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William C. Huang, M.D., FACS, Associate Professor and Vice-Chair of Urology at NYU Langone Health, Principal Investigator of the OPTIMA II trial speaks about PD43-02 PRIMARY CHEMOABLATION OF LOW-GRADE INTERMEDIATE-RISK NON-MUSCLE-INVASIVE BLADDER CANCER USING UGN-102, A MITOMYCIN-CONTAINING REVERSE THERMAL GEL (OPTIMA II): A PHASE 2b, OPEN-LABEL, SINGLE-ARM TRIAL.Link to Abstract:https://www.auajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1097/JU.0000000000002057.02Summary -Goal And Beginnings:Transurethral resection under general anesthesia is the gold standard of treatment for low-grade intermediate-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (LG IR NMIBC). LG IR NMIBC is recurring cancer, and patients typically have to have many operations, which can result in substantial postoperative and long-term morbidity. The goal of this research was to…

Dr. Mikkael Sekeres of Univ of Miami chats with Charu Aggarwal and Jack West about challenges and opportunities with his move from Cleveland to Miami, his commitment to writing for a broad audience, & challenges for MDs & patients in the wake of COVID-19.

Julie Hallet, MD, MSc, FRCSC, Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto, Susan Leslie Clinic for Neuroendocrine Tumours speaks about JNCCN Study Reveals Neuroendocrine Tumor Mortality Patterns to Inform Treatment Decisions.Link to Article:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/jnccn-study-reveals-neuroendocrine-tumor-mortality-patterns-to-inform-treatment-decisions-301363563.htmlAccording to recent research published in the August 2021 edition of JNCCN—Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, the risk of dying of cancer was higher than the chance of dying of other causes in all patients with neuroendocrine tumors (NETs), although mortality varied by primary tumor location. It’s the first population-based cohort research to look at the variables linked to cancer-specific mortality following a NET diagnosis.Individuals with…

Julie Hallet, MD, MSc, FRCSC, Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto, Susan Leslie Clinic for Neuroendocrine Tumours speaks about JNCCN Study Reveals Neuroendocrine Tumor Mortality Patterns to Inform Treatment Decisions.Link to Article:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/jnccn-study-reveals-neuroendocrine-tumor-mortality-patterns-to-inform-treatment-decisions-301363563.htmlAccording to recent research published in the August 2021 edition of JNCCN—Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, the risk of dying of cancer was higher than the chance of dying of other causes in all patients with neuroendocrine tumors (NETs), although mortality varied by primary tumor location. It’s the first population-based cohort research to look at the variables linked to cancer-specific mortality following a NET diagnosis.Individuals with…

Michael Kelly, MD, MPH, MS, Syros Pharmaceuticals Senior Medical Director speaks about Syros Starts Phase 3 Clinical Trial of Targeted Investigational Therapy in Newly Diagnosed Higher-Risk MDS Patients.Link to Abstract:https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04797780Syros Pharmaceuticals has begun a Phase 3 clinical trial of tamibarotene, a targeted experimental treatment, in a subset of newly diagnosed HR-MDS patients with RARA gene overexpression. RARA-positive persons account for around 30% of people with HR-MDS, and tamibarotene is the first focused treatment in clinical research for this patient population.The SELECT-MDS-1 Phase 3 trial is a double-blind, placebo-controlled study that will recruit around 190 RARA-positive newly diagnosed HR-MDS patients. Tamibarotene…

Michael Kelly, MD, MPH, MS, Syros Pharmaceuticals Senior Medical Director speaks about Syros Starts Phase 3 Clinical Trial of Targeted Investigational Therapy in Newly Diagnosed Higher-Risk MDS Patients.Link to Abstract:https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04797780Syros Pharmaceuticals has begun a Phase 3 clinical trial of tamibarotene, a targeted experimental treatment, in a subset of newly diagnosed HR-MDS patients with RARA gene overexpression. RARA-positive persons account for around 30% of people with HR-MDS, and tamibarotene is the first focused treatment in clinical research for this patient population.The SELECT-MDS-1 Phase 3 trial is a double-blind, placebo-controlled study that will recruit around 190 RARA-positive newly diagnosed HR-MDS patients. Tamibarotene…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

Justin Balko, PharmD, Ph.D. from Vanderbilt University Medical Center speaks about Tumor-specific major histocompatibility-II expression predicts benefit to anti-PD-1/L1 therapy in patients with HER2-negative primary breast cancer.Link to Article:https://clincancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/early/2021/07/22/1078-0432.CCR-21-0607Abstract:Intention:When combined with conventional neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC), immunotherapies targeting PD-1/L1 improve pathologic complete response (pCR) rates in early-stage triple-negative and perhaps high-risk estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer. Immunotherapy, on the other hand, has been linked to substantial toxicity, and most patients treated with NAC do not require it to reach pCR. Biomarkers that can distinguish individuals who will benefit from immunotherapy from those who will achieve pCR with NAC alone are obviously needed.…

Rajesh Balkrishnan, BS, MS, Ph.D., Professor Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Virginia speaks about Associations between initiating antihypertensive regimens on stage I–III colorectal cancer outcomes: A Medicare SEER cohort analysis.Link to Article:https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cam4.4088Abstract:Object -Colorectal cancer (CRC) is associated with a high death rate in the United States, necessitating the investigation of new therapeutic options. Antihypertensive (AH) medicines have been shown in preclinical models to interfere with both tumor vasculature and immune cell recruitment to the tumor microenvironment. AH medicines have also been linked to better survival in various cancers, according to existing research. As a result, the goal of…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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 III…

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…

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…

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…

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…

Prof. Jonathan Ledermann from the UCL Cancer Institute, University College London speaks about eUpdate – Newly Diagnosed Epithelial Ovarian Carcinoma Treatment Recommendations.Link to Abstract:https://www.esmo.org/guidelines/gynaecological-cancers/newly-diagnosed-and-relapsed-epithelial-ovarian-carcinoma/eupdate-newly-diagnosed-epithelial-ovarian-carcinoma-treatment-recommendations?hit=mail-opMaintenance therapy with the poly-adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitors olaparib or niraparib after surgery and chemotaxis was investigated in three phase III trials (SOLO-1, PAOLA-1/ENGOT-ov25, and PRIMA/ENGOT-OV26) in newly diagnosed high-grade epithelial ovarian cancers (including fallopian tube and peritoneal) (PFS).SOLO1 looked at first-line maintenance monotherapy with olaparib for two years in women with FIGO stage III-IV ovarian cancer and a BRCA mutation who had a partial or complete response to platinum-based ChT.2 The primary findings showed…

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 mortality…

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…

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…

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…

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…

Kathryn Schmitz, Ph.D., MPH, a researcher at the Penn State Cancer Institute who chaired the ACSM’s roundtables – speaks about Good Moves – The field of exercise oncology is bringing benefits, hope to survivors of breast cancer.Link to Article:https://hms.harvard.edu/magazine/womens-health/good-moves?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=hms-twitter-generalLink to Moving Through Cancer:www.movingthoughcancer.comAs the boat glides downstream, the oars slice in and out of the water in synchrony. To the untrained eye, it appears to be just another bunch of rowers enjoying a beautiful day on the Charles River. But this all-female rowing crew has more than a passion for the sport: they are all breast cancer survivors who are…

Yanhong Shi, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Developmental and Stem Cell Biology at City of Hope speaks about Targeting PUS7 Suppresses tRNA Pseudouridylation And Glioblastoma Tumorigenesis.Link to Article:https://blog.cirm.ca.gov/2021/08/16/city-of-hope-researchers-discover-potential-therapy-to-treat-brain-tumors/Link to Full Study:https://www.nature.com/articles/s43018-021-00238-0Glioblastoma (GBM) is an aggressive brain tumor that commonly affects adults. According to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, this form of brain cancer has a dismal prognosis, with just 40% survival in the first year after diagnosis and 17% survival in the second year. Former US Senator John McCain and Beau Biden, the late son of US President Joe Biden, died as a result of this condition.Dr. Yanhong Shi and…

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…