NCI Chief Has Breast Cancer; Long Drive to Mammography; Jail Time for Pain-Med Thief

NCI Director Monica Bertagnolli, MD, announced that she has early-stage hormone receptor-positive/HER2-negative breast cancer but expects to continue her role except for possible breaks for treatment.

New insight into how aggressive breast cancers survive chemotherapy and resist immunotherapy. (Tulane University, Nature Cancer)

Faron Pharmaceuticals Oy announced preliminary clinical activity with the macrophage-reprogramming antibody bexmarilimab and azacitidine in patients with acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome.

FDA granted accelerated approval to adagrasib (Krazati) for KRAS-mutant non-small cell lung cancer.

Astellas announced that a phase III trial of zolbetuximab (an anti-Claudin 18.2 antibody) plus chemotherapy showed significant improvement in progression-free and overall survival in metastatic gastric/gastroesophageal junction cancer.

Novartis announced that radiolabeled prostate-specific membrane antigen-targeted lutetium Lu 177 vipivotide tetraxetan (Pluvicto) improved radiographic progression-free survival in a phase III trial of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

The availability of onsite genetic testing for prostate cancer significantly improved compliance with current testing guidelines. (Urology Practice)

The American Society for Radiation Oncology published an updated guideline on radiation therapy for endometrial cancer, including recommendations for systemic therapy and surgery.

Long travel times remain a significant obstacle to breast cancer screening services for many U.S. women. (American Cancer Society, Journal of the National Cancer Institute)

Elevated levels of two proteins predicted with 90% accuracy which breast cancers would respond to a widely used chemotherapy drug. (Spanish National Cancer Research Center, Nature Communications)

A combination of epigenetically targeted drugs and immunotherapy significantly improved overall survival in an aggressive form of mantle cell lymphoma as compared with historical results. (Oncotarget)

The FDA approved updated labeling for capecitabine tablets (Xeloda) as part of Project Renewal, an agency program for older oncology drugs “to ensure information is clinically meaningful and scientifically up to date.”

A former nurse received a 37-month prison sentence for stealing cancer patients’ pain medication and replacing it with water, causing severe infections in several cases. (Miami Herald)