In a phase III trial (LUNAR) reported in The Lancet Oncology, Ticiana Leal, MD, Winship Cancer Institute at Emory University, and colleagues found that the addition of Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields) therapy to standard systemic therapy improved overall survival in patients with metastatic...
Guest Editor’s Note: Virtual platforms have grown increasingly popular for health- and wellness-promoting activities. But given patients’ unique backgrounds, capabilities, interests, and goals, promoting engagement represents a complex challenge both in the context of care delivery as well as...
In a national cohort study in England reported in The Lancet Oncology, Scott et al found a high rate of subsequent cancer diagnosis in persons with an urgent suspected cancer referral that did not result in cancer diagnosis. As noted by the investigators, “Following referral for investigation of...
In interim analyses from the phase III KEYNOTE-811 trial reported in The Lancet, Yelena Y. Janjigian, MD, and colleagues found that the addition of pembrolizumab to trastuzumab and chemotherapy in first-line treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic HER2-positive...
Diagnosing early-stage lung cancer with low-dose computed tomography (CT) screening may improve 20-year survival rates, according to a recent study published by Henschke et al in Radiology. The new findings demonstrated the significance of routine early screenings to detect tumors when they are...
As reported in The Lancet by Shukui Qin, MD, and colleagues, interim analysis of the phase III IMbrave050 trial has shown significantly better recurrence-free survival with adjuvant atezolizumab/bevacizumab vs active surveillance in patients who underwent curative-intent resection or ablation for...
Researchers have developed and trained a new machine learning model to calculate percent necrosis in patients with osteosarcoma, according to a novel study published by LiBrizzi et al in the Journal of Orthopaedic Research. Background A postchemotherapy percent necrosis calculation often helps...
Researchers have discovered that resistance to PI3K-alpha inhibitors and reduced drug binding in patients with breast cancer may be driven by secondary PIK3CA mutations and so may be effectively treated with a novel class of PI3K-alpha inhibitors designed to bind to different parts of the target,...
An interim analysis of the phase III LIBRETTO-431 trial has shown significantly improved progression-free survival with first-line selpercatinib vs platinum-based chemotherapy with or without pembrolizumab in patients with RET fusion–positive advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The...
In the phase II DeLLphi-301 trial—presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2023 (Abstract LBA92) and reported by Ahn et al in The New England Journal of Medicine—tarlatamab, a bispecific T-cell engager targeting delta-like ligand 3 and CD3, exhibited activity in...
As reported in The New England Journal of Medicine by John V. Heymach, MD, PhD, and colleagues, the phase III AEGEAN trial has shown that perioperative durvalumab improved event-free survival and pathologic complete response (pCR) rate in patients with resectable non–small cell lung cancer ...
As reported in The Lancet Oncology by Sun Young Rha, MD, and colleagues, the phase III KEYNOTE-859 trial has shown that the addition of first-line pembrolizumab to chemotherapy was associated with a statistically significant improvement in overall survival in patients with HER2-negative advanced...
As presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2023 (Abstract LBA3) and reported in The New England Journal of Medicine by Hadoux et al, an interim analysis from the phase III LIBRETTO-531 trial has shown improved progression-free survival with selpercatinib vs...
The phase III PAPILLON study has shown that the addition of amivantamab-vmjw to chemotherapy significantly improved progression-free survival in the first-line treatment of advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with EGFR exon 20 insertions. The findings were presented at the European Society...
The phase III CodeBreaK 300 trial showed that sotorasib plus panitumumab improved progression-free survival vs standard care in patients with KRAS G12C–mutated refractory metastatic colorectal cancer. Findings were presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2023 (LBA10)...
In the phase III EMBARK trial reported in The New England Journal of Medicine, Stephen J. Freedland, MD, and colleagues found that enzalutamide/leuprolide and enzalutamide alone improved metastasis-free survival vs leuprolide alone in patients with high-risk biochemical recurrence of prostate...
Researchers may have discovered a link between certain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)—also referred to as "forever chemicals"—and an increased risk of thyroid cancer, according to a recent study published by van Gerwen et al in eBioMedicine. Background PFAS are a large, complex group of ...
In a phase II trial reported in JAMA Oncology, Manji et al found that perioperative chemotherapy and pembrolizumab showed activity in locally advanced resectable gastric and gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma. Study Details Thirty-four evaluable patients were enrolled in the...
The Association for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) responded to a bicameral Request for Information (RFI) on the underlying factors driving drug shortages. The Association’s comments highlighted the impact of the shortages on patient care and pointed to economic failures and supply chain vulnerabilities...
It is widely acknowledged that patients with cancer living in rural areas of the United States face limited access to medical and oncology providers, often have to travel long distances to receive care, and experience obstacles in clinical trial participation—all of which affect quality of care and ...
Early-phase trials demonstrate the potential for TROP-2–directed antibody-drug conjugates to enhance the response to immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) without actionable genomic alterations, several investigators reported at the International...
In this installment of The ASCO Post’s Living a Full Life series, guest editor Jame Abraham, MD, FACP, spoke with Elisabete Weiderpass, MD, MSc, PhD, a Brazilian cancer researcher who is a naturalized Swedish and Finnish citizen. She is an expert in cancer epidemiology and cancer prevention. In...
In exploratory analyses of results from the SWOG S1801 trial in patients with stage III to IV resectable melanoma, researchers saw a major pathologic response in more than half of surgical specimens taken from patients who had been treated with neoadjuvant pembrolizumab. These and other results of...
The Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology announced detailed results from CABINET (Alliance A021602), a phase III pivotal trial evaluating cabozantinib compared with placebo in two cohorts of previously treated patients with neuroendocrine tumors. The data were presented by Chan et al at the...
Targeted treatment with the fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) inhibitor erdafitinib improved responses and overall survival compared to standard chemotherapy for patients with advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma with FGFR alterations. Results from the phase III THOR trial, led by...
At the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2023, new findings are being presented in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, late-stage melanoma, and refractory melanoma brain metastases. Presurgical Immunotherapy in Advanced Operable Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma Patients with...
The hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-2α inhibitor belzutifan significantly reduced the risk of progression of clear cell renal cell carcinoma in patients previously treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors and antiangiogenic therapies compared with everolimus. The phase III LITESPARK-005 trial, led...
Compared with neoadjuvant chemotherapy alone, adding perioperative immunotherapy—given before and after surgery—significantly improved event-free survival in patients with resectable early-stage non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Results from the phase III CheckMate 77T study were presented at the ...
The chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy idecabtagene vicleucel may offer an overall survival benefit in patients with multiple myeloma, regardless of their race or ethnicity, according to a novel study published by Peres et al in Blood Advances. Background Multiple myeloma—a cancer of...
The drug shortage crisis in the United States may continue to impact the care of 10% of patients and survivors of cancer, according to a new survey from the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN). Survey Findings In the new survey, researchers asked 1,222 patients and survivors of...
In the phase III RATIONALE-301 trial reported in JAMA Oncology, Shukui Qin, MD, PhD, and colleagues found that tislelizumab was noninferior to sorafenib in terms of overall survival as first-line treatment for patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. Study Details In the open-label...
In a phase II trial reported in JAMA Oncology, Takahashi et al found that the addition of the ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related (ATR) kinase inhibitor berzosertib to topotecan did not improve progression-free survival in patients with relapsed small cell lung cancer (SCLC). However, an overall ...
The combination of palbociclib and fulvestrant did not prolong progression-free survival compared to fulvestrant alone in patients with hormone receptor–positive/HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer who had disease progression on prior treatment with a CDK4/6 inhibitor and endocrine therapy,...
Lung cancer is a significant global health issue, remaining the leading cause of cancer-related deaths with 2.1 million new cases and 1.8 million deaths. Complete surgical resection is the treatment of choice for operable early-stage non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and resectable stage IIIA...
Nonmelanoma skin cancer may be causing a greater number of global deaths than melanoma, according to findings presented by Salah et al at the European Academy of Dermatology and Venerology Congress 2023. Investigators also suggested that nonmelanoma skin cancer may be underreported and that the...
In a Chinese phase 1b/II trial (COMPASSION-03) reported in The Lancet Oncology, Gao et al found that the anti–PD-1/CTLA-4 bispecific antibody cadonilimab showed activity in previously treated patients with a range of advanced solid tumors, including advanced cervical cancer, esophageal squamous...
In the phase III CANOPY-A trial reported in Journal of Clinical Oncology, Edward B. Garon, MD, and colleagues found that adjuvant therapy with the interleukin (IL)-1β pathway inhibitor canakinumab did not significantly improve disease-free survival vs placebo in patients with completely resected...
On August 14, 2023, the Hepzato Kit—melphalan for injection/hepatic delivery system—was approved as a liver-directed treatment for adults with uveal melanoma with unresectable hepatic metastases affecting less than 50% of the liver.1 Patients must have either no extrahepatic disease or extrahepatic ...
On August 14, 2023, the bispecific B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)-directed CD3 T-cell engager elranatamab-bcmm was granted accelerated approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for adults with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who have received at least four prior lines of...
As a first-line treatment for advanced biliary tract cancer, an experimental formulation of gemcitabine, NUC-1031, given with cisplatin failed to improve outcomes over standard gemcitabine/cisplatin in the global phase III NuTide:121 trial.1 “NuTide:121 has not advanced the field in biliary tract...
In advanced non–small cell lung cancer harboring mutations of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), the role of immune checkpoint inhibitors following disease progression with tyrosine kinase inhibitors has been unclear. Several studies reported at the International Association for the Study ...
In a Japanese-U.S. phase I/II trial (U31402-A-J101) reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Ian E. Krop, MD, PhD, and colleagues found that the HER3-targeted antibody-drug conjugate patritumab deruxtecan (HER3-DXd) produced durable responses in previously treated patients with HER3-expressing ...
The Alliance Data and Safety Monitoring Board has determined that adjuvant pembrolizumab may improve disease-free survival in patients with localized muscle-invasive urothelial carcinoma and locally advanced urothelial carcinoma, according to the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology. ...
The National Inventors Hall of Fame (NIHF) recognizes the enduring legacies of exceptional U.S. patent holders on an annual basis. On October 26, 2023, three female inductees will be recognized for their extraordinary contributions to cancer care and clinical research. Biochemist Jennifer...
In an interim analysis of a German phase II trial (MMG-CONCEPT) reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Leypoldt et al found that Isa-KrD (isatuximab, carfilzomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone) produced high rates of measurable residual disease (MRD) negativity newly diagnosed patients...
Breast milk from women with breast cancer who were diagnosed during pregnancy or postpartum contains circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), according to researchers at the Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO) in Barcelona. The investigators noted that ctDNA can be detected through liquid biopsy in...
Recent developments in surgery and therapeutics are changing the perioperative approach to non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). These advances were discussed at the 2023 Debates and Didactics in Hematology and Oncology conference, sponsored by Emory University, by Jennifer W. Carlisle, MD, Assistant ...
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Nakamura et al, findings in a cohort of the phase II SGNTUC-019 basket study showed that tucatinib plus trastuzumab was active in previously treated patients with HER2-positive metastatic biliary tract cancer who had not received prior...
Gender inequalities and discrimination may adversely impact women’s rights and opportunities to avoid cancer risk factors and impede their ability to seek and obtain timely diagnoses and quality cancer care, according to The Lancet Commission on Women, Power, and Cancer published by Ginsburg et al...
In a phase II trial reported in The New England Journal of Medicine, Eric Bouffet, MD, and colleagues found that the combination of dabrafenib and trametinib produced a higher objective response rate vs standard chemotherapy in the first-line treatment of pediatric patients with low-grade glioma...