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Showing 15651 - 15700Study in Survivors of NSCLC Reports Lower Risk of Developing Secondary Primary Lung Cancers in Never and Former Smokers vs Current Smokers
Survivors of non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who never smoked or who are former smokers at the time of diagnosis have a lower risk of developing secondary primary lung cancers compared to those who are current smokers, suggesting that increased tobacco exposure is associated with a higher risk...
Duration of Androgen-Deprivation Therapy for Patients With High-Risk Prostate Cancer
Optimal duration of androgen-deprivation therapy as part of primary therapy for prostate cancer continues to be an important question. Two well-conducted studies reported recently at the 56th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) provide data that can help inform...
Hypofractionated Radiation Much Less Toxic Than Conventionally Fractionated Radiation in Early Breast Cancer
Hypofractionated whole-breast irradiation was associated with much less acute toxicity during radiation therapy compared with conventionally fractionated whole-breast irradiation and also led to improved physical well-being and less physician-reported and patient-reported fatigue 6 months later,...
Radiation Therapy Improves 10-Year Survival for Patients With Early Hodgkin Lymphoma, but Frequently Omitted in Treatment Plans
Adding consolidation radiation therapy to chemotherapy significantly improves 10-year survival in patients with stage I and II Hodgkin lymphoma, according to a large observational study based on the National Cancer Database (NCDB). Yet over that same 10-year period, radiation therapy use declined...
Expert Point of View: Benjamin Movsas, MD
Benjamin Movsas, MD, Chair of Radiation Oncology at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, served as moderator at a press conference where the two SBRT studies by Timmerman et al and Ashworth et al were reported.1,2 Dr. Movsas said that SBRT is a promising approach, noting that the therapy facilitates...
Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy Benefits Patients With Early-Stage Inoperable or Advanced Oligometastatic Lung Cancer
The door is open for expanded use of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) in patients with inoperable early-stage lung cancer and for patients with oligometastatic stage IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to results of two studies presented at the 56th Annual Meeting of the...
Relevance of the Hippocratic Oath in the 21st Century
On the face of it, the idea that a code of professional conduct dating to the ancient Iron Age could possibly retain any relevance in the current era of “Big Data,” religious and cultural pluralism, trillion-dollar government budgets, and nanotechnology seems preposterous. Yet the well-publicized...
Expert Point of View: Benjamin Movsas, MD
Benjamin Movsas, MD, Chair of Radiation Oncology at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, served as moderator at a press conference where the two SBRT studies by Timmerman et al and Ashworth et al were reported.1,2 Dr. Movsas said that SBRT is a promising approach, noting that the therapy facilitates...
Chest Radiation Improves Survival and Intrathoracic Recurrence Rates in Extended-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer
Thoracic radiotherapy extended progression-free survival, reduced intrathoracic recurrences, and improved overall survival at 2 years when added to prophylactic cranial irradiation in patients with extended-stage small cell lung cancer in an international randomized controlled trial.1 “Thoracic...
Obinutuzumab Could Have Synergistic Action With New Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors
Final results from the phase I/II GAUGUIN study showed that obinutuzumab (Gazyva) monotherapy was active in patients with heavily pretreated relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia, European researchers reported in Blood. In phase II, median progression-free survival was 10.7 months and ...
Updated GEM2005 Trial Confirms Benefit of Melphalan/Bortezomib Combination in Elderly Multiple Myeloma Patients
Melphalan in combination with bortezomib (Velcade) should be maintained as one of the standards of care for the treatment of elderly patients with multiple myeloma, concluded Spanish trialists reporting updated results from the GEM2005 study comparing bortezomib/melphalan/prednisone with...
Vitamin D Deficiency Is Prevalent Among Patients With Advanced Pancreatic Cancer
Vitamin D deficiency was highly prevalent among patients newly diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer, and black patients had statistically significantly lower levels than white patients, according to a recent study reported by Katherine Van Loon, MD, MPH, of the UCSF Helen Diller Family...
Polymorphisms and Cetuximab Benefit in Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer
Polymorphisms in FcγR (receptor for the constant region of immunoglobulin G) have been reported to be associated with improved immune-mediated effects of cetuximab (Erbitux) in metastatic colorectal cancer. In a study reported in Clinical Cancer Research, Sclafani and colleagues analyzed the...
Lessons From Cancer
For a year before I was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in December 2011, I had what I thought were the lingering remnants of a bad case of bronchitis. My breathing was labored, I had a chronic cough, and occasionally my voice would give out. Every time I saw my pulmonologist, I would...
Clinical Trials Actively Recruiting Patients With Lung Cancer
The information contained in this Clinical Trials Resource Guide includes actively recruiting clinical studies of people with lung neoplasms, including stage I and II small cell and non–small cell lung cancers. The studies include phase Ib, II, III, observational, and interventional trials...
$1 Million Raised in Honor of 40th Anniversary of Milestone
Gifts totaling $1 million in honor of the 40th anniversary of the cure for testicular cancer were recently announced at a celebration for the physician scientist who developed the treatment. Family, friends, colleagues, and men grateful for their lives gathered at the Indianapolis Museum of Art to...
Treating Testicular Cancer in 2014
Testicular cancer is one of oncology’s true success stories. It is a highly treatable disease, usually curable, that most often develops in young and middle-aged men. Despite the success in testicular cancer, there are still clinical challenges ranging from staging to optimum therapeutic...
Adding Cetuximab to Chemoradiation Did Not Benefit Patients With Advanced Head and Neck Cancer: What Were the Reasons?
Two landmark randomized studies demonstrated improved survival of patients with head and neck cancer receiving the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) antibody cetuximab (Erbitux) concurrent with radiotherapy compared with radiotherapy alone,1 and similar improvement in patients with...
No Benefit Seen for Cetuximab Added to Cisplatin and Accelerated Radiotherapy in Advanced Head and Neck Carcinoma
Use of cisplatin or cetuximab (Erbitux) with radiotherapy improves overall survival in stage III or IV head and neck carcinoma, and adding cetuximab to platinum therapy improves overall survival in metastatic disease. In the phase III Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) 0522 trial reported in...
Experts Debate the Need for Upfront vs Late Stem Cell Transplant in Multiple Myeloma
With powerful new drugs capable of achieving sustained and deep remissions in multiple myeloma, the role of upfront stem cell transplantation is being questioned by experts, who debated the pros and cons at the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) 9th Annual Congress on Hematologic...
Variety of Adjuvant Strategies Explored in HER2‑Positive and Other Breast Cancer Types
Adjuvant trastuzumab (Herceptin) was shown to be effective in patients with breast cancers ≤ 2 cm, regardless of estrogen receptor status, in a meta-analysis1 of five chemotherapy trials, but a “pressing question” remaining is whether T1a/b, N0 tumors warrant the use of adjuvant trastuzumab, Andrew ...
For Triple-Negative Breast Cancer, Adding Carboplatin to Anthracycline/Taxane Produces Benefit, but How Much?
Combination chemotherapy for triple-negative breast cancer is anthracycline- and taxane-based and has not really changed much in the past 10 years, but “we are starting to see emerging data with selective activity of platinum agents,” Priyanka Sharma, MD, told participants at the Best of ASCO...
E-Cigarettes Unhelpful in Smoking Cessation Among Patients With Cancer
In a new study of patients with cancer who smoke, those using e-cigarettes in addition to traditional cigarettes were more nicotine-dependent and equally or less likely to have quit smoking traditional cigarettes than nonusers.1 The rising use of e-cigarettes has raised many questions among...
Long-Term Results of COU-AA-302 Confirm Abiraterone Benefit
Final results of the COU-AA-302 trial continue to support the survival benefit of abiraterone acetate (Zytiga) in men with chemotherapy-naive metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, often referred to as the “predocetaxel space.” “The study met the overall survival endpoint and all...
Expert Point of View: Stefan Zimmermann, MD
Mesothelioma has been the focus of a graveyard of negative trials,” said Stefan Zimmermann, MD, Senior Oncologist at the Hematology/Oncology Clinic, HFR Fribourg– Cantonal Hospital, Fribourg, Switzerland, during the ESMO 2014 Congress. “The epidemiology of mesothelioma is complicated, with a long ...
Local Treatments Fail to Improve Survival in Mesothelioma
The prognosis for malignant pleural mesothelioma remains dim, despite attempts to intensify treatment in the phase II SAKK 17/04 trial and other studies. The results of SAKK 17/04, presented at the 2014 European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress in Madrid, showed that the addition of...
Novel Oral Agent Treats Cachexia in Patients With Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer
For the first time, studies show that a drug is effective in treating several domains of cancer-related cachexia. Oral anamorelin increased lean body mass, achieved weight gain, and improved quality of life in patients with cancer-related cachexia in two pivotal phase III studies presented together ...
Nivolumab Yields ‘Impressive’ Duration of Response as Late-Line Melanoma Treatment
Nivolumab yielded an “impressive” duration of response when used as second- or third-line treatment for patients with advanced melanoma, according to Jeffrey S. Weber, MD, of the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida, who presented preliminary results of a phase III trial at the European Society...
Encouraging Early Signals for Cediranib in Recurrent Cervical Cancer
Cediranib (a potent tyrosine kinase inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR)-1, -2, and -3) produced a modest improvement in progression-free survival and a robust improvement in response rates compared with placebo when added to chemotherapy in patients with recurrent...
BRCA Mutations Found in Many Breast Tumors Called ‘ER-Positive’
BRCA mutations may occur in nearly one-third of breast cancer patients who would have been described as having triple-negative cancer except that their tumors express low levels of estrogen receptor, so the tumors are described as ER–low positive, according to researchers from The University of...
High-Risk Benign Breast Lesions: Some Patients Can Avoid Surgery
High-risk atypical benign breast lesions are upgraded to cancer in more than 15% of patients, but the routine excision of such lesions is probably unnecessary. At the 2014 Breast Cancer Symposium in San Francisco, researchers presented information that could guide the selection of patients who...
Novel Agents May Address Endocrine Therapy Resistance
Progress has recently been swift in the development of new drugs to improve the response to hormone therapy in breast cancer, according to Hope S. Rugo, MD, Professor of Medicine and Director of Breast Oncology and Clinical Trials Education at the University of California, San Francisco, Helen...
Partnering With Community Centers to Advance Oncology Care
Last fall, Richard R. Barakat, MD, FACS, the Ronald O. Perelman Chair in Gynecologic Surgery at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, was named to the new position of Deputy Physician-in-Chief for the Memorial Sloan Kettering Regional Care Network and Cancer Alliance, a new initiative meant to...
CLEOPATRA: Survival With Dual HER2 Blockade ‘Unprecedented’
In the final overall survival analysis of the phase III CLEOPATRA trial, HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer patients lived 15.7 months longer if they received pertuzumab (Perjeta) in addition to trastuzumab (Herceptin) and docetaxel, investigators reported at the European Society for Medical...
More on Chemotherapy Costs
I took exception to a number of the comments made by Rena Conti, PhD, in The ASCO Post (“Health-Care Reform Is Changing the Oncology Landscape,” October 15, 2014, page 1). I realize that The ASCO Post is not a peer-reviewed and indexed publication, but as an ASCO member, I also recognize that the...
Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Plus Two Anti-HER2 Agents Optimal for HER2-Positive Breast Cancer
For women with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer, combining two anti-HER2 agents with chemotherapy is the most effective treatment modality in the neoadjuvant setting, according to a meta-analysis published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. The...
DNA Double-Strand Break Repair Genes and Oxidative Damage in Brain Metastasis of Breast Cancer
In a study reported in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Woditschka and colleagues identified a role for the DNA repair genes BARD1 and RAD51 and oxidative damage in brain metastases in breast cancer. The two genes were implicated in expression profiling of 23 matched resected brain...
Impressive Survival Data for Women With HER2-Positive Breast Cancer Increase First-Line Use of Pertuzumab/Trastuzumab
"Impressive,” “outstanding,” and “unprecedented” are among the terms used to describe the 56.5-month overall survival for women with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer receiving first-line treatment with pertuzumab (Perjeta) in combination with trastuzumab (Herceptin) and docetaxel in the...
Ramucirumab in Combination With Paclitaxel in Advanced Gastric or Gastroesophageal Junction Adenocarcinoma
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 November 5, 2014, ramucirumab (Cyramza) was approved for use...
The Power of Laughter
The following essay by Julie Vose, MD, MBA, FASCO, is adapted from The Big Casino: America’s Best Cancer Doctors Share Their Most Powerful Stories (May 2014), coedited by Stan Winokur, MD, and Vincent Coppola. The book is available on Amazon.com and thebigcasino.org. When I met Cindy, she was...
A Candidly Humorous Approach to the Cancer Journey
BOOKMARK Title: Shrinkage: Manhood, Marriage, and the Tumor That Tried to Kill MeAuthor: Bryan BishopPublisher: Thomas Dunne BooksPublication date: April 29, 2014Price: $25.99; hardcover, 336 pages At 30 years old, Bryan Bishop was having the time of his life. Known to millions of radio fans as...
A Father and Son’s Journey Through Medicine
BOOKMARK Title: The Good Doctor: A Father, a Son, and the Evolution of Medical EthicsAuthor: Barron H. Lerner, MDPublisher: Beacon PressPublication date: May 13, 2014Price: $25.95; hardcover, 240 pages One morning in 1996, an infectious disease specialist was making rounds when he and his team...
Acupuncture Treatment for Cancer Pain and Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy
Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medicine technique that involves inserting and manipulating filiform needles into specific points of the body to achieve a therapeutic effect. According to traditional Chinese medicine, disruptions in the flow of “vital energy” (qi) throughout the body are the...
Whole-Brain Radiation Therapy Plus Stereotactic Radiosurgery Improves Survival in Better-Prognosis Patients With Brain Metastases
In a secondary analysis utilizing the graded prognostic assessment—an improved diagnosis-specific index—patients with one to three brain metastases had no survival advantage when treated with whole-brain radiation therapy and stereotactic radiosurgery, compared with whole-brain radiotherapy alone,...
NIH Awards More Than $30 Million to Enhance Diversity in the Biomedical Research Workforce
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced the award of more than $30 million in fiscal year 2014 funds to develop new approaches that engage researchers, including those from backgrounds underrepresented in biomedical sciences, and prepare them to thrive in the NIH-funded workforce. These...
Kinase-Activating Alterations Identified in Most Cases of Philadelphia Chromosome–Like Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia May Be Targetable With Available Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors
In a study reported in The New England Journal of Medicine, Kathryn G. Roberts, PhD, of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and colleagues performed detailed genomic analysis of patients with Philadelphia chromosome–like acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and identified kinase-activating...
Half of Premature Colorectal Cancer Deaths Due to Socioeconomic Inequality
Half of all premature deaths from colorectal cancer (described as deaths in people ages 25 to 64) in the United States are linked to ethnic, socioeconomic, and geographic inequalities, and therefore could be prevented according to a new study by American Cancer Society researchers. The report,...
The RAINBOW Trial: Dawn of a New Era in Upper Gastrointestinal Malignancies
As reviewed in this issue of The ASCO Post (page 155), the RAINBOW trial is an international phase III study demonstrating improved overall survival with ramucirumab (Cyramza) plus paclitaxel as second-line therapy for patients with advanced gastric/gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma over...
Adding VEGFR2 Inhibitor Ramucirumab to Paclitaxel Increases Overall Survival as Second-Line Treatment for Advanced Gastric Cancer
In the phase III RAINBOW trial reported in The Lancet Oncology, Hansjochen Wilke, MD, Director of Medical Oncology/Hematology at Kliniken Essen-Mitte, Essen, Germany, and colleagues found that adding the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) inhibitor ramucirumab (Cyramza) to...
Two Phase III Trials Show Benefit With BRAF/MEK Inhibitor Combination vs BRAF Inhibitor Alone in Advanced Melanoma
Two phase III trials have shown that the strategy of adding MEK inhibitor therapy to BRAF inhibitor therapy significantly improves progression-free survival in previously untreated patients with advanced BRAF-mutant melanoma.1,2 Overall survival benefit is also suggested by interim analysis in both ...
