ASCO joined the President’s Cancer Panel on September 7, 2023, to highlight the numerous ways ASCO is working to advance the National Cancer Plan and achieve President Biden’s Cancer Moonshot goal of “ending cancer as we know it.” This all-day, virtual event was the first public meeting in support...
Researchers have discovered that the combination of the CTLA-4 inhibitor ipilimumab and the PD-1 inhibitor nivolumab may be an effective second-line therapy in patients with PD-1 blockade–refractory metastatic melanoma, according to a recent study conducted by the SWOG Cancer Research Network and...
The 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting again demonstrated the Society’s commitment to improving cancer care for all older adults. Pertinent questions related to treatment and management in this population were addressed in educational and oral abstract sessions, clinical science symposia, and case-based...
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many medical specialties became familiar with supply chain interruptions resulting in drug, equipment, and personnel scarcity. Intensive care unit beds, staff, and essential medicines were at times in short supply. The federal government, individual states, and...
The anti–PD-L1 monoclonal antibody durvalumab in combination with other immuno-oncology agents may outperform treatment with durvalumab alone in the neoadjuvant setting for patients with early-stage non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to a recent study published by Cascone et al in Cancer ...
Cancer—and the quest to accelerate more effective treatments and potential cures for all life-threatening diseases—has perhaps shaped the life of financier Michael Milken more than his legendary career on Wall Street. In the early 1970s, Mr. Milken’s mother-in-law was diagnosed with metastatic...
Researchers have uncovered the vital role that the immune system may play in determining the duration of remission and progression-free survival in patients with multiple myeloma, according to a recent study published by Coffey et al in Nature Communications. The new findings suggested that the...
As reported in The Lancet by Zev A. Wainberg, MD, and colleagues, the phase III NAPOLI-3 trial has shown a modest but significant improvement in overall survival with first-line NALIRIFOX (liposomal irinotecan, oxaliplatin, leucovorin, and fluorouracil) vs nab-paclitaxel and gemcitabine in patients ...
Bipartisan legislation that may help to eliminate financial barriers to prostate cancer screening was introduced in the U.S. Senate. Sponsored by Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and John Boozman (R-AR), the Prostate-Specific Antigen Screening for High-Risk Insured Men (PSA Screening for HIM) Act would...
Investigators have discovered that women with certain reproductive factors may have an elevated risk of developing lung cancer, according to recent findings presented by Zhang et al at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) 2023 World Conference on Lung Cancer (Abstract...
The Lung Cancer Action Network (LungCAN) advocacy program may have helped increase funding for the U.S. Department of Defense Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program/Lung Cancer Research Program (LCRP) by 25%, according to recent findings presented by Donaldson et al at the International...
Breast milk from women with breast cancer who were diagnosed during pregnancy or postpartum may contain circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), according to researchers at the Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO) in Barcelona. The investigators noted that ctDNA can be detected through liquid biopsy in ...
Researchers have revealed that non–English speakers who seek information from hospitals across the United States may face a concerning lack of access to cancer care services, according to a new study published by Chen et al in JNCCN–Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. Background...
Childhood Cancer Awareness Month is recognized every September to help shine a light on the realities of pediatric cancer and raise awareness of the important work being done to make a difference for the children who are diagnosed with cancer. September 15 also marked the start of Hispanic Heritage ...
Researchers have validated the accuracy of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer’s (IASLC) 2009 pleural mesothelioma database, with these findings presented by Wolf et al at the IASLC 2023 World Conference on Lung Cancer (Abstract MA17.04). Background Pleural mesothelioma often ...
Intensity-modulated radiation therapy may be the preferred treatment option for patients with locally advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to findings presented by Chun et al at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) 2023 World Conference on Lung Cancer ...
Childhood Cancer Awareness Month is recognized every September to help shine a light on the realities of pediatric cancer and raise awareness of the important work being done to make a difference for the children who are diagnosed with cancer. September 15 also marked the start of Hispanic Heritage ...
Researchers have discovered that therapy with first-line nivolumab in combination with ipilimumab may improve the 6-year survival and quality of life of patients with metastatic non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) compared with standard chemotherapy, according to findings presented by Peters et al...
In the phase III DARS study reported in The Lancet Oncology, Nutting et al found that dysphagia-optimized intensity-modulated radiotherapy (DO-IMRT) was associated with improved patient-reported swallowing function vs standard IMRT in newly diagnosed patients with head and neck cancer. Study...
De-escalation of chemoradiotherapy after induction chemotherapy yields excellent oncologic outcomes in patients with high-risk oropharyngeal cancer associated with the human papillomavirus (HPV). Results of the nonrandomized phase II Quarterback trial suggest that this subset of patients may be...
In patients with N2 and N3 nasopharyngeal carcinoma, adjuvant treatment with concurrent gemcitabine and cisplatin significantly improved progression-free survival, with acceptable toxicity, over fluorouracil plus cisplatin, according to a phase III trial reported from Sun Yat-sen University Cancer...
The invited discussant of the VERSATILE-002 and CUE-101-01 trials, Erminia Massarelli, MD, PhD, MS, said both are examples of a growing interest in evaluating immunotherapeutic strategies and treatment sequences in early-stage head and neck squamous cell cancer as well as in metastatic disease. Dr. ...
In patients with relapsed or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, a regimen of the immune checkpoint inhibitor pembrolizumab plus carboplatin and paclitaxel, evaluated in the phase IV KEYNOTE-B10 trial, demonstrated antitumor activity, with a good safety profile, investigators reported ...
The ASCO Post asked for comment from Glenn J. Hanna, MD, Director of the Center for Salivary and Rare Head and Neck Cancers, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Hanna said it is important to put the findings of KEYNOTE-4121 into context...
A modified adenocarcinoma classification approach may enhance reproducibility and may be an improvement on the existing World Health Organization (WHO) classification system, according to findings presented by Thunnissen et al at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC)...
The newly renamed Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center (MECCC) has been awarded comprehensive designation by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) of the National Institutes of Health. As a result, MECCC was awarded a 5-year, $20 million Cancer Center Support Grant to advance the...
In a Chinese study reported in The New England Journal of Medicine, Li et al found evidence that the anti–Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) anti-BNLF2b total antibody, P85-Ab, may be a promising biomarker for nasopharyngeal cancer screening. Study Details In the study, a peptide library representing highly...
Researchers have discovered that epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors may improve survival outcomes after treatment with chemoradiation in patients with stage III EGFR-mutated non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) compared to the PD-L1 inhibitor durvalumab, according to...
Lung cancer, both small cell and non–small cell, is the second most common cancer in both men and women in the United States, with about 238,340 new cases diagnosed each year, and the leading cause of cancer-related mortality, accounting for more than 127,000 deaths annually.1 Lung cancer in...
Long ago, as an ethical alternative to military service, I joined the National Cancer Institute’s Yellow Beret Program, and was assigned to its Division of Cancer Treatment (Dr. Vince DeVita) Cancer Therapy Development Branch (Dr. Steve Carter). This program reviewed and rejected or approved all...
Atrium Health Levine Children’s is expanding its commitment to deliver oncology, hematology, and cellular therapies care to patients across the region, the United States, and the world with the recent opening of its completely reimagined outpatient center. The Torrey Hemby Center for Cancer and...
Sarah Cannon Research Institute (SCRI) recently announced the appointment of Ishwaria Subbiah, MD, MS, as Executive Director, Cancer Care Equity and Professional Wellness. In this role, Dr. Subbiah will focus on reducing cancer outcomes disparities and diversifying clinical trial participation...
A new artificial intelligence (AI)-based diagnostic tool for colposcopy examinations may improve the accuracy of diagnosing cancerous and precancerous cervical lesions, including cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), according to a retrospective validation study presented at the 2023 ASCO...
It seems that exercise is good for almost everything, including prostate cancer. In fact, exercise had a positive effect on sexual function and enjoyment in men with prostate cancer, according to a recent study presented at the 2023 ASCO Breakthrough meeting by lead study author Daniel Galvão, PhD, ...
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®)—a not-for-profit alliance of leading academic cancer centers—announced Crystal S. Denlinger, MD, FACP, as incoming Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Dr. Denlinger—who is currently NCCN’s Senior Vice President, Chief Scientific Officer—will lead the ...
ASCO is saddened by the passing of Irwin H. Krakoff, MD, on August 9, 2023, at the age of 100. He is remembered as one of the founding fathers of modern chemotherapy. Dr. Krakoff was born on July 20, 1923, in Columbus, Ohio. He attended The Ohio State University, earning his bachelor’s degree in...
After a year of hard work preparing a strong abstract for the prestigious 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting, I finally received an acceptance letter from the scientific committee. I was overjoyed to see the efforts of our multinational team being rewarded. A few moments later, I received the decision...
“Dr. Hope Kestrel was the only person who knew the patient in Room 132 wasn’t responding to the algorithm-selected treatment. She shuffled forward in the hospital security line, wanting to ger her day started already yet dreading how she’d tell her patient the unexpected and devastating news.” So...
Thomas J. Herzog, MD, took office as President of the GOG Foundation (GOG-F, formerly the Gynecologic Oncology Group), Inc, on July 20, 2023, at the NRG Oncology Summer Meeting. Former GOG-F President, Larry J. Copeland, MD, passed the presidential gavel to Dr. Herzog at the GOG-F Board of...
Hematologic malignancies make about 10% of all cancer types in the United States, and the multidisciplinary care of these malignancies has evolved rapidly over the past 20 years. In fact, death rates across all blood cancers have been reduced, and once rapidly fatal diseases such as chronic myeloid ...
In this installment of The ASCO Post’s Living a Full Life series, guest editor Jame Abraham, MD, FACP, spoke with Benjamin Besse, MD, PhD, Professor of Medical Oncology at Paris-Saclay University, Orsay, France, and lung cancer specialist at Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif. Currently, Dr....
Patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who received vitamin C and D supplements during intensive chemotherapy had lower rates of complications such as infections, bleeding, and inflammation compared with patients who did not receive the supplements, according to a recent study published by...
ASCO joined the President’s Cancer Panel on September 7, 2023, to highlight the numerous ways ASCO is working to advance the National Cancer Plan and achieve President Biden’s Cancer Moonshot goal of “ending cancer as we know it.” This all-day, virtual event was the first public meeting in support...
In an analysis of the UKCTOCS study reported in The Lancet Oncology, Menon et al found that patients with high-grade serous tubo-ovarian cancer detected on multimodal screening may have a survival benefit over those whose disease was diagnosed without screening. The investigator stated, “In...
Improving hospital care pathways may help reduce inpatient opioid use by 50% and cut the median opioid prescription volumes at discharge to zero in patients undergoing pancreatic cancer surgery, according to a recent study published by Boyev et al in JAMA Surgery. The new findings could help reduce ...
A commercially available artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm may perform comparably to human readers at assessing screening mammograms, according to a recent study published by Chen et al in Radiology. False-positive interpretations on screening mammograms can result in women without cancer...
Black patients with stage IA low-grade endometrioid endometrial carcinoma may be less likely to undergo a hysterectomy and survive their cancer than White patients with the same type of cancer, according to a recent study published by Taylor et al in Gynecologic Oncology. Background “We’ve known...
23andMe has announced that the company has received a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) clearance to expand its existing BRCA1/BRCA2 (Selected Variants) Genetic Health Risk Report. The clearance allows 23andMe to report an additional 41 variants in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes known to be ...
Cholesterol-lowering statins may reduce colorectal cancer incidence and mortality in patients with ulcerative colitis, according to a recent study published by Sun et al in eClinicalMedicine. The findings also suggested that statin use may be associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality in...
Researchers have identified new strategies to help physicians predict which patients with advanced colorectal cancer may benefit from immunotherapy, according to a recent study published by Saberzadeh-Ardestani et al in Clinical Cancer Research. The findings demonstrate the potential of using...