Treatment - Cancer Currents Blog
Cancer treatment related news, with context from leading experts. Includes articles on new therapies, treatment side effects, and important trends in treatment-related research.
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FDA Approval of KRAS Inhibitor Sotorasib for Lung Cancer Hailed as Milestone
FDA has approved the first KRAS-blocking drug, sotorasib (Lumakras). The approval, which covers the use of sotorasib to treat some patients with advanced lung cancer, sets the stage for other KRAS inhibitors already in development, researchers said.
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Avasopasem Shields Normal Cells from Radiation, Helps Kill Cancer Cells
A drug called avasopasem manganese, which has been found to protect normal tissues from radiation therapy, can also make cancer cells more vulnerable to radiation treatment, a new study in mice suggests.
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Nivolumab and Relatlimab Combination Shows Promise in Advanced Melanoma
People with advanced melanoma treated with two immunotherapy drugs—nivolumab (Opdivo) and a new drug called relatlimab—lived longer without their cancer getting worse than those treated only with nivolumab, results from a large clinical trial show.
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Nivolumab-Based Combinations Improve Survival in Advanced Esophageal Cancer
A treatment regimen that combines the immunotherapy drug nivolumab (Opdivo) with either another immunotherapy drug or chemotherapy may be a new initial treatment option for people with advanced esophageal cancer, a large clinical trial finds.
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For Hairy Cell Leukemia, Drug Combination Leads to Long-Lasting Remissions
In a small study, vemurafenib (Zelboraf) and rituximab (Rituxan) helped 85% of participants stay in remission for nearly 3 years. The study involved 30 people with hairy cell leukemia that had come back after or had not responded to previous treatment.
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For Early-Stage Cervical Cancer, Minimally Invasive Surgery Declining
Fewer women with early-stage cervical cancer are having minimally invasive surgery, including robotic, as part of their treatment, a new study shows. The shift toward more open surgeries follows the release of results from the LACC trial in 2018.
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Treatment for Oropharyngeal Cancer: Investigating Ways to Do Less Harm
Can some people with HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer, a type of head and neck cancer, get less intense treatment without risking their cancer coming back? Researchers are trying to find out.
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Sacituzumab Govitecan Earns Full Approval for Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
Sacituzumab govitecan (Trodelvy) now has regular FDA approval for people with locally advanced or metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). The update follows last year’s accelerated approval of the drug for people with TNBC.
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Topotecan–Berzosertib Combination Shows Promise against Small Cell Lung Cancer
Combining the chemotherapy drug topotecan and the investigational drug berzosertib shrank tumors in some patients with small cell lung cancer, results from an NCI-supported phase 1 clinical trial show. Two phase 2 trials of the combination are planned.
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Immunotherapy Drug Tebentafusp Improves Survival in Advanced Uveal Melanoma
In a large trial, tebentafusp helped patients with uveal melanoma live longer than patients who received other treatments for the disease. Uveal melanoma is an aggressive cancer of the eye, and many patients do not survive for a year once it has spread.
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FDA Approves BCMA-Targeted CAR T-Cell Therapy for Multiple Myeloma
The Food and Drug Administration has approved idecabtagene vicleucel (Abecma) for some people with multiple myeloma. The approval is based, in part, on a small study in which ide-cel partially or completely shrank tumors in 72% of patients.
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Whole-Genome Sequencing Could Help Guide AML Treatment
For people with acute myeloid leukemia and related cancers, a new study shows whole-genome sequencing could replace a series of conventional tests used to help guide decisions about treatment.
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Blinatumomab Improves Survival in Children with Relapsed Leukemia
The results of two trials establish blinatumomab (Blincyto) as a new standard treatment for children and young adults with high-risk relapsed B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia after remission has been achieved and before a stem cell transplant.
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Targeted Therapy Cabozantinib Slows Progression of Rare Kidney Cancer
Cabozantinib (Cabometyx) is an effective initial treatment for people with metastatic papillary renal cell carcinoma (PRCC), a rare type of kidney cancer. A clinical trial showed the drug was more effective than the current standard treatment.
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Hormone Therapy for Prostate Cancer? A Genetic Test Could Help Decide
For some men with prostate cancer, a genetic biomarker test called Decipher may help predict if their cancer will spread elsewhere in the body. The test could help determine whether hormone therapy, which can cause distressing side effects, is needed.
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Imaging Test Could Help Guide Breast Cancer Treatment Decisions
For some people with ER-positive breast cancer, a new imaging test may help guide decisions about receiving hormone therapy, according to a new study. The test can show whether estrogen receptors in tumors are active and responsive to estrogen.
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Oncotype DX Breast Cancer Test May Be Less Accurate for Black Patients
The test, which helps guide treatment decisions, was not as good at predicting the risk of death from breast cancer for Black patients as for White patients, a new study has found. The findings highlight the need for greater racial diversity in research studies.
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Study Explores Jaw Problem Linked to Zoledronic Acid, Finds Risk Factors
A recent study quantified the risk of osteonecrosis of the jaw for patients who take zoledronic acid to manage complications from cancer that has spread to the bone. The study also examined risk factors for osteonecrosis of the jaw in these patients.
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Relugolix Approval Expected to Alter Treatment for Advanced Prostate Cancer
FDA’s recent approval of relugolix (Orgovyx) is expected to affect the treatment of men with advanced prostate cancer. A large clinical trial showed that relugolix was more effective at reducing testosterone levels than another common treatment.
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Trial Tests Abemaciclib As New Option for Early-Stage Breast Cancer
The drug abemaciclib (Verzenio) may be a new treatment option for people with the most common type of breast cancer, with new study findings suggesting that it can reduce the risk of the cancer returning.