August 2018 - Cancer Currents Blog
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Study Provides Closer Look at Postmenopausal Bleeding and Endometrial Cancer
A new study has found that 90% of postmenopausal women diagnosed with endometrial cancer reported vaginal bleeding before their diagnosis. Approximately 9% of postmenopausal women who saw a doctor for bleeding, the study showed, later received an endometrial cancer diagnosis.
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Enhancements to NCI’s SEER Program Creating New Research Opportunities
NCI’s SEER program is expanding in size and operating a series of innovative pilot studies. As Dr. Lynne Penberthy explains, these studies are setting the stage for the routine collection of more clinical and genomic data that will help researchers better understand cancer and its impact.
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Ribociclib Approval Expanded for Some Women with Advanced Breast Cancer
FDA has expanded the approved uses of ribociclib (Kisqali) for women with advanced breast cancer, including new uses in pre- and postmenopausal women. It’s the first approval under a new FDA program to speed the review of cancer drugs.
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Liquid Biopsy May Predict Risk of Breast Cancer Returning Years Later
Using a liquid biopsy to test for tumor cells circulating in blood, researchers found that, in women with breast cancer, the presence of these cells could identify women at risk of their cancer returning years later.
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Targeted Drug Approved for Acute Myeloid Leukemia with IDH1 Gene Mutations
The FDA has approved ivosidenib (Tibsovo) for the treatment of adults with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) that has a specific mutation in a gene called IDH1. Ivosidenib becomes the first FDA-approved IDH1-targeted treatment.
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Tailored Psychotherapy Eases Depression in People with Advanced Cancer
Just three to six sessions of a tailored psychotherapy approach called CALM helped to lessen symptoms of depression in people recently diagnosed with advanced cancer, results from a clinical trial show. The approach also may help prevent depression, researchers found.
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High-Fat Diet or Diabetes Drug May Enhance Response to Targeted Cancer Drug
A study in mice may have identified a way to help overcome resistance to targeted cancer drugs known as PI3K inhibitors. The approach appears to work by reducing insulin levels in patients receiving these drugs.
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Combination of Immunotherapy Drugs Approved for Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
The FDA has approved the combination of the immune checkpoint inhibitors ipilimumab (Yervoy) and nivolumab (Opdivo) for the treatment of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer whose tumor cells have defects that affect their ability to repair DNA.
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New Immunotherapy Option Approved for Cervical Cancer, Rare Lymphoma
FDA has approved pembrolizumab (Keytruda) for some women with advanced cervical cancer and some patients with primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma (PMBCL), a rare type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.