Aiming to improve cancer prevention, ESMO calls for strong policy measures to fight the tobacco epidemic

 The European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) recently submitted its response to the European Union in regards to the Tobacco Products and Tobacco Advertising directives.  As per ESMO, "up to 40% of all cancers are preventable...robust tobacco cessation policies are among the most effective strategies for reducing the risk of cancer, improving human health, and reducing cancer cases."  According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), 7 000 000 million people worldwide die from tobacco use each year (700,000 deaths in Europe alone), contributing to 25% of all cancer-related deaths.  

Click here to read the full ESMO report. 

ESMO joins the European Health Alliance on Alcohol (EHAA) to reduce preventable cancer cases linked to alcohol use

The European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) has joined the European Health Alliance on Alcohol (EHAA).  Classified as a group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), consumption of alcohol has been linked to liver, breast, mouth, and colorectal cancer.  As a result of joining the alliance, ESMO will collaborate with EHAA "on devising and promoting evidence-based alcohol policies aimed at preventing cancer." 

Click here to read more about the European Health Alliance on Alcohol. 

Prevention and screening have been major contributors to saving lives among five cancer types

 A recent study published in JAMA Oncology focusing on mortality from breast, cervical, colorectal, lung, and prostate cancer indicates that cancer prevention and screening significantly contributes to reductions in death among these 5 cancer types.  According to Dr. Katrina Goddard, co-lead investigator for the study, "8 out of 10 deaths from these five cancers were averted over the past 45 years due to advances in prevention and screening."  Further, the study, looking at cancer mortality over 45 years (1975-2020) states that 5.94 million deaths were averted...[where] "prevention and screening interventions accounted for 4.75 million, or 80% of the averted deaths." 

To read more about this study, click here. 

Source mentioned: 

1. Goddard KAB, Feuer EJ, Mandelblatt JS, et al. Estimation of Cancer Deaths Averted From Prevention, Screening, and Treatment Efforts, 1975-2020. JAMA Oncol. Dec. 5, 2024. DOI:10.1001/jamaoncol.2024.538Exit Disclaimer
   

Evaluation of primary and secondary prevention of oral cancer

 A special report produced by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) on the primary and secondary prevention of oral cancer has determined that "cessation of tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption and areca nut use will contribute to significant reductions in the risk of oral cancer." Cancer of the lip and oral cavity is the 16th cause of mortality worldwide, with "a wide range of genetic, environmental, and behavioural factors" all contributing to oral cancer risk.  

To read more about this report, click here. 

Source mentioned: Bouvard V, Nethan ST, Singh D, at al. IARC Perspective on Oral Cancer Prevention. NEJM; Published online 18 October 2022. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMsr2210097

Modest effectiveness of screening colonoscopy for the prevention of colorectal cancer: the NordICC study

 Results from the Nordic-European Initiative on Colorectal Cancer (NordICC) were recently unveiled at the United European Gastroenterology Week held in Vienna from October 8-11, 2022. Authors of the NordICC study state that "colonoscopy is considered to be more effective than sigmoidoscopy, but colonoscopy has not been adopted in many parts of the world, partly because evidence from randomized studies regarding the benefits is lacking."  The authors further emphasized that findings were significant in the 84,85 participants in NordICC (28,220 in the invited group, 11,843 of whom underwent screening, along with 56,365 participants in the usual-care group: "during a median follow-up of 10 years, 259 cases of colorectal cancer were diagnosed in the invited group as compared with 622 cases in the usual-care group." 

To read more about this study, click here.  

Sources mentioned: 

Bretthauer M, Løberg M, Wieszczy P, et al., for the NordICC Study Group. Effect of Colonoscopy Screening on Risks of Colorectal Cancer and Related Death. NEJM; Published online 9 October 2022. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2208375

Dominitz JA, Robertson DJ. Understanding the Results of a Randomized Trial of Screening Colonoscopy. NEJM; Published online 9 October 2022. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMe2211595

Anticancer drugs in the adjuvant setting have considerable costs, raising questions of sustainability

A recently released cross-sectional analysis of approved anticancer drugs by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) over a 4 year period (January 2018 - March 2022), determined that "the price of anticancer drugs is on an upward trajectory" worldwide, "with forecasts of global oncology therapeutic sales reaching $250 billion U.S. by 2024."   The authors of this cross-sectional analysis further emphasis the importance of estimating the cost per event averted in adjuvant therapies.  While only 11 approvals were analyzed, "the median cost per event averted of drugs in the adjuvant setting was $1 610 000 US, with...the median cost of a complete adjuvant treatment" totaled $158 000 US per patient. 

To read more about this analysis, click here.  

Source mentioned: Mousavi I, Olivier T, Prasad V. Cost per Event Averted in Cancer Trials in the Adjuvant Setting From 2018 to 2022. JAMA Netw Open 2022;5(6):e2216058.

Breast cancer: the role of exercise

 A recent post on Medical News Today re-emphasized the importance of regular exercise for breast cancer patients.  Benefits include increased survival, reduced risk of recurrence, improved mood and energy, improved treatment tolerance, and improved physical function.  The post also goes several tips on starting an exercise routine, namely discussing exercise plans with a medical care team, and referral to a physical therapist.  

To read more, click here. 

Blood test for early detection of cancer support screening use

 A recent study published in Annals of Oncology has concluded that a blood test purported to detect over 50 different types of cancer "is accurate enough to be rolled out as a multi-cancer screening test among people at higher risk of the disease, including patients aged 50 years or older, without symptoms." According to study first author, Dr. Eric Klein, chairman of the Glickman Urological and Kidney Institute in Cleveland, finding conducted on 15.254 participants from 142 clinics across North America, early detection of common cancers via a blood test is a viable option for communities with poor access to medical facilities, 

To read more about this study, click here. 

Study mentioned:  

1. “Clinical validation of a targeted methylation-based multi-cancer early detection test using an independent validation set”, by Eric Klein et al. Annals of Oncology. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annonc.2021.05.806

Should people over age 75 be screened for colorectal cancer?

 

According to a recently published article in JAMA Oncology, "people over age 75 who were screened for colorectal cancer had a 40% lower risk of dying from the disease."  While new recommendation by the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) explain the benefits of starting colorectal cancer screening at age 45 instead of 50, a new study conducted at the Massachusetts General Hospital suggests that a subsequent decade of screening individuals aged 76-85 is beneficial.  While study co-lead Dr. Andrew Chan, professor of medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, explains that screening for colorectal cancer beyond age 75 should be made on a case-by-case basis, findings from this study on 56,000 people 75 years of age and older showed that "risk of dying from colorectal cancer was reduced by more than a third in people...who had been screened by colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy." 

To read more about this study, click here. 

Protective HPV vaccine-induced antibody titres can be detected up to 12 years after vaccination

 2 recently completed phase III trials in Finland indicated that "protective HPV vaccine-induced antibody titres" can be detected as long as 12 years after the HPV vaccine is first administered.  The Finish studies determined that 51 (15%) of the 339 quadrivalent vaccine recipients had "no detectable HPV18 neutralizing antibodies 2 to 12 years after vaccination."  

To read more about this study, click here. 

Source mentioned: Colaҫo Mariz F, Gray P, Bender N, et al. Sustainability of neutralising antibodies induced by bivalent or quadrivalent HPV vaccines and correlation with efficacy: a combined follow-up analysis of data from two randomised, double-blind, multicentre, phase 3 trials. The Lancet Infectious Diseases; Published online 31 May 2021; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(20)30873-2

Low-dose aspirin could be an alternative to colectomy for preventing colorectal cancer in familial adenomatous polyposis

 Researchers in Japan recently reported that "low-dose aspirin safely suppressed the recurrence of colorectal polyps larger than 5mm in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP)."  Prior to the study's release, colectomy was the only recognized treatment for preventing colorectal cancer in FAP patients, despite reducing quality of life.  

To read more about this study, click here. 

Sources mentioned: 

Ishikawa H, Mutoh M, Sato Y, et al. Chemoprevention with low-dose aspirin, mesalazine, or both in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis without previous colectomy (J-FAPP Study IV): a multicentre, double-blind, randomised, two-by-two factorial design trial. The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology; Published online 1 April 2021. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S2468-1253(21)00018-2

Lynch PM. Low-dose aspirin and mesalazine for patients with familial adenomatous polyposis. The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology; Published online 1 April 2021. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S2468-1253(21)00102-3

How do non-smokers develop lung cancer? Mouth bacteria may play a role

 New research has unveiled a correlation between a specific type of mouth bacteria and the development of lung cancer in those who have never smoked.  While 25% of all lung cancer patients are non-smokers, researchers now believe that exposure to second-hand smoke and family history are not the only risk factors.  Of the 135,000 individuals observed in this study, "having a wider number of different species of bacteria, specifically Bacteroidetes and Spirochaetes, was associated with a lower risk of developing lung cancer, [while] higher volumes of Firmicutes species of bacteria in the mouth was associated with a heightened risk for lung cancer." 

To read more about this study, click here. 

Source mentioned: Hosgood HD, Cai Q, Hua X, Long J, Shi J, Wan Y, Yang Y, Abnet C, Bassig BA, Hu W, Ji BT, Klugman M, Xiang Y, Gao YT, Wong JY, Zheng W, Rothman N, Shu XO, Lan Q. Variation in oral microbiome is associated with future risk of lung cancer among never-smokers. Thorax. 2020 Dec 14:thoraxjnl-2020-215542. doi: 10.1136/thoraxjnl-2020-215542. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33318237.

COVID-19 vaccine and cancer

 A recent news release on the Cancer Research UK blog states that more than 300 potential vaccines have been in development since the COVID-19 outbreak in March.  Many of these vaccines are in the final stages of testing, with Pfizer commencing vaccine rollout across the United Kingdom yesterday (December 8, 2020).  

According to the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization (JVCI), the recommended order of vaccination priority is: 

1. Older adults in a care home and care home workers
2. All those 80 years of age and over and health and social care workers
3. All those 75 years of age and over
4. All those 70 years of age and over and the clinically extremely vulnerable individuals, excluding pregnant women and those under 18 years of age
5. All those 65 years of age and over
6. Adults aged 18 to 65 years in an at-risk group
7. All those aged 60 and over
8. All those 55 and over
9. All those aged 50 and over

To read more about this press release, click here. 

WHO Europe factsheet: policy action needed to reduce cancers attributable to alcohol use

 A new factsheet released by the World Health Organization (WHO) focused on the need for greater awareness regarding alcohol use and cancers, specifically breast and colorectal.  The fact sheet states that alcohol consumption was responsible for 180 000 cancer cases and 92 000 deaths in Europe in 2018.  Several coat-effective policies, "such as increasing taxes on alcoholic beverages and restricting marketing and availability of alcohol" are suggested  as policies that can be implemented to curb this disturbing trend. 

To learn more about this factsheet, click here. 

Practicing oncology during the COVID-19 pandemic: protecting medical staff to ensure cancer patients can safely receive care

The European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) has launched a new series, Practicing Oncology During the Pandemic, sharing experiences and perspectives from medical personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Via a series of interviews, readers will learn about current COVID-19 testing policies, daily routines of medical oncologists, along with treatment and follow-up strategies for cancer patients.

Click here for further information

Aggressive approach to pancreatic cysts may prevent pancreatic cancer

New research at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine has shown that early removal of precancerous pancreatic cysts (intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms) can aid in preventing pancreatic cancer.  The study, conducted on ~900 patients showed that "those with pancreatic cysts with duct dilation between 5 mm and 9.9 mm were almost twice as likely to develop precancerous cells as people with less than 5 mmm of dilation."  These findings support 2018 European guidelines encouraging surgical removal of cysts with less than 10 mm of duct dilation.


To read more about this study, click here.

Aspirin can help prevent colon cancer, however many patients do not take it

Despite the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommending that "health care providers prescribe low-dose aspirin with advance (colon) polyps", a recent study conducted at the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine in Boca Raton found that only 43% of patients actually took aspirin.  According to study co-author Dr. Lawrence Fiedler, 90% of colon cancer patients are 50 years of age or older, with lifestyle changes and risk factors similar to heart attacks, stroke, obesity, and physical inactivity.


To read more about this study, click here

Better outcomes in colorectal cancer can be linked to a healthy diet

According to a new American Cancer Society study, Colorectal cancer patients who followed healthy diets had a lower risk of death from colorectal cancer and all causes, even those who improved their diets after being diagnosed. To read more about this study, click here.

A new report suggests prioritizing tobacco control

A new report, appearing in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, says that the highest priority in a national cancer control plan must be expansion of tobacco control—the intervention with the largest potential health benefits—according to a new American Cancer Society report, the second in a series of articles that together inform priorities for a comprehensive cancer control plan.

To read more about this report, click here.

The key to the HPV vaccination discussions with parents is cancer prevention

The conclusion of a new study found that health care providers should emphasize cancer prevention when discussing human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination with the parents of preteens who are due to receive the vaccine. The study asked a diverse group of parents what they felt are the most compelling reasons to get their children vaccinated. Results of the NCI-funded study were published in the July 2018 Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.

To read more about this study, click here.