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...
In the ever-evolving landscape of oncology care, embracing innovation and creative problem-solving have become crucial factors for success. At the 2023 Community Oncology Alliance Annual Meeting, a panel discussion tackled the complexities and opportunities associated with implementing value-based...
By embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), oncology practices can work toward better patient outcomes and a more effective health-care system, according to Richard L. Martin III, MD, MPH, Medical Director of Health Equity and Community Engagement at Tennessee Oncology. At the 2023...
A study investigating the effect of Medicaid expansion on racial disparities in mortality among patients with gastrointestinal malignancies has found that the initiative was associated with a greater reduction in 2-year mortality rates among Black patients living in states with Medicaid expansion...
On June 21, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the supplemental biologics license application for blinatumomab (Blincyto) for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients with CD19-positive B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in first or second complete remission...
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...
“This is an impressive presentation,” said formal discussant Jose Alejandro Rauh-Hain, MD, MPH, of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston. “Radical hysterectomy has intraoperative and postoperative complications that include gastrointestinal and genitourinary long-term...
In a single-institution retrospective cohort study reported in Neuro-Oncology, Reed-Guy et al found that direct oral anticoagulant therapy was associated with a reduced risk of clinically relevant intracranial hemorrhage vs low–molecular-weight heparin in patients with glioblastoma diagnosed with...
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...
In an analysis of the phase III GLOW trial reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Talha Munir, MBBS, and colleagues found that fixed-duration ibrutinib/venetoclax produced higher rates of undetectable measurable residual disease (MRD) vs chlorambucil/obinutuzumab in previously untreated...
In the phase III IMPORT HIGH trial reported in The Lancet, Charlotte E. Coles, FRCR, and colleagues found little difference in ipsilateral breast tumor relapse rates with adjuvant dose-escalated simultaneous integrated boost radiotherapy vs lower-dose sequential boost radiotherapy in patients with...
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 ...
For comments on the phase III DIPLOMA trial, which found outcomes comparable between minimally invasive and open distal pancreatectomy, The ASCO Post interviewed Chandrakanth Are, MBBS, MBA, FRCS, FACS, the Jerald L. & Carolynn J. Varner Professor of Surgical Oncology & Global Health;...
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...
For patients with fully resectable pancreatic cancer, a minimally invasive surgical approach—laparoscopic or robotic—was shown to be comparable to open distal pancreatectomy in the multicenter randomized phase III DIPLOMA trial. These results were presented at the 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting and at a...
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 ...
“I expect the NATALEE trial results will change clinical practice,” stated ASCO expert Rita Nanda, MD, Director of the Breast Oncology Program at University of Chicago Medicine. “Three different CDK4/6 inhibitors have all been shown to improve progression-free survival in the first- and second-line ...
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,...
Rimas Vincas Lukas, MD, of Northwestern University, was the formal discussant of this plenary session abstract on the INDIGO trial findings. “Because of its slowly progressive nature, glioma is insidious. The impact of the disease and its treatments has important consequences for patients,...
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...
This is Part 2 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 management of newly diagnosed mantle cell lymphoma in older...
This is Part 1 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 management of newly diagnosed mantle cell lymphoma in younger...
In a study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Ray et al found that higher surgeon quality (determined by intermediate outcome metrics) was associated with improved overall survival among patients undergoing curative resection for non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The investigators...
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...
In the phase IIIb CheckMate 401 trial reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Reinhard Dummer, MD, and colleagues described outcomes with first-line nivolumab/ipilimumab followed by nivolumab in a clinically diverse population of patients with unresectable stage III or IV melanoma, including...
On June 20, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved talazoparib (Talzenna) with enzalutamide for homologous recombination repair (HRR) gene–mutated metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. TALAPRO-2 Efficacy was evaluated in TALAPRO-2 (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier...
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 a Canadian study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Dayes et al found that positron-emission tomography/computed tomography–fluorodeoxyglucose (PET/CT-FDG) improved the detection of distant metastasis vs conventional staging in patients with locally advanced breast cancer. It also...
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...
In a Chinese phase III trial reported in The Lancet Oncology, Liu et al found that adjuvant cisplatin/gemcitabine improved progression-free survival vs cisplatin/fluorouracil following chemoradiotherapy in previously untreated patients with N2 or N3 nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Study Details In 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....
In a retrospective registry study reported in The Lancet Oncology, Chu et al found that receipt of surgery was associated with improved overall survival in patients with small cell carcinoma of the cervix compared to no surgery. Study Details The study involved data from the SEER (Surveillance,...
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...
In a study reported in The Lancet Oncology, McIntosh et al identified components of global funding for cancer research—both public and philanthropic—between 2016 and 2020. Study Details The study used data from the UberResearch Dimensions database and Cancer Research UK data on human cancer...
In a Chinese study reported in JAMA Oncology, Mo et al found that longitudinal measurement of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) methylation permitted early detection of disease recurrence in patients undergoing surgery for stage I to III colorectal cancer. Study Details In the prospective cohort...
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,...
In the phase II PHAROS trial reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Gregory J. Riely, MD, PhD, and colleagues found that the combination of encorafenib and binimetinib showed activity in both treatment-naive and previously treated patients with BRAF V600E–mutant metastatic non–small cell...
In a study reported in JAMA Network Open, Cannioto et al found that greater adherence to cancer prevention lifestyle recommendations before, during, and after treatment for high-risk breast cancer was associated with a reduced risk of disease recurrence and all-cause mortality. Study Details The...
In a study reported in JAMA Oncology, Bevel et al found that residing in U.S. areas defined as food deserts (less access to grocery stores) or food swamps (high access to fast foods) was associated with an increased risk of obesity-related cancer mortality. Study Details The study used Department...
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...
Researchers have found that when the small molecule kinase inhibitor alectinib was taken in combination with a fuller breakfast or lunch, it resulted in significantly higher drug concentrations than when taken with a low-fat breakfast in patients with non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according...