Focus: Cancer Center Featured Story 2

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While the incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) has dropped significantly among older adults in recent years — a trend attributed to regular screening colonoscopies and lower smoking rates — the opposite is true for people born between 1981 and 1996, who have double the risk compared with people born in 1950. There’s an urgent need to identify more-effective therapies for those younger people: Approximately 58% of patients age 50 or under have advanced, distant disease at the time of diagnosis, and only 14% of that group will survive five years.

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An observational cohort study out of Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center demonstrates that race and ethnicity affect a woman’s 21-gene recurrence score, a tool used to determine risk of recurrence and distant metastasis in patients with early-stage, hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer. Based on the expression of 21 cancer-related genes detected in pre-treatment tumor specimens, recurrence score is used routinely in clinical care to identify patients who might benefit from chemotherapy as part of their treatment plan. Scores range from 0-100, with a score of 26 or higher indicating greater risk of recurrence and poorer overall survival.

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Research has shown that the immune system doesn’t function properly in patients with multiple myeloma, a blood cancer that occurs when plasma cells — a type of white blood cell — multiply out of control. But a clinical trial led by Jens Hillengass, MD, PhD, Chief of Myeloma at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, shows that exercise may have the power to strengthen the immune system in those patients, providing a non-pharmaceutical method of helping control the disease.

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Patients with early relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma had significantly improved overall survival when treated with the chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy axicabtagene ciloleucel (axi-cel) when compared to the current standard-of-care chemoimmunotherapy, according to results of the Phase III ZUMA-7 trial reported by researchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

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Three clinical trials led by MD Anderson researchers showed positive results with the targeted therapy erdafitinib for patients with FGFR-altered tumors. The data were presented at the 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting.

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In a new study of trastuzumab deruxtecan, a HER2-targeted antibody drug conjugate, researchers observed encouraging responses and long-lasting clinical benefit in several tumor types. These data from an interim analysis of the Phase II DESTINY-PanTumor02 study, led by The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, were presented today at the 2023 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting.

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An MD Anderson-led Phase II trial showed the HER2-targeted therapy zanidatamab demonstrated durable responses in patients with advanced HER2-positive biliary tract cancer. The data were presented at the 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting.

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Global celebration of 11 years of discovery and lifesaving innovation in immuno-oncology

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Below are summaries of recent Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center research findings and other news. If you’re covering the American Society for Clinical Oncology’s annual meeting, June 2-6 in Chicago, Illinois, see our list of Fred Hutch research highlights at ASCO and contact to set up interviews with experts.

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United States-based NCCN representatives visit Hanoi, Vietnam to work with local experts to improve quality-of-life for patients with cancer throughout the country.

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Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy amplifies the immune system’s ability to recognize and kill cancer cells. The first CAR T-cell therapy was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2017. Today, there are 6 FDA-approved CAR-based therapies to treat certain types of leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma, all of which are available at The University of Kansas Cancer Center.

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During cancer treatment, everyone focuses on the part of the anatomy where the tumor is growing. A Penn State Cancer Institute oncologist talks about why you shouldn’t neglect everything else.

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In response to the opioid epidemic in the United States, interventions to prevent over-prescribing and misuse of opioids were enacted at institutional, state, and federal levels. To assess how changes in the prescribing landscape affected patients, a research team from the Yale COPPER Center examined the rates of both new and persistent opioid prescribing in patients with cancer as well as in patients without cancer, utilizing data from SEER-Medicare.

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A new study led by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, published today in Nature Medicine, provides a deeper understanding of the vast diversity of T cell states as well as their relationships and roles within the complex tumor microenvironment, bringing a fresh perspective to understanding immunotherapy efficacy in cancer.

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Several phase 3 studies conducted by researchers from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute show promising results for patients with rectal, brain, and kidney cancers. The results of these studies, along with dozens of others led by Dana-Farber researchers, will be presented at the 2023 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Chicago.

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A clinical trial, led by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, has shown that a telephone-based weight loss program can help patients with breast cancer whose body mass index is in the overweight or obese range lower their weight by a meaningful degree.

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The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center’s Research Highlights showcases the latest breakthroughs in cancer care, research and prevention. These advances are made possible through seamless collaboration between MD Anderson’s world-leading clinicians and scientists, bringing discoveries from the lab to the clinic and back. This special edition features presentations by MD Anderson researchers at the 2023 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting.

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Treatment with luspatercept improved red blood cell counts and erythroid responses compared to treatment with epoetin alfa in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), allowing the majority to no longer require regular blood transfusions. Results from the Phase III COMMANDS trial, led by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, were reported at the 2023 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting.

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Hundreds of attendees joined the 2nd Transatlantic Exchange program on Friday, 5 May 2023, in Paris, France. The day-long session focused on artificial intelligence (AI) and data science in oncology.

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The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center’s Research Highlights showcases the latest breakthroughs in cancer care, research and prevention.

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Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) today announced the creation of The Marie-Josée Kravis Center for Cancer Immunobiology (CCI), a hub for immunotherapy research that will elevate, centralize, and prioritize the full spectrum of immuno-oncology research across the institution. The CCI, made possible by a generous $40 million gift from Henry R. Kravis to honor the visionary leadership of his wife, Marie-Josée Kravis, Vice Chair of the MSK Board of Trustees and a renowned champion of science, will establish a strategic research infrastructure that will seamlessly unite MSK scientists and physicians to further accelerate immunotherapy treatments for people with cancer.

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A UC Davis MIND Institute analysis of 13 studies finds that a common autism screening tool is useful, but a clinician’s judgment is still needed.

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Recently, the United States Preventative Service Task Force released a draft recommendation statement on screening for breast cancer, recommending that all women get screened for breast cancer every other year starting at age 40. Rutgers Cancer Institute expert shares breast cancer data on the AAPI community.

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Yale Cancer Center and Smilow Cancer Hospital scientists and clinicians will present new research at the 2023 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), June 2nd to June 6th at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois. This year’s scientific program will feature more than 2,900 abstracts, covering all major diseases and research areas, including breast, lung, head and neck, gynecological, prostate, and gastric cancers.

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The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center was awarded more than $5.7 million in grants from Break Through Cancer to support collaborative research teams working to discover novel molecular targets to eradicate minimal residual disease in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and to treat clonal hematopoiesis, a precursor to AML.

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Katy Winckworth-Prejsnar, MPH, Senior Manager of Global Policy and Strategic Alliances for National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), to Co-Chair Non-Communicable Diseases Roundtable for the Global Health Council (GHC)

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For families facing the end of life of a loved one with pediatric cancer, robust quality measures to benchmark what parents value most in their child’s medical care do not currently exist. A new study helps identify what parents prioritize for their children with advanced cancer, including alleviating the child’s symptoms and honoring the family’s goals and wishes.

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A UC Davis expert explains anxiety versus fear and how anxiety disorders can be effectively treated with therapy, medications and self-care.

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A targeted kinase inhibitor added to a two-drug immunotherapy combination slowed the progression of advanced kidney cancer in previously untreated patients, according to research published in The New England Journal of Medicine and led by an oncologist from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

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The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center’s Research Highlights showcases the latest breakthroughs in cancer care, research and prevention. These advances are made possible through seamless collaboration between MD Anderson’s world-leading clinicians and scientists, bringing discoveries from the lab to the clinic and back.

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Ludwig Cancer Research congratulates Douglas Hanahan, Ludwig Distinguished Scholar at the Lausanne Branch of the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, on his election as Foreign Member of the Royal Society.

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The James P. Allison Institute at MD Anderson announced the appointment of seven inaugural members to lead groundbreaking research and bring the benefits of immunotherapy to all patients.

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Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) and the Robbins Family Foundation are proud to announce today that eight distinguished MSK nurses and one nursing team were honored with the 2023 Robbins Family Award for Nursing Excellence.

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Bone disease in prostate cancer patients can be devastating, but new research led by UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center aims to improve the odds.

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Research from Moffitt Cancer Center, in the May 2023 issue of JNCCN, assessed patient experiences with telemedicine visits long after the initial pandemic period, finding patients rank it superior for access to care and provider engagement.

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UC San Diego scientists find an auto-signaling mechanism driving the T cell anti-tumor response; findings may inspire new cancer therapeutics and biomarkers.

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A technique that delivers high doses of heated chemotherapy directly to the abdominal cavity is a promising treatment for certain patients with Stage IV cancer. Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) kills cancer cells in the abdomen remaining after the surgical removal of tumors.

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UC Davis Health scientists have received a grant from the American Heart Association to study the effects of chronic stress on cardiovascular disease in underserved populations.

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Acute radiation dermatitis (ARD)—characterized by red, sore, itchy or peeling skin—affects up to 95% of people undergoing radiation treatment for cancer. Severe cases can cause significant swelling and painful skin ulcers that can severely impair quality of life, yet little is known about why this condition occurs and no standardized treatments for preventing severe ARD have been widely adapted.

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Theresa J. Franco, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center; F. Marc Stewart, City of Hope National Medical Center; Douglas E. Wood, UW Medicine Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center; and Donna Powell, NCCN, presented with awards during NCCN 2023 Annual Conference.

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Prostate cancer frequently metastasizes to the bone and is incurable. Moffitt Cancer Center researchers are working to identify new treatment options for this subset of patients. In a new article published today in Science Advances, a team of Moffitt scientists demonstrates that chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR T) therapy is an effective antitumor approach in mouse models of bone metastatic prostate cancer.

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Two MD Anderson researchers, Helen Piwnica-Worms, Ph.D., and Richard Wood, Ph.D., have been elected to the prestigious National Academy of Sciences for their respective contributions to advancing our understanding of cancer genetics, biochemistry and cell biology.

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A new phase III study has demonstrated the efficacy of trastuzumab deruxtecan (Enhertu) in patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer whose cancers were resistant to previous treatment with trastuzumab emtansine. Both trastuzumab deruxtecan and trastuzumab emtansine are antibody-drug conjugates, a relatively new type of drug that delivers chemotherapy directly to the cancer cell, minimizing damage to normal tissues.

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This week, 18 Smilow Cancer Hospital nurses will present new oncologic research at the 48th Annual Congress of the Oncology Nursing Society in San Antonio, Texas. Their findings will be revealed during poster and oral presentation sessions from April 26th through April 30th. Some of the featured oral presentation topics include “Designing a Novel Educational Program to Decrease Ambulatory Falls with Injury,” “Monoclonal Antibody Education for Non-Oncology RNs,” and “Oncology Advanced Practice Provider Productivity: Measuring and Justifying our Worth.

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The complete “Top Doctors” list appears in the May 2023 issue of Connecticut Magazine. Congratulations to this year’s “Top Doctors” affiliated with Smilow Cancer Hospital and Yale Cancer Center.

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Evidence-based practice changes led by nurses from Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center will be highlighted at the 48th annual Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) Congress April 26-30, 2023, in San Antonio, Texas.

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MD Anderson and Generate:Biomedicines announced a co-development and commercialization agreement to accelerate novel protein therapies using generative AI.

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The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) will present the 2023 David A. Karnofsky Memorial Award to Hagop Kantarjian, M.D., chair of Leukemia at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, for his contributions to leukemia clinical research and his dedication to improving the lives of patients.