Cancer Currents: An NCI Cancer Research Blog
A blog featuring news and research updates from the National Cancer Institute. Learn more about Cancer Currents.
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Changes in Metabolism Help Melanomas SpreadMelanoma cells that metastasize to other parts of the body produce high levels of a protein called MCT1, a new study in mice has found. Blocking MCT1 with an investigational drug, AZD3965, led to fewer and smaller metastatic tumors.
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Maintenance Therapy with CC-486 Extends Survival of Adults with AMLMaintenance therapy with CC-486 extended overall survival of adults with the blood cancer acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in a large clinical trial. CC-486 is a pill form of another cancer therapy called azacitidine (Vidaza).
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Enfortumab Vedotin Approved for Recurrent Bladder CancerEnfortumab vedotin-ejfv (Padcev) has been approved for people with advanced bladder cancer. FDA granted the drug accelerated approval for cancers that have progressed despite previous treatments.
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For Metastatic HER2-Positive Breast Cancer, New Treatments EmergeTucatinib improved survival for women in the HER2CLIMB trial, including some whose cancer had spread to the brain. Trastuzumab deruxtecan improved survival and shrank many tumors in the DESTINY-Breast01 trial, which led to its accelerated approval.
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Brain Cancer Cells Hijack Gene “On Switches” to Drive Tumor GrowthGlioblastoma cells sneak many copies of a key oncogene into circular pieces of DNA. In a new NCI-funded study, scientists found that the cells also slip several different genetic “on switches” into these DNA circles, helping to fuel the cancer’s growth.
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New on NCI’s Websites for January 2020NCI periodically provides updates on new websites and other online content of interest to the cancer community. See selected content that has been added as of January 2020.
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Oncofertility: Creating a Bridge Between Cancer Care and Reproductive HealthDr. Teresa Woodruff discusses the field that connects oncology with reproductive health, and the Oncofertility Consortium’s efforts to support clinicians, cancer patients, and families in understanding how cancer and its treatment affect fertility.
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Anal Cancer Incidence and Deaths Are Rising in the United StatesThe number of cases and deaths from anal cancer have been on the rise in the United States since 2001, according to a new study. The increases have been especially rapid in two segments of the population.
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Osimertinib Improves Survival in Advanced Lung Cancer with EGFR MutationsOsimertinib (Tagrisso) improves survival in people with non-small cell lung cancer with EGFR mutations, updated clinical trial results show. People treated with osimertinib lived longer than those treated with earlier-generation EGFR-targeted drugs.
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Surgery for Recurrent Ovarian Cancer Does Not Improve SurvivalSecondary surgery for women with recurrent ovarian cancer does not improve how long those women live, findings from a large trial show. The results call into question the current standard of practice for these patients.
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Overcoming a Cancer Nemesis? KRAS Inhibitor Shows Promise in Early TrialAn experimental drug, AMG 510, that targets mutated forms of the KRAS protein completely shrank tumors in cancer mouse models and data from a small clinical trial show that it appears to be active against different cancer types with a KRAS mutation.
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As Use of Genomic Data Expands in Cancer Care, Patients Share Their StoriesAt a recent NCI-sponsored scientific workshop, patients with cancer, researchers, and patient advocates exchanged ideas about personal genomic data, issues related to privacy, and data sharing.
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Gilteritinib Improves Survival in AML with FLT3 MutationsPeople with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with FLT3 gene mutations treated with gilteritinib had improved survival, higher rates of remission, and fewer side effects than those treated with chemotherapy, a recent trial found.
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Children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Can Skip Radiation to the BrainOnly 1.5% of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia who skipped radiation had a recurrence in the central nervous system, according to a recent trial. The therapy, which is intended to prevent such a recurrence, can have devastating side effects.
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Some Brain Cells May Help to Fuel Cancer MetastasisBrain cells called astrocytes can activate PPAR-gamma, a growth protein in cancer cells that helps them gain a foothold in the brain, a new study shows. The findings suggest that drugs that block PPAR-gamma activity may help treat brain metastases.
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Epigenetic Changes Pinpointed as the Cause of Some GISTsScientists may have pinpointed the cause of some gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs), a rare cancer, according to a new NCI-funded study. However, the culprit isn’t a harmful genetic mutation, but another type of genetic change, what are called epigenetic alterations.
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Targeted Drug Trio Improves Survival in Colorectal Cancer with BRAF MutationsFor people with colorectal cancer with a specific mutation in the BRAF gene, a treatment regimen of three targeted drugs can improve how long they live without increasing their risk of serious side effects, results from a new clinical trial show.
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Prescribing Exercise as Cancer Treatment: A Conversation with Dr. Kathryn SchmitzUpdated guidelines on exercise for those living with cancer and cancer survivors were recently released. In this conversation, Dr. Kathryn Schmitz discusses what these new guidelines mean for doctors, patients, and survivors.
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Home Is Where the Heart IsDr. Ned Sharpless discusses his return as NCI director after serving as acting commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration for 7 months.
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Durvalumab Plus Chemotherapy Improves Survival in Small Cell Lung CancerA large clinical trial showed that adding the immunotherapy drug durvalumab (Imfinzi) to standard chemotherapy can prolong survival in some people with previously untreated advanced small cell lung cancer.