Tuesday 12 March 2024

Topical diclofenac gel reduces the incidence of hand-foot syndrome in patients treated with oral capecitabine

 D-TORCH, a phase III randomized trial recently published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, application of topical diclofenac gel, used in osteoarthritis, resulted in lower "grade 2 or 3 hand-foot syndrome rates compared with placebo in patients with breast and gastrointestinal cancers treated with oral capecitabine."  Of the 131 patients who received topical diclofenac gel in the D-TORCH study, grade 2/grade 3 hand-foot syndrome occurred in only 3.8% of cases, compared to 15% in the placebo group. 

To learn more about the D-TORCH study, click here

Source mentioned: 

Santhosh A, Sharma A, Bakhshi S, et al., on behalf of the D-TORCH Trial Investigators. Topical Diclofenac for Prevention of Capecitabine-Associated Hand-Foot Syndrome: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial. JCO; Published online 27 February 2024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1200/JCO.23.01730

Monday 4 March 2024

High risk of breast cancer specific mortality at 20 years in men with hormone receptor positive stage I to III breast cancer

 Findings from the first population study assessing the risk of breast cancer specific mortality among male breast cancer patients, was recently published in JAMA Oncology.  As a diagnosis of breast cancer in males is rare, the disease trajectory, particularly with regards to inclusion of male breast cancer patients in clinical trials, has not been well studied.  However, "the median age at diagnosis is substantially higher in men than in women, and patients with male breast cancer are more likely to have regional nodal involvement."  

To learn more about this study, click here. 

Source mentioned: Leone J, Hassett MJ, Freedman RA, et al. Mortality Risks Over 20 Years in Men With Stage I to III Hormone Receptor–Positive Breast CancerJAMA Oncology; Published online 29 February 2024. doi:10.1001/jamaoncol.2023.7194

Monday 26 February 2024

National Institutes of Health launches research network to evaluate emerging cancer screening technologies

 The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has unveiled a clinical trials network focused on evaluating various cancer screening technologies.  This work is in support of Cancer Moonshot, "investigating how to identify cancers earlier, when they may be easier to treat."  

To read more about this research network, click here



Tuesday 20 February 2024

Online tool predicts RFS and OS probabilities in patients with stage II melanoma

A new model created by Melanoma Institute Australia (MIA), further described and discussed in a recent issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology, has been shown to "predict recurrence-free survival and overall survival in patients with a primary cutaneous melanoma considerably better" than what is described in cancer staging manuals.  Study authors further concluded that the MIA model can be used in daily practice without the need to conduct sentinel node biopsy, even for high-risk patients.  

To learn more about the MIA model, click here

Study mentioned: 

Varey AHR, Li I, El Sharouni M-A, et al. Predicting Recurrence-Free and Overall Survival for Patients With Stage II Melanoma: The MIA CalculatorJCO; Published online 5 February 2024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1200/JCO.23.01020

Monday 5 February 2024

Webinar: Making the mouth-body connection in cancer care

 The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) has recently created a webinar, presented by Jill Meter-Lippert, dental hygienist and founder of Side Effect Support, discussing "current evidence or oral-systemic links with various types of cancer."  The presentation discusses a partnership between oncologists and dental practitioners, focusing on "oral hygiene modifications and product recommendations" to prevent, delay, or reduce complications from side effects following cancer treatments. 

Click here to view the complete webinar. 



Monday 22 January 2024

Grey Horizon postings will resume week of February 5, 2024

To all Grey Horizon readers, 

Thank you for your continued support of this blog.   

Postings will resume the week of February 5, 2024.  

Take care and stay well. 

First report from the cancer program of the 100,000 genomes project

 The first report from the 100,000 Genomes Cancer Program, consisting of an analysis of whole-genome sequencing from 13,800 solid tumours was recently published in Nature Medicine.  As discussed in the report, comprehensive tumour profiling "will enable further refinement of prognostic and predictive molecular markers, not only with combinations of different genomic alterations, but beyond genomics, including emerging technologies to expand the reach of precision oncology to improve cancer outcomes." 

To learn more about the 100,000 genomes project, click here

Source mentioned: 

Sosinsky A., Ambrose J, Cross W, et al. Insights for precision oncology from the integration of genomic and clinical data of 13,880 tumors from the 100,000 Genomes Cancer ProgrammeNature Medicine; Published online 11 January 2024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-023-02682-0

Monday 15 January 2024

Neoadjuvant atezolizumab together with chemotherapy is safe and has promising activity in patients with gastric and gastro-oesophageal junction adenocarcinoma

Findings of the recently published PANDA phase II study have shown that a "combination of neoadjuvant atezolizumab plus chemotherapy led to a major pathologic response in 70% and a pathologic complete response in 45% of patients with previously untreated resectable gastric and gastro-oesophageal junction cancer."  In addition, 13 of 14 responses did not exhibit disease recurrence after 47 months.   In addition, the PANDA study has shown that atezolizumab monotherapy leads to prominent changes in the tumour microenvironment.  

To learn more about the PANDA study, click here

Source mentioned: 

Verschoor YL, van de Haar J, van den Berg J, et al. Neoadjuvant atezolizumab plus chemotherapy in gastric and gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma: the phase 2 PANDA trial. Nature Medicine; Published online 8 January 2024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-023-02758-x

Monday 8 January 2024

FDA approves enfortumab vedotin-ejfv with pembrolizumab for locally advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer

 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved the use of enfortumab vedotin-ejfv, together with pembrolizumab for patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer.  Results from a randomized study of 886 patients indicated "statistically significant improvements in both overall survival and progression-free survival (31.5 months on average) compared to platinum-based chemotherapy (16.1 months)." 

To learn more about this study, click here




Monday 18 December 2023

Grey Horizon postings will resume week of January 8, 2024; Happy Holidays

 To all Grey Horizon readers, 

Thank you for supporting the blog this past year.  Postings will resume the week of week of January 8, 2024.  

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!  


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