Latest Conference Articles

A reveiw of five clinical trial findings suggests that gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog has the potential to preserve ovarian function and fertility in premenopausal breast cancer patients.

New research demonstrates that a CDK4/6 inhibitor, used in combination with standard endocrine therapy with temporary ovarian suppression significantly improves progression-free survival in younger patients who currently have few treatment options.

The combination of Keytruda (pembrolizumab) and Herceptin (trastuzumab) showed promise for the treatment of women with Herceptin-resistant, PD-L1–positive, HER2-positive breast cancer.

A stud presented at SABCS shows that IMMU-132, an antibody-drug conjugate, improves outcomes in women with heavily pretreated metastatic triple-negative breast cancer.

The combination use of Herceptin plus standard adjuvant chemotherapy does not improve outcomes in women with HER2-low breast cancer.

For women with early-stage breast cancer who are receiving chemotherapy, shortening the time between treatment cycles or administering the agents sequentially may reduce disease recurrence and mortality compared with standard chemotherapy regimens.

Research into combination approaches now focuses on using three anti–PD-1 therapies and new checkpoints, such as IDO.

The combination of the immunotherapies Opdivo (nivolumab) and Yervoy (ipilimumab) sparked a response in nearly half of asymptomatic patients with melanoma brain metastases who had not received prior local therapy to the brain.

The longest response rate lasted six months.

Maria T. Landi, M.D., Ph.D., principal investigator at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and National Institutes of Health (NIH) discusses a recent study that identified genetic variations that may be linked with increased melanoma risk.

Intralesional therapies – those delivered directly to the tumor site – used in conjunction with checkpoint inhibitors have shown improvements to the treatment of people with melanoma, says Robert Andtbacka, M.D., in a presentation at the 2017 World Congress of Melanoma.

Many patients with cancer don't hesitate when discussing side effects like fatigue, nausea and neuropathy with their health care provider; however, there is often silence when it boils down to the sexual side effects of their treatment.

The treatment landscape of ovarian cancer continues to change with the recent approvals of new agents.

Audra Moran, CEO & President of the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund Alliance discusses the Ovarian Cancer National Conference.

David Gershenson, M.D., of MD Anderson Cancer Center, explains the difficulty of advancing treatment of rare ovarian cancers: malignant ovarian germ cell tumors, sex cord stromal tumors, and types of epithelial tumors such as ovarian clear cell carcinoma, ovarian low-grade serous carcinoma, and mucinous tumors.

For women with ovarian cancer, the message is clear: participating in clinical trials, even early-phase ones, offers the best hope for better treatments, but efforts are urgently needed at every level to ensure that more of these research opportunities are available.

Strategies from expert oncology dieticians can help patients to eat an appropriate diet and maintain a healthy weight during and after treatment for ovarian cancer.

Sarah Sciortino, MSW, LSW, Oncology Psychosocial Support Services Program Coordinator at University of Chicago Hospital, discusses the unique concerns that younger patients with ovarian cancer can face.

Mark Gibbons of Caregiver Action Network discusses the emotions caregivers to patients with ovarian cancer may have.

Opening the 20th Annual Ovarian Cancer National Conference in Chicago, John Moroney, M.D., underscored the challenges that remain in the early detection and treatment of ovarian cancer, but also the tremendous hope that resides in robust clinical trial research.

Nita Karnik Lee, MD, MPH, of The University of Chicago Medicine, discusses what patients with ovarian cancer should know about when entering survivorship.

Mark Gibbons, senior director of external programs with the nonprofit Caregiver Action Network, explains the importance of caregivers taking care of themselves while at the Ovarian Cancer National Conference.

Jennifer Lane-Riefler, MCHES, CFm, Executive Director of Cancer Services of Grant County, discusses the financial assistance opportunities available for patients with ovarian cancer.

Angela Schmidt Fishbaugh talks about being diagnosed with breast cancer after a mastectomy, changing her from a previvor to survivor.

The idea of interfering with DNA’s self-repair capabilities has been at the heart of this decade’s progress in treating ovarian cancer, and the focus now is on combining PARP inhibitors with other types of therapies.

There are several issues parents should consider before broaching the subject of genetic cancer risk with their children, explains Karen Hurley, a psychologist with the Cleveland Clinic.

Finding out that you have a BRCA or other mutation that increases your risk of cancer is a frightening and often confusing prospect, but even one supportive voice can make a huge difference.

Alan Blassberg, Director/Producer of Pink and Blue: Colors of Hereditary Cancer, discusses being a male BRCA carrier.