Adding 24 Months of ADT improves metastasis-free survival in patients with prostate cancer treated with postoperative radiotherapy

 A new study recently completed at the Institute of Clinical Trials and Methodology at University College London has unveiled that adding 24 months of ADT [androgen deprivation therapy] improved metastasis-free survival in prostate cancer patients undergoing postoperative radiotherapy.  

The study authors further explain that survival benefit "should be weighed against the extended duration of the well-known adverse events associated with ADT, such as sexual dysfunction, metabolic syndrome, and osteoporosis."   

To learn more about this study, click here. 

Sources mentioned: 

• Parker CC, Kynaston H, Cook AD, et al. on behalf of the RADICALS investigators. Duration of androgen deprivation therapy with postoperative radiotherapy for prostate cancer: a comparison of long-course versus short-course androgen deprivation therapy in the RADICALS-HD randomised trial. The Lancet; Published online 16 May 2024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(24)00549-X 
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• Parker CC, Clarke NW, Cook AD, et al. on behalf of the RADICALS investigators. Adding 6 months of androgen deprivation therapy to postoperative radiotherapy for prostate cancer: a comparison of short-course versus no androgen deprivation therapy in the RADICALS-HD randomised controlled trial. The Lancet; Published online 16 May 2024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(24)00548-8 
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• Pollack A, Dal Pra A. Androgen deprivation therapy combined with postoperative radiotherapy for prostate cancer management. The Lancet; Published online 16 May 2024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(24)00802-X

Biomarker analyses in patients with HER2-positive or HER2-low gastric and gastro-oesophageal junction cancer treated with trastuzumab deruxtecan

 Findings of the DESTINY-Gastric01 randomized study, comparing trastuzumab deruxtecan vs. third line or later chemotherapy in HER2-positive gastric or gastro-esophageal cancer patients, was recently published in Nature Medicine. While the authors acknowledge that further investigations in larger studies is needed, "the biomarkers identified in this analysis are being investigated and validated in additional studies." 

To learn more about DESTINY-Gastric01, click here. 

Source mentioned: Shitara K, Bang Y-J, Iwasa S, et al. Trastuzumab deruxtecan in HER2-positive advanced gastric cancer: exploratory biomarker analysis of the randomized, phase 2 DESTINY-Gastric01 trial. Nature Medicine; Published online 14 May 2024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-024-02992-x

Projected estimates of cancer in Canada 2024

 New research published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal summarizes the expected impact of cancer in Canada in 2024, including projections of new cancer cases and mortality, arranged according to gender and province/territory for 23 different types of cancer.  

Projected numbers for 2024 include 247,100 cancer diagnoses and 88,100 cancer deaths in Canada.  While rates of lung, colorectal, and prostate cancer are expected to decrease, other cancers, including liver, bile duct, kidney, melanoma, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma are expected to rise. 

To learn more about this research, click here. 

Source mentioned: 

Darren R. Brenner, Jennifer Gillis, Alain A. Demers, Larry F. Ellison, Jean-Michel Billette, Shary Xinyu Zhang, JiaQi Leon Liu, Ryan R. Woods, Christian Finley, Natalie Fitzgerald, Nathalie Saint-Jacques, Lorraine Shack, Donna Turner

CMAJ May 2024, 196 (18) E615-E623; DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.240095

Datopotamab deruxtecan shows promising activity in heavily pretreated advanced HR-positive/HER2-negative and triple-negative breast cancers

 TROPION-PanTumor01, a phase I study on the effects of datopotamab deruxtecan on heavily pretreated advanced HR-positive/HER2-negative breast cancer and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) indicated a "confirmed objective response rate of 26.8% in patients with HR-positive/HER2-negative breast cancer and 31.8% in patients with TNBC." While the study authors acknowledge that the number of patients in each cohort (41 HR-positive/HER2-negative and 44 in TNBC) use of datopotamab deruxtecan is being compared with single-agent chemotherapy as a possible second or third line treatment option.  

To read more about this study, click here. 

Source mentioned: Bardia A, Krop IE, Kogawa T, et al. Datopotamab Deruxtecan in Advanced or Metastatic HR+/HER2– and Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Results From the Phase I TROPION-PanTumor01 Study. JCO; Published online 23 April 2024: DOI: https://doi.org/10.1200/JCO.23.01909