Catharine Young, PhD, has spent the past decade of her career focused on cancer policy and advocacy. A native of Johannesburg, South Africa, Dr. Young served as Senior Director of Science Policy at the Biden Cancer Initiative, which began in 2017 by then former Vice President Joe Biden. There she...
A common type of diabetes drug known as sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors could help patients with cancer achieve greater long-term recovery, according to a novel study published by Bhalraam et al in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. Background Many patients with cancer ...
An innovative combination of treatment strategies involving myeloid cell leukemia (MCL)-1 inhibitors and a kinase inhibitor targeting the SRC oncogene could be effective at triggering cell death in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells, according to a recent study published by Hu et al in Signal...
In a multicohort phase Ib study (COSMIC-021) reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Sumanta K. Pal, MD, FASCO, and colleagues identified the activity of cabozantinib plus atezolizumab in a cohort of patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma according to first-line...
Digital technology may help to safely reduce the amount of time some patients with cancer spend receiving care—also referred to as “time toxicity”—according to a recent study published by Bange et al in NEJM Catalyst. Background Patients with cancer often spend a large amount of time on activities...
The Annual Meeting of the International Society of Geriatric Oncology (SIOG) was held from October 17–19, 2024, in Montreal. The conference theme was “Promoting Equity and Enhancing Optimal Care Delivery.” The conference chairs were Shabbir Alibhai, MD, MSc, FRCPC, and Martine Puts, RN, PhD, FAAN,...
Immune checkpoint inhibitors may be ineffective among patients hospitalized with cancer, according to a recent study published by Riaz et al in JCO Oncology Practice. Background Immune checkpoint inhibitors have transformed treatment for many cancer types but are often restricted for inpatient use...
The interference of gut bacteria could explain the ineffectiveness of immune checkpoint therapy in some patients with ovarian cancer, according to a recent study published by McGinty et al in Cancer Immunology Research. Background There are over 10,000 ovarian cancer–related deaths in the United...
Long-term yogurt intake may protect against the development of colorectal cancer through changes in the gut microbiome, according to a recent study published by Ugai et al in Gut Microbes. Background Yogurt—which contains live strains of bacteria—is thought to protect against many types of...
The BRAF inhibitor encorafenib plus the monoclonal antibody cetuximab combined with mFOLFOX (modified folinic acid, fluorouracil, and oxaliplatin) significantly improved overall response in BRAF V600E–mutant metastatic colorectal cancer, according to data presented at the 2025 ASCO Gastrointestinal ...
Although there’s no history of breast cancer in my family, when I was 10, my pediatrician introduced me to breast self-exams, so I would become familiar with my breasts and learn to spot any unusual changes as I got older. I remember her telling me this was an especially important exercise to do...
Kenneth H. Cowan, MD, PhD, served for 24 years as Director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated cancer center at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), now called the Nebraska Medicine Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center in Omaha. Dr. Cowan died on December 15, 2024, at ...
Although national guidelines, including ASCO’s palliative care guideline,1 call for the early integration of palliative and oncology care for patients with advanced cancer, only 36% of those with a very poor prognosis and 18% of those with a poor prognosis receive palliative care services.2 The...
The World Health Organization (WHO) and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital have begun distributing critical cancer drugs to pediatric patients in two of six pilot countries through the new Global Platform for Access to Childhood Cancer Medicines. Background Every year, about 400,000 children...
ASCO has updated its guidelines on the role of neoadjuvant chemotherapy for patients newly diagnosed with advanced ovarian cancer, underscoring key considerations in selecting patients for treatment and where to go from there.1 Since ASCO’s previous guidelines were published in 2016, there has been ...
The BRAF inhibitor encorafenib plus the monoclonal antibody cetuximab combined with mFOLFOX (modified folinic acid, fluorouracil, and oxaliplatin) significantly improved overall response in BRAF V600E–mutant metastatic colorectal cancer, according to data presented at the 2025 ASCO Gastrointestinal ...
An immunotherapy combination for advanced, highly mutated colorectal cancer has significantly delayed disease progression vs single-agent therapy, according to data presented at the 2025 ASCO Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium.1 The phase III CheckMate 8HW trial compared the PD-1 inhibitor...
Investigators may have uncovered notable pharmacokinetic differences between male and female patients in at least 14 anticancer drugs, according to a recent study published by Delahousse et al in ESMO Open. Background Many cancer drugs have a narrow therapeutic window. As a result, slight...
A record-breaking number of abstracts were submitted for the 2024 American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting & Exposition, and nearly 8,000 were accepted. The ASCO Post strives to provide in-depth coverage of those with the greatest impact. Here, we offer snapshots of others of...
Investigators have found that although fewer patients may be diagnosed with and dying from cancer in Appalachia, cancer incidence and mortality rates remain substantially higher compared with elsewhere in the United States, according to a recent study published by Burus et al in the Journal of the...
A retrospective study provides new evidence that thyroid cancer continues to be overdiagnosed and that aggressive screening and treatment of thyroid cancer has not led to higher survival rates. The research was published by Chen et al in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology. “Many studies have...
Although artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted radiotherapy may help physicians make more informed decisions when treating patients with cancer, there may be challenges in how physicians work with the technology, according to a recent study published by Niraula et al in Nature Communications. Study ...
Researchers have provided novel insights into the effects of radiation on the immune cells surrounding breast cancer tumors, according to a recent study published by Yoneyama et al in the International Journal of Radiation Oncology • Biology • Physics. The findings revealed that the relationship...
Fallopian tube removal performed during other abdominal surgeries could reduce the risk of ovarian cancer incidence among women who have already completed their families, according to a recent study published by Kather et al in PLOS Medicine. Background Ovarian cancer is the third most common...
Researchers have uncovered new heredity genes that may contribute to an increased risk of developing high-grade serous ovarian cancer, according to a recent study published by Subramanian et al in npj Genomic Medicine. Background High-grade serous ovarian cancer is one of the most prevalent and...
Oral fecal microbiota transplantation may be a feasible and safe option to prevent graft-vs-host disease in patients with hematologic malignancies undergoing allogeneic stem cell transplant (ASCT), according to a recent report published by Reddi et al in Nature Communications. The findings built on ...
The oral MDM2 inhibitor navtemadlin is the first single agent to demonstrate significant efficacy in JAK (Janus kinase) inhibitor–refractory myelofibrosis, achieving improvements in spleen volume, symptoms, and biomarkers, according to data presented at the 2024 American Society of Hematology (ASH) ...
Guest Editor’s Note: With growing evidence indicating that regular physical activity helps control cancer symptoms, oncology guidelines recommend exercise before, during, and after cancer treatment. Observational data also demonstrate a promising association between physical activity and favorable...
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a proposed rule that, if finalized, would make cigarettes and certain other combusted tobacco products minimally or nonaddictive by limiting the level of nicotine in those products. If the rule is finalized, the United States would be the first...
A new study examining the use of high-cost drugs among patients with colorectal cancer and non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) found those insured through Medicare Advantage received less expensive cancer drugs compared to others on traditional Medicare. The findings were published by Bradley et al...
Researchers have demonstrated that a novel artificial intelligence (AI)-based platform could aid physicians and patients in assessing the benefit from a particular therapy being tested in a clinical trial, according to a recent study published by Orcutt et al in Nature Medicine. The AI platform may ...
A team of scientists from the United Kingdom and the United States has discovered that the activity of macrophages may prove to be useful in predicting whether or not a patient with melanoma will respond to immunotherapy. Their findings, published in JCO Oncology Advances, may help clinicians to...
The drug glucarpidase could serve as an antidote to kidney toxicity in patients receiving the chemotherapy agent methotrexate, according to a recent study published by Gupta et al in Blood. Background As a result of its ability to penetrate the blood-brain barrier, methotrexate is one of the most...
Patients with early-onset breast cancer (aged 40 or younger at diagnosis) who have BRCA1 and/or BRCA2 pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants had improved overall survival by undergoing risk-reducing surgeries, including bilateral mastectomy and/or salpingo-oophorectomy, according to data...
According to research reported at the 2024 American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting & Exposition, a link seems to exist between hematologic malignancies and dietary components. The speakers said their studies may ultimately lead to dietary interventions that could alter the course of ...
Researchers have examined whether a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-first approach is safe for prostate cancer detection over the long term, according to a recent study published by Hamm et al in JAMA Oncology. Background Several strategies may be deployed for the early detection of prostate...
At the 2024 American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting & Exposition (Abstract 883), Alexey Danilov, MD, PhD, of the Department of Hematology & Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation at City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California, reported that single-agent epcoritamab led...
Researchers have received a $3.5 million grant from the National Cancer Institute to examine the impact of social networks on the decision-making process among older patients with cancer. Background Many individuals have social networks, which includes those who offer a connection and have similar...
In a cohort of a phase II study (BYLieve) reported in The Lancet Oncology, Rugo et al found that the PI3Kα inhibitor alpelisib plus the hormone therapy fulvestrant showed activity in patients with PIK3CA-mutated, hormone receptor–positive, HER2-negative advanced breast cancer after disease...
Researchers may have discovered a factor contributing to cancer cell evasion of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, according to a recent study published by Chen et al in Cell. The findings could lead to more personalized therapies that improve survival among patients with cancer....
A machine-learning model incorporating both clinical and genomic factors outperformed models based solely on either clinical or genomic data alone in predicting which patients with hormone receptor (HR)-positive, HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer would have better outcomes from adding CDK4/6...
Over 40 years ago, I lost my dear sister, Gale, to cancer. She left behind a beautiful 4-year-old daughter and a grieving family. Driven by this profound loss, I was determined to ensure that no other family would face that same heartbreak. That resoluteness led to the founding of Friends of...
Consuming a high-fiber diet after undergoing stem cell transplantation may help to reduce the risk of graft-vs-host disease (GVHD) by cultivating a healthy gut microbiome, according to research presented by Paredes et al at the 2024 American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting &...
Jenny Paredes, PhD, of City of Hope National Medical Center, discusses a study investigating the effects of dietary fiber on acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT). The researchers evaluated a preclinical mouse model of GVHD with...
A bacterial toxin may accelerate the spread of colorectal cancer to other parts of the body, according to a recent study published by He et al in Cell Host & Microbiome. The findings could pave the way for novel tools to detect metastatic colorectal cancer early and determine which patients may ...
The antibody loncastuximab tesirine may offer a benefit in patients with high-risk follicular lymphoma and marginal zone lymphoma, according to the findings of two clinical trials presented by Alderuccio et al and Lossos et al at the 2024 American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting &...
Intense pain on the right side of my lower rib cage, in 2020, sent me first to my chiropractor for relief and then to my primary care provider for tests. Because of the location of the pain, the chiropractor thought I might be having a gallbladder attack, but the results from a urine test showed a ...
Guest Editor’s Note: The Society for Integrative Oncology (SIO) held its 21st International Conference in Costa Mesa, California. The conference theme was “Full Circle Translational Integrative Oncology: From Bedside to Bench and Back.” The Southern California vibe fostered collegiality and...
The soaring number of cancer survivors since the National Cancer Act of 1971 was enacted into law provides a snapshot of the profound progress made against cancer over the past half-century: 3 million survivors in the 1970s,1 compared to more than 18 million today, and that number is expected to...
In the phase III IMROZ trial, the addition of the anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody isatuximab-irfc to bortezomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone (VRd) was more effective than VRd alone as initial therapy in patients ≤ 80 years with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma ineligible for transplant,...