THE SOLOMON CENTER for Health Law and Policy at Yale Law School, in collaboration with Smilow Cancer Hospital and Yale Cancer Center, New Haven, hosted a major interdisciplinary conference addressing topics at the cutting edge of cancer policy. The 2-day program took place on February 8–9,...
WAFIK S. EL-DEIRY, MD, PhD, FACP, Deputy Cancer Center Director for Translational Research, and Co-Leader of the Molecular Therapeutics Program at Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, shared his thoughts on these findings with The ASCO Post. In essence, Dr. El-Deiry suggested the comparison does ...
AN INVESTIGATIONAL TOOL called ColotypeR classifies colon cancers by molecular subtype and creates a subtype-specific risk of recurrence, according to research. Developers of the tool say it will be able to guide treatment decisions. Colon cancer is highly heterogeneous in prognosis and response to ...
RESULTS OF a new study suggest that expression of endogenous retroviruses may be associated with activation of immune checkpoint pathways in renal cell cancer.1 According to data presented at the 2018 ASCO-SITC Clinical Immuno-Oncology Symposium, abnormal expression of endogenous retroviruses may...
DISCUSSANT FOR THIS abstract, Deborah J.L. Wong, MD, PhD, of the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, highlighted the preclinical rationale, as well as in vitro and in vivo data, supporting the potential benefit of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors in...
IN A PHASE I trial of patients with advanced solid tumors, the combination of pamiparib (BGB-290), a selective poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor, and tislelizumab (BGB-A317), an agent targeting the programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) receptor, was well tolerated while demonstrating...
LISOCABTAGENE MARALEUCEL (Liso-cel; JCAR017), a CD19-directed chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy with defined composition, has shown “potent and durable” responses in poor-prognosis patients with relapsed or refractory aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in a phase I trial.1 According ...
PHILIP KANTOFF, MD, of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, was the formal discussant of both trials. “At first glance, these are two positive trials,” Dr. Kantoff said. Although he praised the results, he said that overall survival is the best demonstration of clinical benefit, and ...
IN TWO SEPARATE TRIALS presented at the 2018 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium, apalutamide and enzalutamide (Xtandi), respectively, reduced the risk of metastasis and prolonged metastasis-free survival in men with high-risk nonmetastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer. In the SPARTAN trial,1,2...
ON OCTOBER 17, 2017, Norman E. Sharpless, MD, became the 15th Director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), succeeding Harold E. Varmus, MD, who stepped down as Director of the agency in March 2015, and replacing Douglas R. Lowy, MD, who had served as Acting Director for 2 years. The...
ASCO EXPERT Sumanta K. Pal, MD, of City of Hope, Duarte, California, commented, “IMmotion 151 is a positive trial and represents an important breakthrough. We have debated combination treatment strategies for advanced kidney cancer. This study looks at the combination of a programmed cell death...
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) researchers have discovered that a combination of high doses of radiotherapy and hormonal therapy provides the best chance of decreasing the mortality rate in men with aggressive prostate cancer. The findings, published by Kishan et al in JAMA, also...
On March 6, Bristol-Myers Squibb announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) updating the nivolumab (Opdivo) dosing schedule to include 480 mg infused every 4 weeks for a majority of approved indications. This approval will ...
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized the Personal Genome Service Genetic Health Risk (GHR) Report for BRCA1/BRCA2 (Selected Variants). It is the first direct-to-consumer (DTC) test to report on three specific BRCA1/BRCA2 breast cancer gene mutations that are most common in...
An multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor used to treat leukemia has shown promise against a rare and aggressive type of ovarian cancer—small cell carcinoma of the ovary hypercalcemic type (SCCOHT)—that strikes young women and girls, according to a study led by the Translational...
E. John Wherry, PhD, a cancer and immunology researcher at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and one of the most highly cited investigators in his field, has been awarded a “Convergence 2.0” research grant by Stand Up to Cancer (SU2C) to investigate immune system...
Biosimilars have rapidly proliferated in the cancer care landscape, leaving many providers unclear about the full impact these products will have on the care they deliver to patients. “American Society of Clinical Oncology Statement: Biosimilars in Oncology,” published in the Journal of Clinical...
The Texas Society of Clinical Oncology (TxSCO) is one of the newest supporters of the Conquer Cancer Foundation’s Young Investigator Award (YIA) program. A state affiliate of ASCO, TxSCO currently has more than 600 members who represent a diverse array of oncology health providers in Texas. “We are ...
Encourage your patients to use social media to stay up to date with new resources available on Cancer.Net. It is easier than ever for patients to get the latest cancer information on their computer or mobile device by reading the Cancer.Net Blog (cancer.net/blog), or following Cancer.Net on...
Clinica AMO has become the second practice in Brazil to receive Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI®) certification through QOPI Certification Program, LLC, and the sixth practice internationally to receive this accreditation. The practice, located in Salvador, Bahia, on Brazil’s east coast, ...
Immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors is the first of a new generation of immunotherapy treatments, revolutionizing treatment for many different types of cancer. By unleashing the body’s immune system to attack cancer, these treatments can send even the most hard-to-treat cancers into...
A sizable percentage of elderly patients with blood-related cancers such as leukemia and multiple myeloma are apt to show signs of diminished cognitive functioning—a decline that may impact their survival—a new study by investigators at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and...
When a cutting-edge cancer tool becomes available, marginalized populations such as African Americans and older patients often have less access to it than other populations. This is problematic, especially when those with limited access are those who could benefit the most. As a result, public...
ASCO congratulates pediatric oncologist Tara O. Henderson, MD, MPH, on being selected for the 2018 Presidential Leadership Scholars (PLS) program. This highly competitive and prestigious national program was created to help individuals from many professional backgrounds develop the practical...
Cancer researcher Alex Huang MD, PhD, has received a $450,000 Basic Science grant from the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation to study targeted approaches for effectively eliminating metastatic osteosarcoma. Dr. Huang is Professor of Pediatrics at Case Western Reserve University School of...
The Skin Cancer Foundation, the leading nonprofit organization for public and professional skin cancer education, recently moved to a new office space at 205 Lexington Avenue in midtown Manhattan. The new office will allow the Foundation to grow its staff as it develops new patient support programs ...
Why wouldn’t you support a patient with a terminal illness the “right to try” any therapy that may save his or her life? The answer to this question—one engulfed in a political debate in Congress—seems simple. It is not. [Editor’s Note: On May 30, 2018, the President signed into law the Trickett...
Researchers have determined that children and adults with cancer often have different mutated genes driving their disease, which suggests they would likely benefit from different therapies. The finding, from a collaborative study led by St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and published by...
On March 1, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Fast Track designation for the anti–connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) antibody pamrevlumab for the treatment of patients with locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer. This follows review of the phase II clinical...
In a study reported in The Lancet Oncology, McQuade et al found that obesity was associated with improved outcomes in treatment of metastatic melanoma with targeted therapy or immunotherapy—but not chemotherapy—with a survival benefit appearing to be restricted to obese male patients....
People with stage III colon cancer who regularly eat nuts are at significantly lower risk of cancer recurrence and mortality than those who don’t, according to findings published by Fadelu et al in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. Findings The study followed 826 participants in the CALGB...
On February 28, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Breakthrough Therapy designation to GC4419, a highly selective and potent small molecule dismutase mimetic, for the reduction of the duration, incidence, and severity of severe oral mucositis induced by radiation therapy with...
On February 28, Shire announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) accepted the company’s biologics license application (BLA) for calaspargase pegol (Cal-PEG; SHP663). The investigational-stage compound is being reviewed as a component of a multiagent chemotherapeutic regimen...
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN) has released new NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines®) intended to help make sure people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) who are diagnosed with cancer receive safe, necessary treatment. According to ...
A new study reveals that many patients with breast cancer have misconceptions and fears about radiation therapy, but their actual experiences with this treatment modality are better than they expected. In the study published by Shaverdian et al in Cancer, most patients agreed that their initial...
On February 26, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved abemaciclib (Verzenio) in combination with an aromatase inhibitor as initial endocrine-based therapy for postmenopausal women with hormone receptor–positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative advanced...
On February 26, Yisheng Biopharma Co., Ltd. announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Orphan Drug designation to its lead immuno-oncology candidate, YS-ON-001, for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. YS-ON-001 is a clinical-stage immuno-oncology biologic product...
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Julie R. Brahmer, MD, of the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, and colleagues, ASCO has released a clinical practice guideline on management of immune-related adverse events in patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy. To develop...
In a study published by Williamson et al in JAMA Ophthalmology, University of California, Los Angeles, (UCLA) researchers found that nearly all patients diagnosed with uveal melanoma had a number of unmet psychological and health information needs, particularly during the first 3 months after their ...
In what is believed to be the largest pancreatic cancer genome-wide association study to date, researchers at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, the National Cancer Institute, and collaborators from over 80 other institutions worldwide discovered changes to 5 new regions in the human genome...
THE 7th AND LATEST EDITION of Hematology: Basic Principles and Practice has been published by Elsevier. This authoritative reference in the field of hematology delivers expert scientific content and clinical guidance to enhance problem-solving skills and make optimal use of the newest diagnostic...
ASCO AND the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) have launched their new, joint platform for quality reporting, making it easier for oncologists to comply with federal government reporting requirements in 2018. The new QOPI® Reporting Registry, a Qualified Clinical Data Registry (QCDR), ...
THIS SURVIVORSHIP resource will inform your patients and their caregivers about the importance of seeking follow-up care, addressing recurrence concerns, and managing long-term and late effects. The guide also includes: Blank treatment summary and survivorship care form List of questions to ask ...
IN JANUARY 2018, ASCO launched the ASCO in Action Podcast, a new podcast series hosted by ASCO Chief Executive Officer Clifford A. Hudis, MD, FACP, FASCO. This series features thought leaders and experts in oncology discussing the most pressing policy and practice issues impacting the cancer care...
In May 2017, I started to reflect on my own personal views of wellness and the importance of the team. Since that time, I have been fortunate to speak with members of front-line clinical teams from four different practices: Eric Tetzlaff, MSH, PA-C, and Michael Hall, MD, MS, of Fox Chase Cancer...
THE U.S. PREVENTIVE Services Task Force (USPSTF) recently published a final recommendation statement and evidence summary on screening for ovarian cancer. Based on its review of the evidence, the USPSTF recommends against screening for ovarian cancer in women who do not have any signs or symptoms...
The number of U.S. cases of Merkel cell carcinoma is rising about six times faster than most other cancers, and at nearly twice the rate of melanoma. Paulson et al reported these findings in The Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, which are based on research conducted at the University...
On February 15, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) accepted a new drug application (NDA) for ivosidenib (AG-120) for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with an isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) mutation. The NDA was granted Priority Review...
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA (UCLA) researchers Leonard Marks, MD, and Shyam Natarajan, PhD, will lead a $3.1 million research project grant awarded by the National Institutes of Health to advance the adoption of a promising new technology to treat men with prostate cancer. By helping to increase the ...
PRIYANKA SHARMA, MD, a breast cancer medical oncologist at The University of Kansas Cancer Center, has been named Vice Chair of SWOG’s Breast Committee. SWOG, formerly the Southwest Oncology Group, is a global cancer research community that designs and conducts publicly funded clinical trials. It ...