An Australian study published by Chow et al in The Lancet Infectious Diseases found a 70% reduction in one type of human papillomavirus (HPV) in gay and bisexual men after the implementation of the school-based HPV vaccination program. The HYPER2 study found that there was a significant reduction...
The American Urological Association (AUA) announced amendments to its clinical guideline on Renal Masses and Localized Renal Cancer, originally published in 2013 and updated in 2017, based on an additional literature search conducted through October 2020. One in four renal masses are benign;...
Adding sintilimab to a regimen of gemcitabine and platinum demonstrated clinical benefit over gemcitabine and platinum alone as first-line therapy in patients with locally advanced or metastatic squamous non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). These results from the ORIENT-12 trial were published by...
The Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC) released Trending Now in Cancer Care 2020, an annual report that identifies current and emerging trends in cancer programs across the country. The detailed report presents findings from focus groups that illuminate the short- and long-term impact...
Dannielle Engle, PhD, of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, and Avery D. Posey, PhD, of the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, were announced at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2021 as the inaugural recipients of the Lustgarten...
Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center has appointed Agnes Witkiewicz, MD, as Director of Cancer Genetics and Genomics. She will also hold the John & Santa Palisano Endowed Chair of Cancer Genetics. An internationally recognized clinician-scientist who combines groundbreaking laboratory...
The American Academy of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Medicine recently announced the appointment of Leslie McGorman, MPPA, as its new Director of Public Policy. A seasoned professional in both federal and state government affairs, Ms. McGorman possesses 20 years of health policy experience...
Each year, the American Urological Association (AUA) honors the contributions of physician researchers and educators in the field of medicine, the specialty of urology, and the organization. The following individuals are the 2021 honorees: Ian M. Thompson Jr, MD, Ramon Guiteras Award, for...
Memorial Sloan kettering Cancer Center (MSK) announced that Sloan Kettering Institute (SKI) researchers Regina Bou Puerto and Mijin Kim, PhD, have been named 2021 Marie-Josée Kravis Women in Science Endeavor (Kravis WiSE) fellowship grant recipients. The Kravis WiSE initiative, created in 2020,...
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is launching the biggest strategic investment in its nearly 60-year history, committing $11.5 billion during the next 6 years to accelerate research and treatment globally for children with catastrophic diseases. The Six-Year St. Jude Strategic Plan focuses on...
A NEW COLLABORATION between two Western New York cancer research leaders will help oncologists learn whether Black and White patients with cancer respond differently to immunotherapy and seek to improve the safety and effectiveness of these newer drugs in diverse populations. Funded by a 2-year,...
THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION for Cancer Research (AACR) has recognized Nima Sharifi, MD, with the 2021 AACR–Waun Ki Hong Award for Outstanding Achievement in Translational and Clinical Cancer Research. Dr. Sharifi is Director of the Center for Genitourinary Malignancies Research at Lerner Research...
THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION for Cancer Research (AACR) recognized Ton Schumacher, PhD, FAACR, with the 2021 AACR-CRI Lloyd J. Old Award in Cancer Immunology during the virtual AACR Annual Meeting 2021 in April. The award recognizes an active scientist whose outstanding and innovative research has made ...
STAND UP TO CANCER® (SU2C) has awarded $6 million to a multi-institutional team headed by Mount Sinai researchers to collaborate with other New York institutions in an initiative that addresses disparities in cancer clinical trials participation by patients who are Black, indigenous, and people of...
Narjust Duma, MD, of the Carbone Cancer Center at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and Gladys I. Rodriguez, MD, of South Texas Oncology and Hematology, talk about the underrepresentation of Hispanic individuals in medicine, especially in oncology, and their efforts to create the first Young...
Breast cancer screening took a sizeable hit during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to new research showing that the number of screening mammograms completed in a large group of women living in Washington state plummeted by nearly half. Published by Amram et al in JAMA Network Open, the study...
While the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is higher among patients who have human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), it’s even higher among patients who have HIV and detectable hepatitis B, according to research published by Kim et al in Hepatology. Among patients with HIV and hepatitis B,...
The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) presented Douglas R. Lowy, MD, FAACR, with the 2021 AACR–Margaret Foti Award for Leadership and Extraordinary Achievements in Cancer Research during the virtual AACR Annual Meeting 2021. Dr. Lowy is Chief of the Laboratory of Cellular Oncology,...
On May 21, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted accelerated approval to amivantamab-vmjw (Rybrevant), a bispecific antibody directed against epidermal growth factor and MET receptors, for adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and...
The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) honored a number of cancer researchers, physician-scientists, advocates, and policymakers for their achievements during week 1 of the virtual AACR Annual Meeting 2021 (April 10–15, 2021). Several of these recipients were mentioned in previous...
The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) will recognize the St. Baldrick’s Foundation–Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) Pediatric Cancer Dream Team with the 2021 AACR Team Science Award. In early 2013, the St. Baldrick’s Foundation and SU2C collaborated to create a Pediatric Cancer Dream Team...
The members of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) have elected Lisa M. Coussens, PhD, FAACR, as their President-Elect for 2021–2022. She started her official role as President-Elect on April 12, 2021, during the AACR’s Business Meeting of Members and will assume the Presidency in...
The Society ofSurgical Oncology (SSO) recently announced its 2021–2022 elected Executive Council Officers, including its new President, Douglas S. Tyler, MD, MSHCT, FSSO. Dr. Tyler currently holds the John Woods Harris Distinguished Chair in Surgery at The University of Texas Medical Branch in...
Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Priority Review to zanubrutinib in pretreated patients with marginal zone lymphoma, and accepted a biologics license application for sintilimab injection in combination with pemetrexed and platinum chemotherapy for the first-line...
Data from a study published by Margaret von Mehren, MD, and colleagues in BMC Cancer showed that avapritinib, a platelet-derived growth factor receptor A (PDGFRA) inhibitor, has a “clinically meaningful benefit” for the treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) with PDGFRA D842V...
As President-Elect of ASCO, you are asked to choose a theme for your presidency. This can be a daunting task, as the theme will not only shape the discourse of your presidency, but also, more importantly, that of the Society. The subject should be one that reflects the needs of the cancer community ...
On May 20, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved nivolumab (Opdivo) for patients with completely resected esophageal or gastroesophageal junction cancer with residual pathologic disease who have received neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy. CheckMate 577 Efficacy was evaluated in CheckMate ...
An American Cancer Society (ACS) review of cancer prevention and early detection measures for 2018 and 2019 in the United States shows mixed progress. Smoking prevalence during this time was at an historic low, partly because most people who ever smoked have quit. However, obesity rates remained...
Up to 38.6% of people with colon cancer who have a hereditary cancer syndrome—including 6.3% of those with Lynch syndrome—could have their conditions remain undetected with current universal tumor-screening methods, and at least 7.1% of people with colorectal cancer have an identifiable inherited...
Heather A. Wakelee, MD, of Stanford University Medical Center, discusses the primary disease-free survival results of IMpower010, a phase III study that compared adjuvant atezolizumab vs best supportive care after adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with early-stage resected non–small cell lung...
Jingxuan Zhao, MPH, of the American Cancer Society, discusses study findings that showed worse long-term survival among low-income patients with cancer who live in states that have not expanded Medicaid eligibility (Abstract 6512).
Treatment with the anti–PD-1 therapy nivolumab plus the LAG-3–blocking antibody relatlimab extended time to disease progression for patients with previously untreated, unresectable, or metastatic melanoma. Findings from the RELATIVITY-047 trial were presented by Evan J. Lipson, MD, and colleagues...
Younger Black men undergoing frequent prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening appear to have both a lower risk of metastasis at the time of prostate cancer diagnosis and of fatal disease, according to data from an observational study by Qiao et al presented at a presscast in advance of the 2021...
Prompted by a rise in cases of colorectal cancer in people younger than 50, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has recommended that individuals at average risk for the disease begin screening exams at age 45 instead of the traditional age of 50. The guideline changes, published in...
A new study has found breast cancer survivors in general have higher risk of new cancer diagnosis compared to healthy individuals. The article, published by Hyuna Sung, PhD, and colleagues in the journal Cancer, stated that compared to the general population in the United States, the risk of new...
In the United States, Black and Latinx individuals have higher cancer mortality rates than patients of other races. Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2014, many states expanded Medicaid eligibility, promising significant gains in coverage for racial minorities. But it...
A research team has identified a receptor in cells that could play a role in preventing permanent hearing loss in childhood cancer survivors treated with the drug cisplatin. The researchers believe that by inhibiting the receptor, they may be able to better control otoxicity, according to findings...
Melanocytic nevi are nonmalignant growths that arise from pigment-producing cells of the skin. They are mostly found in sun-exposed areas; however, they also can be found in sun-protected areas, such as the palms, soles of the feet, and nail beds, where they are known as acral nevi. While the...
Treatment with abemaciclib, an orally available inhibitor of CDK4/6, has been associated with venous thromboembolic events (VTE), elevated aminotransferases (EAT), and interstitial lung disease (ILD). Although more episodes of VTE, EAT, and ILD were reported in patients receiving abemaciclib plus...
A 20-year follow-up of premenopausal patients with estrogen receptor–positive breast cancer and stratification by the molecular 70-gene risk signature suggested that patients at high risk of distant disease recurrence derive significant benefit from goserelin, while patients at low risk have...
The American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) has released a clinical practice resource from a global team of specialists in cancer genetics that will help inform the clinical management of patients who harbor a PALB2 variant and may be at increased risk of developing breast,...
Drug-related interstitial lung disease occurred in less than 16% of patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer following treatment with trastuzumab deruxtecan-nxki (T-DXd) at the approved dose of 5.4 mg/kg. In addition, the majority of these cases were classified as grade 1 or 2,...
First results from the phase II GELATO study evaluating atezolizumab plus carboplatin presented at the ESMO Breast Cancer Virtual Congress 2021 demonstrated clinical benefit in patients with metastatic invasive lobular breast cancer, particularly in patients with triple-negative invasive lobular...
Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Priority Review to the combination of pembrolizumab and lenvatinib for the treatment of both advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and endometrial carcinoma. The FDA also granted Priority Review to ivosidenib for the treatment of...
The finding that breast tumors can evolve to express low HER2 potentially increases the number of patients who can benefit from new investigational agents, typically novel antibody-drug conjugate therapies, that are currently in clinical trials for HER2-low tumors. This research was presented by...
PRESERVE 4 (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04863248)—a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase II study of trilaciclib administered prior to docetaxel in patients with metastatic non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in the second- and third-line setting who have previously...
On May 10, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expanded the emergency use authorization (EUA) for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for the prevention of COVID-19 caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) to include adolescents aged 12 through 15. The FDA...
In a typical year, the new participants in ASCO and Conquer Cancer’s International Development and Education Awards (IDEA) and International Development and Education Awards–Palliative Care (IDEA-PC) program would arrive at the McCormick Place Convention Center just ahead of the ASCO Annual...
Taofeek K. Owonikoko, MD, PhD, will join the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UMPC) Hillman Cancer Center and Department of Medicine as Chief of the Division of Hematology/Oncology. A physician-scientist board-certified in medical oncology, hematology, and internal medicine, Dr. Owonikoko...
The Robert Larner, MD, College of Medicine at The University of Vermont (UVM), in collaboration with the UVM Health Network and the UVM Medical Center, has announced that Randall F. Holcombe, MD, MBA, has been appointed Director of the UVM Cancer Center and Chief of the Division of Hematology and...