Colon cancer is among the leading causes of cancer-related morbidity and mortality worldwide, with alarming increases in incidence and mortality among younger adults. Although the exact causes of these increases are unknown, lifestyle, including poor diets, sedentary habits, smoking, and alcohol...
In a phase III trial (RECITE) reported in The New England Journal of Medicine, Al-Samkari et al found that the thrombopoietin receptor agonist romiplostim was effective in treating chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia (CIT) among patients receiving oxaliplatin-based multiagent cytotoxic...
I am writing this from the hospital waiting room. My father is undergoing an 11-hour surgery to remove his parotid gland and a squamous cell carcinoma that has metastasized from his cheek and invaded his facial nerve. Several weeks ago, when the PA’s fingers moved over the mass visibly protruding...
Long-term follow-up of the oral selective RET inhibitor pralsetinib in patients with advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and a RET fusion confirms its efficacy and safety, according to final findings from the phase I/II ARROW trial published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. “Before...
In a single-center phase II trial conducted in China and reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Liu et al found that fullerene cream was superior to trolamine cream in reducing the risk of acute radiation dermatitis (ARD) in patients receiving definitive or adjuvant radiation therapy (RT)...
Excluding skin cancers, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in both men and women in the United States. According to the American Cancer Society, in 2025, about 154,270 individuals were diagnosed with colorectal cancer, and approximately 53,000 individuals died from the...
An artificial intelligence (AI) multiagent system demonstrated correct and complete reasoning in determining the use of immunotherapy for patients with non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in the first-line setting, according to findings presented during the first European Society for Medical...
Research has uncovered that an increase in organ size from hyperplasia due to increased weight may increase the risk for several obesity-related cancers, according to findings published in Cancer Research. “People have long been told that obesity increases cancer risk, but they are rarely told...
On October 1, 2025, Benjamin L. Ebert, MD, PhD, celebrated the 1-year anniversary of being named President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. He also holds the titles of Director of Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center, the Richard and Susan Smith Professor of ...
Two papers published in Nature reveal long-disregarded functions of the thymus in adulthood, showing that the overall health of the organ impacts aging and risks for cardiovascular disease and cancer, as well as affecting response to immunotherapy in patients with cancer. “The thymus has been...
Romiplostim was beneficial in treating chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia, according to findings from the global phase III RECITE trial published in The New England Journal of Medicine. “This work has been nearly a decade in the making, and it is so important because there are no available...
A new study has found that patients with prostate cancer and low testosterone levels may have a higher risk of their cancer progressing to a more aggressive form while under active surveillance. The findings, published by Lawen et al in the The Journal of Urology, suggest that baseline testosterone ...
Researchers have found that using a form of radiation therapy that targets individual tumors rather than whole-brain radiation is more optimal for patients with brain metastases, even if a larger number of tumors are present. These findings could help improve quality of life and cognitive function...
Microplastics and nanoplastics were identified in samples from 9 out of 10 patients with prostate cancer, with greater levels of these small plastic fragments inside tumors than in nearby normal tissue, according to findings from a small pilot study that will be presented at the upcoming 2026 ASCO...
U.S. counties located closer to operational nuclear power plants (NPPs) have higher rates of cancer mortality than those located farther away, according to a new study published by Alwadi et al in Nature Communications. The study is the first of the 21st century to analyze proximity to NPPs and...
The bispecific antibody odronextamab plus standard CHOP (cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin, prednisone) chemotherapy yielded robust and durable responses in treatment-naive patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), based on the first results of the phase III OLYMPIA-3 study...
Treatment with a single injection of an oncolytic virus induces persistent T cell–mediated immunity in glioblastoma, according to findings from a trial published in Cell. “Patients with glioblastoma have not benefited from immunotherapies that have transformed patient care in other cancer types...
As reported in JAMA Network Open by Awan et al, both histopathologic and demographic factors show distinct time-dependent associations with colorectal adenoma recurrence in postpolypectomy surveillance. In this retrospective cohort study, high-grade dysplasia demonstrated the strongest association...
Exposure to Agent Orange in U.S. veterans was associated with an increased odds of developing acral melanoma compared with controls with and without cutaneous melanoma, according to findings published in JAMA Dermatology. The study authors suggested that there is a need for continued investigation ...
Almost 40% of all new cancer cases could be attributed to at least one of 30 modifiable risk factors, according to a new global analysis from the World Health Organization (WHO) and its International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). The analysis of preventable cancers was published in Nature...
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is the most common form of pancreatic cancer, and is most often diagnosed at advanced, unresectable stages, when 5-year survival is just 3%. The results from two retrospective phase II studies investigating blood biomarkers to detect early-stage pancreatic ductal...
An artificial intelligence (AI)-based risk prediction model, ONCO-ACS, showed possible favorable clinical utility as a practical tool for predicting cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, and ischemic stroke events in patients with cancer and acute coronary syndrome, according to findings...
A scoping review of cachexia, sarcopenia, and malnutrition in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer undergoing chemoradiotherapy revealed that women who lost at least 10% muscle mass during treatment had a six times higher mortality rate, regardless of their weight at the start of...
A national clinical trial led by the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology has found that the CDK 4/6 inhibitor abemaciclib may slow tumor growth in patients with aggressive meningiomas that have specific genetic mutations. The primary analysis of Alliance A071401 was published by Priscilla...
A research team has discovered that a particular marker on circulating tumor cells (CTCs) may indicate whether a patient with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) will experience a lasting response to tarlatamab-dlle, a newly approved immunotherapy. The findings, which were published by Mishra in Cancer...
In an observational cohort study published in JAMA Network Open, Bodelon et al examined whether inherited susceptibility to excess body weight influences long-term survival among breast cancer survivors. Using a polygenic score for body mass index (BMI), the investigators sought to determine...
Rates of multiple myeloma, the second most common blood cancer in the United States, are increasing and are twice as high in men than in women. A new study published by Ong et al in the journal Cancer provides insights that may help to explain this disparity. To investigate the sex difference in...
Greater levels of physical activity in the first 2 years after a colorectal cancer diagnosis were associated with reduced cancer-related fatigue and improved quality of life in patients with nonmetastatic disease, according to findings from a prospective, multicenter, longitudinal analysis from a...
Excluding skin cancers, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in both men and women in the United States. According to the American Cancer Society, in 2025, about 154,270 individuals were diagnosed with colorectal cancer, and approximately 53,000 individuals died from the...
Prediction of the number of lymph nodes with extranodal extension in patients with oropharyngeal carcinoma through a deep learning imaging platform for autosegmentation may help to guide pretreatment patient risk stratification and treatment decision-making, according to the results of a multisite, ...
Researchers have published valuable information about a rare but serious complication of cancer immunotherapy, providing the first large-scale description of its risk factors and clinical course and underscoring the importance of early diagnosis and treatment. The findings were published by Leaf et ...
I was diagnosed with stage IV non-small cell lung (NSCLC) adenocarcinoma on August 1, 2013—World Lung Cancer Day. If it hadn’t been for an article that caught my eye the year before about the recommendation from the United States Preventive Services Task Force that all men aged 65 to 75 who have...
The combination of azacitidine and venetoclax led to improved efficacy outcomes with fewer complications than standard intensive induction chemotherapy as upfront treatment for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), according to trial findings presented at the 2025 American Society of...
Based on the results of a population-based cohort study published in Annals of Family Medicine by Wang et al, high dietary glycemic index is linked to increased risks of lung cancer, non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and small cell lung cancer (SCLC), whereas glycemic load is inversely associated ...
Until 3 years ago, cancer was so utterly frightening to me that I avoided discussing the disease or even mentioning the word as much as possible. I sympathized with a friend when she was diagnosed with lung cancer, but I never expected to be in her position. I’m a never-smoker, and except for a...
Mild dilation of the main pancreatic duct without an apparent obstructing mass may be an independent risk factor for neoplastic progression to pancreatic cancer in high-risk individuals, according to findings from an analysis published in Gastro Hep Advances. “We are identifying pancreas duct...
Supervised aerobic and resistance exercise can improve the physical performance and strength of patients living with metastatic breast cancer, according to new data from the PREFERABLE-EFFECT study that was presented by Anne May, PhD, during the Advanced Breast Cancer Eighth International Consensus ...
In the United States, the incarcerated population is aging. About 15% of incarcerated adults, or approximately 175,000 people, are now 55 years or older. As the incarcerated population ages, cancer has become one of the greatest threats to their health. And despite the growing prevalence, cancer...
There is a perception among many scientists that scientific fraud is a rare occurrence, resulting from the actions of a few isolated bad actors. However, an extensive investigation by Reese A.K. Richardson, PhD, postdoctoral fellow at the Center for Science of Science and Innovation, Kellogg School ...
In early 2023, I began experiencing serious symptoms that were not easily explained away, including deep vein thrombosis in my left leg, extreme weight loss, bruising, wheezing, and shortness of breath so severe that it was difficult to walk my dog more than a few feet without gasping for air. For...
New research being presented during the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2025 showed that thymic health is linked to response to immune checkpoint inhibition in patients with cancer (Abstract 108O). “Immunotherapy relies on unleashing T cells, and the thymus is where T cells...
The European Hematology Association (EHA) has published two new sets of clinical practice guidelines, including its first dedicated guidelines for large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL), which was published in HemaSphere, as well as an updated set of guidelines in collaboration with the European Myeloma...
The ASCO Post’s Integrative Oncology series is intended to facilitate the availability of evidence-based information on integrative and complementary therapies sometimes used by patients with cancer. In this installment, Yen Nien (Jason) Hou, PharmD, DiplOM, LAc, and Jyothirmai Gubili, MS, focus...
Research published in Cancer revealed that inflammatory responses may be tied to cancer-related fatigue and certain inflammatory activities may lead to distinct dimensions of fatigue in women with early-stage breast cancer. “Our findings indicate that inflammation plays a role in some aspects of...
The 15th edition of the annual AACR Cancer Progress Report presents a mixed picture of the major advances in cancer care over the past year, including the approval of 20 new anticancer drugs, juxtaposed against the continuing rise in early-onset cancers and disparities in care as well as the...
The results of a retrospective cohort study published in JAMA Network Open revealed an association between having a history of moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) and the risk of developing malignant brain tumors in adult civilians from the United States. Marini et al confirmed the...
According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), human papillomavirus (HPV)–associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) is the most common type of HPV-related malignancy in the United States. In 2025, ACS estimates there will be 59,660 diagnoses of mouth and throat cancers, and about...
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...
Research has shown that pain is among the most commonly experienced and feared aspects of a cancer diagnosis.1 It’s easy to understand why. In fact, cancer-related pain is so ubiquitous, between 20% and 50% of patients with early-stage cancer will experience pain,2 and up to 90% of patients with...
The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) selected 43 members to receive the ASTRO Fellow (FASTRO) designation this year. This prestigious honor recognizes ASTRO members’ outstanding achievements and contributions to the Society, cancer research, education, patient care, and the...