Investigators have found that firefighters may face occupational exposures to multiple chemicals that could increase their risk of developing breast cancer, according to a recent study published by Cardona et al in Toxics. Background Prior research has revealed that firefighters have significantly...
Vered Stearns, MD, is the Director for Translational Breast Cancer Research in the Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology at Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center and Weill Cornell Medical School. Dr. Stearns talks about updates in the management of patients with triple-negative breast...
The American Society of Hematology (ASH) will recognize exemplary hematologists who have made significant contributions to the field with several honorific awards at the 2024 ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition, being held December 7–10 in San Diego. “ASH is honored to recognize these outstanding...
OCE Insights is developed for The ASCO Post by members of the Oncology Center of Excellence (OCE) at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In this installment, Lieutenant Commander Mitchell Chan, PharmD, BCPS, Team Lead and Clinical Analyst, Lieutenant Cameron Wilson, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP, ...
Question: Based on NATALEE and monarchE data, is there still a need for neoadjuvant chemotherapy in hormone receptor (HR)-positive, HER2-negative early breast cancer? Answer: In monarchE trial, the CDK4/6 inhibitor abemaciclib combined with endocrine therapy demonstrated long-term efficacy in...
Investigators have found that among all cancer survivors, male adolescents and young adults (AYAs) may have the highest rate of suicide-related mortality, according to a recent study published by Matsuo et al in JAMA Network Open. Cancer is becoming more common among young patients, and cancer...
“While clinical trials emphasize improvement in cure rates for patients with advanced classical Hodgkin lymphoma, an important goal is reducing the potential long-term effects of treatment,” commented Iris Isufi, MD, of the Smilow Cancer Hospital and Yale Cancer Center, New Haven, Connecticut, and ...
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) took part in the 2024 International Congress of the Asian Oncology Society and the 2024 Chinese Congress on Holistic Integrative Oncology, which highlighted international collaborations to improve cancer therapy and outcomes across China and Asia....
Neoadjuvant chemotherapy with vs without the PD-1 inhibitor nivolumab conferred a higher pathologic complete response rate and long-term event-free survival benefit in Asian patients with resectable non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to the global phase III CheckMate 816 trial. At the...
The University of Cincinnati Cancer Center announced the launch of a new study funded by a $2.3 million National Cancer Institute (NCI) grant to develop a novel technique to visualize where genetically modified immune cells go after being administered in patients with cancer. Background During...
Researchers have developed an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered computational program that may be capable of predicting the activity of thousands of genes within tumor cells based on standard microscopy images of a biopsy, according to a recent study published by Pizurica et al in Nature...
The treatment landscape for patients with prostate cancer, especially individuals with advanced disease, has dramatically changed in recent years. However, aside from drug or hormonal therapies, other targets to treat prostate cancer are still necessary to prolong life and slow the progression of...
Presurgical treatment with the novel drug vidutolimod and the PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor nivolumab may improve outcomes in patients with stage III cutaneous melanoma, according to a recent study published by Davar et al in Cancer Cell. The findings supported the development of vidutolimod for...
Researchers may have uncovered a novel strategy to detect cancer cells with a liquid biopsy that’s designed to be simpler, faster, and more informational than current methods, according to a recent study published by Walker et al in the nanoscience publication Small. Study Methods and Results In...
Recent advances in urothelial carcinoma treatments may offer a path to curative care for more patients, including those with high-risk localized, muscle-invasive disease, according to an editorial published by Milowsky in The New England Journal of Medicine. The findings indicated that...
Just 50% of patients with early-onset cancers may report discussing fertility preservation options with their physicians prior to receiving oncology treatments, according to a recent study published by Keller et al in JAMA Network Open. Background “From an early-onset cancer diagnosis through to...
In addition to our in-depth analysis of important clinical trials presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2024, there is always room for more coverage from The ASCO Post, including these brief summaries of other presentations of interest. They focus on a potential...
“Cancer in young adults is more complicated in part [because of the risk of] infertility and premature menopause,” commented Ann H. Partridge, MD, MPH, FASCO, Interim Chair, Department of Medical Oncology; the Eric P. Winer, MD Chair in Breast Cancer Research, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; and ...
Researchers have found that combining the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab with standard chemotherapy may improve treatment outcomes in patients with small cell bladder cancer and small cell/neuroendocrine prostate cancer, according to a recent study published by Gu et al in Cell Reports Medicine....
Beyond the physical toll of the disease and its treatments, cancer often presents a host of legal and social issues that can significantly worsen a patient’s well-being and treatment outcomes. This column explains how medical-legal partnerships can offer a powerful tool to address these challenges ...
Caris Life Sciences announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved MI Cancer Seek for use as a companion diagnostic assay to identify patients with cancer who may benefit from targeted therapies. Caris Life Sciences is a next-generation artificial intelligence techbio...
Researchers have uncovered insights into a novel investigational vaccine aimed at preventing triple-negative breast cancer. The findings by Rhoades et al were presented at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) 2024 Annual Meeting (Abstract 631) and simultaneously published in the Journal...
Researchers have assessed the efficacy of targeting the CD47 protein combined with traditional immunotherapy drugs in patients with colorectal cancer, with a recent study published by Arai et al in the Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer. The findings indicated that the combination approach could...
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the CD19-directed genetically modified autologous T-cell immunotherapy obecabtagene autoleucel (Aucatzyl) for adults with relapsed or refractory B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Efficacy and Safety Efficacy was evaluated in...
In the multiarm phase II NeoCOAST-2 trial, neoadjuvant treatment with datopotamab deruxtecan (Dato-DXd) plus the monoclonal antibody durvalumab and single-agent platinum chemotherapy led to promising rates of pathologic complete and major pathologic responses in patients with early-stage non–small...
At the 2024 World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC), more than 7,000 clinicians and scientists gathered in San Diego in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC). In this supplement to The ASCO Post, we review impactful abstracts from...
Guest Editor’s Note: Oncology guidelines recommend prehabilitation exercises to minimize postoperative complications. However, the COVID-19 pandemic imposed severe restrictions on patient access to in-person exercise programs offered by hospitals and clinics. In this article, Dr. Krupali Desai...
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) introduced expanded NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines) to account for the advanced understanding of hereditary cancer risk in breast, ovarian, pancreatic, and prostate cancers. The new guidelines followed the recent...
Investigators have uncovered a potential link between the availability and use of tanning beds and the rising rates of melanoma in New England, according to a recent study published by Wei et al in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology. The findings may provide critical insights to inform public ...
Researchers may have uncovered the immune basis for the development of myocarditis in patients with cancer receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors, according to a recent study published by Blum et al in Nature. The findings revealed changes in specific types of immune and stromal cells in the heart...
Researchers may have developed ultrasensitive, nanoscale sensors that distinguished a key change in the chemistry of the breath of patients with lung cancer, according to a recent study published by Cheng et al in ACS Sensors. Background Individuals breathe out many gases, such as water vapor and...
The studies summarized below were reported online over the past month in The ASCO Post, generating a high number of visitors. For comprehensive news of these studies and more, visit ASCOPost.com. Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Phase III KEYNOTE-522 The phase III KEYNOTE-522 trial has...
The University of Arizona Health Sciences announced it has received a $3.3 million grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) of the National Institutes of Health to continue testing a novel imaging method for breast cancer detection that could provide an alternative to mammography. According...
Researchers have provided new insights into acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and its resistance to venetoclax, according to a recent study published by Sango et al in Nature. Although AML is a rare disease, approximately 20,800 U.S. patients will be diagnosed in 2024, according to the American Cancer...
Researchers have identified genes that breast cancer cells may use to survive in the bloodstream after escaping the low-oxygen regions of a tumor, according to a novel study published by Godet et al in Nature Communications. Each of the genes may serve as a potential therapeutic target to prevent...
I’m 50, just a year older than my father was when he died of colorectal cancer. I was 14 when my dad died, so to me, cancer has always been synonymous with death. From a young age, my brothers and I had a goal: to make sure we packed in enough life before age 50. It never occurred to us that death ...
The alternative use of the monoclonal antibody cetuximab during the shortage of cisplatin in the treatment of head and neck cancer resulted in a 16% total cost increase, leading to a 144-fold increase in costs at the administrative level, impacting payer costs and patient cost-sharing amounts....
ASCO has announced the participants and mentors selected for its new International Clinical Research Scholars (ICR) program. Eighteen scholars were selected by the ASCO Latin America Regional Council to take part in this 1-year program that pairs clinical research training with mentorship...
According to an ASCO-sponsored study of burnout and career satisfaction among U.S. oncologists, 44.7% of surveyed oncologists reported feeling symptoms of burnout. ASCO offers information, practical advice, and member perspectives on how to prevent and manage burnout and prioritize wellness in your ...
Researchers from the Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, the David Geffen School of Medicine, and the Fielding School of Public Health at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) were awarded a $2.5 million grant from the independent charitable organization Bristol Myers Squibb...
A landmark case report suggested a potential breakthrough in the treatment of an aggressive type of prostate cancer, according to a recent study published by Lap et al in the Annals of Internal Medicine. The antibody-drug conjugate fam-trastuzumab deruxtecan-nxki (T-DXd) was approved by the U.S....
Attendees at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2024 heard the results of many positive clinical trials that will advance the field of cancer treatment. However, a few late-stage trials of promising adjuvant therapies unexpectedly reported negative results. The ASCO Post...
The use of measurable (or minimal) residual disease (MRD) status to guide treatment in multiple myeloma has become a topic of intense interest. Phase III studies presented at the Plenary Session of the 2024 International Myeloma Society Annual Meeting moved MRD status ever closer to validation in...
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center recently announced the selection of Jennifer Bickel, MD, as the institution’s inaugural Vice President and Chief Wellness Officer (CWO). She will assume this role on January 6, 2025. Working closely with the Shibu Varghese, MA, Senior Vice...
Presurgical treatment with the novel drug vidutolimod and the PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor nivolumab may improve tumor control in patients with stage III cutaneous melanoma, according to a recent study published by Davar et al in Cancer Cell. The findings provided insights that could help advance...
Researchers have discovered a novel strategy to detect cancer cells with a liquid biopsy designed to be simpler, quicker, and more informational compared with current methods, according to a recent study published by Walker et al in Small. Background Current methods for detecting cancer cells may...
Charles E. Geyer, Jr, MD, FACP, discusses the management of patients with HER2-positive breast cancer in 2024, based in part on his presentation at the Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Symposium, October 2024. Dr. Geyer is Professor of Medicine and Interim Division Chief of Malignant Hematology and Medical...
Quitting smoking within 6 months of receiving a cancer diagnosis could add an average of 2 years to a patient’s life, according to a recent study published by Cinciripini et al in JAMA Oncology. The findings demonstrated a broad survival benefit of using evidence-based smoking cessation to help...
An international team of oncology experts gathered in Accra, Ghana, for a series of meetings to update cancer treatment recommendations in the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Harmonized Guidelines for Sub-Saharan Africa. Background The NCCN Harmonized Guidelines offer color-coded tiers ...
Just weeks or even days or hours away from death, the majority of conscious terminally ill patients often experience growth and meaning in their lives and the absence of fear through end-of-life dreams and visions, according to research by Christopher W. Kerr, MD, PhD. Dr. Kerr is Chief Executive...