Topic: Breaking Research News from sources other than Breastcancer.org

May 31, 2020 11:00AM Salamandra wrote:

Thank you for sharing that Lumpie! it Is so good to have some studies/data about risks and cancer. And of course we owe gratitude for that information to our sisters and brothers who went into this unknown first :(

Jun 3, 2020 11:14AM Lumpie wrote:

During 2000 to 2019, no peer-reviewed publication of registration trial results was available for nearly half of oncology drugs granted accelerated approval by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) at the time of authorization, according to findings of a retrospective study released as part of the ASCO20 Virtual Scientific Program.1

No systematic investigations have evaluated the timing of oncology drug registration trial publication relative to the approval of these drugs by the FDA.

Although package inserts include data from these studies, "FDA labels can be highly variable in the amount of information that they provide, and they rarely contain the information that is found in published manuscripts, in particular details such as the study protocol [and] inclusion and exclusion criteria,"

In their concluding remarks, the study authors noted that because "trial publications help with adoption of new treatments and mitigation of adverse effects … efforts are needed to ensure trial results are published in a timely manner."

https://www.cancertherapyadvisor.com/home/news/conference-coverage/american-society-of-clinical-oncology-asco/asco-2020/fda-approval-oncology-cancer-drugs-disconnect-between-publication-results-trial/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=cta-update-hay-20200603&cpn=&hmSubId=nIej-0ANyLQ1&hmEmail=02k_9hvA1kiS6nmG9LnGT5WH-O6RhZf90&NID=&email_hash=f6f19b3bf12938acdd2c69cb86958025&dl=0&mpweb=1323-94570-6515878

1. Khaki AR, Desai A, Schoen MW, et al. Timing of US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cancer drug approvals relative to publication of clinical trial results. Presented at: ASCO20 Virtual Scientific Program. J Clin Oncol. 2020;38(suppl):abstr 2071.
2. HemOnc.org. https://www.hemonc.org/wiki/Main_Page. Accessed May 27, 2020.

Jun 3, 2020 03:24PM Lumpie wrote:

A machine-learning algorithm was able to predict the rate of financial stress on patients who underwent treatment for their breast cancer, according to a retrospective survey and algorithm-modeling study. These findings were presented during the ASCO 2020 Virtual Scientific Program.

The machine learning algorithm predicted financial burden with a high accuracy (83%), sensitivity (81%), and specificity (82%), and area under the receiver operating curve (0.82)

The study authors concluded that their machine learning model could accurately predict financial difficulties due to treatment of breast cancer. These predictions may aide in the decision-making process and that with careful planning, financial distress may be avoided. As financial toxicity is associated with poorer clinical outcomes, avoiding this stressor would ultimately lead to better quality of care.

https://www.oncologynurseadvisor.com/home/headlines/conference-coverage/asco-2020/machine-learning-algorithm-predicts-financial-burden-due-to-cancer-treatment/

Sidey-Gibbons C, Asaad M, Pfob A, Boukovalas S, Lin YL, Offodile. Machine learning algorithms to predict financial toxicity associated with breast cancer treatment. Presented at: ASCO20 Virtual Scientific Program. J Clin Oncol. 2020;38(suppl):abstr 2047.

Jun 5, 2020 11:16AM BevJen wrote:

Interesting article on how cancers mutate to get around targeted treatments --

https://scienmag.com/revealed-how-cancer-develops-...

Jun 9, 2020 11:55AM - edited Jun 9, 2020 11:56AM by Lumpie

A novel biomarker identified a large subgroup of metastatic breast cancer patients who benefited from an immune checkpoint inhibitor, according to an exploratory analysis of a prospective clinical trial.

Almost a fourth of patients with no identified actionable mutations had copy number alteration (CNA) in the PD-L1 gene. Patients without PD-L1 CNA had a median progression-free survival (PFS) of 9 months when treated with the PD-L1 inhibitor durvalumab (Imfinzi), whereas median PFS had yet to be reached in patients whose tumors had copy number gain (three or four copies) or amplification (more than four).

"This exploratory translational analysis suggested a higher efficacy of durvalumab as maintenance treatment for patients with PD-L1 copy gain or amplification," Bachelot said in a statement. "PD-L1 copy number alteration could be an important predictive marker for PD-L1 inhibitor efficacy. If confirmed in larger series, this could have important implications for the development of immunotherapy in patients with metastatic breast cancer, enabling us to better identify patients that are sensitive to PD-L1 inhibitors than current testing for PD-L1 positivity on immune cells."

Link to the clinical trial:

https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02299999

https://www.medpagetoday.com/meetingcoverage/additionalmeetings/86683?xid=nl_mpt_SROBGYN_2020-05-30&eun=g1278169d0r&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ObGynUpdate_053020&utm_term=NL_Spec_OBGYN_Update_Active

Primary Source: ESMO Breast Cancer Conference

Source Reference: Bachelot T, et al "PDL1/CD274 gain/amplification as a predictive marker of checkpoint blockade inhibitor efficacy in metastatic breast cancer: Exploratory analysis of the SAFIR02-Immuno randomized phase II trial" ESMO Breast Cancer Conference 2020; Abstract 128O.

Jun 12, 2020 11:32AM Lumpie wrote:

The national healthcare bill for cancer will exceed $245 billion a year by 2030, a 30% increase from 2015. (American Association for Cancer Research)

The national cancer-attributable costs in the United States are projected to increase by over 30 percent from 2015 to 2030, corresponding to a total cost of over $245 billion, according to a study published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

https://www.aacr.org/about-the-aacr/newsroom/news-...

https://cebp.aacrjournals.org/content/early/2020/0...

DOI: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-19-1534

Jun 12, 2020 12:37PM Lumpie wrote:

• In this study, the authors used 2003–2014 North Carolina cancer registry data linked with administrative claims to develop an algorithm for identifying patients with breast cancer who progressed to metastatic disease. Medical costs due to metastatic breast cancer were estimated by age group and by phase of care. Monthly costs were significantly higher for women with metastatic breast cancer compared with earlier-stage breast cancer and patients without cancer for all age groups and phases of treatment except for initial treatment among women with stage III disease at diagnosis. The highest expected costs were for women aged 18 to 44 during the continuing phase of care, totaling over $200,000.

• These findings highlight the importance of determining whether the excess costs among younger women and during the continuing and terminal phases of treatment provide high value for these women.

• DOI https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-020-05654-x

Jun 12, 2020 01:14PM Lumpie wrote:

New Rochelle, NY, June 10, 2020—Managing women with breast cancer who are breastfeeding is a complex issue. The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine presents new recommendations in the peer-reviewed journal Breastfeeding Medicine. Click here to read the article now.

"The aim of this new protocol is to guide clinicians in the delivery of optimal care of breastfeeding women as it relates to breast cancer, from screening to diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship," state coauthors Helen Johnson, MD and Katrina Mitchell, MD.

It addresses the spectrum of care, including oncologic breast surgery, chemotherapy, and adjuvant and endocrine therapy. A section on breastfeeding women who have a previous history of breast cancer is included.

Arthur I. Eidelman, MD, Editor-in-Chief of Breastfeeding Medicine, states: "This protocol is a guide for mothers who are undergoing diagnosis and treatment for breast cancer. It emphasizes that they do not have to categorically give up on their nurturing role as breastfeeding moms."

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women worldwide. One in 20 women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime.

https://home.liebertpub.com/news/new-protocol-on-b...

https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/bfm.2020.29...

Published Online:9 Jun 2020 https://doi.org/10.1089/bfm.2020.29157.hmj

Jun 13, 2020 10:39AM santabarbarian wrote:

Olma the links do not work

Jun 14, 2020 01:36PM Lumpie wrote:

Live stream: Chasing Cancer

Stephen M. Hahn, U.S. Food and Drug Administration commissioner, will lay out his agenda for the FDA and discuss critical steps the government is taking to approve innovative, life-saving drugs, therapies, and clinical trials for COVID-19 and cancer. As an oncologist, Hahn has spent his career dedicated to advancing cancer treatment. James P. Allison, the 2018 Nobel Prize winner in Medicine for his immunotherapies at MD Anderson Cancer Center, will discuss the next steps in his ground breaking research, one of the most important advances in cancer treatment in 100 years. We'll also focus on DNA and genetic testing, groundbreaking immunotherapies and drugs that topline researchers hope will combat the deadliest cancers.

In a segment presented by Pfizer, Andy Schmeltz, global president & general manager of Pfizer's Oncology division will discuss the challenges, barriers, and inequities within the current healthcare system, and what we can do to fix it.

Join us on Wednesday, June 17 at 10:30 a.m. ET.

Stream here: wapo.st/chasingcancerjune

https://chasingcancerjune.splashthat.com/?utm_medi...

Jun 15, 2020 07:17AM BevJen wrote:

Lumpie -

Thanks for posting the Post talk -- that sounds like a good one. And they've got two good people -- I've heard interviews with Allison before and they were fascinating.

Jun 17, 2020 05:49PM BlueGirlRedState wrote:

The Chasing Cancer Postponed until June 24th. IF you register, they will send reminder https://chasingcancerjune24.splashthat.com/

Jun 19, 2020 05:09AM JoynerL wrote:

BSandra, this is very exciting! That "grad student" must be something! Thanks for posting.

Jun 19, 2020 05:59AM JoynerL wrote:

Just saw this on OBR:

https://news.nd.edu/news/common-cholesterol-drugs-could-slow-spread-of-breast-cancer-to-brain/

Jun 21, 2020 02:59PM - edited Jun 21, 2020 03:10PM by Bliss58

It looks like Chasing Cancer with WaPo is an ongoing series? I missed the one June 17, best friend's 60th, but see the one on June 24 is a different topic. So I'm wondering, was the previous one postponed, didn't happen or I just missed it?

Joyner, thanks for that OBR share. Interesting research for another potential benefit of my dr. putting me on a statin.