Continuous Coverage of COVID-19
The staff of The ASCO Post recognizes the steady flow of news on the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19. Here, we've compiled a list of links to articles and resources on the COVID-19 pandemic. If you have a report you'd like to share, please e-mail it to us at editor@ascopost.com.
Direct From ASCO:...
KEYNOTE-177: New Analysis Confirms Benefit of Pembrolizumab vs Chemotherapy in Microsatellite Instability–High Advanced Colorectal Cancer
In an updated analysis of the pivotal phase III KEYNOTE-177 trial in microsatellite instability–high (MSI-H) metastatic colorectal cancer, the benefit of first-line pembrolizumab continued beyond disease progression on the subsequent line of treatment, despite a high crossover to immunotherapy for...
Expert Point of View: Michael Overman, MD
At the 2021 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium, the KEYNOTE-177 investigators updated their previously reported findings by showing further data relating to subsequent lines of therapy after disease progression. Their conclusion was that patients who received pembrolizumab initially still achieved...
KEYNOTE-427: First-Line Pembrolizumab in Advanced Non–Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by McDermott et al, findings in a cohort of the phase II KEYNOTE-427 study showed that pembrolizumab monotherapy produced durable responses as first-line treatment for advanced non–clear cell renal cell carcinoma.
In a separate cohort of the study,...
Endoscopic Nasopharyngectomy vs IMRT for Previously Treated, Resectable, Locally Recurrent Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma
In a Chinese phase III trial reported in The Lancet Oncology, Liu et al found that endoscopic nasopharyngectomy was associated with improved overall survival vs intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) in patients with resectable locally recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma who had received prior...
LuPSMA Leads to Improved PSA Response, Fewer Severe Adverse Events Than Cabazitaxel in Patients With Metastatic Prostate Cancer
In the Australian phase II trial TheraP reported in The Lancet, Michael S. Hofman, FRACP, MBBS, and colleagues found that Lutetium-177–labeled PSMA-617 (LuPSMA) treatment was associated with a higher prostate-specific antigen (PSA) response rate and fewer severe adverse events vs cabazitaxel in...
New Report Reviews Methods for Reducing Waste, Improving Efficiency With Expensive Injectable Medications
Every year, significant amounts of drugs left over and unused from single-dose vials are discarded, but because of the way drugs are priced and paid for in the United States, the cost of the discarded amount cannot be recouped, according to a new congressionally mandated report from the National...
Association of BRAF V600–Mutant ctDNA With Outcomes in Patients With Advanced Melanoma Receiving Dabrafenib or Dabrafenib/Trametinib
In a study reported in The Lancet Oncology, Syeda et al found that higher BRAF V600–mutant cell-free circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) levels prior to and during treatment with dabrafenib or dabrafenib/trametinib were associated with poorer outcomes among patients with advanced melanoma.
Study Details
...
Addition of Lenalidomide to R-CHOP in Newly Diagnosed Patients With DLBCL
In a phase II signal-seeking trial (ECOG-ACRIN E1412) reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Grzegorz S. Nowakowski, MD, and colleagues found that the addition of lenalidomide (R) to R-CHOP (rituximab plus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone; R2CHOP) improved outcomes...
Bone Metastatic Burden and Survival Outcomes With Prostate Radiotherapy for Newly Diagnosed Metastatic Disease
In an analysis from the STAMPEDE trial reported in JAMA Oncology, Ali et al found that a lower number of bone metastases was associated with improved overall and failure-free survival in patients receiving prostate radiotherapy for newly diagnosed M1 metastatic prostate cancer.
Study Details
The...
One-Third of Cancer Survivors Reported Worry About Health-Care Disruptions Early in the COVID-19 Pandemic
A new study published by Corinne Leach, MPH, MS, PhD, and colleagues in the Journal of Psychosocial Oncology reported that early in the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, one-third of cancer survivors worried about treatment and cancer care disruptions. Using a mixed-methods approach,...
Prognostic Tool RSClin Introduced for Early Breast Cancer
Data from the TAILORx study and several National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project (NSABP) trials have been used to develop a new prognostic tool, RSClin, which aims to individualize the estimate of recurrence risk in early breast cancer and to more accurately predict the risk-reduction...
Expert Point of View: Meredith Regan, ScD, and Sara Hurvitz, MD
In the San Antonio meeting’s closing session, “View From the Trenches: What Will You Do Monday Morning?” Meredith Regan, ScD, and Sara Hurvitz, MD, offered their thoughts on the use of RSClin in the clinic, as described at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium by Joseph Sparano, MD.1
Dr. Regan is ...
Responses to Anti–PD-1/PD-L1 Immunotherapy in Patients With MSS Solid Tumors and High Tumor Mutational Burden
In a single-institution study reported in JAMA Oncology, Valero et al found that response rates to anti–PD-1 or anti–PD-L1 treatments in patients with microsatellite-stable (MSS) solid tumors were generally higher among those with high tumor mutational burden (TMB) defined as ≥ 10...
United States Surpasses 500,000 Deaths Due to COVID-19
On February 22, President Joseph R. Biden issued remarks to proclaim that over 500,000 Americans have now died from COVID-19 infection. He and Vice President Kamala Harris held a moment of silence and ordered flags be lowered to half-mast at federal buildings for the next 5 days to honor those who...
Bevacizumab Beyond Disease Progression Plus Carboplatin-Based Doublet in Platinum-Sensitive Ovarian Cancer
In the phase III MITO16b/MANGO–OV2/ENGOT–ov17 trial, investigators found that treatment with a carboplatin-based doublet plus bevacizumab beyond disease progression significantly improved progression-free survival vs a carboplatin-based doublet alone in women with platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer...
Trends in Germline Genetic Testing in Women Diagnosed With Breast or Ovarian Cancer
In a study of germline genetic testing in women diagnosed with breast or ovarian cancer reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Allison W. Kurian, MD, MSc, and colleagues found that undertesting persists in patients with ovarian cancer, and that most pathogenic variants are found in 20 breast ...
MRI-Targeted Biopsy vs Systematic Transrectal Ultrasonography Biopsy for Detection of Disease in Men at Risk for Prostate Cancer
In a Canadian phase III trial reported in JAMA Oncology, Klotz et al found that multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with targeted biopsy was noninferior to systematic 12-core transrectal ultrasonography biopsy in detecting International Society of Urological Pathology grade group 2...
Addition of Andecaliximab to mFOLFOX6 in First-Line Treatment of HER2-Negative Advanced Gastric Cancer
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Manish A. Shah, MD, and colleagues, the phase III GAMMA-1 trial showed no improvement in overall survival with the addition of andecaliximab to modified oxaliplatin, leucovorin, and fluorouracil (mFOLFOX6) in the first-line treatment of...
Can Weight Loss During Treatment and Follow-up Affect Breast Cancer Outcomes?
Research published by Martel et al in JNCCN—Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network examined body mass index (BMI) data for patients with HER2-positive early breast cancer—and found a 5% weight loss in patients over 2 years was associated with worse outcomes. Weight gain over the same...
Chemotherapy-Induced ‘Dormancy’ in AML Allows Cancer Cell Survival, May Contribute to Relapse
Researchers have identified a cellular resilience mechanism through which acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells survive cancer treatment and repopulate, leading to disease relapse. The research, published by Cihangir Duy, PhD, MS, and colleagues in Cancer Discovery, also suggests that certain drugs...
FDA Approves Cemiplimab-rwlc for Patients With NSCLC and High PD-L1 Expression
On February 22, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved cemiplimab-rwlc (Libtayo) for the first-line treatment of patients with advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors have high PD-L1 expression (tumor proportion score [TPS] > 50%) as determined by an FDA-approved...
PET-Guided Omission of Consolidation Radiotherapy in Early-Stage Unfavorable Hodgkin Lymphoma
In a phase III German Hodgkin Study Group trial (GHSG HD17) reported in The Lancet Oncology, Peter Borchmann, MD, and colleagues found that positron-emission tomography (PET)-guided omission of consolidation radiotherapy was associated with noninferior progression-free survival among patients with...
Meta-analysis of Hypofractionated vs Conventionally Fractionated Radiotherapy for Locally Advanced Bladder Cancer
In an individual patient-level meta-analysis of two phase III trials reported in The Lancet Oncology, Choudhury et al found that a hypofractionated radiotherapy regimen was associated with improved invasive locoregional control and similar toxicity vs a standard fractionation regimen in patients...
Addition of Second-Line Pegilodecakin to FOLFOX in Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer: SEQUOIA Trial
In the phase III SEQUOIA trial reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, J. Randolph Hecht, MD, and colleagues found that the addition of pegilodecakin—a pegylated recombinant human interleukin (IL)-10—to FOLFOX (leucovorin, fluorouracil [5-FU], and oxaliplatin) did not improve overall survival ...
NEOSTAR: Neoadjuvant Nivolumab or Nivolumab/Ipilimumab in Operable NSCLC
The randomized phase II NEOSTAR trial, which examined single-agent and combined neoadjuvant immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy in patients with stage I to III non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), found combination therapy produced a significant clinical benefit (as assessed by major pathologic...
New Recommendations Aim to Eliminate Racial Disparities in Multiple Myeloma Therapies and Trials
Recommendations designed to address the underrepresentation of Black patients in clinical trials for multiple myeloma were recently released. Details about the initiative, published by Gormley et al in Blood Cancer Discovery, form a road map for designing multiple myeloma clinical trials to...
Telephone-Supported Depression Self-Care Intervention for Cancer Survivors
In a Canadian study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, McCusker et al found that a telephone-supported depression self-care intervention called CanDirect was effective in managing mild-to-moderate depression symptoms in cancer survivors.
Study Details
The study involved 245 patients who...
Addition of Adjuvant Pertuzumab to Chemotherapy Plus Trastuzumab in Early HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: 6-Year Follow-up of the APHINITY Trial
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Martine Piccart, MD, PhD, and colleagues, the preplanned second interim analysis of overall survival in the phase III APHINITY trial showed no significant benefit of the addition of adjuvant pertuzumab to chemotherapy plus trastuzumab after a...
Joint ASCO/ACS CAN Letter: States Must Include Patients With Cancer on Their COVID-19 Vaccine Priority Lists
In the midst of growing concerns that patients with cancer have limited access to the COVID-19 vaccines, the Association for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), the advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society, issued a joint letter to every...
Updated Recommendations on the Treatment of Multiple Myeloma–Related Bone Disease From the Bone Working Group of the International Myeloma Working Group
In a policy review reported in The Lancet Oncology, Terpos et al presented updated recommendations from the Bone Working Group of the International Myeloma Working Group on the treatment of multiple myeloma–related bone disease.
The recommendations cover: bisphosphonate use/dosing and management of ...
Effect of Organ Function–Based Eligibility Criteria on Clinical Trial Enrollment for Patients With DLBCL
In a study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Khurana et al found that up to 24% of patients with newly diagnosed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) receiving standard immunochemotherapy are excluded from participation in clinical trials on the basis of organ function eligibility...
Comparison of Imaging Regimens for Stage I Seminoma After Orchiectomy
Men who have had treatment for early-stage testicular cancer may benefit from fewer monitoring scans, freeing them from some of the harmful radiation that comes from computerized tomography (CT) imaging, according to results from the phase III TRISST clinical trial presented by Joffe et al at the...
Prevalence of Cisplatin-Related Hearing Loss in Pediatric, Adolescent, and Young Adult Patients
Cisplatin is one of the most effective chemotherapy agents, used in just under half of pediatric cancer cases. Permanent hearing loss is a common side effect of this medication, but previous studies have been too small and too varied to accurately characterize this risk. In a new study published by ...
FDA Pipeline: Priority Reviews in KRAS G12C–Mutated NSCLC, Non–Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer
Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Priority Review to treatments for KRAS G12C–mutated non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and high-risk, bacillus Calmette-Guérin–unresponsive non–muscle-invasive bladder cancer. A new drug application for a therapy for Waldenström’s...
LuPSMA vs Cabazitaxel for Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer: Phase II TheraP Trial
Following disease progression on docetaxel, prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-targeted radionuclide therapy reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 37% vs cabazitaxel in men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer in the phase II TheraP trial reported by Michael S....
KEYNOTE-427: First-Line Pembrolizumab in Advanced Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by McDermott et al, findings in a cohort of the phase II KEYNOTE-427 study showed that pembrolizumab monotherapy produced durable responses as first-line treatment for advanced clear cell renal cell carcinoma.
In a separate cohort of the study,...
Addition of Primary Tumor Resection to Chemotherapy for Asymptomatic Primary Colorectal Cancer Tumors and Synchronous Unresectable Metastases
In a Japanese phase III trial (JCOG1007; iPACS) reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Kanemitsu et al found that the addition of primary tumor resection to chemotherapy did not improve overall survival vs chemotherapy alone in patients with asymptomatic primary colorectal cancer tumors and...
Have Breast Cancer Mortality Rates Stopped Declining for Younger Women?
Breast cancer death rates have stopped declining for women in the United States younger than age 40, ending a trend that existed from 1987 to 2010, according to a report published by Hendrick et al in Radiology.
Breast cancer is the most common nonskin cancer and the second most common cause of...
New Report Says Cancer and Its Therapies May Impair Survivors' Ability to Work
Although cancer survivors are living longer, cancer and its treatment can result in long-lasting or late-onset impairments that may affect their ability to work, according to a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine entitled Diagnosing and Treating Adult...
KEYNOTE-598 Trial: Addition of Ipilimumab to Pembrolizumab in Previously Untreated Patients With Metastatic NSCLC and High PD-L1 Expression
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Michael Boyer, MBBS, PhD, and colleagues, an interim analysis in the phase III KEYNOTE-598 trial showed no improvement in overall or progression-free survival with the addition of ipilimumab to pembrolizumab in previously untreated patients with...
Lenvatinib Combination Regimens vs Sunitinib in Renal Cell Carcinoma: Phase III CLEAR Trial
The combination of lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab showed superiority over sunitinib in terms of overall survival, progression-free survival, and objective response rate in patients with advanced clear cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC), according to results of the phase III CLEAR trial. The CLEAR study ...
Dose-Intensified Radiotherapy Not Superior to Conventional Regimen for Biochemically Recurrent Prostate Cancer After Radical Prostatectomy
A dose-intensified approach to salvage radiotherapy failed to show superiority to a conventional dose strategy in patients with biochemically recurrent prostate cancer who had undergone radical prostatectomy, according to a study presented by Pirus Ghadjar, MD, and colleagues at the 2021...
Elacestrant for Heavily Pretreated Patients With ER-Positive, HER2-Negative Metastatic Breast Cancer
In a phase I trial reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Aditya Bardia, MD, MPH, and colleagues identified activity of the oral selective estrogen receptor (ER) degrader (SERD) elacestrant in postmenopausal women with heavily pretreated ER-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer, including...
FDA Approves Trilaciclib to Reduce Chemotherapy-Induced Bone Marrow Suppression in Adults Being Treated for SCLC
On February 12, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved trilaciclib (Cosela) as the first therapy in its class to reduce the frequency of chemotherapy-induced bone marrow suppression in adults receiving certain types of chemotherapy for extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC)....
Optimal Radiotherapy Dose for Follicular and Marginal Zone Lymphomas: 24 vs 4 Gy
As reported in The Lancet Oncology by Peter Hoskin, MD, and colleagues, 5-year follow-up of the phase III noninferiority FoRT trial showed that radiotherapy at 24 vs 4 Gy continued to be associated with superior freedom from local disease progression in patients with follicular or marginal zone...
Genetic Mutations Linked to Worse B-Cell ALL Outcomes in Pediatric Hispanic and Latino Patients
A combination of genetic mutations may explain the higher incidence of and poorer outcomes from pediatric leukemia in Hispanic and Latino patients, according to a new study published by Raca et al in the journal Leukemia. Researchers said a novel therapeutic drug combination—as well as testing for...
Fecal Microbiota Transplants May Help Patients With Advanced Melanoma Respond to Immunotherapy
For patients with melanoma who do not respond to treatment with immunotherapy, adjusting the composition of microorganisms in the intestines through the use of fecal transplants may aid in overcoming resistance to therapy. These findings were published by Davar et al in Science.
In the study, some...
Update From ACIS Trial of Apalutamide Plus Abiraterone/Prednisone in Metastatic Prostate Cancer
The phase III ACIS trial met its primary endpoint at 6 months, showing that apalutamide plus abiraterone acetate/prednisone extended radiographic progression-free survival vs abiraterone acetate/prednisone alone in patients with chemotherapy-naive metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. An ...
Enfortumab Vedotin-ejfv Prolongs Survival in Patients With Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma
Treatment with the antibody-drug conjugate enfortumab vedotin-ejfv has been found to significantly increase survival of patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma, according to results from the phase III EV-301 clinical trial. These findings were presented by Thomas Powles, MD, PhD, and...
Implications of Delaying Surgery for Renal Cell Carcinoma During the COVID-19 Pandemic
During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, several elective surgeries for renal cell carcinoma were delayed, with an unknown impact on outcomes for patients. In a retrospective study, researchers from Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey explored the impact of surgical delays for these patients...
ASH 2021 Guidelines for Prevention and Treatment of Venous Thromboembolism in Patients With Cancer
As reported in Blood Advances by Gary H. Lyman, MD, MPH, FASCO, FRCP, and colleagues, the American Society of Hematology (ASH) has issued evidence-based guidelines intended to assist patients, clinicians, and other health-care professionals in decisions regarding the prevention and treatment of...
Achievement and Maintenance of MRD Negativity With Daratumumab-Containing Regimens in Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Multiple Myeloma
In an analysis of the phase III POLLUX and CASTOR trials reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Avet-Loiseau et al found that the addition of daratumumab to standard therapy was associated with higher rates of—and more prolonged—measurable residual disease (MRD) negativity in patients with...
FDA Pipeline: Breakthrough Designations in CML and for Cachexia, EUA for COVID-19
Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a Breakthrough Therapy designation to asciminib for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML); a Breakthrough Device designation to an assay designed to help select patients with cachexia for treatment with an investigational therapeutic; and an...
FDA Approves Cemiplimab-rwlc for Locally Advanced and Metastatic Basal Cell Carcinoma
On February 9, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted regular approval to cemiplimab-rwlc (Libtayo) for patients with locally advanced basal cell carcinoma (BCC) previously treated with a hedgehog pathway inhibitor (HHI) or for whom an HHI is not appropriate. The FDA also granted...
Nivolumab Plus Cabozantinib Shows Sustained Benefits as First-Line Treatment for Advanced RCC
New analyses from the phase III CheckMate 9ER trial are being presented at the 2021 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium. These new findings demonstrate clinically meaningful, sustained efficacy benefits as well as quality-of-life improvements with the combination of nivolumab and cabozantinib compared...
Nivolumab/Ipilimumab vs Chemotherapy as First-Line Treatment for Unresectable Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma: CheckMate 743 Trial
As reported in The Lancet by Paul Baas, MD, and colleagues, a prespecified interim analysis in the phase III CheckMate 743 trial has shown improved overall survival with first-line nivolumab/ipilimumab vs platinum-based chemotherapy in patients with unresectable malignant pleural mesothelioma.
The...
mFOLFIRINOX or Gemcitabine/Nab-paclitaxel for Resectable Pancreatic Cancer: Improved Overall Survival?
In a phase II trial reported in JAMA Oncology, Davendra P.S. Sohal, MD, MPH, and colleagues found that neither of two perioperative chemotherapy regimens was associated with improved overall survival in patients with resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma compared with historical rates in...
Sitagliptin Added to Tacrolimus/Sirolimus Prophylaxis Regimen for Acute Graft-vs-Host Disease After HSCT
In a phase II trial reported in The New England Journal of Medicine, Sherif S. Farag, MD, PhD, of Indiana University School of Medicine, and colleagues, found that the addition of the dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4; CD26) inhibitor sitagliptin to tacrolimus and sirolimus prophylaxis resulted in a...
SIMPLIFY Trials: JAK Inhibitor Yields Long-Term Survival Benefit and Transfusion Independence in Myelofibrosis
Treatment with the novel JAK inhibitor momelotinib led to long-term overall survival and sustained transfusion independence in patients with intermediate- or high-risk myelofibrosis, according to updates from the SIMPLIFY-1 and SIMPLIFY-2 trials presented at the 2020 American Society of Hematology...
Expert Point of View: Lucia Masarova, MD
Lucia Masarova, MD, Assistant Professor in the Department of Leukemia at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, said the updated long-term data for momelotinib show “durable efficacy and exciting outcomes” in patients with myelofibrosis, regardless of prior exposure to...
Study Links Exposure to Nighttime Artificial Lights With Possible Elevated Risk of Thyroid Cancer
People living in regions with high levels of outdoor artificial light at night may face a higher risk of developing thyroid cancer, according to a study published by Zhang et al in the journal Cancer.
Link Between Nighttime Light and Cancer Risk
Over the past century, nightscapes—especially in...
CheckMate 274: Adjuvant Nivolumab May Improve Disease-Free Survival in Patients With Muscle-Invasive Urothelial Carcinoma
Treatment with the immunotherapy nivolumab with or without cisplatin-based chemotherapy following radical surgery significantly improved disease-free survival in patients with muscle-invasive urothelial carcinoma, irrespective of their PD-L1 status, according to a study that will be presented by...
Increase in Metastatic Prostate Cancer Diagnoses in the United States After Reduction in PSA Screening
Reduced levels of screening for prostate cancer using prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing correspond with recent increases in the diagnosis of metastatic disease in the United States, according to a study that will be presented by Vidit Sharma, MD, and colleagues at the 2021 Genitourinary...
Reduced-Dose Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy for HPV-Associated Oropharyngeal Carcinoma
In the phase II NRG Oncology HN002 trial reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Sue S. Yom, MD, PhD, and colleagues found that a reduced-dose intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) regimen for human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma satisfied...
MAPK/ERK Inhibitor Mirdametinib in Adolescents and Adult Patients With NF1-Related Plexiform Neurofibromas
In the Neurofibromatosis Clinical Trials Consortium phase II NF106 trial, reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Weiss et al found evidence of activity of the oral MAPK/ERK kinase inhibitor mirdametinib in adolescents and adult patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1)-related plexiform...
Arthur W. Nienhuis, MD, Dies at 79
Gene therapy pioneer Arthur W. Nienhuis, MD, the fourth Director of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, died on February 3 at age 79. Under his leadership, the hospital grew exponentially in both size and scientific stature.
“At St. Jude, the nature of our work requires a bold, ambitious...
HERO-TOGETHER: Opportunity for Health-Care Workers to Share Their Experience With COVID-19 Vaccination
HERO-TOGETHER is an opportunity for people working in health care who receive a COVID-19 vaccine to help the public understand how people fare after vaccination.
The COVID-19 pandemic is a once-in-a-generation challenge that health-care providers everywhere have worked together to face. On the...
FDA Approves Lisocabtagene Maraleucel for Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Large B-Cell Lymphoma
On February 5, 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved lisocabtagene maraleucel (Breyanzi) for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma after two or more lines of systemic therapy, including diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) not...
Five-Year Outcomes From the CheckMate 017 and 057 Trials of Nivolumab vs Docetaxel in Previously Treated Patients With NSCLC
In an analysis of the phase III CheckMate 017 and 057 trials in previously treated patients with advanced squamous (017) and nonsquamous (057) non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Hossein Borghaei, DO, MS, and colleagues found pooled 5-year overall...
Breast Cancer–Specific Mortality by Race/Ethnicity and 21-Gene Recurrence Scores
In a U.S. population–based cohort study reported in JAMA Oncology, Hoskins et al found that among patients with estrogen receptor–positive breast cancer, Black women were more likely than White women to have a high Oncotype DX 21-gene recurrence score. Researchers also found that breast...
Mental Health–Related Symptoms Among Cancer Survivors During the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States
In an analysis from the COVID-19 Impact Survey reported in JCO Oncology Practice, Islam et al found that U.S. adult cancer survivors were more likely to report mental health–related symptoms vs adults without cancer during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Study Details
Data for the analysis ...
Delay in Time Between Abnormal At-Home Screening and Colonoscopy May Increase Colorectal Cancer Risk
At-home tests, which measure blood in stool as a potential marker for colon cancer, are often used for colorectal cancer screening. Usage of these tests has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic as patients try to avoid clinical visits. However, effectiveness of these screening tools, along with...
Role of Twitter in Identifying Barriers to Care Among Patients With Metastatic Breast Cancer
Information shared by women with metastatic breast cancer on social media platforms like Twitter may be a timely source of data for policymakers hoping to improve care and outcomes for these patients, according to a study published by Shimkhada et al in JMIR Public Health and Surveillance.
Role of...
FDA Grants Accelerated Approval to Umbralisib for the Treatment of Marginal Zone Lymphoma and Follicular Lymphoma
On February 5, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to umbralisib (Ukoniq), a kinase inhibitor including PI3K-delta and CK1-epsilon, for the following indications:
- Adult patients with relapsed or refractory marginal zone lymphoma who have received at least one prior...
Patients on Active Chemotherapy May Not Be at Increased Risk for COVID-19 Infection
Due to concerns that patients with cancer may be at higher risk for contracting the coronavirus—and may have more severe complications if infected—during the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals and clinical practices have changed protocols to routine cancer care to reduce patients’ exposure to the virus.
...
Patients With Lymphoma Receiving B-Cell–Depleting Therapies May Be at Greater Risk for Persistent COVID-19 Infection
B-cell–depleting immunotherapy may cause B-cell aplasia and impair the body’s immune response. A retrospective, multicentric French study of patients with lymphoma and persistent COVID-19 infection has found that those treated with B-cell–depleting therapies within the previous 12 months had nearly ...
Socially Distant Drive-by FluFIT Clinics May Increase Colorectal Cancer Screening Rates Among Black Patients During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Administering colorectal cancer screening kits through a socially distant drive-by flu vaccination clinic increased access to colorectal cancer screening among Black Americans, according to results presented by Washington et al at the AACR Virtual Meeting: COVID-19 and Cancer (Abstract S02-04).
FDA Update: Advisory Committee Meeting to Discuss COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate, Statement on Product Development to Address Virus Variants
On February 4, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the scheduling of a meeting of its Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee to discuss the request for emergency use authorization for a COVID-19 vaccine from Janssen Biotech Inc. Additionally, Acting...
HIC Assays May Aid in Predicting Response to Immunotherapy Among Patients With NSCLC
Using a host immune classifier (HIC) test for patients with non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) may provide better predictors of treatment response and improve outcomes, according to research presented by Akerley et al at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) 2020 World...
Study Shows Aspirin Use Before Diagnosis May Lower Colorectal Cancer Mortality
A recent study found that long-term aspirin use before a diagnosis of colorectal cancer may be associated with lower colorectal cancer–specific mortality. The report, published by Figueiredo et al in JNCI: The Journal of the National Cancer Institute, suggests that the findings for prediagnosis...
Changes in Radiotherapy Use in England During the First Peak of the COVID-19 Pandemic
In a population-based study reported in The Lancet Oncology, Spencer et al found that mean weekly radiotherapy courses for cancer and attendance for receipt of fractions declined significantly during the first peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in England. However, use of hypofractionated radiotherapy...
Impact of COVID-19 on Cancer Care Has Been ‘Profound,’ According to WHO
More than a year since the new coronavirus crisis began, its impact on cancer care has been stark, with “50% of governments (having) cancer services partially or completely disrupted because of the pandemic,” said André Ilbawi, MD, of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Department of...
Long-Term Quality of Life With Ultrahypofractionated vs Conventionally Fractionated Radiotherapy for Prostate Cancer
As reported in The Lancet Oncology by Fransson et al, analysis of patient-reported quality of life in the Scandinavian phase III HYPO-RT-PC trial showed no significant differences at up to 6 years of follow-up between patients receiving ultrahypofractionated radiotherapy vs conventionally...
Development and Performance of a Population-Based Benchmark Model for Use of Cancer Surgery in High-Income Countries
In a study reported in The Lancet Oncology, Perera et al developed a population-based benchmark model for guideline-recommended use of surgery for primary cancers in high-income countries. Actual use of surgery was often consistent with model predictions but sometimes varied markedly.
Study ...
Patient-Reported Outcomes From the CROWN Trial: First-Line Lorlatinib vs Crizotinib for ALK-Positive NSCLC
Patient-reported outcomes from the phase III CROWN study showed that time to treatment deterioration in chest pain, dyspnea, and cough was comparable between those who received lorlatinib and patients who took crizotinib. The research was presented at the International Association for the Study of...
Germline Whole-Exome Sequencing Reveals the Potential Role of Hereditary Predisposition and Therapeutic Implications in SCLC
A study presented by Nobuyuki Takahashi, MD, of the Center for Cancer Research at the National Cancer Institute, at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) 2020 World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) Singapore (Abstract OA11.05) demonstrated that there may be an inherited ...
Study Finds More Than Half of U.S. Cancer Survivors Have Underlying Medical Conditions Associated With Severe COVID-19 Illness
A recent study has found that more than half (56.4%) of cancer survivors in the United States reported having additional underlying medical conditions associated with severe COVID-19 illness. The report, published by Jiang et al in JNCI: The Journal of the National Cancer Institute, suggested that...
Margetuximab-cmkb vs Trastuzumab in Heavily Pretreated Patients With HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: SOPHIA Trial
As reported in JAMA Oncology by Hope S. Rugo, MD, and colleagues, the phase III SOPHIA trial has shown significantly prolonged progression-free survival with margetuximab-cmkb plus chemotherapy vs trastuzumab plus chemotherapy in patients with HER2-positive breast cancer who experienced disease...
Protein-Truncating and Rare Missense Variants in Breast Cancer Risk Genes: Association With Disease Risk
In a study reported in The New England Journal of Medicine, members of the international Breast Cancer Association Consortium (BCAC) identified the risk of disease associated with germline protein-truncating and rare missense variants of putative susceptibility genes in a large population of breast ...
Two ADAURA Analyses Support the Use of Osimertinib in Patients With Surgically Resected NSCLC
Two presentations based on data from the ADAURA clinical trial advanced previous research that demonstrated improved disease-fee survival outcomes for patients with surgically resected non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) receiving osimertinib, while also maintaining quality of life. The data were...
Taiwanese TALENT Study Supports Effectiveness of Low-Dose CT for Lung Cancer in Certain Populations
A study presented by researchers with the Ministry of Health and Welfare in Taiwan confirmed low-dose computed tomography (CT) screening may be feasible in a predefined, never-smoking, high-risk population. The research was presented at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer...
New Burkitt Lymphoma International Prognostic Index
As reported by Olszewski et al in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, members of The Burkitt Lymphoma International Prognostic Index Consortium have developed an index—the Burkitt Lymphoma International Prognostic Index (BL-IPI)—that provides “robust discrimination of survival” among adult patients...
ASCO Names Advance of the Year: Molecular Profiling Drives Progress in Gastrointestinal Cancers
Molecular profiling allows clinicians to identify the molecular and genetic signatures that help to deliver treatments that are highly specific to a tumor. This tool has made possible a number of advances in the past year that are improving care for patients with gastrointestinal cancers. In...
LCMC3 Trial: Neoadjuvant Atezolizumab for Patients With Stage IB to IIIB Resectable Lung Cancer
Neoadjuvant treatment with single-agent atezolizumab for patients with stage IB to IIIB lung cancer resulted in a major pathologic response rate of 21% and pathologic complete response rate of 7% in the primary analysis of the Lung Cancer Mutation Consortium 3 (LCMC3) study. The findings were...
Nivolumab Monotherapy Improves Survival in Patients With Relapsed Malignant Mesothelioma
In patients with relapsed malignant mesothelioma, treatment with single-agent nivolumab led to a significant improvement in both overall and progression-free survival in the phase III CONFIRM trial. These findings were presented by Dean A. Fennell, FRCP, PhD, Professor and Chair of Thoracic Medical ...
Emil J Freireich, MD, Dies at 93
Emil J Freireich, MD, an oncologist who developed groundbreaking therapies for childhood leukemia and came to be recognized as a founding father of modern clinical cancer research, passed away on February 1. He was 93.
Dr. Freireich was a faculty member at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer ...
Lenalidomide Plus Subcutaneous Rituximab-MiniCHOP in Patients Aged 80 or Older With DLBCL
In the French phase III SENIOR trial reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Oberic et al found that the addition of lenalidomide to subcutaneous rituximab plus attenuated-dose CHOP (mini-CHOP; cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone) did not improve overall survival in...
Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Survivors Are at Increased Risk for Adverse Mental Health Outcomes
According to the National Cancer Institute, in 2020, 89,500 adolescents and young adults (AYAs) aged 15 to 39 were diagnosed with cancer, and of these, 84.6% are expected to survive their cancer for 5 years after diagnosis. However, the results from a study by De et al published in the Journal of...
WCLC Press Briefing Focuses on the Connection Between Lung Cancer and COVID-19
On February 27, 2020, the Journal of Thoracic Oncology published a case study that described two patients from Wuhan, China, who had recently underwent lung lobectomies for adenocarcinoma and were retrospectively found to have had COVID-19 at the time of surgery. Eleven months later, the lung...
