December 10, 2019 (View All Issues)
Addition of Daratumumab Increases Benefit of Carfilzomib/Dexamethasone in Multiple Myeloma
In patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma, the addition of daratumumab to carfilzomib plus dexamethasone improved multiple outcomes, compared with carfilzomib/dexamethasone alone, in the international phase III CANDOR trial.1
“Overall, carfilzomib/dexamethasone/daratumumab was...
Ramucirumab Plus Erlotinib Improves Progression-Free Survival in Previously Untreated EGFR-Mutated Advanced NSCLC
As reported in The Lancet Oncology by Kazuhiko Nakagawa, MD, of the Department of Medical Oncology, Kindai University Faculty of Medicine, Osaka, and colleagues, the phase III RELAY trial has shown that the addition of the VEGFR2 inhibitor ramucirumab to the EGFR inhibitor erlotinib improved...
Databases: Where Math Meets Medicine
About 4 decades ago, as a young physician, I observed that most surgeons were numerator doctors; they remembered their successes and their failures, but they did not remember the frequency of either. There was no denominator. Worse, the approach to any specific surgical problem was always the...
Immunotherapy Strategies in Renal Cell Carcinoma: Present and Future
Immunotherapy with checkpoint inhibitors is now considered a standard of care for the front-line treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma. Despite better outcomes with these agents, there is still room for improvement. At the 2019 Chemotherapy Foundation Symposium, Robert J. Motzer, MD, of...
Biomarker-Driven Treatment Selection for Prostate and Other Genitourinary Cancers
As the Nobel Laureate Bob Dylan wrote, “The times they are a-changin’.” Heather Cheng, MD, PhD, Associate Professor, University of Washington, Associate Member, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, and Director, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, Prostate Cancer Genetics Clinic, quoted this line in...
Is Nonmetastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer a Valid Disease Category?
Does nonmetastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer really exist? Although it is considered a disease category, it turns out that the definition depends on the type of imaging used. Many patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer who were categorized as “nonmetastatic” on conventional...
Emerging Alternatives in the Third-Line Setting for Metastatic HER2-Positive Breast Cancer
In the post-trastuzumab era, a number of U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved targeted agents for metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer are available, but there is no preferred option for third-line treatment and beyond. At the 2019 Chemotherapy Foundation Symposium, Shanu Modi, MD,...
ClarIDHy and FIGHT-202 Trials Show Positive Results in the Treatment of Patients With Biliary Tract Cancer
Two studies reported at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2019—ClarIDHy and FIGHT-202—demonstrated clinical benefits with novel molecularly targeted agents in the treatment of advanced cholangiocarcinoma.
Currently, first-line treatment for locally advanced or metastatic...
ASH Recognized Choosing Wisely Champions at 2019 Annual Meeting & Exposition
The American Society of Hematology (ASH) recognized three Choosing Wisely® Champions, practitioners working to tackle the overuse of hematology tests and treatments, at its 2019 Annual Meeting & Exposition in Orlando: Stephen L. Wang, MD, of Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara Medical Center, Santa...
Multidimensional Palliative Care: Fewer Opioids, More Pain Control in Patients With Advanced Cancer
For opioid-tolerant patients with advanced cancer experiencing pain, relief does not necessarily have to come from a higher dose of opioids, according to findings presented at the 2019 Supportive Care in Oncology Symposium.1 The results of a retrospective analysis of 300 patients with advanced...
FDA Approves Voxelotor for Sickle Cell Disease
On November 25, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted accelerated approval to voxelotor (Oxbryta) for adults and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older with sickle cell disease.
“[Voxelotor] is an inhibitor of deoxygenated sickle hemoglobin polymerization, which is the central
...
Making Inroads With Interventional Oncology in the Treatment of Solid Tumors
At the recent 2019 Symposium on Clinical Interventional Oncology (CIO) in Miami, course directors Constantino Peña, MD, FSIR, and Ripal Gandhi, MD, FSIR, FSVM, had a lot to say about this burgeoning field of oncology. In particular, interventional oncology is making inroads in therapeutic...
‘Unexpected’ Survival Benefit With Trilaciclib Plus Chemotherapy in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
An unanticipated result of a randomized phase II study was the improvement in overall survival achieved with the investigational CDK4/6 inhibitor trilaciclib in women with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer. The drug was not being evaluated for its anticancer effects, but rather as a means of ...
2019 Advanced Breast Cancer Award Goes to Fatima Cardoso, MD
The European School of Oncology (ESO), together with the Advanced Breast Cancer Global Alliance, bestowed the 2019 Advanced Breast Cancer Award upon Professor Fatima Cardoso, MD, Director of the Breast Unit of the Champalimaud Clinical Centre in Lisbon, “in recognition of her foresight in...
Checkpoint Inhibitor Pneumonitis: A Pulmonologist’s Perspective
Oncologists have become accustomed to seeing pneumonitis associated with immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment in non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), requiring intervention by pulmonologists in the management of severe cases. At CHEST 2019, the annual meeting of the American College of Chest...
Elaine Fuchs, PhD, to Present Annual Block Lecture at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center
Elaine Fuchs, PhD, is the recipient of the 24th annual Herbert and Maxine Block Memorial Lectureship Award for Distinguished Achievement in Cancer. It is given annually to a renowned cancer researcher who is invited to The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center–Arthur G. James Cancer...
Promising New Treatments for Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Immunotherapy and Other Targeted Therapies
Clinical trials continue to demonstrate that combining immunotherapy with chemotherapy and other targeted therapies can improve survival for patients with triple-negative breast cancer, according to results presented at the 21st Annual Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Symposium in Chicago. Nearly 700...
Trastuzumab Biosimilar HLX02 Shows Activity in HER2-Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer
The trastuzumab biosimilar HLX02—manufactured in China—achieved a similar overall response rate to reference trastuzumab in women with HER2-positive recurrent or previously untreated metastatic breast cancer, according to a large, randomized phase III study. Binghe Xu, MD, PhD, of the Department of ...
Combination of Atezolizumab and Bevacizumab for Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Combination therapy with the programmed cell death ligand 1 inhibitor atezolizumab and the vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitor bevacizumab significantly improved overall and progression-free survival in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma compared with sorafenib, according...
Erlotinib Plus Ramucirumab: Ready for Prime Time?
The treatment of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-positive lung cancer changed dramatically after the results of the FLAURA trial showed improved progression-free survival with the third-generation EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor osimertinib as first-line therapy compared with...
Niraparib for Homologous Recombination Deficiency–Positive Advanced Ovarian Cancer
In the Clinic provides overviews of novel oncology agents, addressing indications, mechanisms of action, administration recommendations, safety profiles, and other essential information needed
for the appropriate clinical use of these drugs.
On October 23, 2019, the poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase...
How the PROMISE Study Aims to Convert Multiple Myeloma Into a Preventable Cancer
In 2018, researchers from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute launched a large, ambitious screening study called (PROMISE; ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT03689595) to identify people with premalignant precursor conditions of multiple myeloma, to understand the molecular signs of progression to myeloma...
I Do Not Have a Multiple Myeloma Precursor Condition. Why Not?
For the country, and for me personally, 2001 was a watershed year. In May, my mother died; the following month my brother, Dom, then 57, called to tell me he had just been diagnosed with multiple myeloma. Except for some fatigue Dom had complained about at our mother’s funeral, there were no...
JOP Editor-in-Chief Brings Value-Based Care to Journal’s Forefront
In January 2019, Linda D. Bosserman, MD, FACP, FASCO, began her tenure as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Oncology Practice (JOP). An Assistant Clinical Professor and staff physician at City of Hope, Dr. Bosserman has served on the ASCO Board of Directors and was a founding member of the TAPUR...
Conquer Cancer®, the ASCO Foundation, Hosts Scientific and Career Development Retreat
Conquer Cancer®, the ASCO Foundation, hosted its fifth annual Scientific and Career Development Retreat on October 29 and 30, 2019, at ASCO Headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia. The event encourages networking and scientific collaboration among Young Investigator Award (YIA) and Career Development...
For Your Patients: What Are Tumor Marker Tests for Cancer? Eight Things You Need to Know
Cancer.Net provides timely, comprehensive, oncologist-approved information for patients from ASCO with support from Conquer Cancer®, the ASCO Foundation. Cancer.Net brings the expertise and resources of ASCO to people living with cancer and those who care for them to help patients and families make ...
New Policy Brief Explains How Co-pay Accumulators, Maximizers Increase Cost of Cancer Care for Patients
Health insurers, employers, and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) have shifted a growing share of the costs for specialty prescription medicines to their patients and beneficiaries. Since insurer cost-sharing requirements for prescription medications can be uniquely burdensome compared to other...
Your Stories Podcast Returns in 2020 With New Episodes
A new season of Your Stories, the popular podcast series from Conquer Cancer®, the ASCO Foundation, will premiere in 2020. New episodes will be released bimonthly and will feature candid conversations among doctors, patients, caregivers, and research pioneers on their experiences conquering cancer.
...
First Department of Veterans Affairs System Achieves QOPI® Certification
The Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI®) Certification Program continues to expand its reach, certifying the first system within the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)—the Salisbury VA Health Care System—on October 9.
The system, which includes a main facility—the W. G. (Bill) Hefner ...
Make a Holiday Gift to Conquer Cancer,® the ASCO Foundation
Help fund breakthrough cancer research on behalf of someone you love this holiday season. Make a gift in honor or in memory of a loved one, and then send an e-card or mailed notification of your tribute.
For many families, this time of year is marked by worry or grief rather than joy. With your...
IASLC Appoints Chandra P. Belani, MD, as New Chief Science Officer
The International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) has named Chandra P. Belani, MD, as its new Chief Science Officer. In this position, Dr. Belani will direct, guide, and support the IASLC scientific strategy, including, but not limited to, scientific research projects,...
Mary-Claire King, PhD, Joins New York Genome Center as Senior Associate Core Member
The New York Genome Center announced recently that Mary-Claire King, PhD, has joined its faculty on a consulting basis as Senior Associate Core Member. Dr. King will provide scientific leadership in the genetics of neuropsychiatric disease.
Dr. King is the American Cancer Society Professor in...
Assessing Cancer Pain Management in the Era of the Opioid Epidemic
A vast majority of patients with cancer receiving opioids for the management of pain will adhere to the opioids as prescribed and will have no major difficulties with dose reduction and even treatment discontinuation if the pain syndrome resolves. However, about 20% of patients with cancer are at...
Enfortumab Vedotin Active in Platinum- and PD-1/L1–Pretreated Urothelial Carcinoma
In the phase II EV-201 trial, reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Jonathan E. Rosenberg, MD, of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, and colleagues found high activity of the antibody-drug conjugate enfortumab vedotin in patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma who had...
The Light at the End of the Tunnel in Urothelial Cancer Is Not a Train: Enfortumab Vedotin and Other Developments
There is an urgent need to develop new drugs for the treatment of urothelial cancer. Chemotherapy was the only approved treatment in advanced disease for 40 years, which was associated with response rates of between 30% and 50% in the front-line setting.1-3 However, durable remissions were...
Impact of Malnutrition and Physical Inactivity on Cancer Care
A number of patients involved in clinical trials for drugs being developed to treat cancer may be malnourished and sedentary, a factor that may result in inaccurate results for the trials, according to a new study from researchers at Fox Chase Cancer Center published in The Oncologist.1
“We...
Mary Jo Turk, PhD, Named O. Ross McIntyre, MD, Professor at Dartmouth College
Mary Jo Turk, PhD, has been named the O. Ross McIntyre, MD, Professor at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College. Professor of Microbiology and Immunology and Co-Director of the Immunology and Cancer Immunotherapy Program at Dartmouth’s Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Dr. Turk joined the...
First-Line Pembrolizumab Plus Axitinib for Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma
On April 19, 2019, pembrolizumab was approved for use in combination with the small-molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor axitinib for the first-line treatment of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma.1,2
Supporting Efficacy Data
Approval was based on findings in the open-label phase III...
FDA Approves PD-L1 Inhibitor Plus Chemotherapy for First-Line Treatment of Metastatic Nonsquamous Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer
On December 4, 2019, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved atezolizumab (Tecentriq) in combination with chemotherapy (nab-paclitaxel and carboplatin) for the first-line treatment of adults with metastatic nonsquamous non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with no EGFR or ALK genomic...
An Early Interest in Biology and People Led to a Career in Oncology for Nina Shah, MD
Multiple myeloma expert Nina Shah, MD, was born and reared in the Northeast. During grade school, she developed a passion for science that would lead to an early decision to pursue a career in medicine. “My ninth-grade biology class really got me interested in human biology, and that’s when I...
Carolyn C. Meltzer, MD, Joins Board of Directors for RSNA
Carolyn C. Meltzer, MD, neuroradiologist, nuclear physician, and leader in organized radiology, joined the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) Board of Directors earlier this month at the Society’s annual meeting in Chicago. She will serve as the board liaison for science.
“I am...
Prior Antibiotic Treatment Linked to Poorer Outcomes With Immunotherapy in Patients With Cancer
In a study presented in a brief report in JAMA Oncology,1 David J. Pinato, MD, PhD, of the Imperial College London, and colleagues found that past—but not concurrent—use of broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy was associated with poorer treatment outcomes in patients receiving immune checkpoint...
Antibiotics and Immune Checkpoint Blockade in Patients With Cancer: First Do No Harm
Despite the unprecedented improvement in clinical outcomes with the advent of immune checkpoint blockade for cancer,1,2 robust biomarkers for therapeutic success as well as novel strategies to increase their efficacy are urgently needed. In addition to exploring novel immune checkpoints and other...
Working to Improve Survival Rates in Pancreatic Cancer
Although pancreatic cancer survival rates have slowly improved over the past few decades for all stages of pancreatic cancer combined, the 1-year rate is 20%, and the 5-year rate is about 9%. There is no single diagnostic test to detect pancreatic cancer, and less than 20% of tumors are confined to ...
ASH Releases New Clinical Practice Guidelines on Immune Thrombocytopenia
Earlier this month, the American Society of Hematology (ASH) published new state-of-the-art guidelines on the treatment of immune thrombocytopenia. The guidelines were published in the journal Blood Advances.1
The 2019 ASH Clinical Practice Guidelines on Immune Thrombocytopenia, developed in...
Collaborative Trial to Evaluate Imaging Methods for Women With Dense Breasts
In a new effort to improve early breast cancer detection and reduce false-positive exams in women with dense breasts, the American College of Radiology (ACR), the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF), and GE Healthcare are partnering to support the Contrast-Enhanced Mammography Imaging...
Studies Show the U.S. Health-Care System Hampered by Waste and Trailing Other High-Income Countries
Recent studies show that at least one-quarter of our nation’s health-care expenditures are being consumed by waste, fraud, and abuse. Moreover, since 2004, annual reports from the Commonwealth Fund have consistently rated the performance of our health-care system last among high-income countries, ...
NCCN Updates Genetic Screening Guidelines
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®) recently announced publication of the newest genetic risk assessment recommendations for breast, ovarian, and pancreatic cancers. The NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines®) for Genetic/Familial High-Risk Assessment:...
Partners HealthCare to Become Mass General Brigham: 5-Year Strategic Plan
Partners HealthCare President and Chief Executive Officer, Anne Klibanski, MD, unveiled a 5-year strategic plan and announced plans for rebranding its health-care system. Partners HealthCare, which serves more than 1.5 million patients and receives nearly $2 billion in research funding annually,...
Alan Hutson, PhD, MA, to Serve on St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Data Safety Monitoring Board
Alan Hutson, PhD, MA, now holds a 5-year term as a biostatistics expert for the data safety monitoring board at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Dr. Hutson is Chair and Professor of Oncology in the Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center.
...
ACCC Project Focuses on Multidisciplinary Care of Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Due to the rarity of advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, staying current with the latest information on diagnosing, treating, and supporting patients with this diagnosis can be challenging for clinicians who do not often encounter it in practice. To support the multidisciplinary cancer team ...
Global Survey Shows Misperceptions About Lung Cancer Among the General Public
Only one in five people (22%) disagrees with the statement “generally, patients with lung cancer have caused their illness through their lifestyle choices and behaviors,” according to a global, omnibus survey conducted by Ipsos MORI and sponsored by the Lung Ambition Alliance. The results were...
Pretreatment Vitamin D Deficiency in Patients Receiving First-Line Treatment for Hodgkin Lymphoma
In a study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Sven Borchmann, MD, of the German Hodgkin Study Group, University Hospital of Cologne, and colleagues found that pretreatment vitamin D deficiency was associated with significantly poorer progression-free and overall survival in patients...
Zanubrutinib in Previously Treated Mantle Cell Lymphoma
On November 14, 2019, the oral Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor zanubrutinib was granted accelerated approval in the treatment of adult patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) who have received at least one prior therapy.1,2
Supporting Efficacy Data
The approval was based on findings...
Role of Integrative Therapies for Patients With Colorectal Cancer
The ASCO Post’s Integrative Oncology series is intended to facilitate the availability of evidence-based information on integrative and complementary therapies sometimes used by patients with cancer. In this installment, Richard T. Lee, MD, describes the symptoms associated with colorectal cancer ...
Study Investigates Quality-of-Life Scores as Prognostic Factors in Patients With Cancer
Patients with cancer who report on their own quality of life can provide information important in predicting the outcome of their disease, according to researchers from the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC). Until recently, reports from clinicians on issues such as...
Having Cancer Should Not Make You Homeless
In the spring of 2005, I was launching a new career as a sales consultant for a startup graphics company and wanted to cross off a few essential things on my to-do list, including getting my annual mammogram and physical, before I started my new job. Although I was surprised when I got a call...
ctDNA and Recurrence Risk After Surgery and Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Stage III Colon Cancer
In a cohort biomarker study reported in JAMA Oncology, Jeanne Tie, MD, and colleagues showed that the circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA)-positive status after surgery and chemotherapy was associated with an increased risk of disease recurrence in patients with stage III colon cancer.
Study Details
...
Colorectal Cancer Screening With Fecal Immunochemical Testing, Sigmoidoscopy, or Colonoscopy for Patients Aged 50 to 79
As reported in The British Medical Journal (BMJ) by Lise M. Helsingen, MD, PhD, and colleagues, a clinical practice guideline on colorectal cancer screening published as a BMJ Rapid Recommendations guideline indicates that previously unscreened individuals aged 50 to 79 years old with 15-year...
Nivolumab Plus Bevacizumab in Relapsed Ovarian Cancer
In a phase II trial reported in JAMA Oncology, Joyce F. Liu, MD, MPH, and colleagues found evidence of the activity of combined nivolumab and bevacizumab in relapsed ovarian cancer, with activity appearing to be greater in platinum-sensitive disease.
Study Details
In the trial, 38 women with...
Thermal Ablation vs Cryotherapy or Loop Excision in Zambian Women Positive for Cervical Precancer
In the pilot phase of an ongoing randomized trial reported in The Lancet Oncology, Partha Basu, MD, and colleagues found that thermal ablation and cryotherapy produced similar treatment success rates in Zambian women positive for cervical precancer on visual inspection with acetic acid.
The...
Scott A. Gerber, PhD, Named Inaugural Kenneth E. and Carol L. Weg Distinguished Professor at Dartmouth
Scott A. Gerber, PhD, has been named the Kenneth E. and Carol L. Weg Distinguished Professor at Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College. Dr. Gerber is the first to hold this newly established professorship. Dr. Gerber is Professor of Molecular and Systems Biology and of Biochemistry and...
Hematologist/Oncologist Augustine L. Perrotta, DO, Dies at 80
On November 24, hematologist/oncologist Augustine L. Perrotta, DO, died, days before his 81st birthday. Ironically, Dr. Perrotta died of renal cell carcinoma, presenting with metastasis to the spine, a topic about which he had written and lectured extensively. Clinical Professor of Medicine at...
