Articles related to BREAST CANCER

Pfizer is lagging behind its peers with Ibrance, but the pharma giant is attempting to unveil the potential of CDK2 inhibitors to overcome CDK4/6 resistance. At the 2023 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, Pfizer and Blueprint gave presentations on posters about their respective agents, and Incyte, Cyclacel, and a few private biotechs also had clinical trials going on. Although there are some positive signs, the research is still in its very early stages, and it is not apparent whether CDK2 inhibition is a workable monotherapy method.

Learn about the precise genomic tests and compassionate treatments one doctor is using to address racial inequities in breast cancer care. JAMA’s latest study highlights a discrepancy in breast cancer care for Black women. The accuracy of widely used genomic tests for breast cancer, such as Oncotype DX, is notably less reliable for Black women. Hence, there’s an urgent call to address racial disparities in breast cancer care, especially as Black women currently face 41% higher mortality rates than white women. Dr. Nathalie Johnson, President of The American Society of Breast Cancer Surgeons, advocates for Agendia’s tests, which focus solely on biological factors. Such tests disregard race, ethnicity, age, or menopausal status, allowing for truly personalized treatment selection. Moreover, understanding every woman’s unique cancer empowers not only the patients but also their care teams. Recent research confirms that Black women are more likely to experience high-risk recurrence and death from axillary node-negative breast cancer compared to their non-Hispanic white counterparts. It reveals that Oncotype DX tests have lower prognostic accuracy for Black women. It points to the need for model calibration in genomic assays for populations with more racial/ethnic diversity. Dr. Johnson emphasizes personalized medicine and stresses the importance of […]

ASCO 2023 abstracts: a glimpse into groundbreaking advancements in the oncology field. At the 2023 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, Gilead Sciences and Kite Oncology are set to present 30 abstracts. Their data underscores their leadership in hard-to-treat cancers, notably metastatic breast cancer. In addition, they highlight a growing presence in lung cancer and other tumor types. Trodelvy® (sacituzumab govitecan-hziy) emerges as a promising treatment for HR+/HER2- metastatic breast cancer (mBC) with the final overall survival (OS) results from the Phase 3 TROPiCS-02 study. Its efficacy extends to metastatic urothelial cancer (UC) and advanced endometrial cancer, reinforcing its pan-tumor potential. Moreover, Yescarta® (axicabtagene ciloleucel) offers a ray of hope for adult patients with relapsed/refractory large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL). Notably, this CAR T-cell therapy demonstrates a statistical improvement over standard care in overall survival, marking a significant medical breakthrough. Gilead’s oncology pipeline, particularly for lung cancer, is expanding. The ongoing late-stage development program evaluates Trodelvy in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Also, the updated interim analysis of ARC-7, evaluating domvanalimab in first-line NSCLC, will be presented. Presentations at ASCO 2023 will also share trial updates from ongoing studies in lung cancer, triple-negative breast cancer, UC, and other solid […]

Permissive cardiotoxicity strategy could enhance trastuzumab treatment outcomes in HER2-positive breast cancer patients, despite requiring more research into its long-term safety. A study conducted at McMaster University and published in The Oncologist explored the feasibility of a permissive cardiotoxicity strategy in patients with HER2-positive breast cancer undergoing trastuzumab treatment. Although trastuzumab significantly improves outcomes in these patients, up to 4% of them may experience cardiac dose-limiting toxicity (cDLT), resulting in therapy discontinuation, which can negatively impact patient outcomes. The researchers employed a retrospective cohort study of 51 patients who had been referred to the cardio-oncology service between January 2016 and May 2021 for left ventricular dysfunction after trastuzumab administration. Notably, a permissive cardiotoxicity strategy was applied, which allows the continuation of trastuzumab therapy while closely monitoring mild to moderate cardiotoxicity. The primary outcomes for this study were left ventricular (LV) function and completion of an entire course of trastuzumab. Astonishingly, 92% of patients (47 out of 51) were able to complete their full course of HER2-targeted therapy without experiencing cDLT. However, 6% developed cDLT during trastuzumab treatment, and even after discontinuation, they were more likely to experience persistent cardiotoxicity. Interestingly, despite most patients regaining their LV function post-treatment, 14% persisted […]

Pfizer and Thermo Fisher Scientific have partnered to expand access to next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based testing for lung and breast cancer patients in over 30 countries across Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. The collaboration aims to address the limited availability of advanced genomic testing in these regions. Local access to NGS testing can provide faster analysis of associated genes, enabling healthcare providers to select the most appropriate therapy for individual patients. Thermo Fisher will identify local laboratories that will use their NGS technology and ensure they meet industry standards, while Pfizer will explore ways to make NGS testing affordable and raise awareness among healthcare providers. The companies plan to expand geographically and extend testing to other types of cancer. The global burden of cancer is expected to rise significantly, with breast and lung cancer being the leading types responsible for millions of deaths worldwide. To improve treatment outcomes, the collaboration seeks to deliver precision insights to underserved patients through rapid NGS testing conducted in decentralized labs closer to where patients are treated. The program aims to provide tailored care for cancer patients worldwide, acknowledging that individualized approaches based on precise disease characteristics are often required. By adopting next-generation […]

Recent draft guidelines from the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) propose a change in routine screening mammography recommendations. The new guidelines suggest that women should begin undergoing regular mammograms 10 years earlier than previously advised, starting at the age of 40. This recommendation applies to all individuals assigned female at birth. Simultaneously, FDA has made updates to federal mammography regulations, with a particular focus on reporting requirements related to breast density. These regulatory changes are motivated by studies indicating that approximately half of women over the age of 40 have dense breast tissue in concordance with the high prevalence of breast cancer in the population.