Sherry X. Yang, MD, PhD, of the National Cancer Institute, discusses findings from the TAILORx trial, which showed that, despite chemotherapy, patients with high recurrence scores continue to have a poor prognosis. This result suggests the need to develop new management strategies for patients with early-stage breast cancer. (Abstract LB119)
Carmen E. Guerra, MD, MSCE, of the University of Pennsylvania Abramson Cancer Center, discusses the ways in which community outreach, programs to help patients access cancer clinical trials, and institutional policies such as ASCO’s Just Ask program can help increase equity, diversity, and inclusion in cancer clinical trials and reduce unconscious bias.
Harry Klein, PhD, of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, discusses MatchMiner, a software platform launched in 2017, that matches patients with appropriate clinical trials of targeted therapies. The platform uses data on the genetic features of a patient’s cancer, as well as clinical data, to identify trials at Dana-Farber for which the patient might be eligible. MatchMiner can also help recruit patients who meet the trial’s eligibility requirements. (Abstract 1067)
Karriem S. Watson, DHSc, MPH, of the National Institutes of Health All of Us Research Program, discusses the importance of engaging in clinical trials for those who are underrepresented in biomedical research. Community engagement is a proven and effective tool, Dr. Watson says, to enhance participation in research by increasing access to and awareness of medical studies and has already been shown to expand the reach of therapies, improving cancer outcomes. (Abstract PL03-05)
Jeffrey S. Weber, MD, PhD, of the Perlmutter Cancer Center at New York University Langone, discusses efficacy and safety results from the phase II KEYNOTE-942 trial, which showed that a personalized mRNA-based cancer vaccine, combined with the immune checkpoint inhibitor pembrolizumab, improved recurrence-free survival compared with pembrolizumab alone in patients with high-risk melanoma. The clinical benefit was observed regardless of the tumor mutational burden status. (Abstract CT001)
Dario A. Vignali, PhD, of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, discusses LAG3, the third inhibitory receptor to be used in the clinic. He describes the signaling mechanism this immunotherapy uses; new insight into its function, alone and in combination with PD-1; and an analysis of samples from patients treated with LAG3/PD-1 therapeutics. (Abstract PL04-05)
