In the final per-protocol analysis of the phase III KEYNOTE-811 trial, an overall survival benefit was shown by adding the PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab to trastuzumab and chemotherapy in treatment-naive, unresectable, HER2-positive metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma.1...
Despite considerable progress in the discovery and development of new cancer drugs between 1990 and 2022, there may be disparities in both the availability and timeliness of these treatment options globally, particularly among lower-income countries, according to a recent study published by Li et...
In the European TransMet trial, reported in The Lancet, Adam et al found that liver transplantation plus chemotherapy improved overall survival vs chemotherapy alone in patients with permanently unresectable colorectal cancer liver metastases. Study Details In the open-label trial, 94 patients...
ASCO has issued a rapid update to its guideline on the management of stage III non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), based on the results of the phase III LAURA trial, which was presented at the 2024 ASCO Annual Meeting and published simultaneously in The New England Journal of Medicine.1,2 The...
The combination of the VEGF tyrosine kinase inhibitor lenvatinib, the PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab, and transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) significantly improved progression-free survival in patients with intermediate-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) compared with TACE alone, according to...
An artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm may be effective at writing physician’s letters, according to a recent study published by Heilmeyer et al in JMIR Medical Informatics. Background According to recent surveys, physicians may spend almost 3 hours per day on documentation activities. “The...
Total neoadjuvant therapy (TNT) followed by rectal surgery is the standard of care in proficient mismatch repair (pMMR) locally advanced rectal cancer, but studies are finding that patients with clinical complete response may often avoid surgery and be followed “nonoperatively.” In the first...
A substantial number of patients with brain metastases who experience cognitive side effects after radiation therapy may fully regain cognitive function, according to recent findings presented by Cherng et al at the 2024 American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Annual Meeting (Abstract 150). ...
The American Cancer Society (ACS) recently released Breast Cancer Statistics, 2024, the organization’s biennial update on breast cancer occurrence and trends in the United States. The new report finds breast cancer mortality rates overall have dropped by 44% since 1989, averting approximately...
As reported in The Lancet by Morris et al, the phase III PSMAfore trial has shown improved progression-free survival with lutetium-177–labeled PSMA-617 (LuPSMA) vs change in androgen receptor pathway inhibitor (ARPI) in taxane-naive patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer...
Two types of contemporary radiation therapy—proton-beam therapy or intensity-modulated radiation therapy—may provide comparable rates of tumor control with no differences in patient-reported quality of life among patients with low- and intermediate-risk prostate cancer, according to new findings...
Findings of a multi-institutional phase III trial indicated that people with limited-stage small cell lung cancer may benefit from the addition of immunotherapy to chemoradiotherapy, but not if both treatments are given simultaneously, new research finds. The results suggest that the timing of when ...
In the the phase IA/B dose-escalation and -expansion EMBER study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Jhaveri et al, the next-generation oral selective estrogen receptor degrader imlunestrant (alone and in combination with other targeted therapies) demonstrated a manageable safety...
Investigators have uncovered a higher risk for strokes, heart attacks, and hospital admissions for heart failure in older cancer survivors, according to a recent study published by Muhandiramge et al in Cancer. Background Although advances in cancer treatment have led to decreased mortality rates...
Advancing surgical and pathologic techniques may improve overall survival rates in high-risk patients with lung cancer, according to new findings presented by Akinbobola et al at the 2024 ASCO Quality Care Symposium (Abstract 278). Background “Over the past 15 years, a quality improvement...
A community and academic partnership may provide effective education about the risks of radon, testing for radon, mitigating radon in homes with high levels of the chemical, and reducing the risk of developing lung cancer among Native community members residing in Wisconsin, according to new...
Researchers have found that olanzapine may be more effective in controlling severe nausea and improving the quality of life in patients with cancer who are undergoing treatment with chemotherapy, according to new findings presented by Peppone et al at the 2024 ASCO Quality Care Symposium (Abstract...
The alternative use of the monoclonal antibody cetuximab during the shortage of cisplatin in the treatment of head and neck cancer resulted in a 16% total cost increase, leading to a 144-fold increase in costs at the administrative level, impacting payer costs and patient cost-sharing amounts,...
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has increased guideline-concordant care for colorectal cancer among non-White patients, those from rural areas, and those from the most deprived neighborhoods in Pennsylvania, according to new findings presented by Kudaravalli et al at the 2024 American Association for ...
Cabozantinib may be effective at improving progression-free survival in patients with previously treated neuroendocrine tumors, according to recent findings presented by Chan et al at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2024 (Abstract 1141O) and simultaneously published in The ...
In a study reported in JAMA Oncology, Ruiz-Esteves et al identified risks for immune checkpoint inhibitor–induced diabetes in patients with cancer. Study Details The retrospective cohort study involved data from 14,328 adult patients with cancer treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors in the Mass ...
The AACR Cancer Progress Report 2024, released on September 18, showcases the extraordinary progress being made against cancer. The report highlights continuing reductions in mortality, which has fallen by 33% between 1991 and 2021, translating into more than 4 million deaths averted from cancer,...
As reported in The Lancet Oncology by Laura A. Dawson, MD, of the University Health Network–Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University of Toronto, and colleagues, the Canadian phase III CCRG HE1 trial showed that the addition of a single fraction of palliative radiotherapy to best supportive care...
Based on the first results of the single-center phase II NURE-Combo trial, which were reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology (JCO) by Mercinelli et al, the combination of neoadjuvant nivolumab plus nab-paclitaxel followed by postsurgical adjuvant nivolumab appeared to be safe and active in...
A preliminary report from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) revealed that, in 2020, 5.5 million men worldwide died from cancer, leading to 1.41 million new paternal orphans. The average age of the children at paternal death was 12 years old. The study by Guida et al is being...
A study by Hutchinson et al quantifying the socioeconomic burden of ovarian cancer in 11 countries, including the United States, estimates that nearly $70 billion in socioeconomic losses may be attributable to ovarian cancer. Moreover, health expenditures to cover treatment in the first 2 years...
Retifanlimab plus platinum-based chemotherapy may benefit patients with squamous cell anal carcinoma, according to new findings presented by Rao et al at a presidential symposium at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2024 (Abstract LBA2). Background The incidence of squamous...
According to results of the first interim analysis of the phase III LEAP-012 trial, the anti–PD-1 therapy pembrolizumab plus the tyrosine kinase inhibitor lenvatinib, in combination with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), significantly improved progression-free survival compared with TACE...
Researchers have explored whether an artificial intelligence (AI)-based tool could help to detect immune-related adverse events in patients with cancer, according to a recent study published by Sun et al in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. Background Although immune checkpoint inhibitors can...
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is an aggressive malignant head and neck cancer that is highly prevalent in the southern and southwestern provinces of China. Although the incidence of the cancer is less than 1 per 100,000 in Europe, the United States, and the Pacific,1 data from the International Agency...
A retrospective cohort study published in Blood Cancer Journal by Gasoyan et al revealed discrepancies between the timing of the initiation of any treatment and the fill of prescriptions for oral antimyeloma medications in patients with multiple myeloma, with a lower likelihood of Black and older...
In certain regions of the world, cancer claims more lives than HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria combined, yet surgery has been relegated to the sidelines of global health initiatives. This critical need to address global inequities in access to safe, timely, and affordable cancer surgery led to the...
Early-stage research demonstrated the synergistic effects of a novel nanoparticle drug–delivery system to activate an immune pathway in combination with tumor-targeting agents in mice with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, according to a preclinical study published by Chibaya et al in Science...
Just 28% of U.S. women may be aware that a healthful diet can lower the risk of developing breast cancer, according to a recent survey conducted by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and Morning Consult. Background The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine is a national...
In an Austrian study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Brunner et al identified the incidence of medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw over 20 years of follow-up in patients with breast cancer who had bone metastases and were receiving antiresorptive medication. Study Details and...
Women with breast cancer during pregnancy may have a good prognosis and a low risk of adverse obstetric and perinatal outcomes, according to three recent studies published by Lundberg et al in Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica, Gkekos et al in ESMO Open, and Lundberg et al in Acta...
On March 6, 2024, the anti-CD22 monoclonal antibody inotuzumab ozogamicin (Besponsa), which is bound to a toxic natural calicheamicin, was approved for pediatric patients aged 1 year or older with relapsed or refractory CD22-positive B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia.1 Supporting...
Researchers have shown that participating in an exercise program may improve pain, fatigue, and the quality of life in patients with metastatic breast cancer, according to a recent study published by Hiensch et al in Nature Medicine. Background “Although there’s substantial evidence for the...
A subgroup analysis of data from the LIBRETTO-431 trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT04194944) showed that the selective RET inhibitor selpercatinib safely improved progression-free survival compared to chemotherapy plus pembrolizumab in East Asian patients diagnosed with RET fusion–positive...
The risk of developing mental health issues may be higher among patients who have rare cancers compared with those who have common cancers, according to a recent study published by Low et al in eClinicalMedicine. Background Rare cancers—those affecting fewer than 6 out of 100,000 individuals per...
The risk of suicidal behavior may be increased among the spouses of patients with cancer, according to a retrospective Danish population-based cohort study reported by Liu et al in JAMA Oncology. Clinical and societal awareness was thus deemed essential, particularly during the first year after...
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the PD-L1 inhibitor durvalumab (Imfinzi) with platinum-containing chemotherapy as neoadjuvant treatment followed by single-agent durvalumab as adjuvant treatment after surgery for adults with resectable (tumors ≥ 4 cm and/or node positive)...
In a study reported in JAMA Oncology, Sikavi et al found that regular aspirin use was associated with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer overall and among individuals with less healthy vs more healthy lifestyles. Study Details The prospective cohort study focused on data from 107,655 participants...
In the phase II CUPISCO trial reported in The Lancet, Krämer et al found that molecularly guided therapy in patients with unfavorable nonsquamous cancer of unknown primary who had disease control on first-line platinum-based therapy resulted in better progression-free survival vs patients who...
Cancer screening may cost more than $40 billion annually in the United States, according to a recent study published by Halpern et al in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Study Methods and Results In the recent modeling study, investigators used national health-care survey and cost resources data to ...
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved vorasidenib (Voranigo), an isocitrate dehydrogenase-1 (IDH1) and -2 (IDH2) inhibitor, for adult and pediatric patients aged 12 years and older with grade 2 astrocytoma or oligodendroglioma with a susceptible IDH1 or IDH2 mutation, following...
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is a rare and aggressive malignant head and neck cancer that is highly prevalent in the southern and southwestern provinces of China. Although the incidence of the cancer is less than 1 per 100,000 in Europe, the United States, and the Pacific, data from the International...
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide, accounting for the highest mortality rates among both men and women. Most lung cancers—between 80% and 85%—are non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and between 1% and 2% of patients are diagnosed with RET-altered NSCLC. The results...
Georgina V. Long, MD, PhD, of the Melanoma Institute Australia and the University of Sydney, and colleagues reported the final follow-up analysis of the phase III COMBI-AD trial at the 2024 ASCO Annual Meeting (Abstract 9500) and published their findings in The New England Journal of Medicine.1...
A model-based analysis reported in JACC: CardioOncology by Busschaert et al suggested that the heart-sparing deep inspiration breath-hold vs free-breathing radiation therapy technique is cost-effective—despite increasing treatment time—and may improve the long-term cardiovascular health of patients ...