February 25, 2023 (View All Issues)
Yale Study Indicates Older Patients Are Excluded From Progress Against Lung Cancer
The widespread use of immune checkpoint inhibitors has led to significant benefits in younger patients with advanced lung cancer; however, older patients have not experienced similar survival benefits, according to research from Yale Cancer Center. The study was published in JAMA Oncology.1
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Updated Results From the ADAURA Trial: Continued Disease-Free Survival Benefit With Adjuvant Osimertinib vs Placebo in EGFR-Mutated Stage IB–IIIA NSCLC
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Roy S. Herbst, MD, PhD, of Yale Cancer Center and Yale School of Medicine, and colleagues, updated findings in the phase III ADAURA trial showed continued disease-free survival benefit with adjuvant osimertinib vs placebo after complete resection...
Grateful to Be Alive
Although there is no history of cancer in my family, I guess it isn’t surprising that I would develop an aggressive form of melanoma on my scalp after years of ultraviolet radiation from sun exposure. Still, getting the diagnosis was devastating.
I first noticed a small lump on the top of my...
FDA Approves Sacituzumab Govitecan-hziy for Pretreated Patients With HR-Positive, HER2-Negative Breast Cancer
On February 3, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved sacituzumab govitecan-hziy (Trodelvy) for patients with unresectable, locally advanced or metastatic, hormone receptor (HR)-positive, HER2-negative (immunohistochemistry [IHC] 0, IHC 1+, or IHC 2+ with a negative in situ...
FDA Grants Accelerated Approval to Pirtobrutinib for Relapsed or Refractory Mantle Cell Lymphoma
On January 27, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted accelerated approval to pirtobrutinib (Jaypirca) for patients with relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma after at least two lines of systemic therapy, including a Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor.
BRUIN
Efficacy was...
FDA Approves Elacestrant for ER-Positive, HER2-Negative, ESR1-Mutated Advanced or Metastatic Breast Cancer
On January 27, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved elacestrant (Orserdu) for postmenopausal women or adult men with estrogen receptor (ER)-positive, HER2-negative, ESR1-mutated advanced or metastatic breast cancer with disease progression following at least one line of endocrine...
President Biden Announces Key Appointments to National Cancer Advisory Board
On February 2, 2023, President Joseph Biden announced his intent to appoint six members to the National Cancer Advisory Board (NCAB). The NCAB plays an important role in guiding the Director of the National Cancer Institute in setting the course for the national cancer research program. The NCAB...
Addition of Bevacizumab to Trifluridine/Tipiracil: New Standard of Care in Refractory Colorectal Cancer
In the open-label phase III SUNLIGHT trial, the addition of bevacizumab to trifluridine/tipiracil, also known as TAS-102, significantly improved overall survival in patients with metastatic treatment-refractory colorectal cancer,1 according to Josep Tabernero, MD, Head of the Department of Medical...
Understanding the Health Disparities That Sexual and Gender Minorities Face in Oncology Care
In its programming for the 2022 ASCO Annual Meeting, ASCO included a special Education Session on “Gender-Based and Sexual Orientation Inequities: Promoting Inclusion, Visibility, and Data Accuracy in Oncology.” The session offered a comprehensive discussion on the challenges that sexual and gender ...
Have We Reached the Limits of Chemotherapy for Burkitt Lymphoma?
Burkitt lymphoma (BL) is a fascinating disease from which many groundbreaking medical and oncologic lessons have been learned. Since the Irish surgeon Denis P. Burkitt, MD, FRCS, FRS, first described rapidly enlarging jaw and facial tumors in Ugandan children in 1958,1 the study of BL has led to...
First-Line NALIRIFOX Improves Survival in Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer
In the phase III NAPOLI-3 trial in previously untreated patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer, the NALIRIFOX regimen significantly improved overall survival and progression-free survival over nab-paclitaxel plus gemcitabine.1 NALIRIFOX, which contains liposomal irinotecan, fluorouracil,...
What Can Be Learned From Negative Findings of Two Trials in Biliary Tract Cancer
Biliary tract cancer is particularly difficult to treat, with a median overall survival of about 1 year with standard-of-care gemcitabine-based regimens. Advanced biliary tract cancer is an area of significant unmet need because of its aggressive nature, limited treatment options, and poor...
Neo-AEGIS Trial Finds Two Approaches Comparable in Treating Advanced Esophageal Cancer
A randomized trial that sought to determine the optimal approach to treating locally advanced esophageal or gastroesophageal junction cancer has ended in “equipoise,” according to the investigators of the Neo-AEGIS trial. In a study reported at the 2023 ASCO GI Cancers Symposium, perioperative...
INTRIGUE Study: Circulating Tumor DNA Analysis May Predict Optimal Treatment of Patients With GIST
Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) analysis of KIT exon mutations may help to predict which second-line therapy is best for patients with advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST), according to data presented during the ASCO Plenary Series: January 2023 Session.1 Exploratory analysis of the phase...
Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Carboplatin Adds Benefit, New Study Shows
In a phase III randomized trial conducted in India, the addition of weekly carboplatin to standard taxane/anthracycline–based neoadjuvant chemotherapy improved pathologic complete response rates, event-free survival, and overall survival in patients with triple-negative breast cancer patients aged...
Challenges of Accurately Identifying HER2-Low Breast Cancers
The newly identified category of “HER2-low” breast cancer has raised many new issues in this malignancy now that the DESTINY Breast-041 trial determined that fam-trastuzumab deruxtecan-nxki (T-DXd) may effectively treat this tumor. Among the issues are challenges in accurately identifying just...
ASCO Endorses CAP Guideline to Better Define Who Benefits From Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy
ASCO has endorsed a new guideline from the College of American Pathologists (CAP) on the use of mismatch repair (MMR) and microsatellite instability (MSI) testing, which could help oncologists more accurately identify patients who may be suitable candidates for immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy.1
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ASCO Updates ‘Living’ Guidelines on Stage IV NSCLC Based on DESTINY-Lung01, CodeBreaK100, Other Trials
ASCO has updated its living guidelines for therapy for stage IV non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with and without driver alterations based on newly available evidence in the field.1,2
“Living guidelines are becoming more important as the field of oncology expands and developments occur more...
Urologic Oncologist Hyung Kim, MD, Named Chair of Cedars-Sinai Department of Urology
Cedars-Sinai has appointed urologic oncologist, surgeon, and research investigator Hyung Kim, MD, as the inaugural Chair of the newly established Department of Urology.
“Dr. Kim is an outstanding clinical and academic leader who will strategically steer our urology enterprise,” said Shlomo...
Zanubrutinib for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia or Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma
On January 19, 2023, the kinase inhibitor zanubrutinib was approved for treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL).1
Supporting Efficacy Data
Approval was based on findings in the SEQUOIA trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT03336333) in patients with...
