Risk of Breast Cancer Among Transgender People
In a Dutch study published by de Blok et al in The BMJ, researchers found an increased risk of breast cancer in transgender women compared with cisgender men, and a lower risk of breast cancer in transgender men than in cisgender women. Methods This retrospective, nationwide cohort study...
Prostate-Only vs Whole-Pelvis Radiotherapy in Gleason Grade 5 Prostate Cancer
In a retrospective analysis published in European Urology, Sandler et al examined the protocol for treating aggressive prostate cancer. Researchers aimed to study the impact of whole-pelvis radiation on men with Gleason grade 5 disease who had been treated with external-beam radiotherapy with...
Factors Associated With Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events in Survivors of Colorectal Cancer
Colorectal cancer survivors’ risk for heart attack—five times that of the average person—may be linked to the amount of fat stored within the abdomen and abdominal muscles, not to body mass index (BMI), according to a new study of 2,800 colon cancer survivor health outcomes...
IMmotion151: First-Line Atezolizumab/Bevacizumab vs Sunitinib in Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma
In the phase III IMmotion151 trial reported in The Lancet, Rini et al found that atezolizumab plus bevacizumab prolonged progression-free survival vs sunitinib in patients with previously untreated, programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1)-positive, metastatic renal cell carcinoma. Study Details...
OPTIMISMM: Addition of Pomalidomide to Bortezomib/Dexamethasone in Pretreated Relapsed or Refractory Multiple Myeloma
In the phase III OPTIMISMM trial, reported by Richardson et al in The Lancet Oncology, researchers found that the addition of pomalidomide to bortezomib/dexamethasone improved progression-free survival in relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma previously treated with lenalidomide. Study Details...
Early-Stage Study of Nivolumab Alone or in Combination With Cisplatin/Gemcitabine in Biliary Tract Cancer
In a Japanese phase I trial reported by Ueno et al in The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology, researchers found nivolumab showed activity and had a manageable safety profile in patients with unresectable or recurrent biliary tract cancer. Methods The open-label phase I trial was conducted...
ACCURE Trial: Improving Racial Disparities in Treatment for Patients With Early-Stage Lung and Breast Cancers
Results from a study published by Cykert et al in The Journal of the National Medical Association show that a pragmatic system-based intervention within cancer treatment centers can nearly eliminate existing disparities in treatment and outcomes for black patients with early-stage...
Alterations in the RB1 Gene and Outcomes in Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer
Scientists have identified a genetic mutation in the tumors of some men with prostate cancer that is linked to very poor survival, and which could be used to help select certain patients for more intensive treatment. These findings were published by Abida et al in the Proceedings of the...
TRINOVA-3: Addition of Trebananib to Carboplatin/Paclitaxel as First-Line Treatment for Advanced Ovarian Cancer
In a phase III trial (TRINOVA-3/ENGOT-ov2/GOG-3001) reported in The Lancet Oncology, Vergote et al found that addition of the antiangiogenic agent trebananib to carboplatin/paclitaxel did not improve progression-free survival in first-line treatment of advanced ovarian cancer. Trebananib is a...
Digital Breast Tomosynthesis vs Digital Mammography in a Breast Cancer Screening Program
In a Norwegian study (To-Be) reported in The Lancet Oncology, Hofvind et al found that digital breast tomosynthesis (including synthetic 2D mammograms) did not perform better than standard digital mammography in a population-based breast cancer screening program. Study Details BreastScreen Norway ...
American Cancer Society Sets 2035 Cancer Mortality Reduction Goal
The American Cancer Society (ACS) has set a challenge goal to reduce overall cancer mortality 40% between 2015 and 2035—a goal set by applying favorable cancer mortality trends among college graduates to the population as a whole. A report on the goal was published by Ma et al in CA: A...
ASTRO and AUA Announce Updates to Joint Clinical Guidance for Adjuvant and Salvage Radiotherapy After Prostatectomy
The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) and the American Urological Association (AUA) recently announced updates to their joint clinical guideline on adjuvant and salvage radiotherapy after prostatectomy in patients with and without evidence of prostate cancer recurrence to include new...
Treatment-Related Ototoxicity and Reading Impairment in Pediatric Patients With Embryonal Brain Tumors
In a study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Olivier et al found that pediatric patients with severe sensorineural hearing loss associated with the treatment of embryonal brain tumors experienced greater reading difficulties over time. The study involved data from 260 children and...
Trastuzumab Deruxtecan in Advanced HER2-Positive Gastric and Breast Cancers
Two phase I studies reported in The Lancet Oncology indicate activity of the antibody-drug conjugate trastuzumab deruxtecan in advanced HER2-positive gastric cancer and advanced HER2-positive breast cancer previously treated with trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1). Trastuzumab deruxtecan (DS-8201a) is a ...
Long-Term Results With Local Consolidative Therapy vs Maintenance Therapy or Observation in Oligometastatic NSCLC
In long-term follow-up of a phase II study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Gomez et al confirmed superior outcomes with local consolidative therapy vs maintenance therapy or observation in patients with oligometastatic non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In the open-label,...
Predicting Response to Immunotherapy in Squamous Cell Carcinoma
According to a study published by Kacew et al in the European Journal of Cancer, copy number alterations in the chromosome 3q arm may be linked to immunotherapy response in patients with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. In fact, this and other genetic markers may prove to be useful...
FDA Pipeline: Designations in Myeloma, Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma, and Kaposi Sarcoma, Plus ODAC Votes
This week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted designations in relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma, adenoid cystic carcinoma, and Kaposi sarcoma; and the FDA’s Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC) held votes on treatments for tenosynovial giant cell tumor and acute...
Rate of 'Textbook Outcomes' in Curative-Intent Resection of Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma
In a multi-institutional international analysis reported in JAMA Surgery, Merath et al found that a textbook outcome was achieved in a minority of patients undergoing curative-intent resection of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Study Details The study involved data on 687 patients from 15 major...
Impact of Establishment of Cancer Urgent Care Clinic on Emergency Department Visits
In a study reported in the Journal of Oncology Practice, Hong et al found that the establishment of a cancer urgent care clinic slowed the increasing rate of visits to regional emergency departments among adults newly diagnosed with cancer. Study Details The study involved data on 33,316...
Control Arm Quality in Randomized Oncology Trials Leading to FDA Approval
In a study reported in JAMA Oncology, Hilal et al found that 17% of recent cancer drug approvals based on randomized controlled trials featured a suboptimal control arm. Study Details The study involved analysis of a total of 145 studies that led to 143 drug approvals between January 2013 and...
Does Quitting Smoking Affect Risk of Bladder Cancer in Postmenopausal Women?
A large study of postmenopausal women indicated that quitting cigarette smoking was associated with significantly reduced risk of bladder cancer. The most significant reduction in risk occurred in the first 10 years after quitting, with a modest but continued decline in later years. These results...
FDA Approves Dalteparin Sodium for VTE in Pediatric Patients
On May 16, 2019, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved dalteparin sodium (Fragmin) to reduce the recurrence of symptomatic venous thromboembolism (VTE) in pediatric patients 1 month of age and older. This is the first FDA-approved therapy to treat VTE in pediatric patients....
FDA Approves Chemotherapy-Free Regimen, Venetoclax Plus Obinutuzumab, as First-Line Treatment for CLL/SLL
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved venetoclax (Venclexta) in combination with obinutuzumab (Gazyva) for the treatment of people with previously untreated chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL). The approval is based on the results of the...
2019 ASCO: Reduced Chemotherapy Dosages in Elderly Patients With Advanced Gastroesophageal Cancer
A phase III randomized clinical study evaluating the optimum dose of a combination chemotherapy regimen of oxaliplatin and capecitabine in the treatment of advanced gastroesophageal cancer in frail and elderly patients has found that the patients prescribed the lowest dose tested experienced less...
2019 ASCO: Nearly One-Quarter of Participants in the Pediatric MATCH Trial Have an Actionable Molecular Alteration
A study investigating the frequency of targetable molecular alterations in pediatric cancer among patients enrolled in the National Cancer Institute–Children’s Oncology Group Pediatric Molecular Analysis for Therapy Choice (MATCH) trial has found that about one-quarter of patients with...
2019 ASCO: Entrectinib in Children and Adolescents With Recurrent or Refractory Solid or Central Nervous System Tumors
A phase I/IB study evaluating the activity of entrectinib in children and adolescents with recurrent or refractory solid tumors, including central nervous system (CNS) tumors, has found that the agent produced responses in children with tumors harboring target aberrations...
2019 ASCO: Low-Fat Diet May Reduce the Risk of Death From Breast Cancer in Postmenopausal Women
Excluding skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in women in the United States. In 2019, the American Cancer Society estimates that about 268,600 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed in women, and about 41,760 women will die from their disease. ...
2019 ASCO: Lenalidomide May Reduce the Risk of Smoldering Multiple Myeloma Progressing to Active Disease
A phase III randomized trial (E3A06) by Lonial et al testing the effect of single-agent lenalidomide vs observation in patients with intermediate- or high-risk smoldering multiple myeloma has found that lenalidomide significantly reduces the risk of smoldering multiple myeloma progressing to active ...
FDA Approves Avelumab/Axitinib Combination for Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma
On May 14, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved avelumab (Bavencio) in combination with axitinib (Inlyta) for the first-line treatment of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC). This is the first FDA approval for an anti–programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1)...
Tumor Mutational Burden as a Marker of Response to Immunotherapy in MSI-High Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
Foundational research recently published by Schrock et al in Annals of Oncology may help patients with microsatellite instability (MSI)-high metastatic colorectal cancer decide whether to choose immunotherapy or chemotherapy as their first treatment option. “Immunotherapy is the new,...
AUA Releases New Clinical Guideline for Diagnosis and Treatment of Early-Stage Testicular Cancer
Recently, the American Urological Association (AUA) released a new clinical guideline on the diagnosis and treatment of early-stage testicular cancer. Testicular cancer is the most common cancer among men ages 20 to 40. Although it is a less common form of cancer, about 9,600 American men...
Alcohol Intake and Risk of Lethal Prostate Cancer
As reported by Downer et al in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, findings from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study indicate that moderate alcohol consumption is safe for patients with prostate cancer. Study Details The prospective cohort study used data from the Health Professionals...
Addition of Tucidinostat to Exemestane in Advanced Hormone Receptor–Positive Breast Cancer
In the Chinese phase III ACE trial reported in The Lancet Oncology, Jiang et al found that the addition of the oral histone deacetylase inhibitor tucidinostat to exemestane improved progression-free survival in postmenopausal women with advanced hormone receptor (HR)-positive breast cancer whose...
Lifetime Risk of Brain Metastases in Elderly Survivors of Breast, Lung, and Skin Cancers
Elderly survivors of breast cancer, lung cancer, and melanoma face risk of brain metastasis later in life, and may require extra surveillance in the years following initial cancer treatment, according to results of a study published by Ascha et al in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers, &...
Study Finds New Candidate Susceptibility Genes for High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer
A team of researchers have identified 34 genes that are associated with an increased risk for developing the earliest stages of ovarian cancer. The findings, published by Gusev et al in Nature Genetics, may help identify women who are at highest risk of developing ovarian cancer and pave the way...
HPV DNA and Outcomes After Primary Treatment for Oral and Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinomas
In a two-institution study reported in JAMA Oncology, Fakhry et al found that persistent detection of tumor-type human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA after primary treatment for oral and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas was associated with poorer outcomes. Study Details The prospective study...
Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy With or Without Use of Preoperative Lymphoscintigraphy in Early Breast Cancer
In a German/Swiss phase III trial (SenSzi [GBG80]) reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Kuemmel et al found that preoperative lymphoscintigraphy was not associated with an increased number of histologically detected sentinel lymph nodes with sentinel lymph node biopsy in women with early...
Axitinib Plus Pembrolizumab in Advanced Sarcomas
In a phase II trial reported in The Lancet Oncology, Wilky et al found evidence of activity of axitinib plus pembrolizumab in advanced sarcomas, including alveolar soft-part sarcoma. Study Details The study involved 33 patients with advanced or metastatic sarcomas, including alveolar soft-part...
ARRS 2019: Percutaneous Liver Ablation Intervention vs Surgery for Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Compared to surgery, percutaneous liver ablation interventions in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma were associated with lower in-hospital mortality, length of hospital stay, and hospitalization costs, according to a study presented by Sodagari et al at the American Roentgen Ray Society...
ARRS 2019: Arterial-Phase Hyperenhancement for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treated With SBRT
Although arterial-phase hyperenhancement is a key feature of untreated or recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma, standard response assessment such as modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (mRECIST) should be used with caution, particularly in the early phases after stereotactic body...
ARRS 2019: Short-Interval Follow-up MRI in Identifying Early-Stage Breast Cancer
When appropriate, short-interval follow-up magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be used to identify early-stage breast cancer and avoid unnecessary biopsies, according to a study presented by Lamb et al at the American Roentgen Ray Society (ARRS) 2019 Annual Meeting (Abstract 2367). Utilization of ...
Ultradeep Sequencing of Plasma Cell-Free DNA in Bladder Cancer
In a study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Christensen et al found that identification of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) by ultradeep sequencing of plasma cell-free DNA was highly prognostic for outcome in bladder cancer and permitted early detection of relapse. The study...
Addition of Decitabine to Camrelizumab in Relapsed or Refractory Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma
In a single-center phase II trial reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Nie et al found a higher complete response rate with the addition of low-dose decitabine to the programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) inhibitor camrelizumab in anti–PD-1 treatment–naive patients with...
FDA Approves Ramucirumab for Hepatocellular Carcinoma
On May 10, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved ramucirumab (Cyramza) as a single agent for hepatocellular carcinoma in patients who have an alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level ≥ 400 ng/mL and have been previously treated with sorafenib. REACH-2 Trial Approval was based on the...
FDA Pipeline: Designations in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer, ctDNA Detection
This week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted a Fast Track designation to a treatment for CCR5-positive metastatic triple-negative breast cancer; granted Breakthrough Device designation to a test for the postsurgical detection and quantification of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA);...
PRRT Shows Long-Term Effectiveness in Malignant Neuroendocrine Tumors
A 12-year retrospective clinical study of patients who received peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) for malignant neuroendocrine tumors demonstrated the long-term effectiveness of this treatment, which also allows patients to maintain a high quality of life. The study was published by...
IMPACT Study, Aimed at Increasing Diversity Among Clinical Trial Participants, Launches
The University of Southern California (USC) Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center has launched a study to determine how financial assistance for costs associated with clinical trial participation might increase enrollment, particularly among low-income patients and racial and ethnic minorities....
Anti-BCMA CAR T-Cell Therapy in Relapsed or Refractory Multiple Myeloma
In a phase I trial reported in The New England Journal of Medicine, Raje et al found that bb2121, a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy targeting B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA), was safe in heavily pretreated patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. Investigators reported ...
Oropharyngeal Cancer Trends in White Men
In a study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Tota et al found that there has been a reduction in the increase of oropharyngeal cancer among young white men, with a high number of cases projected among older white men in coming years. As stated by the investigators, “Human...
Link Between Skin Cancer Diagnosis and Health-Care Screening Practices
According to findings published by Drucker et al in JAMA Dermatology, patients undergoing health-care screening practices for skin cancer have a higher likelihood of being diagnosed—particularly for squamous cell and basal cell carcinomas—than those who do not. Researchers...
