In an analysis of the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)–Medicare database reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Wang et al found that use of preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was associated with overdiagnosis of contralateral breast cancer among older...
In a Swedish study reported in The Lancet Oncology (Stockholm 3 study), Grönberg et al found that a screening model including prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and other plasma protein markers, genetic polymorphisms, and clinical variables improved the accuracy of detecting prostate cancer with...
Unlike a number of other cancers in which young age at diagnosis is understood to represent distinct disease biology, the genomics and clinical characteristics of non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in young patients are poorly understood. A study by Sacher et al investigating the relationship ...
In the phase III HELIOS trial, reported in The Lancet Oncology, Chanan-Khan et al found that adding the Bruton’s tyrosine kinase inhibitor ibrutinib (Imbruvica) to bendamustine (Treanda)/rituximab (Rituxan) increased progression-free survival in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia or...
Thyroid cancer survivors report poor quality of life after diagnosis and treatment compared with other patients who are diagnosed with more lethal cancers, according to new research from the University of Chicago Medicine. The findings, published by Aschebrook-Kilfoy et al in the journal Thyroid,...
As reported by Murphy et al in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, an analysis of Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data from patients with stage II or III colorectal cancer indicated that the use of adjuvant chemotherapy in colon cancer declined slightly between 2005 and ...
In the first study of its kind, University of Southern California (USC) researchers have found that colorectal cancer risk in Californian Latinos varies widely depending on the country of origin. Their study was published by Stern et al in Cancer Causes & Control. “Hispanics are a very...
Among patients with HER2-positive, metastatic breast cancer that had progressed despite treatment with two or more forms of HER2-targeted therapy (trastuzumab [Herceptin] and lapatinib [Tykerb]), median overall survival was increased for those treated with ado-trastuzumab emtansine (aka T-DM1...
In a phase II trial reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Ou et al found that the investigational ALK inhibitor alectinib, which is active against acquired crizotinib (Xalkori) resistance mutations and exhibits high CNS penetration, was associated with considerable activity in patients with ...
Depression is a significant predictor of 5-year survival and recurrence in head and neck cancer patients, according to a new study from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. These findings, published by Shinn et al in Psychosomatic Medicine, represent one of the largest reported...
In a study presented by Moureau et al at the 57th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting, ixazomib (Ninlaro), a recently approved oral proteasome inhibitor, significantly extended progression-free survival for patients with relapsed and/or refractory multiple myeloma (Abstract 727)....
A presentation by Tedeschi et al at the 57th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting outlined results of the phase III RESONATE TM-2 study of ibrutinib (Imbruvica) vs chlorambucil (Leukeran) in patients aged 65 years and older with treatment-naive chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small...
In a nested case-control study in the Women’s Health Initiative Clinical Trial, reported in Journal of the National Cancer Institute by Murphy et al, endogenous estrogen levels were inversely associated with and sex hormone–binding globulin (SHBG) levels were positively associated with...
In a Spanish phase III trial (GEICAM/2003-10) reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Martín et al found that invasive disease–free survival was improved with adjuvant epirubicin/cyclophosphamide (EC) followed by docetaxel (EC-T) vs epirubicin/docetaxel followed by capecitabine...
Recent data indicated that the rates of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening and diagnosis of early-stage prostate cancer have decreased since a 2012 U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) statement (released in October 2011) gave a grade D recommendation against PSA screening for all...
A study presented by Landier et al at the 57th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting examined the common problem of children in remission from acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) not adhering to their maintenance drug regimens, thus putting them at risk of relapse (Abstract 82). ...
A study to be reported by Raetz et al at the 57th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting examined the potential of using real-time genetic analysis to personalize chemotherapy regimens for children with B-cell lymphocytic leukemia (Abstract 807). The study findings were presented at a...
Two new studies to be reported at the 57th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting highlighted new insights on genetic mutations in children with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) that indicate a higher risk for debilitating chemotherapy-associated bone damage. The study findings were...
Findings of a systematic review of the benefits and harms of breast cancer screening commissioned by the American Cancer Society (ACS) to inform its updated guideline on screening in average-risk women were reported in JAMA by Myers et al of the Duke Evidence Synthesis Group. Their findings were...
As reported by Tournigand et al in The Lancet Oncology, final analysis of the phase III GERCOR DREAM (OPTIMOX3) trial suggested a benefit of maintenance bevacizumab (Avastin)-erlotinib vs bevacizumab after bevacizumab-based induction therapy in patients with previously untreated metastatic...
Studies show that an estimated 67% of women aged 40 and older undergo screening mammography every 1 to 2 years. Over the course of 10 screening mammograms, the estimated cumulative probability of at least one false-positive result is 61% for women screened annually and 42% for women screened...
Breast density may not be a strong independent factor for breast cancer risk, according to a new study presented (BR267-SD-THA1) by Katavic et al December 2, 2015, at the Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) in Chicago. Prior research has shown an association between...
As reported by Scarisbrick et al in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, a Cutaneous Lymphoma International Consortium study in a large population of patients with advanced-stage mycosis fungoides and Sézary syndrome has identified independent prognostic factors for overall survival that can be ...
Low-income women in Medicaid expansion states in the United States are more likely to have a breast screening performed than those in nonexpansion states, according to a study (HP207-SD-MOA2) by Fazeli Dehkordy et al presented November 30, 2015, at the Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of...
In a study reported in Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Rosenberg et al predicted that the number of new invasive plus in situ breast cancers will increase from approximately 283,000 in 2011 to 441,000 in 2030. Modeling suggests that the proportion of estrogen receptor–negative cases ...
In a study reported in JAMA Oncology, Miglioretti et al found that diagnosis of breast cancer after biennial vs annual mammography screening was associated with a higher risk of less favorable tumor prognostic characteristics among premenopausal women. They also noted a nonsignificantly higher risk ...
In a prospective observational cohort study reported in The Lancet Oncology, Efficace et al found that a self-reported fatigue score provides independent prognostic information on overall survival in patients with higher-risk myelodysplastic syndromes. Fatigue assessment should be included in...
In a retrospective analysis of data from 130 patients with pancreatic cysts, scientists at Johns Hopkins have used gene-based tests and a fixed set of clinical criteria to more accurately distinguish precancerous cysts from those less likely to do harm. The findings may eventually help some...
Men with prostate cancer who are undergoing radiation therapy can benefit from yoga, researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania reported at the Society for Integrative Oncology’s 12th International Conference. The new, first-of-its-kind study, led...
Although urothelial cancer of the bladder is sensitive to platinum-based chemotherapy, the vast majority of patients treated with these therapies will develop progressive disease within 8 months of treatment, and the median survival is reported to be between 13 and 15 months, according to a new...
Disparities in colorectal cancer death rates take a large toll on the national economy, with poorer, less-educated communities bearing the greatest burden, according to data presented at the Eighth American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Conference on the Science of Cancer Health...
“Anemia was highly prevalent and independently associated with functional disability” among older adults with cancer, according to an analysis of data conducted by Owusu et al. “Older patients with anemia were more than twice as likely to have functional disability than those...
An analysis of data from 46,803 patients with stage IV non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who received palliative chest radiation therapy found that 49% received radiotherapy for longer than 15 fractions and 28% received more than 25 fractions. This treatment pattern “is inconsistent...
A prediction model created for projecting absolute invasive breast cancer risk in Hispanic women provides a more accurate assessment of their risk of developing breast cancer compared with existing models that are based on data from non-Hispanic women, according to a new study by Banegas et al....
In a study reported in JAMA Oncology, Prince et al found that the hospitalization rate among patients receiving systemic therapy for metastatic non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) was much higher in observational studies vs clinical trials among studies reporting hospitalization rates. Study...
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Weigel et al in the Children’s Oncology Group, a strategy of dose intensification and interval compression, use of the most active agents determined in phase II window studies, and use of irinotecan as a radiation sensitizer has been found to ...
In a phase II trial reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Shah et al in the U.S. Gastric Cancer Consortium found that a modified regimen of docetaxel, cisplatin, and fluorouracil (5-FU) (mDCF) improved toxicity and survival vs a standard DCF regimen plus growth factor support as first-line...
In a Canadian population-based study reported in JAMA Oncology, Arnaout et al found that breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is increasingly used in preoperative evaluation of women with breast cancer and that its use is associated with increased likelihood of confirmatory breast imaging,...
More children are surviving malignant brain tumors than in the past, thanks to the use of intense treatments using platinum-based chemotherapy (cisplatin and high-dose carboplatin). Unfortunately, the therapy has a known side effect of permanent hearing loss, resulting from damage to the inner ear. ...
Patients with metastatic breast cancer who have higher insulin levels than normal, but are not diabetic, have a significantly worse prognosis compared with those who have normal insulin levels, according to data being presented (Abstract BP129) at the Advanced Breast Cancer Third International...
In a study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Renfro et al found that low but not high body mass index (BMI) was associated with poorer progression-free and overall survival in patients receiving first-line treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer. The analysis included individual...
Mantle cell lymphoma, which is characterized by CD5-positive, CD23-negative follicular mantle B cells with t(11:14)(q13;q32) translocation and cyclin D1 overexpression, is generally incurable and associated with a median survival of between 4 and 5 years. Although front-line treatment for mantle...
Two phase III trials, reported in JAMA by Fleshman et al and Stevenson et al, failed to show noninferiority of surgical outcome for laparoscopic vs open resection in patients with rectal cancer. ACOSOG Z6051 Trial In the American College of Surgeons Oncology Group (ACOSOG) Z6051 trial, reported...
In the phase III BEACON trial reported in The Lancet Oncology, Perez et al found that etirinotecan pegol was not associated with a significant increase in overall survival compared with physician’s choice of treatment in women with locally recurrent or metastatic breast cancer previously...
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Advani et al, the cumulative incidence of cardiac events remained significantly higher at 6 years in breast cancer patients who received adjuvant trastuzumab (Herceptin) in the NCCTG N9831/Alliance trial. However, few new congestive heart failure...
In a population-based study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Corso et al found that chemoradiotherapy was associated with an overall survival benefit vs chemotherapy in elderly patients with limited-stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Study Details The study involved National Cancer ...
In a UK-based phase III trial (AML17) reported in The Lancet Oncology, Burnett et al found that a chemotherapy-free regimen of arsenic trioxide plus all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) did not improve quality of life, the primary endpoint, vs ATRA plus idarubicin in patients with acute promyelocytic...
As reported by King et al in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, 29-year longitudinal experience at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center indicates an annual 2% risk of breast cancer in women with lobular carcinoma in situ. Risk was reduced with chemoprevention. Study Details The study involved...
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has expanded the approved use of ipilimumab (Yervoy) to include a new use as adjuvant therapy for patients who have cutaneous melanoma with pathologic involvement of regional lymph nodes of more than 1 mm and have undergone complete resection, including total...
In a phase II trial reported in The Lancet Oncology, Motzer et al found that the combination of the multi–tyrosine kinase inhibitor lenvatinib (Lenvima) plus the mTOR inhibitor everolimus (Afinitor) significantly improved progression-free survival vs everolimus alone in patients with...