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Showing 15701 - 15750How Immunotherapy Is Revolutionizing Cancer Care
More than 100 years after William B. Coley, MD, used bacterial toxins to goad the immune system into recognizing cancer cells as foreign to the body and mount an immune response to go after and kill them, the recognition of immunotherapy as a powerful anticancer therapy is finally being...
Durable Benefit With Immunotherapy Combination in Advanced Melanoma
With the recent explosion in immunotherapies for advanced melanoma and other tumors, all eyes are on how best to sequence or combine these therapies. Initial reports of overall survival from the phase II randomized CheckMate 069 trial suggest that the combination of ipilimumab (Yervoy, an...
Meta-analysis of Breast Cancer Studies Demonstrates Value of Pathologic Complete Response
In a meta-analysis of neoadjuvant studies totaling over 18,000 patients, achievement of pathologic complete response was associated with significantly reduced disease recurrence and mortality across the various breast cancer subtypes. Laura Spring, MD, a senior medical oncology fellow at...
Maximizing Cancer Cure: How Do We Get There?
Is cancer really “curable,” and if so, how? For a “Cancer Dialogue” held during the 2016 American Association of Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting, half a dozen stellar participants from the research, industry, regulatory, and advocacy communities convened to debate the topic. The ASCO Post was ...
Expert Point of View: Shaji K. Kumar, MD and Sergio A. Giralt, MD
Two experts in multiple myeloma commented on the EMN02/HO95 MM trial for The ASCO Post: Shaji K. Kumar, MD, Professor of Hematology at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester; and Sergio A. Giralt, MD, Chief of the Adult Bone Marrow Transplant Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York. Both...
Upfront Transplant Remains Standard of Care in Multiple Myeloma
Upfront autologous stem cell transplant remains the standard of care in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma, even in the era of novel agents, according to a phase III study of the European Myeloma Network.1 “Our findings show that autologous stem cell transplant should remain the...
The Arrival of Generic Imatinib Into the U.S. Market: An Educational Event
Imatinib mesylate (Gleevec), a Bcr-Abl tyrosine kinase inhibitor, is approved therapy for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in the United States. Imatinib is a miraculous drug that results in a normal functional lifespan in most patients with CML who can afford and comply with the treatment and who ...
Pembrolizumab Survival Benefit Proves Durable in Patients With Advanced Melanoma
With new immunotherapies available for the treatment of advanced melanoma, an important question is how best to combine and sequence them. Long-term follow-up from the KEYNOTE-001 trial suggests that pembrolizumab (Keytruda) can improve survival in newly diagnosed patients and in those treated...
What ASCO Can Do for You—and for Our Patients
This is an exciting time to be an oncologist. I often say I wish I were 30 again and just starting out in my oncology career. Never before have we had such sophisticated technology for evaluation of the tumor or such a potent arsenal of targeted and effective therapies to treat cancer. Further, the ...
Oncology and Diplomacy in the Middle East
The Middle East is a vast region comprised largely of developing nations with complicated sociopolitical challenges, violent internecine disputes, and deeply fragmented health-care systems. Not surprisingly, the region’s suboptimal health care contributes to the late diagnosis and poor survival...
A Psychotherapist’s Approach to End-of-Life Care
BookmarkTitle: Dying: A TransitionAuthor: Monika Renz, PhD; translated by Mark Kyburz and John PeckPublisher: Columbia University PressPublication date: October 2015Price: $38.00; hardcover, 176 pages The night before Julius Caesar was assassinated, he had dinner with his friend Marcus...
In Celebration of a Remarkable Career at ASCO
In March, ASCO announced that Allen S. Lichter, MD, FASCO, was stepping down as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at the end of June, ending his 10-year tenure as head of the Society and the Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO. Clifford A. Hudis, MD, FACP, Chief of Breast Medicine Service and Vice...
Long-Term Survival Benefit With Adjuvant Tamoxifen in Premenopausal Women With Estrogen Receptor–Positive Breast Cancer
As reported by Ekholm et al in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, 25-year follow-up of a Swedish phase III trial suggests a survival benefit with 2 years of adjuvant tamoxifen vs no systemic treatment in premenopausal women with estrogen receptor–positive stage II primary breast cancer. Study ...
Expert Point of View: Deborah Schrag, MD, MPH
Deborah Schrag, MD, MPH, Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, Boston, and an oncologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, commented on the findings for The ASCO Post. She said the inferior survival of patients with right-sided tumors “is almost certainly because of the molecular...
Site 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...
HIV-Infected Patients With Cancer May Be Likely to Receive Cancer Treatment
A study found that human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients with cancer in the United States appear to be less likely to receive cancer treatment, regardless of insurance and other existing health conditions. The study, by researchers at the University of Utah, the National Cancer...
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...
Study Finds No Benefit of Adding Pictilisib to Fulvestrant in Aromatase Inhibitor–Resistant Breast Cancer
Adding the PI3K inhibitor pictilisib to fulvestrant (Faslodex) did not improve progression-free survival in women with estrogen receptor–positive, HER2-negative, aromatase inhibitor–resistant advanced breast cancer, according to the phase II FERGI trial reported in The Lancet Oncology...
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...
Specific Version of the FCGR2A Gene Identifies Colorectal Cancer Patients Likely to Benefit Most From Cetuximab
Among patients with metastatic colorectal cancer harboring normal forms of the KRAS gene, only those who had two copies of a specific version of the FCGR2A gene (FCGR2A H/H) had a statistically significant increase in median overall survival when cetuximab (Erbitux) treatment was added to best...
Physician Recommendation May Influence Racial Disparity in BRCA1/2 Testing in Women With Breast Cancer
A disparity in BRCA1/2 testing between white and black women was influenced by patient-reported physician recommendation, in a population-based study reported by McCarthy et al in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. Study Details The study involved data from 3,016 women (69% white, 31% black) in...
Venetoclax Produces High Response Rate in Relapsed or Refractory CLL With 17p Deletion
In a phase II study reported in The Lancet Oncology, Stilgenbauer et al found that the BCL2 inhibitor venetoclax (Venclexta) produced a high response rate in patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) with the 17p deletion (del [17p]). The study supported the recent...
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: Strategies for Increasing Survival In Soft-Tissue Sarcoma Patients With Lung Metastases Undergoing Resection
Up to 50% of patients with soft-tissue sarcoma develop lung metastases. Effective systemic therapies for metastatic soft-tissue sarcoma are currently limited; when possible, pulmonary metastasectomy is the preferred treatment. However, guidelines for the performance of pulmonary metastasectomy for...
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 ...
Same vs Different Order for Second Readings of Mammograms in Rates of Breast Cancer Detection
A new study has found there is no decline over time in the accuracy of medical staff who analyze mammogram scans for indications of breast cancer. Researchers at the University of Warwick investigated whether detection rates dropped toward the end of each batch of mammogram readings. The study...
Pembrolizumab Active in PD-L1–Positive Advanced Gastric and Metastatic Triple-Negative Breast Cancers
As reported by Muro et al in The Lancet Oncology and Nanda et al in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, single-agent pembrolizumab (Keytruda) showed activity in programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1)–positive advanced gastric cancer and metastatic triple-negative breast cancer in the...
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...
ASCO Urges CMS to Withdraw Medicare Part B Demo in Formal Comments
ASCO President Julie M. Vose, MD, MBA, FASCO, issued this statement on May 10. “In comments submitted yesterday to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), ASCO underscored the urgent need to advance a more fair and responsible payment system for oncology than what is proposed ...
Factors Associated With Response to Dabrafenib/Trametinib in BRAF Inhibitor–Refractory Metastatic Melanoma
Poor response to combined BRAF and MEK inhibition with dabrafenib (Tafinlar)/trametinib (Mekinist) in patients with BRAF inhibitor–refractory metastatic melanoma may be associated with failure to significantly inhibit the MAPK pathway, according to a single-center phase II study reported in...
Adjuvant MAGE-A3 Immunotherapeutic Shows No Benefit in Resected MAGE-A3–Positive NSCLC
In the phase III MAGRIT trial reported in The Lancet Oncology, Vansteenkiste et al found that adjuvant therapy with the MAGE-A3 cancer immunotherapeutic did not improve disease-free survival in patients with resected MAGE-A3–positive non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The...
No Progression-Free Survival Benefit for First-Line Neratinib/Paclitaxel vs Trastuzumab/Paclitaxel in Metastatic HER2-Positive Breast Cancer
In the phase III NEfERT-T trial reported in JAMA Oncology, Awada et al found no progression-free survival benefit of neratinib/paclitaxel vs trastuzumab (Herceptin)/paclitaxel in previously untreated inoperable recurrent or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer. A potential benefit of...
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 ...
Overcoming Radiosensitization in Head and Neck Cancer
In a study reported in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Eke and colleagues found that simultaneous β1 and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibition resulted in increased cytotoxicity, radiosensitization, and tumor control in human head and neck squamous cell carcinomas....
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...
