June 10, 2020 (View All Issues)
- Adult patients with metastatic RET fusion-positive non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)
- Adult and pediatric patients ≥ 12 years of age with advanced or metastatic RET-mutant medullary thyroid cancer who...
Adjuvant Osimertinib in Early-Stage EGFR-Positive NSCLC
Adjuvant osimertinib significantly improved disease-free survival compared with placebo in patients with stage IB to IIIA EGFR-mutated non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who underwent complete resection of primary tumor and received chemotherapy if indicated. These results from the first interim...
Pembrolizumab Doubles Progression-Free Survival in MSI-H/dMMR Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
For the first time, upfront treatment with immunotherapy has improved—in fact, doubled—median progression-free survival in a subset of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. The findings are from the interim analysis of the randomized open-label phase III KEYNOTE-177 trial comparing the...
When Is It Time to Pass?
Assisted suicide gets a lot of press, as if it were a new event. About 20 to 30 years ago, it was ever present but neither defined nor acknowledged. When patients left the hospital for what they and I believed to be the last time, I did one or both of two things: gave them my home number or, if...
Maintenance Avelumab Improves Survival in Advanced Bladder Cancer
Maintenance therapy with avelumab and best supportive care significantly prolonged overall survival vs best supportive care alone in patients with advanced urothelial carcinoma that did not progress on first-line platinum-based chemotherapy, according to an interim analysis of the phase III...
TROPHIMMUN Trial Finds Avelumab Effective in Rare Gynecologic Tumor Resistant to Chemotherapy
The first trial of immunotherapy for gestational trophoblastic tumors proved effective in almost 50% of patients resistant to single-agent chemotherapy, French investigators reported in an abstract presented during the ASCO20 Virtual Scientific Program.1 The results of the phase II TROPHIMMUN trial ...
Precision Medicine Is Becoming a Reality for Pediatric Patients With Cancer
Although 84% of children with cancer survive 5 years or more, children with refractory, relapsed, and progressive high-risk malignancies have a poor median survival of 9.5 months. The German INFORM registry is a large prospective, noninterventional, multicenter study collecting clinical and...
FDA Approves Atezolizumab for the First-Line Treatment of Patients With Metastatic NSCLC and High PD-L1 Expression
On May 18, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved atezolizumab (Tecentriq) for the first-line treatment of adult patients with metastatic non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors have high programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression (PD-L1 stained ≥ 50% of tumor cells or...
Patients With Cancer Infected With COVID-19 Have More Severe Illness and Higher Mortality Rates Than the General Population
A large cohort study by the COVID-19 and Cancer Consortium evaluating the impact of COVID-19 on patients with cancer has found that all-cause 30-day mortality and severe illness were significantly higher in this population than previously reported in the general population. Mortality and severe...
Tucatinib Combination in Previously Treated HER2-Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer With Brain Metastases
In an analysis of the pivotal phase III HER2CLIMB trial to be reported at the ASCO20 Virtual Scientific Program, Nancy U. Lin, MD, and colleagues found that tucatinib, a small-molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor that is highly selective for HER2, plus trastuzumab/capecitabine significantly improved...
New Cancer Cachexia Guideline Addresses Common Quality-of-Life Issue
ASCO recently released a new evidence-based guideline regarding the clinical management of cancer cachexia in adults with advanced cancer.1 The guideline is the result of a literature review that included 20 systematic reviews and 13 randomized clinical trials. An expert panel was convened to...
FDA Approves Nivolumab/Ipilimumab Plus Chemotherapy for First-Line Treatment of Metastatic or Recurrent NSCLC
On May 26, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the combination of nivolumab (Opdivo) plus ipilimumab (Yervoy) and two cycles of platinum-doublet chemotherapy as first-line treatment for patients with metastatic or recurrent non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with no epidermal...
Off-the-Shelf CAR T-Cell Therapy Makes Inroads in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy known as TruUCAR GC027 may prove to be useful in the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) and potentially other hematologic malignancies. Preliminary results in a small number of patients...
Tyler Jacks, PhD, Honored With 2020 AACR Princess Takamatsu Memorial Lectureship
The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) has recognized Tyler Jacks, PhD, Fellow of the AACR Academy, with the 2020 AACR Princess Takamatsu Memorial Lectureship. Dr. Jacks is Director of the David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at Massachusetts Institute of Technology...
FDA Approves Brigatinib for ALK-Positive Metastatic NSCLC
On May 22, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved brigatinib (Alunbrig) for adult patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive metastatic non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) as detected by an FDA-approved test.
The FDA also approved the Vysis ALK Break Apart FISH Probe Kit...
AACR Names Barbara J. Wold, PhD, Recipient of Distinguished Lectureship
The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) announced the awarding of the 2020 AACR–Irving Weinstein Foundation Distinguished Lectureship to Barbara J. Wold, PhD. Dr. Wold was recently appointed as Director of the Merkin Institute for Translational Research at the California Institute of...
Sarcoma Foundation of America Announces 2020 Research Grants
The Sarcoma Foundation of America (SFA), an organization dedicated to increasing research and awareness for sarcoma, announced it has awarded $750,000 in research funds to scientists as part of its 2020 SFA Research Grant program. Fifteen grants, each worth $50,000, have been awarded to researchers ...
AACR Honors Nobel Laureate Phillip A. Sharp, PhD, for Lifetime Achievement
The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) has recognized Phillip A. Sharp, PhD, Fellow of the AACR Academy and Nobel Laureate, with the 17th AACR Award for Lifetime Achievement in Cancer Research. Dr. Sharp is Professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s David H. Koch Institute...
Study Finds Blood Test Detects Cancer and Tissue of Origin in Those With or Suspected to Have Cancer
A blood test based on cell-free DNA was able to detect cancer as well as the site of origin in patients with a clinical suspicion of cancer, according to results of the Circulating Cell-Free Genome Atlas (CCGA) study presented at the 2020 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Virtual...
Study Shows Blood Test Can Identify Multiple Cancers in Asymptomatic Women
A large, “first-of-its-kind” trial showed that a blood test could identify cancers in women with no history of cancer and who were asymptomatic. Of about 10,000 women enrolled in the study, 134 had positive results on blood screening; 26 of these women were found to have cancers. Conventional...
App Calculates Risk of Delaying Cancer Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic
A team of data scientists and oncologists from the University of Michigan and Pennsylvania State University have developed a free, Web-based application to help in comparing the long-term risk to a patient from a months-long postponement of care to the additional risk posed by potential COVID-19...
Talazoparib Yields No Overall Survival Benefit in EMBRACA Trial Update
The poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor talazoparib did not improve overall survival in women with metastatic HER2-negative breast cancer and mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, according to new results from the phase III EMBRACA trial presented at the 2020 American Association for Cancer...
ACS Survey Finds COVID-19 Health Impact Increasing on Patients With Cancer
An American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) survey of patients with cancer and survivors, conducted in May 2020, focused on COVID-19 effects. Compared with a survey conducted in April 2020, 87% of respondents said the pandemic had affected their health care, up from 51% in the...
KEYNOTE-555 Supports 6-Week Pembrolizumab Dosing Schedule in Melanoma
A less-frequent, more-convenient dosing schedule for pembrolizumab (400 mg every 6 weeks) was deemed safe and effective in patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma, according to interim data from cohort B enrolled in the KEYNOTE-555 trial. These findings were presented at the 2020 Virtual...
Front-Line Maintenance With Olaparib/Bevacizumab Improves Outcomes in Advanced Ovarian Cancer
Proponents of combining bevacizumab with poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibition to treat advanced ovarian cancer now have more data to support the maintenance regimen, according to an updated analysis of the phase III PAOLA-1 trial presented during the 2020 Society of Gynecologic Oncology...
Niraparib for First-Line Maintenance Treatment of Advanced Ovarian Cancer
On April 29, 2020, niraparib was approved for maintenance treatment of adult patients with advanced epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer who are in complete or partial response to first-line platinum-based chemotherapy.1,2
Supporting Efficacy Data
Approval was based on ...
Veliparib Plus Chemotherapy Shows Antitumor Activity in Front-Line Treatment of Ovarian Cancer, but Is It Enough?
An updated analysis of the phase III VELIA/GOG-3005 trial, presented during the 2020 Society of Gynecologic Oncology (SGO) Annual Meeting on Women’s Cancer Webinar Series,1 suggested synergy between the poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor veliparib and platinum chemotherapy in the...
Roswell Park Names Leukemia Chief Eunice Wang, MD, Medical Director of Infusion Services
Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo has named Eunice Wang, MD, Medical Director of Infusion Services for Roswell Park’s Chemotherapy and Infusion Centers. Dr. Wang will oversee infusion services on the main campus and at Roswell Park’s satellite clinics, focused on a...
Breastfeeding Associated With Reduced Risk of Invasive Ovarian Cancer, Including High-Grade Serous Disease
In a pooled analysis reported in JAMA Oncology,1 Naoko Sasamoto, MD, MPH, of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Epidemiology Center, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, and colleagues found that breastfeeding, even for durations of 1 to 3 months per birth, was associated with a significant reduction...
Breastfeeding: A Public Health Strategy for Reducing Risk of Ovarian Cancer
Although early-stage disease is highly curable, most ovarian cancers are diagnosed at later stages due to a lack of effective screening. As a result, less than 50% of women survive beyond 5 years. Improving prevention by identifying modifiable risk factors could dramatically change the outcome of...
Addition of CD38-Directed Antibody Isatuximab to Multiple Myeloma Armamentarium
The treatment approaches to multiple myeloma have significantly changed over the past decade with the introduction of many new active agents. Among them, the monoclonal antibodies have been one of the most exciting advances in myeloma, complementing their success in other hematologic cancers. In...
Francis Collins, MD, PhD, Awarded 2020 Templeton Prize for Integrating Faith and Reason Into Science
Geneticist and physician Francis Collins, MD, PhD, Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and career-long advocate for the integration of faith and reason, was recently announced as the 2020 Templeton Prize Laureate. Dr. Collins was selected as the 2020 Laureate by the prize judges...
IMbassador250 Trial: No Survival Benefit With Atezolizumab and Enzalutamide in Metastatic Prostate Cancer
The addition of the checkpoint inhibitor atezolizumab to enzalutamide failed to improve overall survival compared with enzalutamide alone in men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer in the phase III IMbassador250 trial, according to results presented at the 2020 American Association ...
Sacituzumab Govitecan-hziy for Previously Treated Metastatic Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
On April 22, 2020, the antibody-drug conjugate sacituzumab govitecan-hziy was granted accelerated approval for treatment of adult patients with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer who have received at least two prior therapies for metastatic disease.1,2
Supporting Efficacy Data
Approval was...
Pamela Hull, PhD, Appointed Associate Director of Population Science and Community Impact at Kentucky Cancer Center
The University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center announced that medical sociologist Pamela Hull, PhD, will join the center as Associate Director of Population Science and Community Impact. She will also serve as the William Stamps Farish Endowed Chair in Cancer Research and join the University of...
Phyllis F. Cantor Center for Research in Nursing and Patient Care Services Awarded $1.3 Million for Cancer Projects
Nurse-scientists from the Phyllis F. Cantor Center for Research in Nursing and Patient Care Services at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, received more than $1.3 million in funding for two separate research projects.
The American Association for Cancer Research announced that in...
Olaparib Plus Bevacizumab in Maintenance Treatment for Ovarian, Fallopian Tube, or Primary Peritoneal Cancers
On May 8, 2020, olaparib was granted an expanded indication to include use in combination with bevacizumab for first-line maintenance treatment of adult patients with advanced epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer who are in complete or partial response to first-line...
From Ecuador to Nashville to Dallas: An Early Path to a Career in Medicine for Carlos L. Arteaga, MD
Carlos L. Arteaga, MD, is Director of the Harold C. Simmons Cancer Center and Associate Dean for Oncology Programs, UT Southwestern Medical Center (UTSW), Dallas. He is an expert in breast cancer who has authored more than 350 publications in the areas of oncogenes in breast tumors, targeted...
Cancer and COVID-19: Considerations About Neutropenia, Anemia, and Thrombocytopenia
GUEST EDITORS
Dr. Abutalib is Associate Director of the Hematology and Cellular Therapy Program and Director of the Clinical Apheresis Program at Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Zion, Illinois; Associate Professor at the Roseland Franklin University of Medicine and Science; and Founder and...
Five New Recipients of NCCN Foundation Young Investigator Awards
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®) and the NCCN Foundation announced five new recipients for the 10th annual NCCN Foundation Young Investigator Awards Program. The honorees will receive up to $150,000 in funding to study ways to improve care and help find cures for people with...
Ibrutinib in Combination With Rituximab in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
On April 21, 2020, ibrutinib was granted an expanded indication for use in combination with rituximab for the initial treatment of adult patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL).1,2
The recommended dosage of ibrutinib in CLL/SLL is 420 mg, once daily,...
Andrew E. Aplin, PhD, Receives Humanitarian Award From the Melanoma Research Foundation
The Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center—Jefferson Health (SKCC) recently announced that Andrew E. Aplin, PhD, was being recognized with the Melanoma Research Foundation Humanitarian Award. Dr. Aplin is the Kalbach-Newton Professor in Cancer Research, Enterprise Associate Director for Basic Research, and...
Selpercatinib for Lung and Thyroid Cancers With RET Gene Mutations or Fusions
On may 8, 2020, selpercatinib was granted accelerated approval for the following indications:
Comprehensive Overview of How to Start or Improve a Breast Cancer Unit on the Global Stage
Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among women worldwide. As populations age, the incidence of cancer inevitably increases—the World Health Organization has predicted a dramatic increase in global breast cancer cases during the next 15 years. Moreover, breast cancer is increasing in ...
FDA Approves Combination Regimens in NSCLC, HCC
On May 29, 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved two combination regimens: ramucirumab (Cyramza) was approved in combination with erlotinib for the first-line treatment of patients with metastatic non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)...
The Gambler
The ASCO Post is pleased to reproduce installments of 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 essays, historical ...
Abemaciclib/Fulvestrant/Trastuzumab for Patients With Previously Treated HR-Positive, HER2-Positive Advanced Breast Cancer
In the phase II monarcHER trial reported in The Lancet Oncology, Sara M. Tolaney, MD, and colleagues found that the combination of abemaciclib, fulvestrant, and trastuzumab prolonged progression-free survival vs trastuzumab plus standard-of-care chemotherapy in patients with previously treated...
Nivolumab for Advanced Refractory Biliary Tract Cancer
In a phase II trial reported in JAMA Oncology, Kim et al found that nivolumab showed antitumor activity in patients with advanced refractory biliary tract cancer.
As noted by the investigators, there currently is no established second-line systemic treatment for biliary tract cancer.
Study...
Cognitive Impairment in Women Treated for Early Breast Cancer: Chemoendocrine Adjuvant Therapy vs Endocrine Therapy Alone
Women with early-stage breast cancer who received adjuvant chemoendocrine therapy reported greater cognitive impairment at 3 and 6 months than women receiving adjuvant endocrine therapy alone, according to the results from a subgroup of women participating in the TAILORx trial.1 By 12 months, the...
My Future Is Doled Out in Increments of 6 Months
In the fall of 2015, I was looking forward to a trip to Florida for a visit with my daughter and her family, along with a little relaxation. The evening before the trip, I experienced some abdominal pain that my wife, Angela, and I thought might be appendicitis. Concerned the problem could...
Spotlight on Women Who Conquer Cancer
Women Who Conquer Cancer (WWCC) is a groundbreaking program that is committed to supporting early-career women researchers by funding research grants through Conquer Cancer, the ASCO Foundation®. Since its inception 7 years ago, the program has raised nearly $5 million, funded 27 Young Investigator ...
Conquer Cancer Names 2020 Women Who Conquer Cancer Mentorship Award Recipients
Conquer Cancer, the ASCO Foundation®, has named Dawn L. Hershman, MD, MS, FASCO, as the 2020 Hologic, Inc Endowed Women Who Conquer Cancer Mentorship Award recipient, and Lillian L. Siu, MD, FRCPC, FASCO, as the International Women Who Conquer Cancer Mentorship Award recipient.
The 2020 Women...
The Power of mCODE
ASCO Chief Executive Officer Clifford A. Hudis, MD, FACP, FASCO, hosts the ASCO in Action Podcast, which focuses on policy and practice issues affecting providers and patients. An excerpt of a recent episode is shared below; it has been edited for length and clarity. Listen to the full podcast on...
New Recommendations Outline Approaches to Reduce Burnout in Oncology
An article recently published in JCO Oncology Practice (JCO OP) written by the ASCO Ethics Committee focused on the causes of burnout in oncology, as well as intervention methods. The article provides recommendations for individuals, organizations, and the Society to address burnout and ensure...
News Highlights for Patients With Cancer From the ASCO20 Virtual Scientific Program
Direct your patients to the award-winning Cancer.Net Blog (www.cancer.net/blog) to stay up to date on the latest research and learn what it means for their care and treatment. This summer, the Cancer.Net Blog will also offer continuing coverage from the ASCO20 Virtual Scientific Program with the...
Future COVID-19 Legislation Must Protect Patient Access to Cancer Care
ASCO joined hundreds of health organizations in signing four separate letters to Congress regarding future COVID-19 legislation as part of an effort to ensure patient access to high-quality, high-value cancer care during the pandemic. The four comment letters address different areas of the cancer...
