Grey Horizon postings will resume week of February 5, 2024

To all Grey Horizon readers, 

Thank you for your continued support of this blog.   

Postings will resume the week of February 5, 2024.  

Take care and stay well. 

First report from the cancer program of the 100,000 genomes project

 The first report from the 100,000 Genomes Cancer Program, consisting of an analysis of whole-genome sequencing from 13,800 solid tumours was recently published in Nature Medicine.  As discussed in the report, comprehensive tumour profiling "will enable further refinement of prognostic and predictive molecular markers, not only with combinations of different genomic alterations, but beyond genomics, including emerging technologies to expand the reach of precision oncology to improve cancer outcomes." 

To learn more about the 100,000 genomes project, click here. 

Source mentioned: 

Sosinsky A., Ambrose J, Cross W, et al. Insights for precision oncology from the integration of genomic and clinical data of 13,880 tumors from the 100,000 Genomes Cancer Programme. Nature Medicine; Published online 11 January 2024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-023-02682-0

Neoadjuvant atezolizumab together with chemotherapy is safe and has promising activity in patients with gastric and gastro-oesophageal junction adenocarcinoma

Findings of the recently published PANDA phase II study have shown that a "combination of neoadjuvant atezolizumab plus chemotherapy led to a major pathologic response in 70% and a pathologic complete response in 45% of patients with previously untreated resectable gastric and gastro-oesophageal junction cancer."  In addition, 13 of 14 responses did not exhibit disease recurrence after 47 months.   In addition, the PANDA study has shown that atezolizumab monotherapy leads to prominent changes in the tumour microenvironment.  

To learn more about the PANDA study, click here. 

Source mentioned: 

Verschoor YL, van de Haar J, van den Berg J, et al. Neoadjuvant atezolizumab plus chemotherapy in gastric and gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma: the phase 2 PANDA trial. Nature Medicine; Published online 8 January 2024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-023-02758-x

FDA approves enfortumab vedotin-ejfv with pembrolizumab for locally advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer

 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved the use of enfortumab vedotin-ejfv, together with pembrolizumab for patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer.  Results from a randomized study of 886 patients indicated "statistically significant improvements in both overall survival and progression-free survival (31.5 months on average) compared to platinum-based chemotherapy (16.1 months)." 

To learn more about this study, click here.