In a single-center phase I/II study (LOKON001) reported in The Lancet Oncology, Musher et al found that treatment with an oncolytic virus–based immunostimulatory gene therapy (LOAd703) plus chemotherapy was feasible and safe in patients with unresectable or metastatic pancreatic ductal...
Of 58 million people worldwide living with hepatitis C virus (HCV), one-sixth of them are found in sub-Saharan Africa.1 Yet, in that region, direct access to diagnostic testing and treatment is limited to less than 5%. HCV carries significant downstream implications including cirrhosis (30%–46%), ...
Researchers examined whether the artificial intelligence (AI)-based chatbot ChatGPT can help provide answers to patients with cancer regarding radiation oncology treatment, according to a recent study published by Yalamanchili et al in JAMA Network Open. Background Over 60% (n = 500,000) of...
In a French noncomparative phase II study (SCARCE C17-02 PRODIGE 60) reported in The Lancet Oncology, Stefano Kim, MD, and colleagues found that the addition of atezolizumab to modified docetaxel, cisplatin, and fluorouracil (mDCF) did not meet the 12-month progression-free survival primary...
In a study reported in a research letter in JAMA Network Open, Henderson et al identified prevalence of lung cancer screening in the United States in 2022 using U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) 2021 and 2013 recommendations for screening eligibility. The USPSTF 2013 guidelines...
On March 6, 2024, inotuzumab ozogamicin (Besponsa) was approved for pediatric patients aged 1 year or older with relapsed or refractory CD22-positive B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia.1 Supporting Efficacy Data Approval was based on findings in the ITCC-059 trial (ClinicalTrials.gov...
In an analysis of 9-year outcomes of a Chinese trial (ESECC) reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Liu et al found that endoscopic screening for esophageal cancer was associated with numeric benefit vs no screening in terms of the incidence of esophageal cancer and esophageal cancer–related ...
As reported in The New England Journal of Medicine by Dennis Slamon, MD, PhD, and colleagues, interim analysis of the phase III NATALEE trial has shown improved invasive disease–free survival with the addition of adjuvant ribociclib to a nonsteroidal aromatase inhibitor (NSAI) in patients with...
On March 22, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved mirvetuximab soravtansine-gynx (Elahere) for adult patients with folate receptor–alpha (FRα)-positive, platinum-resistant epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer, who have received one to three prior systemic ...
On October 13, 2023, nivolumab was approved for adjuvant treatment of completely resected stage IIB/C melanoma in patients aged 12 years and older.1 Supporting Efficacy Data Approval was based on findings in the double-blind CheckMate 76K trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT04099251), in which...
In patients with resectable non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), perioperative treatment involving the checkpoint inhibitor tislelizumab led to a statistically significant benefit in event-free survival and a favorable trend for overall survival, investigators for the phase III RATIONALE-315 trial...
The addition of atezolizumab to postsurgery chemotherapy may not benefit patients with triple-negative breast cancer, according to findings recently presented by McArthur et al at the 2024 European Breast Cancer Conference (EBCC; Abstract 1LBA). Background Triple-negative breast cancer is often...
Researchers have identified two genetic markers that may illuminate the association between red and/or processed meat consumption and the risk of colorectal cancer, according to a novel study published by Stern et al in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. Background Previous studies...
In a phase II study (FASTRACK II) reported in The Lancet Oncology, Shankar Siva, MBBS, PhD, and colleagues found that stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR) was effective in patients with primary kidney cancer who did not undergo resection. Study Details Seventy patients were enrolled in...
In a study reported in JAMA Oncology, David A. Palma, MD, PhD, and colleagues found that stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) met criteria for efficacy and toxicity in patients with early non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and interstitial lung disease (ILD). As stated by the investigators,...
In a study reported in The Lancet Oncology, De Angelis et al estimated the numbers of patients alive after a cancer diagnosis in Europe as of 2020. Study Details The study used data from the EUROCARE-6 study to estimate the prevalence of cancer in 29 European countries and the 27 countries in the ...
In a phase II trial (FIRSTMAPPP) reported in The Lancet, Eric Baudin, MD, and colleagues found that the multikinase inhibitor sunitinib was active in patients with metastatic progressive pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas. As stated by the investigators, “No randomized controlled trial has ever...
A novel tool may help predict the risk of complications following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and guide the pretransplant process, according to new Scientific Statement published by Hayek et al in Circulation. The findings may also illuminate the contemporary prevalence of...
In a pooled analysis reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Rahbari et al found that primary tumor resection before chemotherapy did not extend survival compared with upfront chemotherapy in patients with colon cancer and unresectable metastases. Study Details The study involved data from...
Researchers have uncovered distinct alterations in the tumor genome of male patients with breast cancer that may suggest potential therapeutic targets, according to a recent study published by Assaad et al in Modern Pathology. Background Breast cancer in male patients represents less than 1% of all ...
On March 6, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the CD22-targeted antibody-drug conjugate inotuzumab ozogamicin (Besponsa) for pediatric patients aged 1 year and older with relapsed or refractory CD22-positive B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Study WI203581...
In an analysis reported in a research letter in JAMA Oncology, Gurney et al identified factors associated with an increased risk of myeloid neoplasms after chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy. Study Details Investigators identified adults who received CAR T-cell therapy between June 2016 ...
As reported by Marie Plante, MD, and colleagues in The New England Journal of Medicine, the phase III CX.5 SHAPE trial has shown noninferiority of simple vs radical hysterectomy in terms of pelvic recurrence in women with low-risk cervical cancer. Simple hysterectomy was associated with a reduced...
Medical debt is associated with worse health status, more premature deaths, and higher mortality rates in the United States, according to a recent cross-sectional study published by Han et al in JAMA Network Open. Background“Patients are increasingly burdened by high out-of-pocket costs for health...
In a Singaporean study reported in JAMA Network Open, Yip et al found that survivors of head and neck cancer were at an increased risk of stroke compared with the general population. Study Details The registry-based cross-sectional study involved 9,803 survivors—excluding those with a history of...
In the phase II REVIVE trial reported in The New England Journal of Medicine, Marina Kremyanskaya, MD, PhD, and colleagues found that the hepcidin mimetic rusfertide reduced the number of phlebotomies (during a dose-finding phase) and improved response rate vs placebo (during a randomized phase) in ...
For the third year in a row, more than 250 leaders in cancer care, including cancer center directors, physicians, scientists, ethicists, journalists, public officials, and patient advocates, gathered at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum in Yorba Linda, California, to attend the...
Although current ASCO guidelines recommend exercise for patients with breast cancer during adjuvant therapy with curative intent, the guidelines state that more study is needed regarding the effects of exercise for patients with metastatic breast cancer. The results of the PREFERABLE-EFFECT trial...
It may be possible for some patients with breast cancer to avoid adjuvant regional nodal irradiation safely, according to the results of the NRG Oncology/NSABP B-51/RTOG 1304 clinical trial presented at the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.1 These findings particularly apply to patients...
Investigators have found that the families of subfertile men may have a higher risk of developing certain types of cancers at younger ages compared with the families of fertile men, according to a recent study published by Ramsay et al in Human Reproduction. Background Previous research has shown...
About 4 years ago, I [Jo Cavallo] wrote about the death of my brother Dom from multiple myeloma in 2011 and my subsequent enrollment in the PROMISE trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT03689595). My goal for enrolling in the study was twofold: to honor Dom and others with the cancer and to make ...
As reported by Katims et al in JAMA Oncology, long-term follow-up of a single-center phase II study showed benefit with two induction courses of bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) without maintenance in patients with high-risk non–muscle-invasive bladder cancer. The strategy markedly reduced the number ...
Investigators have found that annual breast cancer screening beginning at age 40 and continuing to at least 79 may result in the greatest reduction in mortality with minimal risks, according to a recent study published by Monticciolo et al in Radiology. Background Breast cancer is the second most...
In patients with resectable non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), perioperative treatment with the checkpoint inhibitor tislelizumab plus platinum-doublet chemotherapy led to a statistically significant benefit in event-free survival and a favorable trend for overall survival, investigators for the...
In a retrospective cohort study reported in JAMA Network Open, Stewart et al found that U.S. veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars with moderate/severe or penetrating traumatic brain injury (TBI) were at an increased risk of brain cancer compared to those without TBI. Study Details The study...
For the treatment of high-risk, treatment-naive myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), the regimen of venetoclax plus azacitidine led to high response rates, durable responses, and encouraging overall survival, in a phase Ib study reported at the 2023 American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting...
In two international phase III trials in myelofibrosis, drugs given in combination with the Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor ruxolitinib in JAK inhibitor–naive patients significantly improved outcomes vs ruxolitinib alone. Both studies were presented at the 2023 American Society of Hematology Annual...
In a study reported in JAMA Network Open, Xu et al identified incidence of primary invasive breast cancer according to race/ethnicity, disease stage, and hormone receptor status among U.S. women with breast cancer aged 20 to 49 years diagnosed between 2000 and 2019. Study Details The study used...
Physical activity may help lessen the intensity of pain in cancer survivors, according to a recent study published by Swain et al in Cancer. Background Current U.S. guidelines regarding physical activity recommend that individuals receive 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week,...
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Jordi Remon, MD, PhD, and colleagues, the final analysis of overall survival in the phase II EORTC APPLE trial showed no significant difference between the strategies of upfront osimertinib vs sequential gefitinib/osimertinib in previously...
Researchers have identified a next-generation Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) degrader that could help patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and related hematologic malignancies overcome treatment resistance, according to a recent study published by Montoya et al in Science. The findings...
In a phase II trial (JACKPOT8 Part B) reported in The Lancet Oncology, Song et al found that the selective JAK1 tyrosine kinase inhibitor golidocitinib showed activity in patients with relapsed or refractory peripheral T-cell lymphoma. Study Details In the trial, 104 patients from sites in...
In a U.S./Canadian phase IIb trial (PREVENT-HF) reported in The Lancet Oncology, Armenian et al found that the beta-blocker carvedilol did not significantly improve cardiac function—measured as standardized left ventricular wall thickness–dimension ratio Z score (LVWT/Dz)—vs placebo in survivors of ...
In January 2021, two of us wrote in these pages about our field’s pressing need to pivot away from identifying and deploying the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) when it comes to targeted oncology therapies.1 We argued that, instead, one should be looking for the “optimal dose”—the dose that best...
In a study reported in JAMA Oncology, Trad et al found that individuals with cancer in the United States who were switched from low- to high-deductible employer-sponsored health plans had higher out-of-pocket costs but no reduction in the number of oncologist visits; these patients, however, had...
An increase in annual cardiorespiratory fitness may be linked to a lower risk of developing prostate cancer, according to a recent study published by Bolam et al in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. Background There are relatively few known risk factors for prostate cancer. Although research...
In a U.S. single-center radiation dose-expansion study reported in JAMA Oncology, Wu et al found that chemoradiation with adaptively increased stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) boost doses was safe and effective in patients with locally advanced, unresectable non–small cell lung cancer...
Investigators discovered that overweight and obesity may be contributing to rising rates of colon cancer mortality in younger patients, according to a recent study published by Santucci et al in the Annals of Oncology. The findings represent the first time colon cancer mortality rates among younger ...
The incidence and mortality of cervical cancer may be rising in patients residing in low-income areas of the United States, according to a recent study published by Amboree et al in the International Journal of Cancer. Study Methods and Results In the recent study, investigators used the...
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Thomas E. Stinchcombe, MD, and colleagues, an analysis from the phase III Cancer and Leukemia Group B 140503/Alliance trial has shown high rates of second primary lung cancers with both sublobar and lobar resections for T1aN0 non–small cell lung...