Low-Risk Endometrial Cancer: Does a Lack of Adjuvant Therapy Affect Survival?
In a study reported in a research letter in JAMA Oncology, Matsuo et al found that survival without adjuvant therapy in women with low-risk endometrial cancer was poorer among those with isolated tumor cells (ITCs) vs no lymph node metastasis in regional lymph nodes. Study Details The cohort...
FDA Approves Relacorilant With Nab-Paclitaxel for Several Platinum-Resistant Gynecologic Cancers
On March 25, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved relacorilant (Lifyorli), a glucocorticoid receptor antagonist, in combination with nab-paclitaxel for the treatment of adults with platinum-resistant epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer who have received...
Female Reproductive Cancers Linked to Reduced Survival Advantage Over Males
A population-level cohort study of 264.4 million deaths across 20 countries found that females born since the 1930s had higher cancer mortality than males between the ages of 35 and 60 years, largely due to breast and gynecologic cancers. Although females live longer than males on average, these...
Risk of Breast Cancer After Ovarian Cancer in Women With BRCA1/2 Variants
In a study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, investigators from the Hereditary Breast Cancer Clinical Study Group found that women with ovarian cancer with pathogenic/likely pathogenic BRCA1/2 variants had low risk for subsequent breast cancer. Study Details The study involved an...
Recipients Named for the 2026 Pezcoller Foundation–AACR International Award
The Pezcoller Foundation–American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) International Award for Extraordinary Achievement in Cancer Research will be presented to Douglas R. Lowy, MD, and John T. Schiller, PhD, during the AACR Annual Meeting 2026, in San Diego. Drs. Lowy and Schiller Dr. Lowy is...
HPV Vaccination Protection From Cervical Cancer Sustained Long Term
Quadrivalent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination led to a significantly reduced risk of invasive cervical cancer that was sustained through long-term follow-up, according to the results of a Swedish nationwide, register-based cohort study published in The BMJ. “This study provides evidence of...
Short-Term Vaginal Estrogen Therapy Does Not Increase Risks of Endometrial Cancer Recurrence
Short-term exposure to low-dose vaginal estrogen therapy may relieve some symptoms of menopause for younger survivors of endometrial cancer without increasing the risk of endometrial cancer recurrence, according to findings from a study published in Menopause. “Early detection and improved,...
Research Suggests AI Pathology Models May Take Unreliable 'Shortcuts' to Identify Cancer Biomarkers
Artificial intelligence (AI) tools that detect molecular biomarker status from histologic images may be dependent upon correlational relationships with clinicopathologic features, preventing the models from learning the true causal effect of the biomarker, according to findings published in Nature...
FDA Approves Pembrolizumab With Paclitaxel for Platinum-Resistant Epithelial Ovarian, Fallopian Tube, and Primary Peritoneal Carcinoma
On February 10, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab (Keytruda) as well as pembrolizumab and the recombinant human enzyme,berahyaluronidase alfa-pmph (Keytruda Qlex) in combination with paclitaxel, with or without bevacizumab. [Pembrolizumab plus...
Self-Acupressure May Ease Fatigue in Ovarian Cancer Survivors
In a phase III single-blind randomized clinical trial reported in JAMA Network Open, Zick et al found that self-acupressure—taught via a mobile app—provided a safe, low-cost approach for managing fatigue in ovarian cancer survivors. “In this randomized clinical trial, true self-acupressure and sham ...
HPV Testing During Cervical Cancer Screening: Potential ‘Convenient and Noninvasive’ Method
Testing menstrual blood for human papillomavirus (HPV) could be a “robust alternative or replacement” for current cervical cancer screening by a clinician, according to findings from a Chinese study published by Tian et al in The BMJ. The researchers say using menstrual blood for HPV testing is...
Researchers Advance Understanding of Female Sexual Anatomy to Improve Pelvic Cancer Radiotherapy
A recent, innovative study provides radiation oncologists with practical guidance to identify and protect female sexual organs during pelvic cancer treatment. Published by Greenwald et al in Practical Radiation Oncology, the report’s authors address a long-standing gap in cancer care by bringing...
Pembrolizumab Plus Lenvatinib in Recurrent Gynecologic Clear Cell Carcinoma
In a phase II trial (LARA) reported in The Lancet Oncology, Ngoi et al found that the combination of pembrolizumab and lenvatinib was active in patients with recurrent gynecologic clear cell carcinoma. Study Details In the trial, 25 efficacy-eligible patients (27 in safety population) with at least ...
Nutrition, Muscle Loss Compromises Survival in Patients With Cervical Cancer Undergoing Chemoradiotherapy
A scoping review of cachexia, sarcopenia, and malnutrition in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer undergoing chemoradiotherapy revealed that women who lost at least 10% muscle mass during treatment had a six times higher mortality rate, regardless of their weight at the start of...
Molecular Profile–Based Adjuvant Treatment in High-Intermediate Risk Endometrial Cancer
In a European phase III trial (PORTEC-4a) reported in The Lancet Oncology, van den Heerik et al found that molecular profile–based adjuvant treatment produced favorable results in women with high-intermediate risk endometrial cancer and allowed patients with favorable risk to be spared adjuvant...
ACS Guidelines for Cervical Cancer
Self-collection of vaginal samples for human papillomavirus (HPV) testing is now being considered an acceptable, recommended option for cervical cancer screening, per recent updates to the American Cancer Society’s (ACS) guidelines published in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. Another...
Atezolizumab vs Placebo With Bevacizumab and Nonplatinum Chemotherapy for Recurrent Ovarian Cancer
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Harter et al, the final results of a European phase III trial (AGO-OVAR 2.29/ENGOT-ov34) showed no significant overall or progression-free survival benefit with the addition of atezolizumab to bevacizumab and nonplatinum chemotherapy in patients...
Is Menopausal Hormone Therapy Associated With Increased Breast Cancer Risk?
Using menopausal hormone therapy was not associated with an increased risk of breast cancer in women with inherited mutations in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes, according to the results of a matched prospective analysis presented at the 2025 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS; Abstract GS3-01)....
Nivolumab and Ipilimumab in Advanced dMMR/MSI-H Noncolorectal Cancers
In an Australian and New Zealand phase II trial (MOST-CIRCUIT) reported in JAMA Oncology, Carlino et al found that combined anti–PD-1/CTLA-4 blockade was associated with a high rate of durable responses in patients with advanced mismatch repair–deficient/microsatellite instability–high (dMMR/MSI-H) ...
Domenica Lorusso, MD, PhD, on Platinum-Resistant Ovarian Cancer: Relacorilant and Nab-Paclitaxel in Pretreated Patients
Domenica Lorusso, MD, PhD, of Humanitas University, discusses results of a preplanned analysis from the ROSELLA trial. In the phase III study, the addition of relacorilant to nab-paclitaxel significantly prolonged progression-free survival and showed a clinically meaningful improvement in overall survival in patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. This subgroup analysis examined outcomes of patients with prior exposure to a PARP inhibitor—a population reported to exhibit a worse response to subsequent chemotherapy (Abstract LBA45).
Andrew R. Clamp, MD, PhD, on High-Risk Ovarian Cancer: Weekly Dose-Dense and Every-3-Week Chemotherapy Plus Bevacizumab
Andrew R. Clamp, MD, PhD, of The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, reviews results of the phase III ICON8B trial, which found that in patients with high-risk stage III to IV epithelial ovarian cancer, the use of dose-dense weekly paclitaxel in combination with every-3-week carboplatin and bevacizumab as first-line systemic therapy improved median overall survival compared to standard every-3-week dosing (Abstract 1064O).
Pembrolizumab Plus Weekly Paclitaxel Improves Survival Outcomes in Platinum-Resistant Recurrent Ovarian Cancer
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...
Could Opportunistic Salpingectomy Prevent Ovarian Cancer in Postreproductive Women?
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...
Emese Zsiros, MD, PhD, on Platinum-Resistant Recurrent Ovarian Cancer: Pembrolizumab Plus Weekly Paclitaxel
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 statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in progression-free survival regardless of PD-L1 status and in overall survival in participants with PD-L1–expressing tumor (CPS ≥ 1).... This is the first phase III study to report a statistically significant improvement in overall survival with an immune checkpoint inhibitor–based regimen in ovarian cancer.” (Abstract LBA3)
Advanced Epithelial Ovarian Cancer: First-Line PARP Inhibitor Maintenance Therapy and Survival
A systematic review and meta-analysis published in JAMA Network Open found first-line PARP inhibitor maintenance after platinum-based chemotherapy was linked to improved progression-free survival across multiple patient populations with advanced-stage epithelial ovarian cancer. However, according...
Basser Center for BRCA Announces Two Award Winners
The Basser Center for BRCA at the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania, the world’s first comprehensive center aimed at advancing research, treatment, and prevention of BRCA-related cancers, is honoring Alan D. D'Andrea, MD, of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, with the 2025 BRCA...
Pembrolizumab Plus Weekly Paclitaxel Improves Survival Outcomes in Platinum-Resistant Recurrent Ovarian Cancer
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...
Global Analysis Uncovers Wide Inequalities in Care for Breast, Cervical, and Ovarian Cancers
A major study of three of the most common cancers in women, conducted by the Cancer Survival Group at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, found variations in the stage of disease at diagnosis, the type of treatment, and the extent to which treatment was consistent with...
Cervical Cancer: SLNB Alone vs Lymphadenectomy
In a Chinese phase III trial (PHENIX) reported in The New England Journal of Medicine, Tu et al found that sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) alone was noninferior in disease-free survival vs lymphadenectomy in women with early-stage cervical cancer and was associated with fewer surgical...
Fertility-Sparing Surgery vs Hysterectomy for Early-Stage Cervical Cancer: Comparable Survival Rates but Higher Recurrence Risk
In a nationwide study published in JCO Oncology Practice, Wolswinkel et al evaluated the long-term oncologic safety of fertility-sparing surgery (FSS) compared with hysterectomy in women with early-stage cervical cancer. The study—one of the largest of its kind—addresses a critical question for...
Association of Survival With Treatment Recommendation and Receipt in Older Patients With Early-Stage Cervical Cancer
In a retrospective cohort study reported in JAMA Network Open, Suk et al identified the association of survival with receipt of recommended treatment and nonreceipt of nonrecommended treatment among patients aged ≥ 65 years with newly diagnosed early-stage cervical cancer. Study Details The study...
HPV Self-Sampling Collection Test Improved Cervical Cancer Screening Rates Among Asian American Women
Studies have shown that human papillomavirus (HPV) infection—especially with high-risk variants such as HPV16 and HPV18—is the primary cause of cervical cancer, accounting for about 95% of all cases. Although cervical cancer screening through Pap smear tests can detect the presence of precancerous...
Acute Cystitis May Signal Urogenital Cancer
Acute cystitis signaled the presence of urogenital cancers in middle-aged men and women, according to the results of a Swedish cohort study published in BMJ Public Health. Based on these findings, the researchers suggested that acute cystitis could be used as a clinical marker for urogenital...
Overall Survival After Hormonal Therapy vs Hysterectomy in Early Endometrial Cancer
In a U.S. cohort study reported in JAMA Oncology, Suzuki et al assessed long-term survival among premenopausal women with clinical stage I endometrioid endometrial cancer treated with fertility-preserving hormonal therapy vs hysterectomy. Study Details The study focused on National Cancer Database...
Adjuvant Chemoradiotherapy vs Radiotherapy for High-Risk Endometrial Cancer: 10-Year PORTEC-3 Outcomes
In a preplanned 10-year analysis from the phase III PORTEC-3 trial reported in The Lancet Oncology, Post et al found that adjuvant chemoradiotherapy was associated with improved overall survival and recurrence-free survival vs radiotherapy in women with high-risk endometrial cancer. Study Details...
Do Breast and Gynecologic Cancers Contribute to Job Resignation in Working Women?
In a matched-cohort study reported in JAMA Network Open, Iwakura et al found that women with breast or gynecologic cancer had a higher risk of job resignation compared with their unaffected counterparts, especially among those who were older, had lower income, or had a history of depression. “These ...
Disparities in U.S. County–Level Cervical Cancer Screening Coverage Lead to Differences in Outcomes
In a study reported as a research letter in JAMA Network Open, Amboree identified U.S. counties with low or high cervical cancer screening coverage and associated risks of cervical cancer incidence and mortality. As stated by the investigators, “Recent research shows that cervical cancer incidence...
Mortality in Advanced-Stage Ovarian Cancer—Effect of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy and Cytoreductive Surgery Case Volume
In a cross-sectional study reported in JAMA Network Open, Abel et al found that higher rates of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) and a higher annual volume of cytoreductive surgery were associated with better survival outcomes in patients treated at Commission on Cancer–accredited cancer programs in ...
Chemotherapy Regimens Compared in High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer With No BRCA Mutation
In a phase III trial (EPIK-O/ENGOT-ov61) reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Konstantinopoulos et al compared the survival outcomes of alpelisib plus olaparib vs single-agent chemotherapy in patients with platinum-resistant or -refractory high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) with no...
Nivolumab Plus Ipilimumab in Advanced Ovarian and Endometrial Clear Cell Cancers
In an Australian–New Zealand phase II trial (MoST-CIRCUIT) reported in JAMA Oncology, Gao et al found that the combination of nivolumab and ipilimumab showed “encouraging activity” in patients with advanced ovarian and endometrial clear cell cancers. Study Details Twenty-eight patients with...
Avutometinib Plus Defactinib in Recurrent Low-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer
In a phase II study (ENGOT-OV60/GOG-3052/RAMP 201) reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Banerjee et al evaluated the efficacy and safety of the RAF/MEK clamp avutometinib in combination with the FAK inhibitor defactinib in patients with recurrent low-grade serous ovarian cancer. Study...
Study Finds Racial and Economic Segregation May Impact Advanced-Stage Breast and Cervical Cancer Diagnoses
Despite advances in early cancer detection, racial and ethnic minority individuals seem to be more likely to have a late-stage diagnosis of cancers that have a recommended screening. A large study by the American Cancer Society that examined the association between neighborhood-level segregation...
Case 3: Low-Grade Platinum-Resistant Ovarian Cancer
This is Part 3 of Targeted Treatment Options in Platinum-Resistant Ovarian Cancer, a three-part video roundtable series. Scroll down to watch the other videos from this roundtable. In this video, Drs. Oladapo Yeku, Fernanda Musa, and Ying Liu discuss the treatment of low-grade platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. The patient is a 75-year-old woman with a history of stage IIIB low-grade serous carcinoma that is BRCA wild-type and HRD proficient. She underwent six cycles of adjuvant carboplatin and paclitaxel, but did not receive maintenance therapy. Five months after her last cycle of chemotherapy, she presents with peritoneal carcinomatosis and a 5-cm liver mass. In the conversation that follows, the faculty emphasize the importance of routinely testing for hormone receptor expression in all cases of low-grade serous carcinoma, as well as the need for next-generation sequencing to determine the existence of potentially targetable KRAS mutations. They discuss the role of surgery and hormonal therapy in treating patients with low-grade serous disease, the clinical data supporting avutometinib plus defactinib for patients with KRAS mutations, and strategies for managing dermatologic toxicities.
Case 2: HER2-Positive Platinum-Resistant Ovarian Cancer
This is Part 2 of Targeted Treatment Options in Platinum-Resistant Ovarian Cancer, a three-part video roundtable series. Scroll down to watch the other videos from this roundtable. In this video, Drs. Oladapo Yeku, Fernanda Musa, and Ying Liu discuss the treatment of HER2-positive platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. The patient is a 45-year-old woman with a history of stage IVA high-grade serous ovarian cancer with BRCA1 mutation. She received six cycles of adjuvant carboplatin plus paclitaxel, followed by 2 years of maintenance olaparib after upfront cytoreductive surgery. She had two platinum-sensitive recurrences treated with different platinum-based combinations. She now presents with platinum-resistant progressive disease. Her archival tissue is tested, revealing HER2 0, folate receptor alpha 10%, and mismatch repair intact. In the conversation that follows, the faculty discuss the importance of obtaining fresh biopsies and retesting when deciding on targeted therapies for platinum-resistant disease, trastuzumab deruxtecan as a preferred treatment option for HER2-positive ovarian cancer, and management strategies for dealing with pneumonitis, a severe and potentially irreversible side effect of trastuzumab deruxtecan.
Case 1: FRα-Positive, High-Grade, Platinum-Resistant Ovarian Cancer
This is Part 1 of Targeted Treatment Options in Platinum-Resistant Ovarian Cancer, a three-part video roundtable series. Scroll down to watch the other videos from this roundtable. In this video, Drs. Oladapo Yeku, Fernanda Musa, and Ying Liu discuss the treatment of high-grade platinum-resistant ovarian cancer that is folate receptor alpha (FRα) positive. The patient is a 65-year-old woman with a history of stage IIIC, BRCA wild-type, HRD-proficient, high-grade serous ovarian cancer. She underwent upfront cytoreductive surgery followed by six cycles of adjuvant carboplatin and paclitaxel. She developed platinum-sensitive recurrent disease and was subsequently treated with carboplatin, liposomal doxorubicin, and bevacizumab. Unfortunately, after six cycles of therapy, her restaging scans showed progressive disease. In the conversation that follows, the faculty discuss the importance of testing for FRα, the clinical data supporting mirvetuximab soravtansine as a first-line treatment option, and strategies to manage the ocular toxicities associated with this agent.
Camrelizumab Plus Famitinib vs Camrelizumab Alone in Recurrent or Metastatic Cervical Cancer
In a Chinese phase II trial reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Xia et al compared objective response rates seen with camrelizumab plus famitinib vs camrelizumab alone in previously treated patients with recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer. Study Details In the multicenter, open-label ...
Upfront Radical Cytoreductive Surgery Extends Progression-Free Survival in Advanced Ovarian Cancer
The TRUST trial is the first phase III randomized study to show improved progression-free survival for primary cytoreductive surgery compared with interval surgery without compromising short-term or long-term quality of life, although the study failed to meet its primary endpoint of overall...
Women Over the Age of 65 Still at Heightened Risk of HPV-Related Cervical Cancer
Women aged 65 years and older are still at a heightened risk of cervical cancer caused by human papillomavirus (HPV), suggest the findings of a large observational Chinese study published by Ye et al in Gynecology and Obstetrics Clinical Medicine. Most guidelines currently recommend discontinuing...
PPP2R1A Mutations Linked to Improved Immunotherapy Outcomes in Ovarian Clear Cell Carcinoma
Patients with ovarian clear cell carcinoma harboring PPP2R1A mutations showed significantly improved survival when treated with immunotherapy compared with those without PPP2R1A mutations, according to study findings published in Nature. Preclinical findings from the study also suggested that...
Uterine Cancer Incidence and Mortality Rates Projected to Rise Substantially by 2050
Uterine cancer is the fourth most common cancer diagnosed in women in the United States, with about 69,120 new cases and nearly 14,000 deaths from the disease expected this year. Black women experience a twice as high mortality rate compared with women of other races and ethnicities, and that...
