In the Literature

It is estimated that in 2020, there were 6.3 million cases and 3.3 million deaths globally of mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophageal, colon, rectum, liver, and breast cancer. These cancers have causal links to alcohol consumption. However, patterns of alcohol use continue to change over time across the world. With changes in alcohol consumption and more recent cancer incidence data, new estimates of the alcohol-attributable burden of cancer are needed. Read More ›

Sacituzumab govitecan (Trodelvy), a Trop-2 antibody and topoisomerase inhibitor, showed promising results in a small clinical trial of patients with metastatic TNBC. These findings provided the basis for accelerated FDA approval of this agent in April 2020 for the treatment of patients with metastatic TNBC who have received ≥2 previous therapies in the metastatic setting, with full approval contingent on the results of the confirmatory phase 3 ASCENT study (Bardia A, et al. N Engl J Med. Read More ›

Regular aspirin use is considered the best chemoprevention strategy to reduce colorectal cancer (CRC) risk in middle-aged adults. This supported the US Preventive Services Task Force’s (USPSTF) recommendation of daily aspirin for CRC prophylaxis in adults aged 50 to 59 years and certain cardiovascular risk factors. The USPSTF, however, also recommends aspirin use in people aged ≥70 years, but the evidence for this is inconsistent. Read More ›

Esophageal cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related morbidity and mortality worldwide. Chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery is the standard of care for patients with resectable, locally advanced esophageal cancer. However, the risk for recurrence after this treatment remains high, especially among the majority of patients who do not have a pathologic complete response. Read More ›

Previous analyses have pointed to alarming shortages of oncology providers in the face of growing demand. No oncology workforce study, however, has assessed the link between geographic need for oncology services and the codependency between oncologists and nonphysician health professionals with an oncology subspecialty. A recent report on the state of cancer care in the United States examined the availability of physicians and oncology pharmacists and their geographic distributions throughout the country and compared it with the need for oncology services in each county. Read More ›

Rucaparib (Rubraca, Clovis Oncology) demonstrated promising antitumor activity in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) and a deleterious BRCA alteration, according to results of a study published online in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. Read More ›

Black men with low-risk prostate cancer who were on active surveillance had an increased risk for disease progression and definitive treatment compared with their non-Hispanic White counterparts, but not increased mortality, according to the results of a recent study. Read More ›

Selpercatinib Shows Durable Responses in Patients with Thyroid Cancer and RET Mutation
Venclexta plus Azacitidine Improves Overall Survival in Patients with AML
Advances in New Therapies Attributed to Reductions in Lung Cancer Mortality
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Mitomycin gel (Jelmyto), an alkylating drug, is the first and only FDA-approved treatment for patients with low-grade upper-tract urothelial cancer (UTUC), a rare cancer that affects the lining of the urinary system, and offers a nonsurgical treatment alternative for patients with this rare disease. Although the majority of urothelial cancers occur in the bladder, UTUC is part of a group of urothelial cancers that arise in the lining of the kidney or the ureter. Read More ›

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has broadened access to Medicare telehealth services so that beneficiaries can receive a wider range of services from their physicians without having to travel to a healthcare facility. Clinicians can bill immediately for services starting March 6, 2020. Read More ›