Researchers have found that about 50% of patients with metastatic melanoma treated with a combination of nivolumab and ipilimumab experienced cancer-free survival of 10 years or longer, according to a recent study published by Wolchok et al in The New England Journal of Medicine. Background In...
On September 19, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved amivantamab-vmjw (Rybrevant) with carboplatin and pemetrexed for adults with locally advanced or metastatic non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) exon 19 deletions or exon 21 L858R...
ASCO has released its first clinical practice guideline focused specifically on the management of locally advanced rectal cancer.1 “Rectal cancer, and especially locally advanced rectal cancer, is a complex disease that requires individualized approaches using multimodality therapies to have the...
Clinical trials are now demonstrating the value of immune checkpoint inhibitors as neoadjuvant therapy in certain subsets of patients with hormone receptor–positive, HER2-negative breast cancer. Hope S. Rugo, MD, FASCO, described this newer approach—specifically, which subsets of patients may...
Investigators have found that Black women may have a higher risk of dying from all subtypes of breast cancer compared with White women, according to a recent study published by Torres et al in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. The findings demonstrated that higher mortality rates among Black women...
Researchers have identified thousands of genetic changes in a gene that may increase the risk of developing breast and ovarian cancers, according to a recent study published by Olvera-León et al in Cell. The findings may pave the way for better risk assessment and more personalized care. ...
Medical oncology had a turbulent beginning, as we explained in part 1 of this commentary published in the September 25, 2024, issue of The ASCO Post. And although no other specialty we know of struggled as much, with perseverance and time, it had become a stable specialty of internal medicine by...
Medical oncology had a turbulent beginning. No other specialty we know of struggled as much. But by 1980, it had become a stable specialty of internal medicine and was off and running—with the major problem of how to marshal available resources to freely test the myriad opportunities presented by ...
On September 17, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved pembrolizumab (Keytruda) with pemetrexed and platinum chemotherapy as first-line treatment of unresectable advanced or metastatic malignant pleural mesothelioma. Efficacy and Safety Efficacy was investigated in KEYNOTE-483...
On September 16, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a draft guidance to provide sponsors with recommendations for conducting multiregional clinical trials in support of applications for drugs intended to treat cancer, according to a notice published in the Federal Register....
Researchers have found that 80% of patients with previously treated or relapsed/refractory advanced-phase chronic myeloid leukemia (CML)—including both accelerated or myeloid blast phases of the disease—or Philadelphia chromosome–positive acute myeloid leukemia (AML) may have achieved a bone marrow ...
Josep M. Llovet, MD, PhD, presented the results of the LEAP-012 trial during the Presidential Symposium I at the ESMO Congress 2024 (Abstract LBA3). In this brief summary, Dr. Llovet talks further about how management of hepatocellular carcinoma differs across stages.
Josep M. Llovet, MD, PhD, presented the results of the phase III LEAP-012 trial, which evaluated the addition of lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab to transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), during the Presidential Symposium I at the ESMO Congress 2024 (Abstract LBA3). For more insights into the...
Retifanlimab plus platinum-based chemotherapy may benefit patients with squamous cell anal carcinoma, according to new findings presented by Rao et al at a presidential symposium at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2024 (Abstract LBA2). Background The incidence of squamous...
Results from the multicenter double-blind randomized phase III SOLARIS trial (Alliance A021703) showed that the addition of high-dose vitamin D3 to standard treatment did not improve progression-free survival vs standard-dose vitamin D3 in patients with untreated metastatic colorectal cancer. The...
The novel antibody-drug conjugate puxitatug samrotecan may have a manageable safety profile consistent with similar antibody-drug conjugates and demonstrated initial efficacy in patients with heavily pretreated advanced or metastatic solid tumors, according to new findings presented by...
Positive results from the phase III NIAGARA trial showed perioperative treatment with the PD-L1 blocker durvalumab in combination with neoadjuvant chemotherapy demonstrated a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in the primary endpoint of event-free survival and the key...
In light of the landmark 5-year overall survival results from HIMALAYA, Ghassan K. Abou-Alfa, MD, MBA, FASCO, of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, and Lorenza Rimassa, MD, discuss how to choose among the various doublet immunotherapy options for unresectable hepatocellular...
Ghassan K. Abou-Alfa, MD, MBA, FASCO, of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, and Lorenza Rimassa, MD, of Humanitas Cancer Center, Milan, discuss the 5-year overall survival results from the phase III HIMALAYA trial evaluating tremelimumab plus durvalumab in unresectable hepatocellular ...
Studies reported at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2024 reveal new groups of women with early-stage cervical1 and endometrial cancers2 who gain clinically meaningful benefit from adding immunotherapy to current standard treatments, and a first-in-human study found...
The results of numerous large international studies reported at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2024 showed that immunotherapy improves long-term overall survival in patients with a variety of cancer types, including advanced melanoma,1,2 triple-negative breast cancer,3...
Researchers have found that chemotherapy prior to surgery may reduce the amount of normal tissue that needs to be removed in patients with advanced nasal and paranasal sinus squamous cell carcinoma, according to recent findings presented by Saba et al at the European Society for Medical Oncology...
Women who breastfeed after treatment for breast cancer—including those with germline BRCA-mutated disease—may not be at increased risk of cancer recurrence or new breast cancers, according to two recent international studies presented by Blondeaux et al (Abstract 1815O) and Peccatori et al...
According to results of the first interim analysis of the phase III LEAP-012 trial, the anti–PD-1 therapy pembrolizumab plus the tyrosine kinase inhibitor lenvatinib, in combination with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), significantly improved progression-free survival compared with TACE...
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved atezolizumab and hyaluronidase-tqjs (Tecentriq Hybreza) for subcutaneous injection for all the adult indications as the intravenous formulation of atezolizumab (Tecentriq), including non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), small cell lung cancer...
Researchers have demonstrated that the combination of durvalumab with the TROP2-directed antibody-drug conjugate datopotamab deruxtecan may yield high pathologic complete response rates in patients with resectable non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to findings presented by Cascone et al...
Researchers have uncovered that TROP2 expression as measured by quantitative continuous scoring may be a predictor of clinical outcomes in patients with advanced or metastatic non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with the TROP2-directed antibody-drug conjugate datopotamab deruxtecan,...
The PanCan nodule management protocol may be superior at triaging lung cancer screening participants compared with the LungRADSv1.1 approach, according to new findings presented by McWilliams et al at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) 2024 World Conference on Lung...
Adjuvant nivolumab following neoadjuvant nivolumab plus chemotherapy and surgery may be effective at reducing the risk of disease recurrence or mortality in patients with resectable non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) compared with neoadjuvant nivolumab plus chemotherapy alone, according to new...
Despite significant improvements in the perception of biomarker testing compared with a 2018 survey, substantial barriers to implementation may persist globally, according to new findings presented by Smeltzer et al at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) 2024 World...
Researchers may have uncovered a metabolic pathway that could lead to the development of predictive biomarkers for immune checkpoint inhibitors, according to new findings presented by Kulasinghe et al at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) 2024 World Conference on...
A fewer number of U.S. youths have reported current use of e-cigarettes in 2024 compared with 2023, according to new findings published by Park-Lee et al in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Background E-cigarettes and nicotine pouches are two categories of tobacco products the U.S. Food...
Investigators have uncovered misconceptions and gaps in awareness regarding prostate cancer and screening guidelines in light of Prostate Cancer Awareness Month in September, according to a recent survey conducted by The Harris Poll. Background In 2024, an estimated 299,010 men will be diagnosed...
Research suggests an artificial intelligence (AI) tool called DeepGEM may provide an advancement in genomic testing that offers an accurate, cost-effective, and timely method for gene mutation prediction from histopathology slides. The research was presented at the International Association for the ...
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new presentation of bortezomib (Boruzu) for ready-to-use subcutaneous or intravenous administration. This new ready-to-use oncology product reduces the compounding preparation steps typically required with administration. Bortezomib, a...
Staging may be inaccurate in up to 80% of patients with early pancreatic cancer, according to a recent study published by Perrotta et al in JAMA. The findings underscored the need for advancements in diagnostic technology and staging, which may help to improve early pancreatic cancer treatment and...
Investigators have found that administering fluorouracil (5-FU) through continuous infusion and omitting the bolus component in patients undergoing commonly used treatment regimens targeting metastatic gastrointestinal cancers may improve tolerability without reducing treatment efficacy or...
Imagine walking into a fancy restaurant only to find a menu consisting mostly of kids’ dishes. It would make no sense. Just 25% of restaurant diners are younger than age 12, and they rarely write Yelp reviews. But when it comes to cancer treatment, this is not very far from what we do. The median...
Despite the fact that there is no history of breast cancer in my family, I didn’t take that good fortune for granted and was diligent about getting my regularly scheduled mammograms and clinical breast exams, which never found any hint of disease. So, it was especially frightening when, while on a...
It happened! We received the International Development and Education Award (IDEA) from Conquer Cancer®, the ASCO Foundation, and it was a journey of growth, global collaboration, leadership, mentorship, and more. We have much to share after this breakthrough in our careers. The ASCO Annual Meeting...
Researchers have found that a liquid biopsy may help to predict whether patients with cancer may be at risk of developing venous thromboembolism, according to a recent study published by Jee et al in Nature Medicine. Background Liquid biopsy tests—such as MSK-ACCESS—increasingly play a role in...
Researchers have explored whether an artificial intelligence (AI)-based tool could help to detect immune-related adverse events in patients with cancer, according to a recent study published by Sun et al in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. Background Although immune checkpoint inhibitors can...
A joint guideline from the International Society of Oral Oncology–Multinational Association for Supportive Care in Cancer and ASCO seeks to fill a gap in the clinical guidance for patients with head and neck cancers who develop osteoradionecrosis following their head and neck radiation therapy.1...
The combination of nivolumab plus gemcitabine/cisplatin chemotherapy achieved high response rates and durable responses and improved overall survival and progression-free survival compared with gemcitabine/cisplatin chemotherapy alone in patients with urothelial carcinoma and clinical evidence of...
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is an aggressive malignant head and neck cancer that is highly prevalent in the southern and southwestern provinces of China. Although the incidence of the cancer is less than 1 per 100,000 in Europe, the United States, and the Pacific,1 data from the International Agency...
Investigators have found that there may not be an association between mobile phone use and an increased risk of brain cancer, according to a recent World Health Organization (WHO)-commissioned review published by Karipidis et al in Environmental International. Background The WHO and other...
Researchers have found substantial variations in the performance characteristics of five commonly used fecal immunochemical tests (FIT), according to a recent study published by Levy et al in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Background Stool-based tests like FIT are currently recommended for...
Clinical trials are now demonstrating the value of immune checkpoint inhibitors as neoadjuvant therapy in certain subsets of patients with hormone receptor–positive, HER2-negative breast cancer. Hope S. Rugo, MD, FASCO, described this newer approach—specifically, which subsets of patients may...
In certain regions of the world, cancer claims more lives than HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria combined, yet surgery has been relegated to the sidelines of global health initiatives. This critical need to address global inequities in access to safe, timely, and affordable cancer surgery led to the...
Patients may be less likely to return for subsequent screening mammography following a false-positive recall for additional imaging or biopsy, according to a recent study published by Miglioretti et al in the Annals of Internal Medicine. The findings raised concerns regarding the potential...