December 10, 2024 (View All Issues)
Daratumumab Induction Regimen in Transplant-Ineligible Patients Newly Diagnosed With Multiple Myeloma
In the phase III CEPHEUS trial,1 the achievement of undetectable measurable residual disease (or MRD negativity)—the primary endpoint—was met by 61% of patients with transplant-ineligible or deferred newly diagnosed multiple myeloma treated with the monoclonal antibody daratumumab plus...
Increase in Young-Onset Pancreatic Cancer May Be Due to Overdiagnosis of Early-Stage Endocrine Cancer
A recent analysis of pancreatic cancer data in young adults (aged 15–39) has found that although there is an increase in incidence, the mortality rate remains stable. According to Patel et al, who published their findings in the Annals of Internal Medicine, the rise in incidence is primarily due to ...
Could SARS–CoV-2 Be an Oncogenic Agent and Cancer Initiator?
It’s not news that some viruses, including human papillomavirus, human immunodeficiency virus, Epstein-Barr, and hepatitis B, can cause or accelerate the development of cancer. But a recent story in The Washington Post about rare cancers being diagnosed in individuals who had previously been...
In Treatment of Transplant-Ineligible Myeloma, Addition of Isatuximab Improves Outcomes
In the phase III IMROZ trial, the addition of the anti-CD-38 monoclonal antibody isatuximab-irfc to bortezomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone (VRd) was more effective than VRd alone as initial therapy in patients ≤ 80 years with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma ineligible for transplant,...
Overall Survival Not Improved With Maintenance Niraparib in Advanced Ovarian Cancer
The final overall survival analysis of the phase III PRIMA trial found no survival benefit for maintenance niraparib over placebo in advanced ovarian cancer. However, the PARP inhibitor continued to exert a sustained progression-free survival benefit, investigators reported at the European Society...
Adding Chemoradiation in Perioperative Gastric Cancer Treatment Improves Pathologic Response Rates Without Survival Benefit
Adding chemoradiation to perioperative chemotherapy improves pathologic complete response rates in patients with resectable gastric cancer but does not extend overall survival, according to data presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 20241 and published...
Novel EGFR Inhibitor Firmonertinib Shows Activity in Rare Subtype of NSCLC
Firmonertinib (AST2818; formerly furmonertinib), a novel EGFR inhibitor, has shown activity and tolerability in patients with advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring EGFR P loop and aC-helix compressing (PACC) mutations, according to data presented at the International Association for ...
Understanding the Link Between Obesity and Cancer
Worldwide, more than a billion people have obesity—including 650 million adults, 340 million adolescents, and 39 million children1—a rate that has nearly doubled since 1980.2 In the United States alone, about two out of three adults are overweight or have obesity, and one out of three have...
Study Evaluating Lung Cancer Screening Program Receives Margulis Award for Scientific Excellence
The 2024 Alexander R. Margulis Award for Scientific Excellence honored the authors of a 20-year follow-up study on the International Early Lung Cancer Action Program (I-ELCAP). The Margulis Award was presented recently during the 2024 Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) Scientific Assembly ...
AI and the Future of Lung Cancer Screening: Still Room for Improvement
“Artificial intelligence [AI] will be used in all aspects of [lung cancer] screening…, and it continues to get better,” commented topic overview speaker David F. Yankelevitz, MD, Professor of Radiology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, at the Quantitative Imaging...
Study Highlights From MD Anderson Researchers
Here are some highlights of clinical trials presented at the 2024 Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) Annual Meeting by researchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. They include breakthroughs in cancer care, updates in clinical research, and efforts in cancer...
Novel Combination Studied in HPV16-Positive Relapsed or Metastatic Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Alan Ho, MD, PhD, recently presented updated results from a phase II trial evaluating the combination of an HPV16-targeted investigational immunotherapeutic agent eseba-vec (previously known as HB-200) and the PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab as first-line therapy for human papillomavirus type 16...
Temozolomide Plus Radiotherapy for Low-Grade Gliomas
Based on the phase III E3F05 trial, conducted by the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group (ECOG-ACRIN), the combination of radiation therapy and temozolomide appeared to be more effective than radiotherapy alone in the treatment of low-grade gliomas. The trial followed 172 patients for more than 10...
Understanding the Assessment and Treatment of High-Risk Myelofibrosis
At the 2024 JADPRO Live event, which is held annually for advanced practitioners in oncology, high-risk myelofibrosis was a featured topic. “The treatment landscape has developed so much that JADPRO asked us to present our talks on the main stage this year,” said Julie Huynh-Lu, PA-C,...
ASH Announces Recipients of 2024 ASH Advocacy Awards
The American Society of Hematology (ASH) honored Rep. Michael Burgess, MD (R-TX) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) health scientist Mary Hulihan, DrPH, for their leadership on issues of importance to hematology research and practice at the 2024 ASH Annual Meeting &...
Updated Findings in Preventive Breast Cancer Vaccine Study
Researchers from Cleveland Clinic recently presented updated findings from a novel study of a vaccine aimed at preventing triple-negative breast cancer. The findings were presented at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer Annual Meeting.1
According to researchers, including principal...
4-Year Asian Subpopulation Data From the CheckMate 816 Trial of Neoadjuvant Nivolumab Plus Chemotherapy in Resectable NSCLC
Neoadjuvant chemotherapy with vs without the PD-1 inhibitor nivolumab conferred a higher pathologic complete response rate and long-term event-free survival benefit in Asian patients with resectable non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to the global phase III CheckMate 816 trial. At the...
IMF Welcomes Newly Elected Board of Directors Members
The International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) welcomes four of its newest members to the IMF Board of Directors: Director of Strategic Growth at Raanes & Oliver Capital Advisors, Kent Oliver; Managing Partner of Global Commercialization Strategy and Solutions at ZS Associates, Maria Whitman;...
Addition of Inavolisib to Palbociclib/Fulvestrant in PIK3CA-Mutated Advanced Breast Cancer
In a phase III trial (INAVO120) reported in The New England Journal of Medicine, Nicholas C. Turner, MD, PhD, of Royal Marsden Hospital and the Institute of Cancer Research, London, and colleagues found that the addition of inavolisib to palbociclib/fulvestrant improved progression-free survival...
The Future of Cancer Care, Part 2
The soaring number of cancer survivors since the National Cancer Act of 1971 was enacted into law provides a snapshot of the profound progress made against cancer over the past half-century: 3 million survivors in the 1970s,1 compared to more than 18 million today, and that number is expected to...
Outcomes of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Treatment for Cancer in Black vs White Patients in the U.S. VHA System
In a retrospective cohort study reported in The Lancet Oncology, Sean Miller, MD, of Veterans Affairs Ann Arbor Healthcare System, and colleagues found that immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment for cancer had similar efficacy and reduced toxicity in Black patients vs White patients in the U.S....
Pediatric Cancer Clinical Trial Research Should Include Social Determinants of Health
ASCO is calling for pediatric clinical trials to prioritize health equity and social determinants of health (SDOH) data in future trials to improve cancer treatment and survivorship in patients. In a recent position statement, ASCO addresses the need to include SDOH data collection and intervention ...
Deciphering the Impact of the 2024 Election on Cancer Care
Two weeks after the 2024 election, the Presidency and 119th Congress are coming into focus, with nearly all races called. Republican Donald Trump was elected President, and Republicans regained control of the U.S. Senate (53–47) and maintained control in the House of Representatives (218–212 at...
Genitourinary Cancer Expert Yüksel Ürün, MD, Shares His Career Journey and the Importance of Achieving a Work/Life Balance
In this installment of The ASCO Post’s Living a Full Life series, guest editor Jame Abraham, MD, FACP, spoke with medical oncologist Yüksel Ürün, MD, about his clinical and research career in oncology. Dr. Ürün is Professor of Medicine at the Ankara University School of Medicine in Turkey.
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Neoadjuvant Chemoradiation Followed by Immunochemotherapy and Surgery May Improve Outcomes in Esophageal Cancer
A phase II clinical trial investigating the safety and efficacy of a triple combination of radiation, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy in patients with unresectable locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma found that the therapy was effective in shrinking tumors, allowing for surgery, and ...
Cetuximab vs Durvalumab in Treatment of Head and Neck Cancers
Durvalumab, an immune checkpoint inhibitor, has shown activity in treating a wide range of cancers and has been proposed as a potentially safer and more effective option than cetuximab, according to Loren K. Mell, MD, Professor and Vice Chair of Clinical and Translational Research at University...
Addition of Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy to Surgery for Recurrent Ovarian Cancer
Based on results from the ongoing multicenter phase III CHIPOR trial, which were reported in The Lancet Oncology Jean-Marc Classe, MD, PhD, Head of the Oncological Surgery Department at the Institut de Cancérologie de l’Ouest, Saint Herblain, France, and colleagues, the addition of hyperthermic...
Oral Liquid Imatinib Approved by the FDA in Leukemia
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently has approved an oral solution of the tyrosine kinase inhibitor, imatinib mesylate, called Imkeldi, to treat certain types of leukemia and other cancers. The new solution is an advanced liquid formulation of imatinib designed to provide dosing...
Accelerated Approval Granted to Zanidatamab-hrii for HER2-Positive Biliary Tract Cancer
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently granted accelerated approval to zanidatamab-hrii (Ziihera), a bispecific HER2-directed antibody, for previously treated, unresectable or metastatic HER2-positive (IHC 3+) biliary tract cancer, as detected by an FDA-approved test. The FDA also...
Impact of ASH Minority Recruitment Initiative on Retaining, Engaging Underrepresented Hematologists
Participants of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) Minority Recruitment Initiative had lower attrition rates in graduate and medical programs, were more likely to pursue a career in hematology, and had high levels of engagement at ASH beyond their participation in the program, according to...
Pooled Analysis of Long-Term Outcomes With Nivolumab With or Without Ipilimumab in Advanced Melanoma
Georgina V. Long, PhD, MBBS, FRACP, of Melanoma Institute Australia and Royal North Shore and Mater Hospitals, The University of Sydney, and colleagues shared their findings from a pooled analysis of long-term outcomes in advanced melanoma reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.1 They found ...
Perioperative Toripalimab in Locoregionally Advanced Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma
Hai-Qiang Mai, MD, of the Department of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center in Guangzhou, China, and colleagues reported their findings from a single-center phase II trial in The Lancet Oncology.1 They found that the addition of perioperative toripalimab to concurrent ...
Rwanda’s Progress in Eradicating Hepatitis C Virus: A Feasible Approach to Reducing Liver Cancer Incidence in Sub-Saharan Africa
Of 58 million people worldwide living with hepatitis C virus (HCV), one-sixth of them are found in sub-Saharan Africa.1 Yet, in that region, direct access to diagnostic testing and treatment is limited to less than 5%. HCV carries significant downstream implications including cirrhosis...
Understanding How Stigma and Incorrect Physician Assumptions About LGBTQ+ Patients’ Needs Contribute to Medical Mistrust
Over the past decade, ASCO has focused its resources on advancing health equity for sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals with cancer. In 2017, the Society published a position statement “Strategies for Reducing Cancer Health Disparities Among Sexual and Gender Minority Populations,” which...
Cancer on the Global Stage: Incidence and Cancer-Related Mortality in Cameroon
The ASCO Post is pleased to continue this occasional special focus on the worldwide cancer burden. In this issue, we feature a close look at the cancer incidence and mortality rates in Cameroon. The aim of this special feature is to highlight the global cancer burden for various countries of the...
2024 SIO Annual International Conference: A Rich Program of Cutting-Edge Science and Learning
Guest Editor’s Note: The Society for Integrative Oncology (SIO) held its 21st International Conference in Costa Mesa, California. The conference theme was “Full Circle Translational Integrative Oncology: From Bedside to Bench and Back.” The Southern California vibe fostered collegiality and...
FDA Approves Novel Companion Diagnostic Assay
Caris Life Sciences announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved MI Cancer Seek for use as a companion diagnostic assay to identify patients with cancer who may benefit from targeted therapies. Caris Life Sciences is a next-generation artificial intelligence techbio...
Roswell Park Announces Center’s First Physician-in-Chief
Candace S. Johnson, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer of Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, recently announced the appointment of Michael Wong, MD, PhD, FRPC, as the cancer center’s first Physician-in-Chief. Dr. Wong is a medical oncologist and skin cancer expert, who joined...
NCCN Joins International Cancer Organizations During Oncology Event in China
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) took part in the 2024 International Congress of the Asian Oncology Society and the 2024 Chinese Congress on Holistic Integrative Oncology. This event highlighted international collaborations to improve cancer therapy and outcomes across China and...
Metformin May Impact Immunotherapy in NSCLC
Metformin may strengthen the effects of immunotherapy and improve recurrence-free survival in patients with lung cancer with overweight or obesity, according to a recently published article in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.1
The investigators looked at data from two groups of...
The Lindy Effect and Open Cancer Surgery
The Lindy effect (also known as Lindy’s Law) is a theorized phenomenon by which the future life expectancy of some nonperishable thing, such as a technology or an idea, is proportional to its current age. Thus, the Lindy effect proposes the longer a period something has survived to exist or be used ...
Nodal Burden and Recurrence in Patients With Breast Cancer With Residual Isolated Tumor Cells After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy
In a retrospective study (OPBC-05/ICARO) reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Giacomo Montagna, MD, MPH, of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, and colleagues found that nodal burden in patients with breast cancer with residual isolated tumor cells after neoadjuvant...
Will CAR T-Cell Therapy Be the Magic Bullet for My Multiple Myeloma?
Intense pain on the right side of my lower rib cage, in 2020, sent me first to my chiropractor for relief and then to my primary care provider for tests. Because of the location of the pain, the chiropractor thought I might be having a gallbladder attack, but the results from a urine test showed...
Is There a Role for Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in HR-Positive, HER2-Negative Early Breast Cancer?
Question: Based on NATALEE and monarchE data, is there still a need for neoadjuvant chemotherapy in hormone receptor (HR)-positive, HER2-negative early breast cancer?
Answer: In monarchE trial, the CDK4/6 inhibitor abemaciclib combined with endocrine therapy demonstrated long-term efficacy in...
Award Recipients Announced for the 2024 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium
The San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS) and the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), an SABCS cosponsor, will honor two researchers for their significant contributions to breast cancer research during the 2024 SABCS.
2024 AACR Distinguished Lectureship in Breast Cancer Research
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