Journal of Clinical Oncology (JCO) Podcast

This study reports surprisingly good outcomes for children with Ph-like ALL treated on the St. Jude Total Fifteen clinical trial.

Corticosteroids are recommended as part of the WHO analgesic ladder but there is limited evidence for their efficacy for the treatment of pain in cancer patients.

The availability of reconstructive surgeons restricts the use of immediate breast reconstruction, creating unintended inequities even in a system with universal health care coverage.

This podcast describes the rising epidemic of HPV-associated oropharynx cancer, its unique demographic profile and natural history, and comments on new findings from Carole Fakhry et al. regarding patterns of disease recurrence seen in patients enrolled on RTOG 0129 and 0522.

This podcast discusses the report of cardiac monitoring data from the HERA trial, places the findings in context with data from other trials, and considers how the report relates to clinical practice.

This is a review of breast needle biopsy for the diagnosis of breast cancer and how surgeons and geography affect utilization and the resultant impact on quality of care.

FISH genetics, LDH and beta 2-microglobulin can identify a group of newly diagnosed myeloma patients with a two-year survival of only 52% in spite of bortezomib-based therapy.

The current study, reporting on the upfront use of lenalidomide and rituximab in CLL, suggests high response rates and excellent tolerability in younger as well as older patients, albeit with a modest median progression-free survival.

This podcast summarizes the findings of a recent longitudinal functional MRI study examining the effects of breast cancer chemotherapy on multitasking-related brain activation and its relationship to cognitive complaints, and discusses implications and future directions.

This podcast discusses the measures to optimize central-nervous-system-directed therapy in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

This trial supports the use of neoadjuvant capecitabine monotherapy as a potentially more convenient radiosensitizer that does not sacrifice surgical and pathologic outcomes in rectal cancer. However, further study is needed.

This podcast reviews the current role of PET and radiotherapy in PMBL.

This podcast concerns the potential complimentary role played by PET and CT in the assessment of response in patients with Hodgkin lymphoma.

Among more than 2,000 patients with an invasive cancer, more than 5% had a mutation in PTEN and almost half of these patients had a second malignancy. This observation has implications for patients with breast, endometrial and thyroid cancer, and those with known PTEN mutations.

This partner study suggests that spouses of people with HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer do not have elevated oral HPV prevalence and the partners' risk for oropharyngeal cancer remains low.

This JCO podcast provides observations and commentary on the JCO article, "Provision and discussion of survivorship care plans with cancer survivors: Results of a nationally representative survey of oncologists and primary care physicians" by Danielle Blanch-Hartigan, et al.

The study provides evidence that several patients with high-risk ALL who show a favorable MRD response to chemotherapy can achieve a cure without stem cell transplantation.

This podcast summarizes and provides clinical conclusions of a large international study on ovarian cancer incidence and outcomes in women with BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations.

In this podcast, I will discuss first-line usage of anti-EGFR therapies in metastatic colorectal cancer in the context of the PEAK trial findings with a focus on the emerging data surrounding RAS oncogene mutations in treatment selection.

This JCO podcast provides commentary on the accompanying JCO article "Underestimation of risk of a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation in women with high grade serious ovarian cancer by BRCAPRO: A multi-institution study" by Molly S Daniels, et al, and evaluates the need for BRCAPRO in patients with ovarian cancer and the benefit of identifying germline BRCA and other mutations in this population.

This podcast discusses the results of an analysis of the risk of severe gastrointestinal toxicity associated with the administration of bevacizumab to women with advanced ovarian cancer.

Observations from the AURELIA trial evaluating bevacizumab combined with chemotherapy in platinum resistant recurrent ovarian cancer patients and results from Patient-Reported Outcomes.

This JCO podcast provides observations and commentary on the JCO article, Survival, Durable Tumor Remission, and Long-Term Safety in Patients with Advanced Melanoma Receiving Nivolumab," by Suzanne Topalian, et al.

Coincident with increased reconstruction with mastectomy are higher rates of mastectomy for early stage cancer and contralateral prophylaxis, suggesting the need for assessment of decision support tools and understanding of the patient perspective.

Early commencement of adjuvant chemotherapy is unlikely to be relevant for the majority of patients but unnecessary delay may be unwise for patients in whom the effect of adjuvant chemotherapy is expected to be significant.

This podcast describes the recent experience of single agent rituximab as management for newly diagnosed and relapsed nodular lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin lymphoma. The podcast includes a summary of the trial and discussion of the implications of the findings that rituximab has activity in both the upfront and relapsed setting.

The mature results of a randomized comparison of S-1 versus observation in Japanese patients who have undergone a D2 resection for gastric cancer continue to show a significant survival benefit supporting the use of post-operative chemotherapy.

Children treated for medulloblastoma using reduced dose craniospinal radiation with local tumor bed boost have improved neurocognitive outcomes compared with conventional therapy, pointing to an opportunity for prevention of severe late effects by treatment modification.

The meta-analysis by Houssami and colleagues notes no recurrence benefit of breast MRI, and adds to a growing body of data demonstrating that the use of breast MRI in the non-high risk preoperative setting provides little benefit when used routinely.

Reflections on a new report describing the successful therapy of lymphomas using adoptively transferred T cells targeting EBV latent membrane proteins.

This podcast provides observations and commentary on the study by Payne and colleagues entitled 'Phase II Pilot Study of Intravenous High Dose Interferon with or without Maintenance Treatment in Melanoma at High Risk of Recurrence.'

An increased-dosage radioimmunotherapy for upfront treatment of follicular lymphoma achieves excellent results, raising questions on the best choice of treatment in this disease.

This podcast describes the recent experience of high dose cytarabine induction in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), as reported in the EORTCGIMEMA AML-12 trial. The podcast includes a summary of the trial and discussion of the implications of the finding that high dose cytarabine induction improves outcomes in younger patients with AML.

MRI done prior to surgery can be useful in determining the long-term outcomes after surgical resection in patients with rectal cancer.

The study by Kapoor et al supports reporting outcome of clinical trials using more stringent uniform response criteria.

This podcast reviews outcomes for elderly patients with HODGKIN lymphoma at diagnosis and at the time of relapse.

Sentinel node biopsy should be performed for melanomas greater than or equal to 0.75mm in thickness but not for melanomas less than 0.75mm in thickness.

This podcast discusses Neben and colleagues' paper on FISH findings and smoldering myeloma.

This JCO Podcast comments on the JCO article, "Interim Cosmetic and Toxicity Results From Rapid: A Randomized Trial Of Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation Using 3D Conformal External Beam Radiation Therapy" by Ivo A. Olivotto, et al.

Before we can use MRD as a guide of post-remission therapy in AML, we have to standardize our methods for MRD quantification and agree on the definition of MRD-positive versus MRD-negative patients.

ACRIN 6668/RTOG 0235 demonstrates that a post chemoradiotherapy PET scan for locoregionally advanced non-small cell lung cancer can be used as an early indicator for long-term outcome.

Added to the complexity of the widening variety of vaccines that are in current clinical trial for human cancers, and the increasing sophistication of our tools for assessment of the immune response underlying these vaccine interventions, this podcast discusses the elements of trial design and reporting in relation to the trial EORTC 18961.

Lenalidomide is a promising agent for the treatment of mantle cell lymphoma.

The results of CALGB 50202 reported by Rubenstein and colleagues demonstrate the feasibility, safety and efficacy of the MT-R induction and EA consolidation regimens in newly diagnosed PCNSL patients.

This podcast reviews the biology and treatment of relapse of acute myeloid leukemia following hematopoietic transplantation.

The ability of an advance care planning discussion to affect end-of-life decisions is tested in a randomized, controlled trial of patients with advanced cancer.

The AVAPERL trial reveals a significant improvement in progression-free survival with the combination of pemetrexed/bevacizumab compared with bevacizumab alone as maintenance therapy for advanced non- small-cell lung cancer, but the clinically relevant endpoint remains overall survival.

This JCO Podcast provides observations and commentary on the JCO article "Osteonecrosis of the Jaw and Oral Health-Related Quality of Life After Adjuvant Zoledronic Acid: An Adjuvant Zoledronic Acid to Reduce Recurrence Trial Subprotocol (BIG01/04)" by Emma Rathbone et al.

Minimal residual disease predicts outcomes in myeloma.

This podcast provides an overview and commentary on Amant et al.'s study of breast cancer diagnosed during pregnancy.