The findings in the American Cancer Society (ACS) annual report, Cancer Statistics, 2025,1 showed a mixed trend in cancer incidence and mortality rates. Although cancer mortality declined by 34% from 1991 to 2022 in the United States—largely because of smoking reductions, earlier detection, and...
The BRAF inhibitor encorafenib plus the monoclonal antibody cetuximab combined with mFOLFOX (modified folinic acid, fluorouracil, and oxaliplatin) significantly improved overall response in BRAF V600E–mutant metastatic colorectal cancer, according to data presented at the 2025 ASCO Gastrointestinal ...
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. This year, it’s expected that more than 53,000 individuals will die of the disease.1 Although screening for colorectal cancer through colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy is effective in detecting the...
Each year in the United States, approximately 90,000 adolescents and young adults (AYAs), defined as those between the ages of 15 and 39, are diagnosed with cancer, and about 9,300 die of the disease.1 Worldwide, the number of new cases of cancer in this age population tops 1,300,200—an increase of ...
The BRAF inhibitor encorafenib plus the monoclonal antibody cetuximab combined with mFOLFOX (modified folinic acid, fluorouracil, and oxaliplatin) significantly improved overall response in BRAF V600E–mutant metastatic colorectal cancer, according to data presented at the 2025 ASCO Gastrointestinal ...
An immunotherapy combination for advanced, highly mutated colorectal cancer has significantly delayed disease progression vs single-agent therapy, according to data presented at the 2025 ASCO Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium.1 The phase III CheckMate 8HW trial compared the PD-1 inhibitor...
Investigators may have uncovered notable pharmacokinetic differences between male and female patients in at least 14 anticancer drugs, according to a recent study published by Delahousse et al in ESMO Open. Background Many cancer drugs have a narrow therapeutic window. As a result, slight...
Investigators have found that although fewer patients may be diagnosed with and dying from cancer in Appalachia, cancer incidence and mortality rates remain substantially higher compared with elsewhere in the United States, according to a recent study published by Burus et al in the Journal of the...
The results from the phase III FIRE-4 randomized clinical trial show that liquid biopsy accurately identified patients with RAS/BRAF V600E wild type–mutated metastatic colorectal cancer. The findings confirm the high clinical relevance of liquid biopsy performed at baseline before the start of...
In an interim analysis of a phase III noninferiority trial (COLLISION) reported in The Lancet Oncology, van der Lei et al found that thermal ablation was noninferior to surgical resection in terms of overall survival in patients with small resectable colorectal liver metastases. Study Details In...
The randomized, double-blind, multicenter, placebo-controlled ALASCCA Trial screened 3,508 patients across 33 hospitals in Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Norway for eligibility. They either had stage II or III colon cancer or stage I, II, or III rectal cancer. Ultimately, 626 patients continued on...
Cathy Eng, MD, of Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, reported on findings from the FRESCO-2 study, focusing on overall survival with fruquintinib vs placebo after adjusting for subsequent anticancer therapy in patients with refractory metastatic colorectal cancer (Abstract 171). Abstract 171, a...
Studies have shown that adults living in historically redlined neighborhoods are less likely to be screened for breast, colorectal, and cervical cancers and have worse survival than those living in nonredlined areas. Redlining, a discriminatory, racist practice that began in the 1920s and 1930s in...
First-line treatment with the targeted therapies encorafenib and cetuximab plus a modified leucovorin, fluorouracil, and oxaliplatin (mFOLFOX6) chemotherapy regimen may be effective in patients with BRAF V600E–mutated metastatic colorectal cancer, according to recent findings presented by Kopetz et ...
The open-label, global, randomized phase III BREAKWATER study was an analysis of first-line encorafenib plus cetuximab plus chemotherapy in patients with BRAF V600E–mutant metastatic colorectal cancer. Here, Scott Kopetz, MD, PhD, FACP, of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, reports ...
According to one of the first biomarker-driven randomized study in people with nonmetastatic colorectal cancer, taking 160 mg of aspirin daily after treatment ends may reduce the risk of cancer recurrence in patients with cancers that harbor a PI3K mutation. These mutations are common to many types ...
Previous research has shown that nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including aspirin and COX-2 inhibitors, may reduce the risk of developing colon cancer. A recent CALGB/SWOG study revealed that adding celecoxib to FOLFOX chemotherapy improved disease-free survival in patients with...
Thierry André, MD, of Hôpital Saint-Antoine, presented first results from the ongoing phase III CheckMate 8HW trial comparing nivolumab plus ipilimumab vs nivolumab monotherapy for microsatellite instability–high/mismatch repair–deficient metastatic colorectal cancer (Abstract LBA143).
Aasma Shaukat, MD, MPH, of NYU Langone, presented results from the PREEMPT CRC study, which evaluated the clinical performance of an investigational blood-based screening test for detecting molecular signals of advanced colorectal neoplasia in an average-risk population (Abstract 18).
Late in 2024, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the 2025 Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) final rule adopting changes for Medicare payments under the PFS. CMS also released the 2025 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System final rule, which sets hospital outpatient...
Colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. This year, it’s expected that more than 53,000 individuals will die of the disease. Although screening for the cancer through colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy is effective in detecting the disease, nearly...
A study evaluating ChatGPT’s ability to accurately respond to patient inquiries regarding colon cancer by comparing its responses with assessments from expert clinical oncologists found that questions about symptoms, prevention, and screening for the cancer were highly accurate. However, responses...
On January 16, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the KRAS G12C inhibitor sotorasib (Lumakras) with the monoclonal antibody panitumumab (Vectibix) for adult patients with KRAS G12C–mutated metastatic colorectal cancer, as determined by an FDA-approved test, who have received prior ...
The findings in the American Cancer Society’s annual report, Cancer Statistics, 2025, show a mixed trend in cancer incidence and mortality rates. While cancer mortality declined by 34% from 1991 to 2022 in the United States—largely due to smoking reductions, earlier detection, and improved...
In a phase II trial (S1613) reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Raghav et al found no difference in progression-free survival overall with trastuzumab/pertuzumab vs cetuximab/irinotecan in the second- or third-line treatment of RAS/BRAF wild-type HER2-positive metastatic colorectal...
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) announced that the organization participated in a 2-day meeting at the Middle East North Africa (MENA)–NCCN Regional Coordinating Center. Background The MENA-NCCN Regional Coordinating Center is supported by the Ministry of National Guard Health...
A new study examining the use of high-cost drugs among patients with colorectal cancer and non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) found those insured through Medicare Advantage received less expensive cancer drugs compared to others on traditional Medicare. The findings were published by Bradley et al...
Researchers have demonstrated that a novel artificial intelligence (AI)-based platform could aid physicians and patients in assessing the benefit from a particular therapy being tested in a clinical trial, according to a recent study published by Orcutt et al in Nature Medicine. The AI platform may ...
As reported in The Lancet Oncology by Sung et al, analysis of international population-based cancer registry data indicate an increase in incidence of colorectal cancer among younger persons (age < 50 years) in a majority of countries and territories examined. Study Details Colorectal cancer...
Today, Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issued an advisory citing scientific studies linking alcoholic beverages and an increased risk of at least seven cancers, including breast and colorectal cancers, and called for alcoholic beverages to carry cancer warning labels. Health warning labels on...
On December 27, 2024, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved nivolumab and hyaluronidase-nvhy (Opdivo Qvantig) for subcutaneous injection across approved adult, solid tumor nivolumab indications as monotherapy, monotherapy maintenance following completion of nivolumab plus ipilimumab...
On December 20, 2024, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to encorafenib (Braftovi) in combination with cetuximab and modified fluorouracil, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin (mFOLFOX6) for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer with a BRAF V600E mutation, as detected...
In the IDENTIFY study, reported in The New England Journal of Medicine, Turriff et al found a high incidence of maternal occult cancer associated with unusual or nonreportable prenatal cell-free DNA (cfDNA) findings in fetal aneuploidy screening. Study Details In the ongoing study, performed at the ...
Cancer care is increasingly complicated by the presence of comorbidities, which affect nearly two-thirds of patients at the time of diagnosis and can influence treatment decisions, participation in clinical trials, and overall outcomes. During 2024 JADPRO Live, M. Edie Brucker, DNP, MPH, ARNP,...
In a study reported in JAMA Oncology, Knudsen et al found evidence supporting the consideration of extending the rescreening intervals after a negative colonoscopy screening result beyond the currently recommended 10 years, particularly among individuals with a low-risk profile. Study Details The...
In an Italian phase II trial (IMPROVE) reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Avallone et al found that intermittent panitumumab and FOLFIRI (fluorouracil, leucovorin, and irinotecan) was associated with promising progression-free survival as first-line treatment in patients with RAS/BRAF...
As reported in The New England Journal of Medicine by Andre et al, interim analysis of the phase III CheckMate 8HW trial has shown that nivolumab plus ipilimumab prolonged progression-free survival vs chemotherapy with or without targeted agents in patients with microsatellite instability–high...
A bacterial toxin may accelerate the spread of colorectal cancer to other parts of the body, according to a recent study published by He et al in Cell Host & Microbiome. The findings could pave the way for novel tools to detect metastatic colorectal cancer early and determine which patients may ...
Over the past decade, ASCO has focused its resources on advancing health equity for sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals with cancer. In 2017, the Society published a position statement “Strategies for Reducing Cancer Health Disparities Among Sexual and Gender Minority Populations,” which...
Improvements in cancer prevention and screening have averted more deaths from five cancer types combined over the past 45 years than treatment advances, according to a modeling study led by researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The study, published by Goddard et al in JAMA...
The soaring number of cancer survivors since the National Cancer Act of 1971 was enacted into law provides a snapshot of the profound progress made against cancer over the past half-century: 3 million survivors in the 1970s,1 compared to more than 18 million today, and that number is expected to...
Targeting certain bacterial strains linked to cancer with treatments or vaccines may help to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer, urothelial carcinoma, and prostate cancer, according to a novel study published by Mäklin et al in The Lancet Microbiome. Background The bacterium Escherichia coli is...
Worldwide, more than a billion people have obesity—including 650 million adults, 340 million adolescents, and 39 million children1—a rate that has nearly doubled since 1980.2 In the United States alone, about two out of three adults are overweight or have obesity, and one out of three have...
New research may expand on existing evidence that a healthy diet may protect against gastrointestinal cancers and improve disease outcomes, according to a recent study published by Abebe et al in the European Journal of Nutrition. Background Gastrointestinal cancers including esophageal, gastric,...
Researchers have demonstrated that a targeted intervention may increase screening rates in patients who do not adhere to current colorectal cancer screening recommendations, according to a recent study published by Reuland et al in JAMA Network Open. Background Colorectal cancer screening is often...
My twin brother and I were adopted at 18 months old, so I don’t know the medical history of our biological parents and family. But for certain, cancer has played an integral—and heartbreaking—role in my life. Both of my adoptive parents were diagnosed with genitourinary cancers at relatively early ...
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) introduced expanded NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines®) to account for the advanced understanding of hereditary cancer risk in breast, ovarian, pancreatic, and prostate cancers.1 “The recently updated NCCN Guidelines for ...
In a study reported in JAMA Network Open, Zhu et al found that cancer-specific mortality rates have decreased overall among U.S. Asian and Pacific Islander populations during recent years, although increases in cancer-specific mortality have been reported for some cancers. Study Details The...
In a phase II trial reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Ahn et al found the combination of the PLK1 inhibitor onvansertib with FOLFIRI (fluorouracil, leucovorin, and irinotecan) plus bevacizumab showed activity in the second-line treatment of KRAS-mutant metastatic colorectal cancer....
Just 50% of patients with early-onset cancers may report discussing fertility preservation options with their physicians prior to receiving oncology treatments, according to a recent study published by Keller et al in JAMA Network Open. Background “From an early-onset cancer diagnosis through to...