Studies suggest that population commitment, physician implication, and reassurance in screening can improve participation rates. A patient-centred approach in Australia improved screening participation by offering a combined cancer screening service. Additionally, nurse-led clinics can provide effective early diagnosis and prevention o...
A study found that over 90% of targeted therapy and immunotherapy trials scored poorly on reporting recurrent and late toxicities. Limitations were also seen in presenting adverse events and assessing follow-up intervals.
A new study found that working memory dysfunctions and depression are predictors of non-adherence to oral cancer therapies. The research highlights the importance of assessing cognitive functions before initiating treatment to identify patient profiles at risk of non-adherence.
The European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) has awarded four distinguished recipients for their outstanding contributions to cancer treatment and research. Alberto Sobrero received the ESMO Award for his world-renowned research on gastrointestinal cancer, while Sir Richard Peto was recognized for his important contributions to bre...
Sumitra Thongprasert has been awarded the second ESMO Women for Oncology award for her role as a role model for women in oncology. The award acknowledges her advocacy across Asia for female participation in the oncology workforce and promotion of women in leadership positions.
Global trends show a decline in ovarian cancer deaths in the EU and USA between 2002 and 2012, with declines also seen in Australia and New Zealand. The main reason is the use of oral contraceptives, which provide long-term protection against ovarian cancer.
A study published in Annals of Oncology found that breast cancer patients on hormone therapies experienced more side-effects if they had high expectations of suffering. The researchers suggest that counseling could lower the risk and improve adherence to medication.
The first study assessing the clinical impact of ESMO-MCBS in a real-life context shows that the scale works reliably and reproducibly in advanced or metastatic disease. The study encourages its use in daily routine for novel treatments like immunotherapy.
The ESMO consensus guidelines reflect a personalized treatment approach to managing metastatic colorectal cancer, incorporating molecular markers and patient selection. The guidelines aim to improve outcomes by providing evidence-based recommendations for treatment options.
MABp1 improves symptoms, reduces inflammation and increases clinical response rate by 76%, with a 3x longer survival time for responders. Excellent safety and tolerability were also observed.
The phase III RESORCE trial shows regorafenib achieves improved survival rates compared to placebo in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. The study demonstrates significant efficacy and safety benefits of the new agent as a second-line treatment option, providing hope for improved patient outcomes.
A phase III trial found that chemoradiotherapy after surgery for gastric cancer (GC) does not achieve better outcomes than post-operative chemotherapy. The study, which involved 788 patients, showed equivalent five-year survival rates of 40.8% in both treatment arms.
A phase I trial found that combining anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy with a MEK inhibitor achieves partial responses and is well-tolerated in patients with microsatellite-stable metastatic colorectal cancer. The combination was shown to increase the number of active immune cells in tumors, leading to improved responses.
Researchers confirmed plasma genotyping's benefit in predicting treatment benefit for NSCLC patients, particularly those with higher tumor burden and younger age. However, tissue biopsies remain the gold standard due to low sensitivity of plasma tests, which may not fully replace them.
Patients with EGFR expressing advanced squamous non-small-cell lung cancer benefit most from necitumumab added to gemcitabine and cisplatin chemotherapy. The addition of necitumumab improves overall survival and progression-free survival by 21% and 16%, respectively, in patients whose tumours express the EGFR protein.
A late-breaking abstract at the European Lung Cancer Conference presented findings on osimertinib's effectiveness as first-line treatment for EGFR mutated non-small-cell lung cancer. The study showed a high overall response rate and prolonged progression-free survival, suggesting that osimertinib may alter the biology of the disease.
A phase Ib trial demonstrated that combining immunotherapy with live bacterium CRS-207 and chemotherapy resulted in a 94% disease control rate and 59% response rate in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma. The therapy also showed good immune activation and synergistic efficacy with chemotherapy.
Suresh Senan, a renowned expert in radiation oncology, has been awarded the Heine H. Hansen Award for his pioneering work in lung cancer therapy and research. The award recognizes his significant contributions to the field of lung cancer on an international basis.
The new WHO Model List of Essential Medicines includes tumour-specific indications for 46 essential medicines, empowering oncologists to demand quality care. The list aims to reduce disparities in survival outcomes and bring cancer care to developing worlds.
Death rates from leukemia in Europe are expected to decline, with the greatest falls seen among children and young adults. Improvements in treatment and management have contributed to this trend, but some leukaemias remain challenging to treat.
The LUX-Lung 7 trial shows afatinib significantly improved progression-free survival, time-to-treatment failure and objective response rate compared to gefitinib. Afatinib is considered the EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor of choice for first-line treatment in patients with EGFR mutation-positive non-small-cell lung cancer.
The KEYNOTE-010 trial shows that pembrolizumab improves median survival in all PD-L1-positive patients compared to docetaxel. Patients with higher PD-L1 staining benefit the most, with a hazard ratio of 0.54 and 0.50 at two doses of pembrolizumab.
The PALOMA3 trial confirms the efficacy of combining palbociclib with fulvestrant in Asian patients with hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative advanced breast cancer. The combination shows positive results in progression-free survival for postmenopausal women, while a longer follow-up is needed to confirm overall survival.
The ESMO Asia 2015 Congress brought together cancer experts to discuss the latest treatment solutions and patient care. Researchers presented promising findings on immunotherapy and targeted therapy for difficult-to-treat head-and-neck cancers, as well as combination therapies for endocrine-resistant breast cancer.
New study results show atezolizumab has remarkable activity in large number of patients with refractory lung cancer, regardless of treatment line. Efficacy is correlated with PD-L1 expression on tumours and immune cells.
Research highlights significant disparities in cancer care among migrants and refugees, with lower rates of early diagnosis and treatment. The European Society for Medical Oncology calls for policy changes to address these disparities and improve access to quality cancer care.
The ESMO Global Opioid Policy Initiative reveals disparities in opioid access across the globe, with the Middle East, Latin America, and Asia showing limited access to essential pain relieving medication. The addition of new Designated Centres brings polices tailored to patient needs, promoting a multidisciplinary approach to cancer care.
The ESMO Women for Oncology Task Force aims to address inequalities among women oncologists, and the new award will be presented to Enriqueta Felip, who kick-started awareness of the lack of women oncologists in leadership roles. The award recognizes contributors who support the development of women in oncology.
The European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) announced the award of its esteemed prizes to three exceptional medical oncologists: Nathan Cherny, Nagahiro Saijo, and Cornelis Punt. These pioneers have made groundbreaking contributions to palliative care integration, medical oncology in Asia, and immunotherapy approaches.
Patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) and quadruple wild-type genes showed significant benefit from continuing anti-EGFR therapy beyond progression. Second-line cetuximab plus FOLFOX chemotherapy improved progression-free survival, response rate, and overall survival in patients without genetic mutations.
A phase IIIb study has confirmed regorafenib's benefit in patients with previously treated metastatic colorectal cancer. The safety profile and progression-free survival were similar to phase III trial results, with a median duration of 2.5 months.
A pooled analysis of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) treated with bevacizumab found that those with the lowest body mass index (BMI) had significantly shorter overall survival compared to other BMI categories. Progression-free survival was similar across all subgroups.
The SENRI trial found that NK1 antagonists significantly increased the inhibition rate of vomiting and nausea, especially in females. The three-drug combination therapy of aprepitant, a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, and dexamethasone may be a good antiemetic treatment option for oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy in patients with colorectal c...
The ESMO Magnitude of Clinical Benefit Scale (ESMO-MCBS) provides a rational approach to grading the magnitude of clinical benefit of anti-cancer medicines. The scale will be applied to new drugs approved by the EMA, with high-scoring drugs highlighted in the ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines.
The EU Clinical Trials Regulation aims to improve cancer research in Europe, but its implementation poses challenges for researchers and Member States. The regulation includes provisions such as a one-time-consent for patient data and tissue use, creating a single registration portal, and data transparency.
A study has quantified the different mutational profiles of cancer cells in individual tumors, revealing a high degree of variability within one tumor. The researchers found that certain genes behave differently in cancer cells, with some tumors composed of multiple groups with distinct molecular alterations.
A survey of French people aged 40-75 found that many incorrectly believed low cigarette consumption was risk-free for lung cancer. Only half of current smokers considered themselves at higher risk than the average population.
A new DNA blood test can identify EGFR mutations in lung cancer patients without accessible tumor tissue, showing an 89% agreement rate with tissue testing. The test's sensitivity was found to be around half of that of traditional tissue testing.
A study of oncologists in Europe, Asia, and the US found that nearly one in four patients with advanced lung cancer began treatment without knowing their EGFR mutation status. This lack of testing may compromise treatment outcomes and access to effective therapies.
A subset of lung cancer patients with BRAF-mutant cancers may derive significant clinical benefits from treatment with BRAF inhibitors, according to a European study. The trial found an overall response rate of 53% and progression-free survival time of 5 months among patients treated with vemurafenib or dabrafenib.
The first Heine H. Hansen Award recipient, Pieter Postmus, has made significant contributions to lung cancer research and education globally. He was recognized for his work in developing research programs in pulmonary circulation, pneumothorax, and thoracic oncology.
According to the study, death rates from lung cancer are predicted to exceed those for breast cancer among European women in 2015. The rate of cancer deaths is expected to decline overall, with notable exceptions such as lung and pancreatic cancer.
Researchers found high-dose interleukin-2 to be effective in metastatic renal cell cancer patients pre-treated with VEGF-targeted agents, achieving durable complete responses in a selected population. The therapy's efficacy and safety were confirmed, offering an alternative treatment option for carefully selected patients.
Researchers have made breakthroughs in personalized vaccine technology for all types of cancer, using genes expressed in tumors to create tailored vaccines. The approach has shown promise in improving biological responses and disease control.
Research shows that brain metastases have dense concentrations of tumour infiltrating lymphocytes, providing an immunoactive environment. High expression of PDL1 is common in both glioblastoma and brain metastases, making immune checkpoint inhibitors a promising treatment option.
The EMA is exploring alternative approaches to clinical trials in rare cancers, recognizing the challenges of small sample sizes and the need for innovative methods. These discussions aim to enhance the evidence base for treatments in rare cancer patients, who face limited treatment options.
Combination therapy with vemurafenib and cobimetinib achieves greater progression-free survival and response rates than vemurafenib alone in BRAF-mutation positive melanoma. The study also shows a reduced incidence of skin-related side-effects with combination therapy.
Phase II data showed dabrafenib has significant anti-tumour activity in patients with advanced BRAF V600E mutant non-small cell lung cancer. HER2 inhibition also shows promise in HER2-positive non-small cell lung cancer, with a 21% overall response rate in patients treated with neratinib and temsirolimus.
A recent study found that high-dose radiotherapy did not improve survival rates or delay local relapse in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma who had undergone chemotherapy and surgery. However, researchers discovered that about 20% of patients expressed the PD-L1 protein, which could be targeted with immunotherapy treatments.
Preliminary data from a phase III trial suggest nivolumab achieves better response rates and longer response durations than standard chemotherapy in patients with unresectable metastatic melanoma. The drug has a lower toxicity profile compared to chemotherapy, promoting a sustained immune response.