December 25, 2017 (View All Issues)
Alexander Fleming Would Have Loved Our Success With Cancer Immunotherapy
THE UNIVERSITY of Edinburgh Medical School was established in 1726 during the Scottish Enlightenment. As one of the oldest medical schools in the English-speaking world, it is interesting to reflect on the seminal contributions made centuries ago by several alumni that are still relevant to the...
Updated Follow-up of ZUMA-1 Confirms Benefit of CAR T-Cell Therapy in Aggressive B-Cell Lymphoma
POSITIVE DATA about chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy in lymphoma continue to accrue. Long-term follow-up of the pivotal ZUMA-1 trial shows that patients with refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) continue to have durable responses to the CD19-directed CAR T-cell therapy...
Bosutinib Improves Response Rate vs Imatinib as First-Line Treatment of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia
IN THE PHASE III BFORE trial reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Jorge E. Cortes, MD, of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, and colleagues, the SRC/ABL kinase inhibitor bosutinib (Bosulif) improved response rates vs imatinib in the first-line treatment of patients with ...
Daratumumab Improves Progression-Free Survival in Front-Line Myeloma Setting
FOR NEWLY DIAGNOSED multiple myeloma patients not eligible for transplant, the addition of the anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody daratumumab (Darzalex) to subcutaneous bortezomib (Velcade), melphalan, and prednisone (VMP) reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 50%, the phase III ALCYONE...
Phase II Data for Venetoclax/Ibrutinib Combination in Relapsed or Refractory Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
THE COMBINATION of ibrutinib (Imbruvica) plus venetoclax (Venclexta) achieved favorable responses in patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), according to initial results of the phase II CLARITY trial presented at the 2017 American Society of Hematology...
Reports From the Journal of Clinical Oncology
Immunotherapy in PD-L1–Positive Advanced Cervical Cancer
Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) treatment was active in patients with programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1)–positive advanced cervical cancer enrolled in the phase Ib KEYNOTE-028 trial. The findings were reported by Jean-Sebastien Frenel, MD, of...
Front-Line Brentuximab Plus AVD vs Standard ABVD in Advanced Hodgkin Lymphoma
FRONT-LINE TREATMENT of advanced Hodgkin lymphoma with brentuximab vedotin (Adcetris) plus doxorubicin/ vinblastine/dacarbazine (A+AVD) achieved superior outcomes compared with the standard four-drug regimen of doxorubicin/bleomycin/vinblastine/dacarbazine (ABVD). The substitution of...
Ribociclib Doubles Progression-Free Survival in Premenopausal Breast Cancer
PREMENOPAUSAL WOMEN with hormone receptor–positive, HER2-negative advanced breast cancer benefited substantially from the addition of ribociclib (Kisqali) to first-line endocrine therapy plus medical ovarian suppression, according to results from the MONALEESA-7 study.1 At the 2017 San...
Extended Endocrine Therapy in Postmenopausal Women With Breast Cancer: 2 Years as Effective as 5 Years
An additional 5 years of aromatase inhibitor therapy after 5 years of adjuvant endocrine therapy failed to improve disease-free survival compared with an additional 2 years of aromatase inhibitor therapy in postmenopausal women with hormone receptor–positive breast cancer, according to...
Mohamad Cherry, MD, Joins Atlantic Hematology Oncology
AWARD-WINNING physician-researcher Mohamad Cherry, MD, has joined Atlantic Hematology Oncology, part of Atlantic Health System’s Atlantic Medical Group at the Carol G. Simon Cancer Center. Dr. Cherry, who is board certified in internal medicine, hematology, and medical oncology, joins Atlantic...
New Vice President of Early Phase Development and Immuno-oncology at Lilly Oncology
KIMBERLY BLACKWELL, MD, one of the nation’s leading breast cancer researchers, will join Lilly Oncology as Vice President of Early Phase Development and Immuno-oncology as of March 12, 2018. Dr. Blackwell is currently Professor of Medicine and Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology at Duke...
Dose-Dense Chemotherapy in Early Breast Cancer: A ‘Win-Win’ Treatment Approach
INCREASING THE DOSE density of chemotherapy lowers the risk of recurrence and breast cancer death by about 15% in women with early breast cancer, according to a large, meticulously conducted meta-analysis by the Early Breast Cancer Trialists’ Collaborative Group (EBCTCG).1 The trials...
Bosutinib for First-Line Use in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia: Is Three a Crowd?
BOSUTINIB ( BOSULIF) is the latest tyrosine kinase inhibitor that has shown a superior molecular response profile when compared with imatinib.1,2 An orally available dual SRC/ABL1 inhibitor, the drug was shown in preclinical studies to have a potent inhibitory activity against BCR-ABL1 and...
Outcomes Associated With Higher Fiber Intake After Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis
IN A STUDY reported in JAMA Oncology, Mingyang Song, MD, ScD, of Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, and colleagues found that higher fiber intake after diagnosis of nonmetastatic colorectal cancer is associated with improved colorectal cancer–specific and overall ...
Fiber Is Only One Component in Improving Outcomes in Cancer Survivors
SINCE 2003, every iteration of the American Cancer Society’s Nutrition Guidelines for Cancer Survivors has advocated for a plant-based diet with ample quantities of whole grains, as well as vegetables and fruits.1-3 This recommendation has been based primarily on data that such foods...
Disease Progression and Deterioration of Health-Related Quality of Life in Advanced Breast Cancer
IN PATIENTS WITH estrogen receptor–positive, HER2-negative advanced or metastatic breast cancer, better quality of life may be prolonged by delaying the progression of the disease, according to an ongoing quality-of-life assessment from the PALOMA-2 study, presented by Nadia Harbeck,...
Exercise Counteracts Fatigue, Pain in Women With Advanced Breast Cancer
A SUPERVISED and individualized exercise program can reduce fatigue and pain while improving cardiovascular health and quality of life in women being treated for advanced breast cancer, according to research presented by Eduardo Oliveira, PhD, Professor of Exercise Physiology and Exercise Cancer...
European Union Expert Group Releases Position Statement on Lung Cancer Screening in Europe
AS REPORTED in The Lancet Oncology by Matthijs Oudkerk, MD, of the University of Groningen, the Netherlands, and colleagues, a European Union (EU) expert group has issued a position statement on low-dose computed tomography (CT) screening for lung cancer, proposing a near-term phased implementation ...
Obinutuzumab in Previously Untreated Follicular Lymphoma
On November 16, 2017, obinutuzumab (Gazyva) was granted regular approval in combination with chemotherapy, followed by obinutuzumab monotherapy for patients achieving at least a partial remission, for the treatment of adult patients with previously untreated stage II bulky, III, or IV follicular...
PI3K Inhibition With Copanlisib in Relapsed or Refractory Indolent Lymphoma
AS REPORTED in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Martin Dreyling, MD, PhD, of University Hospital, Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich, and colleagues, the phase II CHRONOS-1 trial has shown a high response rate and durable responses with the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor...
Another PI3K Inhibitor Welcome For Use in Indolent Lymphoma
PHOSPHATIDYLINOSITOL 3-KINASE (PI3K) signaling is important for the proliferation and survival of malignant B cells. Copanlisib (Aliqopa) is a novel pan-class PI3K inhibitor with predominant activity against PI3K-alpha and PI3K-delta isoforms. As reviewed in this issue of The ASCO Post, ...
NIH Research Program Partners With National Library of Medicine to Advance Precision Medicine
THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH’S All of Us Research Program and the National Library of Medicine (NLM) have teamed up to raise awareness about the program, a landmark effort to advance precision medicine. Through this 3-year pilot program, the National Network of Libraries of Medicine has...
Slovenia’s First Medical Oncology Resident Reflects on His Career in a Rapidly Changing Field
Bostjan Seruga, MD, PhD, is a medical oncology consultant at the Insitute of Oncology Ljubljana and Associate Professor at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia. He has published on barriers in global cancer research. The ASCO Post spoke with him recently about his career path, cancer care in...
Pembrolizumab in PD-L1–Positive Advanced Cervical Cancer
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Jean-Sebastien Frenel, MD, of the Institut de Cancerologie de l’Ouest, Centre Rene Gauducheau, Saint-Herblain, France, and colleagues, pembrolizumab (Keytruda) treatment was found to be active in patients with programmed cell death ligand 1...
Checkpoint Inhibition for Patients With Recurrent or Advanced Cervical Cancer: A Promising Strategy, but Which Patients Will Benefit the Most?
For nearly 20 years, chemoradiation using single-agent platinum therapy has been the standard of care for advanced or recurrent cervical cancer.1 More recently, the Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG) 240 trial tested the addition of bevacizumab (Avastin) to platinum-based chemotherapy, which...
Medical Aid in Dying: When Legal Safeguards Become Burdensome Obstacles
In 2017, the District of Columbia (DC) became the seventh jurisdiction in the United States to legalize medical aid in dying,1 which gives terminally ill patients the option of how and when they die. The new DC statute is nearly identical to earlier enacted medical aid in dying statutes in...
FDA Approves Cabozantinib for First-Line Treatment of Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma
On December 19, 2017, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted regular -approval to cabozantinib -(Cabometyx) for treatment of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC).
The FDA previously approved cabozantinib in 2016 for treatment of patients with advanced RCC who have...
Lung Cancer in Never Smokers: A Complex Clinical Phenomenon
Despite advances in prevention, early detection, and treatments, lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States. Although cigarette smoking is the main cause of lung cancer, about 10% of these patients are lifelong never smokers for whom the molecular...
NIH Grants $6.4 Million to Better Identify Breast Cancer Biomarkers
Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, part of Montefiore, and Hackensack Meridian Health John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center have secured a 5-year, $6.4 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to identify biomarkers that may predict...
Sunitinib Malate for Adjuvant Treatment of Renal Cell Carcinoma
On November 16, 2017, sunitinib malate (Sutent) was approved for the adjuvant treatment of adult patients at high risk of recurrent renal cell carcinoma following nephrectomy.1,2
Supporting Efficacy Data
Approval was based on the findings of the double-blind phase III S-TRAC trial in which 615...
National Cancer Institute Sponsors Training Program on Supportive Cancer Care
The National Cancer Institute has funded a training program for health-care professionals providing supportive cancer care. The training comprises foundational webinars by experts in the field, a 2-day skills-based workshop, ongoing monthly consultation, and a discussion board.
Each workshop will...
Broadening the Evidence Base for Older Patients: FDA-ASCO Workshop Explores Emerging Strategies
In the not-so-distant past, clinical trials were considered an option only for the young and fit. Enrolling older people “used to be thought unethical,” said Janet Woodcock, MD, Director of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), as she opened...
ASCO Resolutions Approved by AMA House of Delegates
From November 11–14, ASCO delegates participated in the American Medical Association’s (AMA) Interim Meeting of the House of Delegates (HOD), the principal policy-making body of the AMA. During the meeting, several ASCO-backed resolutions were approved, including:
Medicare Part B Drugs in QPP/MIPS ...
ASCO Expands TAPUR Study Enrollment After Promising Initial Treatment Outcomes
ASCO’s Targeted Agent and Profiling Utilization Registry (TAPUR) Study has expanded four cohorts for enrollment of additional participants and continues to grow, with more than 500 participants and 16 therapies now available.
The TAPUR Study is designed to identify signals of activity of...
Deadline Approaching: Give a Year-End Gift by December 31
The New Year is almost here—and what better way to close out 2017 than by donating to Conquer Cancer, ASCO’s affiliate organization? Your tax-deductible year-end gift will help fuel advances in prevention, treatment, and cures for all types of cancer.
Give now at CONQUER.ORG/Year-End to end 2017...
Conquer Cancer Researcher Spotlight: Dr. Xiuning Le
Xiuning Le, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Specialty: Thoracic/head & neck cancer, breast cancer
Of all the adjectives used to describe cancer, one in particular can be surprising: smart. In fact, one of the reasons cancer can be so hard to...
ASCO Kicks Off Strategic Planning to Support Women in Oncology
Women in oncology aren’t ascending the leadership ladder at rates anywhere close to their male counterparts—and ASCO wants to fix that.
The most recent report on “The State of Women in Academic Medicine” from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) said that although women make up...
A Letter of Thanks From the Conquer Cancer Foundation
Small victories matter when you are conquering cancer.
Listen to a patient’s loved one detail the progress of treatment. You will hear the value they give to accomplishments that otherwise seem minor: She rested well last night. He managed to eat. The scan showed no new growth!
It is easy,...
New ASCO Answers Fact Sheets for Your Practice
Check out new ASCO Answers fact sheets on oral chemotherapy and head and neck cancer at Cancer.Net. These introductions include an overview, illustrations, terms to know, and questions to ask the health-care team.
Find them and a library of titles at www.Cancer.Net/factsheets, and order copies...
Providing a Safe Haven for Patients With Advanced Lung Cancer
In 1996, Jimmie C. Holland, MD, the Wayne E. Chapman Chair in Psychiatric Oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) in New York, decided to launch the cancer center’s Lung Cancer Survivorship Program after she had a startling encounter with a patient. “The woman said to me, ‘Would...
Mount Sinai Surgeons Remove Cancerous Lymph Nodes Using Novel Robot-Assisted Procedure
A team of surgeons at Mount Sinai Beth Israel, led by Hyunsuk Suh, MD, Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, has performed the first robot-assisted radical neck dissection in the United States using the bilateral axillo-breast approach, a ...
Neratinib Is Approved: Should We Reject It Anyway?
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved 1 year of extended adjuvant neratinib (Nerlynx) after chemotherapy and a year of trastuzumab (Herceptin) for HER2-positive breast cancer this summer on the basis of the ExteNET trial. Many were surprised at the approval, since the evidence of...
FDA Helps Streamline Approval Process for Supplemental Drug Indications
As researchers learn more about the natural history of cancers, as more drugs are effective for more types of the disease, and as the number and complexity of combination therapies increase, the more important it is that new drugs and permutations of old ones be available to patients.
The U.S....
Data Must Be Generated to Support Cross-Labeling of Combination Therapies for Cancer
Combinations of targeted therapies (triple, quadruple, or even more) are part of the future of cancer treatment, which means that traditional clinical trials will have to be streamlined and updated to enable greater flexibility and to extract adequate safety and efficacy data. Problems inherent in...
Medical Oncologist Takes the Paths Less Traveled to Unwind and Reboot
GUEST EDITOR
Dr. Abraham is the Director of the Breast Oncology Program at Taussig Cancer Institute, and Professor of Medicine, Lerner College of Medicine, Cleveland Clinic.
For this installment in the Living a Full Life series of articles, Andrew D. Seidman, MD, of Memorial Sloan Kettering...
Assuming the Role of NCI Director: Working to Accelerate Progress
I’m not sure anything can prepare a person to become director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), but I can honestly say that I am humbled to have been appointed to this position and am excited to have this unique opportunity.
As many of you may know, I come to NCI from the University...
27 Breast Oncologists Recognized on Forbes’ ‘Physician Honor Roll’
This December, Forbes magazine recognized 27 breast oncologists across the country as exemplary physicians in the field of oncology. Individuals on the list serve in the top spots of their respective hospitals, contribute a wealth of clinical research to advance the practice, and serve on community ...
Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute Receives 3-Year Accreditation From ACS
The Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute at Cedars-Sinai has been honored with a 3-year accreditation with commendation from the American College of Surgeons (ACS). The accreditation is recognized by the National Cancer Institute, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Joint...
Maximiliano D’Angelo, PhD, Receives ACS Research Grant
Maximiliano D’Angelo, PhD, Assistant Professor at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, has received a 4-year, $792,000 Research Scholar Grant from the American Cancer Society (ACS). The ACS awards Research Scholar Grants for promising research projects that may lead to the...
Helping Patients With Head and Neck Cancer and Their Caregivers Face Treatment-Associated Challenges
Head and neck cancer remains one of the most challenging clinical presentations faced by the oncology community. Patients must not only face a potentially lethal disease, but must also cope with treatments that often result in significant side effects. To gain a better understanding on the...
Dyadic Yoga Program for Patients With Lung Cancer and Their Caregivers May Optimize Treatment Response
Yoga therapy delivered to patients with lung cancer and their caregivers together appears to be a feasible and beneficial supportive care strategy. According to data presented at the 2017 Palliative and Supportive Care in Oncology Symposium,1 the dyadic intervention resulted in a clinically and...
Lower Dose of Cabazitaxel in Prostate Cancer
On September 14, 2017, the microtubule inhibitor cabazitaxel (Jevtana) was approved at the lower dose of 20 mg/m2 every 3 weeks in combination with prednisone for treatment of patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer previously treated with a docetaxel-containing regimen.1,2...
Durvalumab Consolidation After Chemoradiotherapy Improves Progression-Free Survival in Stage III Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer
As reported by Scott J. Antonia, MD, PhD, of the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, and colleagues in The New England Journal of Medicine, an interim analysis of the phase III -PACIFIC trial showed improved progression-free survival with the programmed cell death protein 1...
Is Medical Assistance in Dying Compassionate Care?
Suicidal ideation while receiving end-of-life cancer care is not unusual but can often be reversed by palliative and psychosocial oncology interventions. That said, there are patients who, even after intensive interventions, request medical assistance in dying. Physician-assisted death has been a...
Harborside Partners With MAZ to Launch OncologyGo, Cancer Resource for Mobile Devices and TV
Media technology company, MAZ, has partnered with Harborside, a medical communications company based in Huntington, New York, to launch OncologyGo, a streaming-event coverage and video content app for specialists in oncology health care available on Apple TV, Roku, FireTV, and iOS.
Harborside...
Balancing Opioid Use to Relieve Cancer-Related Pain and Protecting Patients From Addiction and Death
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), from 1999 to 2015, more than 183,000 people have died in the United States from overdoses related to prescription opioids, including methadone, oxycodone, and hydrocodone.1 To stem the epidemic in prescription opioid–related use and ...
Columbia and NewYork-Presbyterian Receive $700 Million Donation for Cancer Research and Care
Columbia University and NewYork-Presbyterian announced that Florence Irving and her late husband, Herbert Irving, have given $700 million to the two institutions to advance research and clinical programs for the treatment of cancer. The Irvings’ historic gift will have a profound impact on research ...
ACKC Secures $10 Million for Kidney Cancer Research
Action to Cure Kidney Cancer (ACKC) was instrumental in securing a $10 million line item for the Kidney Cancer Research Program as part of the Department of Defense’s Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP). This represents the largest increase ever in the federal budget for...
Fulvestrant Monotherapy for Postmenopausal Women With Advanced Breast Cancer
On August 28, 2017, fulvestrant (Faslodex) was approved at 500 mg as monotherapy for expanded use in postmenopausal women with hormone receptor–positive, HER2-negative advanced breast cancer who have not received previous endocrine therapy.1
Supporting Efficacy Data
Approval was based on improved ...
Katherine E. Reeder-Hayes, MD, Sees Equity as Next Big Challenge in Breast Cancer Care
Breast cancer specialist Katherine E. Reeder-Hayes, MD, MBA, was born on a farm in Morgan County, Alabama. “My family grew soybeans and cotton and raised cattle. None of my family members were in the medical field, but I always felt comfortable around people who were sick or had...
FDA Grants Regular Approval to Pertuzumab for Adjuvant Treatment of HER2-Positive Breast Cancer
On December 20, 2017, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted regular approval to pertuzumab (Perjeta) for use in combination with trastuzumab (Herceptin) and chemotherapy as adjuvant treatment of patients with HER2-positive early breast cancer at high risk of recurrence.
Approval...
St. John’s Wort
The ASCO Post’s Integrative Oncology series is intended to facilitate the availability of evidence-based information on integrative and complementary therapies commonly used by patients with cancer. In this installment, Jun J. Mao, MD, MSCE, and Jyothirmai Gubili, MS, explore the role of St....
Gemtuzumab Ozogamicin in CD33-Positive Acute Myeloid Leukemia
On September 1, 2017, gemtuzumab ozogamicin (Mylotarg) was approved for treatment for newly diagnosed CD33-positive acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in adults and for treatment of relapsed or refractory CD33-positive AML in adults and pediatric patients aged ≥ 2 years.1,2 It may be used in combination...
Alectinib in ALK-Positive Metastatic Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer
On November 6, 2017, alectinib (Alecensa) received regular approval for treatment of patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive metastatic non–small cell lung cancer
(NSCLC), as detected by a U.S. Food and Drug Administration–approved test.1,2
Supporting Efficacy Data
Approval was...
Seven Leaders Join MD Anderson Cancer Center Board of Visitors
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Board of Visitors welcomed seven new members at its annual meeting in early November: Randy A. Foutch, Winell Herron, Cyvia Wolff, Isabella Arjona-Zappala, R. Stan Marek, Jr, Walker N. Moody, and Jerry Simon. The Board of Visitors is a...
The Puzzle Table
The ASCO Post is pleased to reproduce installments of the “Art of Oncology” as published previously in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. These articles focus on the experience of suffering from cancer or of caring for people diagnosed with cancer, and they include narratives, topical...
FCC, NCI Working to Improve Rural Cancer Care via Broadband Access
The Connect2Health Task Force, an initiative of the Federal Communmications Commission (FCC), has announced that the FCC and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) have joined forces, signing a memorandum of understanding that will focus on how increasing broadband access and adoption in rural areas...
American Association for the Advancement of Science Inducts New Fellows
The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) has recently inducted 396 members as fellows, with 21 members having oncology backgrounds. Members have been awarded this honor because of their scientifically or socially distinguished efforts to advance science or its applications....
FDA Grants Accelerated Approval to Bosutinib for Treatment of Newly Diagnosed Philadelphia Chromosome–Positive CML
On December 19, 2017, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted accelerated approval to bosutinib (Bosulif) for treatment of patients with newly diagnosed chronic-phase Philadelphia chromosome–positive chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML).
Approval was based on data from an open-label,...
Giving Back After Cancer
My diagnosis of neuroblastoma when I was 14 happened rather accidentally. I was a competitive dancer and very active in sports my first year in high school and had no symptoms of cancer or any illness. It wasn’t until my mother, who is a nurse, came into my room one morning to wake me...
Brentuximab Vedotin for Adult Patients With Primary Cutaneous Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma
On November 9, 2017, brentuximab vedotin (Adcetris) received regular approval for the treatment of adult patients with primary cutaneous anaplastic large cell lymphoma or CD30-expressing mycosis fungoides who have received prior systemic therapy.1,2
Supporting Efficacy Data
Approval was based on ...
Oncologists Urged to Be Proactive in Advising Patients to Reduce Risk of Alcohol-Related Cancers
A recently released ASCO statement summarizing extensive evidence linking alcohol use to an increased risk of several leading cancers, including breast, colon, and head and neck, called on oncologists “as front-line providers for cancer patients” to help patients reduce excessive alcohol use.1...
Expect Questions About Link Between Alcohol and Cancer
With headlines such as “Cutting back on alcohol can prevent cancers”1 and “Even light drinking may raise your cancer risk,”2 media reports may be generating questions from patients about the ASCO statement summarizing evidence linking alcohol to an increased risk of cancer.3 “What I personally...
ASCO Remembers Cancer Research Advocate Patrick Gavin, RPh
ASCO and the oncology community mourn the loss of Patrick Gavin, RPh, who passed away on December 18, 2017, at age 68. A 10-year cancer survivor, Mr. Gavin was a dedicated advocate for patients with cancer and for cancer research.
Mr. Gavin was a pharmacist by training and spent much...
Adding Bevacizumab to Chemotherapy in Advanced Cervical Cancer
As reported in The Lancet by Krishnansu S. Tewari, MD, of the University of California-Irvine Medical Center, and colleagues, the final overall survival results of the phase III Gynecologic Oncology Group 240 trial show continued benefit of the addition of bevacizumab (Avastin) to chemotherapy in ...
Colorectal Cancer Mortality Rates
In a research letter to JAMA, Rebecca L. Siegel, MPH, of the American Cancer Society, and colleagues reported that overall colorectal cancer mortality rates have declined in the United States between 1970 and 2004 in patients aged 20 to 54 years. Between 2004 and 2014, colorectal cancer mortality ...
Adding First-Line Radiotherapy to Chemotherapy for Liver Metastases From Colorectal Cancer
A meta-analysis of three randomized trials (FOXFIRE, SIRFLOX, and FOXFIRE-Global) indicates no overall survival benefit of adding first-line selective internal radiotherapy to chemotherapy in patients with liver metastases from colorectal cancer. The findings were reported by Wasan and colleagues ...
Association of Systemic Inflammation and Sarcopenia With Survival in Colorectal Cancer
Results from the C SCANS (Colorectal Cancer: Sarcopenia, Cancer, and Near-Term Survival) study indicate that prediagnosis systemic inflammation and at-diagnosis sarcopenia are associated with an increased mortality risk in patients with nonmetastatic colorectal cancer. The findings were reported...
Alcohol and Cancer Risk Reconsidered
Having valued communications from ASCO since its birth, I was disappointed by the Society’s position on alcohol consumption and cancer risk, as published in a recent issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology (JCO)1 and summarized in the November 25 issue of The ASCO Post. The statement seems to me ...
Howard A. ‘Skip’ Burris III, MD, FACP, FASCO, Elected ASCO President for 2019–2020 Term
Howard A. “Skip” Burris III, MD, FACP, FASCO, a long-time member and volunteer, has been elected to serve as the President of ASCO for the term beginning in June 2019. He will take office as President-Elect during the ASCO Annual Meeting in Chicago in June 2018. Additionally, five members were...
