[Comment] Lung cancer's real adjuvant EGFR targeted therapy questions
In The Lancet Oncology, Wen-Zhao Zhong and colleagues report findings of the ADJUVANT study.1 222 patients with completely resected, stage II –IIIA (N1–N2), EGFR-mutant non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were randomly assigned to either four cycles of adjuvant vinorelbine plus cisplatin or 24 months of gefitinib—an EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor. Disease-free survival (the primary endpoint) was significantly longer for patients assi gned gefitinib than for those assigned cisplatin-based chemotherapy (median 28·7 months, 95% CI 24·9–32·5 vs 18·0 months, 13·6–22·3; hazard ratio [HR] 0·60, 95% CI 0·42–0·8...
Source: The Lancet Oncology - November 21, 2017 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Terry L Ng, D Ross Camidge Tags: Comment Source Type: research

[Articles] Cetuximab plus carboplatin and paclitaxel with or without bevacizumab versus carboplatin and paclitaxel with or without bevacizumab in advanced NSCLC (SWOG S0819): a randomised, phase 3 study
Although this study did not meet its primary endpoints, prespecified subgroup analyses of patients with EGFR FISH-positive squamous-cell carcinoma cancers are encouraging and support continued evaluation of anti-EGFR antibodies in this subpopulation. (Source: The Lancet Oncology)
Source: The Lancet Oncology - November 20, 2017 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Roy S Herbst, Mary W Redman, Edward S Kim, Thomas J Semrad, Lyudmila Bazhenova, Gregory Masters, Kurt Oettel, Perry Guaglianone, Christopher Reynolds, Anand Karnad, Susanne M Arnold, Marileila Varella-Garcia, James Moon, Philip C Mack, Charles D Blanke, F Tags: Articles Source Type: research

[Comment] EGFR monoclonal antibody biomarkers in advanced NSCLC: from translational research to clinical implementation
Lung cancer is diagnosed in 1 ·8 million people worldwide each year. About 40% of these patients will present with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Therapeutic advances in advanced NSCLC include targeted therapies directed against EGFR.1 EGFR expression on the surface of tumour cells has been studied as a therapeuti c target for monoclonal antibodies.2 Cetuximab treatment improved survival of patients when added to platinum-based first-line chemotherapy compared with chemotherapy alone and this benefit had a hazard ratio (HR) of 0·77 (95% CI 0·64–0·93) in patients with squamous cell NSCLC. (Source: The Lancet Oncology)
Source: The Lancet Oncology - November 20, 2017 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Robert Pirker Tags: Comment Source Type: research

[Articles] Extended adjuvant intermittent letrozole versus continuous letrozole in postmenopausal women with breast cancer (SOLE): a multicentre, open-label, randomised, phase 3 trial
In postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer, extended use of intermittent letrozole did not improve disease-free survival compared with continuous use of letrozole. An alternative schedule of extended adjuvant endocrine therapy with letrozole, including intermittent administration, might be feasible and the results of the SOLE trial support the safety of temporary treatment breaks in selected patients who might require them. (Source: The Lancet Oncology)
Source: The Lancet Oncology - November 17, 2017 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Marco Colleoni, Weixiu Luo, Per Karlsson, Jacquie Chirgwin, Stefan Aebi, Guy Jerusalem, Patrick Neven, Erika Hitre, Marie-Pascale Graas, Edda Simoncini, Claus Kamby, Alastair Thompson, Sibylle Loibl, Joaqu ín Gavilá, Katsumasa Kuroi, Christian Marth, Be Tags: Articles Source Type: research

[Comment] Complexity of intermittent letrozole adjuvant therapy
To improve the outcomes of postmenopausal women with early-stage breast cancer is an important ongoing research goal. In The Lancet Oncology, Marco Colleoni and colleagues1 of the International Breast Cancer Study Group attempted to address this important research question in the Study Of Letrozole Extension (SOLE) trial in which they evaluate a novel approach to aromatase inhibitor administration —namely, extended intermittent use of adjuvant letrozole. At 5 years' follow-up, they report that disease-free survival did not differ significantly between women who received extended intermittent letrozole and those given con...
Source: The Lancet Oncology - November 17, 2017 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Rowan T Chlebowski, Kathy Pan Tags: Comment Source Type: research

[News] Defining precision medicine
On Nov 13, 2017, the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) published the first edition of its precision medicine glossary. “Precision medicine is a new field, and terms have been developing without set definitions”, explained co-author Fabrice André (Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France). “That [ambiguity] was starting to create some confusion, especially in the reporting of scientific papers, because the s ame word has different meanings depending on who is using it.” (Source: The Lancet Oncology)
Source: The Lancet Oncology - November 16, 2017 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Talha Khan Burki Tags: News Source Type: research

[Articles] Neratinib after trastuzumab-based adjuvant therapy in HER2-positive breast cancer (ExteNET): 5-year analysis of a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial
At the 5-year follow-up, 1 year of extended adjuvant therapy with neratinib, administered after chemotherapy and trastuzumab, significantly reduced the proportion of clinically relevant breast cancer relapses —ie, those that might lead to death, such as distant and locoregional relapses outside the preserved breast—without increasing the risk of long-term toxicity. An analysis of overall survival is planned after 248 events. (Source: The Lancet Oncology)
Source: The Lancet Oncology - November 13, 2017 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Miguel Martin, Frankie A Holmes, Bent Ejlertsen, Suzette Delaloge, Beverly Moy, Hiroji Iwata, Gunter von Minckwitz, Stephen K L Chia, Janine Mansi, Carlos H Barrios, Michael Gnant, Zorica Toma šević, Neelima Denduluri, Robert Šeparović, Erhan Gokmen, Tags: Articles Source Type: research

[Comment] Extended adjuvant therapy in patients with HER2-positive breast cancer: some answers, even more questions
In 2006, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved trastuzumab for the treatment of patients with early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer. Clinical trials have confirmed that trastuzumab-based chemotherapy significantly reduces the risk of disease recurrence and improves survival.1,2 We know that the optimal duration of treatment is 1 year, and that trastuzumab is more efficacious when administered concomitantly with chemotherapy;3 however, efforts to further improve the outcomes of these patients with new drugs have been somewhat disappointing. (Source: The Lancet Oncology)
Source: The Lancet Oncology - November 13, 2017 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Mariana Chavez-MacGregor, Elizabeth A Mittendorf Tags: Comment Source Type: research

[Articles] Incorporation of brentuximab vedotin into first-line treatment of advanced classical Hodgkin's lymphoma: final analysis of a phase 2 randomised trial by the German Hodgkin Study Group
Both eBEACOPP variants met the co-primary efficacy endpoints. Particularly, the BrECADD regimen was associated with a more favourable toxicity profile and was, therefore, selected to challenge standard eBEACOPP for the treatment of advanced classical Hodgkin's lymphoma in the phase 3 HD21 study by the German Hodgkin Study Group (NCT02661503), which aims to further reduce treatment-related morbidity. (Source: The Lancet Oncology)
Source: The Lancet Oncology - November 10, 2017 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Dennis A Eichenauer, Annette Pl ütschow, Stefanie Kreissl, Martin Sökler, Johannes C Hellmuth, Julia Meissner, Stephan Mathas, Max S Topp, Karolin Behringer, Wolfram Klapper, Georg Kuhnert, Markus Dietlein, Carsten Kobe, Michael Fuchs, Volker Diehl, And Tags: Articles Source Type: research

[Comment] Brentuximab vedotin for advanced Hodgkin's lymphoma
Brentuximab vedotin —through CD30-targeted delivery of monomethyl auristatin E into Hodgkin Reed-Sternberg cells—has transformed the management of patients with classical Hodgkin's lymphoma, through both its high frequency and long duration of complete remission.1 Since the initial approval of this agent, there has been high interest in its successful integration into earlier lines of management.2–4 (Source: The Lancet Oncology)
Source: The Lancet Oncology - November 10, 2017 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Michelle A Fanale Tags: Comment Source Type: research

[Articles] Adjuvant chemotherapy with or without bevacizumab in patients with resected non-small-cell lung cancer (E1505): an open-label, multicentre, randomised, phase 3 trial
Addition of bevacizumab to adjuvant chemotherapy did not improve overall survival for patients with surgically resected early-stage NSCLC. Bevacizumab does not have a role in this setting and should not be considered as an adjuvant therapy for patients with resected early-stage NSCLC. (Source: The Lancet Oncology)
Source: The Lancet Oncology - November 9, 2017 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Heather A Wakelee, Suzanne E Dahlberg, Steven M Keller, William J Tester, David R Gandara, Stephen L Graziano, Alex A Adjei, Natasha B Leighl, Seena C Aisner, Jan M Rothman, Jyoti D Patel, Mark D Sborov, Sean R McDermott, Roman Perez-Soler, Anne M Traynor Tags: Articles Source Type: research

[Articles] Health-related quality-of-life results for pembrolizumab versus chemotherapy in advanced, PD-L1-positive NSCLC (KEYNOTE-024): a multicentre, international, randomised, open-label phase 3 trial
Pembrolizumab improves or maintains health-related QOL compared with that for chemotherapy, and might represent a new first-line standard of care for PD-L1-expressing, advanced NSCLC. (Source: The Lancet Oncology)
Source: The Lancet Oncology - November 9, 2017 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Julie R Brahmer, Delvys Rodr íguez-Abreu, Andrew G Robinson, Rina Hui, Tibor Csőszi, Andrea Fülöp, Maya Gottfried, Nir Peled, Ali Tafreshi, Sinead Cuffe, Mary O'Brien, Suman Rao, Katsuyuki Hotta, Jin Zhang, Gregory M Lubiniecki, Anne C Deitz, Reshma R Tags: Articles Source Type: research

[News] Biomarkers for subtypes of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma
Patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma have a poor prognosis, and those with advanced disease do not survive longer than 12 months, even after cancer treatment. One reason therapy might fail to improve survival is that pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma could comprise several subtypes of disease, each requiring different treatments. Now, findings from a study by Alexander Muckenhuber (Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany) and colleagues suggest that subtypes identified by immunohistochemistry-based expression of cytokeratin 81 (KRT81) and hepatocyte nuclear factor 1A (HNF1A) have different survival outcomes a...
Source: The Lancet Oncology - November 9, 2017 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Priya Venkatesan Tags: News Source Type: research

[News] Gut microbiome and immunotherapy response
A new study by Vancheswaran Gopalakrishnan (MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA) and colleagues has found that the composition of the gut microbiome affects the way patients with advanced melanoma respond to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy. (Source: The Lancet Oncology)
Source: The Lancet Oncology - November 9, 2017 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Talha Khan Burki Tags: News Source Type: research

[News] Bosutinib more effective than imatinib in CML
Bosutinib might be a more effective first-line therapy than imatinib for patients with newly diagnosed chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML), according to results from the randomised, phase 3 BFORE trial. (Source: The Lancet Oncology)
Source: The Lancet Oncology - November 9, 2017 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Elizabeth Gourd Tags: News Source Type: research