Age and frailty should be considered independently when evaluating potential risk for side effects among older adults treated with ICIS

 Researchers at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto recently released the findings of a population-level retrospective cohort study aimed at evaluating "the impact of age and frailty among older adults on use of acute care and immune-related adverse events (irAE) associated hospitalizations."  According to Dr. Lawson Eng of the Division of Medical Oncology and Hematology at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, older age carried a lower risk of being hospitalized due to irAE, particularly those over the age of 80, which constituted 18% of the 2737 patients who participated in the study.  The study concluded that age and frailty are significant associated factors which "may need to be considered independently when evaluating their use [in] influencing risk of toxicity among older adults receiving ICIs." 

To read more about this study, click here. 

Source mentioned: Eng L, Sutradhar R, Kaliwal Y, et al. Impact of age and frailty on acute care use during immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) treatment: A population-based study. J Clin Oncol 2022; 40 (suppl 16; abstr 12002). DOI: 10.1200/JCO.2022.40.16_suppl.12002

New trial alert: Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network Study for Ontario (MOHCCN-O)

 The Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network (MOHCCN), is presently recruiting cancer patients for its new study focusing on "evolving technologies such as genomics and artificial intelligence to study cancer so that the right treatment can be given to the right patient, at the right time."  Sponsored by the University Health Network in Toronto, and involving a collaboration between the Princess Margaret Hospital, the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, and the Terry Fox Research Institute, this observational study,  over a 5-year period, aims to develop standard practices "to create a unique shareable dataset of molecular imaging, clinical, and health outcome information on Canadian cancer cases." 

To learn more about this trial and the MOHCCN, click here. 

Study shows public perception of e-cigarettes vs. cigarettes harms changed sharply during EVALID epidemic and COVID-19

 A new study conducted by the American Cancer Society indicates that perceptions by adults of "electronic or e-cigarettes as being more harmful than cigarettes...more than doubled between 2019-2020."  This perception coincides with results from the EVALI study, which focused on lung injury associated with e-cigarettes or vaping.  According to principal scientist Dr. Priti Bandi, all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes are harmful to one's health,  and "there is a need for behavioral interventions to encourage individuals to be informed consumers of available scientific findings and appreciate that while no tobacco product is safe, there are inherent differences between relative and absolute harms between tobacco products that can influence behavior."  

To read more about this study, click here. 

Study finds COVID-19 pandemic reduced breast, cervical, colorectal cancer screenings by millions in 2020

New statistics recently released by the American Cancer Society indicate that screening for breast cancer as dropped 6% (2.13 million), while screening for cervical cancer is done by 11% (4.47 million) in the United States.  Believed to be the first study to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic using population-based data, the findings further revealed a 17% drop among Hispanic women undergoing cervical cancer screening, while 27% fewer Asian/Pacific women attended breast cancer screening, "the largest drop for any race."   

To read more about this study, click here.