Categories Cancer Treatment

Update: FDA approves Orgovyx, the first oral hormone therapy of its type for treating advanced prostate cancer

In December 2020, the FDA approved Orgovyx to treat advanced prostate cancer. The findings were based on the HERO clinical trial of more than 900 men. Data from this trial showed the new therapy was safer than standard androgen deprivation treatment for men with advanced prostate cancer and risk of cardiovascular disease. (2/18/21)

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Study: How breast cancer patients experience hormone therapy

Side effects from hormone therapy are a common reason that many men and women with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer stop treatment early. Some people never start hormone therapy. This study asked patients about their experiences with hormone (or endocrine) therapy. The results suggest that there may be ways to improve the number of patients who stick with therapy. Patients need better ways to manage hormone therapy-related side effects. (1/19/21)

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Study: Immunotherapy drug Keytruda received FDA approval and showed benefit for treatment of colorectal cancer

In June 2020, the FDA approved Keytruda (pembrolizumab) as an initial therapy for advanced colorectal cancer. This approval was based on the results from the KEYNOTE-177 study. In this study, Keytruda was more successful than chemotherapy in delaying progression of certain types of colorectal cancers. (11/25/20)

Study: Trodelvy clinical trial results likely practice-changing for people with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer

The ASCENT study confirmed an earlier study and showed that the drug sacituzumab govitecan-hizy (Trodelvy) improves outcomes for people with previously treated metastatic triple-negative breast cancer. These results further support the use of Trodelvy as a standard therapy for patients with pretreated metastatic triple-negative breast cancer. (11/20/20)

Study: The buzz about honeybee venom: Promising early research to treat breast cancer

Early research showed that melittin, an ingredient in honeybee venom, may be used to treat HER2-positive and triple-negative breast cancers. This study found that melittin can kill cancer cells. The chemotherapy drug docetaxel more effectively killed breast cancer cells in mice when combined with melittin. It is not known whether melittin would be safe or affect cancer growth in people. While promising, more research must be done before melittin could be used to treat people.  (11/10/20)

Personal Story: Coping with chemotherapy-induced hair loss

Ovarian cancer survivor Stephanie Hess shared her personal story about how she coped with hair loss. This XRAY review also includes treatments to reduce this common side effect of chemotherapy. (9/28/20)

Guideline: FDA issues alert on a drug combination to treat triple-negative breast cancer

The immunotherapy drug Tecentriq (atezolizumab) is approved for use with Abraxane (nab-paclitaxel) to treat metastatic triple-negative breast cancer. Tecentriq is NOT approved for use with Taxol (paclitaxel). The Food and Drug Administration has issued an alert to doctors, researchers and patients warning that Tecentriq should not be used in combination with Taxol to treat patients with advanced triple-negative breast cancer. (09/18/20)

Update: FDA approves the PARP inhibitor olaparib (Lynparza) in combination with bevacizumab (Avastin) as maintenance therapy for some women with advanced ovarian cancer

The FDA has approved the first drug combination to be used as a first-line maintenance therapy for some women with advanced ovarian cancer. (7/7/2020)

Study: Promising research using a PARP inhibitor to treat metastatic breast cancer in people with an inherited PALB2 mutation or a tumor mutation in BRCA1 or BRCA2

Early results of a small study showed that women with metastatic breast cancer and an inherited  mutation in PALB2 or an acquired tumor mutation in BRCA1 or BRCA2 benefitted from the PARP inhibitor olaparib (Lynparza). (6/18/20)

Update: PARP inhibitors, rucaparib (Rubraca) and olaparib (Lynparza) receive FDA approval for metastatic prostate cancer

The FDA approved two PARP inhibitors, rucaparib (Rubraca) and olaparib (Lynparza) for treatment of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) in men who have certain inherited mutations or tumor mutations. (6/1/20)