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Showing 10201 - 10250Site of Tumor Impacts Survival and Choice of Treatment in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
In metastatic colorectal cancer, the anatomic location of the tumor within the colon appears to make a difference in overall survival as well as response to pivotal treatments, according to a retrospective analysis of the pivotal CALGB/SWOG 80405 (Alliance) trial.1 “While previous studies had...
Liquid Biopsy–Based Test Appears Comparable to Standard Tissue Testing in Detecting BRAF V600 Mutations
Cell-free (cf) DNA from plasma offers a minimally invasive approach to obtain material for BRAF mutation analysis for diagnostics and response monitoring. A study by Janku et al investigating whether the detection of BRAF V600 mutations in plasma cfDNA from patients with advanced cancers using the...
French Trial Shows Benefit of Adding Short-Term Hormone Therapy to Salvage Radiotherapy for Rising PSA After Prostatectomy
In the phase III GETUG-AFU 16 trial reported in The Lancet Oncology, Carrie et al found that adding short-term androgen suppression therapy to salvage radiotherapy was associated with improved biochemical or clinical progression-free survival among patients with prostate cancer who exhibited rising ...
Characterization of Molecular Differences in Cancer Between Male and Female Patients
It is well known that men and women differ in terms of cancer susceptibility, survival, and mortality, but exactly why this occurs at a molecular level has been poorly understood. A study at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center reviewed 13 cancer types and provided a molecular...
Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Affects Breast Cancer Chemotherapy Initiation
Women with early-stage breast cancer for whom chemotherapy was indicated and who used dietary supplements and multiple types of complementary and alternative medicine were less likely to start chemotherapy than nonusers of alternative therapies, according to research led by Heather Greenlee, ND,...
T-Cell Bim Levels May Reflect Responses to Anti–PD-1 Cancer Therapy
A protein called Bim may hold the clue to which patients may be successful on immunotherapy for metastatic melanoma, according to the results of a study by Mayo Clinic researchers led by senior author Haidong Dong, MD, PhD, and published by Dronca et al in JCI Insight. “Immune checkpoint...
ASCO 2016: Autologous Stem Cell Transplant Remains Relevant in Multiple Myeloma, Even in Era of Novel Agents
Early findings from a phase III clinical trial (EMN02/HO95 MM) showed that patients with multiple myeloma who received an autologous stem cell transplant survived longer without disease progression than those who received only chemotherapy using novel agents. This is the largest study reported to...
ASCO 2016: Precision Medicine Yields Better Outcomes for Patients in Phase I Clinical Trials
A meta-analysis of 346 phase I clinical trials involving more than 13,000 patients found that patients whose treatment was selected based on the molecular characteristics of their tumor had significantly better outcomes. The study was featured in a press briefing today and will be presented by...
ASCO 2016: Early Palliative Care Provides Benefits for Family Caregivers of Patients With Cancer
A randomized clinical trial found that introducing palliative care shortly after a cancer diagnosis results in better quality of life and fewer symptoms of depression among family caregivers. According to the authors, the study is the first to show that early palliative care alone for a...
ASCO 2016: PD-1 Inhibitor Pembrolizumab Provides Long-Term Survival Benefit for Patients With Advanced Melanoma in KEYNOTE-001
Long-term follow-up from a phase Ib trial (KEYNOTE-001) in newly diagnosed and previously treated patients with advanced melanoma showed that 40% of patients were alive 3 years after starting the programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) inhibitor pembrolizumab (Keytruda), with similar 36-month...
ASCO 2016: Left- vs Right-Sided Primary Tumor Location Predicts Survival in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
For a longer-form examination of these data, click here. A retrospective analysis from a large, federally funded clinical trial finds that the location of the primary tumor within the colon predicts survival and may help inform optimal treatment selection for patients with metastatic colorectal...
AATS 2016: Stage IIIA NSCLC Survival Rates Improved When Care Included Four Specific Quality Measures
Current guidelines from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) and American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) recommend that operable patients with clinical stage IIIA non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) should receive induction chemotherapy (with or without concurrent radiotherapy) ...
ATS 2016: Untreated Severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea Associated With Increased Aggressiveness of Cutaneous Melanoma
Untreated severe obstructive sleep apnea is associated with increased aggressiveness of malignant cutaneous melanoma, according a multicenter, prospective study. The new study, which involved researchers from 24 teaching hospitals that are part of the Spanish Sleep and Breathing Network, was...
Addition of Ixazomib to Lenalidomide/Dexamethasone Improves Progression-Free Survival in Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma
Moreau et al found that adding the oral proteasome inhibitor ixazomib (Ninlaro) to lenalidomide (Revlimid) and dexamethasone significantly prolonged progression-free survival among patients with relapsed, refractory, or relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma. They reported the findings from the...
American Cancer Society Report Assesses Progress Against Goals Set for Nation 25 Years Ago
A new report assesses how the nation fared against the ambitious goal set by the American Cancer Society (ACS) to reduce cancer death rates by 50% over 25 years ending in 2015. The report finds areas where progress was substantial, and others where it was not. Published by Byers et al in CA: A ...
FDA Grants Selumetinib Orphan Drug Designation for Adjuvant Treatment of Differentiated Thyroid Cancer
AstraZeneca announced on May 12 that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Orphan Drug designation for the investigational MEK 1/2 inhibitor selumetinib (AZD6244, ARRY-142886) for adjuvant treatment of patients with stage III or IV differentiated thyroid cancer. Differentiated...
AUA 2016: IsoPSA, a Novel, Structure-Based Biomarker Test for Prostate Cancer, Explored in a Multicenter Prospective Trial
A promising new test is detecting prostate cancer more precisely than current tests by identifying molecular changes in the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) protein, according to Cleveland Clinic research presented at the 111th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Urological Association (AUA)...
Women With Breast Cancer Who Are Knowledgeable About Their Tumor Characteristics Are More Likely to Receive Guideline-Recommended Treatment
Women with breast cancer who know the characteristics of their tumor are more likely to receive the treatment recommended for their type of cancer, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute investigators reported in a new study. The study, published by Freedman et al in the Journal of Oncology Practice, is...
AUA 2016: Relationship Between Testosterone Therapy and Prostate Cancer Explored
Men with low levels of the male sex hormone testosterone need not fear that testosterone replacement therapy will increase their risk of prostate cancer. This is the finding of an analysis of more than a quarter-million medical records of mostly white men in Sweden, research led by investigators at ...
Hormone Combination Therapy May Increase Risk of Breast Cancer in African American Women
The use of combination therapy with estrogen plus progestin, previously shown to be associated with an increased incidence of estrogen receptor–positive breast cancer in postmenopausal women in studies based largely on white women, has been shown to increase estrogen receptor–positive breast cancer ...
Some Diagnostic Variability in Interpreting Breast Biopsy Slides
Pathologists disagree about 8% of the time when interpreting a single breast biopsy slide, with more overinterpretation than underinterpretation in discordant cases, according to an analysis combining results from the B-Path (Breast Pathology) study with data on the prevalence of breast cancer...
Improved Survival With Shorter Delays Between Diagnosis and Surgery and Before Initiating Adjuvant Chemotherapy
The survival benefits of reducing the time to surgery following a diagnosis of breast cancer and the time to initiation of adjuvant chemotherapy following surgery were outlined in two articles and an accompanying editorial in JAMA Oncology. Analyzing two independent population-based studies with a...
Corporate Angel Network’s 50,000th Patient Flight Benefits Young Retinoblastoma Patient
On April 14, 2016, an 18-month-old patient with cancer named Baron Yerby flew home to Atlanta after receiving treatment at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. However, instead of flying on a crowded commercial plane with the potential for immune deficiency issues, he and his parents flew on a...
Cancer Stole My Identity
In 1997, just 6 weeks after giving birth to my second child, I started having fevers and night sweats and my lymph nodes were swollen. I’m a physician, so I knew something was wrong and that my symptoms were unrelated to having just given birth. I had a blood test, and a biopsy was performed on one ...
The Parker Foundation Launches the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy With a $250 Million Grant
On April 13, The Parker Foundation announced a $250 million grant to launch the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, a collaboration between scientists, clinicians, and industry partners to lead an unprecedented cancer immunotherapy research effort. The gift is the largest single contribution ...
‘So How Long Do I Have?’
Imagine accidentally falling off an abyss. One simply cannot fully understand the gravity of the situation! You might skip a beat thinking about it while sitting in a chair in your living room, if you have tons of empathy, as you try to get into the shoes that are flailing for survival. But there...
A History of Medical Care for the Dying
In 2006, palliative care became a board-certified subspecialty of internal medicine, with specialized fellowships for physicians interested in the field. Despite its formal integration into best practices medical care, about 70% of Americans describe themselves as “not at all knowledgeable” about ...
Inspirational Stories for Cancer Survivors
Surveys indicate that cancer survivors have varying desires regarding the kind of support they want. Some patients find support groups very helpful as they deal with the host of issues in survivorship. Others want to distance themselves from the “world of cancer.” Studies also show that...
FDA Launches First Campaign Focused on Dangers of Smokeless Tobacco Among Rural Teens
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced it is expanding its award-winning “The Real Cost” campaign to educate rural white male teenagers about the negative health consequences associated with smokeless tobacco use. For the first time, messages on the dangers of smokeless tobacco...
Breakthrough Therapy Efforts Result in Unprecedented Success
Friends of Cancer Research (Friends) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have been working together for many years on an idea known as breakthrough therapy, and it has produced results beyond anyone’s hopes. Said Ellen Sigal, PhD, Friends Chair and Founder, “When we were first talking...
Clinical Trials Actively Recruiting Patients With Ewing Sarcoma
Phase I Study Title: A Phase I Study to Examine the Toxicity of Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation for Relapsed or Therapy-Refractory Ewing Sarcoma Study Type: Interventional/nonrandomized/single-group assignment Study Sponsor and Collaborators: University of Louisville Purpose: To examine the...
Expert Point of View: Julie Margenthaler, MD and Mahmoud El-Tamer, MD
Press briefing moderator Julie Margenthaler, MD, of Washington University Siteman Cancer Center, St. Louis, who is Communications Committee Chair for the American Society of Breast Surgeons, agreed that surveillance would be acceptable only within a clinical trial, and one is underway now....
Sheldon M. Feldman, MD, Named President of ASBrS
Sheldon M. Feldman, MD, was named President of the American Society of Breast Surgeons (ASBrS) at the organization’s 2016 Annual Meeting in Dallas, Texas. Dr. Feldman is the Chief of Breast Surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center and the Vivian L. Milstein Associate...
Redesigned ASCO.org Launches With Improved Usability
ASCO launched a new and improved website in early April, with a focus on improving the user experience. The Society’s redesigned online home makes it easier than ever for members and visitors to find the oncology-related information and resources they trust and value. The site’s redesign is the...
AUA 2016: Adjuvant Chemotherapy After Radical Prostatectomy May Benefit Men at High Risk for Relapse
Not all men with prostate cancer benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy after radical prostatectomy; however, African American men and men with a higher tumor stage may, according to a new U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) study (Abstract PI LBA 06) featured at the 111th Annual Scientific...
Defibrotide Sodium for Hepatic Veno-occlusive Disease After HSCT
In the Clinic provides overviews of novel oncology agents, addressing indications, mechanisms, administration recommendations, safety profiles, and other essential information needed for the appropriate clinical use of these drugs. On March 30, 2016, defibrotide sodium (Defitelio) was approved for...
Shedding Light on a Cornucopia of Breast Tumor Biomarker Assays
As our understanding of the complexities of breast cancer expands, so does our treatment armamentarium—and along with it the range of factors that must be included in our treatment decisions. Gone is the simple algorithm of adjuvant chemotherapy for almost every patient with a ≥ 2-cm tumor, except...
ASCO Guideline on Use of Biomarkers to Guide Decisions on Adjuvant Systemic Therapy in Early-Stage Invasive Breast Cancer
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Lyndsay N. Harris, MD, and colleagues,1 ASCO has released a clinical practice guideline on the use of biomarkers in addition to estrogen receptor/progesterone receptor and HER2 status to guide decisions on adjuvant systemic therapy in women with...
Moving Forward in Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer: The TERRAIN and STRIVE Studies
It was over 2 decades ago that my colleagues and I reported in The New England Journal of Medicine that a first-generation oral antiandrogen, flutamide, when added to a luteinizing hormone–releasing hormone (LHRH) agonist, improved survival by nearly 6 months compared to an LHRH agonist alone in...
Breaking Down Dogma With the Outgoing President of SGO
At the 2016 Society of Gynecologic Oncology (SGO) Annual Meeting on Women’s Cancer, The ASCO Post sat down with the SGO’s outgoing President, Robert L. Coleman, MD, and discussed the revolutionary potential of blood biomarkers, why enhanced recovery after surgery protocols is a significant...
Roundup of Ovarian Cancer Abstracts From 2016 SGO Annual Meeting on Women’s Cancer
At the 2016 Society of Gynecologic Oncology’s (SOG’s) Annual Meeting on Women’s Cancer, Thomas J. Herzog, MD, Clinical Director, University of Cincinnati (UC) Cancer Institute and Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at UC College of Medicine, provided commentary on several noteworthy ovarian...
Expert Point of View: Gini Fleming, MD
In the discussion session, Gini Fleming, MD, Professor of Medicine and Director of the Gynecologic Oncology and Medical Oncology Breast Program at the University of Chicago Medical Center, analyzed the three previous, large trials on which the presumed benefits of intraperitoneal therapy in women...
Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy in Question in Ovarian Cancers
A phase III trial of bevacizumab (Avastin) with intravenous vs intraperitoneal chemotherapy showed no improvement in progression-free survival for first-line treatment of patients with optimally surgically resected stage II and III ovarian, peritoneal, or fallopian tube cancer.1 When compared with...
Expert Point of View: Harold Burstein, MD, PhD
Invited discussant Harold Burstein, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and a medical oncologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Boston, called MINDACT “a heroic effort” whose results show that combining stage, pathology, and...
First Results From MINDACT Confirm the Benefit of Genomic Profiling
The primary analysis of the MINDACT trial confirms the value of genomic profiling for patients with early breast cancer with zero to three positive lymph nodes, according to MINDACT investigators and breast cancer specialists who heard the results at the 2016 American Association of Cancer Research ...
Expert Point of View: Mark Pegram, MD & Martine Piccart, MD, PhD
Formal discussant of the ado-trastuzumab emtansine plus pertuzumab trial, Mark Pegram, MD, Director of the Breast Cancer Program at Stanford Women’s Cancer Center and Co-Director of Stanford’s Molecular Therapeutics Program, Stanford, California, said that I-SPY 2 has several strengths. They...
Expert Point of View: Lillian L. Siu, MD, FASCO
“This is an important study,” said formal discussant Lillian L. Siu, MD, FASCO, Professor, University of Toronto Cancer Care Ontario Research Chair and medical oncologist at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre Drug Development Program in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. “No new drugs have been approved by the ...
Nivolumab: New Standard of Care for Progressive Head and Neck Cancer After Platinum Therapy
Squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck that progresses after platinum-based therapy has a dismal prognosis, and there is no effective standard of care. No treatment has improved survival for this patient population, but that may be about to change. Nivolumab (Opdivo), an anti–PD-1 (programmed ...
Dethroning the Emperor of All Maladies
Deep knowledge of immunology, cancer biology, and disruptive technology in computational science and molecular profiling has positioned us to dethrone the emperor of all maladies. The cancer research community is prepared to fulfill President Barack Obama’s call for a national cancer moonshot aimed ...
Using Telemedicine to Reduce Wait Times for Veterans
John Farrow, a 67-year-old Vietnam veteran, had not been able to sleep for days. A week ago, his primary care doctor at his local outpatient Veterans Administration (VA) clinic told him that his prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood level was rapidly increasing, and his prostate was abnormal on...
