Audio Journal of Oncology, February 14 2023, Reporting from the American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting (ASH), December 2022 An interview with Amy A. Kirkwood MSc, Senior Statistician at the Cancer Research UK & UCL Cancer Trials Centre, University College, London, UK Interviewer: Peter M Goodwin TITLE: Options Identified for in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia NEW ORLEANS, USA—A big study conducted over an extended period of time has shown that there is scope for reducing the intensity of chemotherapy for patients with acute lymphoblastic leukema (ALL) and (the rarer) lymphobl ..read more

Interview with Matthias Stelljes MD, Head of the Allogeneic Stem Cell Program at the University of Münster, Germany NEW ORLEANS, USA—For your patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) the benefit of prompt allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (alloHCT)  extends to those whose disease has relapsed or is refractory to induction therapy, and should not be delayed in favor of further intensive chemotherapy in an attempt to achieve a complete remission. That’s according to conclusions from the randomized phase three ASAP (As Soon As Possible) Trial, reported by German researcher ..read more

ARROS-1 Study Finds ROS1 Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Has Promise as a Tumor Agnostic Therapy BARCELONA, Spain—Findings from a study of a new investigational therapy targeting the ROS-1 receptor tyrosine kinase—mutated in some cancers—were reported at the 2022 EORTC-NCI-AACR Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics conference held in Barcelona. First author Medical Oncologist Alex Drilon MD, Chief of the Early Drug Development Service at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, gave the Audio Journal of Oncology his take on the safety and preliminary clinical activity of NVL-520 ..read more

New Molecular Drug has Clinical Activity in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Interview with: Maria Reig MD PhD, Professor and Head of the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) Unit, Hospital Clinic Barcelona at Barcelona University, Spain. BARCELONA, Spain—A phase one study of new drug targeting the monopolar spindle 1 enzyme was found to be safe—with reversible neutropenia as the commonest side effect—and to have clinical activity in patients with relapsed or refractory unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Maria Reig MD PhD announced the study findings at the 2022 European Organisation for Res ..read more

PARIS, France—Patients who had cell therapy as second-line treatment for their advanced melanoma lived twice as long without disease progression compared with those who merely continued with pure immunotherapy. This finding came from a phase three randomized study reported at the 2022 Congress of the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) by Amsterdam-based researchers, who said some of the patients may have been cured. The second-line cell therapy consisted of re-infusion of autologous tumor infiltrating cells that had been harvested from patients own tumors and expanded ex-vivo. This f ..read more

BARCELONA, Spain—Next generation sequencing is now an essential part of care for glioma in adults, according to research on BRAF targeting as treatment for this disease reported at the 2022 EORTC-NCI-AACR Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics Symposium. Karisa Schreck MD PhD, from Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland in the USA talked with Peter Goodwin to discuss her team’s findings from a study looking at the relationship between BRAF oncogene mutations and anti-BRAF therapy outcomes in comparison with pediatric glioma treatment, for which BRAF targeting is already data driven. Sh ..read more

Breast Conservation: Machine-Learning Helps De-Escalate Breast Cancer Therapy André Pfob, Clinical Research Assistant in the University Breast Unit of Heidelberg University Hospital, Germany tells the Audio Jounal of Oncology’s correspondent Peter Goodwin about the machine learning techniques his group has been using to help identify patients who can be spared further treatment after neo-adjuvant therapy. REFERENCE: Annals of Surgery https://journals.lww.com/annalsofsurgery/Abstract/9000/Towards_Patient_Centered_Decision_Making_in_Breast.93648.aspx ABSTRACT: Objective:  We developed, test ..read more

PARP-Inhibition Beyond Initial Therapy Extends Life with Advanced Ovarian Cancer   PARIS, France—Long remissions and “potential cures” were reported at the 2022 Annual Meeting of the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) in patients with newly diagnosed advanced ovarian cancers expressing the BRCA mutation who were treated with the poly ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitor olaparib after initial therapy.  Two thirds of women were alive seven years later in the phase three SOLO1 trial of olaparib maintenance therapy compared with placebo. The lead author of the study, Paul Di ..read more

Audio Journal of Oncology: Progression to Acute Myeloid Leukemia Explained by Multi Omics Analysis A new research method has elucidated cellular processes (involving mutated TP53 oncogene) that can convert a relatively benign myeloproliferative neoplasm into a threatening acute myeloid leukemia. Findings from Oxford University in the UK—using the novel genetic sequencing tool: single cell multi omics—were reported at the ASH Plenary Session, by Oxford scientist Alba Rodriguez-Meira—winner of an ASH Abstract Achievement Award.  In this episode of the Audio Journal, Alba Rodriguez-Meir ..read more

Audio Journal of Oncology September 9, 2022 “PM 2.5” Evidence Links Particulate Air Pollution to Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer By Peter M Goodwin PARIS, France—Particulate air pollution was identified as a key step in malignant transformation from benign DNA to non-small cell lung cancer according to a report delivered to the 2022 Congress of the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO). Charles Swanton FRCP BSc PhD, Professor and Senior Group Leader of the Francis Crick Institute, Consultant Oncologist at University College London Hospital specializing in Thoracic Oncology and ESMO Scientifi ..read more