Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved bevacizumab (Avastin) in combination with chemotherapy (carboplatin and paclitaxel) followed by bevacizumab as a single agent for the treatment of women with advanced (stage III or IV) ovarian cancer following initial surgical resection....
At the 71st World Health Assembly in Geneva, the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) delivered two statements positioning cancer as a priority on the global agenda of the World Health Organization (WHO). Presenting its recommendations for action to the international community,...
The phase III iLLUMINATE (PCYC-1130) trial recently met its primary endpoint of improvement in progression-free survival. The study evaluated ibrutinib (Imbruvica) in combination with obinutuzumab (Gazyva) in patients with previously untreated chronic lymphocytic leukemia or small lymphocytic...
As reported by Neelima Denduluri, MD, of US Oncology Network, Virginia Cancer Specialists, and colleagues in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, ASCO has issued a focused update on the clinical practice guideline on optimal chemotherapy and targeted therapy in early breast cancer. To develop the...
In an analysis of two clinical trials reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Camidge et al found that brigatinib (Alunbrig) produced high intracranial response rates and good intracranial progression-free survival in patients with ALK-positive non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and...
In a secondary analysis of the phase III 10TASQ10 trial comparing tasquinimod vs placebo in chemotherapy-naive metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, the automated Bone Scan Index (aBSI) was shown to be predictive of overall survival. The findings were reported in JAMA Oncology by...
On June 12, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved pembrolizumab (Keytruda) for the treatment of patients with recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer and disease progression on or after chemotherapy whose tumors express programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) [Combined Positive Score...
Recent research has shown that the tumor microenvironment in older patients promoted melanoma metastasis and resistance to targeted therapy with a BRAF inhibitor. Now, a new study investigating the relationships among age, response to anti–programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1)...
An internationally released comprehensive analysis of research on lifestyle factors and cancer prevention confirms the critical links between cancer diagnoses and diet, physical activity, and weight. Independent experts from across the globe reviewed decades of scientific evidence to develop the...
Twenty-five years after it opened for enrollment, the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial (PCPT) has delivered a final verdict: finasteride, a common hormone-blocking drug, reduces men's risk of getting prostate cancer without increasing their risk of dying from the disease. Initial study...
A national retrospective study led by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center found no association between intensity of posttreatment surveillance and detection of recurrence or overall survival (OS) in patients with stage I, II, or III colorectal cancer. Published by...
In a UK pilot trial (SELECT-D) reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Young et al found that the oral factor Xa inhibitor rivaroxaban was associated with a lower rate of recurrent venous thromboembolism (VTE) but a higher rate of clinically relevant nonmajor bleeding compared with the...
In a phase II trial (SJYC07) reported in The Lancet Oncology, Robinson et al found that risk-adapted treatment did not improve event-free survival in young children with medulloblastoma. Analysis by methylation status showed superior outcome in the sonic hedgehog (SHH) subgroup. Study Details The ...
In a letter to the editor in The New England Journal of Medicine, Ratner et al describe rapid progression of adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) in three consecutive patients receiving programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) inhibitor therapy with nivolumab (Opdivo). As stated by the authors,...
ASCO’S TARGETED Agent and Profiling Utilization Registry (TAPUR) Study now provides a full list of patient cohort expansions and closures on its website. Based on treatment responses in stage I, patient cohorts are either expanded to stage II for further study and identification of a signal or...
John V. Cox, DO, FASCO, of the Parkland Hospital and Health System/University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, has served as the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Oncology Practice (JOP) since 2008. As a member of the journal’s inaugural Editorial Board, he has seen the publication evolve...
DIRECT, EASY to understand, and in a convenient single-page format, ASCO Answers fact sheets introduce patients and their caregivers to types of cancer and cancer-related topics, including treatments and side effects. Each fact sheet includes an overview of the topic, methods for management and...
WOMEN WHO CONQUER CANCER is a group dedicated to advancing cancer research by supporting young women researchers early in their careers through Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO Young Investigator Awards (YIAs). These 1-year grants give promising researchers the boost they need to get started on...
WITH CONGRESS having recently passed federal “right-to-try” (RTT) legislation, ASCO has developed a suite of educational resources that will help members understand the impact of this law on cancer care and individuals with cancer. Educational resources include: Podcast THE LATEST ASCO in Action...
ASCO will recognize Douglas W. Blayney, MD, FASCO, medical oncologist and Professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, with the Joseph V. Simone Award and Lecture for Excellence in Quality and Safety in the Care of Patients with Cancer. Dr. Blayney will be presented with the award at the...
For the third year, the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) is supporting the ASCO/American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Workshop on Methods in Clinical Cancer Research, to take place July 18–August 3, 2018, at Vail Mountain Marriott Resort in Vail, Colorado. Celebrating its ...
FORMAL DISCUSSANT of this trial, John V. Heymach, MD, PhD, of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, also was optimistic about these early findings. “This is a proof-of-concept study showing this approach is safe. Only modest activity was observed with standard [Response...
A NOVEL APPROACH using two doses of nivolumab (Opdivo) prior to surgery achieved major pathologic responses in 45% of patients with resectable stages I to IIIA non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to the results of a small Stand Up 2 Cancer–Cancer Research Institute Dream Team study...
THE NUMBER of opioids prescribed after surgery for gynecologic cancer decreased significantly after implementation of an ultra-restrictive opioid prescription protocol, with no apparent negative effect on patient satisfaction or pain, according to research presented by Jaron Mark, MD, and...
COMMENTING ON the study, invited discussant Shitanshu Uppal, MD, of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, called the data “provocative” but said he had progressed through the “five stages of grief” in reaction to the results. “I’ve gone through denial, I’ve gone through anger, I couldn’t...
PATIENTS UNDERGOING minimally invasive radical hysterectomy for early cervical cancer had higher rates of disease recurrence and worse disease-free, progression-free, and overall survival than did women who had the open approach, according to results from the phase III LACC trial, presented by...
COMMENTING ON the study, invited discussant Oliver Dorigo, MD, PhD, of Stanford University, said that tumor size and disease site are useful clinical parameters for predicting nonresponse to immunotherapy and should be considered when selecting and “unselecting” patients for immunotherapy...
PRETREATMENT CLINICAL findings may predict early treatment discontinuation in patients with ovarian cancer receiving checkpoint blockade immunotherapy agents. Data presented by MD candidate Julia L. Boland at the 2018 Society of Gynecologic Oncology Annual Meeting on Women’s Cancer revealed that...
THE QUANTITY of original research presented at the National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®) Annual Conference has been growing, and at the 2018 meeting, 121 researchers presented their work. The ASCO Post captured some of the findings for this report. Blood Markers Correlate With Anti–PD-1...
USE OF THE FOLFIRINOX regimen (fluorouracil, leucovorin, irinotecan, and oxaliplatin) was associated with a 4.9-month improvement in overall survival compared to gemcitabine/ nab-paclitaxel (Abraxane) in the neoadjuvant treatment of resectable and borderline-resectable pancreatic head...
IN A PILOT study of recurrent glioma, 26% of patients treated with the optimal dose of vocimagene amiretroprepvec (aka Toca 511), a novel oncolytic virus therapy, achieved durable, long-term responses and remained alive 3 or more years later. This outcome far exceeded “historical benchmarks” for...
SARAH BLAIR, MD, a breast surgeon at the University of California San Diego, noted that lymphedema remains a significant clinical problem, although the rates of lymphedema are decreasing, as fewer full axillary node dissections are performed. “This study utilizes bioimpedance spectroscopy, a...
A NEW STUDY has found that early detection along with a simple intervention can be highly effective in preventing breast cancer–related lymphedema for at-risk women. According to data presented at the 2018 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Breast Surgeons,1 82% of women identified at an...
JUDY C. BOUGHEY, MD, a breast surgeon and clinical and translational researcher at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, said the two studies highlight the importance of discussing genetic testing with patients who are diagnosed with breast cancer. “With the advances in panel testing for...
NEW RESEARCH suggests that current genetic testing guidelines for breast cancer are far too restrictive, excluding nearly half of high-risk patients. According to a pair of studies presented at the 2018 American Society of Breast Surgeons (ASBrS) Annual Meeting, women with breast cancer who did not ...
CARLA S. FISHER, MD, Associate Professor of Surgery at Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, underscored the importance of these data in informing treatment decisions given the difficult trade-off patients can face. “By analyzing a large group of patients treated in the modern era, ...
A STUDY OF local recurrence rates following lumpectomy has shown significant improvement in patients receiving modern, multimodal therapies, suggesting breast-conserving surgery may be an option for more patients with breast cancer, according to data presented at the 2018 American Society of Breast ...
“AS A SOCIETY, we often think about the value of cancer treatments in terms of survival, but for older patients, we need to look beyond that. Geriatric assessments are clearly an effective tool to help us treat the whole patient. It’s a conversation starter that informs and empowers both patients...
A FEDERALLY FUNDED randomized study demonstrated that use of geriatric assessment in the routine care of older adults with advanced cancer significantly improved doctor-patient communication about age-related concerns as well as patient satisfaction with the communication. The study was presented...
AN ECONOMIC model comparing different types of genetic testing in metastatic non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) found using next-generation sequencing to test for all known lung cancer–related gene changes at the time of diagnosis was less costly and faster than sequentially testing one or a...
“THIS STUDY makes a strong case that our country needs an effective public service campaign about encouraging lung cancer screening,” said ASCO President Bruce E. Johnson, MD, FASCO, during a press briefing before the 2018 ASCO Annual Meeting. “Public service campaigns from the 1990s encouraged...
AN ANALYSIS of 1,800 lung cancer screening sites nationwide found that only 1.9% of more than 7 million eligible current and former heavy smokers were screened for lung cancer in 2016, despite U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) and ASCO screening recommendations. Results from this...
ASCO PRESIDENT Bruce E. Johnson, MD, FASCO, commented on these study findings during the press briefing. “This study adds to a growing body of knowledge showing the value of integrating patient-reported outcomes into routine oncology practice for symptom monitoring that a wide variety of our...
A RANDOMIZED clinical trial evaluating the use of mobile and sensor technology to remotely monitor symptoms in patients receiving radiation therapy for head and neck cancer found that use of this technology reduced the severity of symptoms related to cancer and its treatment compared with usual...
ON JUNE 2, ASCO President Bruce E. Johnson, MD, FASCO, released the following statement: Today at the 2018 ASCO Annual Meeting, National Cancer Institute (NCI) Director Norman Sharpless, MD, announced $10 million in new funding for the National Clinical Trials Network (NCTN). ASCO applauds Dr....
“THIS STUDY represents a true milestone in the field of lung cancer. For the first time, the vast majority of patients with non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) can receive immunotherapy with pembrolizumab (Keytruda),” said ASCO expert John Heymach, MD, PhD, of MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston,...
IMMUNOTHERAPY WITH pembrolizumab (Keytruda) improved overall survival compared with investigator’s choice of platinum-based chemotherapy as first-line treatment for patients with advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in the KEYNOTE-042 trial. Median overall survival was improved by 4 to 8...
Dr. Hayes, ASCO President 2016–2017, is Professor of Internal Medicine; Stuart B. Padnos Professor in Breast Cancer; and Clinical Director of the Breast Oncology Program at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Ann Arbor. AS I COMPLETE my 3-year term as ASCO President, I am...
ADVANCES IN cancer treatment have been nothing short of breathtaking in recent years. Among the most important has been the advent of effective oral therapies, marking a significant change in the way many patients receive treatment and in the oversight required by the cancer care team. As with...
LISA CAREY, MD, the Richardson and Marilyn Jacobs Preyer Distinguished Professor in Breast Cancer Research at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, commented as the invited discussant for TAILORx, and Dawn L. Hershman, MD, FASCO, Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology and Leader of the...