The addition of bemarituzumab, a first-in-class anti-FGFR2b antibody, to mFOLFOX6 chemotherapy significantly improved overall survival in patients with FGFR2b-overexpressing (≥ 10% tumor cell staining) unresectable, locally advanced or metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction cancer,...
A perioperative regimen of the antibody-drug conjugate enfortumab vedotin-ejfv plus the PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab significantly improved outcomes vs radical cystectomy alone in patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer who were ineligible for or declined cisplatin-based chemotherapy. Results...
“Pretreatment geriatric assessment in older adults with acute myeloid leukemia is feasible, can identify several functional impairments, and [can] guide the selection of treatment intensity,” resulting in low rates of early mortality, according to Vijaya R. Bhatt, MBBS, MS, of the University of...
On November 19, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved selumetinib (Koselugo), a MEK inhibitor, for adults with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) who have symptomatic, inoperable plexiform neurofibromas (PN). In September 2025, the FDA approved selumetinib capsules and granules for...
Based on the results of a multicenter retrospective cohort study published in JAMA Network Open, in patients who underwent radical nephroureterectomy for upper tract urothelial carcinoma, a history of urinary stones was associated with significantly worse cancer-specific and disease-free survival....
Sacituzumab tirumotecan, a novel TROP2 antibody-drug conjugate, was found to significantly improve both progression-free and overall survival compared with platinum-based chemotherapy in patients with EGFR-mutated non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who had experienced disease progression following...
Based on the results of a multicenter cross-sectional survey study published in JAMA Network Open by Raman et al, patients with blood cancer who were potentially hospice-eligible placed the greatest importance on transfusion access compared with routine hospice services. “The high value placed on...
Almost half of all women (48%) under the age of 40 who are living with advanced breast cancer have children under the age of 18, and 64% of these young patients also experience employment disruptions after they are diagnosed, according to findings from a survey conducted by the Young Survival...
In a study reported in JAMA Oncology, Barac et al developed a risk prediction model for heart failure or cardiomyopathy (HF/CM) after breast cancer treatment. Study Details The aim of the study was to construct a model predicting the 10-year risk of developing HF/CM in women receiving systemic...
Clinical trials remain out of reach for many Americans, with only 7% of patients with cancer participating in clinical trials, according to a new report from the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s (ASCO) State of Cancer Care in America series. Experts agree that access to trials is a key...
Following cystectomy, patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer at high risk for recurrence may safely be treated with radiotherapy and may achieve an improvement in locoregional control compared with observation. These findings, which come from the phase III BART trial presented in a plenary...
The phase III TORPEdO trial reported no meaningful differences between intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and proton beam therapy at 1 year in terms of patient-reported quality of life, swallowing function, or feeding tube dependence for individuals with locally advanced oropharyngeal...
In the spring of 2024, I was preparing to compete in a Half Ironman triathlon and was not surprised when I began experiencing tightness in my groin. I just figured it was the byproduct of specific endurance training I was doing in each discipline, including running, biking, and swimming, to get...
The Basser Center for BRCA at the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania, the world’s first comprehensive center aimed at advancing research, treatment, and prevention of BRCA-related cancers, is honoring Alan D. D'Andrea, MD, of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, with the 2025 BRCA...
In an updated analysis published in The New England Journal of Medicine, Roobol et al reported long-term findings from the European Randomized Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer (ERSPC) on the survival benefit of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening. The study, which was initiated in 1993, ...
Based on the results of a cross-sectional epidemiologic analysis published in JAMA Network Open, the incidence of oropharyngeal cancer has increased among older individuals in the United States. According to Cao et al, those with localized disease appeared to be undertreated, indicating the need...
In an effort to reduce the size of government, the current administration has proposed an across the board 37% reduction1 in funding for the National Cancer Institute (NCI). This will result in approval of only 4% of applications2 from scientists at universities and cancer centers, with 96% of all ...
“Someday you will be a doctor, Fazlur, and help people,” were the prophetic words of a mother to her son and the driving force behind the early quest of Fazlur Rahman, MD, to become a physician. Born and raised in what is now Bangladesh, he experienced the death of his mother at the young age of ...
A deep learning algorithm developed for processing digital screening mammograms, Mirai, was able to detect interval breast cancers and identify women who would benefit from more frequent screenings, according to the results of a UK retrospective study published in Radiology. “If we called back 20% ...
In the 50 years now since my fellowship training, there have been major advances in the diagnosis, staging, prognostic scoring, treatment, and response assessment of lymphomas. To conjure up the future, we must first appreciate the present by understanding how it arose from the past.1 So, a trip in ...
Contrary to previous research, a preplanned secondary analysis of the multicenter PREVENT trial, reported by W.Gregory Hundley, MD, FACC, of Pauley Heart Center, Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, and colleagues in ...
The ASCO Post is pleased to present Hematology Expert Review, an ongoing feature that quizzes readers on issues in hematology. In this installment, Syed Ali Abutalib, MD, and L. Jeffrey Medeiros, MD, explore the key epidemiologic, pathologic, diagnostic, and prognostic aspects of chronic...
In a Japanese phase II trial (Evolution) reported in The Lancet Oncology, Hata et al found that pembrolizumab plus platinum-based chemotherapy without radiotherapy was active in unresectable locally advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with a PD-L1 tumor proportion score (TPS) ≥ 50%. Study...
A perioperative regimen of the antibody-drug conjugate enfortumab vedotin-ejfv plus the PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab significantly improved outcomes vs radical cystectomy alone in patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer who were ineligible for or declined cisplatin-based chemotherapy. Results...
In a study reported in JAMA Oncology, Glele et al identified potential risk factors for valvular heart disease (VHD) in a European cohort of long-term childhood cancer survivors. Study Details The nested case-control study used data from the PanCareSurFup (PanCare Childhood and Adolescent Cancer...
In early 2023, I began experiencing serious symptoms that were not easily explained away, including deep vein thrombosis in my left leg, extreme weight loss, bruising, wheezing, and shortness of breath so severe that it was difficult to walk my dog more than a few feet without gasping for air. For...
Use of PAM50 subtyping allowed clinicians to determine which patients with recurrent prostate cancer were most likely to benefit from the addition of apalutamide hormonal therapy to salvage radiotherapy, according to findings from the phase II BALANCE trial (NRG GU006). These results were presented ...
In a retrospective analysis reported in The Lancet Oncology, Black et al examined whether linking of comprehensive whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to mortality data could add prognostic value to standard clinical data and provide a rationale for use of targeted therapies. Study Details In the...
Multiple studies have reported increasing rates of cancer in younger adults in individual countries, but have not included an international comparison across countries. To address this limitation, Berrington de Gonzalez et al conducted a surveillance study across 42 countries evaluating cancer...
In a study reported in JCO Oncology Practice, Kirkwood et al identified recent changes in and characteristics of the hematologist/medical oncologist (oncologist) workforce in the United States, with the data revealing gaps in coverage according to age and other patient demographics. Study Details ...
Here are brief reports on three oncology approvals by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in September 2025: • Estrogen Receptor Antagonist in Advanced or Metastatic Breast Cancer: The FDA has approved imlunestrant (Inluriyo), an estrogen receptor antagonist, for adults with estrogen...
A new clinical trial from the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group (ECOG-ACRIN) presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) 2025 Congress found that adjuvant therapy with the PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab appeared to reduce the risk of distant metastases for an aggressive form of skin...
In a randomized phase II trial, Christiane Querfeld, MD, PhD, and colleagues investigated the effects of a PD-L1–blocking strategy for targeting both the innate and adaptive immune systems in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL). At the 2025 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) Annual Meeting,1 Dr....
An international study conducted by the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology and the Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cooperative Group has revealed that age-based classifications in the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) may be outdated and overly simplistic. Their findings were published by...
Rare cancers—defined as fewer than 6 cases per 100,000 people per year—are understudied in the United States, and patients with rare cancers may experience unique challenges. In a recent, large study led by the American Cancer Society (ACS), scientists found that patients diagnosed with rare...
In 2022, Congress requested a scientific review from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) to study the associated risks of cancer and other health conditions and the use of alcohol. The concern was that the health risks associated with low-to-moderate consumption of ...
In a nationwide study published in JCO Oncology Practice, Wolswinkel et al evaluated the long-term oncologic safety of fertility-sparing surgery (FSS) compared with hysterectomy in women with early-stage cervical cancer. The study—one of the largest of its kind—addresses a critical question for...
Incidence rates for invasive lobular carcinoma have increased more drastically than all other breast cancers combined between 2012 and 2021, according to findings from the American Cancer Society’s Lobular Breast Cancer Statistics 2025 report, published in Cancer. “Although lobular breast cancer...
In a prospective cohort study published in JCO Oncology Practice, Ssebyala et al examined long-term health-care utilization and adherence to follow-up care among young adult survivors of breast cancer. Their findings reveal high rates of mammography adherence but persistent gaps in other areas of...
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Wang et al, a phase I/II trial (KOMET-001) has shown activity of the oral menin inhibitor ziftomenib in patients with relapsed or refractory NPM1-mutant acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Study Details In the phase II portion of the trial, 92 patients...
Based on the results of the multicenter phase III NEXT trial published by Jeong et al in JAMA Network Open, the addition of a polymeric micellar paclitaxel to standard chemotherapy with gemcitabine plus cisplatin did not improve overall survival in patients with previously untreated advanced...
In individuals younger than age 50 undergoing a colonoscopy, greater odds for having colorectal cancer were observed among those who presented with rectal bleeding, according to findings from a study presented at the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Clinical Congress 2025 and published in the...
Patients with cancer who developed financial toxicity and falling credit scores faced higher mortality risks, according to findings from a study presented at the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Clinical Congress 2025 and published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons. “Our work...
When seeking a surgeon for treatment, providing emotional support and helping patients manage expectations are among the top areas of communication valued by patients, according to a recent systematic review. The research was presented at the 2025 American College of Surgeons (ACS) Clinical...
The results of the multicenter Female Asian Nonsmoker Screening Study (FANSS) suggest that low-dose CT screening is feasible and has value for early lung cancer detection in the historically underserved demographic of Asian women with no history of smoking. These data from the largest United...
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Wieduwilt et al, findings in a cohort of the phase II Alliance study A041703 indicate that the chemotherapy-free regimen of inotuzumab ozogamicin followed by blinatumomab was highly active in patients aged ≥ 60 years with newly diagnosed B-cell...
Research published in Cancer revealed that inflammatory responses may be tied to cancer-related fatigue and certain inflammatory activities may lead to distinct dimensions of fatigue in women with early-stage breast cancer. “Our findings indicate that inflammation plays a role in some aspects of...
In the phase III HARMONi trial, when ivonescimab was given with carboplatin plus pemetrexed, vs the chemotherapy regimen alone, after a third-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitor, patients with EGFR-mutated non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) had a significant delay in disease progression.1...
In patients rendered immunocompromised by allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), a single dose of the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine within the first year afterward resulted in low seroconversion rates, as reported by Redjoul et al in JAMA Network Open. However, a...
The process of obtaining insurance prior authorization before a medical procedure, service, or medication prescription has typically been left to clinicians. However, as cancer therapies grow increasingly complex, the burden of navigating insurance prior authorization is increasingly being shared...