journal Acta Oncologica. The study also suggests that cancer type and intensity of treatment may influence the...
Addition of PD-1 Inhibitor Serplulimab to Chemotherapy in the First-Line Treatment of Extensive-Stage SCLC
As reported in JAMA by Cheng et al, an interim analysis of the phase III ASTRUM-005 trial has shown that the addition of the PD-1 inhibitor serplulimab to chemotherapy improved overall survival in the first-line treatment of patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC).
Study ...
Transportation Barriers Among Cancer Survivors: Effect on ER Use and Mortality
New research showed that cancer survivors who delayed care due to a lack of transportation were more likely to use the emergency room (ER), according to the study published by Jiang et al in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. They also had the highest risks of all-cause and cancer-specific...
Is Mortgage Discrimination Adversely Associated With Receipt of Guideline-Concordant NSCLC Care?
Findings reported by researchers from the American Cancer Society (ACS) and Johns Hopkins University showed that area-level mortgage discrimination may be adversely associated with receipt of guideline-concordant care among patients with non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in the United States,...
Adjuvant Nivolumab/Ipilimumab vs Nivolumab in Resected Stage IIIB–D or IV Melanoma
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Jeffrey S. Weber, MD, PhD, and colleagues, the phase III CheckMate 915 trial showed no improvement in recurrence-free survival with adjuvant nivolumab/ipilimumab vs nivolumab in patients with resected stage IIIB–D or IV melanoma.
Study Details
In...
Symptom Clusters in Adult Survivors of Childhood Cancer
In a report from the St. Jude Lifetime Cohort Study population reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Shin et al identified symptom clusters among adult survivors of childhood cancer and potential associations with health-related quality of life and physical and neurocognitive performance.
...
Single vs Multiple Doses of Prophylactic IV Antibiotics to Prevent Surgical Site Infection in Implant-Based Breast Reconstruction
In a Swedish study reported in JAMA Network Open, Gahm et al found that multiple vs single doses of prophylactic intravenous (IV) antibiotics did not significantly reduce the risk of surgical site infection leading to implant removal in women undergoing implant-based breast reconstruction after...
Study Investigates Potential Embryonic Origin of Medulloblastomas
Medulloblastomas may exist in a premalignant form at birth after initially developing during the first or second trimester of pregnancy, according to a new international study published by Hendrikse et al in Nature. As medulloblastomas typically present around age 7, the team’s discovery is the...
Research Examines a New Tool for Discovering Cancer-Driving Structural Variations
An advanced software tool for analyzing DNA sequences from tumor samples has uncovered new, likely cancer-driving genes. In a study, Weill Cornell Medicine researchers designed the software, known as CSVDriver, to map and analyze the locations of large mutations, known as structural variants, in...
GPRC5D-Targeted CAR T-Cell Therapy in Heavily Pretreated Patients With Multiple Myeloma
In a single-institution phase I study reported in The New England Journal of Medicine, Sham Mailankody, MBBS, and colleagues found that chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells targeting G protein–coupled receptor, class C, group 5, member D (GPRC5D) were active in heavily pretreated patients with...
Minimally Invasive vs Open Nephrectomy for Kidney Cancer: 1-Year Health-Care Expenditure and Utilization
In a retrospective cohort study reported in JAMA Network Open, Okhawere et al found that minimally invasive surgery was associated with similar or reduced total expenditures vs open surgery during the first year after partial or radical nephrectomy for kidney cancer.
Study Details
The study...
Oncologist Use of Reduced Doses of New Systemic Treatments in Patients With Metastatic Cancer
In a survey study reported in JCO Oncology Practice, Jimenez et al found that half of surveyed oncologists reported sometimes or usually using reduced doses at initiation of a new systemic treatment in patients with metastatic cancer in order to potentially reduce toxicity.
Study Details
The...
Active Surveillance for Low-Risk Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma
In a single-institution study reported in JAMA Oncology, Allen S. Ho, MD, and colleagues found evidence that active surveillance may be a suitable treatment for most patients with low-risk papillary thyroid carcinoma.
Study Details
The prospective study included 222 patients enrolled at...
Study Focuses on Molecular Details of Precancerous Clonal Outgrowth in Blood Cells
A common, spontaneous mutation in blood stem cells, which has been linked to a higher risk of blood cancer and cardiovascular disease, may promote these diseases by altering the stem cells’ programming of gene activity and the mix of blood cells they produce, according to a study co-led by...
Researchers Identify Potential Biomarker to Distinguish Group 3 and Group 4 Medulloblastomas
It may soon be possible to identify group 4 medulloblastomas from more aggressive group 3 tumors. Research based on a little-explored part of RNA that creates proteins may lead to the development of better-targeted therapies, according to investigators at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center....
DeFi Trial: Novel Gamma Secretase Inhibitor Halts Progression of Desmoid Tumors
Patients with rare desmoid tumors may finally have an effective treatment. A first-in-class gamma secretase inhibitor, nirogacestat, led to an improvement in progression-free survival in the phase III DeFi trial. The results were presented during the Presidential Symposium at the European Society...
Fertility Preservation Procedures at Breast Cancer Diagnosis: Risk of Relapse and Disease-Specific Mortality
In a Swedish nationwide prospective cohort study reported in JAMA Oncology, Marklund et al found no increased risk of relapse or disease-specific mortality among women undergoing fertility preservation with or without hormonal stimulation at the time of breast cancer diagnosis.
Study Details
The...
T-DXd for Patients With HER2-Low Metastatic Breast Cancer: Patient-Reported Outcomes
Patients who received fam-trastuzumab deruxtecan-nxki (T-DXd) for HER2-low metastatic breast cancer reported that the treatment maintained their quality of life compared to conventional chemotherapy, according to results presented by Ueno et al at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO)...
T-DXd Shows High Intracranial Response Rate in Patients With Active Brain Metastases From HER2-Positive Breast Cancer
In the investigator-initiated, prospective, open-label, single-arm phase II TUXEDO-1 study conducted among patients with newly diagnosed or progressive brain metastases from HER2-positive breast cancer, the antibody-drug conjugate fam-trastuzumab deruxtecan-nxki (T-DXd) yielded responses according...
Selpercatinib in RET Fusion–Positive Advanced NSCLC
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Alexander Drilon, MD, and colleagues, an updated analysis of the multicohort phase I/II LIBRETTO-001 trial confirmed the activity of selpercatinib in patients with RET fusion–positive advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The trial supported ...
FDA Grants Accelerated Approval to Futibatinib for Previously Treated Patients With FGFR2-Mutated Cholangiocarcinoma
On September 30, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted accelerated approval to futibatinib (Lytgobi) for adults with previously treated, unresectable, locally advanced or metastatic intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma harboring fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2) gene fusions or...
Risks Associated With Sinoatrial Node Radiation Dose in Patients With Lung Cancer Receiving Definitive Chemoradiotherapy
In a Korean single-institution retrospective cohort study reported in JAMA Oncology, Kim et al found that higher sinoatrial node radiation doses were associated with an increased risk of atrial fibrillation and poorer survival in patients with limited-stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and locally ...
Extended-Interval vs Standard-Interval Dosing of Single-Agent Pembrolizumab
In a retrospective cohort study performed in U.S. veterans reported in JAMA Oncology, Strohbehn et al found that a minority of patients receiving singe-agent pembrolizumab for cancer received the extended-interval dosing of 400 mg every 6 weeks. Analysis of efficacy measured as the time to...
Expert Point of View: Jean-Yves Blay, MD, PhD
The invited discussant of the DeFi trial was Jean-Yves Blay, MD, PhD, General Director of the Center Bérard, Lyon, France, and President of Unicancer, the French Federation of Cancer Centers. He called the DeFi study a “rigorous trial” in a “representative population” that “introduces a new class...
2-Year Toxicity With Conventional IMRT vs Hypofractionated SBRT for Localized Prostate Cancer
As reported in The Lancet Oncology by Tree et al, an analysis from the phase III PACE-B trial has shown no difference in 2-year genitourinary or gastrointestinal toxicity with conventionally fractionated/moderately hypofractionated intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) vs highly hypofractionated...
Association of Breast Cancer Recurrence in Patients Achieving pCR With vs Without Residual DCIS After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy
In a retrospective analysis from the neoadjuvant I-SPY2 trial reported in JAMA Surgery, Osdoit et al found that among patients with breast cancer achieving pathologic complete response (pCR), there were no significant differences in treatment outcomes according to the presence or absence of...
Tissue vs ctDNA NGS for Detecting Actionable Alterations in Patients With Advanced Cancer
A large prospective analysis, published by Bayle et al in Annals of Oncology, evaluated differences between tissue and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) next-generation sequencing (NGS) with a large cancer gene panel. The investigators compared the impacts of both methods in terms of molecular tumor...
Inflammatory Markers and Clinical Decline After Adjuvant Chemotherapy in Older Women With Breast Cancer
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Ji et al, the HOPE study (Hurria Older Patients [HOPE] with Breast Cancer Study) has shown that older women categorized as robust prior to adjuvant chemotherapy are at risk for clinical decline postchemotherapy, with high baseline levels of the...
Outcomes After Nonresponse and Relapse in Children and Young Adults Receiving Tisagenlecleucel for B-Cell ALL
In a retrospective study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Schultz et al found poor survival among children and young adults with lack of response to tisagenlecleucel for B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Salvage therapy after relapse was capable of inducing responses, but...
FDA Approves Biosimilar Bevacizumab-adcd for the Treatment of Six Types of Cancer
On September 28, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved bevacizumab-adcd (Vegzelma), a biosimilar to bevacizumab (Avastin), for the treatment of six types of cancer: metastatic colorectal cancer; recurrent or metastatic nonsquamous non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC); recurrent...
Genetic Variation May Explain Racial Disparity in Esophageal Cancer Cases
Esophageal adenocarcinoma is a type of cancer affecting the mucus-secreting glands of the lower esophagus and is the most common form of esophageal cancer. It is often preceded by Barrett’s metaplasia, a deleterious change in cells lining the esophagus.
Though the cause of esophageal...
M14TIL: Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes for Patients With Advanced Melanoma
A novel treatment strategy with personalized cell therapy significantly improved progression-free survival compared to standard immunotherapy in patients with advanced melanoma, according to results from the phase III M14TIL trial reported by John Haanen, MD, PhD, and colleagues at the European...
Neoadjuvant Cemiplimab in Patients With Stage II to IV Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma
In an international, multicenter phase II clinical trial, 63.3% of patients with stage II to IV cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma saw their tumors nearly or completely eradicated when treated with the anti–PD-1 agent cemiplimab-rwlc before surgery. The results were presented by Gross et al at the...
Study Examines Potential Benefits of a Fourth COVID-19 Vaccination for Patients With Cancer
A research team led by Matthias Preusser, MD, PhD, Professor of Medical Oncology and Head of the Clinical Division of Oncology at the Medical University of Vienna, had already demonstrated that patients with cancer may benefit from a third vaccination to protect them against COVID-19. A recent...
Report Emphasizes Continued Access to Fertility Preservation Is Critical for AYAs With Cancer Following SCOTUS Decision
The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) ruling in Dobbs v Jackson overruled Roe v Wade, returning an individual’s right to access abortion services to state law. New findings led by researchers at the American Cancer Society published by Jiang et al in The Lancet Oncology showed that more...
Lasker Foundation Announces 2022 Lasker Award Winners
On September 28, the Lasker Foundation announced the winners of the 2022 Albert Lasker Basic Medical Research Award, the 2022 Lasker~DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award, and the 2022 Lasker~Bloomberg Public Service Award.
Albert Lasker Basic Medical Research Award
Richard O. Hynes, PhD, of...
Constitutional BRCA1 Methylation and Risk of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer and Ovarian Cancer
In a case-control study within the U.S. Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study population reported in JAMA Oncology, Lønning et al found that BRCA1 promoter methylation identified in white blood cells was associated with increased risks of incident triple-negative breast cancer and high-grade serous ...
Cancer Phenotypes Associated With Germline CHEK2 Variants
In a retrospective cohort study reported in JAMA Oncology, Brittany L. Bychkovsky, MD, MSc, and colleagues analyzed the spectrum of cancer phenotypes associated with germline CHEK2 variants. They found that CHEK2 pathogenic variants apart from p.I157T, p.S428F, and p.T476M were associated with...
Therapeutic Universal Cancer Peptide–Based Vaccine in Refractory Advanced NSCLC
In a French phase Ib/IIa trial reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Adotévi et al found that a therapeutic universal cancer peptide–based vaccine (UCPVax) induced specific CD4+ T helper–1 responses in many patients with refractory advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), with...
Financial Burden of High-Cost Targeted Oral Anticancer Drugs Among Medicare Patients
In a study reported in JCO Oncology Practice, Li et al identified elements of increasing financial burden associated with the use of high-cost targeted oral anticancer drugs among Medicare patients between 2011 and 2016.
The study used data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results...
Avelumab Plus Axitinib in Advanced Type B3 Thymomas and Thymic Carcinomas
In the Italian phase II CAVEATT trial reported in The Lancet Oncology, Conforti et al found that the combination of avelumab and axitinib was active in patients with unresectable or metastatic type B3 thymomas and thymic carcinomas who experienced disease progression after platinum-based...
Blood Pressure and Risk of Heart Failure in Patients With Cancer
In a Japanese study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Kaneko et al found that hypertension in patients with cancer not receiving blood pressure–lowering medication was associated with an increased risk of heart failure and other cardiovascular disease events.
Study Details
The...
Unhealthy Gut May Set the Stage for Breast Cancer to Spread, Preclinical Research Reveals
An unhealthy gut triggers changes in normal breast tissue that may help breast cancer metastasize, according to new, early research from the University of Virginia (UVA) Cancer Center published by Feng et al in Cancer Immunology Research. The researchers found that when the gut microbiome is...
Genomic Testing May Aid in Identifying Patients of African Descent With High-Risk Prostate Cancer
Black patients of African descent tend to be diagnosed more frequently with prostate cancer and have higher mortality rates than patients of other races and ethnicities. Despite this substantial disparity, few prospective studies focused on maximizing the recruitment of African American patients...
UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute Welcomes Pebbles Fagan, PhD, MPH, to Leadership Team
Pebbles Fagan, PhD, MPH, has assumed the role of Associate Director for Cancer Prevention and Control for the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS).
Dr. Fagan, an expert on tobacco-related health disparities and co-founder of the...
Can a Navigation Program Lower Care Costs for Patients With Cancer?
A cancer navigation program can reduce overall costs when deployed in collaboration with a statewide Medicare Advantage health plan across a wide range of practice types, according to findings to be presented by Worland et al at the upcoming 2022 ASCO Quality Care Symposium (Abstract 4).
A...
Risk Factors for Heart Failure Among Survivors of Childhood Cancer
In a European study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, de Baat et al identified heart exposure to radiotherapy and cumulative anthracycline doses as factors associated with increased risk of heart failure in survivors of childhood cancers. Survivors who received a mean heart radiotherapy ...
Total Cost of Cancer Care May Be Reduced With Lower-Cost Alternate Drugs Without Compromising Quality of Care
Substituting biosimilars, generics, and clinically appropriate lower-cost drugs for established, costlier drugs was shown to be an effective way to reduce the total cost of care, by 5% or so, while maintaining the quality of care for patients with cancer. Even small shifts toward lower-cost drugs...
Racial/Ethnic Representation in Pivotal Clinical Trials for Drugs Approved for Leukemias and Multiple Myeloma
In a study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Casey et al found that most U.S. minority populations were underrepresented in clinical trials leading to U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of drugs for treating leukemias and multiple myeloma.
Study Details
The investigators...
Overall Survival With Maintenance Olaparib in Newly Diagnosed Patients With Advanced BRCA-Mutated Ovarian Cancer: 7-Year Follow-up
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by DiSilvestro et al, the 7-year follow-up of the phase III SOLO1/GOG 3004 trial showed a reduction in risk of death by almost half with maintenance olaparib vs placebo in newly diagnosed patients with advanced ovarian cancer and a BRCA1/2 mutation,...
Durability of Responses to BCMA CAR T-Cell Therapy in Patients With Multiple Myeloma May Depend on Specific Components of the Tumor Microenvironment
Currently, there are two U.S. Food and Drug Administration–approved chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies targeting the B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) for adult patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma: idecabtagene vicleucel and citacabtagene autoleucel. However, although ...
Prevalence of MGUS Among Rescue and Recovery Workers Exposed to the World Trade Center Disaster
In an observational seroprevalence study reported in Blood Cancer Journal, Zeig-Owens et al found an elevated prevalence of myeloma precursor disease—monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS)—in a cohort of World Trade Center (WTC) disaster–exposed rescue and recovery workers....
Effectiveness of Dexamethasone for Dyspnea in Patients With Cancer
In a study (ABCD; Alleviating Breathlessness in Cancer Patients with Dexamethasone) reported in The Lancet Oncology, David Hui, MD, MS, MSc, and colleagues found that high-dose dexamethasone did not improve dyspnea compared with placebo in patients with cancer and was associated with greater...
Research Finds Medicaid Expansion Led to Decreases in Cancer Incidence and Mortality Rates
State-run Medicaid insurance, expanded in 2014 as part of the Affordable Care Act, has resulted in decreased metastatic cancer incidence rates as well as decreased overall cancer mortality rates, and has averted over 1,000 deaths due to cancer per year. About 12% of the improvements in cancer...
PRESTO: Treatment Beyond Androgen-Deprivation Therapy for Relapsed Patients With High-Risk Prostate Cancer
Aggarwal et al presented data from PRESTO (AFT-19) at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2022 (Abstract LBA63), the first trial to evaluate whether intensifying treatment beyond androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) by adding apalutamide with or without abiraterone acetate plus...
Addition of Chemotherapy to Gefitinib in First-Line Treatment of Advanced NSCLC With EGFR Mutations
In an updated analysis of the Japanese phase III NEJ009 trial reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Miyauchi et al found that gefitinib plus carboplatin/pemetrexed was associated with prolonged progression-free survival and progression-free survival 2—but loss of significance in overall...
Researchers Examine How Air Pollution May Drive Lung Cancer in Never-Smokers
A new mechanism has been identified through which very small pollutant particles in the air may trigger lung cancer in people who have never smoked, paving the way to new prevention approaches and the development of novel therapies, according to late-breaking data reported by Charles Swanton, MBBS, ...
Study Shows Many Patients Prefer Stool Test to Colonoscopy for Colorectal Cancer Screening
Three-quarters of surveyed people preferred to do a fecal immunochemical test (FIT) rather than undergo a colonoscopy for their regular colorectal cancer screening, according to a new Cedars-Sinai study published by Makaroff et al in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
“One of the big issues ...
New, Long-Term Opioid Use After Lung Cancer Surgery Linked to Reduced 2-Year Survival
New, long-term use of opioids after lung cancer surgery was linked to a 40% increased risk of death from any cause within the following 2 years, according to findings published by Oh et al in the journal Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine.
Persistent postoperative pain has been reported in up ...
Updated Overall Survival Findings With Adjuvant Erlotinib vs Vinorelbine/Cisplatin in EGFR-Mutant Stage IIIA NSCLC
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Yue et al, an updated analysis of the Chinese phase II EVAN study indicated a sizable overall survival advantage with adjuvant erlotinib vs vinorelbine/cisplatin in patients with R0 resected stage IIIA EGFR-mutant non–small cell lung cancer...
Addition of Sintilimab and Bevacizumab Biosimilar to Chemotherapy for Patients With Advanced EGFR-Mutated NSCLC and Disease Progression on EGFR Inhibitors
In an interim analysis of the Chinese phase III ORIENT-31 trial reported in The Lancet Oncology, Lu et al found that the addition of sintilimab and the bevacizumab biosimilar IBI305 to chemotherapy prolonged progression-free survival in patients with advanced EGFR-mutated nonsquamous non–small cell ...
Updated Results From the ADAURA Trial of Adjuvant Osimertinib in EGFR-Mutated NSCLC
Newly released results from the phase III ADAURA trial revealed that osimertinib yielded a 5.5-year median disease-free survival in the postsurgical treatment of patients with EGFR-mutated non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and nearly three in four patients treated with adjuvant osimertinib were...
AACR Cancer Progress Report 2022 Shows Cancer Mortality Rates Continue to Decline, but Challenges Remain
Advances in more effective treatment and early detection diagnostics, coupled with reductions in smoking rates, have resulted in a 32% decline in cancer mortality in the United States since 1991, translating into nearly 3.5 million lives saved, according to the newly released American Association...
Selpercatinib in RET Fusion–Positive Solid Tumors Other Than Lung or Thyroid Malignancies
As reported in The Lancet Oncology by Vivek Subbiah, MD, and colleagues, the phase I/II LIBRETTO-001 basket trial has shown that the RET kinase inhibitor selpercatinib demonstrated activity in patients with RET fusion–positive solid tumors in an analysis excluding lung and thyroid cancers. Findings ...
September 24 Is World Cancer Research Day
September 24 is World Cancer Research Day, an initiative organized by a collaboration of professional societies, research organizations, and other institutions. In advance of the event, the following declaration was published in order to outline the goals of the initiative:
Cancer is projected to...
Conditioning With Busulfan/Cyclophosphamide vs Total-Body Irradiation/Cyclophosphamide for B-Cell ALL
In a Chinese phase III trial reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Zhang et al found that conditioning with busulfan plus cyclophosphamide (BuCy) was noninferior to total-body irradiation plus cyclophosphamide (TBI-Cy) in 2-year overall survival among adult patients with standard-risk...
Precision Physical Activity Prescriptions May Improve Survival in Patients With Stage III Colon Cancer
Physical activity may be associated with improved outcomes for patients undergoing postoperative treatment for stage III colon cancer, according to findings from a new study out of Pennington Biomedical Research Center published by Brown et al in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
The study...
Housing Instability and Risk of Mortality in Patients With Cancer
Little is known about patients with cancer’s social welfare and how it affects their health outcomes. To address this, researchers at University of California (UC) San Diego School of Medicine and partnering institutions assessed the prevalence and impact of various social risk factors in patients...
Neoadjuvant Atezolizumab May Be Safe, Effective Option for Localized Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer
New data show that the immuno-oncology drug atezolizumab may be a safe and effective treatment for patients with stage IB to IIIB non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) prior to surgery, according to a study led by researchers with The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center–Arthur G. James...
Adjuvant Pembrolizumab in Patients With Completely Resected Stage IB to IIIA NSCLC
As reported in The Lancet Oncology by O’Brien et al, the second interim analysis of the phase III PEARLS/KEYNOTE-091 trial has shown significantly improved disease-free survival with adjuvant pembrolizumab vs placebo in patients with completely resected stage IB to IIIA non-small cell lung cancer...
FDA Approves Selpercatinib for Locally Advanced or Metastatic RET Fusion–Positive NSCLC
On September 21, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted regular approval to selpercatinib (Retevmo) for adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with a RET gene fusion (as detected by an FDA-approved test).
Pafolacianine for Intraoperative Imaging of Folate Receptor–Positive Ovarian Cancer
In a phase III trial reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Janos L. Tanyi, MD, PhD, and colleagues found that use of pafolacianine infusion for intraoperative imaging improved the detection of lesions in patients with folate receptor–positive ovarian cancer, compared with using white light...
Selpercatinib Approved for Locally Advanced or Metastatic RET Fusion–Positive Solid Tumors
On September 21, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted accelerated approval to selpercatinib (Retevmo) for adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic solid tumors with a rearranged during transfection (RET) gene fusion and disease progression on or following prior systemic...
New Imaging Technique May Improve Accuracy of Basal Cell Carcinoma Diagnosis
A novel imaging technique may significantly improve the accuracy of the diagnosis of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) compared to clinical and dermoscopic examinations alone, according to new research presented at the 31st European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV) Congress.
The study found...
Association of Distance to Treatment Facility, U.S. Region, and Insurance Status With Diagnosis of Advanced Colon Cancer
In a National Cancer Database analysis reported in JAMA Network Open, Brand et al found that patients with colon cancer who lived farther from their treatment facility and those with no insurance or Medicaid alone were more likely to present with advanced-stage disease.
As stated by the...
ASCO Announces Election Candidates, Voting Opens on November 2
The ASCO Nominating Committee has selected 11 distinguished members as candidates for open leadership positions within the Society. Voting members are urged to vote in the election beginning November 2, 2022. Voting will close on December 6, 2022.
President-Elect (4-year term)
- Robin Zon, MD,...
Adjuvant Nivolumab With or Without Ipilimumab in Patients With Resected Stage IV Melanoma With No Evidence of Disease
As reported in The Lancet by Livingstone et al, the final analysis of the German phase II IMMUNED trial showed significantly improved recurrence-free survival with adjuvant nivolumab/ipilimumab and nivolumab alone vs placebo in patients with resected stage IV melanoma who had no evidence of disease ...
ctDNA Analysis of Acquired EGFR Resistance Alterations With First-Line Cetuximab Plus Chemotherapy in Patients With Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
In a circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) substudy from the CALGB/SWOG-80405/Alliance trial reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Kanwal Raghav, MD, MBBS, and colleagues found that first-line use of the anti-EGFR antibody cetuximab combined with chemotherapy was associated with only a small number ...
Preclinical Study Finds New Synthetic Lethal Agent Could Be Potential Treatment for Pancreatic Cancer
Researchers at The Marvin and Concetta Greenberg Pancreatic Cancer Institute at Fox Chase Cancer Center have found that a new synthetic lethal agent could be an effective treatment for pancreatic cancers with DNA damage repair (DDR) defects. Igor Astsaturov, MD, PhD, a co-director of the Institute...
Study Finds Cancer Mortality Rates Correlate With Geography as Well as Known Behavioral Risk Factors
Researchers at Case Western Reserve University have found that risk factors historically linked to cancer mortality vary regionally across the lower 48 United States—such that they believe those differences should be considered in developing tailored public-health interventions. Dong et al...
FDA Approves Sodium Thiosulfate to Reduce the Risk of Ototoxicity Associated With Cisplatin
On September 20, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved sodium thiosulfate (Pedmark) to reduce the risk of ototoxicity associated with cisplatin in pediatric patients aged 1 month and older with localized (nonmetastatic) solid tumors.
Efficacy was evaluated in two multicenter,...
Do LGBTQI+ Patients With Cancer Receive Mental Health Information Tailored to Their Needs?
Although customized health education materials for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex (LGBTQI+) cancer survivors may play a pivotal role in their experiences throughout their cancer care continuum, a study by Burnett et al has found that regardless of their satisfaction with...
Individuals of Mexican Descent May Have Higher Risk of Liver Cancer With Each Successive Generation
Studies show that Hispanic individuals have higher incidence rates of developing liver cancer and higher mortality rates—by 50% or more—than non-Hispanic White individuals for several cancers, including liver cancer. A new study investigating hepatocellular carcinoma among successive generations of ...
Neoadjuvant Endocrine Therapy May Elicit Differential Responses in Black vs White Women With Breast Cancer
Black women treated with neoadjuvant endocrine therapy for breast cancer were more likely to benefit than White women if treated at an earlier disease stage, but less likely to benefit than White women if treated at a later disease stage, according to results presented at the 15th American...
Many Families of Children With Leukemia May Experience Food Insecurity That Is Not Alleviated by Federal Assistance Program
Nearly one in four families of pediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) enrolled in a clinical trial experienced food insecurity, and almost half of the families eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) did not receive benefits. In addition, receiving SNAP ...
Prostate Tumor Biology May Be Influenced by Genetic Ancestry
Certain genetic variants found in prostate tumors of men of African descent were associated with African ancestry, according to two studies presented at the 15th American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial and Ethnic Minorities...
Antibody Response to Three-Dose COVID-19 mRNA-1273 Vaccination Schedule in Immunocompromised Patients With Hematologic Cancers
In a Dutch prospective observational cohort study reported in JAMA Oncology, Haggenburg et al found that a third dose of the COVID-19 mRNA-1273 vaccine increased antibody levels in immunocompromised patients with hematologic cancers overall to levels comparable to those observed in healthy controls ...
Molecular Map Reveals Insights Into the Genetic Drivers of CLL
A newly constructed map of the landscape of genetic changes in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) may provide a better understanding of this complex malignancy, which could lead to more accurate prognoses for patients, improved diagnostics, and novel treatments. These research findings were...
Real-World Experience With Durvalumab at the Mayo Clinic Mirrors PACIFIC Findings
Concurrent chemoradiation followed by durvalumab has become the standard of care in patients with unresectable, locally advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), based on the PACIFIC trial.1 But clinical trials have predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria, and they evaluate selective...
New Study Shows Sugar-Sweetened Drinks May Increase Risk of Cancer Mortality
In a large study led by researchers at the American Cancer Society (ACS), men and women who drank two or more servings of sugar-sweetened beverages per day had a 5% increased risk of death from an obesity-related cancer, including gastrointestinal, postmenopausal breast, endometrial, and kidney...
Novel Photon-Counting CT May Improve Myeloma Bone Disease Detection
New computed tomography (CT) technology paired with artificial intelligence (AI)-based noise reduction may offer superior detection of bone disease associated with multiple myeloma at lower radiation doses than conventional CT, according to a recent study published by Baffour et al in Radiology.
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Recurrence-Free Survival as Surrogate for Overall Survival in Patients Undergoing Resection of Colorectal Liver Metastases
In a single-center retrospective study and a separate meta-analysis reported in The Lancet Oncology, Ecker et al found low correlations between recurrence-free survival and overall survival among patients undergoing resection of colorectal cancer liver metastases.
As stated by the investigators,...
Compliance of NCI-Designated Cancer Centers With January 2021 CMS Price Transparency Requirements
In a study reported in JAMA Surgery, Childers et al found that only one-third of hospitals with National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated cancer center status were fully compliant with Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) price transparency requirements instituted in January 2021.
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