Rare Cancers, Common Need

Cancer immunotherapy, and in particular immune checkpoint blockade, has transformed oncology with the potential for durable responses even in patients with metastatic disease. To date, regulatory approvals and clinical trials have focused on the study of these agents in relatively more common tumor types, such as melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer, bladder cancer, and kidney cancer, amongst others.

To access this subscriber-only content please log in or subscribe.

If your institution has a site license, log in with IP-login or register for a sponsored account.*
*Not all site licenses are enrolled in sponsored accounts.

Login Subscribe

Byline

Sandip Patel

S1609 DART clinical study chair; Assistant professor of medicine, UC San Diego Cancer Center;
Assistant director, Clinical Trials Office, Moores Cancer Center; Investigator, SWOG early therapeutics and rare cancers committee

Young Kwang Chae

S1609 DART translational medicine study chair; assistant professor, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine; Co-director, Developmental Therapeutics, Lurie Cancer Center; Vice chair, SWOG early therapeutics and rare cancers committee

Razelle Kurzrock

S1609 DART senior study chair; Senior deputy center director, Moores Cancer Center; Chief, Division of Hematology and Oncology, UC San Diego; Chair, SWOG early therapeutics and rare cancers committee

DOWNLOAD THE PDF

Table of Contents

YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN

Clinical

Early-onset colorectal cancer is behaving like a new, biologically distinct disease, researchers note
One woman’s pregnancy shows how this distinction matters

Jenna Scott was 29, seven months pregnant, and suddenly, feeling very sick.

July 02, 2026

Vol.52 No.26

By Claire Marie Porter

Obituary

Maura Gillison, who identified the role of HPV in head and neck cancer, changing the standard of care, dies at 61

Maura L. Gillison, MD, PhD, a medical oncologist and molecular epidemiologist whose work changed the standard of care for head and neck cancer by distinguishing human papillomavirus-positive from HPV-negative disease and thereby guiding diagnosis, treatment and prevention, died on June 21.

July 02, 2026

Vol.52 No.26

By Paul Goldberg

Clinical Trials & Tribulations

Is it time to re-assess the practice and practicality of screening colonoscopy?
Modeling data in ACS guideline support greater use of noninvasive tests to ease system strain, save lives

I performed my first colonoscopy as a board-certified gastroenterologist more than 20 years ago, at a time when the procedure was firmly established as the “gold standard” for colorectal cancer screening.

July 02, 2026

Vol.52 No.26

By Paul J. Limburg

Trials & Tribulations

More than 50 million Americans remain unscreened for colon cancer
New guidelines offer another option

For decades, we have faced a central challenge in colorectal cancer screening. One in three eligible Americans—over 50 million people—remain unscreened despite established methods like colonoscopy or stool-based tests existing for decades. This gap persists even though early detection saves lives, and even as colorectal cancer is now the number one cancer killer for Americans under 50.

AACR urges OMB to retract proposed rule on federally funded research

The American Association for Cancer Research is urging the White House Office of Management and Budget to rescind its recent proposed rule that would give the administration unprecedented political control over government-funded science.

CDC updates ACIP charter

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has published an updated version of the charter for the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.

July 02, 2026

Vol.52 No.26

By Sara Willa Ernst

Rare Cancers, Common Need

YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN

Early-onset colorectal cancer is behaving like a new, biologically distinct disease, researchers note
One woman’s pregnancy shows how this distinction matters

Maura Gillison, who identified the role of HPV in head and neck cancer, changing the standard of care, dies at 61

Is it time to re-assess the practice and practicality of screening colonoscopy?
Modeling data in ACS guideline support greater use of noninvasive tests to ease system strain, save lives

More than 50 million Americans remain unscreened for colon cancer
New guidelines offer another option

AACR urges OMB to retract proposed rule on federally funded research

CDC updates ACIP charter

Renew today!

Subscriber content

Never miss an issue!

Login

Rare Cancers, Common Need

YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN

Early-onset colorectal cancer is behaving like a new, biologically distinct disease, researchers noteOne woman’s pregnancy shows how this distinction matters

Maura Gillison, who identified the role of HPV in head and neck cancer, changing the standard of care, dies at 61

Is it time to re-assess the practice and practicality of screening colonoscopy?Modeling data in ACS guideline support greater use of noninvasive tests to ease system strain, save lives

More than 50 million Americans remain unscreened for colon cancerNew guidelines offer another option

AACR urges OMB to retract proposed rule on federally funded research

CDC updates ACIP charter

Never miss an issue!

Login

Early-onset colorectal cancer is behaving like a new, biologically distinct disease, researchers note
One woman’s pregnancy shows how this distinction matters

Is it time to re-assess the practice and practicality of screening colonoscopy?
Modeling data in ACS guideline support greater use of noninvasive tests to ease system strain, save lives

More than 50 million Americans remain unscreened for colon cancer
New guidelines offer another option