Author: Editor

Jeff M. Michalski, MD, MBA, FASTRO, Professor of Radiation Oncology at Washington University and the Siteman Cancer Center speaks about For Kids with Medulloblastoma, Trial Suggests Radiation Can Be Tailored.Link to Article:https://www.cancer.gov/news-events/cancer-currents-blog/2021/medulloblastoma-low-dose-volume-radiationA one-size-fits-all strategy to radiation therapy for children and young people with medulloblastoma, a form of fast-growing brain cancer, may eventually be phased out. According to the findings of a big clinical research, some children can safely receive lower doses of radiation without compromising their long-term survival, while others may require the usual amounts.Although conventional therapies heal more than 80% of children with average-risk medulloblastoma, radiation can harm their…

Eric Klein, MD from the Glickman Urological and Kidney Institute at the Cleveland Clinic speaks about Blood Test That Detects 50 Cancers Before Symptoms Emerge Will Be Launched By The NHS This Year.Link to Article:https://inews.co.uk/news/health/blood-test-detects-50-cancers-symptoms-emerge-launched-nhs-2021-1070415The NHS in England will pilot a simple blood test that can identify more than 50 kinds of cancer before any symptoms appear this autumn, with the goal of making it available to one million patients by 2025.Scientists in the United States have discovered that the test is accurate enough to be used as a screening tool for those at higher risk of the illness, such…

Denise Riedel Lewis, Ph.D. from the Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute speaks about the Survival outcomes for cancer types with the highest death rates for adolescents and young adults, 1975-2016.Link to Article:https://acsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cncr.33793#.YQHEKiOdOWo.twitterLink to Seer:http://www.seer.cancer.govSupport for interpreting this please see Table 1 for help, on the above website. Abstract:BACKGROUND:Depending on the kind of cancer, survival rates vary significantly. The goal of this study was to look at long-term survival patterns for cancer types that cause the most deaths among AYAs in order to figure out where the biggest problem is and where future research should be…

Sacha I. Rothschild, MD, Ph.D. from the Department of Medical Oncology and Comprehensive Cancer Center, University Hospital Basel speaks about SAKK 16/14: Durvalumab in Addition to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Patients With Stage IIIA(N2) Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer—A Multicenter Single-Arm Phase II Trial.Link to Article:https://ascopubs.org/doi/abs/10.1200/JCO.21.00276?cid=DM8117&bid=91715470Summary -Intention:The SAKK 16/00 study found that neoadjuvant treatment with cisplatin and docetaxel followed by surgery resulted in a 1-year event-free survival (EFS) rate of 48 percent in patients with resectable stage IIIA(N2) non–small-cell lung cancer. The extra advantage of durvalumab perioperative therapy was explored.Methodologies:Three cycles of cisplatin 100 mg/m2 and docetaxel 85 mg/m2 were given every three…

Eyal Talor, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer, Cel-Sci speaks about CEL-SCI’S Multikine® Immunotherapy Produces significant 14.1% 5-Year Survival Benefits (62.7% VS 48.6%) In The Group Receiving Surgery Plus Radiotherapy In Landmark Head and Neck Cancer Phase 3 Study.Link to Article -https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210628005472/en/CEL-SCI%E2%80%99s-Multikine%C2%AE-Immunotherapy-Produces-Significant-14.1-5-Year-Survival-Benefit-62.7-Vs-48.6-in-the-Group-Receiving-Surgery-Plus-Radiotherapy-in-a-Landmark-Head-and-Neck-Cancer-Phase-3-StudyCEL-SCI Corporation reported today the findings of a 9.5-year pivotal Phase 3 trial of its immunotherapy Multikine® (Leukocyte Interleukin, Injection)* in the treatment of advanced (stages III and IV) primary (untreated) squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN).The study found a statistically significant (p=0.0236, HR=0.68) overall survival benefit of 14.1 percent with overall survival (OS) of 62.7 percent at…

Amy Turner, Ph.D. from the University of Leeds, The Astbury Centre, Tomlinsonlab@leeds speaks about New treatment approach targets cancer ‘Death Star’.Link to Article:https://healthcare-in-europe.com/en/news/new-treatment-approach-targets-cancer-death-star.htmlBecause of its capacity to withstand therapies, the mutant version of the RAS protein has been dubbed the “Death Star,” and it is present in 96 percent of pancreatic tumors and 54 percent of colorectal cancers. RAS is a vital protein for health, but it may be turned on for longer in its mutant version, leading to tumor development. Although one medication has been licensed for use, it can only treat a tiny portion of the overall number…

Monica Swahn, Ph.D. from the International Consortium for Advancing Research on Triple-Negative Breast Cancer, Department of Population Health Sciences, Georgia State University speaks about Prevalence and Mortality of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer in West Africa: Biologic and Sociocultural Factors. Link to Article:https://ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/GO.21.00082?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%20%200pubmedAfrica is the world’s second-most populous continent. The continent has considerable physical, cultural, and population variety, with 54 nations spread over five geographical areas (Northern, Western, Middle, Eastern, and Southern Africa). Breast cancer (BC) has a wide range of incidence among African people. BC has become a major public health issue across the world. BC is the second-leading cause of cancer…

Ugochi Ogu, MD, an assistant professor in the Division of Hematology and Oncology at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center speaks about Ugochi Ogu, MD, and Team Discover Novel Variant of Sickle Cell Disease.Link to Article:https://news.uthsc.edu/ugochi-ogu-md-and-team-discover-novel-variant-of-sickle-cell-disease/Ugochi Ogu, MD, an assistant professor in the University of Tennessee Health Science Center’s Division of Hematology and Oncology, and her colleagues have found a new kind of sickle cell illness.Sickle cell disease is a hereditary blood condition that causes faulty hemoglobin to be produced in the bloodstream. The condition requires two faulty copies of the gene, one from each parent, and the severity…

Dr. Larry Shulman of University of Pennsylvania meets with hosts Charu Aggarwal & Jack West to discuss the promise & challenges of telemedicine in the US & internationally, physician burnout, & the critical value of building programs for global oncology.

Shahid Gilani, MD from the University Hospital Of North Midlands speaks about Hypofractionated radiotherapy as a definitive treatment for Basal Cell Carcinoma: A single-institution experience.Link to Article:https://www.bir.org.uk/media/452155/part_2_-_virtual_bir_annual_radiotherapy_and_oncology_meeting_2021_programme.pdf

Shahid Gilani, MD from the University Hospital Of North Midlands speaks about the Direct Oral Anticoagulants (DOACs) in Cancer-Related Thromboembolism.Link to Article:https://www.actascientific.com/ASCB/pdf/ASCB-04-0257.pdf

Stella K. Kang, MD of the Departments of Radiology, NYU Langone Health speaks about Active Surveillance Strategies for Low-Grade Prostate Cancer: Comparative Benefits and Cost-effectiveness.Link to Abstract:https://pubs.rsna.org/doi/10.1148/radiol.2021204321Overview:Backdrop:For low-risk prostate cancer, active surveillance (AS) is the preferred therapeutic strategy (PC). Surveillance varies by MRI, follow-up frequency, and the Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) score, which determines whether or not a biopsy should be repeated.Intention:The goal of this study was to assess the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of AS methods for low-risk PC with and without MRI.Components and Procedures:In this work, researchers created a mathematical model to assess the cost-effectiveness of…

Lluís Espinosa, MD from IMIM-Hospital del Mar and CIBERONC speaks about Optimising Metastatic Melanoma Therapy By Combining Two Treatments.Link to Article:https://www.healtheuropa.eu/optimising-metastatic-melanoma-therapy-by-combining-two-treatments/109884/Combining chemotherapy with BRAF oncogene inhibitors may be the most effective treatment for metastatic melanoma, according to a new study.Researchers from the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute, Hospital del Mar, CIBER Cancer, and the Bellvitge Medical Research Institute collaborated on the study, which found that a combination of chemotherapy and BRAF oncogene inhibitors can successfully cure metastatic melanoma.The findings were reported in the Oncogene journal.Metastatic melanoma is the top cause of skin cancer mortality worldwide; now, breakthrough research might…

Theresa Deisher, Ph.D. from AVM Biotechnology speaks about FDA Approves Accelerated Dosing in Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma/Leukemia Clinical Trial.Link to Article:https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210713005415/en/FDA-Approves-Accelerated-Dosing-in-Non-Hodgkin%E2%80%99s-LymphomaLeukemia-Clinical-TrialThree of the cohorts will be eliminated, and the gap between cohorts will be reduced, according to the authorized protocol change. It’s critical for this research to skip the 9, 12, and 15 mg/kg dosage requirements and go straight to the expected effective therapeutic dose of 18 mg/kg. According to preclinical studies and compassionate use data, the target effective dosage for the study’s expansion phase will be 18-21 mg/kg. By skipping the intermediate dosage levels, the dose-escalation component of the research should…

Joseph Chao, MD from the City of Hope speaks about the Assessment of Pembrolizumab Therapy for the Treatment of Microsatellite Instability-High Gastric or Gastroesophageal Junction Cancer Among Patients in the KEYNOTE-059, KEYNOTE-061, and KEYNOTE-062 Clinical Trials.Link to Article:https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33792646/Abstract:Immunotherapy has been linked to better outcomes in patients with microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) cancers who have previously received treatment.The goal of this study was to compare the anticancer efficacy of pembrolizumab treatment to chemotherapy in MSI-H advanced gastric or gastroesophageal junction (G/GEJ) cancer patients, independent of the line of therapy they received.Participants, setting, and design: Patients with advanced G/GEJ cancer from 52 sites…

Prof. Hemant Kocher, MBBS, MS, MD, FRCS from the Queen Mary University of London speaks about Pentraxin 3 is a stromally-derived biomarker for detection of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.Link to Article:https://www.nature.com/articles/s41698-021-00192-1Abstract:There are no good diagnostic indicators for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), which is characterized by thick desmoplastic stroma laid down by pancreatic stellate cells (PSC). In an ethically authorized way, a multi-center cohort of PDAC patients and controls (chronic pancreatitis, intra-ductal papillary neoplasms, gallstones, and otherwise healthy) contributed serum. When compared to serum CA19-9 and CEA, serum PTX3 above 4.34 ng/mL has a higher sensitivity (86 percent, 95 percent confidence interval…

Yeonjoo Choi, MD from The Catholic University of Korea Incheon St. Mary’s Hospital speaks about T-cell Agonists In Cancer Immunotherapy.Link to Article:https://jitc.bmj.com/content/8/2/e000966Article:Cancer cells have the ability to avoid the body’s immune system. Immune checkpoint drugs, on the other hand, can stop this evasion and boost T cell antitumor activity. Targeting costimulatory molecules expressed on the surface of T cells, such as 4-1BB, OX40, inducible T-cell costimulator, and glucocorticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor receptor, are further methods for boosting antitumor T-cell activity. CD40 also targets the regulation of antigen-presenting cell activation, which eventually leads to T-cell activation. These costimulatory molecule antagonists have…

Professor Peter Schmid, FRCP, MD, Ph.D., Professor of Cancer Medicine and Lead of the Centre of Experimental Cancer Medicine at Barts Cancer Institute speaks about the ESMO 2021 Abstract – KEYNOTE-522: PHASE III STUDY OF NEOADJUVANT PEMBROLIZUMAB + CHEMOTHERAPY VS. PLACEBO + CHEMOTHERAPY, FOLLOWED BY ADJUVANT PEMBROLIZUMAB VS. PLACEBO FOR EARLY-STAGE TNBC.Link to Abstract:https://www.annalsofoncology.org/article/S0923-7534(19)60363-7/fulltextAbstract:Backstory:In the KEYNOTE-173 and I-SPY 2 trials, neoadjuvant pembro + chemo showed tolerable safety and potential antitumor efficacy in participants (pts) with early TNBC. In patients with early TNBC, KEYNOTE-522 (NCT03036488) is a pbo controlled phase III trial of neoadjuvant pembro + chemo followed by adjuvant pembro.Methodologies:Patients…

Sarbajit Mukherjee, MD, MS, Assistant Professor of Oncology in the Department of Medicine at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center speaks about Roswell Park Experts Highlight Opportunities to Improve Outcomes for People with Gastroesophageal CancerLink to Article:https://www.roswellpark.org/newsroom/202107-roswell-park-experts-highlight-opportunities-improve-outcomes-peopleDuring the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) World Congress on Gastrointestinal Cancer 2021, two specialists from Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center were asked to discuss new findings on the treatment of gastroesophageal malignancies. The Roswell Park physician-researchers emphasized easily adoptable approaches that may assist other physicians to deliver treatment that supports improved patient outcomes in their presentations, both of which were presented on July…

Ian Chau, MD, Consultant Medical Oncologist, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust speaks about The CheckMate 648, 649, and 577 Studies In Gastro-oesophageal Cancer.Link to Article:https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210603005918/en/Bristol-Myers-Squibb-Presents-Data-from-CheckMate–648-Showing-Opdivo-plus-Chemotherapy-and-Opdivo-plus-Yervoy-Significantly-Improved-Overall-Survival-Compared-to-Chemotherapy-in-Unresectable-Advanced-or-Metastatic-Esophageal-Squamous-Cell-CarcinomaThe Phase 3 CheckMate -648 trial found that two Opdivo-based treatment combinations — Opdivo (nivolumab) plus chemotherapy and Opdivo plus Yervoy (ipilimumab) — had a statistically significant and clinically meaningful overall survival (OS) benefit compared to chemotherapy at the pre-specified interim analysis in patients with unresectable advanced or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. In this scenario, Opdivo + Yervoy is the first dual immunotherapy combination to show a better survival benefit than chemotherapy. Presented at…

Ellen Kim, MD, Medical Director, Dermatology Clinic, Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine, Professor of Dermatology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, and the Lead Principal Investigator for the Phase 3 FLASH (Fluorescent Light Activated Synthetic Hypericin) study speaks about the USCLC 2021 Abstract – HyBryteâ„¢ Positive Pivotal Phase 3 FLASH Study Selected for Presentation at the United States Cutaneous Lymphoma Consortium (USCLC) Annual Meeting.Link to Article:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hybryte-positive-pivotal-phase-3-flash-study-selected-for-presentation-at-the-united-states-cutaneous-lymphoma-consortium-usclc-annual-meeting-301317045.htmlSoligenix, Inc., a late-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing products to treat rare diseases with unmet medical needs, announced today that Ellen Kim, MD, Medical Director, Dermatology Clinic, Perelman Center for…

Adam Brufsky, M.D., Ph.D. from the Magee-Womens Cancer Program, part of the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center speaks about the ASCO 2021 Abstract – Utility of the 70-gene MammaPrint assay for prediction of benefit from extended letrozole therapy (ELT) in the NRG Oncology/NSABP B-42 trial.Link to Abstract:https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/201562/abstractDescription:The MammaPrint (MP) test, which has 70 genes, predicts the probability of distant recurrence (DR) in hormone-receptor-positive early-stage breast cancer and categorizes it as Low Risk or High Risk. NSABP B-42 looked at ELT in patients (pts) who had been on adjuvant endocrine treatment for at least 5 years (tx). The major goal was to…

Debra Pratt, MD a Breast Surgeon at Cleveland Clinicspeaks about Breast Cancer: Finishing Treatment Soon After Diagnosis Increases Survival.Link to Article:https://newsroom.clevelandclinic.org/2021/06/30/new-breast-cancer-study-finds-survival-increases-when-time-between-diagnosis-and-treatment-conclusion-is-limited/The observational research, which included more than 28,000 breast cancer patients enrolled in the American National Cancer Database and was published in the journal Annals of Surgical Oncology, is the biggest of its type to analyze breast cancer survival and time to completion for all treatments. It was shown that therapy for less than 38 weeks was related with a higher five-year survival rate of 89.9% compared to 83.3 percent for treatment for more than 38 weeks. This expands on…

Dharmesh Gopalakrishnan, MD, a Hematology-Oncology Fellow at Roswell Park speaks about the ASCO 2021 Abstract – Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) in advanced sarcomatoid renal cell carcinoma (sRCC): A multicenter study.Link to Abstract:https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/197617/abstractBackstory:Advanced sRCC is a dangerous cancer that responds poorly to chemotherapy and VEGF-targeted treatments. Even though the sample sizes were modest, subgroup analysis from randomized trials revealed that ICI improved outcomes.Methodologies:A multi-institutional retrospective investigation of consecutive patients (pts) with RCC and any sarcomatoid component who underwent systemic treatment for advanced illness was undertaken. The patients were divided into two groups (gp) based on whether or not they had received…

Oliver Rosen, MD, CMO of SQZ Biotechnologies speaks about the ASCO 2021 Abstract – Initial results of a first-in-human, dose escalation study of a cell-based vaccine in HLA A*02+ patients (pts) with recurrent, locally advanced or metastatic HPV16+ solid tumors: SQZ-PBMC-HPV-101.Link to Abstract:https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/196015/abstractBackstory:T cell activation and cancer vaccination effectiveness are limited by ineffective MHC-I presentation of tumor antigens to CD8+ T cells. The Cell Squeeze technique pushes peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) through a microfluidic chip, causing cell membrane rupture and cytosolic delivery of HPV16 E6 and E7 antigens. These antigen-presenting cells (APC) were not genetically modified and were matured…

Hosts Jack West and Charu Aggarwal meet with Dr. Vince Miller to discuss the process of deciding to move from academia to industry, the evolution of molecular marker testing, and the potential for EQRx to break the impasse of escalating cancer drug costs.

Josephine Lopes Cardozo, Ph.D. from the Netherlands Cancer Institute speaks about the ASCO 2021 Abstract – Outcome of patients with an ultralow risk 70-gene signature in the MINDACT trial.Link to Abstract:https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/201559/abstractBackstory:Gene signatures have been shown to be effective in identifying individuals with a low risk of distant recurrence who might avoid chemotherapy (CT) and are now included in worldwide breast cancer treatment guidelines. Within the low-risk group, an extra threshold was developed for the 70-gene signature (MammaPrint) to identify individuals with an ultralow risk of distant recurrence. These individuals exhibited good breast cancer-specific survival at 15 years in separate cohorts,…

Tony Kurian, MD, Oncology Fellow at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute speaks about the ASCO 2021 Abstract – Using tissue microarray to detect inflammasome signaling components that contribute to the pathogenesis of myelodysplastic syndrome.Link to Abstract:https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/196283/abstractBackground:Abnormal maturation, inefficient hematopoiesis, cytopenia, and the development of acute myeloid leukemia are all symptoms of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). The etiology of MDS is complex, and it may be connected to innate immunological activation that converges on the NLRP3 inflammasome to cause pyroptosis, a caspase-1-dependent cell death. Both cell-extrinsic stimuli, such as S100A9, the TLR4, and CD33 ligand, and cell-intrinsic danger signals,…

Prof. Lukas Rob, MD, Ph.D., Head of Obstetrics and Gynecological Oncology at University Hospital Kralovske Vinohrady speaks about the ASCO 2021 Abstract – Dendritic cell vaccine (DCVAC) combined with chemotherapy (CMT) in patients with newly diagnosed epithelial ovarian carcinoma (EOC) after primary debulking surgery (PDS): Biomarker exploratory analysis of a phase 2, open-label, randomized, multicenter trial. Link to Abstract:https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/195562/abstractBackstory:Despite PDS and CMT, the majority of EOC patients recur. Tumor antigens can be presented via autologous DCVAC to induce a long-lasting immune response. The addition of DCVAC to CMT increases antitumor immunity and improves clinical results, according to our hypothesis.Methodologies:FIGO stage…

Gianantonio Rosti, MD from the Università di Bologna speaks about OPTIC Primary Analysis: A Dose-Optimization Study of 3 Starting Doses of Ponatinib (PON).Link to Abstract:https://library.ehaweb.org/eha/2021/eha2021-virtual-congress/324561/jorge.e.cortes.optic.primary.analysis.a.dose-optimization.study.of.3.starting.html?f=listing%3D0%2Abrowseby%3D8%2Asortby%3D2%2Asearch%3DtkiS153 (Summary)Type of Presentation: OralResponse, resistance, and treatment-free remission in CML is the title of the session.Backstory:PON, a third-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), showed deep and long-lasting responses and survival in patients with chronic-phase chronic myeloid leukemia (CP-CML) who were resistant or intolerant to second-generation TKI therapy (PACE; NCT01207440); post-hoc analysis suggested a link between dose and both adverse events and response. The primary analysis of OPTIC (NCT02467270), a randomized, phase 2 study using a new…

Brian Van Tine, MD, Ph.D., associate professor of medical oncology, Washington University School of Medicine speaks about the ASCO 2021 Abstract – SPEARHEAD-1: A phase 2 trial of afamitresgene autoleucel (Formerly ADP-A2M4) in patients with advanced synovial sarcoma or myxoid/round cell liposarcoma.Link to Abstract:https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/195713/abstractBackstory:SPEARHEAD-1 (NCT04044768) is a phase 2 open-label experiment that will assess the effectiveness, safety, and tolerability of afamitresgene autoleucel in 45 patients with advanced/metastatic synovial sarcoma or Myxoid/Round Cell Liposarcoma (MRCLS).Methodologies:HLA-A*02 positive patients with MAGE-A4-expressing malignancies are eligible. Pts are given leukapheresis to harvest autologous T-cells, which are then processed and turned into afamitresgene autoleucel cells. After…

Professor Gilles Salles from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center speaks about the ASCO 2021 Abstract – Long-term analyses from L-MIND, a phase II study of tafasitamab (MOR208) combined with lenalidomide (LEN) in patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (R/R DLBCL).Link to Abstract:https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/197097/abstractDescription:L-MIND (NCT02399085) is an open-label Phase II trial of tafasitamab (MOR208), an Fc-modified, humanized anti-CD19 monoclonal antibody, in patients with R/R DLBCL who are ineligible for ASCT. We previously reported primary analyses and 2-year efficacy results; now we give an updated efficacy analysis with a 35-month follow-up (cut-off: October 30, 2020).Methodologies:Pts were 18 years old and…

Howard ‘Jack’ West, MD, Executive Director of Employer Strategy; Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Medical Oncology and; Therapeutics Research at the City of Hope speaks about ASCO 2021 Highlights in Lung Cancer. Link to Abstract 8500- IMpower010: Primary results of a phase III global study of atezolizumab versus best supportive care after adjuvant chemotherapy in resected stage IB-IIIA non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/195950/abstractLink to Abstract 8503 – Surgical outcomes from the phase 3 CheckMate 816 trial: Nivolumab (NIVO) + platinum-doublet chemotherapy (chemo) vs chemo alone as neoadjuvant treatment for patients with resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/195951/abstractLink to Abstract 9001…

Aditya Bardia, MD, MPH, Director of Breast Cancer Research, Mass General Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School speaks about ASCO 2021 Highlights in Breast Cancer. Link to Abstract – OlympiA: A randomized phase III trial of olaparib as adjuvant therapy in patients with high-risk HER2-negative breast cancer (BC) and a germline BRCA1/2 mutation (gBRCAm).https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/115571/abstractLink to Abstract – Significantly different costs of adjuvant chemotherapy regimens in the United States.https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/60336/abstractLink to Abstract – Durvalumab improves long-term outcome in TNBC: results from the phase II randomized GeparNUEVO study investigating neodjuvant durvalumab in addition to an anthracycline/taxane based neoadjuvant chemotherapy in early triple-negative breast cancer…

David Illson, MD, Ph.D., Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and a professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College speaks about ASCO 2021 Highlights in Colorectal Cancer and Gastrointestinal Cancer. Link to Abstract 4000 – ESCORT-1st: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial of camrelizumab plus chemotherapy versus chemotherapy in patients with untreated advanced or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/195933/abstractLink to Abstract LBA4001 – Nivolumab (NIVO) plus ipilimumab (IPI) or NIVO plus chemotherapy (chemo) versus chemo as first-line (1L) treatment for advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC): First results of the CheckMate 648 study.https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/195919/abstractLink to Abstract 4002 – First-line…

David Illson, MD, Ph.D., Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and a professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College.@ILSONDavid @sloan_kettering @mskcc #ASCO21 #ColorectalCancer #GastrointestinalCancer- Colorectal Cancer and Gastrointestinal Cancer- Link to Abstract 4000 – ESCORT-1st: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial of camrelizumab plus chemotherapy versus chemotherapy in patients with untreated advanced or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/195933/abstractLink to Abstract LBA4001 – Nivolumab (NIVO) plus ipilimumab (IPI) or NIVO plus chemotherapy (chemo) versus chemo as first-line (1L) treatment for advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC): First results of the CheckMate 648 study.https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/195919/abstractLink to Abstract 4002 – First-line (1L)…

Professor Yves Chabu, Ph.D. from MU College of Arts and Science speaks about Understanding How Cancer Can Relapse.Link to Abstract:https://showme.missouri.edu/2021/understanding-how-cancer-can-relapse/Activating mutations in the RAS family of genes are preventing researchers from developing effective cancer treatments. Now, researchers from the University of Missouri and Yale University have revealed that one of these mutations, oncogenic RAS or RASV12, is also responsible for cancer cell recurrence after genotoxic therapy treatment, which involves medicines that break a cancer cell’s DNA in an attempt to kill it.Genotoxic treatments kill cancer cells by damaging the DNA inside them. To prevent being eliminated, cells typically stop reproducing…

Neeraj Agarwal, MD, is a Professor in the Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, at the Huntsman Cancer Institute at University of Utah School of Medicine speaks about ASCO 2021 Abstracts – Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and patient-reported outcomes at final analysis of the TITAN study of apalutamide (APA) versus placebo (PBO) in patients (pts) with metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer (mCSPC) receiving androgen deprivation therapy (ADT).Link to Abstract:https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/197750/abstractBackstory:In the phase 3 TITAN trial, APA was compared to PBO in patients with mCSPC who were receiving ADT. APA substantially improved overall survival (OS) and radiographic progression-free survival (RFS) compared to…

Neeraj Agarwal, MD, is a Professor in the Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, at the Huntsman Cancer Institute at University of Utah School of Medicine speaks about ASCO 2021 Abstracts – Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and patient-reported outcomes at final analysis of the TITAN study of apalutamide (APA) versus placebo (PBO) in patients (pts) with metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer (mCSPC) receiving androgen deprivation therapy (ADT).Link to Abstract:https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/197750/abstractBackstory:In the phase 3 TITAN trial, APA was compared to PBO in patients with mCSPC who were receiving ADT. APA substantially improved overall survival (OS) and radiographic progression-free survival (RFS) compared to…

Chan Shen, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Surgery Chief, Division of Outcomes, Research and Quality, The Pennsylvania State University speaks about Prolonged Opioid Use After Surgery for Early‐Stage Breast Cancer.Link to Abstract:https://theoncologist.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1634/theoncologist.2019-0868Abstract:Introduction:This study looked at the patterns of long-term opioid usage and the variables that were linked to a greater risk of long-term opioid usage in patients with early-stage breast cancer who were opioid-naive.Methods:The study identified 23,440 opioid-naive individuals who had breast cancer surgery between January 2000 and December 2014 and filled at least one opioid prescription as a result of the operation using MarketScan data. Extra-prolonged opioid usage was…

Dr. Pamela Kunz of Yale Cancer Center speaks with Drs. Charu Aggaral & Jack West about the headwinds of being a woman advancing in academic medicine, as well as a recent shocking story of sexual harassment & the systematic shortfalls that enabled it.

Jose P. Zevallos, MD, MPH, FACS, Associate Professor Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery; Chief Head & Neck Oncologic Surgery at the Washington University Medical School in St. Louis speaks about the ASCO 2021 Abstract – Evaluating a clinically validated circulating tumor HPV DNA assay in saliva as a proximal biomarker in HPV+ oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Sophie P. Gerndt, MD author of the upcoming manuscript.Link to Abstract:https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/197768/abstractBackground:HPV genomic DNA has been investigated extensively in plasma and saliva, but circulating tumor human papillomavirus DNA (ctHPVDNA) has just emerged as a reliable biomarker for monitoring in HPV+ oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC). Tumor-derived…

Thomas Brown, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Syapse speaks about ASCO 2021 Abstract – #e21121 – Feasibility of RECIST-based real-world tumor response assessment in metastatic non-small cell lung cancer patients.Link to Abstract:https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/201064/abstractBackground:The Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) is commonly used to assess treatment response to anti-cancer medicines for advanced lung cancer, however, it is not widely used in real-world settings. With real-world evidence increasingly being used to back promising treatments, this study looked into the feasibility of assessing real-world lung cancer response using RECIST-based measurement of lesions on archived radiologic films and comparing it to treatment response based on…

Thomas Brown, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Syapse speaks about ASCO 2021 Abstract – #e21047 – Myocarditis as a rare, yet serious adverse event associated with immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with non-small cell lung cancer: Case series from a large community-based cancer center.Link to Abstract:https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/200926/abstractBackground:Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) may cause immune-related adverse effects in patients with lung cancer and other malignancies (irAE). Pneumonitis, colitis, hepatitis, and myocarditis/pericarditis can all manifest with varying degrees of severity and single- or multi-organ involvement. Myocarditis occurs in 0.06 percent to 2.4 percent of the population and is associated with a significant death rate (25…

Thomas Brown, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Syapse speaks about ASCO 2021 Poster – #9105 – Genomic markers associated with hyperprogression in patients with lung cancer treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors.Link to Poster:https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/200547/abstractBackground:Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy has become a standard of care for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, not all patients (pts) benefit with ICI, with a percentage reporting increased tumor development. Hyperprogression (HP) is a term used to describe faster tumor development on ICI along with the deteriorating clinical state. MDM2/MDM4 amplifications, EGFR alterations, and STK11/LKB1 mutations are some of the gene changes that have been…

Thomas Brown, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Syapse speaks about ASCO 2021 Abstracts – #9105 – Genomic markers associated with hyperprogression in patients with lung cancer treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors, #e21047 – Myocarditis as a rare, yet serious adverse event associated with immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with non-small cell lung cancer: Case series from a large community-based cancer center, and #e21121 – Feasibility of RECIST-based real-world tumor response assessment in metastatic non-small cell lung cancer patients.Link to Poster #9105:https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/200547/abstractLink to Abstract #e21047:https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/200926/abstractLink to Abstract #e21121:https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/201064/abstract#9105 Background:Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy has become a standard of care for patients with…

Philippe Spiess, MD from H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute speaks about the ASCO 2021 Abstract – Clinically advanced pelvic squamous cell carcinomas (pSCC) in men and women: A comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) study.Link to Abstract:https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/197709/abstractBackground:We used CGP to look for probable genetic changes between tumor types because the clinical symptoms, disease course, and treatment choices for pSCC varied.Methods:1,741 clinically advanced pSCCs underwent hybrid capture-based CGP to evaluate all classes of genomic alterations, including 230 penile (penSCC), 17 male urethral (murthSCC), 125 male anal (manSCC), 7 female urethral (furthSCC), 263 vulvar (vulSCC), 822 cervical (crvSCC), and 277 female…

Anas Alshawa, MD from the University of Arizona speaks about the Effects Of Glutamine For Prevention Of Radiation-induced Esophagitis: A Double-blind Placebo-controlled Trial.Link to Study:https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33580845/Synopsis:The goal Acute radiation-induced esophagitis (ARIE) causes treatment delays, a reduction in quality of life (QOL), and secondary complications such as weight loss. Grade 3 ARIE occurs in 15 percent to 30 percent of patients having esophageal irradiation, resulting in treatment interruption or cessation. The goal of this research was to see how glutamine, a common dietary supplement, affected ARIE in patients with thoracic cancers. Patients and procedures Patients with advanced thoracic malignancies were included in…

Taiga Nishihori, MD from the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute speaks about the ASCO 2021 Abstract – The results of multicenter phase II, double-blind placebo-controlled trial of maintenance ixazomib after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (alloHCT) for high-risk multiple myeloma (MM) from the Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinical Trials Network (BMT CTN 1302).Link to Abstract:https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/195823/abstractBackground information:The function of alloHCT and subsequent maintenance in the treatment of high-risk MM remains unknown. To treat patients with high-risk MM, we tested the effectiveness of ixazomib maintenance treatment following alloHCT utilizing a reduced-intensity fludarabine/melphalan/bortezomib (Flu/Mel/Bort)-based conditioning regimen.Methodologies:Adults 70 years or younger with…

Sarah E. Hoffe, MD from H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute speaks about ASCO Abstract – GRECO-2: A randomized, phase 2 study of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) in combination with GC4711 in the treatment of unresectable or borderline resectable nonmetastatic pancreatic cancer (PC).Link to Abstract:https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/201242/abstractBackground information:While systemic therapy for PC has improved, surgical resection, which is regarded the best therapy, remains uncommon. Patients with unresectable or borderline PC continue to have dismal outcomes, with toxicity and disease progression during induction chemotherapy limiting the number of patients who may be surgically treated. SBRT practice has turned to greater…

Peter H. O’Donnell, MD from the University of Chicago speaks about the ASCO 2021 Abstract – Oral Abstract Session: First-Line Pembrolizumab (Pembro) in Cisplatin-Ineligible Patients With Advanced Urothelial Cancer (UC): Response and Survival Results up to Five Years From the KEYNOTE-052 Phase 2 Study.Link to Abstract:https://meetings.asco.org/abstracts-presentations/195585Background information:Pembro was authorized based on preliminary data from the phase 2 KEYNOTE-052 trial (NCT02335424), which revealed a 29 percent ORR in cisplatin-ineligible patients with untreated advanced UC. The results are updated after up to 5 years of follow-up.Methodologies:KEYNOTE-052 is an open-label, single-arm, multi-site experiment. Patients had advanced or metastatic UC, were ineligible for cisplatin…

Shilpa Gupta, MD from the Cleveland Clinic speaks about the ASCO 2021 Abstract – SWOG S1216: A phase III randomized trial comparing androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) plus TAK-700 with ADT plus bicalutamide in patients (pts) with newly diagnosed metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC) (NCT01809691).Link to Abstract:https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/196407/abstractBackground information:Tak is a nonsteroidal 17, 20-lyase inhibitor that inhibits the production of androgens in the gonadal and adrenal glands. In patients with newly diagnosed mHSPC, we looked at the therapeutic benefit of Tak combined with ADT.Methodologies:Patients with mHSPC who had a Zubrod performance status (PS) of 0-2 and a PSA of less than 2…

Kent Hoskins, MD, Co-Leader of the Breast Cancer Research Group and Director of Cancer Genetics at the University of Illinois Cancer Center speaks about ASCO 2021 Abstract – Disparities within luminal breast cancer: Clinical and molecular features of African American and non-Hispanic white patients.Link to Abstract:https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/198997/abstractBackground information:Despite equivalent therapies, African American breast cancer patients (AA) are diagnosed younger, have more high-risk characteristics, and have poorer clinical outcomes than non-Hispanic White patients (NHW). Although comorbidities like obesity and metabolic syndrome may play a role, ancestry-specific variables and the consequences of structural violence, which disproportionately affect AA people, may have an impact…

Michal R. Tomaszewski, Ph.D. from H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute speaks about ASCO 2021 Abstract – Imaging-based patient inclusion model for clinical trial performance optimization.Link to Abstract:https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/196629/abstractBackground information:The development of novel cancer medicines in the era of precision medicine is heavily reliant on the appropriate identification of target patient populations. We believe that computational imaging data analysis may be utilized to produce a quantitative population enrichment method in clinical trials, and we want to provide a framework for this analysis.Methodologies:This concept was investigated in patients with soft-tissue sarcoma (STS) who were enrolled in a randomized Phase III…

Julian Andres Marin-Acevedo, MD from H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute speaks about ASCO 2021 Abstract – Efficacy of cetuximab after immunotherapy (IO) in advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC).Link to Abstract:https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/197144/abstractBackground information:For advanced CSCC that is not responsive to surgery or curative radiation, anti-PD1 (aPD1) monotherapy with cemiplimab-rwlc or pembrolizumab is currently considered standard of treatment. Chemotherapy or anti-EGFR medicines were previously utilized to treat these individuals, albeit with poor effectiveness and response durability. At 6 weeks, the overall response rate (ORR) to cetuximab was 28 percent, with a disease control rate (DCR) of 69 percent, according…

Jonathan Zager, MD from H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute speaks about ASCO 2021 Abstract – Percutaneous hepatic perfusion (PHP) with melphalan for patients with ocular melanoma liver metastases: Preliminary results of FOCUS (PHP-OCM-301/301A) phase III trial.Link to Abstract:https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/195993/abstractBackground information:The most prevalent intraocular cancer, ocular melanoma, commonly metastasizes to the liver, yet there is no clear standard of therapy for individuals with hepatic-dominant ocular melanoma. The FOCUS study began as a phase III randomized experiment (301) that compared PHP to the best alternative care (BAC). Due to enrollment issues, the study was later altered (301A) to exclude the…

Jonathan Strosberg, MD from H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute speaks about the ASCO 2021 Abstract – Final overall survival in the phase 3 NETTER-1 study of lutetium-177-DOTATATE in patients with midgut neuroendocrine tumors.Link to Abstract: https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/197214/abstractBackground information:The most prevalent intraocular cancer, ocular melanoma, commonly metastasizes to the liver, yet there is no clear standard of therapy for individuals with hepatic-dominant ocular melanoma. The FOCUS study began as a phase III randomized experiment (301) that compared PHP to the best alternative care (BAC). Due to enrollment issues, the study was later altered (301A) to exclude the BAC arm.Methodologies:The…

Ana Maria Arance, MD from the Hospital Clinic Barcelona speaks about ASCO 2021 Abstract – Lenvatinib (len) plus pembrolizumab (pembro) for patients (pts) with advanced melanoma and confirmed progression on a PD-1 or PD-L1 inhibitor: Updated findings of LEAP-004.Link to Abstract:https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/195985/abstractBackground information:In patients with unresectable stage III-IV melanoma with confirmed PD on a PD-(L)1 inhibitor administered alone or in combination, preliminary data from the open-label, single-arm, phase 2 LEAP-004 trial (NCT03776136) revealed that len and pembro in combination exhibited promising effectiveness and acceptable safety. ORR was 21.4 percent with a 6.3-month median DOR in patients with PD who had previously…

Paul M. Barr, MD from the University of Rochester Medical Center Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy speaks about the ASCO 2021 Abstract – Up to seven years of follow-up in the RESONATE-2 study of first-line ibrutinib treatment for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia.Link to Abstract:https://meetings.asco.org/abstracts-presentations/198840Background information:Ibrutinib, a once-daily Bruton’s tyrosine kinase inhibitor, is the only targeted therapy that has shown to improve progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with previously untreated chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL) in multiple randomized phase 3 studies. The RESONATE-2 trial of first-line ibrutinib vs. chlorambucil in older patients with CLL/SLL has…

Brian Rini, MD, Professor of Medicine from Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center speaks about Pembrolizumab (pembro) plus axitinib (axi) versus sunitinib as first-line therapy for advanced clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC): Results from 42-month follow-up of KEYNOTE-426.Link to Abstracthttps://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/195569/abstractBackground information:Treatment with pembro + axi significantly improved OS, PFS, and ORR compared to sunitinib monotherapy in treatment-naive advanced ccRCC, according to the first interim analysis of the randomized, multicenter, open-label, phase 3 KEYNOTE-426 trial (NCT02853331). In this patient cohort, further follow-up (median, 30.6 mo) continued to show that pembro + axi was more effective than sunitinib monotherapy. The…

Charles E. Geyer, Jr., MD, FACP, Deputy Director of the Houston Methodist Cancer Center, and Study Co-Chair speaks about ASCO 2021 – Abstract – OlympiA: A randomized phase III trial of olaparib as adjuvant therapy in patients with high-risk HER2-negative breast cancer (BC) and a germline BRCA1/2 mutation (gBRCAm).Link to Abstract:https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/115571/abstractBackground information:Treatment with the PARP inhibitor olaparib (Lynparza; 400 mg twice daily [bid]; capsules) resulted in antitumor efficacy in patients (pts) with advanced BC harboring a gBRCAm in a Phase II proof-of-concept study (NCT00494234) (objective response rate: 41 percent; Tutt et al Lancet 2010). Olaparib as adjuvant monotherapy has been…

Brian Durie, MD, part of the iStopMM team and chairman of the International Myeloma Foundation speaks about the study – With 80,000 Participants, the Largest Study of Its Kind Is the First to Evaluate the Benefits of Screening for a Precursor to the Blood Cancer Multiple Myeloma.Link to Article:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/with-80-000-participants-the-largest-study-of-its-kind-is-the-first-to-evaluate-the-benefits-of-screening-for-a-precursor-to-the-blood-cancer-multiple-myeloma-301294309.htmlAccording to the International Myeloma Foundation, findings published this week in Blood Cancer Journal might lead to a paradigm change in myeloma therapy, including screening for the disease’s precursor and early treatment.With a total of 80,759 participants, the IMF-funded iStopMM research (Iceland Screens, Treats, or Prevents Multiple Myeloma) is the biggest of…

Abdulraheem Yacoub, MD from the University of Kansas Center for Bioinformatics speaks about ASCO 2021 Abstract – A phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of ruxolitinib plus parsaclisib in patients with JAK- and PI3K-inhibitor treatment-naïve myelofibrosis.Link to Abstract:https://meetings.asco.org/abstracts-presentations/201296Background information:Ruxolitinib (a JAK1/JAK2 inhibitor) improves outcomes in individuals with myelofibrosis (MF), however, a small percentage of individuals may have a poor response. The addition of the PI3K inhibitor parsaclisib to ruxolitinib monotherapy resulted in further relief of MF symptoms and splenomegaly in individuals with MF, according to recent phase 2 results (Yacoub. EHA2020. S216). This phase 3 randomized, double-blind research (INCB 50465-313;…

Abdulraheem Yacoub, MD from the University of Kansas Center for Bioinformatics speaks about ASCO 2021 Abstract – A phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of ruxolitinib plus parsaclisib in patients with JAK- and PI3K-inhibitor treatment-naïve myelofibrosis.Link to Abstract:https://meetings.asco.org/abstracts-presentations/201296Background information:Ruxolitinib (a JAK1/JAK2 inhibitor) improves outcomes in individuals with myelofibrosis (MF), however, a small percentage of individuals may have a poor response. The addition of the PI3K inhibitor parsaclisib to ruxolitinib monotherapy resulted in further relief of MF symptoms and splenomegaly in individuals with MF, according to recent phase 2 results (Yacoub. EHA2020. S216). This phase 3 randomized, double-blind research (INCB 50465-313;…

Mounzer Agha, MD, is the director of the Mario Lemieux Center for Blood Cancers at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, and the clinical director of the Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation of UPMC speaks about the ASCO 2021 – Abstract – CARTITUDE-2: Efficacy and safety of ciltacabtagene autoleucel (cilta-cel), a BCMA-directed CAR T-cell therapy, in patients with progressive multiple myeloma (MM) after one to three prior lines of therapy.Link to Abstract:https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/195446/abstractBackground information:Cilta-cel is a CAR T-cell treatment that expresses two single-domain antibodies that target BCMA and impart avidity. The multicohort, phase 2 CARTITUDE-2 research (NCT04133636) is assessing cilta-cel safety and effectiveness in a variety…

Nima Sharifi, MD, director of Cleveland Clinic’s Genitourinary Malignancies Research Center speaks about ASCO 2021 – Abstract – Adrenal-permissive HSD3B1 genetic inheritance and risk of estrogen-driven postmenopausal breast cancer.Link to Abstract:https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/197176/abstractBackground information:There are no known genetic variables that influence endogenous estrogen synthesis and the risk of postmenopausal breast cancer. We wanted to see if the homozygous inheritance of the 1245AC missense-encoding polymorphism in HSD3B1, which is common (8-10%) in White populations, functionally adrenal permissive, and increases the synthesis of the aromatase substrate androstenedione, is linked to postmenopausal estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer.Methodologies:HSD3B1 genotype, circulating steroid concentrations, and adrenal-permissive genotype frequency in…

Nima Sharifi, MD, director of Cleveland Clinic’s Genitourinary Malignancies Research Center speaks about Cleveland Clinic Researchers Identify New Drug Target for Treating Aggressive Prostate Cancer.Link to Article:https://newsroom.clevelandclinic.org/2021/05/26/cleveland-clinic-researchers-identify-new-drug-target-for-treating-aggressive-prostate-cancer/Cleveland Clinic researchers have found a viable therapeutic target for treating and preventing aggressive, treatment-resistant prostate cancer, according to new data published in Science Translational Medicine.The researchers showed that blocking the protein H6PD decreased tumor growth and enhanced longevity in mice models with drug-resistant prostate cancer, lead by Nima Sharifi, M.D. of Cleveland Clinic’s Lerner Research Institute. H6PD levels were similarly enhanced in biopsied patient tumors, indicating that the protein may be used to…

Giuseppe Curigliano, MD, Ph.D., is Associate Professor of Medical Oncology at the University of Milano and the Head of the Division of Early Drug Development at the European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS speaks about ASCO 2021 – Abstract – Safety and efficacy of pralsetinib in patients with advanced RET fusion-positive non-small cell lung cancer: Update from the ARROW trial.Link to Abstract:https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/200463/abstractBackground information:In 1–2% of non-small cell lung cancers, RET fusions are targetable oncogenic drivers (NSCLC). Pralsetinib, a very powerful oral selective RET inhibitor for RET-altered NSCLC and thyroid cancer, was approved by the US FDA (NCT03037385). The results for a…

Ajay Goel, Ph.D., AGAF, chair of the Department of Molecular Diagnostics and Experimental Therapeutics at City of Hope speaks about the DDW 2021 abstract – Transcriptomic Profiling Identifies a Risk Stratification Signature for Predicting Peritoneal Recurrence and Micrometastasis in Gastric CancerLink to Article:https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33558424/Summary -The goal is to:Peritoneal carcinomatosis is a kind of gastric cancer that is deadly. The need for biomarkers to help identify patients at high risk of peritoneal recurrence or metastasis is highlighted by the need to create biomarkers that can help identify patients at high risk of peritoneal recurrence or metastasis.Design of the experiment:By analyzing expression profiling…

Ajay Goel, Ph.D., AGAF, chair of the Department of Molecular Diagnostics and Experimental Therapeutics at the City of Hope speaks about the DDW 2021 abstract – A Liquid Biopsy Exosomal microRNA Panel For Predicting Recurrence Following Surgery In Patients With Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma.Link to Article:https://m.pharmasources.com/news/69994.htmlThe researchers looked at 210 plasma samples from pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma patients, some of whom had neoadjuvant treatment (NAT) and others who did not. Small RNA sequencing was performed on 25 of the patients.A 6-exosomal miRNA risk-prediction model was then optimized and trained by the researchers. The prediction model reliably distinguished patients with cancer recurrence (area…

Salma K Jabbour, MD from Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey/RWJBarnabas Health speaks about ASCO 2021 Abstract KEYNOTE-799: Phase 2 trial of pembrolizumab plus platinum chemotherapy and radiotherapy for unresectable, locally advanced, stage 3 NSCLC.Link to Abstract:https://meetings.asco.org/abstracts-presentations/196541Background information:The anti-PD-1 antibody pembrolizumab (pembro) combined concurrent chemoradiation treatment (cCRT) in patients with unresectable, locally advanced stage III NSCLC is being studied in KEYNOTE-799 (NCT03631784). Prior findings in a subgroup of patients (primary efficacy population) indicated an ORR of 69.6% in cohort A (squamous and nonsquamous, n = 112) and 70.5 percent in cohort B (nonsquamous, n = 61), with grade 3 pneumonitis…

Ghassan K. Abou-Alfa, MD, medical oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center speaks about the ASCO 2021 Abstract – Pemigatinib for previously treated locally advanced/metastatic cholangiocarcinoma (CCA): Update of FIGHT-202.Link to Abstract:https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/197197/abstractBackground information:In the FIGHT-202 trial, pemigatinib (PEMI), a powerful, selective oral FGFR1-3 inhibitor, was demonstrated to be effective and safe in patients with CCA and FGFR2 rearrangements/fusions (NCT02924376; objective response rate [ORR], 35.5 percent ; duration of response [DOR], 7.2 months [mo]). In the main publication (Abou-Alfa. Lancet Oncol 2020; cutoff: Mar 22, 2019), overall survival (OS: 21.1 mo) was not mature; herein, we describe matured effectiveness and safety…

Pauline Funchain, MD, Medical Oncologist/Cancer Genomics at Cleveland Clinic speaks about the ASCO 2021 Abstract – Final analysis of overall survival (OS) and relapse-free-survival (RFS) in the intergroup S1404 phase III randomized trial comparing either high-dose interferon (HDI) or ipilimumab to pembrolizumab in patients with high-risk resected melanoma.Link to Abstract -https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/195948/abstractBackground information:We wanted to see if adjuvant pembrolizumab, administered for a year, would enhance OS and RFS compared to high-dose ipilimumab (ipi10) or HDI, the two FDA-approved adjuvant therapies for high-risk resected melanoma at the time.Methodologies:Patients with resected stages IIIA(N2), B, C, and IV who were 18 years or older…

Nathan A. Pennell, MD, Ph.D., FASCO, Vice Chair of Clinical Research and Director, Lung Cancer Medical Oncology Program Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute Clinic speaks about the ASCO 2021 Abstract – Modeling the cost-effectiveness of adjuvant osimertinib in resected EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer patients.Link to Abstract – https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/198656/abstractBackground information:Based on the ADAURA trial’s DFS benefits, adjuvant Osimertinib (Osi) was recently approved for resected EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Prior studies of adjuvant EGFR inhibitors that resulted in improved DFS but not overall survival (OS) have sparked debate over early clinical implementation due to the high drug costs. The…

Suresh S. Ramalingam, MD, FASCO, Deputy Director, lead of the integration of the research, clinical, and educational components within Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University speaks about ASCO 2021 – Abstract – Mobocertinib (TAK-788) in EGFR exon 20 insertion (ex20ins)+ metastatic NSCLC (mNSCLC): Additional results from platinum-pretreated patients (pts) and EXCLAIM cohort of phase 1/2 study.Link to Abstract:https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/198352/abstractBackground information:There are no authorized targeted treatments for EGFR ex20ins+ mNSCLC. Mobocertinib, a first-in-class, powerful oral TKI that targets EGFR ex20ins mutations, has received Breakthrough Therapy Designation in the United States and China for patients with EGFR ex20ins+ mNSCLC after platinum-based treatment.Methodologies:Dose-escalation/expansion and…

Adam C. Berger, MD, FACS, Chief, Melanoma and Soft Tissue Surgical Oncology, Associate Director for Shared Resources at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey/RWJBarnabas Health discusses the ASCO 2021 Abstract – Adjuvant nivolumab in high-risk stage IIb/IIc melanoma patients: Results from investigator initiated clinical trial.Link to Abstract:https://meetings.asco.org/abstracts-presentations/197065Background information:Recurrence rates for Stage IIB and IIC melanoma have been shown to be as high as 46% in 5-year trials. The only FDA-approved medication for these high-risk individuals to avoid this inevitable recurrence is high-dose interferon-alfa, which is highly toxic. There are currently adjuvant immunotherapies (anti-PD1) and targeted treatments (anti-BRAF and anti-MEK combinations)…

Jorge Cortes, MD, Director of the Georgia Cancer Center discusses the ASCO 2021 Abstract – OPTIC primary analysis: A dose-optimization study of 3 starting doses of ponatinib (PON).Link To Abstract -https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/195828/abstractBackground information:PON, a third-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), showed deep and long-lasting responses and survival in patients with chronic-phase chronic myeloid leukemia (CP-CML) who were resistant or intolerant to second-generation TKI therapy (PACE; NCT01207440); post-hoc analysis suggested a link between dose and both adverse events and response. The primary analysis of OPTIC (NCT02467270), a randomized, phase 2 study using a new response-based PON dosage regimen in patients with resistant/intolerant CP-CML,…

Holly J. Pederson, MD, Director Medical Breast Services, Cleveland Clinic, Associate Professor of Medicine, CCLCM speaks about the ASCO 2021 Abstract – Ancestrally Unbiased Polygenic Breast Cancer Risk Assessment – new data validates the use of a polygenic breast cancer risk assessment in women across all ancestries.Link to Abstract:https://meetings.asco.org/abstracts-presentations/197017Background information:Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with minor effects that can be aggregated into polygenic risk scores affect BC risk (PRSs). PRSs is mainly created and validated for people of European ancestry. We created and validated a novel global PRS (gPRS) that uses human ancestral genetic makeup to make a PRS accessible to all…

Saad Usmani, FACP, MBA, MD from the Department of Hematologic Oncology and Blood Disorders, Atrium Health’s Levine Cancer Institute speaks about the ASCO 2021 Abstract – Ciltacabtagene autoleucel, a B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)-directed chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy, in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (R/R MM): Updated results from CARTITUDE-1.Link to Abstract:https://meetings.asco.org/abstracts-presentations/195437Background information:CARTITUDE-1 (NCT03548207) is a phase 1b/2 trial in patients with R/R MM testing ciltacabtagene autoleucel (cilta-cel; JNJ-68284528), a CAR T-cell treatment with two BCMA–targeting single-domain antibodies. We present new findings in pts for a longer follow-up period (median 12.4 months).Methodologies:Patients with MM who had undergone three previous regimens or…

Saad Usmani, FACP, MBA, MD from the Department of Hematologic Oncology and Blood Disorders, Atrium Health’s Levine Cancer Institute speaks about the ASCO 2021 Abstract – Comparison of outcomes with ciltacabtagene autoleucel (cilta-cel) in CARTITUDE-1 versus real-world standard of care (RW SOC) for patients (pts) with triple-class exposed relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM).Link to Abstract -https://meetings.asco.org/abstracts-presentations/195465Background information:Patients with RRMM that are triple-class exposed (to immunomodulatory medications [IMiDs], proteasome inhibitors [PIs], and an anti-CD38 antibody) go on several salvage regimens, each with increasingly worse outcomes. CARTITUDE-1 (NCT03548207) is a single-arm phase 1b/2 study evaluating cilta-cel, a chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy with…

Pablo Okhuysen, MD, FACP from MD Anderson speaks about the ASCO 2021 Abstract – Impact of Cancer-Related Diarrhea on Changes in Cancer Therapy Patterns: Real World Evidence.Link to Article:https://www.morningstar.com/news/accesswire/642708msn/jaguar-health-and-napo-pharmaceuticals-announce-title-of-abstract-regarding-patient-outcomes-associated-with-cancer-therapy-related-diarrhea-accepted-for-poster-presentation-at-the-american-society-of-clinical-oncology-2021-annual-meetingNapo Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Jaguar’s wholly owned subsidiary, and Napo’s partners have had their abstract on patient results consistent with cancer therapy-related diarrhea (“CTD”) approved for poster presentation at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO®) Annual Meeting, which will be held digitally from June 4-8, 2021.The approved poster presentation’s title is:Real-world research on the effect of cancer-related diarrhea on improvements in cancer therapy trendsSymptoms and Survivorship (Poster Session)Pablo C. Okhuysen, MD, is…

Yelena Y. Janjigian, MD from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center speaks about ASCO 2021 Abstract FDA Approves Merck’s KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab) Combined With Trastuzumab and Chemotherapy as First-line Treatment in Locally Advanced Unresectable or Metastatic HER2-Positive Gastric or Gastroesophageal Junction Adenocarcinoma.Link to Article:https://www.merck.com/news/fda-approves-mercks-keytruda-pembrolizumab-combined-with-trastuzumab-and-chemotherapy-as-first-line-treatment-in-locally-advanced-unresectable-or-metastatic-her2-positive-gastric-or-g/Merck’s anti-PD-1 therapy, KEYTRUDA, has been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in combination with trastuzumab, fluoropyrimidine- and platinum-containing chemotherapy for the first-line treatment of patients with locally advanced unresectable or metastatic HER2-positive gastric or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) cancer. This indication received accelerated approval based on tumor response rate and response durability; continued approval for…

David Ilson, MD from the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center speaks about the Top 5 ASCO 2021 Abstracts in Gastrointestinal Cancer.Link to Abstract 4000 – ESCORT-1st: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial of camrelizumab plus chemotherapy versus chemotherapy in patients with untreated advanced or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/195933/abstractLink to Abstract LBA4001 – Nivolumab (NIVO) plus ipilimumab (IPI) or NIVO plus chemotherapy (chemo) versus chemo as first-line (1L) treatment for advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC): First results of the CheckMate 648 study.https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/195919/abstractLink to Abstract 4002 – First-line (1L) nivolumab (NIVO) plus chemotherapy (chemo) versus chemo in advanced…

Howard ‘Jack’ West, MD, Executive Director of Employer Strategy; Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research at the City of Hope speaks about ASCO 2021 Top 5 Abstracts in Lung Cancer.Link to Abstract 8500- IMpower010: Primary results of a phase III global study of atezolizumab versus best supportive care after adjuvant chemotherapy in resected stage IB-IIIA non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/195950/abstractLink to Abstract 8517 – Residual ctDNA after treatment predicts early relapse in patients with early-stage NSCLC.https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/196544/abstractLink to Abstract 9006 – Amivantamab in combination with lazertinib for the treatment of osimertinib-relapsed, chemotherapy-naïve EGFR mutant (EGFRm) non-small cell…

Grzegorz S. Nowakowski, MD from the Mayo Clinic speaks about Incyte and MorphoSys Announce First Patient Dosed in Phase 3 frontMIND Study Evaluating Tafasitamab Combination as a First-Line Treatment for Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma.Link To Study -https://investor.incyte.com/press-releases/press-releases/2021/Incyte-and-MorphoSys-Announce-First-Patient-Dosed-in-Phase-3-frontMIND-Study-Evaluating-Tafasitamab-Combination-as-a-First-Line-Treatment-for-Diffuse-Large-B-Cell-Lymphoma/default.aspxThe first patient in the pivotal Phase 3 frontMIND study evaluating tafasitamab and lenalidomide in combination with rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (R-CHOP) versus R-CHOP alone as first-line treatment for high-intermediate and high-risk patients with untreated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma was dosed today (DLBCL). Tafasitamab is a humanized monoclonal antibody that is used to target the B-cell specific antigen CD19 and activate immune…

Mingxuan Xu, Ph.D., Research Scientist at MD Anderson speaks about the Implementation of a Novel Web-Based Lesion Selection Tool to Improve Acquisition of Tumor Biopsy Specimens.Link to Naing Tool:https://doi.org/10.36401/JIPO-21-X1Link to Article:https://meridian.allenpress.com/innovationsjournals-JIPO/article/4/2/45/465080/Implementation-of-a-Novel-Web-Based-LesionSUMMARY:The first paragraph is an introduction.Biopsy specimens must yield sufficient tumor tissue, and sequential biopsy specimens should sample a clear site, for the optimum utility of molecular characterization by next-generation sequencing (NGS) and greater understanding of the tumor microenvironment with immune correlates study. We created a web-based lesion selection tool (LST) to help with biopsy specimen collection management and monitoring.Methodologies:The LST was used on 88 of the 145 patients, with…

Murat Ak, MD from UPMC speaks about Radiomics analysis for predicting pembrolizumab response in patients with advanced rare cancers.Link to Abstract:https://jitc.bmj.com/content/9/4/e001752Synopsis:Background information:A radiomics-based model for predicting pembrolizumab response in patients with advanced rare cancers is presented.Methodologies:In the report, 57 patients with advanced rare cancers were enrolled in our pembrolizumab phase II clinical trial. Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) 1.1 and immune-related RECIST were used to assess tumor response (irRECIST). The patients were divided into two groups: 20 with “controlled disease” (stable disease, partial reaction, or full response) and 37 with “progressive disease.” On standard-of-care, pretreatment contrast improved CT…

Drs. Charu Aggarwal and Jack West host dynamic GU oncology specialist Dr. Petros Grivas as they discuss how research, mentorship, and teaching have adapted to digital platforms in the wake of the pandemic.

Timothy Ritter, MD, Senior Medical Director, Department of Research and Education GI Alliance Research speaks about U.S. FDA Grants De Novo Clearance for First and Only Artificial Intelligence System for Colonoscopy; Medtronic Launches GI Geniusâ„¢ Intelligent Endoscopy Module.Link to Article:https://news.medtronic.com/2021-04-12-U-S-FDA-Grants-De-Novo-Clearance-for-First-and-Only-Artificial-Intelligence-System-for-Colonoscopy-Medtronic-Launches-GI-Genius-TM-Intelligent-Endoscopy-ModuleIn the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved de novo clearance for the GI GeniusTM intelligent endoscopy module. The GI Genius module is the first and only commercially viable artificial intelligence (AI)-based computer-aided detection (CADe) method for detecting colorectal polyps. The module, which works with every colonoscope video, gives doctors a new tool to combat colorectal cancer, which…

Lenka Kyrych Sadilkova, Ph.D. from SOTIO speaks about the AACR 2021 Poster: SOTIO Demonstrates Strong Potential of SOT102 (ADC Targeting Claudin 18.2) for Treatment of Solid Tumors in Preclinical Studies.Link to Article:https://sotio.com/news-publications/news/sotio-demonstrates-strong-potential-of-sot102-adc-targeting-claudin-18-2-for-treatment-of-solid-tumors-in-preclinical-studiesIn a virtual poster presentation at the 2021 American Association of Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting, SOTIO, a clinical-stage immuno-oncology firm owned by PPF Group, revealed new preclinical results of its antibody-drug conjugate (ADC), SOT102 (formerly SO-N102), for the treatment of solid tumors. The findings, which show that SOT102 has a high propensity for eradicating CLDN18.2-expressing tumor cells in a target-specific manner, serve as proof of concept for both…

Watch our interview with Dr. Howard Soule and Dr. Becky Campbell from the Prostate Cancer Foundation talking about their new Prostate Cancer Patient Guide

Richard T Penson, MD, MRCP, Associate Professor, Medicine, Harvard Medical School, and Clinical Director, Medical Gynecologic Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital speaks about Olaparib tablets as maintenance therapy in patients with platinum-sensitive relapsed ovarian cancer and a BRCA1/2 mutation (SOLO2/ENGOT-Ov21): a final analysis of a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial.  ***This was for the ARIEL4, not the ARIEL3 trial.***Link to Article:https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanonc/article/PIIS1470-2045(21)00073-5/fulltext?utm_campaign=update-lanonc&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=126264841&_hsenc=p2ANqtz–fwIwWOX6zOsv0PbKgjP6nwULFQQ0Ki4AbzR_WHMQzikUfgdBumHyS480a720PFN2PlFrg5Etnpp1g8CYURtfM7BzudkH2NW8hgEa9EerZwOWyycY&utm_content=126264841&utm_source=hs_email#%20In SummaryBackground information:In the SOLO2/ENGOT-Ov21 trial, olaparib, a poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor, was shown to improve progression-free survival compared to placebo in patients with relapsed high-grade serous or endometrioid ovarian cancer who were platinum-sensitive and had a BRCA1 or BRCA2…

Dan Sherbenou, MD, Ph.D. from the University of Colorado Medical Campus, Division of Hematology Research, Sherbenou Lab speaks about Older Multiple Myeloma Patients Require Personalized Treatment.Link to Press Release:https://www.waxmancancer.org/about-us/newsroom/press-releases/method-developed-to-treat-multiple-myeloma-patients/Although MM remains an incurable condition, improvements in drug therapies have increased the quality of life over the past 20 years. Older patients, on the other hand, have a lower tolerance for the side effects of the standard three-drug regimen, which is typically given in monthly or annual infusion appointments. As a result, older patients are often undertreated, receiving two-drug regimens with a lower chance of a positive reaction.Dr. Daniel Sherbenou and…

Coya Tapia, MD, Ph.D., Surgical and Molecular Pathologist speaks about Decrease in tumor content assessed in biopsies is associated with improved treatment outcome response to pembrolizumab in patients with rare tumors.Link to Abstract:https://jitc.bmj.com/content/8/1/e000665.longSynopsis:Background: After neoadjuvant treatment, decreased tumor content (TC) in resection specimens is used to assess prognosis. We looked at whether TC measured in biopsy specimens or the change in TC from baseline to treatment can be used to predict reaction in pembrolizumab-treated patients with rare tumors.Methods: A total of 57 tumors (representing 173 baseline and 179 on-treatment biopsies) were analyzed from 57 patients with unusual tumors who were…

Thomas Brown, MD Syapseâ chief medical officer speaks about Syapse Showcases Real-World Mortality Data in American Society of Clinical Oncologyâs JCO-CCI.Link to Press Release:https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2021/04/09/2207503/0/en/Syapse-Showcases-Real-World-Mortality-Data-in-American-Society-of-Clinical-Oncology-s-JCO-CCI.htmlThe results of a peer-reviewed report published in JCO Clinical Cancer Informatics (JCO-CCI), an American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Journal, were revealed today by Syapse®, a pioneering real-world evidence organization accelerating the delivery of precision medicine through the Syapse Learning Health NetworkTM.The study, titled “Validation of a mortality composite score in the real-world setting: overcoming source-specific disparities and biases,” looked at the Syapse Learning Health Network platform’s ability to accurately assess oncology mortality rates, demonstrating that…

Jonathan A. Coleman, MD from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center speaks about ENdoluminal LIGHT ActivatED Treatment of Upper Tract Urothelial Cancer (ENLIGHTED) Study (UCM301).Link to Clinical Trials gov:https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04620239Brief Synopsis:TOOKAD is being studied in a phase 3 open label, single arm trial for the treatment of Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma (UTUC). Patients with low-grade upper tract urothelial carcinoma in the kidney or ureter may be enrolled in the ENLIGHTED trial. The patients will receive TOOKAD (padeliporfin) VTP in two phases: an induction treatment phase and a maintenance treatment process, followed by a 12-month long-term (non-intervention) follow-up phase.Patients who enroll in the…

Connie Lehman, MD, Ph.D., Diagnostic Radiologist, Chief, Breast Imaging Massachusetts General Hospital speaks about These Doctors Are Using AI to Screen for Breast Cancer.Link to Article:https://www.wired.com/story/doctors-using-ai-screen-breast-cancer/?utm_source=STAT+Newsletters&utm_campaign=ba46f08703-MR_COPY_14&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_8cab1d7961-ba46f08703-150690609CONSTANCE LEHMAN WAS Persuaded TO Adjust THE WAY MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL SCREENED WOMEN FOR BREAST CANCER After COVID ARRIVED IN MASSACHUSETTS. Owing to concerns about the infection, several people skipped routine checkups and scans. As a result, the Lehman-coordinated center started using an artificial intelligence algorithm to determine who is most likely to contract cancer.According to Lehman, the AI technique has assisted in identifying a number of women who, after being advised to come in…

Eytan M. Stein, MD, Assistant Attending Physician, and Director, Program for Drug Development in Leukemia, Department of Medicine at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and the trial’s principal investigator speaks about Syndax Announces Positive Interim Data Demonstrating Robust Clinical Activity in Phase 1 Portion of the AUGMENT-101 Trial of SNDX-5613 in Patients with Genetically-Defined Acute Leukemias.Link to Clinical Trial:https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04065399?term=AUGMENT-101+SNDX-5613&draw=2&rank=1Link to Article:https://ir.syndax.com/news-releases/news-release-details/syndax-announces-positive-interim-data-demonstrating-robustModified promising results from the Phase 1 dose-escalation section of the ongoing Phase 1/2 AUGMENT-101 trial of SNDX-5613 in patients with mixed lineage leukemia rearranged (MLLr) and nucleophosmin (NPM1c) mutant relapsed/refractory (R/R) acute leukemias were released today by a clinical-stage…

Matthew Tate, MD, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Neurological Surgery and Neurology – Ken and Ruth Davee Department Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine speaks about Surgical Management of Low-grade Glioma.Link to Press Release:https://www.astrazeneca.com/media-centre/press-releases/2021/astrazeneca-accelerates-early-oncology-pipeline-across-key-strategic-scientific-platforms-at-aacr.htmlDuring the simulated American Association of Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting, 10 to 15 April 2021, AstraZeneca will discuss insights from the Company’s groundbreaking early oncology pipeline through various strategic channels.The next-generation PARP1 selective inhibitor AZD5305, which will be unveiled in five presentations, demonstrates AstraZeneca’s dedication to developing therapies that selectively destroy cancer cells by attacking the mechanism that cells rely on to repair DNA harm. Furthermore, studies…

David Berd, MD Biovaxys And The World Ovarian Cancer Coalition Join Forces For May 8th, World Ovarian Cancer Day.Link to Article:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/biovaxys-and-the-world-ovarian-cancer-coalition-join-forces-for-may-8th-world-ovarian-cancer-day-301272288.htmlBiovaxys, a global pioneer in haptenized antigen vaccines for antiviral and cancer uses, today declared its support for World Ovarian Cancer Day, a major effort of the World Ovarian Cancer Coalition (“the Coalition”), a non-profit organization based in Canada.On May 8th, 2013, a coalition of leading ovarian cancer activists founded World Ovarian Cancer Day to provide a forum for stakeholders to lift their voices in unity in the battle against ovarian cancer. Although the Coalition operates on a variety of…

Scott Loughhead, Ph.D. from SQZ Biotechnologies speaks about AACR 2021Abstract – Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells Engineered Via Microfluidic Cell Squeeze® Technology to Generate APCs that Drive Mutant-KRas-Specific CD8+ T Cell Responses Abstract Number: 1524 – targeting KRAS with SQZ APCs, which show preclinical proof-of-concept for potential applicability to multiple KRAS mutations, supporting the SQZ opportunity to rapidly expand into additional tumor types.Link to Press Release:https://www.pharmiweb.com/press-release/2021-03-10/sqz-biotech-to-present-preclinical-data-on-kras-tumor-targets-and-next-generation-sqz-eapcs-at-the-aSQZ eAPCs are designed to take advantage of the SQZ APC platform’s capabilities to generate robust and specific CD8+ T cell activation through efficient MHC-I antigen presentation. The platform takes advantage of the Cell Squeeze® technology’s…

Scott Loughhead, Ph.D. from SQZ Biotechnologies speaks about AACR 2021Abstracts – Clinical Applications Abstract Number: 2626 and Technology Abstract Number: 1525 – preclinical data from SQZ eAPCs utilizing multiple mRNA cargo to potentially expand addressable patient populations and meaningfully increase CD8 T cell response by incorporation of costimulatory molecules and cytokine signaling.Link to Press Releases:https://www.pharmiweb.com/press-release/2021-03-10/sqz-biotech-to-present-preclinical-data-on-kras-tumor-targets-and-next-generation-sqz-eapcs-at-the-aSQZ eAPCs are designed to take advantage of the SQZ APC platform’s capabilities to generate robust and specific CD8+ T cell activation through efficient MHC-I antigen presentation. The platform takes advantage of the Cell Squeeze® technology’s cargo versatility to develop next-generation product candidates that carry multiple…

Dr. Steve Vogl of “Vogl, New York” fame joins hosts Charu Aggarwal and Jack West as they discuss the priorities of patients and general oncologists in practice as new developments are presented, and how telemedicine was adopted in NYC during the pandemic.

Laura van ’t Veer, Ph.D., Co-Leader, Breast Oncology Program and Director, Applied Genomics at UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center and Co-founder and Chief Research Officer at Agendia speaks about 70-gene signature as an aid for treatment decisions in early breast cancer: updated results of the phase 3 randomised MINDACT trial with an exploratory analysis by age.Link to Article:https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanonc/article/PIIS1470-2045(21)00007-3/fulltextDetailsAbstractThe MINDACT trial found that patients with high clinical and low genomic risk breast cancer who did not undergo chemotherapy had a 5-year remote metastasis-free survival rate of 947 percent (95 percent CI 9255–962). We present long-term follow-up findings as well…

Alexey Danilov, MD, Ph.D., associate director of the Toni Stephenson Lymphoma Center at City of Hope speaks about the AACR 2021 Abstract – 938 – Pharmacologic targeting Mcl-1 with AZD5991 induces apoptosis, suppresses mitochondrial respiration, and overcomes ibrutinib resistance in non-Hodgkin lymphoma cells.Link to Abstract:https://www.abstractsonline.com/pp8/#!/9325/presentation/2449Synopsis:Pro-apoptotic “initiators” (Noxa, Bim, Puma), anti-apoptotic “guardians” (Bcl-2, Mcl-1, Bcl-xL), and pro-apoptotic effectors (Bax/Bak) are all members of the Bcl-2 family of proteins. Venetoclax, a Bcl-2 receptor, has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia and acute myeloid leukemia. Venetoclax, on the other hand, is only moderately successful…

Dino Mehic, MD from the Medical University of Vienna speaks about Elevated levels of tissue factor pathway inhibitor in patients with mild to moderate bleeding tendency.Link to Abstract:https://ashpublications.org/bloodadvances/article/5/2/391/474924/Elevated-levels-of-tissue-factor-pathway-inhibitorPoints to Remember -* TFPI levels are higher in patients with minor bleeding disorders, especially those that have BUC or PFDs.* There were no genetic changes in the F5 gene that were related to increased TFPI levels.Synopsis:High levels of tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) were recently discovered in two families with an unknown bleeding propensity, due to a longer TFPI half-life after binding to a factor V splice variant and variations in the…

Frederick L. Locke, MD from H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute speaks about the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) clinical practice guideline on immune effector cell-related adverse events.Link to Article:https://jitc.bmj.com/content/8/2/e001511#ref-88SummaryIn a large number of patients with hematological tumors, immune effector cell (IEC) therapies have long-term remissions. Although these novel immunotherapies have increased results for children and adults in a variety of diseases, their toxicity profiles, such as cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS), vary significantly from that of traditional cancer therapies. At the time of writing, the US Food and Drug Administration…

Rona Yaeger, MD from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center speaks about KRASG12C Inhibition with Sotorasib in Advanced Solid Tumors.Link to Article:https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1917239?query=featured_homeSummaryBEGINNINGSThere are no accepted cancer therapies that target KRAS mutations. The KRAS p.G12C mutation is found in 13% of non-small-cell lung cancers (NSCLCs) and 1–3% of colorectal cancers and other cancers. Sotorasib is a small molecule that targets KRASG12C in an irreversible and selective manner.APPROACHESIn patients with advanced solid tumors harboring the KRAS p.G12C mutation, we performed a phase 1 trial of sotorasib. Sotorasib was given orally once a day to the patients. The main goal was to ensure that…

In this video series, presented in March of 2021, GRACE Board Members Dr. H. Jack West, Dr. Jared Weiss and Dr. Ben Levy have continued candid discussions regarding cancer and COVID-19. In this continued time of social distancing and limiting clinic exposure, the doctors sat down in their respective homes to discuss some of the questions we all hear regarding these unprecedented times, and how they effect primarily cancer patients. In this video the discussion is surrounding Covid 19 variants and the challenge for cancer care. Thanks to Exelixis and Merck for their support of this program. For more, please…

In this video series, presented in March of 2021, GRACE Board Members Dr. H. Jack West, Dr. Jared Weiss and Dr. Ben Levy have continued candid discussions regarding cancer and COVID-19 In this continued time of social distancing and limiting clinic exposure, the doctors sat down in their respective homes to discuss some of the questions we all hear regarding these unprecedented times, and how they effect primarily cancer patients. In this video the doctors discuss what patients should expect post COVID19 vaccinations. Thanks to Exelixis and Merck for their support of this program. For more, please visit http://cancerGRACE.org/. To…

In this video series, presented in March of 2021, GRACE Board Members Dr. H. Jack West, Dr. Jared Weiss and Dr. Ben Levy have continued candid discussions regarding cancer and COVID-19. In this continued time of social distancing and limiting clinic exposure, the doctors sat down in their respective homes to discuss some of the questions we all hear regarding these unprecedented times, and how they effect primarily cancer patients. In this video the discussion is surrounding whether the COVID19 vaccine is safe for cancer patients. Thanks to Exelixis and Merck for their support of this program. For more, please…

In this video series, presented in March of 2021, GRACE Board Members Dr. H. Jack West, Dr. Jared Weiss and Dr. Ben Levy have continued candid discussions regarding cancer and COVID-19. In this continued time of social distancing and limiting clinic exposure, the doctors sat down in their respective homes to discuss some of the questions we all hear regarding these unprecedented times, and how they effect primarily cancer patients. In this video the discussion is surrounding the continued use of telemedicine in cancer treatment. Thanks to Exelixis and Merck for their support of this program. For more, please visit…

In this video series, presented in March of 2021, GRACE Board Members Dr. H. Jack West, Dr. Jared Weiss and Dr. Ben Levy have continued candid discussions regarding cancer and COVID-19. In this continued time of social distancing and limiting clinic exposure, the doctors sat down in their respective homes to discuss some of the questions we all hear regarding these unprecedented times, and how they effect primarily cancer patients. In this video the discussion is surrounding changes and challenges of consistent cancer care during the pandemic. For more, please visit http://cancerGRACE.org/​. To join the conversation, visit https://cancergrace.org/forum​.

In this video series, presented in March of 2021, GRACE Board Members Dr. H. Jack West, Dr. Jared Weiss and Dr. Ben Levy have continued candid discussions regarding cancer and COVID-19. In this continued time of social distancing and limiting clinic exposure, the doctors sat down in their respective homes to discuss some of the questions we all hear regarding these unprecedented times, and how they effect primarily cancer patients. In this video the discussion is surrounding trends and implications – the COVID-19 pandemic and it’s continued impact on cancer care. For more, please visit http://cancerGRACE.org/​. To join the conversation,…

We continue to present final videos from this highly anticipated annual event, the 2020 Targeted Therapies Patient Forum. This year’s live-online presentations and discussions were launched by our Event Chair, Luis E. Raez, MD FACP FCCP, Member of the GRACE Board of Directors, President of the Florida Society of Clinical Oncology (FLASCO), and Chief Scientific Officer & Medical Director at Memorial Cancer Institute. This day-long event featured top oncologists in their field, presenting the most current and emerging information in targeted therapies for patients and caregivers living with lung cancer. In this video from the EGFR Breakout Session, Drs. Jared…

We continue to present final videos from this highly anticipated annual event, the 2020 Targeted Therapies Patient Forum. This year’s live-online presentations and discussions were launched by our Event Chair, Luis E. Raez, MD FACP FCCP, Member of the GRACE Board of Directors, President of the Florida Society of Clinical Oncology (FLASCO), and Chief Scientific Officer & Medical Director at Memorial Cancer Institute. This day-long event featured top oncologists in their field, presenting the most current and emerging information in targeted therapies for patients and caregivers living with lung cancer. In this video from the EGFR Breakout Session, Drs. Jared…

We continue to present final videos from this highly anticipated annual event, the 2020 Targeted Therapies Patient Forum. This year’s live-online presentations and discussions were launched by our Event Chair, Luis E. Raez, MD FACP FCCP, Member of the GRACE Board of Directors, President of the Florida Society of Clinical Oncology (FLASCO), and Chief Scientific Officer & Medical Director at Memorial Cancer Institute. This day-long event featured top oncologists in their field, presenting the most current and emerging information in targeted therapies for patients and caregivers living with lung cancer. In this video from the EGFR Breakout Session, Drs. Jared…

We continue to present final videos from this highly anticipated annual event, the 2020 Targeted Therapies Patient Forum. This year’s live-online presentations and discussions were launched by our Event Chair, Luis E. Raez, MD FACP FCCP, Member of the GRACE Board of Directors, President of the Florida Society of Clinical Oncology (FLASCO), and Chief Scientific Officer & Medical Director at Memorial Cancer Institute. This day-long event featured top oncologists in their field, presenting the most current and emerging information in targeted therapies for patients and caregivers living with lung cancer. In this video from the EGFR Breakout Session, Drs. Jared…

We continue to present final videos from this highly anticipated annual event, the 2020 Targeted Therapies Patient Forum. This year’s live-online presentations and discussions were launched by our Event Chair, Luis E. Raez, MD FACP FCCP, Member of the GRACE Board of Directors, President of the Florida Society of Clinical Oncology (FLASCO), and Chief Scientific Officer & Medical Director at Memorial Cancer Institute. This day-long event featured top oncologists in their field, presenting the most current and emerging information in targeted therapies for patients and caregivers living with lung cancer. In this video from the EGFR Breakout Session, Drs. Jared…

We continue to present final videos from this highly anticipated annual event, the 2020 Targeted Therapies Patient Forum. This year’s live-online presentations and discussions were launched by our Event Chair, Luis E. Raez, MD FACP FCCP, Member of the GRACE Board of Directors, President of the Florida Society of Clinical Oncology (FLASCO), and Chief Scientific Officer & Medical Director at Memorial Cancer Institute. This day-long event featured top oncologists in their field, presenting the most current and emerging information in targeted therapies for patients and caregivers living with lung cancer. In this video from the EGFR Breakout Session, Drs. Jared…

For this series of case based panel discussions, Dr. Benjamin Levy is joined by Dr. Stephen Liu and Dr. Julie Brahmer to discuss treatment for specific cases in Lung Cancer. Dr. Levy is Associate Professor of Oncology and Clinical Director of Medical Oncology and Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Sibley Memorial Hospital, and sits on the board of GRACE. Dr. Liu is Associate Professor of Medicine and Director of Thoracic Oncology and Director of Developmental Therapeutics at the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Julie Brahmer is Director of the Thoracic Oncology Program and Professor of Oncology at…

For this series of case based panel discussions, Dr. Benjamin Levy is joined by Dr. Stephen Liu and Dr. Julie Brahmer to discuss treatment for specific cases in Lung Cancer. Dr. Levy is Associate Professor of Oncology and Clinical Director of Medical Oncology and Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Sibley Memorial Hospital, and sits on the board of GRACE. Dr. Liu is Associate Professor of Medicine and Director of Thoracic Oncology and Director of Developmental Therapeutics at the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Julie Brahmer is Director of the Thoracic Oncology Program and Professor of Oncology at…

For this years Case Based Panel Discussions – Dr. Benjamin Levy is joined by Dr. Stephen Liu and Dr. Julie Brahmer to discuss treatment for specific cases in Lung Cancer. Dr. Levy is Associate Professor of Oncology and Clinical Director of Medical Oncology and Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Sibley Memorial Hospital. Dr. Levy sits on the board of GRACE. Dr. Liu is Associate Professor of Medicine and Director of Thoracic Oncology and Director of Developmental Therapeutics at the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Julie Brahmer is Director of the Thoracic Oncology Program and Professor of Oncology…

We are excited to be able to present final videos from this highly anticipated annual event, the 2020 Targeted Therapies Patient Forum. This year’s live-online presentations and discussions were launched by our Event Chair, Luis E. Raez, MD FACP FCCP, Member of the GRACE Board of Directors, President of the Florida Society of Clinical Oncology (FLASCO), and Chief Scientific Officer & Medical Director at Memorial Cancer Institute. This day-long event featured top oncologists in their field, presenting the most current and emerging information in targeted therapies for patients and caregivers living with lung cancer. In this video from the EGFR…

We are excited to be able to present final videos from this highly anticipated annual event, the 2020 Targeted Therapies Patient Forum. This year’s live-online presentations and discussions were launched by our Event Chair, Luis E. Raez, MD FACP FCCP, Member of the GRACE Board of Directors, President of the Florida Society of Clinical Oncology (FLASCO), and Chief Scientific Officer & Medical Director at Memorial Cancer Institute. This day-long event featured top oncologists in their field, presenting the most current and emerging information in targeted therapies for patients and caregivers living with lung cancer. In this video from the EGFR…

We are excited to be able to present final videos from this highly anticipated annual event, the 2020 Targeted Therapies Patient Forum. This year’s live-online presentations and discussions were launched by our Event Chair, Luis E. Raez, MD FACP FCCP, Member of the GRACE Board of Directors, President of the Florida Society of Clinical Oncology (FLASCO), and Chief Scientific Officer & Medical Director at Memorial Cancer Institute. This day-long event featured top oncologists in their field, presenting the most current and emerging information in targeted therapies for patients and caregivers living with lung cancer. In this video from the EGFR…

We are excited to be able to present final videos from this highly anticipated annual event, the 2020 Targeted Therapies Patient Forum. This year’s live-online presentations and discussions were launched by our Event Chair, Luis E. Raez, MD FACP FCCP, Member of the GRACE Board of Directors, President of the Florida Society of Clinical Oncology (FLASCO), and Chief Scientific Officer & Medical Director at Memorial Cancer Institute. This day-long event featured top oncologists in their field, presenting the most current and emerging information in targeted therapies for patients and caregivers living with lung cancer. In this video from the EGFR…

GRACE is excited to bring you a new series on current updates in Melanoma Treatment. Meredith McKean MD, MPH with Tennessee Oncology, Michael Postow, MD Chief of Melanoma Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering, and Sanjiv Agarwala, MD, Professor of Medical Oncology and Hematology at Temple University School of Medicine in Easton, PA joined GRACE to discuss current updates in treatment for Melanoma. In this video, Dr. Postow discusses first line therapy for BRAF positive metastatic melanoma. A huge thank you to Merck for sponsoring this program. For more, please visit http://cancerGRACE.org/. To join the conversation, visit https://cancergrace.org/forum.

GRACE is excited to bring you a new series on current updates in Melanoma Treatment. Meredith McKean MD, MPH with Tennessee Oncology, Michael Postow, MD Chief of Melanoma Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering, and Sanjiv Agarwala, MD, Professor of Medical Oncology and Hematology at Temple University School of Medicine in Easton, PA joined GRACE to discuss current updates in treatment for Melanoma. In this video, Dr. Postow discusses understanding immunotherapy resistance mechanisms in melanoma. A huge thank you to Merck for sponsoring this program. For more, please visit http://cancerGRACE.org/. To join the conversation, visit https://cancergrace.org/forum.

GRACE is excited to bring you a new series on current updates in Melanoma Treatment. Meredith McKean MD, MPH with Tennessee Oncology, Michael Postow, MD Chief of Melanoma Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering, and Sanjiv Agarwala, MD, Professor of Medical Oncology and Hematology at Temple University School of Medicine in Easton, PA joined GRACE to discuss current updates in treatment for Melanoma. In this video, Dr. Postow discusses future prospects for immunotherapy agents in advanced melanoma. A huge thank you to Merck for sponsoring this program. For more, please visit http://cancerGRACE.org/. To join the conversation, visit https://cancergrace.org/forum.

Julio Chavez, MD from Moffitts Cancer Center & Research Institute speaks about U.S. FDA Approves Yescarta® for Relapsed or Refractory Follicular Lymphoma After Two or More Lines of Systemic Therapy.Link to Press Release:https://www.gilead.com/news-and-press/press-room/press-releases/2021/3/us-fda-approves-yescarta-for-relapsed-or-refractory-follicular-lymphoma-after-two-or-more-lines-of-systemic-therapyYescarta® (axicabtagene ciloleucel) has been given accelerated clearance by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma (FL) following two or more lines of systemic therapy, according to Kite, a Gilead Company. Yescarta is the first chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy to be accepted for indolent follicular lymphoma patients after FDA Breakthrough Therapy Designation and a…

Linghua Wang, MD, PhD of MD Anderson speaks about Single-cell Analysis Of Metastatic Gastric Cancer Finds Diverse Tumor Cell Populations Associated With Patient Outcomes.Link to Article:https://www.mdanderson.org/newsroom/gastric-cancer-study-finds-diverse-tumor-cell-populations-linked-with-outcomes.h00-159457689.htmlResearchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center profiled over 45,000 individual cells from patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC), a form of metastatic gastric cancer, and discovered two distinct subtypes that were linked to patient survival.The researchers created and validated a gene expression signature capable of forecasting patient survival better than other clinical features based on their results, which were published today in Nature Medicine. This tool may be helpful in stratifying patients…

GRACE is excited to bring you a new series on current updates in Melanoma Treatment. Meredith McKean MD, MPH with Tennessee Oncology, Michael Postow, MD Chief of Melanoma Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering, and Sanjiv Agarwala, MD, Professor of Medical Oncology and Hematology at Temple University School of Medicine in Easton, PA joined GRACE to discuss current updates in treatment for Melanoma. In this video, Dr. McKean discusses if there is a role for molecular testing in early melanoma management. A huge thank you to Merck for sponsoring this program. For more, please visit http://cancerGRACE.org/. To join the conversation, visit…

GRACE is excited to bring you a new series on current updates in Melanoma Treatment. Meredith McKean MD, MPH with Tennessee Oncology, Michael Postow, MD Chief of Melanoma service at Memorial Sloan Kettering and Sanjiv Agarwala, MD, Professor of Medical Oncology and Hematology at Temple University School of Medicine in Easton, PA joined GRACE to discuss current updates in treatment for Melanoma. In this video, Dr. McKean discusses the current status of sentinel lymph node mapping and completion lymphadenectomy. A huge thank you to our sponsor, Merck! For more, please visit http://cancerGRACE.org/. To join the conversation, visit https://cancergrace.org/forum.

GRACE is excited to bring you a new series on current updates in Melanoma Treatment. Meredith McKean MD, MPH with Tennessee Oncology, Michael Postow, MD Chiefof Melanoma service at Memorial Sloan Kettering and Sanjiv Agarwala, MD, Professor of Medical Oncology and Hematology at Temple University School of Medicine in Easton, PA joined GRACE to discuss current updates in treatment for Melanoma. In this video, Dr. Agarwala discusses adjuvant therapy for melanoma. A huge thank you to our sponsor, Merck! For more, please visit http://cancerGRACE.org/. To join the conversation, visit https://cancergrace.org/forum.

GRACE is excited to bring you a new series on current updates in Melanoma Treatment. Meredith McKean MD, MPH with Tennessee Oncology, Michael Postow, MD Chiefof Melanoma service at Memorial Sloan Kettering and Sanjiv Agarwala, MD, Professor of Medical Oncology and Hematology at Temple University School of Medicine in Easton, PA joined GRACE to discuss current updates in treatment for Melanoma. In this video, Dr. McKean discusses combination immunotherapy vs. monotherapy for Metastatic Melanoma. A huge thank you to our sponsor, Merck! For more, please visit http://cancerGRACE.org/. To join the conversation, visit https://cancergrace.org/forum.

We are excited to be able to present final videos from this highly anticipated annual event, the 2020 Targeted Therapies Patient Forum. This year’s live-online presentations and discussions were launched by our Event Chair, Luis E. Raez, MD FACP FCCP, Member of the GRACE Board of Directors, President of the Florida Society of Clinical Oncology (FLASCO), and Chief Scientific Officer & Medical Director at Memorial Cancer Institute. This day-long event featured top oncologists in their field, presenting the most current and emerging information in targeted therapies for patients and caregivers living with lung cancer. Access to the full agenda can…

We are pleased to present this newest video series of updates from ASCO and ESMO 2020, with discussions on updates to head and neck cancer treatments and trials. Dr. Joshua Bauml, Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and Dr. Jared Weiss, Associate Professor of Medicine at UNC Chapel Hill and Vice President of the Board of GRACE chaired this program. Drs. Bauml and Weiss spoke with Dr. Kathryn Gold, Medical Oncologist and Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of California San Diego and Dr. Ranee Mehra, Professor of Medical Oncology at the University…

We are pleased to present this newest video series of updates from ASCO and ESMO 2020, with discussions on updates to head and neck cancer treatments and trials. Dr. Joshua Bauml, Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and Dr. Jared Weiss, Associate Professor of Medicine at UNC Chapel Hill and Vice President of the Board of GRACE chaired this program. Drs. Bauml and Weiss spoke with Dr. Kathryn Gold, Medical Oncologist and Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of California San Diego and Dr. Ranee Mehra, Professor of Medical Oncology at the University…

We are pleased to present this newest video series of updates from ASCO and ESMO 2020, with discussions on updates to head and neck cancer treatments and trials. Dr. Joshua Bauml, Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and Dr. Jared Weiss, Associate Professor of Medicine at UNC Chapel Hill and Vice President of the Board of GRACE chaired this program. Drs. Bauml and Weiss spoke with Dr. Kathryn Gold, Medical Oncologist and Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of California San Diego and Dr. Ranee Mehra, Professor of Medical Oncology at the University…

We are excited to be able to present final videos from this highly anticipated annual event, the 2020 Targeted Therapies Patient Forum. This year’s live-online presentations and discussions were launched by our Event Chair, Luis E. Raez, MD FACP FCCP, Member of the GRACE Board of Directors, President of the Florida Society of Clinical Oncology (FLASCO), and Chief Scientific Officer & Medical Director at Memorial Cancer Institute. This day-long event featured top oncologists in their field, presenting the most current and emerging information in targeted therapies for patients and caregivers living with lung cancer. Access to the full agenda can…

We are excited to be able to present final videos from this highly anticipated annual event, the 2020 Targeted Therapies Patient Forum. This year’s live-online presentations and discussions were launched by our Event Chair, Luis E. Raez, MD FACP FCCP, Member of the GRACE Board of Directors, President of the Florida Society of Clinical Oncology (FLASCO), and Chief Scientific Officer & Medical Director at Memorial Cancer Institute. This day-long event featured top oncologists in their field, presenting the most current and emerging information in targeted therapies for patients and caregivers living with lung cancer. Access to the full agenda can…

We are excited to be able to present final videos from this highly anticipated annual event, the 2020 Targeted Therapies Patient Forum. This year’s live-online presentations and discussions were launched by our Event Chair, Luis E. Raez, MD FACP FCCP, Member of the GRACE Board of Directors, President of the Florida Society of Clinical Oncology (FLASCO), and Chief Scientific Officer & Medical Director at Memorial Cancer Institute. This day-long event featured top oncologists in their field, presenting the most current and emerging information in targeted therapies for patients and caregivers living with lung cancer. Access to the full agenda can…

Petros Grivas, MD, Ph.D. Department Of Medicine, Division Of Medical Oncology, University of Washington; Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, and Ali Raza Khaki, MD Stanford (Clinical Assistant Professor, Medicine – Oncology) speaks about A New Prognostic Model in Patients with Advanced Urothelial Carcinoma Treated with First-line Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors.Link to Article:https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2588931120302145?dgcid=authorSummaryBackground information -Although immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are approved in the first-line (1L) setting for cisplatin-intolerant patients with PD-L1-positive tumors or for platinum (cisplatin/carboplatin)-intolerant patients, reaction rates are modest and results are variable, with no clinically useful biomarkers (except for PD-L1).The goal is to -In a multicenter cohort study, we…

Zhen Han, assistant research professor at City of Hope, and Christiane Querfeld, MD, Ph.D., director of the Cutaneous Lymphoma Program at City of Hope speaks about AACR 2021 – Abstract: 2759 – Reprogramming of PD1+ M2-like tumor-associated macrophages with anti-PD-L1 and Lenalidomide in cutaneous T cell lymphoma.   Link to Abstract: https://www.abstractsonline.com/pp8/#!/9325/presentation/4036   Synopsis:   TAMs, or M2-like tumor-associated macrophages, are abundant and affect the progression of cutaneous T cell lymphoma (CTCL) by causing immunosuppression. While it is well-founded that M2-like TAMs depletion inhibits CTCL growth, little is known about the underlying mechanisms that form the PD1+ M2-like TAMs phenotype…

Xiuning Le, MD, Ph.D., Department of Thoracic-Head and Neck Med Onc, Division of Cancer Medicine MD Anderson speaks about Tepotinib Phase II in NSCLC Harboring MET Alterations (VISION). Link to the Trial:https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02864992 Brief Synopsis: The VISION Study is a phase two, single-arm, multi-center, global trial that evaluated the efficacy of tepotinib, a small molecule inhibitor targeting MET, in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) exhibiting MET exon 14 skipping alterations. This trial allowed enrollment of patients identified with MET exon 14 alterations in their lung cancer, detected either through tissue biopsy or circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) via liquid biopsy,…

Li Du, Ph.D. City of Hope speaks about AACR 2021 Abstract – 1329 – SUMOylation Inhibition Overcomes Dexamethasone Resistance In Multiple Myeloma.Link to Abstract:https://www.abstractsonline.com/pp8/#!/9325/presentation/2180Synopsis:Multiple myeloma (MM), the second most prevalent hematopoietic cancer, is also incurable when patients relapse after reacting to treatment. Dexamethasone (Dex) is a corticosteroid that has been commonly used to treat multiple sclerosis (MM) as a single agent or in conjunction with other medications. In MM, however, both inherent and acquired Dex tolerance is linked to a weak prognosis. As a result, there is a constant need for the discovery of Dex resistance mechanisms and the development…

Dawn Marie Stull Medical Science Liaison at Takeda Pharmaceuticals speaks about Ixazomib-lenalidomide-dexamethasone in routine clinical practice: effectiveness in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma.Link to Study:https://www.futuremedicine.com/doi/10.2217/FON-2020-1225Goal:The aim of this study was to see whether ixazomib-lenalidomide-dexamethasone (IRd) was successful and healthy in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma patients in routine clinical practice. Patients and procedures: Data from the INSIGHT MM global retrospective study and the Czech Registry of Monoclonal Gammopathies were combined and analyzed at the patient level. At the time of the data cut-off, 263 patients from 13 countries were included in the study. The median time from diagnosis to the start of IRd was…

Brigitte Widemann, MD, Deputy Director, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute speaks about Selumetinib in Children with Inoperable Plexiform Neurofibromas.Link to the Study:https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32187457/ Link to The Clinical Research Foundation is proud to announce the 2021 finalists for the Top 10 Clinical Research Achievement Awards : https://www.clinicalresearchforum.org/page/2021Top10Finalists SummaryBackground information:In patients with neurofibromatosis type 1, there are no accepted treatments for inoperable plexiform neurofibromas.Methodologies:We performed an open-label, phase 2 trial of selumetinib to evaluate the objective reaction rate and assess clinical advantage in patients with plexiform neurofibromas. On a constant dosing regimen, children with neurofibromatosis type 1 and symptomatic inoperable plexiform…

Robert Seitz, Head of Immune Oncology at Oncocyte speaks about AACR 2021 Abstract: 23 – Validation of a 27-gene immuno-oncology algorithm in metastatic urothelial carcinoma treated with an immune checkpoint inhibitor.Link to Abstract:https://www.abstractsonline.com/pp8/#!/9325/presentation/1088Synopsis:ForegroundPatients of metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC) have a poor prognosis, with just around 10% of patients remaining two years after diagnosis. The IMvigor210 study included patients with mUC who were treated with the immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) atezolizumab in a multicenter, single-arm, phase 2 trial. This trial’s RNA expression, total survival, tumor mutation burden (TMB), and PD-L1 IHC results are all open to the public. Using three related…

Valeria Arango Velez, MD, Founder, Healing Presents speaks about being This Years Astellas Oncology C3 Prize – Innovation Prize Winner.Astellas C3 Prize:https://astellasoncology.com/c3prize?fbclid=IwAR1ce6L5ElZOgBG9_SoIc3XCNQgeX0Qmv3DGX7S2mZORjUB3tH1y_933qzoHealing Presents:https://healingpresents.co/Download On Google Play:https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=iglab.mobile.baobabapp&hl=es_DODownload On App Store:https://apps.apple.com/co/app/healing-presents/id1484400672Idea: A mind-body therapy app that will help cancer patients overcome obstacles and boost their diagnosis and overall experience.Healing Presents is a mobile cancer app that combines mind-body therapy to promote understanding, quality of life, and psycho-physiological well-being during the cancer journey.It’s been carefully crafted to assist with emotional difficulties and is intended to enhance cancer patients’ diagnosis and overall experience.Dr. Valeria Arango Velez knows firsthand the emotional demands that people face…

John Baird, MD, Fellow in Hematology/Medical Oncology at Stanford Cancer Center speaks about the Retrospective Study: Immune Reconstitution And Infectious Complications Following Axicabtagene Ciloleucel Therapy For Large B-cell Lymphoma.Link to Article:https://ashpublications.org/bloodadvances/article/5/1/143/474814/Immune-reconstitution-and-infectious-complicationsPoints to Remember* Delayed CD4+ T-cell recovery after CD19-directed CAR T-cell therapy increases the risk of opportunistic infections by up to a year.* Antimicrobial prophylaxis, immunoglobulin replacement, and growth factor use after axi-cel can help to reduce nonrelapse morbidity and mortality.SummaryIn the treatment of refractory or relapsed large B-cell lymphoma, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy targeting CD19 has greatly improved outcomes (LBCL). In 41 patients with LBCL treated with…

Brian Rini, MD Professor of Medicine from Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center speaks about AVEO Oncology Announces U.S. FDA Approval of FOTIVDA® (tivozanib) for the Treatment of Adult Patients with Relapsed or Refractory Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma.Link to Press Release:https://investor.aveooncology.com/news-releases/news-release-details/aveo-oncology-announces-us-fda-approval-fotivdar-tivozanibFOTIVDA was approved based on the results of AVEO’s pivotal Phase 3 trial, TIVO-3, which compared FOTIVDA to sorafenib in patients with relapsed or refractory advanced RCC who had received two or more prior systemic therapies. Three additional RCC trials back up the submission, which contains safety evidence from over 1,000 clinical trial participants.Patients in the TIVO-3 study (n=350)…

Christine Brown, Ph.D. Deputy Director, T Cell Therapeutics Research Laboratory; Professor, Departments of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation and Immuno-Oncology and Darya Alizadeh, Ph.D. assistant research professor in the Department of Hematology & Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation at speaks about AACR 2021 Abstract – CAR T Cell Therapy Reshapes Tumor Microenvironment In Glioblastoma.Link to Abstract:https://www.abstractsonline.com/pp8/#!/9325/presentation/1124SummaryCAR T cell therapy is gaining traction as a promising cancer treatment choice, with the potential to open up new therapeutic possibilities for people with glioblastoma (GBM) and other solid tumors. Although early clinical trials of CAR T cell therapy in GBM have shown that it is…

Jacob J. Adashek, DO University of South Florida, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute discusses the AARC 2021 Abstract – The Landscape Of 2,706 RET Alterations From 89,754 Adult Patients With Cancer: Clinical Implications.Abstract• Mutations and fusions in the activating receptor-tyrosine kinase rearranged during transfection (RET) have been identified as active drivers of oncogenesis in a variety of cancers.• The FDA has approved selpercatinib and pralsetinib as highly potent and selective RET inhibitors for RE110111 fusion+ NSCLC and selpercatinib for RET+ thyroid cancers.• A systematic review of RET alterations in pan-cancer adult malignancies is presented here.Patients and Procedures•…

Jacob J. Adashek, DO University of South Florida, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute discusses AARC 2021 Abstract – Pan-cancer Efficacy Of BRAF and/or MEK Inhibitors In BRAF V600-mutant Multiple Non-melanoma Cancers: A Clinico-genomic Study.Abstract• BRAF and MEK inhibitors have been approved by the FDA for melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer, and anaplastic thyroid cancer. • The lack of clinical value issue-agnostic BRAF inhibition in RAF V600+ colorectal cancer (CRC) has stopped its success as an issue-agnostic treatment.•The BRAF pathway inhibition is involved in over 20 different cancer forms, according to the Vemurafenib-Basket report and the NCI-match trial.Patients…

Loretta Erhunmwunsee, MD Assistant Professor, Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery; Assistant Professor, Division of Health Equities, Department of Population Sciences from the City of Hope speaks about Neighborhood Disadvantage Linked To Aggressive Non-small Cell Lung Cancer.Link to Abstract:https://www.abstractsonline.com/pp8/#!/9325/presentation/1832SummaryThe first paragraph is an introduction.In the United States, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death. Though smoking is still the leading cause of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), there is less research on the role of negative social circumstances and neighborhood socioeconomic status (nSES) in the production of particular NSCLC somatic mutations. Economic, housing, education, transportation, and environmental…

Dr med Florian Moik from the Medical University of Vienna, Department of Medicine I, Division of Haematology and Haemostaseology, Comprehensive Cancer Center Vienna, Vienna, Austria speaks about the Incidence, Risk Factors, And Outcomes Of Venous And Arterial Thromboembolism In Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy.Link to Article:https://ashpublications.org/blood/article/137/12/1669/469619/Incidence-risk-factors-and-outcomes-of-venous-andPoints to Remember:* Patients taking immune checkpoint inhibitors for cancer are at a higher risk of developing VTE/ATE.* VTE caused by immune checkpoint inhibitors has a poor prognosis and is difficult to predict.Synopsis:Immune checkpoint inhibitors are currently associated with a risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) and arterial thromboembolism (ATE). The aim of this study was to…

Alessandra Larocca, MD, Ph.D. from the University of Torino, AOU S.Giovanni Battista, TORINO, Italy speaks about Dose/Schedule-Adjusted Rd-R vs Continuous Rd for elderly, intermediate-fit, newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients.Link to Article:https://ashpublications.org/blood/article-abstract/doi/10.1182/blood.2020009507/475576/Dose-Schedule-Adjusted-Rd-R-vs-Continuous-Rd-for?redirectedFrom=fulltextPoints to RememberIn intermediate-fit elderly NDMM, dose/schedule-adjusted Rd-R prolonged EFS while causing similar PFS and OS to normal continuous Rd.For elderly multiple myeloma (MM) patients, lenalidomide-dexamethasone (Rd) is a common therapy. We compared the effectiveness and feasibility of a dose/schedule-adjusted Rd followed by maintenance 10 mg/day without dexamethasone (Rd-R) vs continuous Rd in elderly, intermediate-fit newly diagnosed MM patients in this randomized, phase III trial. The primary endpoint was event-free…

Iván Márquez Rodas MD, Ph.D. of the Medical Oncology Department, Hospital Gregorio Marañon, Madrid, Spain Speaks about Highlight & Pivotal start Phase IIa Melanoma Trial.Link to Article:https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2021/03/02/2185058/0/en/Highlight-Pivotal-start-Phase-IIa-melanoma-trial.htmlHighlight Therapeutics and Pivotal collaborate on melanoma therapy, launching a Phase IIa study to assess the effectiveness and safety of BO-112.* In unresectable or metastatic melanoma patients, the trial would look at using Highlight’s BO-112 in conjunction with an anti-PD1 drug.* In Spain and France, recruitment has already started in 19 top-level centers.* Despite the ongoing difficulties faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, there were no gaps in recruitment.Highlight Therapeutics, Inc. (“Highlight”), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical…

Mandana Emamzadeh, Ph.D., Pharma Analyst at GlobalData speaks about New Standard Of Care In Hepatocellular Carcinoma Shifts The Treatment Paradigm To A Grey Area, Says GlobalData.Link to Article:https://www.globaldata.com/new-standard-care-hepatocellular-carcinoma-shifts-treatment-paradigm-grey-area-says-globaldata/According to GlobalData, a leading data, and analytics firm, the approval of Roche’s Avastin (bevacizumab) plus Tecentriq (atezolizumab), in addition to the long list of pipeline drugs, opens up holes in the care model about the sequence of treatments.Mandana Emamzadeh, Ph.D., Pharma Analyst at GlobalData, comments, “The hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) market is evolving swiftly after the May 2020 FDA approval of Roche’s Avastin (bevacizumab) + Tecentriq (atezolizumab). The combination replaced the prior standard…

Rimas V. Lukas, MD from Northwestern Medicine speaks about Nonmalignant Brain Tumors.Link to Abstract:https://journals.lww.com/continuum/Fulltext/2020/12000/Nonmalignant_Brain_Tumors.6.aspxSUMMARY:REVIEW’S OBJECTIVEMeningioma, pituitary adenoma, craniopharyngioma, and glioneuronal tumors are all discussed in this article, as well as their diagnosis and treatment.RECENT RESULTSMeningiomas and pituitary adenomas are two types of brain tumors that are widespread. These lesions are often discovered by chance on imaging as patients are being examined for a variety of symptoms and signs. Despite being non-cancerous, these tumors may cause substantial morbidity due to their location and the resulting secondary symptoms. These tumors may sometimes develop into malignant variants. Surgical techniques allow more complete resections…

Matteo Lambertini, MD, Ph.D. from San Martino Hospital Genoa and the University of Genoa speaks about the Exploratory Analysis: Unexpected findings on weight loss and breast cancer from international study in JNCCN.Link to Press Release:https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-02/nccn-ufo021621.phpIn a report published in the February 2021 issue of JNCCN—Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, researchers looked at BMI data for people with HER2-positive early breast cancer and discovered that a 5% weight loss in patients over two years was related to worse outcomes. Over the same time span, weight gain had little effect on survival rates.”The finding that weight loss, and not weight…

Hosts Jack West and Charu Aggarwal speak with radiation oncology experts David Palma of the London Health Sciences Centre and Puneeth Iyengar of University of Texas-Southwestern about the functional definition and treatment of oligometastatic cancer.

Paul G. Richardson, MD from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute speaks about FDA Approves Oncopeptides´ PEPAXTO® (melphalan flufenamide) for Patients with Triple-Class Refractory Multiple Myeloma.Link to Article:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fda-approves-oncopeptides-pepaxto-melphalan-flufenamide-for-patients-with-triple-class-refractory-multiple-myeloma-301237310.htmlThe U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved PEPAXTO® (melphalan flufenamide), also known as melflufen during clinical development, in combination with dexamethasone for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who have rectal bleeding. Based on the HORIZON trial, this indication has been given accelerated approval. PEPAXTO is the first anticancer peptide-drug conjugate that has been approved for the treatment of multiple myeloma.”While the treatment landscape for multiple myeloma has dramatically…

Satish Shah, MD, Medical Director, Gettysburg Cancer Center speaks about Theratechnologies Announces First Patient Dosed in Phase 1 Clinical Trial of TH1902 for Sortilin Positive Solid Tumors.Link to Article:http://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2021/03/24/2198364/0/en/Theratechnologies-Announces-First-Patient-Dosed-in-Phase-1-Clinical-Trial-of-TH1902-for-Sortilin-Positive-Solid-Tumors.htmlTheratechnologies Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focusing on the discovery and commercialization of novel therapies, is pleased to report that the first patient was given a dose of TH1902, the company’s lead peptide-drug conjugate (PDC) for the treatment of sortilin positive (SORT1+) solid tumors.TH1902 is a fictional character.Theratechnologies’ patented peptide is combined with docetaxel in TH1902. TH1902 was recently granted fast track approval by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a…

Omolola Salako, MBBS, FWACS, Founder and CEO, Oncopadi Technologies speaks about the Astellas Oncology C3 Prize – This Years Grand Prize Winner.The Astellas Oncology C3 Prize, launched in 2016, is a global challenge that aims to address the complexities of the cancer journey by funding the best ideas in cancer care beyond medicine. The C3 Prize sparks innovative developments in cancer care, tackling cancer challenges by awarding the winners with grants and connecting them with resources and support.Link to Astellas C3 Prize:http://www.c3prize.com/Link To Oncopadi:https://oncopadi.com/Link to the Apple App Store:https://apps.apple.com/kw/app/oncopadi/id1534418355Link to Google Play:https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.oncopadi.orgIdea: An app that connects cancer patients with the…

Tito R. Mendoza, Ph.D., MS, MEd from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center speaks about Associations between the gut microbiome and fatigue in cancer patients.Links Mentioned in Question 1:https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0923753419357151Andhttps://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1003466Link to Article:https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-84783-9/metricsAccess and Citations: Web of Science and CrossRef have citation counts. The counts may differ by service and are dependent on the data’s availability. Counts will be updated on a regular basis once they become accessible. Online Attention: Altmetric assigns a score to an article based on the amount of online attention it gets. Each particular type of online attention is represented by a different colored thread in…

Santhosh Upadhyaya, MD, Pediatric Hematologist from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital speaks about ATRT molecular groups: looking at the biology from the clinic.Link to Article:https://www.stjude.org/media-resources/news-releases/2021-medicine-science-news/atrt-molecular-groups-looking-at-the-biology-from-the-clinic.htmlAtypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor (ATRT) is a rare form of brain tumor that often affects children. Scientists at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital studied the molecular groups of ATRT and correlated them with clinical results using evidence from two clinical trials. Clinical Cancer Research, a publication of the American Association for Cancer Research, published a paper outlining the findings today.“If you look at the biology of ATRT, we have learned in the last few years that…

Lisa McKenzie, Founder, and Executive Producer, You Night Empowering Events speaks about being This Years Astellas Oncology C3 Prize – Innovation Prize Winner. The Astellas Oncology C3 Prize, launched in 2016, is a global challenge that aims to address the complexities of the cancer journey by funding the best ideas in cancer care beyond medicine. The C3 Prize sparks innovative developments in cancer care, tackling cancer challenges by awarding the winners with grants and connecting them with resources and support.Link to Astellas C3 Prize:http://www.c3prize.com/Link to You Night:https://www.younightevents.com/Idea: A narrative therapy storytelling course that helps cancer patients express their life journeys, find inner…

Douglas Johnson, MD, MSCI, associate professor of Medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and clinical director of Melanoma at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center speaks about Forty-three Percent Of Melanoma Patients Have Chronic Complications From Immunotherapies.Link to Article:https://news.vumc.org/2021/03/25/forty-three-percent-of-melanoma-patients-have-chronic-complications-from-immunotherapies/According to a report published March 25 in JAMA Oncology, chronic side effects among melanoma survivors treated with anti-PD-1 immunotherapies are more frequent than previously thought.Chronic complications, which affected 43% of patients, mainly affected the joints and endocrine system, with salivary glands, lungs, peripheral nerves, and other organs coming in second and third. Just 14% of cases were resolved at the last follow-up, indicating that…

Jennifer C. King, Ph.D. CFO of the GO2 Foundation speaks about GO2 Foundation Leads Study to Improve Participation of Black Communities in Lung Cancer Clinical Trials.Link to Article:https://www.interventionaloncology360.com/content/go2-foundation-leads-study-improve-participation-black-communities-lung-cancer-clinicalThe GO2 Foundation for Lung Cancer (GO2 Foundation) has announced its participation in the launch of a major multi-institutional study to see how to increase Black community participation in lung cancer clinical trials.Although total cancer patient participation in clinical trials in the United States is extremely low, at around 8%1, it is even lower among racial and ethnic minority groups. Just about 6% of patients who participate in clinical trials are Black, 3%…

Allison W. Kurian, MD, MSc from Stanford University California speaks about Genetic Testing for Breast and Ovarian Cancer: What Has Changed and What Still Needs To Change?Link to Article:https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/947040A major retrospective review illustrates how germline genetic testing in women with breast or ovarian cancer has progressed over time, as well as a way forward for testing these patients.Researchers discovered racial and ethnic differences in genetic testing, as well as “persistent underuse” of testing in ovarian cancer patients.The researchers also discovered that the majority of pathogenic variant (PV) findings came from 20 genes linked to breast and/or ovarian cancer, while testing…

Russell Langan, M.D., Chief of Surgical Oncology and Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery at Saint Barnabas Medical Center, an RWJBarnabas Health facility, and Surgical Oncologist at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey speaks about RWJBarnabas Health Pioneers Innovative Pancreatic Cyst Surveillance Program.Link to Article:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rwjbarnabas-health-pioneers-innovative-pancreatic-cyst-surveillance-program-301245061.htmlIn order to classify, track, follow, and monitor patients with pancreatic cysts, Saint Barnabas Medical Center (SBMC), an RWJBarnabas Health facility, developed one of the first cloud-based data management systems in the world. SBMC’s Pancreatic Cyst Surveillance Program, which has a specific collaboration with Eon, a healthcare technology company, detects patients when incidental scans, such as an MRI, CT scan,…

Veerle Groen, MD from the University Medical Center Utrecht, Radiation Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands speaks about Focal Boost to the Intraprostatic Tumor in External Beam Radiotherapy for Patients With Localized Prostate Cancer: Results From the FLAME Randomized Phase III Trial.Link to Study:https://ascopubs.org/doi/abs/10.1200/JCO.20.02873BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE OBJECTIVEThe aim of this study is to see whether using external beam radiotherapy to improve the macroscopic visible tumor improves biochemical disease-free survival (bDFS) in patients with localized prostate cancer.PATIENTS AND TECHNIQUESBetween 2009 and 2015, 571 patients with low- and high-risk prostate cancer were enrolled in phase III, multicenter, randomized managed Focal Lesion Ablative Microboost…

An international team of researchers led by scientists from the University of California San Diego School of Medicine and Moores Cancer Center explain how pancreatic cancer cells use an alternative method to find essential nutrients, defying current therapies, to help them develop and spread in new findings published online March 18, 2021 in the journal Cancer Cell. Pancreatic cancer makes up about 3% of all cancers in the United States, but it is one of the most aggressive and lethal, accounting for 7% of all cancer deaths per year. Pancreatic cancer is particularly deadly after it has spread, with survival…

What is the C3 Prizeâ„¢?   Cancer is a difficult disease to understand. Astellas Oncology acknowledges the complexity of the cancer journey – people with cancer need intensive treatment in addition to medication.   That’s why we’ve committed to supporting big ideas that go beyond medicine to address daily problems in cancer care. By awarding $200,000 in grants and funding to advance innovations that have a significant impact in the cancer world, the C3 (Changing Cancer Treatment) Prize fosters the growth of inventions to transform cancer care for people with cancer, families, and their loved ones. The C3 Prize explicitly…

Prof. Giorgio Scagliotti Professor of Medical Oncology from the Università di Torino speaks about IASLC Statement on the Updated United States Preventive Task Force Guidelines on Lung Cancer Screening.Link to Article:https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/lung-cancer-screeningRecommendation Summary:* Adults aged 50 to 80 who have smoked for at least 20 years and are either smoking or have quit during the last 15 years.*The USPSTF recommends annual lung cancer screening with low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) in adults aged 50 to 80 who have smoked for 20 years and are either smoking or have quit during the last 15 years. Once a person has not smoked for 15…

Sherif Badawy, MD from Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago speaks about A systematic review of quality of life in sickle cell disease and thalassemia after stem cell transplant or gene therapy.Link to Article:https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33496753/SummaryPatients with sickle cell disease (SCD) and thalassemia face a variety of complications during their lives, which result in impairment in various aspects of health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Curative therapies for patients with SCD and thalassemia, such as hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) and gene therapy, are gaining popularity; however, the impact of these treatments on different HRQOL domains is unknown. Our aim…

Richard T. Lee, MD from Case Western Reserve University speaks about Familiarity With Complementary and Integrative Therapies Among Patients With Cancer and Caregivers.Link to Article:https://ascopost.com/news/february-2021/familiarity-with-complementary-and-integrative-therapies-among-patients-with-cancer-and-caregivers/The research consisted of a survey of patients and caregivers about five complementary and integrative medicine treatments offered at University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center in Cleveland: acupuncture, massage, meditation, music therapy, and yoga.The survey was performed by 464 patients and 112 caregivers, for a total of 576 surveys. 65.6 percent of respondents were White, 57.2 percent were female, 74.2 percent had been a patient for less than three years, 73.8 percent had some college education, and…

Drs. Aggarwal & West welcome Drs. Jerad Gardner from Geisenger Medical Labs & Sanjay Mukhopadyay from Cleveland Clinic as they discuss different platforms for education, from textbooks to Instagram, for medical education & a community around it.

Xiaoqiang Wang, MD, Ph.D., MB (ASCP) from the City of Hope speaks about White button mushrooms could slow progression of prostate cancer.Washington, D.C.— According to a mouse study presented digitally at ENDO 2021, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting, chemicals found in white button mushrooms may slow the progression of prostate cancer.“Androgens, a type of male sex hormone, promote the growth of prostate cancer cells by binding to and activating the androgen receptor, a protein that is expressed in prostate cells,” said lead researcher Xiaoqiang Wang, M.D., Ph.D., M.B. (A.S.C.P.), of the Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, a comprehensive…

Bradley McGregor, MD of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute speaks about Nivolumab plus Cabozantinib versus Sunitinib for Advanced Renal-Cell Carcinoma.Link to Article:https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2026982?query=TOCSynopsis:BACKGROUND: In the treatment of previously untreated advanced renal-cell carcinoma, the efficacy and protection of nivolumab plus cabozantinib have not been compared to those of sunitinib.METHODS: We randomly assigned adults with previously untreated clear-cell, advanced renal-cell carcinoma to receive either nivolumab (240 mg every 2 weeks) plus cabozantinib (40 mg once daily) or sunitinib in this phase 3 randomized, open-label study (50 mg once daily for 4 weeks of each 6-week cycle). The primary outcome measure was progression-free survival, which…

Lucas W. Thornblade, MD, MPH of the City of Hope speaks about Patterns of Whole Genome Sequencing and Actionable Mutations in Resected Cholangiocarcinoma.

Jonathan Simons, MD, President, and CEO of the Prostate Cancer Foundation speaks about Study Training Dogs to Detect Prostate Cancer Gets One Paw Closer to a ‘Robotic Nose’ to Diagnose the Disease, Including Most Lethal Form.Link to Article:https://www.pcf.org/news/study-training-dogs-to-detect-prostate-cancer-gets-one-paw-closer-to-a-robotic-nose-to-diagnose-the-disease-including-most-lethal-form/Link to Study:https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0245530SummaryIn the developed world, prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in men. Beyond serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) population screening, a more sensitive and specific detection strategy for lethal prostate cancer is urgently required. Canine olfaction diagnosis has been shown to be both specific and sensitive by using dogs trained to detect cancer by smell. Although dogs as…

I think the field of cancer and in particular, head neck cancer has been. Somewhat revolutionized with the introduction of immunotherapy. We now use single agent TD1 therapies first line with KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab). However, responses or activity is modest. We only have a response rate to about 16 to 18% with single agent pembrolizumab and the big unmet need in the field is what can we do better? How can we improve? What is arguably a dramatic impact on survival, long term survival in a very tolerable treatment. So, there is just an announcement about a new study coming from…

Amar Gajjar, MD from the Division of Neuro Oncology, Department of Oncology, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital discusses Outcomes by Clinical and Molecular Features in Children With Medulloblastoma Treated With Risk-Adapted Therapy: Results of an International Phase III Trial (SJMB03).Link to Abstract:https://ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/JCO.20.01372SUMMARY -SJMB03 (identifier: NCT00085202 on ClinicalTrials.gov) was a phase III risk-adapted study that aimed to evaluate the prevalence and clinical significance of biological variants and genetic abnormalities in medulloblastoma.PATIENTS AND METHODS: Based on DNA methylation profiles and gene mutations from next-generation sequencing, medulloblastomas were molecularly categorized into subgroups (Wingless [WNT], Sonic Hedgehog [SHH], group 3, and group 4) and subtypes.…

Christopher I. Amos, Ph.D. from the Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine speaks about Rare deleterious germline variants and risk of lung cancer.Link to Article:https://www.nature.com/articles/s41698-021-00146-7?utm_source=npjprecisiononcology_etoc&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=toc_41698_5_1&utm_content=20210223&WT.ec_id=NPJPRECISIONONCOLOGY-202102&sap-outbound-id=3CE5A229F481449C68380549104640E9DD54E0A1Abstract:Recent research suggests that rare variants have larger effect sizes and may play a key role in lung cancer etiology (LC). In the discovery package, 1045 LC cases and 885 controls were given whole-exome sequencing as well as targeted germline DNA sequencing. We based on rare and predicted deleterious variants and small indels enriched in cases or controls to uncover the inherited causal variants. In a sequence of 26,803…

Ethan Basch, MD, MSc from the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina speaks about the Benefits of Digital Symptom Monitoring With Patient-Reported Outcomes During Adjuvant Cancer Treatment.Link to Article:https://ascopubs.org/doi/full/10.1200/JCO.20.03375In prospective randomized trials and population studies, digital symptom tracking through electronic patient-reported outcomes (PROs) has been shown to improve outcomes for adults with metastatic cancer undergoing systemic care, including symptom management, quality of life, emergency department visits, time on treatment, and survival. 1–8 This technique allows care teams to intervene early and avoid preventable downstream complications by detecting symptoms early. 9 It is well known that up to half…

Synopsis:   The most common symptom of cancer and its treatments is fatigue. In patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and other neuropsychiatric conditions, as well as cancer patients, changes in the intestinal microbiome have been discovered. The connection between the intestinal microbiome and fatigue in patients with advanced cancers, on the other hand, has not been studied. Understanding the connection between the microbiome of the intestine and fatigue will allow for interventional and therapeutic opportunities to manipulate the microbiome to enhance fatigue and other patient-reported outcomes. The aim of this study was to see if there were any links between…

Jennifer Ribeiro, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology (Research) at Brown University and Women & Infants speaks about the New Data Published from Women & Infants Hospital Demonstrate Utility of Predictive Immune Modeling in Ovarian Cancer.Link to Article:https://cofactorgenomics.reportablenews.com/pr/new-data-published-from-women-infants-hospitalMarch 8, 2021 – PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Cofactor Genomics, the company bridging the precision medicine gap, announced today that Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island reported new data in Frontiers in Oncology1. The findings demonstrate the value of Cofactor’s Predictive Immune Modeling technology in elucidating the immune environment of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) for the creation of immunotherapies and identifying prognostic…

Joel Neal, MD, Ph.D., Associate Professor Of Medicine (Oncology) from Stanford Cancer Institute/Stanford University speaks about Randomized Phase II Study of 3 Months or 2 Years of Adjuvant Afatinib in Patients With Surgically Resected Stage I-III EGFR-Mutant Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer. Link to Article:https://ascopubs.org/doi/abs/10.1200/PO.20.00301Synopsis:OBJECTIVEMultiple studies suggest that epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) can delay cancer recurrence in patients with surgically resected disease. The amount of time that therapy must last in order to be effective is unknown.SUMMARYPatients with completely resected stage IA-IIIB EGFR-mutant non–small-cell lung cancer (American Joint Committee on Cancer 7th edition) after stage-appropriate standard-of-care adjuvant…

According to new research published in the January 2021 issue of JNCCN—Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, more than a third of qualified people skip colorectal cancer screenings, and at least a fifth tend to miss breast and cervical cancer screenings. The findings are based on self-reported results from the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) from 2007 to 2016, and come from the University of Alberta, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry in Alberta, Canada. The findings also point to evidence of screening differences being related to lower socioeconomic status and identifiable minority ethnicity, according to the author, echoing a…

Manish A. Shah, MD from Weill Cornell Medicine and New York-Presbyterian discuss the ASCO Pubs – Phase III Study to Evaluate Efficacy and Safety of Andecaliximab With mFOLFOX6 as First-Line Treatment in Patients With Advanced Gastric or GEJ Adenocarcinoma (GAMMA-1).Link to Report -https://ascopubs.org/doi/full/10.1200/JCO.20.02755Synopsis:PURPOSE: Andecaliximab (ADX) is a monoclonal antibody that inhibits matrix metalloproteinase 9, an extracellular enzyme that plays a role in tumor development, metastasis, and matrix remodeling. In patients with gastric or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinoma, a phase I and Ib analysis of modified oxaliplatin, leucovorin, and fluorouracil (mFOLFOX6) with ADX showed promising antitumor activity.MATERIALS AND METHODS: The efficacy…

Flavio G. Rocha, MD, FACS, FSSO from the Division of Surgical Oncology, Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR speaks about the Landmark Series: Immunotherapy and Targeted Therapy for Pancreatic Cancer.Link to Abstract -https://link.springer.com/epdf/10.1245/s10434-020-09367-9?sharing_token=T1DbAW-SKQAdCafzel6OglR9MmLxJfDmU1c3CqwK5f1yZ-hyeGTK4ebdX95t3PWt50cK40IC8QQqxqHX9BgGQ5ySYAGmXDtSWJV97c4LnQB0V8GJAM8I9zVRCLRBxikdE0DYp3b4GGisNenlciVlMoG_w8N4i8ulCVpLzQ6ViFw%3DSUMMARYDespite multimodality treatment, pancreatic cancer remains one of the most aggressive gastrointestinal cancers. Carcinogenesis is primarily induced by main driver mutations that can be targeted for oncologic therapy, according to genomic studies published in the last few years. Furthermore, advances in cancer immunology have identified receptors and monoclonal antibodies that can be used to manipulate the immune system of the host to treat cancer.…

Drs. Aggarwal and West welcome Dr. Vincent Rajkumar, Professor of Medicine and multiple myeloma from Mayo Clinic, as they discuss global oncology, academic publishing in a digital world, and advances in telemedicine in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Aditya Bardia, MD, MPH from Massachusetts General Hospital discusses SAR439859 Plus Palbociclib as First Line Therapy for Patients With ER(+) HER2(-) Advanced Breast Cancer (AMEERA-5).Link to the Trial:https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04478266The main goal is toTo see if amcenestrant (SAR439859) in combination with palbociclib enhances progression-free survival (PFS) as compared to letrozole in combination with palbociclib in people with ER+, HER2- advanced breast cancer who haven’t had any previous systemic anticancer therapy for advanced disease.* To compare overall survival in both treatment arms as a secondary goal.* To compare the objective response rates in the two treatment groups.* To see how long each treatment…

Professor Tony Hunter, Ph.D., and Rajasree Kalagiri, Ph.D. of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies discuss the article Salk team reveals never-before-seen antibody binding, informing both liver cancer and antibody design.Link to Article -https://www.salk.edu/news-release/salk-team-reveals-never-before-seen-antibody-binding-informing-both-liver-cancer-and-antibody-design/LA JOLLA (AP) — Some molecules in structural biology are so rare that they can only be captured using a specific collection of methods. That’s how a multi-institutional research team led by Salk scientists identified how antibodies recognize phosphohistidine, a highly unstable molecule implicated in cancers including liver and breast cancer and neuroblastoma.These findings will not only allow scientists to conduct more advanced research on phosphohistidine and…

Tyler Seibert, MD, Ph.D. Principal Investigator and Assistant Professor at UC San Diego School of Medicine and radiation oncologist at Moores Cancer Center at UC San Diego Health speaks about Genetic Tool Improves Estimation of Prostate Cancer Risk in Diverse Ethnic/Racial Groups.Link to Article -https://health.ucsd.edu/news/releases/Pages/2021-02-23-genetic-tool-improves-estimation-of-prostate-cancer-risk-in-diverse-ethnic-racial-groups.aspxLink to Study -https://rdcu.be/cfGMFAn international team led by scientists at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine has validated a more inclusive and systematic genetic method for predicting the age of onset of advanced prostate cancer, a disease that could kill over 33,000 men in the United States by 2020.The researchers identify the success…

Samuel R. Denmeade, MD of The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins discusses TRANSFORMER: A Randomized Phase II Study Comparing Bipolar Androgen Therapy Versus Enzalutamide in Asymptomatic Men With Castration-Resistant Metastatic Prostate Cancer.Link to Publication -https://ascopubs.org/doi/abs/10.1200/JCO.20.02759Summary -OBJECTIVEBecause of adaptive upregulation of the androgen receptor in response to the low-testosterone microenvironment, prostate cancer (PCa) becomes immune to androgen ablation. In castration-resistant PCa, bipolar androgen therapy (BAT), characterized as rapid cycling between high and low serum testosterone, disrupts this adaptive control (CRPC).APPROACHESThe TRANSFORMER (Testosterone Revival Abolishes Negative Symptoms, Fosters Objective Response, and Modulates Enzalutamide Resistance) trial compared monthly BAT (n…

Robert Zeiser, MD from the University Medical Center Freiburg, speaks about Incyte Announces Acceptance and Priority Review of sNDA for Jakafi® (ruxolitinib) as a Treatment for Patients with Chronic Graft-Versus-Host Disease.Link to Press Release -https://investor.incyte.com/press-releases/press-releases/2021/Incyte-Announces-Acceptance-and-Priority-Review-of-sNDA-for-Jakafi-ruxolitinib-as-a-Treatment-for-Patients-with-Chronic-Graft-Versus-Host-Disease/default.aspx(BUSINESS WIRE)—WILMINGTON, Del.— The supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) for ruxolitinib (Jakafi®) for the treatment of steroid-refractory chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in adult and pediatric patients 12 years and older has been approved for Priority Review by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).The sNDA is focused on the findings of the REACH3 review, which compared ruxolitinib to best available therapy (BAT) in patients with steroid-refractory…

Johannes A. Schmid, Ph.D. from MedUni Vienna speaks about How inflammatory signaling molecules contribute to carcinogenesis.Link to Article -https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/02/210217114327.htmThe Whole Story -Researchers at MedUni Vienna’s Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Institute of Vascular Biology and Thrombosis Studies, led by Johannes A. Schmid, have discovered a previously unknown molecular connection between an inflammatory signaling molecule and one of the major oncogenes. The paper was published in the prestigious journal Molecular Cancer.The working group of Johannes A. Schmid at the Institute of Vascular Biology and Thrombosis Research’s Center for Physiology and Pharmacology has considerable expertise in the molecular and cellular aspects of…

Martin S. Tallman, MD from Weill Cornell and Sloan Kettering discusses Martin S. Tallman, MD, Begins Term as 2021 ASH President.Link to Article -https://www.hematology.org/newsroom/press-releases/2020/martin-s-tallman-md-begins-term-as-2021-ash-president#:~:text=(WASHINGTON%2C%20Jan.%207%2C,long%20term%20through%20December%202021.Dr. Tallman is a medicine professor at Weill Cornell Medical College and the Chief of the Leukemia Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, where he also holds the Cassidy Family Faculty Chair. Clinical studies in acute myeloid leukemia, acute lymphocytic leukemia, acute promyelocytic leukemia, and hairy cell leukemia are among Dr. Tallman’s research interests.Dr. Tallman has been a member of ASH for 21 years, during which time he has held numerous leadership…

Jason M. Link, Ph.D., Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics, Brenden-Colson Center for Pancreatic Care, Oregon Health and Science University Tumor-Infiltrating Leukocyte Phenotypes Distinguish Outcomes in Related Patients With Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma.Link to Case Report -https://ascopubs.org/doi/full/10.1200/PO.20.00287One of the greatest mortality risks of all cancers includes pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Most patients have either metastatic PDAC (50 percent -60 percent) or locally advanced tumors (30 percent -40 percent), for which the median survival after diagnosis is 5-9 months. Oh, 1,2 For the limited subset (10 percent -20 percent) of patients who present with resectable tumors confined to the pancreas, outcomes are still…

Mehmet Asim Bilen, MD from Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University discusses the Evaluation of a novel blood pressure scoring method and its association with clinical response in cancer patients treated with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy.Link to Study -https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24764123/InstractBackground: In advanced cancer patients treated with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapies, the aim of this study was to develop a novel blood pressure (BP) scoring method and correlate it with clinical response.Methods: We retrospectively evaluated data from 23 clinical trials involving at least one anti-VEGF agent for 368 patients. Using the standard Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE)…

Emerens Wensink, MD, Ph.D. Candidate from University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University discusses Survival of patients with deficient mismatch repair metastatic colorectal cancer in the pre-immunotherapy era.Link to Abstract -https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33046804/InstractContext: The analysis of single-arm immunotherapy research is complicated by negligible evidence on survival during systemic non-immunotherapy. A broad, systematic cohort of dMMR mCRC patients treated with or without systemic non-immunotherapy is provided with survival results.Methods: Overall survival was analyzed based on mCRC (OS) diagnosis, first-line (OS1), and second-line (OS2) systemic treatment initiation. Prognostic variables were investigated by Cox regression analysis. Compared with OS 2746, MMR proficient mCRC patients have been reported.Results: Median OS…

María Díez Campelo, MD of the Universidad de Salamanca speaks about a Randomized phase 2 trial of pevonedistat plus azacitidine versus azacitidine for higher-risk MDS/CMML or low-blast AML.Link to Abstract:https://www.nature.com/articles/s41375-021-01125-4#Sec2Pevonedistat is the first expressed, developmentally downregulated 8 (NEDD8)-activating enzyme (NAE) small-molecule neural precursor cell inhibitor; NAE promotes the conjugation of NEDD8, a small ubiquitin-like protein that activates Cullin-RING E3 ubiquitin ligases (CRLs)[4,5,6]. Pevonedistat inhibition of NAE prevents degradation of CRL substrates integral to tumor cell development, proliferation, and survival, leading to the death of cancer cells [4,5,6]. Pevonedistat + azacitidine demonstrated preclinical synergistic antitumor activity in xenografts of AML and…

Melissa L. Johnson, MD Director, Lung Cancer Research, Sarah Cannon Research Institute at Tennessee Oncology speaks about A phase 1 study of AMG 757, a half-life extended bispecific T-cell engager (BiTE®) immuno-oncology therapy against DLL3, in SCLC.Link to Article:https://ascopubs.org/doi/abs/10.1200/JCO.2019.37.15_suppl.TPS8577Conceptual -TPS8577 77Context:SCLC is an active neuroendocrine tumor; recurrence, rapid growth, and resistance to current therapies are frequently accompanied by a response to initial chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Delta-like ligand 3 (DLL3) is a Notch receptor inhibitory ligand that is expressed but minimally expressed in normal tissues in most SCLC tumors. For T cell-redirecting immunotherapy, DLL3 may therefore be a promising target. AMG 757…

Drs. Susan Love and Stephanie Graff join Drs. Aggarwal and West as they discuss the origins of the Love Foundation, Love Research Army, advocacy and the role of patient outreach to increase clinical trial access.

Professor Thomas Powles, MD from Barts Cancer Centre, London, UK speaks about European Commission Approves BAVENCIO® (avelumab) for First-Line Maintenance Treatment of Locally Advanced or Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma.Link to Article -https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/european-commission-approves-bavencio-avelumab-for-first-line-maintenance-treatment-of-locally-advanced-or-metastatic-urothelial-carcinoma-301213683.html?tc=eml_cleartimeROCKLAND, Mass. and NEW YORK, Jan. 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — EMD Serono, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, US, and Canada Healthcare Business Sector, and Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) today announced that BAVENCIO® (avelumab) has been approved by the European Commission (EC) as monotherapy for first-line maintenance treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinomas.BAVENCIO plus best supportive treatment (BSC) as first-line maintenance showed a substantial increase in median…

Sheela Rao, MDS Consultant Medical Oncologist, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust discusses Incyte Announces Acceptance and Priority Review of BLA for Retifanlimab as a Potential Treatment for Patients with Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Anal Canal (SCAC).Link to Article -https://investor.incyte.com/press-releases/press-releases/2021/Incyte-Announces-Acceptance-and-Priority-Review-of-BLA-for-Retifanlimab-as-a-Potential-Treatment-for-Patients-with-Squamous-Cell-Carcinoma-of-the-Anal-Canal-SCAC/default.aspxWILMINGTON, Del.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—According to Incyte (Nasdaq: INCY) today, the U.S. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved its Biologics License Application (BLA) for retifanlimab, an intravenous PD-1 inhibitor, for Priority Review as a possible treatment for adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic anal canal squamous cell carcinoma (SCAC) who have advanced or are intolerant to platinum-based chemotherapy.BLA submissions…

Takeo Fujii, MD, MPH from MD Anderson Cancer Center speaks about the Incidence of immune-related adverse events and its association with treatment outcomes: the MD Anderson Cancer Center experience.Link to Study -https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10637-017-0534-0Overview -ContextImmunotherapy is emerging as the cornerstone of treatment for patients with advanced cancer, but substantial toxicity (irAEs) associated with the unbridled activity of T cells remains a concern. Patients and Methods A retrospective review of the electronic medical records of 290 advanced cancer patients treated between February 2010 and September 2015 in an immunotherapy-based clinical trial at the Department of Investigative Cancer Therapeutics of the University of Texas…

Roy S. Herbst, MD, Ph.D., chief of Medical Oncology at Yale University discusses the IASLC 2020 abstract – Lung-Map Translational Discoveries Shared At 2020 World Conference On Lung Cancer.Link to Article -https://www.lung-map.org/media/press/lung-map-translational-discoveries-shared-2020-world-conference-lung-cancerTo see the full abstracts for these and all WCLC presentations, visit the conference website – https://wclc2020.iaslc.org/At the 2020 World Conference on Lung Cancer, to be held online January 28-31, 2021, WASHINGTON, DC- Investigators leading the Lung Cancer Master Protocol, or Lung-MAP trial, will present results from three translational medicine studies.The presentations will mark the first time that researchers will share insights into translational medicine from Lung-MAP, the first…

Felix Y. Feng, MD, professor of radiation oncology, urology, and medicine from the University of California, San Francisco speaks about the ASCO GU 2021 abstract – SPARTAN: A post-hoc analysis from a biomarker cohort study identifying the molecular signatures associated with long-term response to Erleada (Abstract #8).Link To Abstract -https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/194572/abstractContext:A phase 3 placebo (PBO)-controlled study of SPARTAN in nmCRPC patients (pts) has shown that APA plus androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) substantially increases metastasis-free survival compared to PBO + ADT. Potential biological signatures of pts with long term responses to APA and PBO were examined in this exploratory study.Methodology:Based on time…

Jared Weiss, MD, Associate Professor Clinical Research Hematology/Oncology from Cancer Grace speaks about FDA Approves First Therapy Developed to Help Protect Against Chemo Side Effects: G1’s COSELA. Link To Press Release -http://investor.g1therapeutics.com/news-releases/news-release-details/fda-approves-g1-therapeutics-coselatm-trilaciclib-first-and-onlyTRIANGLE PARK RESEARCH, N.C., Feb. 12, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — G1 Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: GTHX), an oncology company in the commercial stage, today reported that the U.S. COSELATM (trilaciclib) has been approved for injection by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to minimize the occurrence of chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression in adult patients when administered prior to a platinum/etoposide-containing or topotecan-containing regimen for large-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC). It is…

Jonathan D. Tward, MD, Ph.D. from the Huntsman Cancer Institute and U Health – University of Utah speaks about New Study from Leading University of Utah Radiation Oncologist Validates Ability of Myriad Genetics’ Prolaris® test to Guide Treatment for Prostate Cancer.Link to Press Release -https://myriad.com/investors/news-release/news-release-detail/?newsItemId=21816SALT LAKE CITY, Feb. 12, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Myriad Genetics, Inc. (NASDAQ: MYGN), a pioneer in genetic testing and precise medicine, today revealed additional evidence further validating the prognostic strength of its Prolaris® test and its ability to reliably predict which men with more advanced prostate cancer will benefit from therapy intensification and which patients…

Anne L. Angiolillo, MD, MS, director of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Program at Children’s National Medical Center speaks about the Excellent Outcomes With Reduced Frequency of Vincristine and Dexamethasone Pulses in Standard-Risk B-Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Results From Children’s Oncology Group AALL0932.Link To Study -https://ascopubs.org/doi/abs/10.1200/JCO.20.00494Abstract - PURPOSITY:In order to optimize disease-free survival (DFS) thus reducing the burden of therapy in children with newly diagnosed NCI standard-risk (SR) B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia, AALL0932 tested two randomized maintenance approaches (B-ALL).AND METHODS:AALL0932 enrolled 9,229 patients with B-ALL; 2,364 patients with a mean risk (AR) were randomly assigned to vincristine/dexamethasone pulses every 4 (VCR/DEX4) or every 12 (VCR/DEX12)…

Ashley E Ross, MD, Ph.D. From Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine speaks about Practical Applications of Novel Imaging and Genomics Approaches in the Management of Clinically Localized Prostate Cancer.Link to Slides -https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/193305/slideLink to Article -https://www.urotoday.com/conference-highlights/asco-gu-2021/prostate-cancer/127881-asco-gu-2021-use-of-genomics-to-guide-treatment-decisions-in-post-prostatectomy-patients.amp.htmlThe 2021 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Symposium on Genitourinary (GU) Cancers included a presentation by Dr. Ashley Ross exploring the use of genomics in post-prostatectomy patients to guide treatment decisions. Dr. Ross states that the clinical usefulness of the Decipher® genomic classifier recently reported in European Urology was evaluated in a recent systematic review.1 This genomic classifier tests 22 genes representing various oncological…

Zeynep Busra Zengin, MD, a postdoctoral fellow at the City of Hope, a comprehensive cancer center discusses the ASCO GU 2021 abstract – Illustration of temporal evolution in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) using both circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) and tissue-based genomic data.Link to Study -https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/195147/abstractContext:We have previously shown the viability of mRCC ctDNA evaluation and have previously shown agreement between ctDNA and tissue-based genomic findings (Zengin et al ESMO 2020). Our data showed that the degree of agreement depended on the temporal separation of samples of blood and tissue. In a separate validation cohort, we sought to…

Cesar A. Santa-Maria, MD MSCI from Johns Hopkins speaks about the PRISMM Study – Patient Response to Immunotherapy Using Spliceosome Mutational Markers.Link to Study -https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/kimmel_cancer_center/cancers_we_treat/breast_cancer_program/research_and_clinical_trials/PRISMM/Link to ClinicalTrials -https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04447651Summary Brief:This research is being performed to see whether patients with advanced or metastatic breast cancer who have a particular tumor genetic mutation (the SF3B1 mutation) are more likely to react to commercially available immunotherapy agents.Description in detail:This is a non-therapeutic study, meaning that while Johns Hopkins offers a treatment recommendation based on the genetic information of participants, the oncologist of participants and participants will eventually determine what to do, and the oncologist…

Professor Thomas Powles, MD of Barts Cancer Centre, Queen Mary University of London speaks about Seattle Genetics and Astellas Announce PADCEV® (enfortumab vedotin-ejfv) Significantly Improved Overall Survival in Phase 3 Trial in Previously Treated Locally Advanced or Metastatic Urothelial Cancer.Link to Press Release -https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200918005101/en/BOTHELL, Wash. & TOKYO—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Seattle Genetics, Inc. (Nasdaq: SGEN) and Astellas Pharma Inc. (TSE: 4503, President and CEO: Kenji Yasukawa, Ph.D., “Astellas”) today reported that their primary endpoint of overall survival relative to chemotherapy was reached by a phase 3 trial of PADCEV® (enfortumab vedotin-ejfv). Following a planned interim study, the findings were reviewed by an independent…

Arjun Balar, MD from NYU Langone’s Perlmutter Cancer Center discusses Astellas and Seagen Announce Positive Topline Results from Second Cohort of Patients in Phase 2 Pivotal Trial of PADCEV® (enfortumab vedotin-ejfv) in Advanced Urothelial Cancer.Link To Press Release-https://www.astellas.com/system/files/news/2020-10/20201013_en_1.pdfTOKYO and BOTHELL, Wash. — October 12, 2020 — Astellas Pharma Inc. (TSE: 4503, President and CEO: Kenji Yasukawa, Ph.D., “Astellas”) and Seagen Inc. (Nasdaq:SGEN) today reported promising topline results from the second cohort of patients known as EV-201 in the pivotal single-arm phase 2 clinical trial. The cohort is testing the antibody-drug conjugate PADCEV® (enfortumab vedotin-ejfv) for patients with locally advanced or…

Yung Lyou, MD from the City of Hope speaks about High-throughput global transcriptional profiling to identify the STAT3 signaling pathway as a potential biomarker for immune checkpoint inhibitor resistance in metastatic/advanced urothelial carcinoma.Link to Poster -https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/194788/posterContext:A major public health burden, with a median overall survival of 15 months, is advanced/metastatic urothelial carcinoma (UC). While an additional second-line treatment choice has been offered by immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), only 15-40% of patients can react. In order to further develop these therapies, there has been a great deal of work to establish the mechanisms of immunotherapy resistance and predictive biomarkers.Methodology:For study, pre-treatment…

Kim Chi, MD, Vice President & Chief Medical Officer of BC Cancer speaks about TITAN: A final analysis with close to four years of follow-up data evaluating Erleada versus placebo in patients with metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer receiving hormone therapy (Abstract #11).   Link to Abstract- https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/194577/abstract   Context: APA or PBO applied to ADT in pts with mCSPC is evaluated by TITAN. Eligibility was made for Pts with high- and low-volume disease, prior docetaxel, prior localized disease therapy, and prior ADT ( ⁇ 6 mos). APA substantially improved the dual primary endpoints of overall survival (OS) (hazard ratio [HR]…

Cathy Eng, MD, FACP, FASCO from Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center Vanderbilt University Medical Center speaks about the Editorial – BRAF Mutation in Colorectal Cancer: An Enigmatic Target.Link to Full Article -https://ascopubs.org/doi/full/10.1200/JCO.20.03043Cytotoxic chemotherapy combined with biologic agents such as antivascular endothelial growth factor or antiepidermal growth factor has been our normal strategy for all patients for over a decade.1-3 Since then, research has advanced, including the importance of genomic alterations as potential predictive and prognostic markers in the treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC).4,55The BRAF gene encodes the critical mechanism in the carcinogenesis of multiple cancers for a serine or threonine-protein kinase associated…

Prof. Michael Boyer of the Chris O’Brien Lifehouse and the University of Sydney discusses Pembrolizumab Plus Ipilimumab or Placebo for Metastatic Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer With PD-L1 Tumor Proportion Score ≥ 50%: Randomized, Double-Blind Phase III KEYNOTE-598 Study.Link to Full Article -https://ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/JCO.20.03579ABSTRACT -Intent —Pembrolizumab monotherapy is a normal first-line treatment with a programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) tumor proportion score (TPS) of about 50 percent without actionable driver mutations for metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). It is not clear if the addition of ipilimumab to pembrolizumab in this population increases efficacy compared to pembrolizumab alone.FOR METHODSIn the randomized, double-blind, phase III KEYNOTE-598 trial…

Sumanta (Monty) K. Pal, MD of the City of Hope speaks about A randomized, multi-arm comparison of targeted therapies for advanced papillary renal cell carcinoma.PORTLAND, OR-The small molecule inhibitor cabozantinib was found to be most effective in treating patients with metastatic papillary kidney cancer in a SWOG Cancer Research Network trial that tested three targeted drugs, results that are expected to change medical practice.These results will be discussed on Feb. 13, 2021, at 1 p.m. at ASCO’s virtual 2021 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium. ET. The et. The results will be published in The Lancet simultaneously.For metastatic papillary kidney cancer or metastatic…

Pasi A. Jänne, MD, Ph.D. from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute discusses Takeda Presents New Data Highlighting Scientific Advancements in Lung Cancer at ESMO Virtual Congress. For more information go to IASLC – WCLC 2020 -https://wclc2020.iaslc.org/   Cambridge, MASS. & Osaka, JAPAN, 28 January 2021-Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (TSE:4502/NYSE: TAK) (‘Takeda’) today announced that new evidence from the Phase 1/2 trial of orally administered mobocertinib (TAK-788) in previously treated epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) patients would be presented with Exon20 insertion+ metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (mNSCLC) as late-breaking oral lung cancer (mNSCLC)       Patients with EGFR Exon20 insertion+ mNSCLC…

Crystal Denlinger, MD of the Fox Chase Cancer Center discusses Crystal Denlinger Named Chief Scientific Officer for National Comprehensive Cancer Network.Link to Article -https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/crystal-denlinger-named-chief-scientific-officer-for-national-comprehensive-cancer-network-301208454.html#:~:text=14%2C%202021%20%2FPRNewswire%2F%20%2D%2D,Vice%20President%2C%20Chief%20Scientific%20Officer.PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa., Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/—A coalition of leading cancer centers, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®), today announced the appointment of Crystal S. Denlinger, MD, FACP, to the newly formed position of Senior Vice President, Chief Scientific Officer. In this position, Dr. Denlinger will help guide the non-profit strategic course and supervise the NCCN Oncology Research Program (ORP). It will also be responsible for providing input into the clinical information program of NCCN, including the…

Doreen M. Agnese, MD of The OSU Comprehensive Cancer Center – James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute and/or Yale University School of Medicine discusses Surgical and Radiation Treatment Updates to Management of Breast Cancer, Including SABCS UpdatesLink To Event -https://web.cvent.com/event/1e5680ef-4f00-4f94-aae2-4e43c3d17eac/websitePage:645d57e4-75eb-4769-b2c0-f201a0bfc6ceLink To Dr. Agnese’s Bio -https://cancer.osu.edu/find-a-doctor/search-physician-directory/doreen-m-agnese Latest Clinical Trial – https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01901094 I’m a surgical oncologist, clinical geneticist, and researcher who treats breast cancer patients. I specialize in treating high-risk breast cancer patients as a surgeon.   I advise patients as a geneticist on risk assessments based on family background, genetic testing and preventive screening choices, and treatments. My research focuses…

Enrique M. Ocio, MD, Ph.D. of the Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital discusses ANCHOR (OP-104): Melflufen Plus Dexamethasone (dex) and Daratumumab (dara) or Bortezomib (BTZ) in Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma (RRMM) Refractory to an IMiD and/or a Proteasome Inhibitor (PI) – Updated Efficacy and Safety.Link To Study -https://ashpublications.org/blood/article/136/Supplement%201/9/470073/ANCHOR-OP-104-Melflufen-Plus-Dexamethasone-dex-andContext:RRMM patients also develop resistance to conventional therapy, emphasizing the need for new treatments and new mechanisms of action (MOA). A first-in-class peptide-drug conjugate (PDC) that targets aminopeptidases and rapidly releases alkylating agents into tumor cells is melphalan flufenamide (melflufen).In the phase 2 HORIZON study (OP-106; overall response rate [ORR], 29 percent; median progression-free…

Matthew Smith, MD, Professor of Medicine of Harvard Medical School and Director of the Genitourinary Malignancies Program at Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center Speaks about the ASCO GU 2021 Abstracts Analysis of the effect of crossover from placebo (PBO) to darolutamide (DARO) on overall survival (OS) benefit in the ARAMIS Trial and Safety of darolutamide (DARO) for nonmetastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (nmCRPC) from extended follow-up in the phase III ARAMIS trial.Link To The Abstract 239 – https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/195160/abstractLink To The Abstract 240 – https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/194935/abstract   Abstract 240 – Analysis of the effect of a placebo (PBO) crossover on the overall survival…

Matthew Smith, MD, Professor of Medicine of Harvard Medical School and Director of the Genitourinary Malignancies Program at Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center discusses the U.S. FDA Approves Addition of Overall Survival and Other Secondary Endpoint Data to NUBEQA® (darolutamide) Prescribing Information.Link To the Study -https://bayer2019tf.q4web.com/news/news-details/2021/U.S.-FDA-Approves-Addition-of-Overall-Survival-and-Other-Secondary-Endpoint-Data-to-NUBEQA-darolutamide-Prescribing-Information/default.aspxPhase III results showed that NUBEQA care resulted in a 31 percent reduction in death risk, with a statistically significant increase in overall survival (OS) relative to placebo (HR=0.69, 95 percent CI 0.53-0.88; p=0.003), giving men with non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (nmCRPC) the chance to prolong their lives.For men living with nmCRPC, time to pain…

Dr. Irene Ghobrial and Dr. Karen Winkfield give us guidance on a basic action we can all take to help in the fight against multiple myeloma

Dr. Irene Ghobrial and Dr. Karen Winkfield discuss the ground-breaking study on the disease that will aid in developing new parameters for prevention and treatment

Dr. Irene Ghobrial and Dr. Karen Winkfield discuss the markers surrounding the disease and those people most at risk for developing it

Dr. Irene Ghobrial and Dr. Karen Winkfield describe the symptoms of the disease and how their research study is aiding in prevention

Dr. Irene Ghobrial and Dr. Karen Winkfield talk about the necessity for research to stem the incidence of multiple myeloma

Grzegorz S. Nowakowski, MD from the Mayo Clinic speaks about the Addition of Lenalidomide to R-CHOP Improves Outcomes in Newly Diagnosed Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma in a Randomized Phase II US Intergroup Study ECOG-ACRIN E1412.Link To Study -https://ascopubs.org/doi/full/10.1200/JCO.20.01375Intent —In untreated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), lenalidomide combined with rituximab plus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (R-CHOP) (R2CHOP) showed promising activity, particularly in the activated B-cell-like (ABC) subtype. A randomized phase II study comparing R2CHOP versus R-CHOP in untreated DLBCL was the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG)-ACRIN trial E1412.METHODS AND PATIENTSQualified and randomly allocated 1:1 to R2CHOP versus R-CHOP for six…

Conor E. Steuer, MD from the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University in Atlanta discusses Patients with Lung Cancer Reduce Smoking Rate After Enrollment in Phase III Clinical Trial.Link To Article -https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-02/iaft-pwl013021.php(DENVER—February 1, 2021, 10:00 a.m. EST) According to research published today in the Journal of Thoracic Oncology, the first systematic, prospective study of smoking habits in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who were involved in a phase III early-stage trial showed that there was a high rate of smoking reduction and cessation following entry into the study. The JTO is the International Association for the Study of…

William Gradishar, MD, FASCO, FACP from the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University speaks about Updates to the Systemic Treatment of Metastatic Breast Cancer, Including SABCS Updates.Link to NCCN 2021 Flier -https://custom.cvent.com/A534AF7FE15948CAB67ABDABC062DF76/files/42384271dfff470b80f3c1476934d325.pdfWilliam J. Gradishar, MD, is Professor of Breast Oncology at Betsy Bramsen, Professor of Medicine, and Chief of the Hematology and Medical Oncology Division at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. Dr. Gradishar is also the Deputy Director for the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Clinical Network, where he also acts as Director of the Maggie Daley Center for Women’s Cancer Treatment. In addition, he…

Co-hosts Charu Aggarwal and Jack West are joined by Dr. Toni Choueiri to discuss the role of twitter for education, mentorship and a platform for sharing credible information.Visit https://BeaconMedIC.com for more media and information.Subscribe to audio podcast at http://BTJBeacon.libsyn.com/rss/audio

Erica L. Mayer, MD, MPH of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute discusses Palbociclib with adjuvant endocrine therapy in early breast cancer (PALLAS): interim analysis of a multicentre, open-label, randomised, phase 3 study.SummaryContextIn hormone-receptor-positive, HER2-negative, metastatic breast cancer, the addition of palbociclib to endocrine therapy increases progression-free survival. The aim of the PALLAS trial was to investigate whether the addition of 2 years of palbociclib to adjuvant endocrine therapy enhances invasive disease-free survival in patients with hormone-receptor-positive, HER2-negative, early-stage breast cancer over endocrine therapy alone.MethodologyPALLAS is an ongoing multicentre, open-label, randomized, phase 3 trial that has recruited patients with histologically confirmed hormone-receptor-positive,…

Omar Nadeem, MD from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute speaks about HORIZON (OP-106): Melflufen Plus Dexamethasone (dex) in Patients (pts) with Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma (RRMM)-Analysis of Adverse Events Related to Hospitalizations.Context:RRMM pts are a very ill group due to signs of illness, comorbidities, medication side effects, and age-related fragility (Chim et al. Leukemia. 2018;32:252). Adverse events (AEs) that impair their quality of life and decrease medication compliance are also encountered by Pts; hematologic AEs are frequent. Inpatient facilities are also required for AE management and are a significant cost driver, with costs increasing per AE episode (highest for hematologic AEs; Felber et…

Erminia Massarelli, MD Ph.D. from the City of Hope speaks about Lung Cancer: Her Experience, Research, And The Current Treatment Landscape.Link To Dr. Massarelli’s Biography -https://www.cityofhope.org/people/massarelli-erminia

Clayton S. Lau, MD of the City of Hope speaks about Prostate Cancer: His Experience, Research, And The Current Treatment Landscape.Link to Dr. Lau’s Biography -https://www.cityofhope.org/people/lau-clayton

Joanne Mortimer, MD from the City of Hope speaks about Breast Cancer: Her Experience, Research, And The Current Treatment LandscapeLink to Dr. Mortimer’s Biography -https://www.cityofhope.org/people/mortimer-joanne