Until 3 years ago, cancer was so utterly frightening to me that I avoided discussing the disease or even mentioning the word as much as possible. I sympathized with a friend when she was diagnosed with lung cancer, but I never expected to be in her position. I’m a never-smoker, and except for a...
Simplified oncologic computed tomography (CT) reports using large language models (LLMs) enabled patients to better understand the results of their restaging CT scans and reduced overall reading burden, according to the results of a study published in Radiology. However, the study also revealed...
Here are brief reports on four oncology approvals by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in October 2025: • Menin Inhibitor in NPM1-Positive AML : On October 24, 2025, the FDA approved revumenib (Revuforj), a menin inhibitor, for the treatment of relapsed or refractory acute myeloid...
During its recent Annual Meeting, the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) honored the recipients of its 2025 Gold Medal awards and other prestigious distinctions. Here, The ASCO Post celebrates the achievements of these leading radiation oncology experts. Gold Medal The Gold Medal is...
In 2016, Filippo Milano, MD, PhD, Associate Professor, Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, and Director of the Cord Blood Transplant Program at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle, published the results of his landmark study investigating whether an alternative stem cell donor...
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) will award three cancer researchers with this year’s Paul Marks Prize for Cancer Research. The prize, named in honor of former MSK president Paul Marks, MD, recognizes a new generation of leaders who are making significant contributions to the...
Often referred to as a “silent killer,” ovarian cancer is the most lethal of female cancers. Issues of late detection and poor survival rates continue to persevere, leading to increasing levels of incidence and mortality. Data from the World Ovarian Cancer Coalition have stressed that ovarian...
The phase III STELLAR-303 trial evaluated the anti-VEGFR–related multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor zanzalintinib in combination with the PD-L1 inhibitor atezolizumab vs the multikinase inhibitor regorafenib in patients with previously treated non–microsatellite instability (MSI)–high...
Allison J. Applebaum, PhD, FAPOS, recently announced the launch of the website for the Steven S. Elbaum Family Center for Caregiving at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York (www.mountsinai.org/care/palliative-care/elbaum-center-caregiving). Dr. Applebaum is Director of the...
The European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2025 in Berlin featured many important trials with the potential to significantly influence clinical practice and improve outcomes for patients with multiple tumor types. These studies highlighted the benefits of novel treatment combination...
A new clinical guideline from the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) is the first to focus on radiation therapy for patients with gastric cancer. The recommendations outline radiation therapy’s role in multidisciplinary care, including best practices for patient selection, integration...
On November 21, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved pembrolizumab (Keytruda) or the subcutaneous formulation pembrolizumab and berahyaluronidase alfa-pmph (Keytruda Qlex) in combination with enfortumab vedotin-ejfv (Padcev) as neoadjuvant treatment followed by adjuvant treatment...
The addition of the PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab to weekly paclitaxel, with or without the VEGFA-targeted bevacizumab, significantly improved progression-free survival and overall survival in patients with platinum-resistant recurrent ovarian cancer, in the randomized, double-blind, phase III...
Using an artificial intelligence (AI)–integrated workflow, DeepHealth, in computer-aided detection of breast cancer from digital breast tomosynthesis exams found 21.6% more cases than the usual standard of care, according to findings from the AI-Supported Safeguard Review Evaluation (ASSURE) study...
“Pretreatment geriatric assessment in older adults with acute myeloid leukemia is feasible, can identify several functional impairments, and [can] guide the selection of treatment intensity,” resulting in low rates of early mortality, according to Vijaya R. Bhatt, MBBS, MS, of the University of...
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has transformed treatment for patients with hematologic malignancies, achieving unprecedented responses in some patients, especially those diagnosed with relapsed/refractory B-cell acute lymphocytic leukemia, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and multiple...
A large international study published by Kunkler et al in The New England Journal of Medicine examined whether chest wall radiation therapy after mastectomy improves survival for patients with early-stage breast cancer. The study, known as the SUPREMO trial, found no overall survival difference...
Known as “the silent killer” due to its lack of symptoms and reliable screening tests, ovarian cancer remains one of the deadliest gynecologic cancers, claiming more than 12,000 lives annually. At a recent meeting, experts said that performing a single preventive procedure within general surgery...
On November 19, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted traditional approval to tarlatamab-dlle (Imdelltra), a DLL3-targeting bispecific T-cell engager, for adults with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC) with disease progression on or after platinum-based chemotherapy....
On November 19, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted accelerated approval to sevabertinib (Hyrnuo), a kinase inhibitor, for adults with locally advanced or metastatic nonsquamous non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors have HER2 tyrosine kinase domain (TKD) activating...
Researchers have identified a melanoma cancer cluster in 15 counties in Pennsylvania near or containing cultivated croplands, according to findings published in JCO Clinical Cancer Informatics. The research highlights that sunlight and areas of higher herbicide use may contribute to these...
Patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who achieve a long-lasting disease remission from chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy may differ from patients who relapse sooner based upon their immune system and how it responds to the infused CAR T cells, as well as how it...
Emese Zsiros, MD, PhD, of Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, reviews results from the randomized, double-blind, phase III ENGOT-ov65/KEYNOTE-B96 trial. According to the study investigators, “Pembrolizumab in combination with weekly paclitaxel with or without bevacizumab demonstrated...
On November 19, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted traditional approval to daratumumab and hyaluronidase-fihj (Darzalex Faspro) with bortezomib, cyclophosphamide, and dexamethasone (VCd) for newly diagnosed light chain (AL) amyloidosis. The FDA granted accelerated approval to the...
Using a computational tool, DeepTarget, physicians were able to predict both primary and secondary targets of small-molecule agents for cancer treatment, according to findings from a study published in npj Precision Oncology. The study authors suggest that this represents a potentially significant...
Curative treatment following first-line immunotherapy is infrequently received, but when it was utilized, it significantly improved overall survival outcomes for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, according to findings from a study published in Liver Cancer. The risk for death was improved by...
On November 19, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved selumetinib (Koselugo), a MEK inhibitor, for adults with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) who have symptomatic, inoperable plexiform neurofibromas (PN). In September 2025, the FDA approved selumetinib capsules and granules for...
New research has ruled out hormone signaling as the reason why men with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) tend to have poorer outcomes than women, even when treated with the same intensive chemotherapy—a finding that helps refine future research and could influence clinical trial design. The...
On November 18, 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved epcoritamab-bysp (Epkinly), a bispecific CD20-directed CD3 T-cell engager, in combination with lenalidomide and rituximab for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma. In addition, the FDA...
A national quality improvement program led by the American College of Surgeons (ACS) found that transportation barriers and illness are among the top reasons patients with cancer miss critical radiation therapy appointments—and that providing hospitals and patients with structured support can...
Regular pharmaceutical opioid use was found to be associated with an elevated risk for cancers previously associated with opium consumption, but not for other cancers, according to findings from a large-scale study led by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) that was published in...
Routine screening is limited to only a few cancer types. New research indicates that routine liquid biopsy testing (multicancer early detection testing) could substantially reduce late-stage cancer diagnoses, allowing patients to receive treatment at earlier stages of disease, when they are more...
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center has launched its historic $2.5 billion comprehensive philanthropic campaign, Only Possible Here, The Campaign to End Cancer. The campaign represents the largest fundraising effort in MD Anderson's 84-year history, bringing together philanthropic...
Mild dilation of the main pancreatic duct without an apparent obstructing mass may be an independent risk factor for neoplastic progression to pancreatic cancer in high-risk individuals, according to findings from an analysis published in Gastro Hep Advances. “We are identifying pancreas duct...
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved pertuzumab-dpzb (Poherdy) as an interchangeable biosimilar to pertuzumab (Perjeta). This is the first approval of a biosimilar for pertuzumab. Pertuzumab-dpzb is a HER2/neu receptor antagonist indicated for the following: Use in combination...
On November 13, 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved ziftomenib (Komzifti), a menin inhibitor, for the treatment of adults with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with a susceptible NPM1 mutation who have no satisfactory alternative treatment options...
Supervised aerobic and resistance exercise can improve the physical performance and strength of patients living with metastatic breast cancer, according to new data from the PREFERABLE-EFFECT study that was presented by Anne May, PhD, during the Advanced Breast Cancer Eighth International Consensus ...
Most cancer clinic staff prefer a team-based approach to supportive cancer care services over a technology-based approach, according to the results of a mixed-methods study of supportive care perceptions that was published in JNCCN—Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. The study...
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that Richard Pazdur, MD, has been appointed Director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER). Dr. Pazdur is a 26-year veteran of the FDA and the Founding Director of its...
Almost half of all women (48%) under the age of 40 who are living with advanced breast cancer have children under the age of 18, and 64% of these young patients also experience employment disruptions after they are diagnosed, according to findings from a survey conducted by the Young Survival...
ABC Global Alliance's landmark Advanced Breast Cancer Global Decade Report 2015–2025 was recently released and published in The Breast. The report highlights significant advancements made over the past decade that have transformed care for patients with advanced breast cancer, but also reveals gaps ...
In the United States, the incarcerated population is aging. About 15% of incarcerated adults, or approximately 175,000 people, are now 55 years or older. As the incarcerated population ages, cancer has become one of the greatest threats to their health. And despite the growing prevalence, cancer...
Armando E. Giuliano, MD, will receive the William L. McGuire Memorial Lecture Award during the 2025 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS). Dr. Giuliano is being recognized for his pioneering work on sentinel lymph node biopsy for patients with breast cancer, which has transformed the...
In 2021, The ASCO Post had a wide-ranging discussion with Robert A. Hiatt, MD, PhD, Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), and Associate Director of Population Sciences at UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer...
Although 2023 made headlines as the hottest year in human history,1 drawing the world closer to breaching the goals outlined in the Paris Agreement to substantially reduce global greenhouse gas emissions to limit global warming to well below 2°C above preindustrial levels (and preferably to...
In the global phase III SUNMO trial, the combination of a bispecific antibody and an antibody-drug conjugate was compared with rituximab plus gemcitabine and oxaliplatin (GemOx) in the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL) who were ineligible for autologous...
The members of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) recently elected four new officers to ASTRO’s Board of Directors: Catheryn M. Yashar, MD, FASTRO, President-Elect; Jonathan Strauss, MD, MBA, Secretary/Treasurer-Elect; Anita Mahajan, MD, FASTRO, Health Policy Council Vice Chair;...
The phase III TORPEdO trial reported no meaningful differences between intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and proton beam therapy at 1 year in terms of patient-reported quality of life, swallowing function, or feeding tube dependence for individuals with locally advanced oropharyngeal...
An evaluation of noncancer medications used concomitantly with cancer therapies for patients with breast cancer showed that proton pump inhibitors specifically were associated with worse survival outcomes and with an increased risk of grade 3 or higher adverse events than other classes of therapy....
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) has entered into a licensing agreement with OpenEvidence that would make the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology accessible through OpenEvidence's AI–powered medical platform. “This collaboration will help clinicians access trusted...