Advances in TNBC; Mixed News in Lung Cancer Report; Pancreatic Cancer Overdiagnosis?

— News, features, and commentary about cancer-related issues

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Onco Break over a computer rendering of a cancer cell.

A of neoadjuvant nivolumab (Opdivo) with or without ipilimumab (Yervoy) induced immune activation in a majority of patients with early triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and led to pathologic complete responses and clearance of circulating tumor DNA. (ESMO, Nature Medicine)

A novel immunotherapy strategy achieved a high rate of without the usual immune-related adverse effects. (Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer)

Cetuximab (Erbitux) versus durvalumab (Imfinzi) in cisplatin-intolerant/ineligible patients with advanced head and neck cancer. (UC San Diego, Lancet Oncology)

A subcutaneous formulation of pembrolizumab (Keytruda) with berahyaluronidase alfa plus chemotherapy proved plus chemotherapy on two pharmacokinetic endpoints in a phase III trial, Merck announced.

Six weeks after a federal judge tossed a previous lawsuit, filed a $6.7 billion lawsuit against Bristol Myers Squibb, alleging the pharma giant cheated shareholders out of a higher stock price by delaying approval of three drugs, including the CAR T-cell therapy lisocabtagene maraleucel (Breyanzi). (Reuters via Yahoo! Finance)

The BMJ a 2020 article reporting an association between unexplained weight loss and cancer, and then published an updated version showing an even stronger association. (Retraction Watch)

Buxton Helmsley said that following talks with multiple whistleblowers, the investment fund manager has urged a Senate committee to investigate involving Spectrum Pharmaceuticals' eflapegrastim (Rolvedon), a drug indicated to decrease the incidence of infection in cancer patients.

Preoperative induction chemotherapy, followed by surgery and radiotherapy, led to a 100% clinical benefit rate in a small study of patients with . (University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Clinical Cancer Research)

The FDA announced updated , including two indications for B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Improving 5-year survival for lung cancer despite continued low rates of screening and the lack of comprehensive insurance coverage for biomarker testing in most states are among the highlights from the American Lung Association's .

Overdiagnosis could be a contributing factor to the in young adults. (Annals of Internal Medicine)

A history of had a significant association with a higher risk of premature death due to gynecologic cancers. (The BMJ)

In laboratory studies, a modified antioxidant therapy in cancer patients without unwanted side effects. (University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Nature Biotechnology)

The novel fusion protein nemvaleukin alfa plus pembrolizumab achieved , including malignancies that do not usually respond to immunotherapy, Mural Oncology announced.

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    Charles Bankhead is senior editor for oncology and also covers urology, dermatology, and ophthalmology. He joined in 2007.