Cancer Survivors Say No to HPV Vax; Costly Prostate Cancer; Acupressure Aids Sleep

New insight into why many cancer survivors refuse vaccination against human papillomavirus. (Cancer)

The cost of treating metastatic prostate cancer rose sharply over the past 15 years, largely because of increased use of newer, more expensive drugs. (Urology Practice)

The Endocrine Society published the first evidence-based guidelines for managing one of the most common metabolic complications of cancer, hypercalcemia of malignancy.

An experimental biomarker-based strategy to screen for myocarditis caused by cancer immunotherapy showed good accuracy for identifying patients at risk of the potentially fatal side effect. (Michigan Medicine)

Encouraging data on Merck’s and Moderna’s mRNA products have revitalized the “historically unimpressive” cancer vaccine field. (GlobalData)

Jazz Pharmaceuticals has gone all in on the investigational anti-HER2 bispecific antibody zanidatamab, paying Zymeworks $325 million for development and commercialization rights in the U.S., Europe, and Japan. (Endpoints News)

In another strategic business move, Merck will fork over at least $175 million to Kelun-Biotech for “global licenses to research, develop, manufacture and commercialize” multiple antibody-drug conjugates for use in cancer treatment.

As part of a post-bankruptcy restructuring plan, Belgian drug developer Celyad Oncology will discontinue development of the allogeneic CAR T-cell therapy CYAD-211.

Acupressure outperformed acupuncture for reducing sleep disturbance in patients with cancer. (World Views on Evidence-Based Nursing)

Advances in computer software allow scientists to infer ethnicity in tumor DNA and RNA, which could inform development of new strategies for early cancer detection and personalized treatments. (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cancer Research)

Bispecific antibodies could steal some of the thunder, and market share in multiple myeloma, from the cellular therapy ide-cel (Abecma). (GlobalData)

Western U.S. states had the highest prostate cancer mortality among white men, according to a study led by the American Cancer Society.

The WEE1 inhibitor adavosertib showed activity in advanced ovarian cancer, particularly those associated with CCNE1 amplification. (University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Journal of Clinical Oncology)