Cancer News: Latest Developments in Cancer Research and Treatment for June

News breaks in the cancer arena all the time. Sometimes it’s big — like word that a breakthrough drug has increased survival for ahard-to-treat cancer。Sometimes it’s smaller. Any of it may matter to you and your family as you navigate yourcancerjourney. We do our best to keep you up-to-date with a monthly roundup of some of the most significant recent cancer news.

New Screening Test Can Detect New and Recurrent Bladder Cancer

What’s NewA novel screening test that identifies a cancer biomarker (keratin 17 [K17]) in urine can detect newbladder cancersin patients with blood in their urine, according to researchpublished in the June 7 online issue of theAmerican Journal of Clinical Pathology。The test can also identifybladder cancerin patients under surveillance for recurrence.

Research DetailsResearchers from Yale Cancer Center in New Haven, Connecticut, and Stony Brook University in New York assessed 179 urine samples taken from adults with blood in their urine or who were being followed for recurrence to determine sensitivity (the ability to detect cancer) and the specificity (the ability to differentiate cancers from non-cancers). Overall, the findings showed that the K17 urine test correctly identified 82 percent of patients with bladder cancer and 92 percent without bladder cancer.

Why It MattersBladder cancer is the fourth most common cancer in men. The American Cancer Societyprojectsthat approximately 64,000 men (and 20,000 women) will develop bladder cancer in 2021. Current bladdercancer screeningrequires difficult and often expensive and invasive camera-based testing (cystoscopy), namely because other methods are unable to reliably distinguish between benign and low-grade bladder cancers. Ultimately, the K17 urine test may be used to determine which patients are likely to benefit from treatment while also eliminating the need for complicated cystoscopy in patients who are negative.

More U.S. Adults More Worried about Wrinkles, Sunburn Than Skin Cancer

What’s NewRoughly a third of Americans report that they are unaware that tanning causesskin cancer, and almost as many are more worried about avoiding premature wrinkles than about preventing cancer, according to survey findings released by theAmerican Academy of Dermatology (AAD)。

Research DetailsAs part of itsSPOT Skin Cancerawareness campaign, the AAD surveyed 1,000 U.S. adults to learn more about prevailing attitudes toward sunning, protection, and understanding of their link toskin cancer。研究结果强调,阿米尔的70%icans (especially younger adults) are spending more time in the sun during peak hours of intensity (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.). Of the 25 percent of people who reported having a sunburn in 2020, 37 percent were millennials and 43 percent were gen Z. Overwhelmingly, those surveyed believed that sun protection was important, but few planned for it. Only 55 percent reported regularly using sunscreen, especially during outdoor activities. While 59 percent reported having at least oneskin cancer risk factor(i.e., moles, family history), only 36 percent were concerned about developingskin cancer。

Why It MattersSkin cancer is one of themost common cancersin the United States, affecting millions annually, according to theCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)。But it is also one of the most preventable. With cases on the rise and summer upon us, it’s more important than ever to know the risk factors and learn aboutprevention, including seeking shade when outdoors, minimizing exposure to harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays, wearing sun-protective clothing, andapplying sunscreenwith a minimum skin protection factor (SPF) of 15.

Palliative Care a Mystery to Many Americans

What’s NewOnly 11 percent of Americans report understanding the value of palliative care for alleviating pain and symptoms of chronic illnesses, according to findingspublished on June 4 inCancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Preventionjournal。

Research DetailsResearchers used data from the2018 NCI's Health Information National Trends Survey, whichasked adults ages 18 and older to describe how much they knew about palliative care. Among 3,450 respondents participating in the survey, 89 percent felt that they had an inadequate knowledge level. Participants with at least two encounters with the healthcare system over the past year and/or a regular source of healthcare were three times more likely to have adequate knowledge of palliative care compared with those with fewer encounters or no regular healthcare provider. Other factors associated with greater knowledge included being female (approximately twice the odds), being married (approximately twice the odds), and having a college degree or higher (almost 14 times greater odds).

Why It MattersPalliative careis a type of supportive care that addresses the physical, emotional, and general needs of patients with serious illnesses. Both the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines emphasize the importance of palliative care to overall cancer outcomes.

AI-based, Noninvasive Imaging Helps Predict Outcomes in Lung Cancer

What’s NewResearchers from Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida, have developed a noninvasive imaging technique that measures levels of a specific biomarker called PD-L1 to predict which patients with non-small-celllung cancer(NSCLC) will respond well to immunotherapy. Study findings werepublished in the June issue of theJournal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer。

Research DetailsThe PD-L1 biomarker is considered an indicator of how well a cancer will respond to some immunotherapy drugs known as checkpoint inhibitors. Generally, the higher the number of PD-L1 biomarkers on cancer cells, the more likely it will be to respond to the therapies. Researchers developed an artificial intelligence (AI)-based scoring method that usescomputed tomography(CT) and positron emission tomography (PET) imaging features (e.g., size, shape, pixel intensity) to train computers to measure PD-L1 biomarker levels in 697 NSCLC patients. The model was further developed to predict which patients would derive the most durable clinical benefit from checkpoint inhibitor therapy, demonstrating as high as an 87 percent accuracy. In addition, the deep learning model also demonstrated a reasonable ability to predict progression-free survival (survival time during which the cancer does not grow) and overall survival.

Why It MattersPD-L1 is a protein that helps prevent immune cells from attacking non-harmful cells. Some cancer cells also have high PD-L1 levels, which allow them to trick the immune system to avoid attack. Until now, practitioners have had to rely on invasive, surgicalbiopsyprocedures to obtain tissue samples to determine which NSCLC patients will respond to a specific type of immunotherapy that uses checkpoint inhibitors. If proven accurate in larger trials, PET/CT imaging may ultimately provide an alternative to invasive procedures and help guide choice of therapy.

No Link Found Between Fertility Treatments and Breast Cancer

What’s NewA meta-analysis of data from the past three decades shows that women who are treated with ovarian stimulation treatments forinfertilityare not at higher risk for breast cancer. The study findings werepublished online on June 21 inFertility and Sterility Journal.

Research DetailsKings College London researchers analyzed 20 studies that enrolled 1.8 million women with no prior breast cancer history who received ovarian stimulation drugs for infertility between 1990 and 2020. The women were followed for an average of 27 years.Compared with the general population, infertile women who received eithergonadotropins(hormones used to support normal development of eggs and promote ovulation) or clomiphene(an infertility drug used in women who cannot ovulate) did not have a significant increased risk for developing breast cancer.

Why This MattersBreast canceris the most common cancer in U.S. women and affects one in eight women globally,according to the American Cancer Society。While there are a variety of factors that increase risk, there has been concern that drugs that increaseestrogenandprogesterone productionmight affect breast cells and make them turn cancerous. Until now, studies looking into the link betweenfertilitydrugs and breast cancer risk have been inconclusive.

New Blood Test Detects More than 50 Cancer Types

What’s NewAblood test准确地检测到超过50种cancer before any signs or symptoms arise may be ready to be added to screening strategies for people at high risk, according to study findingspublished online on June 24 in theAnnals of Oncologyjournal。

Research DetailsFrench researchers evaluated the performance and ability of the multi-cancer early-detection (MCED) test to identify chemical signals for multiple cancer types in 15,254 people with and without cancer. The findings showed that overall, the test correctly identified the presence of cancer in about 51 percent of cases and was wrong (false positive) in only half a percent of cases. The MCED test correctly identified cancer across stages 1 to 3 in approximately 67 percent of cancers.

Why It MattersAlthough one of the most important tools in the fight against cancer is screening and early detection, only five screening tests (breast,colon,cervical,lung, andprostate) are currently available in the United States. While these tests have been shown to reduce mortality rates, they are also associated with high false-positive rates (meaning that they often incorrectly identify the presence of cancer) and conversely, a low ability to predict that proportion of people with positive test results who actually do have true cancer. The MCED test (currently available by prescription in the United States) is viewed as an important addition to current screening modalities and has the potential to shift detection to earlier stages, when cancers are most treatable and deaths most preventable. Although studies are ongoing, detecting cancer by blood samples represents a possible game-changer for cancer detection efforts.