In a phase I/II trial reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Torka et al found that the addition of nivolumab to standard doxorubicin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine (N-AVD) was “highly effective” as front-line treatment for patients aged ≥ 60 with classical Hodgkin lymphoma. Study Details In...
Addition of the CDK4/6 inhibitor palbociclib to the current standard of care for first-line maintenance therapy after induction chemotherapy achieved statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements in progression-free survival in patients with hormone receptor (HR)-positive,...
ASCO announced the election of Elizabeth A. Mittendorf, MD, PhD, MHCM, FASCO, to lead as its President beginning in June 2026, as well as an additional six ASCO members to serve on its Board of Directors and Nominating Committee. 2026–2027 ASCO President-Elect Dr. Mittendorf, a long-time ASCO...
In a Children’s Oncology Group study (ADVL1823) reported in Journal of Clinical Oncology, Laetsch et al found that larotrectinib was highly active in patients with newly diagnosed infantile fibrosarcoma and other pediatric NTRK fusion–positive solid tumors. Study Details The U.S. multicenter trial...
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...
The phase III ZEST clinical trial, designed to evaluate the PARP inhibitor niraparib for the prevention of breast cancer recurrence in patients with circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), failed to accrue enough patients positive for ctDNA, according to results presented at the 2024 San Antonio Breast...
Recent data suggest that a plant-based diet rich in fiber may help to improve the outlook for people with precursor conditions that can lead to multiple myeloma. The research, which involved a 12-week controlled diet with additional health coaching for 20 patients as well as experiments in mice, is ...
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...
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...
In a Chinese phase III trial (HELEN-006) reported in The Lancet Oncology, Chen et al found that the de-escalated neoadjuvant treatment with the addition of nab-paclitaxel to trastuzumab/pertuzumab produced a higher pathologic complete response rate (pCR) vs docetaxel/carboplatin plus...
Here are some highlights of clinical trials presented at the 2024 Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) Annual Meeting by researchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. They include breakthroughs in cancer care, updates in clinical research, and efforts in cancer...
In a Chinese phase III trial (EXTENTORCH) reported in JAMA Oncology, Cheng et al reported that the addition of the immunoglobulin G4 PD-1–blocking antibody toripalimab to first-line chemotherapy with etoposide plus cisplatin or carboplatin (EP) improved progression-free survival among patients with ...
In a phase II trial reported in The Lancet Oncology, Vora et al found that short-course hypofractionated proton-beam therapy guided by 3,4-dihydroxy-6-[F-18]fluoro-L-phenylalanine (F-18–DOPA) positron-emission tomography (PET) and contrast-enhanced MRI produced good outcomes in patients aged ≥ 65...
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,...
Late-breaking findings from the phase IIIb/IV, open-label DESTINY-Breast12 trial support the use of the antibody-drug conjugate fam-trastuzumab deruxtecan-nxki (T-DXd) in patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer and brain metastases who have experienced disease progression on at least...
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...
Functional precision medicine—in which information is obtained from direct perturbations of tumor-derived living cells that enable immediate translatable, personalized data to guide patient therapy—has its roots dating back more than 50 years.1 However, advances in two- and three-dimensional...
The Global Coalition for Adaptive Research (GCAR) announced an agreement to evaluate AZD1390, an ataxia telangiectasia mutant (ATM) kinase inhibitor developed by AstraZeneca, in GCAR’s Glioblastoma Adaptive Global Innovative Learning Environment trial (GBM AGILE; ClinicalTrials.gov identifier...
Participants of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) Minority Recruitment Initiative had lower attrition rates in graduate and medical programs, were more likely to pursue a career in hematology, and had high levels of engagement at ASH beyond their participation in the program, according to a ...
Based on results from the ongoing multicenter phase III CHIPOR trial, which were reported in The Lancet Oncology Jean-Marc Classe, MD, PhD, Head of the Oncological Surgery Department at the Institut de Cancérologie de l’Ouest, Saint Herblain, France, and colleagues, the addition of hyperthermic...
Georgina V. Long, PhD, MBBS, FRACP, of Melanoma Institute Australia and Royal North Shore and Mater Hospitals, The University of Sydney, and colleagues shared their findings from a pooled analysis of long-term outcomes in advanced melanoma reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.1 They found...
“While clinical trials emphasize improvement in cure rates for patients with advanced classical Hodgkin lymphoma, an important goal is reducing the potential long-term effects of treatment,” commented Iris Isufi, MD, of the Smilow Cancer Hospital and Yale Cancer Center, New Haven, Connecticut, and ...
In a phase II/III trial reported in JAMA Oncology, Sarkaria et al found that the addition of veliparib to temozolomide did not improve overall survival in patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma with MGMT promoter hypermethylation. Study Details In the double-blind Alliance for Clinical Trials...
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...
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Jensen et al, the final analysis of the phase III Danish DBCG07-READ trial showed improved 10-year outcomes with the addition of epirubicin to docetaxel/cyclophosphamide adjuvant therapy in patients with TOP2A-normal breast cancer. The primary...
Investigators have uncovered a potential link between the availability and use of tanning beds and the rising rates of melanoma in New England, according to a recent study published by Wei et al in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology. The findings may provide critical insights to inform public ...
“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...
Attendees at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2024 heard the results of many positive clinical trials that will advance the field of cancer treatment. However, a few late-stage trials of promising adjuvant therapies unexpectedly reported negative results. The ASCO Post...
The use of measurable (or minimal) residual disease (MRD) status to guide treatment in multiple myeloma has become a topic of intense interest. Phase III studies presented at the Plenary Session of the 2024 International Myeloma Society Annual Meeting moved MRD status ever closer to validation in...
In a phase II trial (EWALL-INO) reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Chevallier et al found that inotuzumab ozogamicin combined with low-dose chemotherapy was active in the first-line treatment of older patients with newly diagnosed CD22-positive Philadelphia chromosome–negative B-cell...
Because colonoscopies and more established stool-based tests are more effective at detecting early cancers and precancerous polyps compared with emerging blood-based tests, their long-term impact is projected to be substantially greater than that of blood-based tests, according to a recent study...
In interim analyses of a Chinese phase III trial (COMPASSION-16) reported in The Lancet, Wu et al found that the addition of cadonilimab, a bispecific antibody targeting PD-1 and CTLA-4, to platinum-based chemotherapy with or without bevacizumab significantly improved progression-free and overall...
In a Dutch study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Westerveld et al identified long-term risks of subsequent neoplasms in 5-year survivors of childhood neuroblastoma. Study Details The study included data from 563 survivors in the Dutch Childhood Cancer Survivor Study–LATER cohort...
The Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) 2024 Annual Meeting showcased several groundbreaking studies in the field of hematologic oncology, including key findings in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). The ASCO...
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,...
Late-breaking findings from the phase IIIb/IV, open-label DESTINY-Breast12 trial support the use of the antibody-drug conjugate fam-trastuzumab deruxtecan-nxki (T-DXd) in patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer and brain metastases who have experienced disease progression on at least...
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by González-Martín et al, a phase III trial (ENGOT-OV41/GEICO 69-O/ANITA) has shown no progression-free survival benefit with the addition of atezolizumab to a carboplatin doublet and maintenance niraparib in patients with recurrent ovarian cancer...
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 New England Journal of Medicine by Pautier et al, the French Sarcoma Group phase III LMS04 trial showed that the addition of trabectedin to doxorubicin significantly improved progression-free and overall survival in the first-line treatment of unresectable or metastatic uterine...
In an Australian phase II trial (UpFrontPSMA) reported in The Lancet Oncology, Azad et al found that sequential lutetium (Lu)-177–prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSM)-617 (Lu-177–PSMA-617) and docetaxel was superior to docetaxel alone in achieving undetectable prostate-specific antigen (PSA)...
The results from a phase Ib/II study of a five-drug targeted therapy regimen—venetoclax, ibrutinib, prednisone, obinutuzumab, and lenalidomide (ViPOR)—in the treatment of relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) showed the treatment produced durable remissions and potential...
Medical oncology had a turbulent beginning, as we explained in part 1 of this commentary published in the September 25, 2024, issue of The ASCO Post. And although no other specialty we know of struggled as much, with perseverance and time, it had become a stable specialty of internal medicine by...
On September 17, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved pembrolizumab (Keytruda) with pemetrexed and platinum chemotherapy as first-line treatment of unresectable advanced or metastatic malignant pleural mesothelioma. Efficacy and Safety Efficacy was investigated in KEYNOTE-483...
Although chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has transformed treatment for patients with relapsed and refractory blood cancers, it can also cause an array of immune-related adverse events, including cytokine-release syndrome, immune effector cell–associated neurotoxicity syndrome, and...
It happened! We received the International Development and Education Award (IDEA) from Conquer Cancer®, the ASCO Foundation, and it was a journey of growth, global collaboration, leadership, mentorship, and more. We have much to share after this breakthrough in our careers. The ASCO Annual Meeting...
Nivolumab (Opdivo) was approved for use in combination with cisplatin and gemcitabine for first-line treatment of patients with unresectable or metastatic urothelial carcinoma.1 Supporting Efficacy Data Approval was based on the open-label CheckMate 901 trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier...
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...
Patients may be less likely to return for subsequent screening mammography following a false-positive recall for additional imaging or biopsy, according to a recent study published by Miglioretti et al in the Annals of Internal Medicine. The findings raised concerns regarding the potential...
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...
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Philip et al found that the phase III AVENGER 500 study showed no overall survival benefit with devimistat plus modified fluorouracil, oxaliplatin, irinotecan, and leucovorin (mFFX) vs FFX in patients with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma. As...