KRAS Mutations in Metastatic CRC Predict Survival Benefit of Chemo Combo
Codon-specific KRAS mutations are predictive of an overall survival (OS) benefit for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients treated with trifluridine-tipiracil (FTD/TPI; Lonsurf), according to a genomics-based analysis. After identifying biomarkers of resistance and validating the findings in a real-world dataset, researchers showed that patients with KRAS G12-mutant tumors in the phase III RECOURSE trial achieved […]
Modest Survival Gain in Gastric/GEJ Cancer With Chemo Plus Pembrolizumab
Adding pembrolizumab (Keytruda) to chemotherapy modestly improved survival in unresectable/metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) cancer, a randomized trial showed. Median overall survival (OS) improved from 11.5 months with chemotherapy alone to 12.9 months with the addition of the immune checkpoint inhibitor. Median progression-free survival (PFS) improved from 5.6 months to 6.9 months. Landmark survival […]
Rucaparib Gets a Win in Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer
SAN FRANCISCO — Imaging-based progression-free survival (PFS) was significantly longer with the PARP inhibitor rucaparib (Rubraca) compared with physician’s choice of therapy in patients with BRCA or ATM-associated metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), the phase III TRITON3 study showed. All patients in the study had already progressed after treatment with a second-generation androgen receptor-pathway inhibitor […]
Adding Docetaxel to RT Improves Survival in Cisplatin-Ineligible Head & Neck Cancer
Adding docetaxel to radiation therapy (RT) improved survival outcomes in cisplatin-ineligible patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, a phase III randomized trial showed. At a median follow-up of 32.4 months, the 2-year disease-free survival (DFS) rate was 42% with docetaxel plus RT and 30.3% with RT alone (HR 0.673, 95% CI […]
How plants protect themselves from oxidative stress during iron uptake — and why this is also important for humans: Biology, chemistry and medicine: Interdisciplinary publication in Plant Physiology
Iron is a critical micronutrient for the survival of plants and humans, yet too much iron can also be toxic. An interdisciplinary research team from Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (HHU) has discovered that the protein PATELLIN2 is not only involved in regulating iron levels in plants. PATELLIN2 is one of a group of proteins that […]
Med-Mastodon Gains Users Amid Uncertainties at Twitter
As uncertainties about Twitter’s survival abound following its recent change in ownership and its well-documented structural and financial issues, thousands of Med-Twitter users have migrated to a new platform. Mastodon, which describes itself as a “free, open-source decentralized social media” network, launched back in 2016 as a sort of alternative to Twitter. In recent days, […]
Role of Cytoreductive Nephrectomy Unclear for Dedifferentiated Kidney Cancer
AUSTIN, Texas — Cytoreductive nephrectomy improved overall survival (OS) by more than a year for patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) with sarcomatoid or rhabdoid (S/R) dedifferentiation treated with immunotherapy in an observational study, but the difference did not achieve statistical significance. Median OS was 30 months with surgery versus 17 months without, representing […]
Extra Pounds May Blunt Benefit of Aspirin in Advanced Colorectal Cancer
The association between aspirin use following an advanced colorectal cancer diagnosis and better survival was only significant among patients with a normal body mass index (BMI) prediagnosis, a cross-sectional study found. In the large single-center analysis of patients diagnosed with stage IV disease, those with prediagnosis obesity had a higher risk for death compared with […]
Survival No Better With Intensive Surveillance in Endometrial Cancer
An intensive surveillance regimen for endometrial cancer did not improve overall survival (OS) over a minimalist regimen, even in high-risk patients, results from the randomized TOTEM trial showed. After a median follow-up of 69 months, the 5-year OS rate was 90.6% with the intensive approach versus 91.9% with the minimalist approach, which mainly included physical […]
Durvalumab-CRT Pairing Disappoints in Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer
NEW YORK — An immunotherapy-chemoradiotherapy (CRT) combination did not boost progression-free survival (PFS) in untreated, locally advanced cervical cancer, according to CALLA trial findings. Newly diagnosed patients who received durvalumab (Imfinzi) plus standard CRT did not experience a statistically significant PFS improvement versus patients who received placebo plus CRT (hazard ratio 0.84, 95% CI 0.65-1.08, […]