Efficacy of rituximab maintenance in patients with mantle cell lymphoma who are MRD-negative after induction

 A recently completed elderly study of the European MCL (mantle cell lymphoma) network demonstrates the efficacy of "rituximab (R) - maintenance...in MRD (minimal residual disease) patients after R-CHOP induction [resulting in] substantially prolonged progression-free survival and overall survival."  Study authors also supported the need to advocate for MRD efficacy, thereby "establishing novel risk-adapted treatment strategies." 

To read more about this study, click here. 

Source mentioned: Hoster E, Delfau-Larue M-H, Macintyre E, et al. on behalf of the European MCL MRD Working Group and the European MCL Network. Predictive Value of Minimal Residual Disease for Efficacy of Rituximab Maintenance in Mantle Cell Lymphoma: Results From the European Mantle Cell Lymphoma Elderly Trial. JCO; Published online 22 November 2023. DOI: 10.1200/JCO.23.00899

Incidence rates for most local and regional stage cancers declined during first year of COVID-19

 A new report, recently published in the International Journal of Cancer, indicates that during the first year of COVID-19, "cancer incidence rates declined for almost all cancer types."  While these findings, which also explored impact of COVID-19 pandemic on cancer incidence rates by stage at diagnosis, as well as race and ethnicity, can be attributed to suspension of healthcare during this time, study authors emphasize the importance of "strengthening the return to preventive care campaigns and outreach for detecting cancers at early and more treatable stages." 

To read more about this study, click here. 

Source mentioned: Schafer EJ, Islami F, Han X, Nogueira LM, Wagle NS, Yabroff KR, Sung H, Jemal A. Changes in cancer incidence rates by stage during the COVID-19 pandemic in the US. Int J Cancer. 2023 Nov 16. doi: 10.1002/ijc.34758. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37971377.

Adding durvalumab to first-line platinum-based chemotherapy followed by maintenance durvalumab with or without olaparib improves PFS for patients with advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer

 Findings from DUO-E, "the first phase III study to examine the combination of immunotherapy and PARP inhibition in endometrial cancer" was recently presented at the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress.  The DUO-E study, consisting of 718 randomized patients, found statistically significant progress-free survival (PFS) when durvalumab, alone and in combination with olaparib, were used in the intent-to-treat population.  

To learn more about the DUO-E study, click here. 

Sources mentioned: 

• Westin SN, Moore K, Chon HS, et al. on behalf of the DUO-E investigators. Durvalumab Plus Carboplatin/Paclitaxel Followed by Maintenance Durvalumab With or Without Olaparib as First-Line Treatment for Advanced Endometrial Cancer: The Phase III DUO-E Trial. JCO; Published online 21 October 2023. DOI: 10.1200/JCO.23.02132
• LBA41 - Westin SN, Moore KN, Chon HS, et al. Durvalumab (durva) plus carboplatin/paclitaxel (CP) followed by maintenance (mtx) durva ± olaparib (ola) as a first-line (1L) treatment for newly diagnosed advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer (EC): Results from the phase III DUO-E/GOG-3041/ENGOT-EN10 trial. Ann Oncol 2023;34(Suppl_2):S1282–S1283. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annonc.2023.10.035

NCI researchers develop approach that could help supercharge T-cell therapies against solid tumors

 Researchers at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) have recently presented findings on ways to improve effectiveness of T-cell immunotherapy treatment (namely CAR T-cell therapy) against solid tumours.   According to laboratory studies, "CAR and TCR T cells modified to express the cytokines IL-15 and IL-21 on their surface killed far more cancer cells than T cells carrying just one of these cytokines or neither of them."  This approach is a more targeted means of delivering the cytokines, thereby lessening severe or fatal side effects. 

Click here to learn more about the study, including listening to an audio soundbite and reading the radio transcript.