The Cancer Letter

Issue 38 - Oct. 11, 2019

TCL45-38 (127 downloads)

Scientists spar over COIs, methodology of Annals guideline on red, processed meat
The Annals of Internal Medicine has no plans to publish a corrigendum to clarify an appearance of a conflict of interest on the part of Bradley Johnston, the lead author of the journal’s “new guidelines” on unprocessed red meat and processed meat.
Conversation with The Cancer Letter
Laine: Annals wouldn’t have published studies on red, processed meat “if we thought it was bad science”
Older guidelines on red and processed meat are not very transparent about the methodology that was used to search, select, and rate the quality of the evidence, said Christine Laine, editor in chief of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Conversation with The Cancer Letter
AICR’s Brockton: Annals studies on red, processed meat don’t change facts on health outcomes; also, funding is “murky”
The recommendations on red and processed meats have not changed much over three decades, because the fact is that red and processed meats are associated with increased health risks, said Nigel Brockton, vice president of research at the American Institute for Cancer Research.
Kaelin, Semenza, Ratcliffe win Nobel for research on how cells adjust to oxygen availability
The the 2019 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was shared by three researchers for work focused on how cells sense oxygen availability and adapt to it.
As deadline nears, FBI starts clearance for Hahn as part of FDA commissioner nomination
The Trump administration has taken an important step toward nominating MD Anderson Cancer Center executive Stephen M. Hahn to the job of FDA commissioner, sources said.
In Brief
- Willey joins Inova Schar Cancer Institute’s breast care team
- Petrelli receives Medical Society of Delaware award
- Khoury named Roswell Park’s chief of breast pathology
- AACR report finds unequal progress that varies by cancer types and stages
Clinical Roundup
- Following NCCN guidelines for metastatic breast cancer results in lower costs
- Wistar researchers discover mechanism that fuels brain metastasis
Drugs & Targets
- FDA publishes guidance on submission process for determining risk of investigational in vitro diagnostics

Issue 37 - Oct. 4, 2019

TCL45-37 (264 downloads)

Don’t put red, processed meat back on the menu:
Cancer and dietary experts dispute controversial directive
Global health organizations, federal health agencies, and cancer epidemiology experts say they aren’t swayed by just-published recommendations on consumption of red and processed meat.
Conversation with The Cancer Letter
Guyatt: Existing dietary guidelines for red and processed meat are based on slim evidence and are paternalistic
The senior author of the recent recommendation that disagrees with the dietary guidelines promulgated by mainstream health organizations said there is low-certainty evidence of increased risk of cancer, heart disease, and other harm from eating red meat and processed meat.
Conversation with The Cancer Letter
Should you eat a kielbasa tonight?
Six experts weigh evidence on papers debunking nutritional guidelines on red and processed meat
We asked six experts in disease prevention, nutrition, and guidelinemaking to discuss the just-published recommendations that disagree with the dietary guidelines promulgated by mainstream health organizations.
In Brief
- Barry Kramer receives Friendship Award from the People’s Republic of China
- Moffitt forms immunotherapy CRO
Clinical Roundup
- Adding targeted therapy drug to hormone therapy helps aggressive breast cancer patients live longer
- Opdivo + Yervoy demonstrate durable long-term survival benefits in advanced melanoma
- Data show improved OS with Jevtana over second AR-targeted agent in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer
- TAILORx: New data on cohort with recurrence score 26-100 shows high cancer-free rate at five years
- Verzenio significantly extends life in HR+, HER2- advanced breast cancer patients
- Prospective trial uses blood-based NGS to identify those for treatment using Alecensa
- Tecentriq + platinum-based chemo improves PFS in untreated advanced bladder cancer
- Pfizer reports positive data from late-stage BEACON CRC trial
- X4 reports positive data from phase IIa study of Mavorixafor + Axitinib in advanced clear cell RCC
- Half of cancer patients who enter tobacco treatment program quit smoking, study shows
- Lynparza meets primary goal in late-stage study
Drugs & Targets
- Keytruda approved as monotherapy in China for NSCLC
NCI Trials
NCI Trials for October
The National Cancer Institute Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program approved the following clinical research studies last month.

Issue 36 - Sep. 27, 2019

TCL45-36 (315 downloads)

An Appreciation
Jerry D. Boyd, founding editor of The Cancer Letter, pioneer of cancer journalism, dies at 91
Nearly half a century ago, Jerry Dock Boyd started covering the opening shots of the War on Cancer.
E-cigarette use rises in young adults as combustible cigarette use declines
E-cigarette use is on the rise among young adults, but overall combustible cigarette use among teens is continuing on a downward trend, recent studies show.
Real-World Evidence
Oncologists quickly react to label changes for immunotherapies, a study by Penn, Flatiron shows
In an unprecedented use of real-world data, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and Flatiron Health have determined that oncologists are responding quickly to label restrictions announced by FDA.
In Brief
- Winship’s Curran receives ASTRO Gold Medal
- Fairness to Kids with Cancer Act is introduced in the House
- Brereton, Dornsife receive NCCS Stovall award
- AdventHealth, Moffitt form collaboration
- UMich and Karmanos get $9.2M prostate cancer SPORE grant
- Six researchers receive $14M for cancer genomics research
- Weitzel and Blazer win ASHG Arno Motulsky-Barton Childs Award
- Jandial receives $1.35M DoD grant for LMD study
Trials & Tribulations
Reducing re-excisions
How intraoperative 3-D specimen tomosynthesis ensures fewer repeat breast cancer surgeries
This year in the United States, nearly 270,000 women will receive the devastating news that they have breast cancer. Many will choose breast-conserving surgery, commonly referred to as lumpectomy, wherein the surgeon seeks to remove the malignant tumor, while also preserving as much healthy breast tissue as possible.
Clinical Roundup
- Breast cancer patients who exercise pre-diagnosis are at lower risk for heart disease
- One in five young adults regularly uses e-cigarettes and believes they are harmless, not addictive
- Univ. of Arizona researchers look to treat neuropathic pain caused by chemotherapy without using opioids.
Drugs & Targets
- FDA approves Janssen’s Darzalex for new multiple myeloma indication
- Cologuard gets FDA approval for use in younger patients indication
- Astellas gets CHMP nod for Xospata as monotherapy for an AML indication
- CHMP recommends approval for Bavencio + Axitinib for first-line treatment of advanced RCC
- Celsius Therapeutics brings genomics platform to three institutions worldwide
- Evotec, Takeda collaborate on drug discovery
- Foundation Medicine, Natera to advance personalized cancer monitoring
- Adaptive Biotechnologies, Amgen use clonoSEQ as preferred MRD test

**Scientists spar over COIs, methodology of Annals guideline on red, processed meat**

Conversation with The Cancer Letter

**Laine: Annals wouldn’t have published studies on red, processed meat “if we thought it was bad science”**

Conversation with The Cancer Letter

**AICR’s Brockton: Annals studies on red, processed meat don’t change facts on health outcomes; also, funding is “murky”**

Kaelin, Semenza, Ratcliffe win Nobel for research on how cells adjust to oxygen availability

As deadline nears, FBI starts clearance for Hahn as part of FDA commissioner nomination

In Brief

Clinical Roundup

Drugs & Targets

Don’t put red, processed meat back on the menu:

Cancer and dietary experts dispute controversial directive

Conversation with The Cancer Letter

Guyatt: Existing dietary guidelines for red and processed meat are based on slim evidence and are paternalistic

Conversation with The Cancer Letter

Should you eat a kielbasa tonight?

Six experts weigh evidence on papers debunking nutritional guidelines on red and processed meat

In Brief

Clinical Roundup

Drugs & Targets

NCI Trials

NCI Trials for October

An Appreciation

Jerry D. Boyd, founding editor of The Cancer Letter, pioneer of cancer journalism, dies at 91

E-cigarette use rises in young adults as combustible cigarette use declines

Real-World Evidence

Oncologists quickly react to label changes for immunotherapies, a study by Penn, Flatiron shows

In Brief

Trials & Tribulations

Reducing re-excisions

How intraoperative 3-D specimen tomosynthesis ensures fewer repeat breast cancer surgeries

Clinical Roundup

Drugs & Targets