JCO Authorship Guidelines Are of Benefit to Those Caring for Older Patients
The aging population, now the largest group of patients with cancer and cancer survivors, requires a rigorous and focused approach to clinical trial reporting, a need highlighted by the recent author guidelines from the Journal of Clinical Oncology (JCO; Table 1).1 The guidelines are an important...
Addition of Neoadjuvant TAR-200 to Cetrelimab in Cisplatin-Ineligible Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer
In an interim analysis of a phase II trial (SunRISe-4) reported in The Lancet Oncology, Necchi et al found that the addition of neoadjuvant TAR-200—a targeted releasing system that provides sustained delivery of gemcitabine within the bladder—to the PD-1 inhibitor cetrelimab resulted in a higher...
ASCO Approves First Guideline on Cancer-Specific Geriatric Assessment of Older Patients in Resource-Limited Settings
On April 22, 2025, an ASCO Expert Panel voted to approve ASCO’s global guideline on geriatric assessment of patients with cancer older than age 65 who are being treated in resource-limited settings or countries.1 Guideline recommendations were informed by the ADAPTE methodology and formal consensus ...
Novel Strategy May Enhance Sensitivity, Accuracy of Monitoring Cancer in Blood Samples
A whole-genome sequencing–based, error-corrected method for detecting cancer from blood samples could be more sensitive and accurate in monitoring disease status posttreatment among patients with cancer compared with prior methods, according to a recent study published by Cheng et al in Nature...
Tislelizumab-Based Triplet Therapy for Conversion of Unresectable to Resectable Locally Advanced Biliary Tract Cancer
In a Chinese phase II trial (ZSAB-TransGOLP) reported in The Lancet Oncology, Shi et al found promising results with tislelizumab plus lenvatinib and GEMOX (gemcitabine plus oxaliplatin) chemotherapy (GOLP) in converting unresectable locally advanced biliary tract cancer to resectable disease.
...
Noncancer-Related Mortality in RCTs With Targeted Screening
In a meta-analysis reported in JAMA Network Open, Lei et al found a small nonsignificant increase in off-target mortality from noncancer causes or cancers that were not the target of screening in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with screened and unscreened populations.
As stated by the...
Study Finds High-Risk Prescriptions Drive Frailty, Hospitalization, and Mortality in Older Adults With Cancer
Using the Geriatric Oncology Potentially Inappropriate Medications scale (GO-PIMs), researchers found that older adults are likely to be taking a number of potentially inappropriate or high-risk medications that are associated with increased frailty at the time of their cancer diagnosis, according...
New ACS Prostate Cancer Report: Late-Stage Incidence Rates Continue to Increase Rapidly as Mortality Declines Slow
The American Cancer Society (ACS) has released Prostate Cancer Statistics, 2025, a report on current prostate cancer occurrence and outcomes in the United States. According to the study, prostate cancer incidence rates have reversed from a decline of 6.4% per year during 2007 through 2014 to an...
How a Novel Coaching Intervention Is Building Resilience and Hope in Adolescents and Young Adults With Advanced Cancer
Each year, nearly 90,000 adolescents and young adults (AYAs; aged 15–39) are diagnosed with cancer, and approximately 9,300 die of the disease.1 And although the 5-year survival rate among these young patients is approaching 80%, it lags behind that of the pediatric population, whose 5-year...
Viral Immunotherapy May Extend Survival in Advanced NSCLC After Progression on Immune Checkpoint Inhibition
Treatment with the viral immunotherapy CAN-2409 helped patients with unresectable, stage III/IV non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) continue on immune checkpoint inhibition longer and experience extended survival, despite initial inadequate responses to anti–PD-(L)1 therapy, according to extended...
Surgical Resection With EGFR TKI Demonstrates Promising PFS in EGFR-Mutant NSCLC
Resection of the primary thoracic tumor after EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibition demonstrated the ability to prolong disease control in patients with EGFR-mutant metastatic non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to findings from a randomized phase II trial presented at the International...
Cardiotoxicity From the Use of Anthracyclines in Cancer Survivors: Preventive Strategies
Many patients from Europe and the United States have experienced the benefits of anthracyclines in the treatment of an array of cancers, including solid tumors such as breast and ovarian cancers as well as lymphoma. However, a number of these cancer survivors will experience severe chronic cardiac...
ctDNA May Guide Immunotherapy in Limited-Stage SCLC
A new study presented at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer 2025 World Conference on Lung Cancer (Abstract MA11.09) demonstrated that monitoring circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) may aid in refining and personalizing the use of consolidation immunotherapy in patients with...
Is IFITM3 a Driver of Immunotherapy Response in SCLC?
New research has identified interferon-induced transmembrane protein 3 (IFITM3) as a critical regulator of immunotherapy sensitivity in small cell lung cancer (SCLC), offering a promising new avenue for overcoming resistance to PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint blockade.
These findings were presented at the...
Tarlatamab and Anti–PD-1 Therapy as First-Line Maintenance for ES-SCLC
The DLL3-targeted bispecific T-cell engager agent tarlatamab demonstrated significant overall survival in combination with anti‒PD-L1 therapy of either atezolizumab or durvalumab as first-line maintenance therapy for patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC), according to...
Novel ADC Shows Promising Efficacy in Previously Treated EGFR-Mutated NSCLC
The first-in-class EGFR × HER3 bispecific antibody-drug conjugate izalontamab brengitecan (also referred to as iza-bren; BL-B01D1) demonstrated promising efficacy results plus a manageable safety profile in the treatment of patients with previously treated EGFR-mutated non–small cell lung cancer...
New Subcutaneous Amivantamab Combo Dosing Schedule Shows Promising Safety and Efficacy in EGFR-Positive NSCLC
The combination of subcutaneous amivantamab-vmjw every 4 weeks plus daily oral lazertinib led to a high response rate in patients with previously untreated EGFR-mutated advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to findings from an analysis of cohort 5 of the PALOMA-2 trial presented at ...
STAS Predicts Prognosis in Early NSCLC Regardless of Surgical Approach
The presence of tumor spread through air spaces (STAS) demonstrated an association with poor prognosis in patients with early-stage non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), whether undergoing segmentectomy or lobectomy, according to findings from an analysis of the phase III JCOG0802/WJOG4607L trial...
Hypofractionated Radiotherapy Plus Concurrent Chemotherapy vs Conventional Radiotherapy in Phase III Trial for LS-SCLC
A reduced schedule for hypofractionated radiotherapy with concurrent chemotherapy led to numerically similar survival outcomes and a more favorable safety profile compared with a standard course of conventional fractionated radiotherapy for patients with limited-stage small cell lung cancer...
Novel Targeted Agent Under Study in MTAP-Deleted NSCLC
BMS-986504, a first-in-class agent targeting MTAP, demonstrated antitumor activity in heavily pretreated patients with MTAP-deleted non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to findings from the phase I/II CA240-0007 trial presented at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer...
Overall Survival Risk for VATS vs Open Lobectomy for Early Lung Cancer
Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) led to a 21% reduction in the risk of death compared with open lobectomy for patients with early-stage lung cancer, in a meta-analysis of randomized trials comparing the two approaches. Results of the meta-analysis were presented at the International...
Lung Cancer Screening May Benefit Adults Up to Age 80 Who Are Fit for Surgery
Older individuals up to the age of 80 who are eligible for lung surgery may achieve a survival benefit from lung cancer screening comparable to that for younger patients, according to the results of a multicenter cohort study from the United Kingdom presented at the International Association for...
Revumenib in Triplet Regimen Under Study in Newly Diagnosed AML With NPM1/KMT2A Alterations
A new combination of azacitidine, venetoclax, and revumenib demonstrated high rates of complete response and clinical activity in older adults with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and an NPM1 mutation or KMT2A rearrangement. The regimen was also shown to be safe in updated results from ...
Immunoglobulin Replacement Therapy and Infection Risks in CLL
Immunoglobulin replacement therapy did not lead to a reduction in the risk for serious infections leading to hospitalizations for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), according to the results of a real-world Australian cohort study published in Blood Advances. This finding is at odds...
Underlying Mechanisms of Chemoresistance in AML
Researchers have discovered that an isoform of the transcription factor RUNX1 orchestrates chemoresistance in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), according to findings published in Blood Cancer Discovery. They identified that the long-isoform RUNX1C's connection to BTG2 may enable cellular...
FDA Approves Gemcitabine Intravesical System for Non–Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the gemcitabine intravesical system (Inlexzo) for adults with bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG)-unresponsive non–muscle-invasive bladder cancer with carcinoma in situ with or without papillary tumors. The gemcitabine intravesical system is...
No OS Benefit for Concurrent and Consolidative Durvalumab vs Consolidation Alone in Unresectable Stage III NSCLC
Treating patients who have stage III non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with durvalumab concurrently with chemoradiotherapy (CRT) and continuing as consolidation therapy did not improve overall survival (OS) compared with consolidation therapy with durvalumab alone, according to research presented...
Adjuvant Chemoimmunotherapy for Resected Stage IB–IIIA NSCLC
Interim results from the phase III NADIM ADJUVANT trial, led by the Spanish Lung Cancer Group, suggest that adjuvant chemoimmunotherapy may reduce the risk of recurrence in patients with completely resected stage IB–IIIA non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) while maintaining an acceptable safety...
FDA Approves Kinase Inhibitor for Pediatric Patients With NF1
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved selumetinib (Koselugo) granules and capsules for pediatric patients aged 1 year and older with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) who have symptomatic, inoperable plexiform neurofibromas (PN). The FDA previously approved selumetinib capsules for...
Izalontamab Brengitecan Plus Osimertinib Shows Activity in First-Line EGFR-Mutant NSCLC
The novel antibody-drug conjugate izalontamab brengitecan (also referred to as iza-bren, BL-B01D1) in combination with osimertinib induced a response in all patients with locally advanced or metastatic non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and EGFR-sensitizing mutations treated with the combination in ...
Zidesamtinib Demonstrates Responses in ROS1-Positive NSCLC
Treatment with the next-generation ROS1 tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) zidesamtinib led to antitumor activity in patients with ROS1-positive non‒small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who had experienced disease progression on prior TKI treatments. These findings from the phase I/II ARROS-1 trial were...
DLL3-Targeted Antibody-Drug Conjugate in Relapsed SCLC
A first-in-human phase I study of SHR-4849 (IDE849), a Delta-like ligand 3 (DLL3)-directed antibody-drug conjugate, demonstrated manageable safety and early signs of antitumor activity in patients with relapsed small cell lung cancer (SCLC). The results were presented at the International...
Previously Treated ES-SCLC: I-DXd Demonstrates High Response Rate
Patients diagnosed with recurrent or progressive extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) may benefit from treatment with ifinatamab deruxtecan (I-DXd), a B7-H3–directed antibody-drug conjugate, according to data presented at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer...
Aumolertinib Plus Chemotherapy Improves PFS in NSCLC With EGFR and Concomitant Tumor Suppressor Genes
New results from the phase III ACROSS 2 trial demonstrated that aumolertinib, an oral third-generation EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), combined with platinum-pemetrexed chemotherapy significantly improved progression-free survival (PFS) compared with aumolertinib monotherapy in patients with...
FDA’s OCE Invites External Research Questions to Advance Science, Benefit Patients
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Oncology Center of Excellence (OCE) invites academic and patient advocate researchers to propose research questions for Project Collaborate, a unique crowdsourcing initiative running through September 26. This represents a rare opportunity to leverage...
Addition of Sintilimab to Total Neoadjuvant Treatment in Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer
In a Chinese single-center phase II trial (SPRING-01) reported in The Lancet Oncology, Tian et al found that the addition of the PD-1 inhibitor sintilimab to chemotherapy following short-course radiotherapy as part of total neoadjuvant treatment significantly improved the pathologic complete...
Public Awareness of HPV, HPV Vaccine, and the Association of HPV With Cancer
In a U.S. state-level study reported as a research letter in JAMA Oncology, Garg et al found that awareness of human papillomavirus (HPV), HPV vaccination, and the association between HPV infection and development of cancers was “overwhelmingly low.”
As stated by the investigators, “Each year, an...
GLP-1 RAs and Cancer Risk in Adults With Overweight/Obesity
In a retrospective study reported in JAMA Oncology, Dai et al found that use of GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) for weight loss in adults with overweight/obesity was associated with an overall reduction in risk of cancer.
As stated by the investigators, “…GLP-1 RAs… are widely prescribed for...
Observation Outperforms Adjuvant Crizotinib for Resected ALK-Positive NSCLC
Adjuvant treatment with the first-generation ALK inhibitor crizotinib failed to improve disease-free survival outcomes over observation for patients with surgically resected ALK-positive non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to findings from the phase III E4512 trial presented at the...
CheckMate 77T: Nivolumab Maintains Quality of Life and Reduces Symptom Deterioration in Resectable NSCLC
An analysis from the phase III CheckMate 77T trial confirms that perioperative nivolumab does not compromise health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with resectable non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), including those with stage III N2 disease. These results were presented at the...
EGFR-Mutated NSCLC: Continuing Osimertinib Plus Chemotherapy Through Disease Progression Improves PFS
A new analysis from the COMPEL trial showed that patients with EGFR-mutated advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who experienced non–central nervous system (CNS) disease progression on first-line osimertinib benefit from continuing osimertinib treatment in combination with platinum-based...
Urine-Based Biomarker Panel for the Detection of Prostate Cancer
A novel, urine-based, three-biomarker panel demonstrated significant accuracy and promising sensitivity and specificity for the detection of prostate cancers during development and validation testing, according to findings published in eBioMedicine.
“This new biomarker panel offers a promising,...
All-Trans Retinoic Acid and Arsenic Trioxide in High-Risk Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Platzbecker et al, the European intergroup phase III APOLLO trial showed that an all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) plus arsenic trioxide (ATO; ATRA-ATO)–based regimen was associated with improved event-free survival vs a standard ATRA plus...
A Year of Global Progress Against Cancer—and Persistent Challenges
Despite data from the latest edition of The Cancer Atlas showing that nearly half of cancer mortality worldwide is attributed to modifiable risk factors, cancer incidence and mortality rates continue to soar.1 Globally, approximately 19 million new cases of cancer, excluding nonmelanoma skin...
Inherited Variants in 16 Genes May Double the Risk of Multiple Primary Cancers
Individuals carrying a rare pathogenic variant in one of 16 cancer-associated genes were 1.9 times more likely to develop a single cancer and 2.6 times more likely to develop multiple primary cancers, according to the results of a genetic association study published in JAMA Oncology.
These...
Could a Nasal Spray Help Protect Patients With Cancer Against COVID-19 Infection?
Use of a daily interferon-α nasal spray could significantly reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection among adult patients with cancer, according to the results of a multicenter, randomized trial published in Clinical Infectious Diseases.
The results suggest that the nasal spray could be a potential...
Can a Common Anti-inflammatory Drug Help to Control Progression of Clonal Hematopoiesis?
Taking low-dose colchicine daily may slow the progression of a common acquired gene mutation found in the blood of older adults that can lead to certain blood cancers and increased risk of cardiovascular disease, according to a subanalysis of the LoDoCo2 trial published by Mohammadnia et al in JACC ...
Study Finds Personalized Risk Messages Had No Effect in Raising Colorectal Cancer Screening Participation
A randomized controlled trial investigating the effect of providing personalized risk information to patients and their providers about the patient’s risk for advanced colorectal neoplasia has found no difference in screening uptake with either the personalized risk messages or provider...
New Report on Breast Reconstruction Preferences Among African American Women
For African American patients undergoing mastectomy, the risk of complications and the postoperative appearance of the breast are among the important drivers of preferences about breast reconstruction, according to a new report published by Shammas et al in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
...
AI Shear Wave Elastography Model for Diagnosing Breast Cancer in BI-RADS 3 or 4 Masses
In a study (INSPiRED 006) reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Cai et al found that an artificial intelligence–guided shear wave elastography (AI-SWE) model provided accuracy similar to expert reading of B-mode ultrasound in the diagnosis of breast cancer in women with Breast Imaging...
Model to Identify Patients With Clinical High-Risk Early Breast Cancer Who May Avoid Escalated Adjuvant Therapy
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Bidard et al developed a model that may identify a subgroup of patients with clinical high-risk estrogen receptor (ER)-positive/HER2-negative early breast cancer who might derive no additional distant recurrence benefit from escalation of adjuvant...
Lifileucel Demonstrates Feasibility and Disease Stability in Advanced Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
A single administration of autologous tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte cell therapy with lifileucel led to disease stability in patients with recurrent and/or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, even among patients whose disease had progressed or did not respond to multiple prior...
How the AI-Powered ASCO® Guidelines Assistant Is Improving Clinical Decision-Making
This past May, ASCO announced its collaboration with Google Cloud to launch the ASCO® Guidelines Assistant, a new interactive tool that allows clinicians to quickly access ASCO’s evidence-based clinical guidelines to facilitate critical clinical decision-making. Developed with Google Cloud’s Vertex ...
Study Shows That After Early Breast Cancer Diagnosis, Risk of a Second Cancer is Low
For individuals diagnosed with early breast cancer, the long-term risk of developing a second primary cancer is low—around 2% to 3% greater than the general population)—according to findings published by McGale et al in The BMJ.
The researchers say this information can help reassure many breast...
IDO1 Inhibition Mitigates Diet-Induced Risk of Cancer-Associated VTE in Preclinical Models
Patients with cancer who have a diet high in tryptophan, or protein-rich foods, have an increased risk for developing cancer-associated venous thromboembolism, according to preclinical findings published in Blood Advances.
This increased risk could potentially be mitigated by treatment with an...
FDA Approves BTK Inhibitor for ITP
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved rilzabrutinib (Wayrilz), a Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor, for adults with persistent or chronic immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) who have had an insufficient response to a previous treatment. The approval was based on the pivotal LUNA ...
Misconceptions Regarding Skin Cancer Risk in the United States
Investigators may have uncovered associations between the reported number of sunburns and sociodemographic characteristics as well as the prevalence of protective skin behaviors adopted by U.S. adults, according to a recent study published by Etzel et al in the American Journal of Lifestyle...
Advanced Refractory Melanoma: Addition of Tilsotolimod to Ipilimumab
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Adi Diab, MD, and colleagues, the phase III ILLUMINATE trial showed adding the Toll-like receptor-9 agonist tilsotolimod to ipilimumab in patients with advanced refractory melanoma produced no benefit.
Study Details
Four hundred and eighty-one...
Immunotherapy, Radiosurgery Combination and Risk of Radiation Necrosis in Patients With Cancer Who Have Brain Metastases
Patients with melanoma and lung cancer who have brain metastases may experience severe inflammatory reactions after receipt of immunotherapy drugs combined with radiation therapy, according to a recent study published by Vaios et al in JAMA Network Open.
Study Methods and Results
In this study,...
Can ctDNA Monitoring Help to Predict Melanoma Recurrence?
A new study showed that approximately 80% of patients with stage III melanoma who had detectable levels of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) before they started treatment to suppress their tumors went on to experience recurrence. Researchers also found that the disease returned more than four times...
AACR 2025: Pretrained AI Models Could Help Accurately Diagnose Nonmelanoma Skin Cancers in Resource-Limited Settings
Artificial intelligence (AI) models pretrained on vast data sets may outperform standard baseline models in identifying nonmelanoma skin cancers from digital images of tissue samples, according to new findings presented by Song et al at the 2025 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)...
Survival Trends in Melanoma Brain Metastases: Update of Melanoma Graded Prognostic Assessment
In a study reported in Journal of Clinical Oncology, Sperduto and colleagues analyzed trends in survival associated with newly diagnosed melanoma brain metastases and updated the Melanoma Graded Prognostic Assessment (GPA).
Study Details
The study involved retrospective data from...
Use of Niraparib in Patients With Advanced Melanoma
Researchers may have uncovered early indications of the clinical benefit of niraparib in patients with advanced melanoma whose tumors have specific genetic changes impacting DNA repair, according to a recent study published by Kim et al in JCO Precision Oncology.
Background
The U.S. Food and Drug ...
Dual Immunotherapy May Improve Progression-Free Survival in Advanced Squamous Cell Carcinoma
The combination of avelumab and cetuximab may improve progression-free survival in patients with advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma compared with avelumab alone, according to recent findings presented by Zandberg et al at the 2025 ASCO Annual Meeting (Abstract 6002) and simultaneously...
Inherited Genetic Differences May Predict Resistance to Immunotherapy in Metastatic Melanoma
Researchers may have uncovered genetic differences that may help predict response to immune checkpoint inhibitors among patients with metastatic melanoma, according to a recent study published by Monson et al in Nature Medicine.
Background
The investigation revolved around mitochondrial...
Adjuvant Cemiplimab in High-Risk Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma
In a phase III trial (C-POST) reported at the 2025 ASCO Annual Meeting and in The New England Journal of Medicine, Rischin et al compared disease-free survival outcomes of adjuvant cemiplimab vs placebo in patients with high-risk cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.
Study Details
In the trial, 415...
Avelumab Plus Cetuximab in Advanced Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma
In a phase II trial (Alliance A091802) reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Zandberg et al investigated the survival benefit of adding cetuximab to avelumab in patients with advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.
Study Details
In the U.S. multicenter trial, 57 evaluable patients...
Four-Drug Induction Regimen Under Study in Advanced Melanoma With BRAF Mutation
In a phase II trial (EBIN) reported in The Lancet Oncology, Robert et al investigated the survival benefit of adding induction encorafenib/binimetinib to nivolumab/ipilimumab in patients with advanced melanoma with BRAF V600E or BRAF V600K mutation.
Study Details
In the open-label trial, 271...
Role of Mitochondrial Pathways in Melanoma Progression, Treatment Resistance
The most aggressive melanomas may hyperactivate two key processes in mitochondria, according to a novel study, and blocking these pathways with currently available drugs may eliminate melanoma cells, explained investigators. These findings were published by Kim et al in the journal Cancer.
...
Intratumoral BO-112 With Pembrolizumab in Anti–PD-1–Resistant Melanoma
In a Spanish-French phase II trial (SPOTLIGHT-203) reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Márquez-Rodas et al investigated the combination of the intratumoral agent BO-112 and pembrolizumab for activity in patients with advanced anti–PD-1–resistant melanoma. BO-112 is a synthetic,...
RP1 Plus Nivolumab in Anti–PD-1–Resistant Advanced Melanoma
When combined with nivolumab, RP1 (vusolimogene oderparepvec), a genetically engineered herpes simplex virus type 1–based oncolytic immunotherapy, induced deep and durable systemic responses in patients with advanced melanoma who have failed to respond to prior anti–PD-1 therapy, according to...
Four-Year Outcomes Highlight Efficacy of Neoadjuvant Nivolumab and Relatlimab in Advanced Resectable Melanoma
A neoadjuvant and adjuvant regimen of anti–PD-1 therapy with nivolumab and anti–LAG-3 therapy with relatlimab led to a 4-year event-free survival rate of 80% in patients with advanced, resectable melanoma, according to long-term findings from a phase II study published in the Journal of Clinical...
Extended Follow-up for Neoadjuvant and Adjuvant Relatlimab Plus Nivolumab in Resectable Melanoma
In an extended follow-up of a phase II trial reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Burton et al examined outcomes with neoadjuvant and adjuvant relatlimab-rmbw plus nivolumab in patients with resectable melanoma. Relatlimab targets LAG3, while nivolumab targets PD-1.
Study Details
In the...
Pembrolizumab and De-escalation of Treatment in Resectable Cutaneous Squamous Cell Cancer
In an Australian phase II trial (De-Squamate) reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Ladwa et al found that the use of pembrolizumab produced a high rate of clinical or pathologic complete response in patients with resectable cutaneous squamous cell cancer (cSCC), suggesting the potential to ...
Treatment-Resistant Melanoma: Novel Checkpoint Inhibitor Combination
New research published by Phadke et al in the Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer found that adding a third immune-targeting drug to existing therapies may help to shrink tumors in laboratory models of treatment-resistant melanoma.
Although immunotherapeutics have improved survival for many...
Nivolumab Plus RP1 Shows Durable Responses in Advanced Melanoma After PD-1 Inhibitor Resistance
Nivolumab in combination with RP1 (vusolimogene oderparepvec), a herpes simplex virus type 1–based oncolytic immunotherapy, showed activity in patients with advanced melanoma who experienced disease progression on standard anti‒PD-1‒based immunotherapy, according to findings from the phase I/II...
Cancer-Induced Nerve Injury Identified as Driver of PD-1 Resistance Across Tumor Types
Researchers have uncovered that cancer cells degrade protective nerve coverings, causing cancer-induced nerve injury that can lead to chronic inflammation and resistance to anti–PD-1 immunotherapy, according to findings published in Nature.
In exploring the role of perineural invasion and...
Basal Cell Carcinoma: Early Research on a Novel Topical Fluorescent Imaging Technique
A topical fluorescent molecular contrast agent, PARPi-FL (a poly[adenosine diphosphate ribose] polymerase 1 [PARP1] inhibitor–targeted fluorescent contrast agent) detected basal cell carcinoma through intact skin in as little as 5 minutes in ex vivo human tissues, according to new preclinical...
Understanding Accelerated Aging in Survivors of Childhood Cancers
Each year in the United States, nearly 16,000 children and adolescents between the ages of birth and 19 are diagnosed with cancer.1 And although survival rates have greatly improved for many types of childhood cancers, with more than 8 in 10 children and adolescents surviving at least 5 years after ...
Conversion of Unresectable Into Resectable Pancreatic Cancer: Chemoradiotherapy vs Chemotherapy
In a German phase III trial (CONKO-007) reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Fietkau et al found that although adding chemoradiotherapy (CRT) to chemotherapy vs chemotherapy alone following induction therapy did not improve overall R0 resection rate in all patients with initially...
Do Breast and Gynecologic Cancers Contribute to Job Resignation in Working Women?
In a matched-cohort study reported in JAMA Network Open, Iwakura et al found that women with breast or gynecologic cancer had a higher risk of job resignation compared with their unaffected counterparts, especially among those who were older, had lower income, or had a history of depression.
...
Geriatric Assessment–Guided Approach to Treatment Intensity in Older Adults With AML
Based on the results of a single-center phase II trial published by Bhatt et al in the American Journal of Hematology, pretreatment geriatric assessment in older adults with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) appeared to be feasible, to identify several functional impairments, to help guide the selection ...
Gastrointestinal Tumor Microbes May Predict Prognosis and Therapeutic Response
Microbes inside cancerous tumors can influence the spread of disease and the effectiveness of treatment, and those roles make them appealing targets for new therapies. Tumor microbiota–based tools could also help identify high-risk patients and those most susceptible to metastases, and possibly be...
Government Housing Assistance Linked to Reduced Medical Financial Hardship Among Cancer Survivors
Cancer survivors receiving government-subsidized rent were found to have a lower risk of experiencing financial hardships around medical expenses compared with those not receiving housing assistance, according to the results of a cross-sectional study published as a research letter in JAMA Network...
How to Adapt to the Era of AI and the Changing Interactions With Patients: Lessons From a Low-Resource Setting
After 2 decades of practicing medicine across multiple disciplines and health systems, I’ve witnessed the dramatic transformation of patient-physician interactions, and none more dramatic than what I’m seeing in this era of artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on cancer care. Early in my...
Subspecialization in Oncology Is Increasing—But Unevenly Distributed Across the Country
Remarkable advances in treatments for cancer over the past 2 decades are enabling increased personalized care for patients with the disease. However, the growing complexity of treatment methods, including targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and advanced oral therapy, make it challenging for medical...
Identifying CNS Tumors With Multianalyte Cerebrospinal Fluid Test
A novel, multianalyte test has been developed to identify central nervous system cancers from small samples of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). In findings published in Cancer Discovery, the study authors reported that the test, called CSF-BAM, achieved a sensitivity of 81% and a specificity of 100%.
...
Adding Dendritic Cell Vaccination to Hepatocellular Carcinoma Therapy
Patients with intermediate-stage hepatocellular carcinoma who received a vaccine of dendritic cells in addition to transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and preconditioning cyclophosphamide experienced longer progression-free survival than those who received cyclophosphamide and TACE alone. The...
Real-World Incidence and Management of Infusion-Related Reactions to Monoclonal Antibody Therapy
In a retrospective analysis published in JCO Oncology Practice, Smolders et al investigated the incidence and clinical course of infusion-related reactions among patients treated with at least one monoclonal antibody in routine practice. The study evaluated real-world data to compare observed...
Mifamurtide Plus Chemotherapy for Nonmetastatic High-Grade Osteosarcoma
In a pooled analysis of the Italian Sarcoma Group (ISG/OS-2) and Spanish Sarcoma Group (GEIS-33) trials reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Palmerini et al found evidence of activity with the addition of mifamurtide to chemotherapy in patients with nonmetastatic high-grade osteosarcoma...
Analysis Shows No Major Racial Differences in Somatic Mutations of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
A landmark study of the tumor mutational landscape of African American women with triple-negative breast cancer revealed that the mutational profile was largely similar with that of Asian and non-Hispanic White women, except for the presence of TP53 mutations in almost all African American...
Survey Finds Discordance Between Treatment Preferences and Clinical Care for Advanced Cancer
Patients with advanced cancer reported in survey responses that their treatment often focused on optimizing longevity over maintaining comfort and quality of life, despite their goals that prioritized the opposite, according to study results published in Cancer.
Additionally, the findings...
Lu-177 Dotatate in Progressive Metastatic Pheochromocytomas and Paragangliomas
In an interim analysis of a National Institutes of Health phase II study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Lin et al found that lutetium Lu-177 dotatate (Lu-177 dotatate) was active in progressive metastatic pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PPGLs).
As stated by the investigators,...
Disparities in U.S. County–Level Cervical Cancer Screening Coverage Lead to Differences in Outcomes
In a study reported as a research letter in JAMA Network Open, Amboree identified U.S. counties with low or high cervical cancer screening coverage and associated risks of cervical cancer incidence and mortality.
As stated by the investigators, “Recent research shows that cervical cancer incidence ...
Association of Germline Pathogenic/Likely Pathogenic Mutations and Subsequent Neoplasms in Childhood Cancer Survivors
In an analysis from the Children’s Oncology Group ALTE03N1 Study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Zhou et al found a fourfold increased risk of subsequent neoplasms (SNs) among childhood cancer survivors with germline pathogenic/likely pathogenic (P/LP) mutations.
Study Details
The...
Pembrolizumab Plus Chemotherapy vs Chemotherapy in Advanced Gastric Cancers: Final Survival Analysis From KEYNOTE-585
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Shitara et al, the final overall survival analysis from the phase III KEYNOTE-585 study showed a numeric—but statistically nonsignificant—benefit with pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy vs chemotherapy in perioperative therapy for patients with...
What We Wish We Knew During Fellowship
July marks a significant transition for many professionals, particularly those beginning structured training programs on July 1. This article is designed to support new and current hematology-oncology fellows and trainees in making the most of their training experience. Although not all suggestions ...
ASCO Thanks Richard L. Schilsky, MD, FACP, FSCT, FASCO, for His Vision and Leadership of TAPUR
ASCO extends its thanks and appreciation to Richard L. Schilsky, MD, FACP, FSCT, FASCO, for his decade of leadership and dedication as the inaugural Principal Investigator of the groundbreaking Targeted Agent and Profiling Utilization Registry (TAPUR) Study.
The ASCO-sponsored TAPUR study is a...
Can Baseline Kidney Function Predict Chronic Kidney Disease After Cisplatin Treatment?
A population-based prognostic study published in JAMA Oncology found cisplatin treatment to be associated with a predictable decrease in the estimated glomerular filtration rate. According to Grant et al, their findings place patients with lower baseline kidney function at the highest risk for...
BWEL Weight-Loss Trial Reports Success for Patients With Breast Cancer at 1-Year Mark
Patients with stage II or III breast cancer who participated in a remote weight-loss intervention program lost an average of 4.7% of their baseline body weight after 1 year, whereas those in the education-only control group gained an average 1% of their baseline weight, according to a recent report ...
