New survey highlights the role of clinical practice guidelines to improve care for patients with rare cancers

 Results from a recent ESMO (European Society for Medical Oncology) and EURACAN (European Reference Network to Cancers) had led to a "call for policy action to standardize care pathways for rare cancers after analysis links guidance adherence to patient survival").  According to the survey, conducted between September - October 2025, patients with rare malignancies equate to 650,000 new cases per year, representing 24% if all cancer diagnoses across Europe.  

ESMO and EURACAN thus propose the following actions: 

• Centralize rare cancer surgeries in accredited centres  
• Enforce mandatory multidisciplinary decision-making and time-critical standards throughout patient diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up
• Track adherence to established Clinical Practice Guidelines via national dashboards

Click here to learn more

Overall survival not substantially improved with CDK4/6 inhibitors used in first- compared with second-line treatment in Patients with HR-positive, HER2-negative advanced breast cancer

 Findings from SONIA, a phase III Dutch study comparing "the sequence of an aromatase inhibitor plus CDK4/6 inhibitor as first-line treatment followed by fulvestrant as second-line treatment (CDK4/6 inhibitor first-line group") did not improve overall survival compared with second-line treatment. Rather, this treatment regimen increased treatment-related and financial toxic effects in patients with HR-positive HER-2 negative advanced breast cancer.  Following an analysis of 1050 patients enrolled in SONIA, median overall survival was 47.9 months with first-line CDK4/6 inhibitor and 48.1 months with second-line CDK4/6 inhibitor  

To learn more about the SONIA study, click here. 

Sources mentioned: 

• Wortelboer N, van Ommen-Nijhof A, Konings IR, et al. Overall Survival With First-Line vs Second-Line CDK4/6 Inhibitor Use in Advanced Breast Cancer A Randomized Clinical Trial  JAMA Oncology; Published online 19 February 2026. doi: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2025.6585
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• Valenza C, Burstein HJ. Lessons From the SONIA Trial on Timing of CDK4/6 Inhibitors in Advanced Breast Cancer—The Sooner, the Better? JAMA Oncology; Published online 19 February 2026. doi: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2025.6345

Worse survival among patients diagnosed with cancer during first 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic

A recently published U.S. population-based cohort study found "significant reductions in 1-year cause-specific survival rates among patients diagnosed with both early-stage and late-stage cancer in 2020 and 2021."   Compared to cancer patients diagnosed between 2015-2019, patients with a diagnosis of esophageal cancer (early-stage, 3.67%-3.89%), colorectal cancer (0.78%-1.08%) and prostate cancer (late-stage, 0.64%-0.77%)), were noted to have the largest site-specific survival reductions during the first 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic.  The authors of this cohort study thus propose that "swift action should be taken to increase cancer screening, rebuild healthcare capacity, and improve patient communication." 

Source mentioned:

Burus T, Damgacioglu H, Huang B, et al. Survival of Patients Diagnosed With Cancer During the COVID-19 Pandemic . JAMA Oncology; Published online 5 February 2026. doi:10.1001/jamaoncol.2025.6332

Vepdegestrant results in longer PFS than fulvestrant in previously treated patients with ESR1-mutated, ER-positive, HER2-negative ABC

 Results from VERITAC-2, an open-label randomized phase III study conducted on "ER-positive HER2- negative advanced breast cancer patients...receiving endocrine therapy plus a CDK4/6 inhibitor" to measure progression-free survival, was reported at the 2025 ASCO Annual Meeting.  Based on findings from VERITAC-2, "vepdegestrant monotherapy showed encouraging clinical activity in patients who had received multiple previous lines of treatment for ER-positive, HER-2 negative ABC." 

To read more about VERITAC-2, click here. 

Sources mentioned: 

• Campone M, De Laurentiis M, Jhaveri K, et al. for the VERITAC-2 Study Group. Vepdegestrant, a PROTAC Estrogen Receptor Degrader, in Advanced Breast Cancer . NEJM; Published online 31 May 2025. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2505725
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• Hamilton EP, De Laurentiis M, Jhaveri K, et al. Vepdegestrant, a PROTAC estrogen receptor (ER) degrader, vs fulvestrant in ER-positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)–negative advanced breast cancer: Results of the global, randomized, phase 3 VERITAC-2 study . J Clin Oncol 2025;43(suppl 17):abstr LBA1000. DOI: 10.1200/JCO.2025.43.17_suppl.LBA1000

Adding chemotherapy to radiotherapy not associated with improved OS for patients with intermediate-risk cervical cancer

 A population-based cohort study recently published in JAMA Oncology found "no significant overall survival benefit from the addition of concomitant chemotherapy to radiotherapy in patients with intermediate-risk cervical cancer." While hysterectomy and surgical lymph node assessment is considered standard treatment for early-stage cervical cancer, nearly 60% of patients continue receiving chemoradiotherapy for intermediate-risk cases "despite the absence of clear benefit." 

To read more about this study, click here: 

Source mentioned: 

Agustí N, Viveros-Carreño D, Wu C-F, et al. Adjuvant Chemoradiotherapy vs Radiotherapy Alone for Patients With Intermediate-Risk Cervical Cancer. JAMA Oncology; Published online 13 March 2025. doi:10.1001/jamaoncol.2025.0146

Real-world patients with cancer show lower survival times and treatment-associated survival benefits compared to those included in RCTs

 Findings from TrialTranslator, a machine-learning model involving randomized clinical trials (RCTs), indicates that "median overall survival treatment benefit for real-word patients...[is] on average, 3 months lower than in RCTs..."  While the authors of this TrialTranslator study conclude that "prognostic heterogeneity among real-world patients with cancer plays a substantial role in the limited generalizability of RCT results", machine learning frameworks have been shown to be of benefit in guiding trial design and planning future enhancements in cancer care. 

To read more about TrialTranslator, click here. 

Source mentioned: 

Orcutt X, Chen K, Mamtani R, et al. Evaluating generalizability of oncology trial results to real-world patients using machine learning-based trial emulations. Nature Medicine; Published online 3 January 2025.

Distinct patient, tumour, treatment characteristics and a different pattern and risk of survival events over time between young BRCA1/2 carriers

 Findings from a large-scale 20-year multicentre hospital=based retrospective cohort study were recently published in Journal of Clinical Oncology.  Conducted on 4752 patients with BRCA1 or BRCA2, "diagnosed with stage I-III invasive breast cancer at 40 years or younger...provides evidence on the different clinical behaviour of breast cancer according to the specific BRCA gene and the association of the timing of genetic testing with prognosis." This study also emphasized the importance of early identification of women carrying a BRCA1 or BRCA2 variant, in addition to providing genetic counselling and creating greater awareness about "early detection options that may lead to better prognosis." 

Source mentioned:  

Lambertini M, Blondeaux E, Tomasello LM, et al. Clinical Behavior of Breast Cancer in Young BRCA Carriers and Prediagnostic Awareness of Germline BRCA Status. JCO; Published online 24 February 2025. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1200/JCO-24-01334

Adding pembrolizumab to chemotherapy results in improved progression-free survival and overall survival in patients with advanced and recurrent cervical cancer regardless of bevacizumab use

Final analysis of the Keynote-826 phase III trial, has shown that adding pembrolizumab to chemotherapy has increased progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with persistent, recurrent, or metastatic cervical cancer.   Following randomization of 617 patients, those who received bevacizumab indicated "grade >3 treatment-related adverse events occurred in 74% of patients in the pembrolizumab arm and 66.8% in the placebo arm." 

To learn more about the Keynote-826 trial, click here.  

Source mentioned: 

Lorusso D, Colombo N, Dubot C, et al. Pembrolizumab Plus Chemotherapy for Advanced and Recurrent Cervical Cancer: Final Analysis According to Bevacizumab Use in the Randomized KEYNOTE-826 Study. Annals of Oncology; Published online 9 October 2024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annonc.2024.10.002

National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) State of Cancer Survivorship: Survey Results

 The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) has released the results of a survey conducted on more than 2100 cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers between August and September 2024. Findings from the survey, presented in report format, discuss treatment decision-making, post-treatment care, participation in clinical trials, side effects of treatment, and financial hardship.  

Click here to view the survey briefing video and download the survey results. 

Short-course of induction chemotherapy followed by chemoradiotherapy significantly improves survival in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer

 Results of INTERLACE, a phase III multicentre randomized study is the first to "show a significant survival advantage with the addition of induction chemotherapy before chemoradiotherapy in locally advanced cervical cancer."  5-year progression-free survival was significant: 72% in patients administered induction chemotherapy with chemoradiotherapy, compared to 64% receiving chemoradiotherapy alone. 

To learn more about this study, click here. 

Sources mentioned: 

• McCormack M, Eminowicz G, Gallardo D, et al. on behalf of the INTERLACE investigators. Induction chemotherapy followed by standard chemoradiotherapy versus standard chemoradiotherapy alone in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer (GCIG INTERLACE): an international, multicentre, randomised phase 3 trial. The Lancet 2024;404(10462):P1525-1525.
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• Duska LR, Randall LM. Progress in the treatment paradigms for locally advanced cervical cancer. The Lancet 2024;404(10462):p1494-1496.

Benefit in overall survival with neoadjuvant pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy followed by adjuvant pembrolizumab in patients with resectable, early-stage non-small cell lung cancer

 Findings from the KEYNOTE-671 study, a randomized, placebo-controlled phase III trial, has shown that neoadjuvant prembrolizumab and cisplatin-based chemotherapy followed by adjuvant pembrolizumab "significantly improved overall survival compared with neoadjuvant chemotherapy along in patients with molecularly unselected, resectable stage II, IIIA or IIIB non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)."  Following a study of 797 NSCLC patients, 393 of whom received pembrolizumab while 400 received placebo, online survival estimates were "71% in the pembrolizumab group and 64% in the placebo group." 

To learn more about this study, click here. 

Sources mentioned: 

• Spicer JD, Garassino MC, Wakelee H, et al. on behalf of the KEYNOTE-671 investigators. Neoadjuvant pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy followed by adjuvant pembrolizumab compared with neoadjuvant chemotherapy alone in patients with early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer (KEYNOTE-671): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial. The Lancet 2024;404(10459):P1240-1252.
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  Presley CJ, Owen DH. Improved survival for patients with lung cancer treated with perioperative immunotherapy. The Lancet 2024;404(10459):P1176-1178.
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  Garassino MC, Gao S, Liberman M, et al. Neoadjuvant pembrolizumab (pembro) or placebo (pbo) plus chemotherapy and adjuvant pembro or pbo for early-stage NSCLC: Subgroup analyses of the phase III KEYNOTE-671 study. Annals of Oncology 2024;35(Suppl 2):S778-S779.  

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy with mFOLFIRINOX followed by chemoradiotherapy improves survival in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer

A recently unveiled long-term follow-up analysis of the UNICANCER-PRODIGE 23 study indicates that "neoadjuvant chemotherapy with mFOLFIRINOX followed by chemoradiotherapy improved overall survival and confirmed long-term disease-free survival and metastatic-free survival" in rectal adenocarcinoma patients. According to the UNICANCER-PRODIGE 23 study, patients receiving neoadjuvant mFOLFIRINOX had a 31% reduction in cancer recurrence. 

To learn more about the UNICANCER-PRODIGE 23 study, click here. 

Source mentioned:

Conroy T, Castan F, Etienne P-L, et al. Total neoadjuvant therapy with mFOLFIRINOX versus preoperative chemoradiotherapy in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer: long-term results of the UNICANCER-PRODIGE 23 trial. Annals of Oncology; Published online 7 July 2024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annonc.2024.06.019

Adjuvant dabrafenib plus trametinib associated with better RFS and DMFS than placebo among patients with resected stage III melanoma with BRAF V600 mutations

 Results of the COMBI-AD study, compiled after almost 10 years of follow-up analysis, has concluded that "12 months of adjuvant treatment with dabrafenib plus trametinib was associated with better relapse-free survival and distant metastasis than placebo among patients with resected stage III melanoma."  Further risk of death was 20% lower via the combined drug regimen compared to placebo. In addition, the COMBI-AD trial indicated overall survival after 3 years at 86% when patients were administered dabrafenib together with trametinib, compared to 77% when given a placebo. 

To learn more about the COMBI-AD study, click here. 

Source mentioned: Long GV, Hauschild A, Santinami M, et al. Final Results for Adjuvant Dabrafenib plus Trametinib in Stage III Melanoma. NEJM; Published online 19 June 2024. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2404139

Neoadjuvant nivolumab and ipilimumab leads to a pathological response in a high proportion of patients with locally advanced dMMR colon cancer

 Results of NICHE-2, "a large phase II study involving patients with locally advanced mismatch repair-deficient (dMMR) colon cancers..." was recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine. As mentioned by the study authors, staging of dMMR colon cancer presents a number of challenges, due to microsatellite instability associated with "false positive enlarged lymph nodes owing to immune infiltration."  

To read more about the NICHE-2 study, click here. 

Source mentioned: 

• Chalabi M, Verschoor YL, Batista Tan P, et al. Neoadjuvant Immunotherapy in Locally Advanced Mismatch Repair–Deficient Colon Cancer. N Engl J Med 2024;390:1949-1958.
• Cercek A. Neoadjuvant Treatment of Mismatch Repair–Deficient Colon Cancer — Clinically Meaningful? N Engl J Med 2024;390:2024-2025.

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

Neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy superior to neoadjuvant chemotherapy with event-free survival benefit in patients with resectable NSCLC and tumour PD-L1 less than 1%

 A recently published meta-analysis, conducted within the Department of Surgery at McGill University, concluded that "neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy as associated with improved overall survival, event-free survival, major pathological response and pathological complete response" compared to neoadjuvant chemotherapy alone in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients.  In particular, improvements were noted in patients diagnosed with either stage II or stage III NSCLC.   

To learn more about this study, click here. 

Sources mentioned: 

• Sorin M, Prosty C, Ghaleb L, et al. Neoadjuvant Chemoimmunotherapy for NSCLC A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. JAMA Oncology; Published online 21 March 2024. doi:10.1001/jamaoncol.2024.0057
• Rolfo C, Russo A. The Chemoimmunotherapy Revolution in Resectable NSCLC—The Times They Are A-Changin’. JAMA Oncology; Published online 21 March 2024. doi:10.1001/jamaoncol.2024.0043

Webinar: Making the mouth-body connection in cancer care

 The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) has recently created a webinar, presented by Jill Meter-Lippert, dental hygienist and founder of Side Effect Support, discussing "current evidence or oral-systemic links with various types of cancer."  The presentation discusses a partnership between oncologists and dental practitioners, focusing on "oral hygiene modifications and product recommendations" to prevent, delay, or reduce complications from side effects following cancer treatments. 

Click here to view the complete webinar. 

Reconnecting to life after cancer: permission to heal (webinar)

The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) has recently launched the webinar, "Reconnecting to Life After Cancer: Permission to Heal", presented by a holistic cancer coach and cancer survivor.  The webinar will include discussions about "the evolutionary function of both positive and negative emotions, understand that emotions offer data, and begin to practice awareness to empower you to respond-instead of react-to life."   

Click here to watch the video, or watch on YouTube.

Low incidence of local recurrence when omitting radiotherapy after breast-conserving surgery in Luminal A breast cancer

 The LUMINA study, conducted at the Juravinski Cancer Centre in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, indicates that women 55 years or older "with T1N0, grade 1 or 2, luminal A breast cancer have a very low risk of local recurrence at 5 years after breast-conserving surgery when treated with endocrine therapy alone."  The authors of the study further concluded that clinicopathologic factors alone (including patient's age, size and grade of tumour), are of "limited use in the identification of patients at low risk of recurrence", where radiotherapy can be omitted. 

To read more about the LUMINA study, click here. 

Source mentioned: 

Whelan TJ, Smith S, Parpia S, et al. for the LUMINA Study Investigators. Omitting Radiotherapy after Breast-Conserving Surgery in Luminal A Breast Cancer. N Engl J Med 2023;389:612-619.

New study shows substantial racial and ethnic disparities among survivors of second primary cancers in the US

 A new study conducted by the American Cancer Society indicates that "non-Hispanic Black individuals diagnosed with a second primary cancer experienced 21% higher cancer-related death rates and 41% higher cardiovascular-related death rates compared [to] non-Hispanic White counterparts."  The findings further determined that Hispanic patents with a second primary cancer has a death rate 10% higher than non-Hispanic White patients.  According to lead study author Dr. Hyuna Sung, these rates were due, in part to Black and Hispanic patients being diagnosed with second primary cancer at a later stage.  

To read more about this study, click here.  

Study mentioned:  Sung H, Nisotel L, Sedeta E, Islami F, Jemal A. Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Survival Among People With Second Primary Cancer in the US. JAMA Netw Open. 2023;6(8):e2327429. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.27429