AI tool developed with potential to more precisely match cancer drugs to patients

Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have created an artificial intelligence (AI) tool which "uses data from individual cells inside tumors to predict whether a person's cancer will respond to a specific drug."  Single-cell RNA sequencing, providing higher resolution data at the single-cell level, is exploring transfer learning whereby AI models are being used to predict drug responses. 

To learn more about this proof-of-concept study, click here. 

Source mentioned: 

Sinha S, Vegesna R, Mukherjee S, et al. PERCEPTION predicts patient response and resistance to treatment using single-cell transcriptomics of their tumors. Nature. April 18, 2024. DOI: 10.1038/s43018-024-00756-7.

Colon cancer linked to mouth bacteria

 A new study, recently published in Nature indicates that Fusobacterium nucleatum, bacteria found in the mouth is linked to colon cancer.  Fusobacterium nucleatum, "associated with dental plaque and gingivitis."  While more evidence linking this bacterium to colon cancer is required (the Nature study was conducted on 100 colon cancer patients), the study authors "envision developing a vaccine against the Fusobacterium nucleatum", using an approach similar to the HPV vaccine. 

To read more about this study, click here. 

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

Oxaliplatin-based adjuvant chemotherapy shows good tolerance in fit older compared with younger patients with stage III colon cancer

 An ACCENT/IDEA pooled analysis conducted at the Bank of Cyprus Oncology Centre in Nicosia, Cyprus has shown that oxaliplatin-containing chemotherapy is both safe (in terms of toxicity management) and effective "in reducing recurrence rates in a large population [17,000] of older patients with stage III colon cancer."  According to the trial's authors, led by Dr. Demetris Papamichael, while the median age of colon cancer diagnosis is 70 in western countries, only 14-20% of patients more than 70 years old have participated in adjuvant trials. 

To read more about this trial, click here. 

Source mentioned: 

Gallois C, Shi Q, Pederson LD, et al. Oxaliplatin-Based Adjuvant Chemotherapy in Older Patients With Stage III Colon Cancer: An ACCENT/IDEA Pooled Analysis of 12 Trials. JCO; Published online 28 March 2024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1200/JCO.23.0132

Webinar: compassion in oncology: a powerful antidote to a patient’s negative emotions

 The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) has produced a new webinar discussing empathy and compassion in cancer care. In their presentation, Dr. Michael Crain and Claudio Pannunzio discuss three key aspects of compassionate care: "improving patient outcomes and satisfaction, decreasing health care costs, [and] reducing workplace burnout." 

To learn more and view the webinar, click here. 

 

Early studies show rapid antitumour CAR-mediated responses, short duration in patients with recurrent glioblastoma

 

Findings from the INCIPIENT study, an early phase I open-label study among participants with recurrent glioblastoma treated with intraventricularly delivered CARv3-TEAM-E T-cells, were recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine.  The CARv3-TEAM-E T-cells "provides proof of principle that multiple surface antigens can be targeted simultaneously with the use of CAR T-cells and confirms that EGFR is a suitable immunotherapeutic target in glioblastoma." 

To learn more about this study, click here. 

Sources mentioned: 

• Choi BD, Gerstner ER, Frigault MJ, et al. Intraventricular CARv3-TEAM-E T Cells in Recurrent Glioblastoma. NEJM; Published online 13 March 2024. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2314390
• Bagley SJ, Logun M, Fraietta JA, et al. Intrathecal bivalent CAR T cells targeting EGFR and IL13Rα2 in recurrent glioblastoma: phase 1 trial interim results. Nature Medicine; Published online 13 March 2024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-024-02893-z

Topical diclofenac gel reduces the incidence of hand-foot syndrome in patients treated with oral capecitabine

 D-TORCH, a phase III randomized trial recently published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, application of topical diclofenac gel, used in osteoarthritis, resulted in lower "grade 2 or 3 hand-foot syndrome rates compared with placebo in patients with breast and gastrointestinal cancers treated with oral capecitabine."  Of the 131 patients who received topical diclofenac gel in the D-TORCH study, grade 2/grade 3 hand-foot syndrome occurred in only 3.8% of cases, compared to 15% in the placebo group. 

To learn more about the D-TORCH study, click here. 

Source mentioned: 

Santhosh A, Sharma A, Bakhshi S, et al., on behalf of the D-TORCH Trial Investigators. Topical Diclofenac for Prevention of Capecitabine-Associated Hand-Foot Syndrome: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial. JCO; Published online 27 February 2024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1200/JCO.23.01730

High risk of breast cancer specific mortality at 20 years in men with hormone receptor positive stage I to III breast cancer

 Findings from the first population study assessing the risk of breast cancer specific mortality among male breast cancer patients, was recently published in JAMA Oncology.  As a diagnosis of breast cancer in males is rare, the disease trajectory, particularly with regards to inclusion of male breast cancer patients in clinical trials, has not been well studied.  However, "the median age at diagnosis is substantially higher in men than in women, and patients with male breast cancer are more likely to have regional nodal involvement."  

To learn more about this study, click here. 

Source mentioned: Leone J, Hassett MJ, Freedman RA, et al. Mortality Risks Over 20 Years in Men With Stage I to III Hormone Receptor–Positive Breast Cancer. JAMA Oncology; Published online 29 February 2024. doi:10.1001/jamaoncol.2023.7194

National Institutes of Health launches research network to evaluate emerging cancer screening technologies

 The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has unveiled a clinical trials network focused on evaluating various cancer screening technologies.  This work is in support of Cancer Moonshot, "investigating how to identify cancers earlier, when they may be easier to treat."  

To read more about this research network, click here. 

Online tool predicts RFS and OS probabilities in patients with stage II melanoma

A new model created by Melanoma Institute Australia (MIA), further described and discussed in a recent issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology, has been shown to "predict recurrence-free survival and overall survival in patients with a primary cutaneous melanoma considerably better" than what is described in cancer staging manuals.  Study authors further concluded that the MIA model can be used in daily practice without the need to conduct sentinel node biopsy, even for high-risk patients.  

To learn more about the MIA model, click here. 

Study mentioned: 

Varey AHR, Li I, El Sharouni M-A, et al. Predicting Recurrence-Free and Overall Survival for Patients With Stage II Melanoma: The MIA Calculator. JCO; Published online 5 February 2024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1200/JCO.23.01020

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. 

Grey Horizon postings will resume week of February 5, 2024

To all Grey Horizon readers, 

Thank you for your continued support of this blog.   

Postings will resume the week of February 5, 2024.  

Take care and stay well. 

First report from the cancer program of the 100,000 genomes project

 The first report from the 100,000 Genomes Cancer Program, consisting of an analysis of whole-genome sequencing from 13,800 solid tumours was recently published in Nature Medicine.  As discussed in the report, comprehensive tumour profiling "will enable further refinement of prognostic and predictive molecular markers, not only with combinations of different genomic alterations, but beyond genomics, including emerging technologies to expand the reach of precision oncology to improve cancer outcomes." 

To learn more about the 100,000 genomes project, click here. 

Source mentioned: 

Sosinsky A., Ambrose J, Cross W, et al. Insights for precision oncology from the integration of genomic and clinical data of 13,880 tumors from the 100,000 Genomes Cancer Programme. Nature Medicine; Published online 11 January 2024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-023-02682-0

Neoadjuvant atezolizumab together with chemotherapy is safe and has promising activity in patients with gastric and gastro-oesophageal junction adenocarcinoma

Findings of the recently published PANDA phase II study have shown that a "combination of neoadjuvant atezolizumab plus chemotherapy led to a major pathologic response in 70% and a pathologic complete response in 45% of patients with previously untreated resectable gastric and gastro-oesophageal junction cancer."  In addition, 13 of 14 responses did not exhibit disease recurrence after 47 months.   In addition, the PANDA study has shown that atezolizumab monotherapy leads to prominent changes in the tumour microenvironment.  

To learn more about the PANDA study, click here. 

Source mentioned: 

Verschoor YL, van de Haar J, van den Berg J, et al. Neoadjuvant atezolizumab plus chemotherapy in gastric and gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma: the phase 2 PANDA trial. Nature Medicine; Published online 8 January 2024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-023-02758-x

FDA approves enfortumab vedotin-ejfv with pembrolizumab for locally advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer

 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved the use of enfortumab vedotin-ejfv, together with pembrolizumab for patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer.  Results from a randomized study of 886 patients indicated "statistically significant improvements in both overall survival and progression-free survival (31.5 months on average) compared to platinum-based chemotherapy (16.1 months)." 

To learn more about this study, click here. 

Grey Horizon postings will resume week of January 8, 2024; Happy Holidays

 To all Grey Horizon readers, 

Thank you for supporting the blog this past year.  Postings will resume the week of week of January 8, 2024.  

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!