Blog postings will resume week of September 12th

 To all Grey Horizon readers, 

Please note that blog postings will resume the week of September 12, 2022. 

Thank you, take care, and stay well.  

TIL densities association with disease-free survival differs by primary tumour sidedness in stage III colon cancer

 Findings from a recently completed phase 2 study by NCCTG N0147 alliance researchers "found significantly higher tumour infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) densities in right- versus left-sided colon cancers."  Following an extensive analysis and dichotomy of 1532 colon cancer patients, the study authors concluded that TILs "were second only to N stage for prediction of DFS [disease-free survival] and their relative contribution was substantially greater (16-fold) in right - vs. left-sided tumours." 

To read more about this study, click here.  

Source mentioned: Saberzadeh-Ardestani B, Foster NR, Lee HE, et al. Association of Tumor-infiltrating Lymphocytes (TILs) with Survival Depends on Primary Tumor Sidedness in Stage III Colon Cancers (NCCTG N0147) [Alliance]. Annals of Oncology; Published online 10 August 2022.

Teclistamab results in a high rate of deep and durable response in patients with triple-class-exposed relapsed or refractory myeloma

 Researchers at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York recently released findings of a phase I/II study of patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who received a "once-weekly subcutaneous dose of a bispecific antibody, teclistamab that mediates T-cell activation and subsequent lysis of myeloma cells expressing B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)."  Of the 165 patients who were administered teclistamab, 65 patients (39.4%) had a complete response or better after a follow-up period of 14.1 months.

To read more about this study, click here.   

Sources mentioned:  Moreau P, Garfall AL, van de Donk NWCJ, et al. Teclistamab in Relapsed or Refractory Multiple Myeloma. N Engl J Med 2022;387:495-505.

Mailankody S, Landgren O. T-Cell Engagers — Modern Immune-Based Therapies for Multiple Myeloma. N Engl J Med 2022;387:558-561.

Study on frequent aspirin use supports reduction in ovarian cancer risk

A study recently published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology indicates that frequent aspirin use is associated with reduction in ovarian cancer risk.  Further, secondary analyses of RCTs observing administration of aspirin for cardiovascular disease prevention "have noted a decreased risk of female reproductive cancers with at least 3 years of aspirin use."  While study authors point out that the ovarian cancer individual cases diagnosed in the study populations were not robust enough to draw definitive conclusions,  "meta-analyses and pooled analyses of cohort and case-control studies have found that aspirin may reduce ovarian cancer risk by 10%-20%, particularly when used frequently (e.g. daily or almost daily)."   

To learn more about this study, click here. 

Source mentioned: Hurwitz LM, Townsend MK, Jordan SJ, et al. Modification of the Association Between Frequent Aspirin Use and Ovarian Cancer Risk: A Meta-Analysis Using Individual-Level Data From Two Ovarian Cancer Consortia. JCO; Published online 22 July 2022. DOI: 10.1200/JCO.21.01900

Older age and smoking most important risk factors for developing any type of cancer

 A recently completed study by the American Cancer Society as identified older age and smoking as "the two most important risk factors associated with a relative and absolute five-year risk of developing any cancer."  The cohort study, comprising 429,991 participants across the USA with no prior history of cancer were followed; within a 5-year period, 15,226 of these participants were diagnosed with cancer.  In addition, risk factors including alcohol intake, family history of cancer, read meet consumption and physical inactivity contributed to an "absolute five-year risk as high as 29% in men and 25% in women." 

To learn more about this study, click here.