In a phase II trial reported in The Lancet Oncology, Heinzerling et al found evidence of efficacy of primary lung tumor stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) followed by concurrent mediastinal chemotherapy and consolidative immunotherapy in patients with locally advanced non–small cell lung cancer...
Patients with early-stage, node-negative, hormone receptor (HR)-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer who have a high risk of recurrence based on the OncotypeDX genomic test had better outcomes when treated with adjuvant anthracycline plus taxane-based chemotherapy regimens compared with those...
As reported in The New England Journal of Medicine by Andre et al, interim analysis of the phase III CheckMate 8HW trial has shown that nivolumab plus ipilimumab prolonged progression-free survival vs chemotherapy with or without targeted agents in patients with microsatellite instability–high...
The ASCO Post is pleased to continue this occasional special focus on the worldwide cancer burden. In this issue, we feature a close look at the cancer incidence and mortality rates in Cameroon. The aim of this special feature is to highlight the global cancer burden for various countries of the...
Over the past decade, ASCO has focused its resources on advancing health equity for sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals with cancer. In 2017, the Society published a position statement “Strategies for Reducing Cancer Health Disparities Among Sexual and Gender Minority Populations,” which...
Improvements in cancer prevention and screening have averted more deaths from five cancer types combined over the past 45 years than treatment advances, according to a modeling study led by researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The study, published by Goddard et al in JAMA...
ASCO is calling for pediatric clinical trials to prioritize health equity and social determinants of health (SDOH) data in future trials to improve cancer treatment and survivorship in patients. In a recent position statement, ASCO addresses the need to include SDOH data collection and intervention ...
The soaring number of cancer survivors since the National Cancer Act of 1971 was enacted into law provides a snapshot of the profound progress made against cancer over the past half-century: 3 million survivors in the 1970s,1 compared to more than 18 million today, and that number is expected to...
At the 2024 JADPRO Live event, which is held annually for advanced practitioners in oncology, high-risk myelofibrosis was a featured topic. “The treatment landscape has developed so much that JADPRO asked us to present our talks on the main stage this year,” said Julie Huynh-Lu, PA-C, Supervisor...
Worldwide, more than a billion people have obesity—including 650 million adults, 340 million adolescents, and 39 million children1—a rate that has nearly doubled since 1980.2 In the United States alone, about two out of three adults are overweight or have obesity, and one out of three have...
Adding chemoradiation to perioperative chemotherapy improves pathologic complete response rates in patients with resectable gastric cancer but does not extend overall survival, according to data presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 20241 and published...
In the phase III CEPHEUS trial,1 the achievement of undetectable measurable residual disease (or MRD negativity)—the primary endpoint—was met by 61% of patients with transplant-ineligible or deferred newly diagnosed multiple myeloma treated with the monoclonal antibody daratumumab plus bortezomib, ...
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Russell et al, the NCRI AML18 trial has shown survival benefit with treatment intensification in fit older patients with measurable residual disease (MRD)-positive response after first induction for acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Study Details In...
As reported in The Lancet Oncology by Mell et al, the phase II/III NRG-HN004 trial of radiotherapy with durvalumab or cetuximab in patients with locoregionally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and contraindications for cisplatin was stopped for futility during phase II; the phase III...
In a letter to the editor in The New England Journal of Medicine, Salmasi et al described identification of monoclonal gammopathy of thrombotic significance (MGTS) in a patient with coronary artery disease and its successful treatment with daratumumab, bortezomib, and dexamethasone (DVd). As...
Initial analysis from the PEACE-3 trial suggests that the addition of radium-223 dichloride to enzalutamide could offer a promising new first-line treatment option for patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, according to data presented by lead study author, Silke Gillessen,...
Consolidation therapy with the PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitor durvalumab is set to become the new global standard of care for patients with limited-stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC), according to groundbreaking data presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2024.1...
The European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2024 in Barcelona featured several groundbreaking trials with the potential to significantly influence clinical practice. These studies highlighted the benefits of new combination immunotherapy strategies and innovative approaches in the...
The studies summarized below were reported online over the past month in The ASCO Post, generating a high number of visitors. For comprehensive reviews of these studies and more, visit ASCOPost.com. Trastuzumab Duocarmazine in Previously Treated HER2-Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer In the phase...
Question: Based on NATALEE and monarchE data, is there still a need for neoadjuvant chemotherapy in hormone receptor (HR)-positive, HER2-negative early breast cancer? Answer: In monarchE trial, the CDK4/6 inhibitor abemaciclib combined with endocrine therapy demonstrated long-term efficacy in...
A recent analysis of pancreatic cancer data in young adults (aged 15–39) has found that although there is an increase in incidence, the mortality rate remains stable. According to Patel et al, who published their findings in the Annals of Internal Medicine, the rise in incidence is primarily due to ...
In addition to our in-depth analysis of important clinical trials presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2024, there is always room for more coverage from The ASCO Post, including these brief summaries of other presentations of interest. They focus on a potential...
Beyond the physical toll of the disease and its treatments, cancer often presents a host of legal and social issues that can significantly worsen a patient’s well-being and treatment outcomes. This column explains how medical-legal partnerships can offer a powerful tool to address these challenges ...
The studies summarized below were reported online over the past month in The ASCO Post, generating a high number of visitors. For comprehensive news of these studies and more, visit ASCOPost.com. Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Phase III KEYNOTE-522 The phase III KEYNOTE-522 trial has...
“Inequities are a major obstacle in delivering safe, timely, respectful, and affordable cancer care globally,” commented moderator John Varallo, MD, MPH, FACOG, of the Global Surgery Foundation, at the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) World Cancer Congress (WCC) 2024 in Geneva.1...
The addition of the PD-L1 inhibitor durvalumab to standard neoadjuvant gemcitabine/cisplatin chemotherapy has demonstrated statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements in survival compared with neoadjuvant chemotherapy in cisplatin-eligible patients with muscle-invasive bladder...
On September 23, 2024, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Seniors’ Access to Critical Medications Act of 2024 (H.R. 5526), which would make permanent a waiver put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic that allowed Medicare patients to receive medications dispensed by in-office pharmacies...
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Pavlakis et al, the phase III INTEGRATE IIa study showed improved overall survival with regorafenib plus best supportive care vs placebo vs best supportive care in patients with refractory advanced gastric/esophagogastric junction cancer. Study...
In a study reported in a research letter in JAMA Network Open, Rezaei et al found that risk of melanoma and other nonkeratinocyte skin cancers was elevated in patients who had received radioactive iodine treatment for thyroid cancer. Study Details The study involved data from 17 Surveillance,...
A recent study suggests that for people older than age 65 who have cancer, physical activity may be key to reducing the chances of a dangerous fall. People with lung cancer, colorectal cancer, or prostate cancer, in particular, had a lower risk of falling when they talked with their doctor...
The Association for Clinical Oncology (ASCO), along with 46 state oncology societies, sent a letter to U.S. House and Senate leadership urging Congress to pass the Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act (H.R. 8702/S. 4532), which would streamline prior authorization practices within Medicare...
Initial analysis from the PEACE-3 trial suggests that the addition of radium-223 dichloride to enzalutamide could offer a promising new first-line treatment option for patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, according to data presented by lead study author, Silke Gillessen,...
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...
As reported in The Lancet by Choueiri et al, the phase III TiNivo-2 trial has shown that immune checkpoint inhibitor rechallenge with nivolumab plus tivozanib did not improve progression-free survival vs tivozanib alone in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma following immune checkpoint...
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Barata et al, the final overall survival results of the phase II SWOG 1500 trial indicated no significant benefit with cabozantinib vs sunitinib in patients with advanced papillary renal cell carcinoma. Study Details In the open-label multicenter...
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...
Positive results from the phase III NIAGARA trial showed perioperative treatment with the PD-L1 blocker durvalumab in combination with neoadjuvant chemotherapy demonstrated a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in the primary endpoint of event-free survival and the key...
As reported in Journal of Clinical Oncology by Dahl et al, a phase II trial (NRG Oncology/RTOG 0926) has shown good outcomes with bladder-preserving trimodality the�rapy for recurrent high-grade T1 bladder cancer among patients in whom bacillus Calmette-Guérin therapy failed. Study Details In the...
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Yang et al, the phase III KEYNOTE-789 trial has shown no significant improvement in progression-free or overall survival with the addition of pembrolizumab to pemetrexed/platinum in EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI)-resistant, EGFR-mutant...
Imagine walking into a fancy restaurant only to find a menu consisting mostly of kids’ dishes. It would make no sense. Just 25% of restaurant diners are younger than age 12, and they rarely write Yelp reviews. But when it comes to cancer treatment, this is not very far from what we do. The median...
As reported in The New England Journal of Medicine by Choueiri and colleagues, the phase III LITESPARK-005 trial has shown improved progression-free survival with the hypoxia-inducible factor–2α inhibitor belzutifan vs everolimus in previously treated patients with advanced clear-cell renal cell...
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...
In a French phase II study (RTEP7–IFCT-1402) reported in The Lancet Oncology, Vera et al found that adaptive radiotherapy based on fluorine F-18–labeled fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)–positron-emission tomography (PET) residual uptake appeared to improve local disease control compared with standard...
Despite advances in targeted therapies for hematologic malignancies, drug resistance and persistent side effects continue to challenge clinicians and limit patient outcomes, underscoring the urgent need for novel therapeutic approaches. At the 2024 Pan Pacific Lymphoma Conference, Marc S. Hoffmann, ...
New modeling data have been released that describe the projected impact of the first and only multitarget stool DNA test (marketed as Cologuard) on patients, health-care professionals, and the U.S. health-care system since its U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval 10 years ago. About the ...
Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common type of primary liver cancer, accounting for about 80% of all primary liver cancers in the United States, and is currently the sixth most common cancer and the fourth most common cause of cancer-related deaths. Although immunotherapy is now a mainstay for ...
Investigators have found that adults with learning disabilities may be more likely to die from cancer compared with those in the general population, according to a recent study published by Ward et al in BMJ Open. Background Many cancers are considered either preventable or treatable. However,...
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)...