RFK Jr. is confirmed, NCORP stops collecting data on sexual orientation, gender One month in: Trump’s impact on oncology

As FDA sidesteps the question of Galleri’s clinical benefit, NCI’s Letai has “some concerns”

As the oncology community waits with bated breath for a possible FDA approval of GRAIL’s Galleri test, NCI Director Anthony Letai has a lot to say about multi-cancer detection tests—particularly Galleri.

October 14, 2026

Cancer Policy

NIH awards $237.5M to advance biomedical and behavioral research

NIH has awarded 58 new research grants through its High-Risk, High-Reward Research program to support exceptionally innovative research with the potential for broad impact on biomedical and behavioral science.

October 09, 2026

Vol.52 No.37

Drugs & Targets

FDA approves tucatinib + trastuzumab + pertuzumab for maintenance treatment of HER2+ breast cancer

FDA approved Tuksya (tucatinib) in combination with trastuzumab and pertuzumab for the maintenance treatment of adults with unresectable locally advanced or metastatic human epidermal growth factor 2-positive breast cancer following induction treatment. The approval expands the use of Tuksya to frontline, an earlier stage of metastatic disease, offering a new chemotherapy-free maintenance treatment option that may help further delay disease progression.

October 09, 2026

Vol.52 No.37

Podcast

Anthony Letai reflects on Year One as NCI Director: “The NCI is in business”

“I don’t know of a single grant that left my desk that was not approved and funded,” NCI Director Anthony G. Letai said on this episode of The Cancer Letter Podcast. https://open.spotify.com/episode/2PFYGwliBDYEbxBXFd9MtB?si=95DNBAy0QGSKBX31_uETEA This episode is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Youtube. Letai recapped his first year as NCI director in conversation with Paul Goldberg,...

October 07, 2026

Conversation with The Cancer Letter

With Year One metrics in hand, Letai is ready to “bring it home” in Year Two
“I hope I don’t see any more reports of NCI cutting funding, because it just is not consistent with the facts”

A year ago, when he was sworn in as director of the National Cancer Institute, Anthony G. Letai set a goal: Reassure cancer researchers that the institute will keep a steady course aimed at finding treatments for cancer.

Two years after FDA’s breast density notification rule, there is still no standard for follow-up
So far, 38 million patients have received a dense breast notification. Now what?

Nearly two years after FDA issued a final rule requiring radiologists to tell women whether their breasts are “dense” or “not dense” after a mammogram, the notification has become nearly universal.

October 02, 2026

Vol.52 No.36

By Claire Marie Porter

RFK Jr. is confirmed, NCORP stops collecting data on sexual orientation, gender

One month in: Trump’s impact on oncology

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As FDA sidesteps the question of Galleri’s clinical benefit, NCI’s Letai has “some concerns”

NIH awards $237.5M to advance biomedical and behavioral research

FDA approves tucatinib + trastuzumab + pertuzumab for maintenance treatment of HER2+ breast cancer

Anthony Letai reflects on Year One as NCI Director: “The NCI is in business”

With Year One metrics in hand, Letai is ready to “bring it home” in Year Two
“I hope I don’t see any more reports of NCI cutting funding, because it just is not consistent with the facts”

Two years after FDA’s breast density notification rule, there is still no standard for follow-up
So far, 38 million patients have received a dense breast notification. Now what?

Renew today!

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RFK Jr. is confirmed, NCORP stops collecting data on sexual orientation, gender

One month in: Trump’s impact on oncology

YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN

As FDA sidesteps the question of Galleri’s clinical benefit, NCI’s Letai has “some concerns”

NIH awards $237.5M to advance biomedical and behavioral research

FDA approves tucatinib + trastuzumab + pertuzumab for maintenance treatment of HER2+ breast cancer

Anthony Letai reflects on Year One as NCI Director: “The NCI is in business”

With Year One metrics in hand, Letai is ready to “bring it home” in Year Two“I hope I don’t see any more reports of NCI cutting funding, because it just is not consistent with the facts”

Two years after FDA’s breast density notification rule, there is still no standard for follow-upSo far, 38 million patients have received a dense breast notification. Now what?

Never miss an issue!

Login

With Year One metrics in hand, Letai is ready to “bring it home” in Year Two
“I hope I don’t see any more reports of NCI cutting funding, because it just is not consistent with the facts”

Two years after FDA’s breast density notification rule, there is still no standard for follow-up
So far, 38 million patients have received a dense breast notification. Now what?