I read with great interest the results from the phase II ZUMA-12 study of axicabtagene ciloleucel, presented during the 2020 American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting & Exposition.1 But the results raised several questions for me. Axicabtagene ciloleucel, an autologous anti-CD19...
Four independent studies published in the Journal of Thoracic Oncology demonstrate that rovalpituzumab tesirine (Rova-T), a first-in-class antibody-drug conjugate directed against delta-like protein 3 (DLL3), is not effective against small cell lung cancer (SCLC). An accompanying editorial by...
Guest Editor’s Note: Despite the high prevalence of cancer-related fatigue, there are few effective management strategies for this debilitating condition. Music therapy is a nonpharmacologic modality that has been shown to reduce anxiety in oncology settings. In this installment of The ASCO Post’s...
The inherited condition neurofibromatosis type 1, or NF1, is responsible for the development of benign tumors that grow along the nerves; in some individuals, however, these benign tumors transform into aggressive and malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors. Determining whether this transformation ...
In a phase II study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Tracy L. Rose, MD, MPH, and colleagues found that neoadjuvant therapy with pembrolizumab, gemcitabine, and primarily split-dose cisplatin resulted in pathologic downstaging (< pT2N0) in more than half of patients undergoing...
Chloe Atreya, MD, PhD, was born and reared in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Her mother is a poet, and her father is a planetary physicist and a professor at the University of Michigan. “Some of my early memories that influenced my decision to go into medicine stem from conversations I had with my father...
A set of compounds developed by scientists at Scripps Research target estrogen-sensitive breast cancer cells in new ways, potentially creating better options for patients with treatment-resistant cancers. More information on these dual-mechanism estrogen receptor inhibitors was published by Min et...
On August 31, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) revised the label for the anti–PD-1 therapy pembrolizumab for its indication in first-line advanced urothelial carcinoma. The FDA converted the indication from an accelerated approval to a full approval. In addition, as part of the label...
Where does triplet therapy fit in the treatment of patients with stage IV BRAF-mutated melanoma? Is there strong evidence for combining a BRAF inhibitor, MEK inhibitor, and checkpoint inhibitor? Ragini Kudchadkar, MD, Chair of the Protocol Review and Monitoring Committee at Winship Cancer Institute ...
A cross-sectional survey of patients, caregivers, and physicians on the diagnosis and treatment of brain metastases, conducted by the American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA) as part of its Metastatic Brain Tumor Initiative, revealed disparities in practice patterns and communication around...
Advances in molecular imaging are having a big impact on prostate cancer management and outcomes, according to Ashesh B. Jani, MD, the James C. Kennedy Professor in Prostate Cancer, Department of Radiation Oncology at the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, Atlanta. Dr. Jani described his ...
In a letter to the editor published in The New England Journal of Medicine, Bagchi et al describe the course of treatment in a 3-year-old child with an intracranial tumor and his response to therapy with the kinase inhibitor lorlatinib. Key Points Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the head in a...
Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, announced that it has made the decision to voluntarily withdraw the U.S. accelerated approval for atezolizumab (Tecentriq) in combination with nab-paclitaxel for the treatment of adults with unresectable locally advanced or metastatic triple-negative breast...
The measurement of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is changing the way gastrointestinal cancers are managed, according to Bassel F. El-Rayes, MD, Professor and Vice Chair for Clinical Research in the Department of Hematology and Oncology, Emory University, and Associate Cancer Center Director,...
Communication between patients and their primary care providers is key to ensuring effective cancer care, both before diagnosis and after treatment, according to two recent papers authored by University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center researchers. Although each study analyzed different stages of...
Cancer is a leading cause of mortality in patients with mental illnesses. Although individuals with mental illnesses are equally as vulnerable to cancer as the general population, they are at a much higher risk of cancer-related mortality. Owing to a lack of early screening in most cases, such...
A new study found that incidence rates for malignant brain and other central nervous system (CNS) tumors declined by 0.8% annually during 2008 through 2017 in the United States for all ages combined. The decline was driven by trends in adults, whereas rates have slightly increased by 0.5% to 0.7%...
When added to regular screening and guidelines, evidence-based interventions implemented at the patient, health professional, and service levels did not significantly improve cancer pain, according to research led by Melanie Lovell, MBBS, PhD, Medical Head of Palliative Care at HammondCare and...
A new joint ASCO guideline offers clinicians updated evidence-based recommendations for the prevention and treatment of salivary gland hypofunction and xerostomia caused by nonsurgical cancer therapies.1 The guidance was developed together by ASCO and the Multinational Association of Supportive...
Even before my breast cancer diagnosis in early 2002, the year was shaping up to be life-altering for me and my family. We had moved from Seattle to Houston for a new career opportunity for my husband and were just settling into our new home when I felt a pea-sized nodule in my left breast during a ...
The Yale Center for Immuno-Oncology has announced the appointment of Marcus Bosenberg, MD, PhD, as its inaugural Director. Dr. Bosenberg is Professor of Dermatology, Pathology, and Immunobiology; Co-Leader of the Genomics, Genetics, and Epigenetics Program in Yale Cancer Center; contact principal...
The International Gynecologic Cancer Society (IGCS) has honored Beth Karlan, MD, with its lifetime achievement award. The annual award is presented to individuals who have performed outstanding service and accomplishments that span their career in gynecologic oncology and who have contributed...
On March 31, 2021, the anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody isatuximab-irfc was approved for use in combination with carfilzomib and dexamethasone for the treatment of adults with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who have received one to three prior lines of therapy.1 Supporting Efficacy Data...
The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) has announced that Winette van der Graaf, MD, PhD, will be EORTC President-Elect 2021–2024. Bertrand Tombal, MD, PhD, will remain EORTC President until March 11, 2022, when the EORTC celebrates its 60th anniversary. Dr. van...
Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer among women around the world, making it a significant public health problem.1 The disease affects both men and women, although it is rare in men, accounting for just 1% of all breast cancer diagnoses in the United States and less than 0.1% of...
Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Priority Review to an agent for the prevention of acute graft-vs-host disease; Breakthrough Therapy designation to an anti–PD-1 monoclonal antibody for the treatment of metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma; and Fast Track designation to a ...
A new study from the American Cancer Society published by Xuesong Han, PhD, and colleagues in the journal Cancer has found a link between obesity and the substantial economic burden of nearly $20 billion in 2016 among long-term cancer survivors in the United States, with one-third attributable to...
On August 23, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine has been known as the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, and will now be marketed as Comirnaty, for the prevention of COVID-19 disease in individuals aged 16 years and older. The vaccine also...
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is reminding patients and health-care providers that the safety and effectiveness of robotically assisted surgical devices for use in mastectomy procedures or in the prevention or treatment of breast cancer have not been established. In addition, the FDA...
Levorphanol was associated with improved pain and symptom control in patients with advanced cancer, according to data from an early phase I trial, reported by Akhila Reddy, MD, at the 2021 Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer/International Society of Oral Oncology (MASCC/ISOO)...
Eric Deutsch, MD, PhD, Professor and Chair of Radiation Oncology at Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France, commended the speakers for conducting trials whose results he found “very interesting.” The Averectal trial involved a short course of radiation with modified FOLFOX-6 (oxaliplatin, fluorouracil...
Prediction models based on clinical characteristics and imaging findings may help reduce the false-positive rate in women with dense breasts who undergo supplemental breast cancer screening with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), according to a study published by den Dekker et al in the journal...
In recent years, the gut microbiome has garnered considerable attention as a scientific field, with far-reaching potential for clinical good. The trillions of microorganisms that inhabit the digestive tract form an incredibly complex community, which participates in countless interactions with its...
Too many “exhausted” T cells left in the wake of aggressive chemotherapy regimens for patients with advanced chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) make it more challenging for chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy to do its job. Now, a new study from researchers at the Perelman School of...
Researchers have determined how a highly aggressive type of breast cancer may evade treatment with the compound sacituzumab govitecan-hziy, according to findings published by Coates et al in Cancer Discovery. Their results could help improve therapy and ultimately prolong survival for patients with ...
In a small study of 16 patients with angiosarcoma published by Michael Wagner, MD, and colleagues in the Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer, 4 patients experienced a partial or complete response to treatment with a combination of the immunotherapies ipilimumab and nivolumab, and another 2 patients ...
In a study of National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data reported in JACC: CardioOncology, Valero-Elizondo et al found that U.S. adult patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) were at greater risk of financial toxicity than those with cancer alone, with risk being the greatest ...
Andrew D. Zelenetz, MD, PhD, of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses the role of minimal residual disease evaluation in the treatment of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, techniques used to predict relapse such as immunosequencing and CAPP-Sequencing, and whether such assays could replace the use...
Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) accepted applications for agents aiming to treat non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), differentiated thyroid cancer, renal cell carcinoma (RCC), hypersensitive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), mucosal melanoma, and endometrial carcinoma....
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Keunchil Park, MD, PhD, and colleagues, amivantamab-vmjw given at the selected phase II dose in a phase I trial (CHRYSALIS) produced durable responses in patients with EGFR exon 20 insertion–mutated non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose disease...
ASCO and the Community Oncology Alliance (COA) have published standards for the oncology medical home (OMH), a comprehensive system of care delivery that supports coordinated, efficient, accessible, and evidence-based care.1 The standards serve as a roadmap for practice...
A middle-aged patient was referred to our clinic with a mass in his liver. It had been detected the preceding year, and the patient underwent a battery of investigations with scans and biopsies to reach a diagnosis of metastatic lesion of the liver. After appropriate consultations with oncologists, ...
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (Fred Hutch), University of Washington (UW) Medicine, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA), and Seattle Children’s have announced plans to explore restructuring their longtime relationship to accelerate a shared mission of advancing diagnosis, treatment, and...
Data from KEYNOTE-048 showed that the combination of the checkpoint inhibitor pembrolizumab with platinum-containing therapy improved overall survival vs cetuximab plus chemotherapy in patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).1 The findings provided hope...
ASCO discussant Nicole Chau, MD, Clinical Associate Professor at the University of British Columbia/BC Cancer in Vancouver, said the COSMIC-311 trial was “noteworthy for meeting its co-primary endpoint of progression-free survival (hazard ratio = 0.22) in this heavily pretreated patient...
The invited discussant of APACT,1 Thomas Seufferlein, MD, PhD, Professor of Medicine at the University of Ulm in Germany, said the updated overall survival data “suggest an improved outcome with nab-paclitaxel plus gemcitabine vs gemcitabine alone…. The combination improves long-term survival and...
The 5-year outcomes in the APACT trial uphold the overall survival benefit with nab-paclitaxel plus gemcitabine in the adjuvant treatment of patients with resected pancreatic cancer, according to Margaret A. Tempero, MD, Director of the University of California San Francisco Pancreas Center, who...
About one in four patients with blood cancer fail to produce detectable antibodies after COVID-19 vaccination, but results vary substantially by type of blood cancer, according to a study by Greenberger et al published in the journal Cancer Cell. Although earlier studies have shown that certain...
I first noticed blood in my stool when I was in the 8th grade. My mom and I did an Internet search and were relieved to find that the cause was most likely nothing more serious than hemorrhoids, so I put the problem out of my mind. I played volleyball and had an active social life, and the...
Pelin Cinar, MD, MS, was born and reared in Istanbul, Turkey. “My father ran a small furniture business, and my mother was a homemaker. However, I had a distant cousin who was an obstetrician-gynecologist, but he did house calls and treated any number of health issues in the community. Early on, I ...