A recent study found that three out of four patients with metastatic colorectal cancer experienced major financial hardship within 12 months of diagnosis, despite having access to health insurance. The study also showed a link between financial hardship and decreased quality of life and social functioning.
A new treatment combination of dasatinib, blinatumomab, and prednisone has shown promise in treating older patients with Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+) acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The trial achieved a three-year DFS rate of 80 percent and an overall survival rate of 85 percent for enrolled patients.
A team developed statistical models to predict the risk of early death in patients with non-intensive AML therapy. The models incorporated various health measures and quality-of-life scores, showing modest success in predicting outcomes.
Researchers discovered that the SET2,3 index provides complementary prognostic information about breast cancer outcomes, particularly for patients with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. The study suggests that using both clinical and molecular information from a patient's tumor can guide treatment decision-making.
A large clinical trial has found that postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer and a 21-gene recurrence score of 25 or lower can safely skip chemotherapy. In contrast, premenopausal patients with positive nodes and low RS scores benefit from chemotherapy.
The NCI-funded National Clinical Trials Network has added 14 million years of life to people diagnosed with cancer in the US. The network's randomized phase III studies have had a profound impact on cancer research and treatment, influencing over 80% of treatment guideline recommendations.
Researchers found that patients with low sTK1 levels live longer and have slower disease progression after anti-estrogen treatment. Patients with high sTK1 levels tend to have shorter progression-free survival times and die sooner.
Researchers found that four patients with rare angiosarcoma partially or completely responded to treatment with a combination of ipilimumab and nivolumab. Stable disease was maintained by two more patients, with at least one patient experiencing complete tumor disappearance.
The study analyzed 444 cancer treatment trials and found that 8.4% of patients enrolled were in the 15-39 age range, more than double the national average. AYA patients were also found to be more racially and ethnically diverse than older patients.
Patients with cancer who experience clinically significant fatigue before treatment have shorter overall survival times and more side effects. Researchers analyzed four clinical trials testing lung and prostate cancer treatments, confirming that pretreatment fatigue may be an important prognostic factor in oncology.
Despite initial drops in enrollment, cancer clinical trials in the US showed significant resilience during the 2020-2021 COVID-19 pandemic. Treatment trial enrollments remained remarkably stable, while cancer control and prevention studies were disproportionately affected.
A large clinical trial has shown that pembrolizumab after surgery significantly lowers the risk of disease recurrence in patients with high-risk melanoma. This treatment also results in fewer serious side effects compared to standard therapies like ipilimumab or high-dose interferon.
Researchers from SWOG presented results on several studies, including S1216 and S1404, which showed promising findings for patients with prostate and melanoma cancers. Additionally, secondary analyses from S0809 and S1200 revealed benefits of adjuvant chemoradiation and acupuncture for certain cancer types.