Treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) with tyrosine kinase inhibitors is “the golden child success story of targeted treatment,” Jerald P. Radich, MD, of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, Seattle, Washington, told attendees at the National...
Data from A-bomb survivors, persons with ankylosing spondylitis and neoplasms treated with radiation therapy, and many other sources show a strong association between exposure to ionizing radiation (particles or electromagnetic waves with sufficient energy to cause an ionization such as photons and ...
There is a strong rationale for the use of accelerated partial-breast irradiation: The large majority of in-breast recurrences are at or near the primary site, limiting the radiation dose to the primary site has the potential to decrease side effects, and treatment can be delivered over a shorter...
Patients with early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer who received neratinib as extended adjuvant therapy demonstrated improved invasive disease–free survival, with an absolute benefit of 2.3% at 2 years.1 However, these results of the ExteNET trial, previously presented at the 2015 ASCO Annual...
As part of a three-drug regimen, APF530 (extended-release formulation of granisetron) has become the first 5-HT3 (5-hydroxytryptamine) receptor antagonist to demonstrate superiority over the standard of care for delayed nausea and vomiting after highly emetogenic chemotherapy. According to the...
The treatment of Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia has been greatly impacted by an understanding of its genomics, according to Steven P. Treon, MD, PhD, of Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center and Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston. Dr. Treon brought listeners up to date on ...
UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center member Antoni Ribas, MD, PhD, has received a National Cancer Institute (NCI) Outstanding Investigator Award of $4.2 million in recognition of his research conducted in the development of new immunotherapies that utilize the human body’s own natural defenses ...
Small-molecule inhibitors, especially ibrutinib (Imbruvica) and idelalisib (Zydelig), have greatly changed the outlook for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. William G. Wierda, MD, PhD, Professor and Center Medical Director in the Department of Leukemia at The University of Texas MD...
Over 700 nurse practitioners, physician assistants, pharmacists, clinical nurse specialists, and other oncology health-care professionals were convened in Phoenix, Arizona, earlier this month to participate in JADPRO Live at APSHO (Advanced Practitioner Society in Hematology and Oncology), the...
Prostate cancer has been slow to catch up with breast cancer in terms of using biomarkers, but a new study represents progress in this regard. A genomic classifier called Decipher® provides important information that can be used to make treatment decisions for men with prostate cancer and a rising...
The Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke has received nearly $7 million in funding under the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) Outstanding Investigator Award program for work on two novel immunotherapy approaches to treat brain tumors. The award recognizes the work of principal...
Several studies presented at the 2015 ASTRO Annual Meeting explored the use of hypofractionation (delivering higher doses of radiation in fewer fractions) in the treatment of patients with prostate cancer. These studies found comparable outcomes in terms of efficacy and adverse events. Although...
The good news is that children as young as 1 year old with the aggressive brain tumor ependymoma can be treated safely and effectively with immediate postoperative radiation therapy, according to the results of a trial presented at the 2015 ASTRO Annual Meeting.1
“Ependymoma is the third most...
Kara Kelly, MD, has been appointed as the new leader of the joint program in pediatric hematology/oncology, a partnership of Women & Children’s Hospital of Buffalo (WCHOB), Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI), UBMD Pediatrics, and the University at Buffalo (UB). WCHOB, RPCI, and UB have...
The International Society of Gastrointestinal Oncology (ISGIO) has named Howard Hochster, MD, as President-Elect. Dr. Hochster, Professor of Medical Oncology; Associate Director for Clinical Sciences at Yale Cancer Center; and Director of the Gastrointestinal Cancers Program at Smilow Cancer...
A new study shows that deintensification of chemoradiation therapy translates to excellent pathologic complete response rates in low-risk human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated oropharyngeal cancer.1 Patient-reported outcomes showed that side effects declined after 8 weeks. The hope is that these...
The 2015 European Cancer Congress (ECC), held recently in Vienna, represented the combined efforts of the European Cancer Organisation (ECCO), the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO), and other partner organisations, constituting the largest European platform for oncology education. At...
In the original phase III SELECT trial, no overall survival benefit was observed for lenvatinib (Lenvima) vs placebo in progressive radioactive iodine–refractory differentiated thyroid cancer. Overall survival was a secondary endpoint in that trial. However, in an updated analysis of SELECT, which...
New research shows that paired primary tumor and brain metastases share a common ancestor, but as the metastases develop in the brain, they exhibit novel genetic alterations that can activate a number of signaling pathways. More than half of the mutations represent potential therapeutic targets....
The American Society of Hematology (ASH) recently announced that Stephen S. Chung, MD, will receive the inaugural Jake Wetchler Foundation ASH Scholar Award for Pediatric Innovation for his research on the mechanisms of bone marrow failure syndromes. This work could ultimately lead to an improved...
The final 2016 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule released October 30, 2015, by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) included cuts to radiation oncology clinics that were slightly less severe than anticipated, according to a news release issued by the American Society for Radiation...
The genetic basis for inherited colorectal cancer is proving to be a much bigger and more complicated “pie” than was appreciated just a few years ago, according to Michael Hall, MD, Director of Gastrointestinal Risk Assessment at Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia.
“With next-generation...
The number of targeted therapies approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the treatment of a variety of cancers, especially hematologic malignancies, continues to rise. In 2014 alone, 4 of the 10 new agents directed at discrete molecular targets approved by the FDA were for blood...
The American Society of Hematology (ASH) will honor Alfred Goldberg, PhD, of Harvard Medical School, and Paul Richardson, MD, of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, with the 2015 Ernest Beutler Lecture and Prize for their significant research advances in the area of proteasome inhibitors and their...
The American Society of Hematology (ASH) will recognize Nancy Speck, PhD, of the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, and Karl Welte, MD, of Hannover Medical School, with the 2015 Henry M. Stratton Medal for their seminal contributions in the areas of basic and...
In the Clinic provides overviews of novel oncology agents, addressing indications, mechanisms, administration recommendations, safety profiles, and other essential information needed for the appropriate clinical use of these drugs.
On October 28, 2015, ipilimumab (Yervoy) was approved for...
In the Clinic provides overviews of novel oncology agents, addressing indications, mechanisms, administration recommendations, safety profiles, and other essential information needed for the appropriate clinical use of these drugs.
On October 27, 2015, talimogene laherparepvec (Imlygic) was...
As reported in The Lancet by Vratislav Strnad, MD, of University Hospital Erlangen, Germany, and colleagues, 5-year results of a phase III noninferiority trial showed no difference in local relapse, disease-free survival, or overall survival with adjuvant accelerated partial breast irradiation...
City of Hope in Duarte, California, recently announced the following new appointments.
Susanne G. Warner, MD
Dr. Warner has been appointed Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Surgery. She received her medical degree from Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, where ...
The Commonwealth Foundation for Cancer Research has pledged $20 million to the Bridge Project, a collaborative research program of the Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center (DF/HCC), to accelerate the...
ASCO is preparing to expand the boundaries of precision medicine with the launch of its first clinical trial. At a press briefing during the 2015 ASCO Annual Meeting, the Society formally announced its plans for the Targeted Agent and Profiling Utilization Registry (TAPUR) study.
At a time when...
On October 15, ASCO launched a new fellowship program aimed at providing physicians with the necessary skills to shape cancer policy. ASCO is actively recruiting oncologists in the early phase of their careers that have leadership, civic, policy, or advocacy experience, and a keen interest in...
ASCO University®, ASCO’s eLearning center, offers an array of courses and programs relevant to palliative care and multidisciplinary team–based cancer care. Below are descriptions of just a few of these offerings.
Pain Management
Released in March 2015, ASCO University’s “Pain Management Program” ...
Of the $150 million being raised through The Campaign to Conquer Cancer, a planned $56 million will support vital research grants such as the Young Investigator Award (YIA) and Career Development Award (CDA). Over the past 30-plus years, the Conquer Cancer Foundation (CCF) has supported and...
This new ASCO Answers guide helps family caregivers better understand their role in the cancer care team. While there is no one way to be a caregiver, ASCO Answers: Caregiving is designed to help caregivers provide ongoing support as the person with cancer’s needs change.
In addition to providing...
Giving Tuesday” is the perfect time to start your holiday giving and take part in a global movement to give back. Giving Tuesday has raised tens of millions of dollars for charities around the world since its start in 2012.
Donating to the Conquer Cancer Foundation (CCF) this Giving...
Launched in 2002 as a pilot program to promote excellence in oncology care, the origins of ASCO’s Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI®) date as far back as 1997, when the Institute of Medicine (IOM) created a National Cancer Policy Board to assess the state of cancer care in the United...
As reported in JAMA by Kevin C. Oeffinger, MD, of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, and colleagues, the American Cancer Society (ACS) has issued an update to its 2003 guideline on breast cancer screening for women at average risk of breast cancer.1 Robert A. Smith, PhD, of the...
According to recent national headlines, the American Cancer Society (ACS) now recommends that women at average risk of breast cancer should “screen later and less often.”1 While the new ACS recommendations (summarized in this issue of The ASCO Post) might initially be taken as casting doubt on the...
For the past 30 years, mammography screening has been one of the most contentious issues in medicine. Controversy has generally centered on the age at which to begin mammography screening (40 vs 50 years) and also, to a lesser extent, on the age at which it should stop. The recent American Cancer...
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Gregory A. Masters, MD, and colleagues, ASCO has issued a clinical practice guideline update on systemic therapy for stage IV non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).1 Recommendations are based on an update committee systematic review of randomized...
In late August 2015, Gregory A. Masters, MD, and colleagues published an update to the ASCO guidelines for systemic therapy for stage IV non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), summarized in this issue of The ASCO Post.1 This builds on the full guidelines published in 20092 and the additional switch...
In the October 25 issue of The ASCO Post, we presented two important studies in previously treated advanced renal cell carcinoma, including the paper by Motzer et al “Nivolumab versus everolimus in advanced renal-cell carcinoma” (CheckMate 025), published in The New England Journal of Medicine,...
Bookmark
Title: Shrinks: The Untold Story of Psychiatry
Author: Jeffrey A. Lieberman, MD, with Ogi Ogas
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Publication date: March 10, 2015
Price: $28.00, hardcover; 352 pages
Jeffrey A. Lieberman, MD, is the Lawrence C. Kolb Professor and Chairman of Psychiatry...
The use of dietary supplements by patients with cancer has increased significantly over the past 25 years despite insufficient evidence of safety and effectiveness. Finding reliable sources of information about dietary supplements can be daunting. Patients typically rely on family, friends, and the ...
In the phase III CheckMate 057 trial, reported in The New England Journal of Medicine by Hossein Borghaei, DO, of Fox Chase Cancer Center, and colleagues, the programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) inhibitor nivolumab (Opdivo) improved overall survival vs docetaxel in patients with advanced...
A Century of Progress
The text and photographs on this page are excerpted from a four-volume series of books titled Oncology Tumors & Treatment: A Photographic History, by Stanley B. Burns, MD, FACS. The photos below are from the volume titled “The X-ray Era: 1901–1915.” To view additional...
The American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) announced that Richard G. Battaglia, MD, FACP, has joined the senior leadership team of the organization and will serve as Chief Medical Officer, leading ABIM’s effort to incorporate feedback from practicing physicians and key stakeholders into...
As reported in JAMA Internal Medicine by Estefania Toledo, MD, MPH, PhD, and colleagues, a large Spanish primary prevention nutrition intervention trial in patients at high cardiovascular risk (PREDIMED) showed a large reduction in the risk for invasive breast cancer among women 60 to 80 years of...
Not only is breast cancer among the most common cancers in women, but it is also one of the most common causes of premature death. Rates of death from the disease vary widely around the world, reflecting variations in risk, screening, and access to highest quality treatment.
Although female gender ...
Head and neck cancer and its treatment can result in a variety of neuromuscular and musculoskeletal pain and functional sequelae. Commonly seen conditions in patients with the disease include neck pain and spasm, hemifacial spasm, trismus, dysphonia, dysarthria, neuropathic pain, and salivary...
In the Clinic provides overviews of novel oncology agents, addressing indications, mechanisms, administration recommendations, safety profiles, and other essential information needed for the appropriate clinical use of these drugs.
On October 23, 2015, trabectedin (Yondelis) was approved for the ...
Two years ago, Richard L. Schilsky, MD, FACP, FASCO, Chief Medical Officer of ASCO, proposed a unique clinical trial concept during an educational session on the challenges of delivering precision medicine services in a community setting at ASCO’s Annual Meeting. The idea was to design a clinical...
A team at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto has used focused ultrasound to enable temporary and targeted opening of the blood-brain barrier, allowing the more effective delivery of chemotherapy into a patient’s malignant brain tumor.
This is the first known report of the noninvasive...
I am honored to be the 52nd President of ASCO and thrilled to have followed in the steps of six remarkable women to hold this important leadership position in a professional Society that represents nearly 40,000 oncologists around the world caring for people with cancer. My six female predecessors...
The information contained in this Clinical Trials Resource Guide includes actively recruiting clinical studies for patients with Hodgkin lymphoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and myeloma. The trials are investigating combination treatments; modified chemotherapy regimens; autologous hematopoietic cell...
In June, the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons published a revision of its Facility Oncology Registry Data Standards (FORDS) manual, which contains all the data items, codes, and rules to abstract data into cancer registries at the more than 1,500 Commission on...
The following essay by Richard M. Levine, MD, is adapted from The Big Casino: America’s Best Cancer Doctors Share Their Most Powerful Stories, which is coedited by Stan Winokur, MD, and Vincent Coppola and published in May 2014. The book is available on Amazon.com and the bigcasino.org.
I’m a...
The ASCO Post is pleased to reproduce installments of the “Art of Oncology” as published previously in the Journal of Clinical Oncology (JCO). These articles focus on the experience of suffering from cancer or of caring for people diagnosed with cancer, and they include narratives, topical essays,...
On November 10, 2015, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the MEK inhibitor cobimetinib (Cotellic) in combination with the BRAF inhibitor vemurafenib (Zelboraf) to treat metastatic or unresectable melanoma in patients whose tumors express the BRAF V600E or V600K mutation. Approval...
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted accelerated approval for daratumumab (Darzalex) to treat patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least three prior treatments, including a proteasome inhibitor and an immunomodulatory agent, or who are double-refractory to a proteasome...
The American Society of Hematology (ASH) will honor Barbara Furie, PhD, of Harvard Medical School, and Bruce Furie, MD, of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, with the 2015 E. Donnall Thomas Lecture for their groundbreaking research in hemostasis and thrombosis over the ...
I have always prided myself on being healthy and fit, so when I started experiencing a chronic cough, difficulty breathing, and pain in my ribs and back, I thought they were the inevitable symptoms of a severe cold. At 42 and the mother of three children, it was inconceivable to me that I could...
The American Society of Hematology (ASH) has announced the names of 18 medical students and 10 residents selected to receive a 2015 ASH HONORS Award.
The ASH HONORS Award aims to support hematology research projects for North American medical students and residents who are interested in hematology ...
DECEMBER
Markers in Cancer 2015
December 1-2 • Brussels, Belgium
For more information:
http://markersincancer.org
9th European Colorectal Congress (ECC)
December 1-4 • St.Gallen, Switzerland
For more information:
www.colorectalsurgery.eu
Advances in Cancer ImmunotherapyTM
December 4 • New...
Bookmark
Title: Dr. Mütter’s Marvels: A True Tale of Intrigue and Innovation at the Dawn of Modern Medicine
Author: Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz
Publisher: Gotham Books
Publication date: September 8, 2015
Price: $17.00, paperback; 384 pages
In the late 1740s, John Wesley—a British evangelist and...
The American Society of Hematology (ASH) will honor Curt Civin, MD, and Craig Kitchens, MD, MACP, with 2015 Mentor Awards at the 57th ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition in Orlando, Florida, for their sustained, outstanding commitment to the training and career development of early-career...
The reactions to the updated breast cancer screening guideline from the American Cancer Society (ACS) have been many, varied, and not consistently favorable but not surprising to Kevin C. Oeffinger, MD, who chaired the ACS panel that issued the guideline. Breast cancer screening “is an area that...
In the Clinic provides overviews of novel oncology agents, addressing indications, mechanisms, administration recommendations, safety profiles, and other essential information needed for the appropriate clinical use of these drugs.
On October 22, 2015, irinotecan liposome injection (Onivyde)...
A study to examine end-of-life care among black and white patients dying of prostate cancer found that “significant racial disparities in end-of-life care” do exist. “Although diagnostic and therapeutic interventions are less frequent in black patients with end-stage prostate cancer, the rate of...
A study comparing self-reported falls by older patients with cancer with the history and physical and/or clinic notes completed by their oncology providers “found that oncology providers rarely recorded or responded to falls in their older patients.” There was minimal evidence of documentation of...
The effectiveness of antiretroviral therapy has enabled patients with HIV to live long enough to have high lifetime risks for several types of cancer. The finding has important clinical implications for cancer screening, as well as primary prevention, according to the results of a study funded by...
Susan G. Komen has announced the recipients of the 2015 Brinker Awards for Scientific Distinction, which honors leading scientists who have made the most significant advances in breast cancer research and medicine. The 2015 recipients of the Brinker Awards for Scientific Distinction are Myles A....
Although William Dameshek, MD, is renowned for his work in hematology, especially in advancing the understanding of myeloproliferative disorders and their interrelatedness, his early interest in medicine was instead focused on such diverse diseases as hyperthyroidism and typhus fever.
Born on May...