Clinical trial alert: Long-term outcomes from the Checkmate 067 study patients with advanced melanoma

Data collected over 6.5 years fro the CheckMate 067 on clinical outcomes with nivolumab plus ipillimumab or nivolumab vs. impillimumab in patients with advanced melanoma, was recently reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.  Overall survival rates (with minimum 6.5 year follow-up was "72.1, 36.9, and 19.9 months in the combination, nivolumab, and ipillimumab groups, respectively."  For patients who discontinued treatment, median treatment-free survival was 27.6, 2.3, and 1.9 months. 

To learn more about CheckMate 067, click here.  

Study mentioned: Wolchok JD, Chiarion-Sileni V, Gonzalez R, et al. Long-Term Outcomes With Nivolumab Plus Ipilimumab or Nivolumab Alone Versus Ipilimumab in Patients With Advanced Melanoma. JCO; Published online 24 November 2021. DOI: 10.1200/JCO.21.02229

Breast cancer: the role of exercise

 A recent post on Medical News Today re-emphasized the importance of regular exercise for breast cancer patients.  Benefits include increased survival, reduced risk of recurrence, improved mood and energy, improved treatment tolerance, and improved physical function.  The post also goes several tips on starting an exercise routine, namely discussing exercise plans with a medical care team, and referral to a physical therapist.  

To read more, click here. 

New trial alert: drug combination helps children with acute promyelocytic leukemia avoid conventional chemotherapy

The results of a new clinical trial has determined that "the combination of all-trans retinoic acid, ...a metabolite of vitamin A and arsenic trioxide is highly effective in children with standard- and high-risk acute promyelocytic leukemia, or APL."   The trial, conducted on 154 children between 1-22 years old who were recently diagnosed with standard or high-risk APL, showed 2-year event-free survival rates of 96%-98%, with fewer than 10% experiencing severe side effects. 

To learn more about this trial, click here. 

Study mentioned: Kutny MA, Alonzo TA, Abla O, et al. Assessment of Arsenic Trioxide and All-trans Retinoic Acid for the Treatment of Pediatric Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia A Report From the Children’s Oncology Group AAML1331 Trial. JAMA Oncology November 11, 2021. DOI: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2021.5206.

New trial alert: Ibrutinib improves survival for younger people with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

 New analysis of a phase 3 trial has unveiled that adding Ibrutinib (Imbruvica) to chemotherapy can improve survival rates for patients younger than 60 with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL).  DLBCL is the most common type of lymphoma, occurring in 40% of lymphoma cases.  According to Dr Louis M. Staudt, chief of the Lymphoid Malignancies Branch at the National Cancer Institute, "for years we have only had chemotherapy and rituximab to offer these patients...Now, we hope that adding Ibrutinib to current therapy may give younger patients a better chance of surviving this aggressive cancer." 

To read more about this trial, click here. 

Source mentioned: Wilson WH, Wright G, Huang DA, et al. Effect of ibrutinib with R-CHOP chemotherapy in genetic subtypes of DLBCL. Cancer Cell November 4, 2021. DOI: 10.1016/j.ccell.2021.10.006.

Cure probability models for evaluation of patients with a previous cancer diagnosis for solid organ transplantation

 A recently published study conducted in the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland, United States reported on the use of statistical models to calculate cure probabilities for 17 different types of cancer.  These models were applied to patients "with a previous cancer who underwent solid organ transplantation to estimate the probability that those patients had been cured of their cancer at the time of transplantation." Study results shows that of the 5,425 patients studies who went through solid organ translation, the median cure probability at transplantation was 94%. 

To read more about this study, click here. 

Study mentioned: Engels EA, Haber G, Hart A, et al. Predicted Cure and Survival Among Transplant Recipients With a Previous Cancer Diagnosis. JCO; Published online 22 October 2021. DOI:10.1200/JCO.21.01195