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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New on NCI’s Websites for December 2023NCI 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 December 2023.
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Following Abnormal Cancer Screening Results, Multi-Level Reminders May Increase Follow-UpIn a clinical trial, a simple letter and phone call helped increase the number of people who completed the recommended follow-up testing after an abnormal cancer screening result.
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Genetic Signature May Help Tailor Treatment for MeningiomaThe activity of 34 genes can accurately predict the aggressiveness of meningiomas, a new study shows. This gene expression signature may help oncologists select the best treatments for people with this common type of brain cancer than they can with current methods.
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Virtual Mind–Body Fitness Classes Show Unexpected Benefit in People with CancerIn a clinical trial, people being treated for cancer who participated in virtual mind–body fitness classes were less likely to be hospitalized, and had shorter stays when they were hospitalized, than people who did not take the classes.
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Antibody Drug Ejects Problematic Proteins from Cancer CellsAntibodies currently used in many cancer treatments have only been able to reach proteins outside of cancer cells. In a new study in mice, scientists found a way to target cancer-fueling KRAS and IDH1 proteins buried inside cancer cells.
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What Comes after NCI-MATCH? NCI’s New Precision Medicine Cancer TrialsNCI’s James H. Doroshow, M.D., reflects on the accomplishments of NCI-MATCH, a first-of-its-kind precision medicine cancer trial, and gives an overview of three new successor trials: ComboMATCH, MyeloMATCH, and iMATCH.
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Tarlatamab Shows Promise for Some People with Small Cell Lung CancerTarlatamab, a new type of targeted immunotherapy, shrank small cell lung cancer (SCLC) tumors in more than 30% of participants in an early-stage clinical trial. Participants had SCLC that had progressed after previous treatments with other drugs.
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Groundbreaking Trial Results Expand Treatment Options for Some People with Bladder CancerFor the first time in decades, people with advanced bladder cancer have more effective treatment options. New clinical trial results mark a pivotal moment following years of little progress, bladder cancer experts believe.
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Molecular Burglary: Cancer Cells Hijack Energy from Immune CellsA new study shows that, in some tumors, a subset of cancer cells can drain mitochondria, the tiny structures within cells that produce energy, from T cells and use them for their own energy needs.
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FDA Amends Approval of Pembrolizumab to Treat Stomach and Esophageal Junction CancerFDA has changed its 2021 approval of pembrolizumab (Keytruda) along with trastuzumab (Herceptin) and chemotherapy for treating HER2-positive stomach or GEJ cancer. The agency also announced a new approval of pembrolizumab for HER2-negative forms of these same cancers.
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Selpercatinib Slows Progression of RET-Positive Lung, Medullary Thyroid CancersFor people with lung cancer and medullary thyroid cancer whose tumors have changes in the RET gene, selpercatinib improved progression-free survival compared with other common treatments, according to new clinical trial results.
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A Better Biomarker for Cancer Immunotherapy?A new study, conducted largely in mice, may help explain why a currently used molecular marker—called mismatch repair deficiency—doesn’t always work to predict which patients will respond to immunotherapies called immune checkpoint inhibitors.
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FDA Authorizes Blood Test for Assessing Risk of Hereditary CancersThe Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the first time has granted marketing authorization for a blood test, the Invitae Common Hereditary Cancers Panel. The test detects inherited genetic changes that increase the risk of developing certain cancers.
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Study Finds Shortcomings in Monitoring Caregivers' Emotional HealthIn a survey of more than 100 US community cancer clinics, only 16% routinely screened informal caregivers of their patients for distress. In contrast, more than 90% regularly screened patients for distress and provided referrals to supportive care services.
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SBRT Emerging as an Important Treatment for Early-Stage Kidney CancerStereotactic body radiotherapy was effective in people with localized kidney cancer who weren’t able to have surgery to remove their tumor, a clinical trial has shown. No patients had their cancer start growing or died from cancer over the next 5 years.
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Trial Results Confirm Effectiveness of Atezolizumab Against a Rare SarcomaTreatment with atezolizumab (Tecentriq) shrank tumors in about 40% of people with alveolar soft part sarcoma, including one complete response, new clinical trial findings show. Some people were later able to stop treatment without the cancer returning.
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ENLACE Study Explores Colorectal Cancer in Hispanic and Latino PeopleThe ENLACE study is the first to use cutting-edge technologies to describe the molecular features of colorectal tumors in Hispanic and Latino people. The study’s goals are to improve treatments and increase Hispanic/Latino engagement in cancer research.
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Oncolytic Virus Enables the Immune System to Attack TumorsA cancer-infecting virus engineered to tamp down a tumor’s ability to suppress the immune system shrank tumors in mice, a new study shows. The modified oncolytic virus worked even better when used along with an immune checkpoint inhibitor.
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Is AI Ready to Play a Leading Role in Colorectal Cancer Screening?Using computer-aided detection (CAD) during a colonoscopy doesn’t help doctors find the growths most likely to become colorectal cancer, two studies find. Researchers agreed that CAD, which is aided by artificial intelligence technology, needs further refinement.
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Can Artificial Intelligence–Driven Chatbots Correctly Answer Questions about Cancer?Can AI chatbots give people accurate information about cancer and its treatment? The answer appears to be: Not yet. Results from two studies have found that, although AI chatbots can gather cancer information from reputable sources, their responses to questions about treatment and other topics can include errors and omissions.