How to Adapt to the Era of AI and the Changing Interactions With Patients: Lessons From a Low-Resource Setting
After 2 decades of practicing medicine across multiple disciplines and health systems, I’ve witnessed the dramatic transformation of patient-physician interactions, and none more dramatic than what I’m seeing in this era of artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on cancer care. Early in my...
Subspecialization in Oncology Is Increasing—But Unevenly Distributed Across the Country
Remarkable advances in treatments for cancer over the past 2 decades are enabling increased personalized care for patients with the disease. However, the growing complexity of treatment methods, including targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and advanced oral therapy, make it challenging for medical...
Identifying CNS Tumors With Multianalyte Cerebrospinal Fluid Test
A novel, multianalyte test has been developed to identify central nervous system cancers from small samples of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). In findings published in Cancer Discovery, the study authors reported that the test, called CSF-BAM, achieved a sensitivity of 81% and a specificity of 100%.
...
Adding Dendritic Cell Vaccination to Hepatocellular Carcinoma Therapy
Patients with intermediate-stage hepatocellular carcinoma who received a vaccine of dendritic cells in addition to transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and preconditioning cyclophosphamide experienced longer progression-free survival than those who received cyclophosphamide and TACE alone. The...
Real-World Incidence and Management of Infusion-Related Reactions to Monoclonal Antibody Therapy
In a retrospective analysis published in JCO Oncology Practice, Smolders et al investigated the incidence and clinical course of infusion-related reactions among patients treated with at least one monoclonal antibody in routine practice. The study evaluated real-world data to compare observed...
Mifamurtide Plus Chemotherapy for Nonmetastatic High-Grade Osteosarcoma
In a pooled analysis of the Italian Sarcoma Group (ISG/OS-2) and Spanish Sarcoma Group (GEIS-33) trials reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Palmerini et al found evidence of activity with the addition of mifamurtide to chemotherapy in patients with nonmetastatic high-grade osteosarcoma...
Analysis Shows No Major Racial Differences in Somatic Mutations of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
A landmark study of the tumor mutational landscape of African American women with triple-negative breast cancer revealed that the mutational profile was largely similar with that of Asian and non-Hispanic White women, except for the presence of TP53 mutations in almost all African American...
Survey Finds Discordance Between Treatment Preferences and Clinical Care for Advanced Cancer
Patients with advanced cancer reported in survey responses that their treatment often focused on optimizing longevity over maintaining comfort and quality of life, despite their goals that prioritized the opposite, according to study results published in Cancer.
Additionally, the findings...
Lu-177 Dotatate in Progressive Metastatic Pheochromocytomas and Paragangliomas
In an interim analysis of a National Institutes of Health phase II study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Lin et al found that lutetium Lu-177 dotatate (Lu-177 dotatate) was active in progressive metastatic pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PPGLs).
As stated by the investigators,...
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 ...
Association of Germline Pathogenic/Likely Pathogenic Mutations and Subsequent Neoplasms in Childhood Cancer Survivors
In an analysis from the Children’s Oncology Group ALTE03N1 Study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Zhou et al found a fourfold increased risk of subsequent neoplasms (SNs) among childhood cancer survivors with germline pathogenic/likely pathogenic (P/LP) mutations.
Study Details
The...
Pembrolizumab Plus Chemotherapy vs Chemotherapy in Advanced Gastric Cancers: Final Survival Analysis From KEYNOTE-585
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Shitara et al, the final overall survival analysis from the phase III KEYNOTE-585 study showed a numeric—but statistically nonsignificant—benefit with pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy vs chemotherapy in perioperative therapy for patients with...
What We Wish We Knew During Fellowship
July marks a significant transition for many professionals, particularly those beginning structured training programs on July 1. This article is designed to support new and current hematology-oncology fellows and trainees in making the most of their training experience. Although not all suggestions ...
ASCO Thanks Richard L. Schilsky, MD, FACP, FSCT, FASCO, for His Vision and Leadership of TAPUR
ASCO extends its thanks and appreciation to Richard L. Schilsky, MD, FACP, FSCT, FASCO, for his decade of leadership and dedication as the inaugural Principal Investigator of the groundbreaking Targeted Agent and Profiling Utilization Registry (TAPUR) Study.
The ASCO-sponsored TAPUR study is a...
Can Baseline Kidney Function Predict Chronic Kidney Disease After Cisplatin Treatment?
A population-based prognostic study published in JAMA Oncology found cisplatin treatment to be associated with a predictable decrease in the estimated glomerular filtration rate. According to Grant et al, their findings place patients with lower baseline kidney function at the highest risk for...
BWEL Weight-Loss Trial Reports Success for Patients With Breast Cancer at 1-Year Mark
Patients with stage II or III breast cancer who participated in a remote weight-loss intervention program lost an average of 4.7% of their baseline body weight after 1 year, whereas those in the education-only control group gained an average 1% of their baseline weight, according to a recent report ...
Two ACS Studies Show Colorectal Cancer Screening and Early Diagnosis Have Soared in Adults Aged 45 to 49 Years
It has been widely reported that colorectal cancer incidence has been increasing among younger adults under age 50 since the mid-1990s, with a consistent annual increase of 2% among adults aged 20 to 39. This increase prompted the American Cancer Society (ACS), in 2018, and the United States...
Which First-Line Systemic Therapy Balances Survival and Quality of Life in Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma?
A network meta-analysis reported in JAMA Oncology found that among first-line systemic therapy options, immunotherapy-based combinations—particularly atezolizumab plus bevacizumab—offered the most favorable therapeutic balance between survival benefit and quality-of-life preservation in...
Factors Influencing Symptom Burden in Pediatric Patients With Cancer: Insights From Routine Screening
As pediatric cancer survival rates continue to improve, attention has shifted to quality of life and symptom management. While a majority of patients experience problematic symptoms during treatment, these symptoms usually go undocumented and untreated. In a secondary analysis of a cluster...
Adding Everolimus to Chemotherapy Reduces Risk for Advanced Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
The addition of everolimus to standard carboplatin chemotherapy led to a 52% reduction in the risk of disease progression or death compared with carboplatin alone in patients with advanced triple-negative breast cancer, according to the results of a randomized phase II trial published in Breast...
Unmet Social Needs Distort Trust in Cancer Information, Study Shows
Researchers have found that unmet social needs was associated with less trust in cancer information received from doctors and the health-care system, according to study findings led by the American Cancer Society and published in Psycho-Oncology.
“Public trust in health authorities is so...
Basal Cell Carcinoma: Early Research on a Novel Topical Fluorescent Imaging Technique
A topical fluorescent molecular contrast agent, PARPi-FL (a poly[adenosine diphosphate ribose] polymerase 1 [PARP1] inhibitor–targeted fluorescent contrast agent) detected basal cell carcinoma through intact skin in as little as 5 minutes in ex vivo human tissues, according to new preclinical...
Standard vs Histology-Tailored Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in High-Grade Myxoid Liposarcoma
In an expanded cohort of a European trial reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Alessandro Gronchi, MD, and colleagues found that histology-tailored neoadjuvant chemotherapy with trabectedin was noninferior in terms of disease-free survival to standard neoadjuvant anthracycline/ifosfamide...
Immunotherapy Outcomes in Patients With Primary Cardiac Soft-Tissue Sarcomas
In a U.S. multicenter retrospective analysis reported in JACC: CardioOncology, Amin H. Nassar, MD, and colleagues found that immune checkpoint inhibition resulted in mostly moderate activity in patients with primary cardiac soft-tissue sarcomas.
Study Details
The study included 24 patients with ...
Neoadjuvant Immunotherapy May Improve Long-Term Survival in Patients With Resectable Soft-Tissue Sarcoma
Patients with soft-tissue sarcoma treated with neoadjuvant immunotherapy had very little residual tumor at the time of surgery and promising long-term survival, according to phase II trial results published by Roland et al in Nature Cancer.
Background
About 13,000 new cases of soft-tissue...
Nab-sirolimus in Advanced Malignant Perivascular Epithelioid Cell Tumors: AMPECT Trial Final Analysis
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Wagner et al, final analysis of the phase II AMPECT trial has shown a median duration of response of more than 3 years in patients with advanced malignant perivascular epithelioid cell tumors treated with nab-sirolimus.
T-Cell Therapy in Advanced Synovial Sarcoma and Myxoid Round Cell Liposarcoma
In a phase II trial (SPEARHEAD-1) reported in The Lancet, D’Angelo et al found that the T-cell therapy afamitresgene autoleucel showed activity in patients with previously treated HLA-A*02 and MAGE-A4–expressing advanced synovial sarcoma or myxoid round cell liposarcoma.
As related by the...
Doublet for Previously Treated Patients With Advanced Leiomyosarcoma
In a phase Ib study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Van Tine et al established the recommended phase II dose of oral unesbulin in combination with dacarbazine for patients with locally recurrent, unresectable or metastatic, relapsed or refractory leiomyosarcoma.
Unesbulin is a small...
Can Pembrolizumab Improve Outcomes in Soft-Tissue Sarcoma?
The PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab may offer benefit in patients with soft-tissue sarcoma, according to recent findings presented by Mowery et al at the 2024 ASCO Annual Meeting (Abstract 11504).
Background
Soft-tissue sarcoma is a rare type of cancer affecting muscles, fat, and other connective...
Can FAP-Targeted Radioligand Therapy Benefit Patients With Advanced Sarcomas?
Fibroblast activation protein (FAP)-targeted radioligand therapy may be safe and effective in patients with progressive metastatic tumors, particularly advanced sarcomas, according to new findings presented by Lanzafame et al at the 2024 Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI)...
Previously Untreated Intermediate-Risk Rhabdomyosarcoma: Addition of Temsirolimus to Chemotherapy in Young Patients
As reported in The Lancet Oncology by Gupta et al, the phase III Children’s Oncology Group ARST1431 trial showed no event-free survival benefit with the addition of temsirolimus to chemotherapy in previously untreated children, adolescents, or young adults with intermediate-risk rhabdomyosarcoma.
...
FDA Grants Accelerated Approval to T-Cell Therapy for Unresectable or Metastatic Synovial Sarcoma
On August 2, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted accelerated approval to afamitresgene autoleucel (Tecelra), a melanoma-associated antigen A4 (MAGE-A4)-directed genetically modified autologous T-cell immunotherapy, for adults with unresectable or metastatic synovial sarcoma who have ...
Survival Outcomes With Addition of Trabectedin to Docetaxel in Leiomyosarcoma
As reported in The New England Journal of Medicine by Pautier et al, the French Sarcoma Group phase III LMS04 trial showed that the addition of trabectedin to doxorubicin significantly improved progression-free and overall survival in the first-line treatment of unresectable or metastatic uterine...
Impact of Whole-Lung Irradiation in Newly Diagnosed Rhabdomyosarcoma With Lung Metastases
In a retrospective analysis from the Soft Tissue Sarcoma Committee of the Children’s Oncology Group (COG) reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Luo et al found that whole-lung irradiation (WLI) was associated with significantly better event-free survival vs no WLI in patients with newly...
Addition of Lenvatinib to Ifosfamide/Etoposide in Children and Young Adults With Relapsed Osteosarcoma
In a phase II study (OLIE) reported in JAMA Oncology, Gaspar et al found that the addition of lenvatinib to ifosfamide/etoposide did not significantly improve progression-free survival in children or young adults with relapsed or refractory osteosarcoma.
Study Details
In the global open-label...
Addition of Pembrolizumab to Radiation Therapy and Surgery in Stage III Soft-Tissue Sarcoma of the Extremity
In a phase II trial (SU2C-SARC032) reported in The Lancet, Mowery et al found that the addition of perioperative pembrolizumab to preoperative radiation therapy and surgery improved disease-free survival in patients with stage III soft-tissue sarcoma of the extremity.
Study Details
In the...
Larotrectinib in Newly Diagnosed Infantile Fibrosarcoma and Other Pediatric NTRK Fusion–Positive Solid Tumors
In a Children’s Oncology Group study (ADVL1823) reported in Journal of Clinical Oncology, Laetsch et al found that larotrectinib was highly active in patients with newly diagnosed infantile fibrosarcoma and other pediatric NTRK fusion–positive solid tumors.
Study Details
The U.S. multicenter...
Discontinuation and Resumption of Larotrectinib in Pediatric Patients With TRK Fusion Sarcomas and Related Mesenchymal Tumors
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Mascarenhas et al, follow-up of a cohort of pediatric patients with TRK fusion sarcomas and related mesenchymal tumors treated with larotrectinib showed that discontinuation of treatment—with resumption for progressive disease—was associated with...
Botensilimab Plus Balstilimab in Relapsed or Refractory Metastatic Sarcomas
In a phase Ib study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Wilky et al found that the combination of botensilimab (Fc-enhanced anti–CTLA-4 antibody) and balstilimab (anti–PD-1 antibody) yielded activity in patients with relapsed or refractory metastatic sarcomas.
Study Details
In the...
High-Risk Rhabdomyosarcoma: Long-Term Outcomes With Maintenance Chemotherapy
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Gianni Bisogno, MD, PhD, and colleagues, long-term follow-up of the European Paediatric Soft Tissue Sarcoma Study Group RMS2005 trial showed significant survival advantages with the use of maintenance chemotherapy in pediatric patients with...
Rescue Therapy for Newly Diagnosed High-Grade Osteosarcoma
In a Japanese trial (JCOG0905) reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Hiraga et al found no disease-free survival benefit with the addition of a higher dose of ifosfamide to methotrexate, doxorubicin, and cisplatin (MAP) in patients with newly diagnosed high-grade osteosarcoma with poor...
AACR 2025: AI-Driven Analysis of Digital Pathology Images May Improve Sarcoma Subtyping Among Pediatric Patients
A novel artificial intelligence (AI)-based model could accurately classify sarcomas among pediatric patients using digital pathology images alone, according to new findings presented by Thiesen et al at the 2025 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting (Abstract 2423/8).
...
Spatial Transcriptomics Identifies Novel Subtypes Associated With Disease Prognosis in Leiomyosarcoma
Patients with leiomyosarcoma experience a high risk of recurrence and have limited treatment options. No biomarkers or targetable mutations currently improve diagnosis, prognosis, or treatment. Spatial transcriptomics, which are rarely used in sarcomas, may provide insights into leiomyosarcoma...
Neoadjuvant Osimertinib in the Perioperative Setting for Resectable, EGFR-Mutated NSCLC
“Neoadjuvant treatment with osimertinib, with or without chemotherapy, should be considered when planning treatment for patients with resectable, EGFR-mutated, stage II to IIIB non–small cell lung cancer [NSCLC],” according to Jamie E. Chaft, MD, FASCO, of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and ...
Can Autoimmune Diseases Increase the Risk of Digestive System Cancer?
In a systematic review and meta-analysis published in the journal eClinicalMedicine, Reizner et al highlighted bias-minimized insights into the associations between autoimmune diseases, such as celiac disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, multiple sclerosis, and type 1 diabetes, and the risk of...
Are Postmastectomy Implant-Based Breast Reconstructions Associated With Lymphomas of the Breast?
The results of a cohort study published in JAMA Network Open revealed an epidemiologic association between postmastectomy implant-based breast reconstruction for any breast tumor and both B- and T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas of the breast. According to Kinslow et al, this includes diffuse large...
John C. Byrd, MD, FASCO, Named UPMC Hillman Cancer Center Director
John C. Byrd, MD, FASCO, an internationally lauded researcher and clinical specialist in hematologic malignancies, has been appointed Director of UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, effective November 2025.
In his role as Director, Dr. Byrd will be responsible for all aspects of the University of...
OHSU Knight Cancer Institute Receives $2 Billion Commitment From Phil and Penny Knight
Phil Knight, co-founder of Nike, and Penny Knight announced today a record-breaking $2 billion gift to the Oregon Health & Science University’s (OHSU) Knight Cancer Institute to transform the future of cancer care and set a new standard globally.
It is the largest single donation ever made to...
Dendrimer-Based SN38 Nanoparticle Shows Favorable Safety and Activity in Advanced Solid Tumors
In an early-phase study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Liu et al evaluated the safety and preliminary efficacy of DEP-SN38, a polylysine-based dendrimer-nanoparticle delivery platform for the topoisomerase 1 inhibitor SN38, in patients with advanced solid tumors. SN38 is the active...
Patient Awareness of Pharmacogenomic Testing Remains Low, ACS CAN Survey Reports
Less than half of responding patients with cancer were previously familiar with pharmacogenomic testing and its possible benefits, according to the results of a survey conducted by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN). Of the patients who did know about pharmacogenomic...
PSMA PET/CT and Salvage Radiotherapy in Recurrent Prostate Cancer
Use of prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) PET/CT before undergoing salvage radiotherapy was associated with an improved overall survival and biochemical recurrence–free survival compared those who did not receive PSMA PET/CT scanning in male patients with biochemically recurrent prostate...
Rare Secondary Cancer After CAR T-Cell Therapy Successfully Treated, Case Report Shows
In a case presentation published in The New England Journal of Medicine, targeted treatment was successful for chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-positive peripheral T-cell lymphoma developed after CAR T-cell therapy for multiple myeloma.
Using advanced genomic, phenotypic, and functional profiling...
Endocrine Therapy With Aromatase Inhibitor for Postmenopausal Women With Breast Cancer
In a patient-level meta-analysis reported in The Lancet, Braybrooke et al of the Early Breast Cancer Trialists’ Collaborative Group found that adding subsequent years of aromatase inhibitor treatment (AIT) for women with early estrogen receptor–positive breast cancer who had already received 5...
Can a Mitochondrial Antioxidant Drive Metastasis?
Mounting evidence suggests that the mitochondria may be a driving force behind cancer. A new report points to the mitochondrial metabolite glutathione, highlighting its central role in helping breast cancer cells break away from the primary tumor, travel through the body, and take root in other...
Treatment-Resistant Melanoma: Novel Checkpoint Inhibitor Combination
New research published by Phadke et al in the Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer found that adding a third immune-targeting drug to existing therapies may help to shrink tumors in laboratory models of treatment-resistant melanoma.
Although immunotherapeutics have improved survival for many...
Effect of Hippocampal Avoidance in Prophylactic Cranial Irradiation in SCLC
In a phase II/III trial (NRG-CC003) reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Gondi et al found that hippocampal avoidance (HA) in prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) in patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) did not improve delayed recall failure but was associated with benefits in...
Underlying Mechanisms of Chemoresistance in AML
Researchers have discovered that an isoform of the transcription factor RUNX1 orchestrates chemoresistance in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), according to findings published in Blood Cancer Discovery. They identified that the long-isoform RUNX1C's connection to BTG2 may enable cellular...
Older Women With High-Risk Breast Cancer: Addition of Adjuvant Chemotherapy to Hormone Therapy
In a French-Belgian phase III trial (ASTER 70s) reported in The Lancet, Brain et al examined the survival benefit of adding adjuvant chemotherapy to hormone therapy in women aged ≥ 70 years with estrogen receptor–positive, HER2-negative breast cancer with high-risk disease on the basis of genomic...
Can Baseline PSMA-PET Help to Predict Response to LuPSMA and Enzalutamide in mCRPC?
In a substudy of the Australian phase II ENZA-p trial reported in The Lancet Oncology, Emmett et al found that baseline prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)–positron-emission tomography (PET) total tumor volume (TTV) was prognostic for overall survival and predictive for a beneficial effect on ...
Routine AI Assistance May Lead to Loss of Skills in Endoscopists, Study Shows
The introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) to assist colonoscopies may be linked to a reduction in the ability of endoscopists to detect adenomas in the colon without AI assistance, according to a paper published by Budzyń et al in The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology.
Colonoscopy...
RSNA Challenge AI Models Enhance Mammography Detection of Invasive Breast Cancer
Various artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms submitted as part of a challenge demonstrated the ability to identify different breast cancers during screening mammography, according to the results of a study published in Radiology. Ensemble models of the top submitted algorithms indicated that the ...
Clinically Significant Fatigue and Inflammation in Breast Cancer Survivors
Clinically significant fatigue was associated with increased inflammation in breast cancer survivors, according to study findings published in BMC Women's Health. The study authors also suggested that an increase in inflammatory markers from clinical fatigue could lead to breast cancer recurrence.
...
New Drug-Releasing System Eliminates Bladder Cancer in Over 80% of Patients in a Phase II Trial
A new drug-releasing system, TAR-200, eliminated tumors in 82% of patients in the phase II SunRISe-1 trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT04640623) for individuals with high-risk non–muscle-invasive bladder cancer whose disease had previously resisted treatment. In the majority of cases, the...
Breast Cancer Surveillance in Pre– vs Post–COVID-19 Periods
In a study reported as a research letter in JAMA Oncology, Hahn et al found that the proportion of U.S. patients with breast cancer undergoing annual surveillance imaging was lower in the post– vs pre–COVID-19 period, with no significant difference in recurrence or progression being observed.
...
Age Threshold for Survival Benefit of Adding Oxaliplatin to Adjuvant Chemotherapy in Stage II and III Colorectal Cancer
In a Korean retrospective study reported in JAMA Network Open, Bong et al found that the addition of oxaliplatin to fluoropyrimidine-based adjuvant chemotherapy was associated with an overall survival benefit in patients with stage III colorectal cancer aged ≤ 70 years but not in those aged > 70 ...
EBRT With Focal Boost in Localized Prostate Cancer: 10-Year Follow-up
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Guricová et al, 10-year outcomes of the Dutch-Belgian phase III FLAME trial showed continued benefit of a focal radiotherapy boost to the intraprostatic tumor in patients receiving external-beam radiotherapy (EBRT) for localized prostate cancer.
...
Bridging the Gap: Stronger Primary Care Ties May Improve Cancer Survivorship
Optimal continued care for patients with cancer may require greater involvement from primary care clinicians, according to the results of an observational study published in Current Oncology.
The study highlighted certain challenges in cancer care, including patient-centered coordination and...
Childhood Cancer Survivors and Long-Term Risks for Health Conditions: New Data
Some survivors of childhood cancers face a continued elevated risk of premature mortality, new cancers, chronic conditions, and other adverse health conditions as they grow older, according to new findings published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
An increased risk for cancer and other...
Glioblastoma: Dual Immunotherapy Plus Radiotherapy in Newly Diagnosed MGMT-Unmethylated Disease
The combination of ipilimumab and nivolumab plus radiation therapy did not lead to an improvement in progression-free survival compared with radiation therapy and temozolomide for patients with newly diagnosed MGMT-unmethylated glioblastoma, according to phase II results of the NRG-BN007 trial...
Web Tool Seeks to Reduce State Lung Cancer Mortality Rates
Experts from the National Lung Cancer Roundtable have created a customizable, web-based platform that allows groups and local leaders to develop state-based action plans for reducing lung cancer mortality rates. The platform, called the SBI Planning Tool, allows users to explore real-world...
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Guideline-Concordant Pancreatic Cancer Care Among Older Adults
In a study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology Practice, Herb et al investigated racial and ethnic disparities in the receipt of guideline-concordant care among older adults with pancreatic cancer. Using data spanning 15 years, the researchers examined whether differences in treatment...
Genomics-Guided Tool to Inform Treatment of Advanced Kidney Cancers
Results from a recent study may help to explain why a rare and hyper-aggressive subtype of kidney cancer is susceptible to immunotherapy—information that helped researchers create a first-of-its-kind tool to guide treatment decisions for patients with advanced kidney cancers. The collaborative work ...
Personalizing First-Line Therapy in NSCLC: Plasma-Guided Adaptive Treatment Approach
In patients with newly diagnosed, PD-L1–positive, advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who tested negative for driver mutations, implementation of plasma-guided treatment intensification—from monotherapy with the PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab to platinum doublet chemotherapy plus...
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 ...
Smoking Cessation in Cancer Care: Challenges and Opportunities
Based on the results of a cohort study reported in JAMA Network Open, smoking worsened both cancer symptom burden and severity. However, Rieth et al noted that oncologic surgery may present a unique teachable moment for smoking cessation, as patients appeared to be highly motivated to quit.
The...
Survival in Older Patients With Cancer and Diabetes: GLP-1 RAs vs Other Glucose-Lowering Drugs
A retrospective cohort study published in JAMA Network Open found glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists to be associated with lower all-cause mortality than dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors, with no significant difference from sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors, ...
Genetic Testing May Reduce Chemotherapy Side Effects for Patients With GI Cancers
For patients with gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, chemotherapy can sometimes cause severe, even life-threatening side effects in those who carry certain genetic variants that may impact how their bodies process the drugs used to treat their disease. Testing for variants in two genes before starting...
Real-World Study Highlights Gaps in Hypomethylating Agent Treatment for MDS
Researchers have identified age-, sex-, and race-related disparities around treatment with hypomethylating agents for patients with myelodysplastic syndromes in the United States. The receipt of hypomethylating agents was found to favor younger, male, White patients, according to findings published ...
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...
Locoregionally Advanced Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: Comparison of Regimens Following Induction Chemotherapy
In a Chinese phase III trial reported in JAMA Oncology, Xue et al found that sequential chemoradiotherapy (SCRT) was noninferior to induction chemotherapy (IC) plus concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) in terms of failure-free survival in patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal...
Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: PROs With Sotorasib and Panitumumab vs Standard of Care
In an analysis from the phase III CodeBreaK 300 study reported in The Lancet Oncology, Modest et al found that sotorasib and panitumumab were associated with better patient-reported outcomes (PROs) than standard of care (SOC) with trifluridine plus tipiracil or regorafenib in patients with KRAS...
New Recommendations Released for Managing Aromatase Inhibitor–Induced Bone Loss
A group of experts from seven professional societies have published a joint position statement in the Journal of Bone Oncology on the management of aromatase inhibitor–associated bone loss (AIBL) as a guide for osteoporosis specialists and oncologists. This position statement acts as an update on...
Bacterial Decolonization to Manage Acute Radiation-Induced Oral Mucositis in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma
Based on the results of a single-center phase III Chinese trial, which were published by Liao et al in JAMA Oncology, bacterial decolonization therapy with the antibiotic mupirocin may be an effective and cost-efficient strategy for alleviating severe acute radiation-induced oral mucositis in...
Combination Therapies for Metastatic or Recurrent Pancreatic Cancer Under Study
In an interim analysis of a Japanese phase II/III trial (GENERATE, JCOG1611) reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Ohba et al compared the survival benefit of mFOLFIRINOX (modified fluorouracil, leucovorin, irinotecan, oxaliplatin) or S-IROX (S-1, irinotecan, oxaliplatin) vs nab-paclitaxel...
Protease Activator Approved by the FDA for Diffuse Midline Glioma
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted accelerated approval to dordaviprone (Modeyso) a protease activator, for adult and pediatric patients aged 1 year and older with diffuse midline glioma harboring an H3 K27M mutation who have progressive disease after prior therapy. This...
RCC: Genetic Testing Key to Avoiding Misdiagnosis of Rare Subtypes
Genetic testing may be the only way to differentiate between common and more rare subtypes of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) to prevent misdiagnoses, according to the results of a study published in Human Pathology.
Mucinous tubular and spindle cell carcinoma (MTSCC) was found to share many...
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...
Immunoglobulin Replacement Therapy and Infection Risks in CLL
Immunoglobulin replacement therapy did not lead to a reduction in the risk for serious infections leading to hospitalizations for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), according to the results of a real-world Australian cohort study published in Blood Advances. This finding is at odds...
Advancing Geriatric Oncology: Where We Have Been and Where We Are Going
The aging population is rapidly growing, with the number of older adults rising steadily each year. In the 1980s, experts predicted a rise in the number of older patients with cancer, yet we were unprepared. The shortage of oncologists, along with many experienced clinicians retiring early, has...
ASCO Edge Launches for All Members
ASCO has announced the launch of ASCO Edge, an online oncology practice and operations management educational series developed by oncology professionals for oncology professionals.
ASCO Edge is a member-only benefit that will provide ASCO members with education and tools to effectively manage the ...
Nivolumab Plus Ipilimumab in mCRPC With an Immunogenic Signature
In a UK phase II trial (NEPTUNES) reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Leone et al evaluated the efficacy of nivolumab plus ipilimumab in previously treated patients with immunogenic signature–positive metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC).
Study Details
The multicenter ...
Smoldering Multiple Myeloma: How the Guidance Is Changing
Clinical trials have sought to determine the benefit of treating the precursors of multiple myeloma, but as the phenotypes and genomics of this entity are becoming better delineated, the wisdom of early intervention has remained confusing for clinicians. At the 2025 Debates and Didactics in...
Perceived Dermatologic Side Effects of Cancer Treatment: Pilot Survey Findings
A recent study published by Menta et al in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology found that many people misunderstand how common skin, hair, and nail side effects are during cancer treatment—and those fears may lead some to avoid or delay care.
Conducted by researchers at the George Washington...
Novel Single-Cell Sequencing Blood Test for Multiple Myeloma
Researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have developed a blood test that may alter the diagnosis and monitoring of multiple myeloma and its precursor conditions. The new method, known as SWIFT-seq, uses single-cell sequencing to profile circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in the blood, offering a...
Pediatric Gliomas: Early Research on Targeted Therapies
A collaborative study between Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Broad Institute found that 8.9% of children with glioma, the most common type of pediatric brain tumor, have alterations in the fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) family of proteins, and these gliomas may be sensitive to...
Outcomes Associated With COVID-19 Infection in Patients With Cancer
As reported in JAMA Oncology by Rini et al, the National Cancer Institute COVID-19 in Cancer Patients Study (NCCAPS) has identified outcomes associated with COVID-19 in patients with cancer.
Study Details
Between May 2020 and February 2022, the study enrolled adult patients from sites...
Kinase Inhibitor Approved for Nonsquamous NSCLC With HER2 TKD–Activating Mutations
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted accelerated approval to zongertinib (Hernexeos), a kinase inhibitor, for adults with unresectable or metastatic nonsquamous non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors have HER2 tyrosine kinase domain (TKD)–activating mutations, as...
Prostate Cancer: One in Six Grade Group 1 Cases Linked to Higher-Risk Disease
Patients classified with "grade group 1" prostate cancer face a wide range of long-term outcomes, according to findings from a study published in JAMA Oncology. Investigators revealed that as many as one in six men with grade group 1 prostate cancers have intermediate- or high-risk disease when...
Ultraprocessed Food Consumption May Be Linked to Increased Lung Cancer Risk
Greater consumption of ultraprocessed food is associated with an increased risk of developing either small cell or non–small cell lung cancer, according to findings published in Thorax.
"Over the past 2 decades, the consumption of ultraprocessed food has significantly increased worldwide,...
Patient and Health-Care Professional Groups Express Support for Bipartisan Clinical Trial Bill
More than 100 organizations representing millions of patients with serious health conditions and health-care professionals sent a letter to Congress expressing their strong support for the Clinical Trial Modernization Act. Introduced in the House of Representatives in May 2025 by Reps. Raul Ruiz...
