Issue 36 - Sep. 25, 2020
TCL46-36 (156 downloads)

  • IL-6 antagonists may have a role in fighting COVID-19 after all

    Earlier this year, as doctors observed that patients afflicted with the novel coronavirus were dying from a cytokine release syndrome, some suggested focusing on suppressing production of interleukin-6 to control this immune response gone haywire (The Cancer Letter, March 24, 2020).

  • Real World Evidence

    Study of NSCLC, melanoma outcomes points to surrogacy between real-world endpoints and clinical trial endpoints

    A collaboration of 10 healthcare research organizations has demonstrated that real-world endpoints can be used to describe patient outcomes that are analogous to results generated through conventional endpoints in clinical trials.

  • Conversation with The Cancer Letter

    Vincent Vinciguerra receives NCORP 2020 Harry Hynes Award

    Vincent P. Vinciguerra, the principal investigator of the Northwell Health NCI Community Oncology Research Program, won the 2020 Harry Hynes Award.

  • AACR report: COVID struck as science was making unprecedented impact on cancer

    This year’s Cancer Progress Report from the American Association for Cancer Research provides a chilling overview of the impact COVID-19 has had on cancer.

  • In Brief

    • $111 million NIH grant awarded to prevent and treat HIV-associated cancers
    • James Bachman named chief administrative officer of Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins
    • Mark Hurwitz, Valerie Csik named to new leadership rolls on quality and safety at Jefferson
    • Tess Cummings named clinical protocol office director at UNC Lineberger
    • Mount Sinai Tisch Cancer Institute earns second consecutive NCI designation
    • Case Comprehensive Cancer Center receives $10.4 million NCI grant for glioblastoma research
    • New York Proton Center opens proton therapy training program
    • Moffitt Cancer Center study educates oncologists on LGBTQ+ health concerns

  • Funding Opportunities

    Thermo Fisher Scientific to grant up to $200,000 for oncomine clinical research

    Thermo Fisher Scientific has introduced the Oncomine Clinical Research Grant Program to support clinical research projects in oncology and reproductive health.

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  • Clinical Roundup

    • Study: Black women with breast cancer experience delayed, longer treatment than whites
    • Fred Hutch-led clinical trial shows new smartphone app helps smokers quit
    • Study: Keytruda reduced the risk of distant metastasis or death versus placebo as adjuvant treatment in melanoma indication
    • Keytruda + chemotherapy demonstrated superior OS/PFS versus  chemotherapy in GEJ cancer indication
    • Phase III CheckMate -9ER trial: Opdivo + Cabometyx demonstrates significant survival benefits in advanced RCC
    • Opdivo demonstrated superior DFS in resected esophageal or gastroesophageal junction cancer compared to placebo
    • Opdivo + chemotherapy demonstrated significant OS, PFS benefits versus chemotherapy in gastric and esophageal cancers
    • Lynparza improved median PFS in BRCA-mutated advanced ovarian cancer
    • Verzenio significantly reduces risk of cancer recurrence in HR+, HER2- high risk early breast cancer
    • Padcev significantly improved OS in phase III study of urothelial cancer 

  • Drugs & Targets

    • Expanded access eRequest app allows physicians to submit EA requests online
    • FDA accepts for priority review application for anti-BCMA CAR T-cell therapy idecabtagene vicleucel (Ide-cel, bb2121)
    • Agenus begins rolling BLA submission of balstilimab to FDA for treatment of recurrent/metastatic cervical cancer
    • FDA accepts sNDA for Xalkori for pediatric ALK-positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma
    • EMA’s CHMP issues positive opinion for Zejula in ovarian cancer indication
Issue 35 - Sep. 18, 2020
TCL46-35 (375 downloads)
Issue 34 - Sep. 11, 2020
TCL46-34 (213 downloads)

  • NCI will form an ad hoc committee to review screening trials

    The future of ECOG-ACRIN’s slowly-accruing TMIST is in question

    NCI’s cancer screening trials may be falling victim to the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Last week, the institute asked the National Cancer Advisory Board to form an ad hoc group that would provide guidance on screening trials, starting with the Tomosynthesis Mammographic Imaging Screening Trial, TMIST for short (The Cancer Letter, Sept. 4, 2020).

  • Conversation with The Cancer Letter

    Mitch Schnall: “We don’t want to lose momentum as this review is happening”

    NCI’s publicly announced move to create an ad hoc working group that would review the feasibility and viability of the TMIST trial threatens to undercut this trial, said Mitchell Schnall, co-chair of ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group, the group conducting the study.

  • Guest Editorial

    Toward individualized breast cancer screening strategies—TMIST

    Breast cancer screening is beset with controversy, despite strong evidence from multiple randomized trials that screening mammography, in conjunction with modern therapies, reduces breast cancer mortality and treatment morbidity.

  • A reminder: The real goal is saving lives

    Dear Editor,

    I was disappointed to see that you reported on the results of the IMpassion 131 trial, without context. [The Cancer Letter, Sept. 4, 2020]

  • Guest Editorial

    An open letter to Sen. Kamala Harris

    Honorable Sen. Harris and colleagues,

    I write this letter to you as an advocate for women with malignant uterine soft tissue tumors—and to commend you on the introduction of The Uterine Fibroids Research and Education Act in the United States Congress.

  • In Brief

    • Mays Cancer Center receives renewal of NCI designation
    • Justin Leung receives $1.9 million in funds to research DNA damage response
    • Surupa Sen Gupta joins Maryland Oncology Hematology

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  • Clinical Roundup

    • JNCCN study sheds light on multi-organ adverse events from immunotherapy
    • City of Hope scientists combine oncolytic virus and CAR T in solid tumors
    • Phase II study of Tabrecta shows positive ORR for NSCLC

  • Drugs & Targets

    • Pralsetinib receives FDA approval for lung cancer with RET gene fusions
    • Oncomine Dx Target Test receives FDA approval as first NGS-based companion diagnostic for RET fusion + NSCLC
    • FDA issues alert about efficacy and potential safety concerns with atezolizumab in combination with paclitaxel for treatment of breast cancer
    • Oncocyte receives final pricing decision for DetermaRx Molecular Test for lung cancer from CMS
    • MD Anderson, Xencor collaborate on investigational XmAb drug candidates