ASCO Annual Meeting | Conference

Lenvatinib OS Noninferior, PFS Improved Versus Sorafenib for Unresectable HCC

June 4th 2017

First-line treatment with lenvatinib (Lenvima) improved progression-free survival by 3.7 months and was noninferior for overall survival compared with sorafenib for patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma.

Dr. Soberman on the Next Generation of Multidisciplinary Care

June 4th 2017

Mark S. Soberman, MD, MBA, FACS, was elected as the 2017-2018 President of the Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC) discusses his vision for the next generation of multidisciplinary care in an interview during the 2017 ASCO Annual Meeting.

Olaparib Extends PFS in Phase III BRCA+ Breast Cancer Trial

June 4th 2017

The PARP inhibitor olaparib (Lynparza) reduce the risk of disease progression by 42% versus standard chemotherapy in patients with BRCA-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer, according to findings from the phase III OLYMPIAD trial.

Pembrolizumab/Entinostat Active in Melanoma Patients Refractory to Checkpoint Inhibitors

June 4th 2017

Combining the PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab (Keytruda) with the HDAC inhibitor entinostat demonstrated promising clinical activity and acceptable safety in patients with melanoma who were refractory to immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Ublituximab/Ibrutinib Shows High ORR for High-Risk CLL

June 4th 2017

The combination of ublituximab and ibrutinib demonstrated an objective response rate of 78% for patients with previously treated high-risk chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Dr. Apolo on Updated JAVELIN Results of Avelumab in Urothelial Carcinoma

June 4th 2017

Andrea B. Apolo, MD, principal investigator and the head of the Bladder Cancer Section in the Genitourinary Malignancies Branch at the National Cancer Institute’s Center for Cancer Research, discusses the updated findings of the phase Ib JAVELIN trial exploring avelumab (Bavencio) for the treatment of patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma.

Genomic Profiling Yields OS Benefit for Patients With Targeted Therapy Matches

June 4th 2017

Comprehensive genomic testing is not yet widespread, but a French study presented at the 2017 ASCO Annual Meeting suggested that DNA profiling can be of important value in advancing personalized medicine.

Dr. Attai on the Challenges With Implementing Survivorship Care Plans

June 4th 2017

Deanna J. Attai, MD, assistant clinical professor of surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), breast surgeon at UCLA Health, discusses studies exploring the challenges with survivorship care plan implementation for patients with cancer in an interview during the 2017 ASCO Annual Meeting.

Larotrectinib Yields Impressive Responses Across All Age Groups and Tumor Types Harboring TRK Fusion Mutations

June 4th 2017

Three out of 4 patients representing a range of TRK fusion–positive solid tumors responded to the novel pan-TRK inhibitor larotrectinib (LOXO-101) and remain on treatment, setting the stage for the well-tolerated oral agent to become a standard of care for adults and children with any advanced tumor harboring this mutation.

Abemaciclib Extends PFS in Phase III Breast Cancer Trial

June 4th 2017

Adding the CDK4/6 inhibitor abemaciclib to fulvestrant reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 45% versus fulvestrant alone in pretreated patients with HR+/HER2-negative breast cancer, according to findings presented at the 2017 ASCO Annual Meeting.

Pembrolizumab/Chemo PFS Benefit in NSCLC Sustained With Longer Follow-Up

June 3rd 2017

The frontline combination of pembrolizumab, pemetrexed, and carboplatin reduced the risk of progression or death by 50% and nearly doubled objective response rates compared with chemotherapy alone for patients with advanced non-squamous NSCLC.

Novel Sequencing Approach Detects Circulating Tumor DNA in 89% of Patients with Advanced Cancer

June 3rd 2017

A new, high-intensity genomic sequencing approach for circulating tumor DNA uncovered at least 1 genetic change in both the tumor DNA and the blood of 89% of patients, demonstrating a high rate of concordance between 2 approaches for detecting molecular aberrations, according to a study presented at the 2017 ASCO Annual Meeting.

Abiraterone Studies Hailed as Practice-Changing in Newly Diagnosed Metastatic Prostate Cancer

June 3rd 2017

Earlier intervention with abiraterone acetate (Zytiga) lowered the risk of death by nearly 40% for men with high-risk advanced or metastatic prostate cancer who were newly diagnosed or had not yet received hormone therapy in findings from 2 clinical trials presented at the 2017 ASCO Annual Meeting.

Pregnancy Does Not Increase Recurrence Risk of Early-Stage, ER-Positive Breast Cancer

June 3rd 2017

Women who have had early breast cancer, along with their doctors, often worry that pregnancy could cause disease recurrence. But according to the results of a new study, that’s not the case.

Dr. El-Deiry on the Significance of Understanding Tumor Heterogeneity

June 3rd 2017

Wafik S. El-Deiry, MD, PhD, FACP, deputy cancer center director, Translational Research Program, co-leader, Molecular Therapeutics Program, professor, Department Hematology/Oncology, William Wikoff Smith Chair in Cancer Research, American Cancer Society Research Professor, discusses the importance of understanding tumor heterogeneity an interview during the 2017 ASCO Annual Meeting.

Dr. Balar on Mature Clinical Results of KEYNOTE-052 in Urothelial Cancer

June 3rd 2017

Arjun V. Balar, MD, assistant professor of medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, New York University Cancer Institute, NYU Langone Medical Center, discusses the mature clinical trial results and biomarker findings of KEYNOTE-052, first-line pembrolizumab (Keytruda) in patients with cisplatin-ineligible advanced urothelial cancer, during the 2017 ASCO Annual Meeting.

Web-Based Therapy Helps Newly Diagnosed Patients Manage Stress

June 3rd 2017

Newly diagnosed patients with cancer experienced improvements in quality of life and lower levels of distress by participating in a web-based stress management program, according to results of a study presented at the 2017 ASCO Annual Meeting.

Testicular Cancer Survivors Face Health Risks From Low Testosterone

June 3rd 2017

Nearly 40% of testicular cancer survivors had low testosterone levels, leading to a greater likelihood of chronic health problem compared with survivors with normal testosterone levels, according to study findings released at the 2017 ASCO Annual Meeting.

CALM Psychotherapy Eases Depression and Distress in Patients With Advanced Cancer

June 3rd 2017

Advanced cancer exacts an overwhelming emotional toll, and a brief but novel psychological intervention involving individual therapy sessions delivered by trained therapists has been shown to alleviate patients’ distress and help them to manage the profound and practical problems that come with this diagnosis.

Late Effects of Childhood Cancers Dropping Along With Intensity of Treatments

June 3rd 2017

The rate of severe long-term side effects caused by treatments for childhood cancers is dropping over time, according to findings from a retrospective analysis of 23,600 survivors enrolled in the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study.