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Showing 6751 - 6800Expert Point of View: Kristin Higgins, MD
The discussant of the abstract on the use of prophylactic cranial irradiation in patients with extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer (SCLC), Kristin Higgins, MD, underscored the marked shift in practice patterns in the United States. However, she noted that many questions remain concerning...
Studies Report Early Success With Same-Day Mastectomy and Home Recovery Programs
Patients can safely recover from mastectomy at home, according to two studies reported at the 2019 American Society of Breast Surgeons Annual Meeting.1,2 The studies examined outcomes after implementation of comprehensive postmastectomy surgical home recovery programs, showing that they...
Nipple-Sparing Mastectomy May Be Suitable for Growing Number of Well-Selected Patients
As nipple-sparing mastectomy gains favor, it is being performed on a broader spectrum of patients once considered off limits by surgeons. A Mayo Clinic study in a contemporary cohort found no increase in complication rates or decrease in reconstruction success with this surgical approach.1 “We...
Expert Point of View: Julie A. Margenthaler, MD
“Lymphedema represents a significant morbidity for patients who experience it,” commented Julie A. Margenthaler, MD, of Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis. “This study [PREVENT] demonstrates that bioimpedance spectroscopy can identify early signs of lymphedema, so interventions...
Using Bioimpedance Spectroscopy to Prevent Progression of Lymphedema
Surveillance of women at risk for breast cancer–related lymphedema using bioimpedance spectroscopy was more effective in preventing lymphedema progression than traditional measurement of arm circumference, when each is combined with immediate compression therapy. These findings came from the...
Head and Neck Cancer Immunotherapy in Locally Advanced Disease: Clinical Trial Updates
Programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) inhibitors are approved for the second-line treatment of head and neck cancer and likely will be soon in the first-line treatment of locally advanced disease. According to Robert L. Ferris, MD, PhD, developments in immunotherapy for this population should be...
Two Pediatric Trials Find Targets for Treatment-Refractory Cancers
An interim analysis of the large Pediatric MATCH trial found that 24% of children and young adolescents with cancers refractory to current treatments had been assigned to treatment with investigational targeted study agents based on genetic alterations detected in their tumors,1 which is more than...
KEYNOTE-001 Shows Long-Term Survival Benefit With Pembrolizumab in Advanced NSCLC
Before the introduction of immunotherapy with checkpoint inhibitors, the 5-year life expectancy for patients with advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) was 5.5%. This dismal outlook has changed. Treatment with the immune checkpoint inhibitor pembrolizumab dramatically improved overall...
How Have We Got It So Wrong?
The past 20 years have seen an unprecedented increase in the development of effective drugs for the management of cancer. The advent of immunotherapy offers even the promise of cure for some previously highly resistant diseases. The science is brilliant, the need is ever increasing—but the cost is ...
Expert Point of View: Yousuf Zafar, MD
At the Plenary Session, formal discussant of Dr. Davidoff’s study, Yousuf Zafar, MD, of Duke Cancer Institute, Durham, North Carolina, gave an impassioned talk about the need to address racial disparities in cancer care. “This is a nontraditional study to be selected for the ASCO Plenary Session....
ACA Increases Access to Health Care, Early Diagnosis, and Timely Treatment for Patients With Cancer
The evidence is in: the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has enabled improved access to earlier diagnosis, earlier care, and reduced racial disparities in access to care for patients with cancer, according to two studies presented at the 2019 ASCO Annual Meeting. In states that adopted Medicaid...
Expert Point of View: Harold Burstein, MD, PhD, FASCO, and Jame Abraham, MD, FACP
Harold Burstein, MD, PhD, FASCO, Associate Professor of Medicine at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, and Jame Abraham, MD, FACP, Director of the Breast Oncology Program at Taussig Cancer Institute and Co-Director of the Cleveland Clinic Comprehensive Breast Cancer Program, commented on what...
2019 ASCO: Study Finds Proton Therapy Reduces Adverse Events, Results in Similar Survival vs Photon Therapy
In a trial presented by Baumann et al at the 2019 ASCO Annual Meeting (Abstract 6521), patients with locally advanced cancer treated with proton chemoradiotherapy instead of traditional photon chemoradiotherapy were at a lower risk of experiencing side effects. However, cure rates were almost...
MONALEESA-7 Shows Overall Survival Benefit for Ribociclib/Endocrine Therapy
The first statistically significant overall survival benefit has been shown for a cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 4/6 inhibitor plus endocrine therapy as first-line treatment of advanced breast cancer. The results are from the phase III MONALEESA-7 trial, which evaluated ribociclib plus endocrine...
2019 ASCO: mCODE, a Core Set of Common Cancer Data Standards, Established
In an effort to advance cancer data sharing and improve the quality and coordination of patient care, three health and technology organizations have established a core set of data elements and recommended technical specifications (the Minimal Common Oncology Data Elements [mCODE]) that are...
2019 ASCO: Pain Management Program for Patients Undergoing Robotic Urologic Surgery
A specialized pain management program for patients who underwent robotic surgery for urologic cancers resulted in 8% of patients going home with narcotics after discharge, compared to 100% who would have received them without this enhanced recovery protocol. The group of patients...
2019 ASCO: Rituximab, Lenalidomide, and Ibrutinib Prior to Chemotherapy in DLBCL
Results of the phase II Smart Start trial revealed that combination targeted therapy consisting of rituximab, lenalidomide, and ibrutinib had an 84.6% overall response rate (ORR) and 38.5% complete response rate (CRR) when given prior to any chemotherapy for newly diagnosed patients with a...
2019 ASCO: Survey Finds 'Knowledge Gap' in Molecular Profiling Among Oncologists
A questionnaire aimed at assessing how well community oncologists understand “molecular profiling” results from tumor specimens found that 69% of participants either said they didn't know the answers or they responded incorrectly. In six different clinical scenarios, the oncologists...
2019 ASCO: Partial- vs Whole-Breast Irradiation in Early-Stage Breast Cancer
Partial-breast irradiation produces similar long-term survival rates and risk for recurrence compared with whole-breast irradiation for many women with low-risk, early-stage breast cancer, according to new data from the NRG Oncology/NSABP B-39/RTOG 0413 trial. Results were presented by Ganz et al...
FDA Announces Project Facilitate
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Oncology Center of Excellence announced a new pilot program to assist oncology health-care professionals in requesting access to unapproved therapies for patients with cancer. A new call center designated Project Facilitate will be a single point...
2019 ASCO: Sexual Harassment and Gender Disparities: Survey of Gynecologic Oncologists
A recent survey of U.S.-based physician members of the Society of Gynecologic Oncology found that 64% of respondents experienced sexual harassment in training or practice; among women, the rate was 71% and among men, it was 51%. Only 10% reported the incident(s) to officials. In addition, women...
2019 ASCO: Enfortumab Vedotin Shows Activity in Previously Treated, Locally Advanced or Metastatic Urothelial Cancer
The single-arm, phase II EV-201 trial showed treatment with enfortumab vedotin—an agent targeting Nectin-4, a protein found in 97% of urothelial cancers—produced responses in 44% of patients with locally advanced or metastatic forms of urothelial cancer. Patients had previously been...
2019 ASCO: OSLO-COMET: Laparoscopic vs Open Resection for Colorectal Cancer Liver Metastases
The randomized Norwegian OSLO-COMET trial found that laparoscopic surgery did not change chances of survival compared to open resection to remove metastases that had spread to the liver in patients with colorectal cancer. Overall, patients lived more than 6.5 years after surgery, regardless of...
2019 ASCO: Expansion of Clinical Trial Inclusion Criteria in Patients With Advanced NSCLC
A study that examined 10,500 health records of patients with advanced non–small cell lung cancer from ASCO’s CancerLinQ database found that the use of expanded clinical trial inclusion criteria—as proposed by ASCO and Friends of Cancer Research in 2017—would nearly double...
Karim Fizazi, MD, PhD, on the ARAMIS Trial in Prostate Cancer: Impact of Darolutamide on Pain and Quality of Life
Karim Fizazi, MD, PhD, of the Institut Gustave Roussy, University of Paris-Sud, discusses study findings showing that not only does darolutamide prolong metastasis-free survival, it maintains quality of life as well as delays worsening of pain and disease-related symptoms compared with placebo for...
2019 ASCO: POLO: Maintenance Olaparib in Germline BRCA-Mutated Pancreatic Cancer
The randomized phase III POLO trial found that maintenance therapy with the poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor olaparib significantly delayed the progression of metastatic pancreatic cancer in patients with germline BRCA gene mutations compared with placebo (median...
2019 ASCO: Medicaid Expansion and Time to Treatment in African American Patients Compared to White Patients With Cancer
Previous racial disparities in timely cancer treatment between African American and white patients were reduced in states where Medicaid access was expanded under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), according to a new analysis of electronic health records from for 30,000 patients. The study, based on...
2019 ASCO: Does Insurance Status Impact Survival in Patients With Multiple Myeloma?
A new study analyzing demographic statistics from the National Cancer Database presented by Chamoun et al at the 2019 ASCO Annual Meeting (Abstract LBA107) identified multiple socioeconomic factors—including private insurance, living in a regionally higher-income area, and receiving treatment ...
2019 ASCO: KEYNOTE-062: Pembrolizumab With or Without Chemotherapy vs Chemotherapy in Advanced Gastric or GEJ Adenocarcinoma
The randomized, phase III KEYNOTE-062 trial achieved its primary endpoint, showing that for patients with programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1)-positive, HER2-negative, advanced gastric or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) cancer, initial therapy with pembrolizumab resulted in noninferior overall...
An Extended Family With Many Physicians Inspired a Career in Oncology
Head and neck cancer specialist Cristina P. Rodriguez, MD, was born and reared in Manila, the capital and largest city in the Philippines. “I grew up on the campus of the University of the Philippines, as both my parents were professors. I am one of three girls, and there was quite a bit of stress ...
Arti Hurria, MD, FASCO
The oncology community was deeply saddened by the untimely passing of Arti Hurria, MD, FASCO, a nationally regarded expert and advocate for elderly patients with cancer. Dr. Hurria died on November 7, 2018, in a traffic accident. At the time of her tragic death, Dr. Hurria was Director of the City...
An Aspiring Musician Changes Course and Becomes a Breast Cancer Specialist Who Makes Music
Internationally renowned breast cancer expert, Larry Norton, MD, FASCO, spent his formative years in a Long Island town that rubbed shoulders with the border of New York City. Making music was Dr. Norton’s first passion and a cheap subway ride landed him in Greenwich Village, the Holy Grail of the ...
Ahead of the Curve, Breast Cancer Specialist Advocates Prevention Through Exercise and Lifestyle
Breast cancer specialist Julie Gralow, MD, FASCO, Director, Breast Medical Oncology, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, has a straightforward philosophy about her career: “Cancer is about living, not dying. I enjoy helping my patients with breast cancer take control of their health through leading-edge ...
Never Forgetting His Roots Helps Surgical Oncologist Better Connect With His Patients
Raja M. Flores, MD, grew up in New York’s Meatpacking District, a rough West Side neighborhood, light years before its gentrification into a hip commercial area, home to the Whitney Museum of American Art, high-end designer clothing stores and chic bars, and a stretch of the High Line (an...
From the Lab to the Clinic to the Sea: Balancing a Challenging Career
Internationally recognized breast cancer expert Lisa A. Carey, MD, FASCO, was born in New Jersey and moved to Montreal, where she attended an all-girls school (Miss Edgar’s and Miss Cramp’s School for Girls) until age 8. When she was 9 years old, her father’s business ventures took the family back ...
A Lifetime Dedicated to Patients With Lung Cancer
Former ASCO President Paul Bunn, Jr, MD, FASCO, was born at the New York Hospital, the second oldest hospital in New York City and the third oldest in the nation. He grew up in DeWitt, New York, an eastern suburb of Syracuse, and went through the public-school system graduating from...
A Brilliant Career in Oncology Decided on a Coin Toss
Rajendra Achyut Badwe, MBBS, MS, was born and reared in the sprawling city of Mumbai, the most populous city in India. “My grandmother was a matron in an infectious disease hospital. At that time, smallpox was a serious issue, and the patient care challenges were momentous. She taught me the value...
Median Lag Time for First-in-Human to First-in-Child Oncology Trials
Cancer drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) took a median of 6.5 years to advance from the first clinical trial in adults to the first trial in children, according to a study published by Neel et al in the European Journal of Cancer. “Despite knowing that these...
Stand Up To Cancer Names Grant Recipients of ‘Innovation in Collaboration’
The Phillip A. Sharp Awards for Innovation in Collaboration, are named for Phillip A. Sharp, PhD, Nobel Laureate, and molecular biologist at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, in recognition of his emphasis on collaboration across research institutions and different teams. Stand Up To Cancer...
Radiation Oncologist Lori J. Pierce, MD, FASCO, FASTRO, Enjoys Balancing Administrative and Clinical Roles
Lori J. Pierce, MD, FASCO, FASTRO, grew up in Washington, DC, and moved with her family to Philadelphia while in high school. She still considers the fast-paced DC–Philadelphia corridor her home, but her passion for a career in medicine, in part, took seed in a small town located in North...
Breast Cancer Specialist Focuses on Educational Side of Oncology, Connecting Patients With Cancer Around the World
Internationally renowned breast cancer specialist Daniel A. Vorobiof, MD, was born in Santa Fe, Argentina, a province in the northeastern region of the country that is prone to catastrophic flooding. Asked about any early influences in his desire to pursue a career in medicine, Dr. Vorobiof...
Cancer Researcher Continues to Push the Envelope in Immunotherapy to Help Patients Live Longer
Nationally regarded cancer immunologist Padmanee Sharma, MD, PhD, was born and reared in Georgetown, Guyana, on South America’s North Atlantic coast, noted for being the only South American country in which English is the official language. Her parents were descendants of indentured immigrants...
A Career Path Balancing Research, Patient Care, and Everyday Life
In elementary school, Laurie H. Sehn, MD, MPH, dreamed of becoming a teacher. However, as she moved through high school, her passion for science blossomed, as did her desire to have an impact on people’s lives. “I began to seriously consider medicine because it provided the dual opportunity to...
AYA Survivors Should Be Allowed to Participate in Adult Clinical Trials
When strangers ask me how many children I have, I’m not quite sure how to respond. Do I still have four children even though one has died? A year and a half after my son Brent’s death, at the age of 18, from complications of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), I’m still struggling with knowing the...
Unlocking the Secrets of the Immune System, Story by Story
The story of immunotherapy is one of the most interesting and provocative in medical history. William B. Coley, MD, first harnessed the immune system against cancer in the late 19th century by injecting mixtures of live and inactivated bacteria into patients’ tumors. For various reasons,...
An Insider’s Account of the Nobel Prize–Winning Race to Uncover the Secret of the Ribosome
Situated in the nucleus of the human cell is DNA, the secret of life discovered by the Nobel Prize laureates Drs. Watson and Crick. More recently, another scientist, Venki Ramakrishnan, PhD, won a Nobel Prize for his work in uncovering another secret within the human cell: the structure of the...
Lifestyle Modifications and Screening of Patients at High Risk Can Reduce Deaths From Pancreatic Cancer
After disclosing that he had been diagnosed with stage IV pancreatic cancer, Alex Trebek, longtime host of the popular television game show Jeopardy!, vowed that he would beat the disease despite the low associated survival rate. His statement has brought pancreatic cancer back into the public...
Rookie
His steps generated a low rumble that propagated through the floor like a tsunami, flowed up through my desk, and ended as tiny waves visible through the clear plastic of my water bottle. His custom Lucchese ostrich boots made a distinctive clicking sound as they rhythmically struck the tile floor, ...
Pancreatic Cancer Collective Funds Two Research Teams Using AI to Identify High-Risk Populations
THE PANCREATIC Cancer Collective, which is the strategic partnership of the Lustgarten Foundation and Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C), recently announced that it has awarded $1 million grants to each of 2 projects that are using artificial intelligence (AI) computational approaches to identify high-risk...
Debating the Role of Opioids in the Management of Chronic Cancer Pain
Despite the increasing public awareness of the danger of the overuse of prescription opioids, drug overdose deaths continue to rise in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), from 1999 to 2017, nearly 400,000 people died of an overdose involving...
