March 10, 2020 (View All Issues)
- The...
MK-6482 Shows Activity Across All Risk Categories in Metastatic Clear Cell Kidney Cancer
A novel approach using a drug called MK-6482 showed activity in a phase I/II study in patients with metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma, according to a presentation at the 2020 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium.1 MK-6482 is an oral, first-in-class selective small-molecule inhibitor that...
An Education in Human Suffering
By way of tradition, our current system of oncology training exposes fellows to vast amounts of suffering in their first year. As fellows, we see dying patients with cancer in the hospital; we see the third-opinion, last-ditch referrals; we see most newly presenting patients; and we spend the hours ...
ASCO and CAP Release Updated Guideline on Estrogen and Progesterone Testing in Breast Cancer
ASCO and the College of American Pathologists (CAP) have jointly published an update to a clinical practice guideline on estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor testing in breast cancer.1 The guideline for immunohistochemistry testing of estrogen receptor and progesterone receptors in patients...
Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients
As the number of solid organ transplants in the United States rises, cancer in this patient population is a growing concern. In fact, solid organ transplant recipients have an up to 50 times greater risk than the general population of developing skin cancers, and for kidney transplant recipients,...
Richard L. Schilsky, MD, FACP, FSCT, FASCO, Designated a National Associate of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
In February 2020, Richard L. Schilsky, MD, FACP, FSCT, FASCO, Chief Medical Officer and Executive Vice President of ASCO, was designated a National Associate of the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine for his decades-long contributions to the National Academy of Medicine (NAM).
...
ASCO’s TAPUR Study: Biomarker-Driven Treatment Paying Off in Colorectal Cancer
New data presented at the 2020 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium are validating the purpose of ASCO’s Targeted Agent and Profiling Utilization Registry (TAPUR) study, a multibasket trial that matches patients’ genomic alterations to commercially available targeted therapies. The aim is to learn...
New POLO Data Further Support Maintenance Olaparib in BRCA1/2-Positive Pancreatic Cancer
In posters presented at the 2020 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium, POLO investigators reported that health-related quality of life was preserved during maintenance olaparib in patients with BRCA 1/2-positive pancreatic cancer, as evidenced by a low symptom burden over time.1 Other studies...
No Survival Benefit for Maintenance Avelumab in Advanced Gastric or Gastroesophageal Junction Cancer
In the phase III JAVELIN Gastric 100 trial, a strategy called “switch maintenance” with the immune checkpoint inhibitor avelumab after 12 weeks of first-line induction chemotherapy did not statistically improve overall survival for treatment-naive patients with HER2-negative advanced gastric or...
Automated Referral Process for Genetic Counseling and Testing of Patients With Pancreatic Cancer
Routine genetic counseling and multigene testing of patients with pancreatic cancer result in the detection of mutations that are actionable, not only for patients, but also for at-risk family members. At the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, the use of a systemized, automated referral system that does ...
Novel Combination of Cabozantinib Plus Atezolizumab Shows Benefit in Patients With Advanced Prostate Cancer
The combination of the small-molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor cabozantinib (inhibits VEGF, AXL, MET, and others), plus the immune checkpoint inhibitor atezolizumab achieved encouraging activity in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, according to the results of...
Rush University Medical Center Earns National Center of Excellence for Pancreatic Cancer Designation
The National Pancreas Foundation has named Rush University Medical Center as a National Center of Excellence for Pancreatic Cancer, a designation given to hospitals that have demonstrated the multidisciplinary approach, social support, and advanced research resources needed to successfully treat...
Translational Research in Oncology Appoints Peter Fasching, MD, and Hari Kumar, PhD, to Board of Directors
TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH IN ONCOLOGY (TRIO), a global academic clinical research organization, recently announced the appointment of two new members to the Company’s Board of Directors. Joining the board are Peter Fasching, MD, and Hari Kumar, PhD. Together, they bring decades of leadership in key...
New Guideline Tackles Rapidly Evolving Imaging Strategies for Advanced Prostate Cancer
Advances in radiology and molecular imaging have the potential to significantly change how clinicians diagnose, stage, and monitor response to therapy in patients with prostate cancer. However, there are limited data comparing these next-generation imaging modalities to each other and to...
Acalabrutinib Plus Obinutuzumab Superior to Obinutuzumab Plus Chlorambucil as Front-Line Treatment of CLL
Ibrutinib was the first Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor to dramatically transform the treatment of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and other hematologic malignancies. The second-generation BTK inhibitor acalabrutinib is a more selective BTK inhibitor designed to have an...
Treating Patients With Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia in 2020
With the availability of a number of effective targeted agents for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), the question arises whether chemotherapy still has a role in treating this malignancy. At the 2019 American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting & Exposition, CLL...
Oral Regimen of Ibrutinib/Venetoclax Achieves High Rates of Undetectable Minimal Residual Disease in CLL
Updated results of the phase II CAPTIVATE trial continue to show high response rates as well as high rates of undetectable minimal residual disease (MRD) with ibrutinib plus venetoclax as front-line treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) in patients under the age of 70 years. The...
H. Timothy Hsiao, PhD, Joins the American Society for Radiation Oncology as Director of Scientific Affairs
The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) recently welcomed H. Timothy Hsiao, PhD, as its new Director of Scientific Affairs, where he will provide strategic leadership to advance the impact of research and innovation in radiation oncology through ASTRO’s research funding, fellowships,...
Smilow Cancer Hospital and Yale Cancer Center to Welcome Pamela L. Kunz, MD
PAMELA L. KUNZ, MD, has been appointed Leader of the Gastrointestinal Cancers Program at Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale New Haven and Yale Cancer Center and Director of GI Medical Oncology within the Section of Medical Oncology.
Dr. Kunz joins Yale from Stanford University School of Medicine in...
Brief Highlights From the 2019 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium
In addition to our regular coverage of the 2019 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, the following reports from the meeting include studies you may have missed. We hope you find them of interest.
Ribociclib/Letrozole as Neoadjuvant Therapy
As neoadjuvant therapy in women with high-risk hormone...
21-Gene Assay Recurrence Score and Risk of Locoregional Recurrence in Hormone Receptor–Positive, Node-Positive Breast Cancer
A retrospective analysis from the Southwest Oncology Group S8814 trial, reported by Wendy A. Woodward, MD, PhD, of the Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, and colleagues in JAMA Oncology,1 showed that a low 21-gene assay recurrence score was...
Avapritinib for Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor With PDGFRA Exon 18 Mutation
On January 9, 2020, avapritinib was approved for treatment of adults with unresectable or metastatic gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) harboring a platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRA) exon 18 mutation, including D842V mutations.1,2 It is the first therapy approved for...
Selected ASH Abstracts on Novel Treatments in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
To complement The ASCO Post’s continued comprehensive coverage of the 2019 American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting & Exposition, here are several abstracts selected from the meeting proceedings focusing on novel therapies for newly diagnosed and relapsed or refractory acute...
NCI Awards $9.1 Million Grant to Cedars-Sinai for Research on Dietary Fat and Liver Metastasis
A scientific team has been awarded a $9.1 million grant by the National Cancer Institute to study liver metastasis. The co-lead investigators, Neil Bhowmick, PhD, Director of the Cancer Biology Program, and Shelly Lu, MD, Women’s Guild Chair in Gastroenterology and Director of the Division of...
Tazemetostat for Advanced Epithelioid Sarcoma
On January 23, 2020, tazemetostat was granted accelerated approval for the treatment of adults and pediatric patients aged 16 and older with metastatic or locally advanced epithelioid sarcoma not eligible for complete resection.1,2
Supporting Efficacy Data
Approval was based on the finding of...
Participating in ‘Tremendous Progress’ in Hematologic Oncology, From Chernobyl to Stem Cell Transplantation
Richard E. Champlin, MD, Chairman of the nation’s largest Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy program at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, was born in Milwaukee and spent his formative years in Chicago. After high school, Dr. Champlin followed an early ambition in...
Attempt to Transform Venipuncture: A Brilliant Idea Made From Smoke and Mirrors
Venipuncture is the most commonly performed invasive procedure in hospitals daily. The risk of this procedure is nerve damage or an arterial nick. Of course, there are other possible issues, such as hematoma and injection-site infection. Then there’s dealing with caterwauling children and swooning...
Former ASCO President Sandra M. Swain, MD, FACP, FASCO, Shares Highlights of a Noted Career
In this edition of the Living a Full Life series, guest editor Jame Abraham, MD, FACP, spoke with Sandra M. Swain, MD, FACP, FASCO, Professor of Medicine and Associate Dean for Research Development at Georgetown University Medical Center, and Vice President of MedStar Genetic Medicine at Medstar...
Building Onco-Primary Care to Close the ‘Black Hole’ in Cancer Survivorship Care
When the landmark report from the Institute of Medicine, From Cancer Patient to Cancer Survivor: Lost in Transition, was published in 2006, there were 10 million cancer survivors in the United States.1 Meant to raise awareness of the medical, functional, and psychosocial consequences of a cancer...
FDA Approves Neratinib/Capecitabine for Pretreated Patients With Metastatic HER2-Positive Breast Cancer
On February 25, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved neratinib (Nerlynx), a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, in combination with capecitabine for adult patients with advanced or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer who have received two or more prior anti-HER2–based regimens in the...
Reflections on a Career in Hematology/Oncology
I am a retired 82-year-old Hematologist/Oncologist who reads The ASCO Post regularly. I am writing to share some brief thoughts with the authors of two articles in the February 10, 2020 issue.
First, I would address the article, A Hopeful Look Ahead in Oncology, written by Dan L. Longo, MD, MACP.
...
Susan Band Horwitz, PhD, Named Recipient of 2020 Szent-Györgyi Prize
The National Foundation for Cancer Research (NFCR) recently announced that
Susan Band Horwitz, PhD, has been selected to receive the 2020 Szent-Györgyi Prize for
Progress in Cancer Research. Dr. Horwitz is being recognized for pioneering the understanding, at the molecular level, of the mechanisms...
Active Hexose Correlated Compound
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, Gary Deng, MD, PhD, and Jyothirmai Gubili, MS, focus on active hexose...
Therapy Is Keeping My Metastatic Breast Cancer Manageable
Despite being vigilant about adhering to my annual schedule of screening mammography, in 2002, I was diagnosed with stage III triple-negative breast cancer. The diagnosis scared me, and I wondered if I was going to die. Determined to do what I could to survive the cancer, I underwent aggressive...
Zelia M. Correa, MD, PhD, Joins Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and Bascom Palmer Eye Institute
An expert in ocular oncology, Zelia M. Correa, MD, PhD, has joined Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and Bascom Palmer Eye Institute of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine as Co-Director of the Ocular Oncology Service. Dr. Correa specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of eye...
Trifluridine/Tipiracil Plus Bevacizumab for Chemorefractory Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
In a Danish phase II study reported in The Lancet Oncology, Per Pfeiffer, MD, PhD, and colleagues found that the addition of bevacizumab to trifluridine/tipiracil, also known as TAS-102, significantly improved progression-free survival among patients with chemorefractory metastatic colorectal...
Perioperative Chemotherapy With or Without Cetuximab in Patients With Resectable Colorectal Cancer Liver Metastases
As reported in The Lancet Oncology by Bridgewater et al, the phase III New EPOC trial has shown that the addition of perioperative cetuximab to chemotherapy was associated with significantly poorer overall survival in patients with KRAS wild-type resectable colorectal cancer liver metastases.
An...
Drug Repository Programs Address High Costs, Access, and Waste Issues When Appropriately Implemented
On February 19, 2020, ASCO issued a news release about a position statement on state drug repository programs, outlining the Society’s support for drug repository programs solely for oral medications provided they are maintained within a closed system. The Society also makes recommendations to help ...
Conquer Cancer–Funded Researcher’s Pancreatic Cancer Study Highlighted in ASCO’s Clinical Cancer Advances 2020
The work of nine researchers who have previously received funding from Conquer Cancer is featured in ASCO’s Clinical Cancer Advances 2020. Visit CONQUER.ORG for more details.
Advance of the Year: Refinement of Surgical Treatment
At Massachusetts General Hospital, Janet Murphy, MD, is expanding...
Thirty-Three Oncology Practices Receive QOPI Certification From the Association for Clinical Oncology
Thirty-three practices received the Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI®) certification in the fourth quarter of 2019. The Association for Clinical Oncology applauds the work of these practices to ensure a better and healthier future.
The following practices achieved QOPI certification or...
Conquer Cancer Honors Early-Career Cancer Researchers With Merit Awards
ASCO and Conquer Cancer, the ASCO Foundation®, congratulate the recipients of recent Conquer Cancer Merit Awards, which recognize oncology fellows’ and trainees’ high-quality research submitted in abstracts to an ASCO-sponsored or cosponsored meeting. These early-career researchers presented their...
Medicaid Block Grants Threaten Beneficiary Access to Cancer Care
ASCO has released a position statement, “Block Grants in Medicaid & Their Impact on Cancer Care,” summarizing the Society’s concerns about the potential negative impact that block grants—proposals that establish annual limits on federal funding for Medicaid—could have on patients with cancer.
Roles Are Reversed in ‘Personalized Medicine’ as Physicians Care for Parents With Cancer
As early-career oncologists, Rachna Shroff, MD, and Nina Shah, MD, offered patients a textbook bedside manner—personal interactions were limited, and emotions were rarely shared.
“People talk about how, especially in oncology, the more you let [a patient] in, the more profoundly you feel losses, ...
QOPI Round 1 Now Open for Data Abstraction: Improve Quality Practice-Wide
ASCO’s Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI®) Round 1 of reporting is open for data abstraction. Round 1 will close on June 5, 2020, and final reports will be available approximately 4 weeks later.
To get started, go to the registration portal at myqopi.asco.org/registration/login.aspx and...
Help Patients Do More to Cope With Cancer-Related Pain
Relieving pain is an important part of cancer care, and each patient experiences pain differently. ASCO Answers offers two helpful products for managing cancer-related pain: a one-page fact sheet and an in-depth booklet. These resources help patients and their caregivers learn about:
