In patients with hormone receptor–positive metastatic breast cancers with HER2-low or HER2-ultralow expression, treatment with the antibody-drug conjugate fam-trastuzumab deruxtecan-nxki (T-DXd) was found to be superior to chemotherapy after one or more lines of endocrine therapy. In...
In an analysis from the phase III EORTC 1325-MG/KEYNOTE-054 trial reported in The Lancet Oncology, Bührer et al found that adjuvant pembrolizumab was not associated with significant differences in long-term health-related quality of life (HRQOL) compared with placebo in patients with stage III...
In an Australian phase II/III trial reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Grimison et al found that oral cannabis extract improved the antiemetic complete response rate vs placebo in patients with cancer who had refractory chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) despite use of...
Patients with early-onset colorectal cancer living in rural vs urban areas were found to have a lower likelihood of 5-year survival, with persistent poverty compounding this association in some age groups, according to an analysis published in a research letter by Tsai et al in JAMA Network Open....
For relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma, there are three available bispecific antibodies—two that target B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) and one that targets G protein–coupled receptor class C group 5 member D (GPRC5D). Which is the preferred target? This question was addressed at the 2024...
Annual mammographic screening appeared to be associated with a reduced risk of late-stage breast cancer and an overall survival benefit across clinical and demographic subgroups of patients older than age 40, according to an observational analysis reported by Zuley et al in the Journal of Clinical...
In a study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Chang et al identified potential genomic determinants of relapse risk in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). As stated by the investigators, “Although cure rates for childhood ALL exceed 90%, ALL remains a leading cause of cancer...
The rate of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination may be lower among female individuals with mental health issues or neurodevelopmental conditions compared with their peers, according to a recent study published by Hu et al in The Lancet Public Health. Background The HPV vaccine is capable of...
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the in vitro diagnostic TruSight Oncology (TSO) Comprehensive test and its first two companion diagnostic indications. This targeted sequencing panel interrogates over 500 genes to profile a patient's solid tumor, helping to increase the...
As reported in The Lancet Oncology by Zhao et al, meta-analyses of trials of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in patients with advanced EGFR-mutated non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) progressing on EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment indicate that the optimal treatment strategy is...
In a Chinese single-center trial (Fudan CUP-001) reported in The Lancet Oncology, Liu et al found that site-specific therapy guided by a 90-gene expression assay improved progression-free survival vs empirical chemotherapy in previously untreated patients with cancer of unknown primary (CUP) who...
Researchers have found that a blood test may effectively identify patients with type 2 diabetes who may be at a higher risk of developing certain cancers, according to new findings to be presented by Bennetsen et al at the upcoming European Association for the Study of Diabetes Annual Meeting 2024...
Just 28% of U.S. women may be aware that a healthful diet can lower the risk of developing breast cancer, according to a recent survey conducted by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and Morning Consult. Background The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine is a national...
In an Austrian study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Brunner et al identified the incidence of medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw over 20 years of follow-up in patients with breast cancer who had bone metastases and were receiving antiresorptive medication. Study Details and...
I was a track and field athlete throughout college, and my goal was to try out for the Olympics, but cancer had other plans for me. In 2010, while in my senior year in college, I began having sharp, shooting pains in my shoulders, which I initially attributed to overzealous training. But the pain...
Olaparib may be effective in treating men with biochemically recurrent prostate cancer without accompanying hormone therapy, according to a novel study published by Marshall et al in JAMA Oncology. Background Although most men with localized prostate cancer can be cured with surgery or primary...
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...
The risk of encountering tobacco products being advertised, marketed, or promoted on streaming services based on race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and smoking habits was identified in a recent study published by Onyeaka et al in JAMA Network Open. Background The World Health Organization...
Investigators have found that providing early developmental resources may help reduce the adverse effects of brain tumors and cancer therapy on the academic achievement of young pediatric cancer survivors, according to a recent study published by Somekh et al in the Journal of the National Cancer...
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, ...
A cohort study reported in JAMA Network Open by Li et al demonstrated the superiority of patient-reported outcome measures vs other methods in assessing nerve damage in patients with cancer who underwent neurotoxic chemotherapy. “Accordingly, the adoption of chemotherapy-induced peripheral...
In an Indian phase II trial (BEER BTC) reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Ramaswamy et al found that maintenance therapy with bevacizumab/erlotinib improved progression-free survival vs active surveillance in patients with advanced biliary tract cancers who had at least stable disease...
Twenty minutes of mindful breathing, which focuses a person’s attention on their breath, seems to rapidly reduce the intensity and unpleasantness of cancer pain and relieve the associated anxiety, suggest findings from a small comparative study published by Tan et al in BMJ Supportive &...
Artificial intelligence (AI) tools may be used to better understand the risk of specific cardiac arrhythmias when various parts of the heart are exposed to different thresholds of radiation as part of a treatment plan for non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to a recent study published by...
As reported in The Lancet Oncology by Williams et al, long-term follow-up of the phase III Scottish Breast Conservation Trial indicated that postoperative radiotherapy was associated with a significantly reduced risk of ipsilateral recurrence vs no radiotherapy in patients undergoing...
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the EGFR inhibitor lazertinib (Lazcluze) in combination with the EGFR/MET-targeting bispecific antibody amivantamab-vmjw (Rybrevant) for the first-line treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic non–small cell lung cancer...
Combining Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibition with chemoimmunotherapy induction significantly extended progression-free survival for older patients with mantle cell lymphoma, and there was also a trend toward improvement on the overall survival benefit, according to data presented during the...
The Association for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) has serious concerns about the impact of the Supreme Court’s rulings in Loper Bright Enterprises v Raimondo and Relentless, Inc. v Department of Commerce on cancer care. These decisions overturned the “Chevron deference” or “Chevron doctrine,” a legal...
Growing awareness of the benefits of palliative care in patients with cancer has prompted ASCO to update its recommendations for clinicians, patients, caregivers, and health-care organizations on integrating palliative care in oncology.1 The updated guideline reinforces prior recommendations in the ...
Researchers have developed an alternative set of simple criteria using a prediction model to identify groups of patients who may benefit most from lung cancer screening but are disproportionately excluded by current eligibility criteria, according to a new study published by Kearney et al in the...
Researchers have shown that participating in an exercise program may improve pain, fatigue, and the quality of life in patients with metastatic breast cancer, according to a recent study published by Hiensch et al in Nature Medicine. Background “Although there’s substantial evidence for the...
At the 2024 Debates and Didactics in Hematology and Oncology Conference, sponsored by Emory’s Winship Cancer Institute, cardiologist-by-training Anant Mandawat, MD, FACC, briefly reviewed how the emerging field of cardio-oncology is blazing a path toward “bigger and bolder cancer care” and offered...
Although esophageal cancer in the United States is relatively rare, affecting about 22,400 people each year and making up about 1% of all cancer cases,1 the disease is common in East and Central Asia countries. Nearly 90% of patients with esophageal cancer in Asia are diagnosed with the squamous...
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 ...
It was a hot and humid Tuesday in July, and I distinctly remember being grateful for the air conditioning in the pastel-shaded waiting room of the oncology outpatient clinic. My father sat silently beside me. We knew this room well, as we did the doctor we had arrived to see. He had been my...
Endometrial cancer is most frequently diagnosed among women aged 55 to 65, with a median age at diagnosis of 64 years.1 In epidemiologic studies, women diagnosed with endometrial cancer at an older age are more likely to have high-grade disease, aggressive histology, deep myometrial invasion, lower ...
A prospective-retrospective translational study reported in JAMA Oncology by Ruth M. O’Regan, MD, and colleagues confirmed the prognostic value of the Breast Cancer Index (BCI) in a Suppression of Ovarian Function Trial (SOFT) trial–derived population of premenopausal women with early-stage,...
The risk of developing mental health issues may be higher among patients who have rare cancers compared with those who have common cancers, according to a recent study published by Low et al in eClinicalMedicine. Background Rare cancers—those affecting fewer than 6 out of 100,000 individuals per...
In an analysis of the phase I/II LIBRETTO-001 trial reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Lori J. Wirth, MD, and colleagues provided the long-term outcomes of selpercatinib treatment among patients with RET-activated thyroid cancer. Study Details The analysis included patients with...
In a systemic analysis of global literature reported in The Lancet, Wei et al estimated the proportion of invasive cervical cancer cases caused by specific human papillomavirus (HPV) genotypes. Study Details A literature search through February 2024 was performed to identify studies reporting HPV...
Is the optimal first-line treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) monotherapy with a Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor or some combination regimen? This clinical question was explored by two speakers at the 2024 Pan Pacific Lymphoma Conference, sponsored by the University of...
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Oncology Center of Excellence (OCE) Pediatric Oncology Program invites members of the pediatric cancer advocacy community to participate in the 2024 OCE Pediatric Advocacy Forum on October 15. The purpose of this event is to strengthen collaboration and...
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 ...
The risk of suicidal behavior may be increased among the spouses of patients with cancer, according to a retrospective Danish population-based cohort study reported by Liu et al in JAMA Oncology. Clinical and societal awareness was thus deemed essential, particularly during the first year after...
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)...
Researchers have examined whether a mouthwash-based test could detect biomarkers to help physicians predict disease recurrence in patients with head and neck cancer, according to a recent study published by Franzmann et al in JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery. Background Head and neck...
Researchers have discovered that uterine serous carcinoma tumors in Black patients tend to express more aggressive and immunosuppressive features than tumors in White patients, according to a recent study published by Foley et al in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Uterine serous...
Researchers have found that diet-derived molecules known as metabolites may be the main drivers of early-onset colorectal cancer risk, especially those associated with red and processed meat, according to a recent study published by Jayakrishnan et al in npj Precision Oncology. Background Despite...
Researchers have uncovered that T-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) may be frequently driven by genetic changes in noncoding portions of the DNA, according to a recent study published by Pölönen et al in Nature. The investigators believe these findings may lead to a paradigm shift in...