Presented here are some highlights of preliminary studies presented at the 2023 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting. These presentations provide signals for the utility of an off-the-shelf chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell product in renal cell carcinoma, an...
Christina Fotopoulou, MD, PhD, of Imperial College London, called DUO-O “a big, celebrated study” that breaks new ground, at least for a subset of patients. “We are beginning to see some encouraging data for immunotherapy in ovarian cancer,” she said as the invited discussant of the study. A chief ...
In newly diagnosed advanced ovarian cancer lacking a BRCA mutation, the addition of durvalumab and olaparib to standard therapy significantly improved progression-free survival, in a planned interim analysis of the international phase III DUO-O trial presented at the 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting1 and...
Many patients with early-stage, low-risk cervical cancer may be spared the side effects associated with radical hysterectomy and undergo simple hysterectomy with pelvic lymph node dissection instead, according to results of the international phase III SHAPE study presented at the 2023 ASCO Annual...
Researchers have revealed that the KDM5D gene on the Y chromosome, which is upregulated in KRAS-mutated colorectal cancer, may be responsible for increasing tumor cell invasiveness and reducing antitumor immunity in male patients, according to a recent study published by Li et al in Nature. The new ...
Researchers have found that the loss of the Y chromosome, a common impact of the aging process in men, may help cancer cells evade the body’s immune system and result in aggressive bladder cancer—but it may also render the disease more vulnerable and responsive to immune checkpoint...
Formal discussant of this late-breaking presentation, Roisin E. O’Cearbhaill, MD, of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, commented: “MIRASOL is confirmatory of SORAYA, the trial that led to FDA accelerated approval. The impressive data of MIRASOL show an overall survival advantage in ...
Mirvetuximab soravtansine-gynx, a novel antibody-drug conjugate, significantly improved progression-free and overall survival in patients with platinum-resistant, recurrent ovarian cancers that express high levels of folate receptor–alpha (FR-alpha), according to the results of the phase III...
Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men in the United States and the second-leading cause of cancer death.1 It also offers a sobering example in the national conversation on racial disparities in cancer care. Despite a deeper scientific understanding of the disease—as well as ...
The addition of the CDK4/6 inhibitor ribociclib to endocrine therapy significantly improved invasive disease–free survival in women with hormone receptor–positive, HER2-negative, early-stage breast cancer. These results of the phase III NATALEE trial were reported by lead author Dennis J. Slamon,...
The oral IDH1/2 inhibitor vorasidenib significantly improved progression-free survival in patients with grade 2 gliomas expressing IDH1/2 mutations in the phase III INDIGO trial. These results, which were reported by lead author Ingo K. Mellinghoff, MD, FACP, of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer...
This is Part 3 of Clinical Advances in Mantle Cell Lymphoma, a three-part video roundtable series. Scroll down to watch the other videos from this Roundtable. In this video, Drs. Brad Kahl, Jonathon Cohen, and Peter Martin discuss the second-line treatment of relapsed/refractory mantle cell...
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Hogan et al, the phase III Children’s Oncology Group AALL1331 trial has shown that the addition of blinatumomab to standard chemotherapy improved survival outcomes among younger patients with low-risk B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in...
Investigators have shed light on the disparities that may be contributing to the high cancer burden of Appalachian Kentucky compared with the rest of the state and country, according to a new study published by Hudson et al in The Journal of Rural Health. Kentucky currently ranks first in the...
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a new voluntary pilot program to help physicians select safe and effective cancer treatments, with guidance on in vitro companion diagnostic tests to determine which corresponding oncology drugs may provide the most benefit for their patients....
In an analysis reported in JAMA Network Open, Phillips et al found that adult survivors of childhood cancer were at an increased risk of new-onset memory impairment vs their siblings. Modifiable factors associated with increased risk of impairment among survivors were identified. Study Details The...
The KRAS G12C inhibitor adagrasib may be effective at suppressing cancer growth not only within the lungs but also in brain metastases for patients with KRAS G12C–mutated non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to a new study published by Negrao et al in the Journal of Clinical Oncology....
Targeted therapy with fruquintinib may improve overall survival and progression-free survival in patients with refractory metastatic colorectal cancer, according to a novel study published by Dasari et al in The Lancet. Background According to the American Cancer Society, colorectal cancer is the...
Aromatase inhibitors may interfere with the efficacy of weight loss medications in breast cancer survivors, according to a new study presented by Fansa et al at the 2023 Endocrine Society Annual Meeting. Background Aromatase inhibitors are designed to block the activity of the aromatase enzyme,...
Investigators have found that older breast cancer survivors—particularly those exposed to chemotherapy—may experience greater epigenetic aging and poorer outcomes than those without a history of cancer, according to a new study published by Rentscher et al in Cancer. Background Epigenetic aging...
On June 15, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted accelerated approval to glofitamab-gxbm (Columvi) for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) not otherwise specified or large B-cell lymphoma arising from follicular lymphoma,...
Although redlining was outlawed more than 50 years ago, individuals who currently live in historically redlined areas may be less likely to be screened for breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and cervical cancer than individuals who live in areas not associated with redlining practices, according to...
A novel, automated liquid biopsy test—the Liquid Biopsy for Breast Cancer Methylation assay—may be effective at predicting early disease progression and potential survival outcomes in patients with metastatic breast cancer after as little as 1 month of treatment, according to a study published by...
Researchers have shared novel insights into the evolution of multiple myeloma from precursor disease, which may help physicians better identify patients whose disease is likely to progress as well as develop new interventions, according to a recent study published by Dang et al in Cancer Cell. How...
Hispanic and non-Hispanic Black breast cancer survivors may experience higher rates of mortality after being diagnosed with a second primary cancer than breast cancer survivors of other ethnic and racial groups, according to a new study published by Deng et al in the Journal of the National Cancer...
Medicare beneficiaries could save between $228.1 million and $2.15 billion per year if insurers operating the U.S. government's Medicare Part D plans purchased seven generic oncology drugs at the same prices obtained by the Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company (MCCPDC), according to a new study...
Researchers have found that preoperative stereotactic radiosurgery is associated with low rates of tumor recurrence, adverse radiation effects, and meningeal disease in patients with metastatic brain tumors, according to a novel study published by Prabhu et al in JAMA Oncology. Background As...
Investigators have found that federal cancer research funding tends to be allocated more heavily toward cancers that occur more often in non-Hispanic White patients than those that occur more frequently in other racial and ethnic groups, according to a new study published by Haghighat et al in the...
The rates of survival and disease recurrence improved significantly when a personalized mRNA vaccine tailored to the patients’ tumor genetics was coupled with immunotherapy in those who had undergone surgery for high-risk melanoma, according to novel findings presented by Khattak et al at the 2023...
For some precancerous cells, traveling from the bone marrow to the skin can trigger genetic transformations that can result in leukemia, according to a novel study published by Griffin et al in Nature. The new findings may have shed light on what researchers have termed the “genetic travelogue” of...
Clifford A. Hudis, MD, ASCO Chief Executive Officer, talks about extending the reach and impact of ASCO by partnering with patients who play a key role in advancing science through clinical trial participation. With near-record numbers of registered attendees, the 2023 Annual Meeting fostered new...
Reid Merryman, MD, of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, discusses his findings on the regimen of epcoritamab plus rituximab and lenalidomide for patients with high-risk follicular lymphoma. Regardless of whether their disease progressed within 24 months of first-line chemoimmunotherapy, this regimen...
The use of preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) did not significantly reduce positive margins after breast-conserving surgery, according to data presented during a press briefing at the 2023 American Society of Breast Surgeons Annual Meeting.1 Although MRI has been shown to detect...
In a new study reported by Farooq et al in Blood Advances, patients with relapsed or refractory lymphoma during pregnancy had a progression-free survival rate of 24% and an overall survival rate of 83%. Background Receiving a lymphoma diagnosis during pregnancy may be uncommon but can occur for...
Investigators have found that patients who had depression and/or anxiety prior to their diagnosis of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) may have had shorter survival times than patients who didn’t have a mental health condition prior to their DLBCL diagnosis, according to a new study published...
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) has launched a new set of large, precision medicine–based clinical trials—known as the ComboMATCH initiative—that will examine the efficacy of novel drug combinations targeting specific tumor mutations in adult and pediatric patients with cancer. The new...
When my sister was diagnosed with breast cancer 25 years ago, her medical team suggested we undergo genetic testing for the BRCA gene mutation. I knew that being a BRCA carrier put me at greater risk for breast and ovarian cancers, but I had no idea it also increased my risk for pancreatic cancer....
Guest Editor’s Note: Despite its high prevalence, cancer pain remains undertreated. Racial disparities present further challenges to assessing and managing pain. Music therapy, a nonpharmacologic intervention, has been documented to be effective in controlling cancer pain. In this article, Kevin T. ...
In a study reported in The New England Journal of Medicine, Ann H. Partridge, MD, MPH, of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and colleagues found that temporary interruption of adjuvant endocrine therapy to attempt pregnancy was not associated with increased short-term risk of breast cancer events among ...
A new study presented at Digestive Disease Week 2023 has shown that just 4% of patients with obesity who underwent bariatric surgery developed obesity-associated cancer in a 10-year follow-up, compared with 8.9% among those who did not have a weight-loss procedure.1 These findings indicate that the ...
Cancer takes a significant psychological toll on affected individuals. Cancer survivors have a significantly elevated risk of developing a mental health disorder compared with the general population, yet their psychological symptoms are often underrecognized and undertreated. To help equip...
Awareness of the link between the human papillomavirus (HPV) and HPV-associated cervical cancers has declined over time, and awareness of other HPV-associated cancers, such as oral, penile, and anal, remains low, according to a cross-sectional study of the U.S. population presented at the 2023...
Immunotherapy regimens involving the PD-L1 monoclonal antibody atezolizumab have demonstrated promising results in patients with early-stage, triple-negative breast cancer and HER2-positive breast cancer, according to a pair of studies presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO)...
Rami Manochakian, MD, of Mayo Clinic Florida, offers his perspective on the new phase III findings on osimertinib, a third-generation, central nervous system EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor, which demonstrated an unprecedented overall survival benefit for patients with EGFR-mutated, stage IB–IIIA...
Findings from a phase III, randomized trial highlight the benefit derived from perioperative immunotherapy in patients with early-stage resectable non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to data presented during the ASCO Plenary Series: April 2023 Session.1 Interim analysis of the Neotorch...
The addition of pembrolizumab to chemotherapy with or without bevacizumab led to improved overall survival and progression-free survival in women with persistent, recurrent, or metastatic cervical cancer in the final protocol-specified overall survival analysis of the KEYNOTE-826 trial presented at ...
Prior authorization of medical procedures, services, and medications has been a standard requirement of health-care providers for decades. Rising health-care costs, specifically the escalating prices of cancer drug therapies, have led to a new focus by payers, providers, and policymakers on prior...
Patients who continue smoking after a cancer diagnosis may have almost a twofold risk of experiencing a heart attack, stroke, or death as a result of cardiovascular disease compared with nonsmokers, according to a new study published by Lee et al in the European Heart Journal. Background According...
Results of a new survey from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) have shed light on the widespread impact of the current carboplatin and cisplatin shortages. In a separate statement, the NCCN called on the whole oncology community to work together on solutions. Background Carboplatin...
This has been a year of firsts and seconds for Monica M. Bertagnolli, MD, FACS, FASCO. This past October, Dr. Bertagnolli became the 16th Director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the first woman and the first clinical trials cooperative group chair to hold that position. Then, 2 months...