News of the Weird, Things we knew, Treatment news, Testing News, Issues
23rd Issue: Contents
News of the weird:
World’s first device that can monitor cancer tumor growth in real-time is here.
Bacteria living inside tumors help cancer spread through the blood
Stanford researchers synthesize molecule that destroys cancerous tumors
Cancer drug halts tumor growth by putting cancer cells to sleep
Virtual patient ‘surrogates’ can personalize cancer treatments
AI May Help Predict Colon Cancer Recurrence
Scientists harness light therapy to target and kill cancer cells in world first
‘Unexpected’: Breast Cancer Spreads Most During Sleep
Stuff we knew but it’s about time it became mainstream:
Ultraprocessed foods linked to cancer and early death, studies find
Reducing Alcohol Intake May Reduce Cancer Risk
Immunotherapy Improves Survival by 10% Compared to Chemo
Lifestyle Factors that Raise Breast Cancer Risk
Top Cancer-Fighting Foods
Treatment News:
SERMs and SERDS for Breast Cancer
Radiotherapy for Brain Metastases: ASTRO Updates Guidelines
Novel Agents Under Evaluation for HER2+ Breast Cancer and Brain Metastases
ASCO’s Updated Guidelines for Systemic Tx for Advanced HER2+ Breast Cancer
The efficacy of tucatinib-based therapeutic approaches for HER2-positive breast cancer
Study of TSR-042, an Anti-programmed Cell Death-1 Receptor (PD-1) Monoclonal Antibody, in Participants With Advanced Solid Tumors (GARNET)
Combining CD47 blockade with trastuzumab eliminates HER2-positive breast cancer cells and overcomes trastuzumab tolerance
Testing News:
New NCCN Guidelines for Mammography: All Women Over 40
Blood test spots multiple cancers without clear symptoms, study finds
On the other hand …
Harms of Cancer Blood Tests?
Issues:
Metastatic Breast Cancer: Why Race and Ethnicity Matter
Animal Protein “Turns On” Cancer Genes
News of the weird:
• World’s first device that can monitor cancer tumor growth in real-time is here.
“A team of researchers has created a groundbreaking device called FAST (Flexible Autonomous Sensor measuring Tumors), believed to be the first tool capable of measuring the growth of cancerous tumors and sharing the details of the same on your smartphone in real-time.
FAST would work as a battery-operated non-invasive and hands-free wearable device to monitor cancer in the human body and check the effectiveness of drugs in cancer patients.”
My two cents: It has only been tested in animals so far and it isn’t clear how accurate it is at actually measuring progression and regression.
• Bacteria living inside tumors help cancer spread through the blood
“Tumor cells contain live bacteria. The intracellular bacteria are involved in metastasis, but not tumor growth. The intratumor bacteria help cancer cells survive the bloodstream by enhancing their resistance to mechanical stress.”
My two cents: I find this “News of the Weird” fascinating. Bacteria play such a huge role in so many processes that we are just discovering. They can be pretty easy to kill… if we can figure out how to target these particular bacteria, maybe non-toxic ways to fight cancer will emerge.
• Stanford researchers synthesize molecule that destroys cancerous tumors
“Stanford researchers have developed a new synthetic molecule that combines a tumor-targeting agent with another molecule that triggers immune activation. This tumor-targeted immunotherapy can be administered intravenously and makes its way to one or multiple tumor sites in the body, where it recruits immune cells to fight the cancer.”
My two cents: More “News of the Weird” that has potential for good news. Immunotherapy that supports the immune system to target and destroy specifyic types of cancer bodes well for developing less-toxic and more effective treatments.
• Cancer drug halts tumor growth by putting cancer cells to sleep
“Patient relapse might be prevented if researchers could find a way to keep remaining cancer cells in a dormant state. A new therapeutic approach prevents the growth of metastatic tumors in mice by forcing cancer cells into a dormant state in which they are unable to proliferate. The study could lead to new treatments that prevent the recurrence or spread of various cancer types, including breast cancer and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma .”
My two cents: Keep the weird news coming! Think outside the box!
• Virtual patient ‘surrogates’ can personalize cancer treatments
“Scientists have developed mathematical models that act as patient ‘surrogates’ for evaluating potential prostate cancer treatments.The research could ultimately help clinicians choose the most effective drug combination before they start to treat a patient, potentially improving their response and avoiding drug resistance.
My two cents: Sounds like a job for the metaverse! Actually, I’m met-averse(pun intended, groan). Seriously, you could give your cancer to an avatar that takes all the crap for you.
• AI May Help Predict Colon Cancer Recurrence
“ Researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix developed QuantCRC, a deep-learning segmentation algorithm that can identify different regions within the tumor and extract quantitative data from these regions.We can now apply what we have learned to new colon cancers to predict how the tumor will behave.”
My two cents: Okay, I’m starting to feel like I’m in a Star Trek episode.
• Scientists harness light therapy to target and kill cancer cells in world first
“Photoimmunotherapy is a light-activated therapy that forces cancer cells to glow in the dark, helping surgeons remove more of the tumous compared with existing techniques – and then kills off remaining cells within minutes once the surgery is complete. Experts believe it is destined to become the world’s fifth major cancer treatment after surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and immunotherapy.”
My two cents: Sounds a lot less toxic than most existing therapies. Appears to work with glioblastoma which could use an effective therapy.
• ’Unexpected’: Breast Cancer Spreads Most During Sleep
“New research shows that the metastatic spread of breast cancer occurs predominantly during sleep”
My two cents: Greeaaaat, now I’m afraid to sleep!
Stuff we knew but it’s about time it became mainstream:
• Ultraprocessed foods linked to cancer and early death, studies find
“These two studies continue the consistency: Ultraprocessed foods are unambiguously associated with an increased risk for chronic disease. Men in the highest quintile of ultraprocessed food consumption, compared those in the lowest quintile, had a 29% higher risk of developing colorectal cancer. In another study, researchers found that both nutrient-poor foods and ultra-processed foods independently increased the risk of an early death, especially from cardiovascular diseases.”
My two cents: Gramma was right, eat whole foods, and lots of fruits and vegetables. Stay away from fake food… your body doesn’t know what to do with it.
• Reducing Alcohol Intake May Reduce Cancer Risk
“New data suggest that reducing alcohol intake reduces the risk of developing an alcohol-related cancer, and that that cancer risk can be meaningfully altered by changing the amount of alcoholic beverages consumed.”
My two cents: Anything that compromises your liver’s ability to do its job is not going to help you heal and will probably make you sick.
• Immunotherapy Improves Survival by 10% Compared to Chemo
“Data from two separate meta-analyses have confirmed benefits for immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). The new survival data come from a systematic review and meta-analysis of 13 clinical trials across three cancer types: non-small-cell lung cancer, urothelial carcinoma, and melanoma”
My two cents: this doesnt surprise me. What I’ve alway embraced about immunotherapy is that it works with your immune system to kill cancer, was opposed to weakening your immune system like chemo and radiation do.
• Lifestyle Factors that Raise Breast Cancer Risk
“ In the U.S., 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer at some point in their lives. Cancers are complex diseases that come from many different causes. But certain lifestyle factors may raise your chances for breast cancer. Weight, alcohol, smoking, hormones, radiation, delayed childbearing, inactivity, low Vitamin D, poor diet.”
My two cents: But you already knew all that, didn’t you? I’m going to link to my favorite chapter of my book, because it postulates how cancer starts and why these factors create a bioterrain where cancer can thrive. Causes & Cures: blame vs. empowerment.
• Top Cancer-Fighting Foods
https://www.webmd.com/cancer/ss/slideshow-cancer-fighting-foods
“Colorful fruits & veggies, folate, tomatoes, tea, grapes, water, beans, the cabbage family, dark green leafy vegetables, curcumin, and berries. Stay away from processed meats, alcohol, sugar.”
My two cents: the very fact that mainstream WebMD is covering this makes me happy. Baby steps.
Treatment News:
• SERMs and SERDS for Breast Cancer
“Selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) and selective estrogen receptor downregulators (SERDs) are types of antiestrogen therapy for breast cancer. These medicines block estrogen, the hormone that certain types of breast cancers use to grow. Some SERMs also prevent breast cancer in people who are at higher than average risk. These drugs can also prevent and treat the bone-thinning disease, osteoporosis.”
My two cents: A good discussion on Hormone-positive breast cancer anti-estrogen therapies.
• Radiotherapy for Brain Metastases: ASTRO Updates Guidelines
“stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) has allowed treatment of limited brain metastases alone, often in a single fraction, while largely sparing the surrounding brain, and novel techniques such as hippocampal avoidance with whole-brain radiation can greatly improve quality of life.With the emergence of novel radiotherapy techniques and technologies, brain-penetrating drug therapies and neurosurgical interventions, modern management of brain metastases has become increasingly personalized, complex and multidisciplinary.”
My two cents: You don’t want to know.
• Novel Agents Under Evaluation for HER2+ Breast Cancer and Brain Metastases
A discussion of the recent clinical trials that include leptomeningeal disease.
My two cents: I’m so glad that they are including leptomets in clinical trials.
• ASCO’s Updated Guidelines for Systemic Tx for Advanced HER2+ Breast Cancer
“ASCO has published two new guideline updates for patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) positive breast cancer. One document covers systemic therapy for advanced HER2-positive cancer, and the other covers HER2-positive breast cancer and brain metastases.”
My two cents: well, we’ve heard the rumors but it is official… Enhertu has leapfrogged Kadcyla as SOC for second-line her2+ cancer treatment. Also official, Tucatanib takes the lead for third line treatment for HER2+ brain mets.
• The efficacy of tucatinib-based therapeutic approaches for HER2-positive breast cancer
“Several studies have suggested that the combination of tucatinib with trastuzumab and capecitabine exhibits increased effectiveness over trastuzumab and capecitabine alone in treating HER2+ breast cancer patients.”
My two cents: This paper looks at the mechanism of each drug to show how tucatanib and trastuzumab complement each other in the ways that they bind to the HER 2 receptors, making it less likely to develop drug efficacy resistance.
• Study of TSR-042, an Anti-programmed Cell Death-1 Receptor (PD-1) Monoclonal Antibody, in Participants With Advanced Solid Tumors (GARNET)
“This is a multi-center, open-label, first-in-human Phase 1 study evaluating the anti-programmed death receptor 1 (anti-PD-1) antibody dostarlimab (also known as TSR-042) n participants with advanced solid tumors who have limited available treatment options.”
My two cents: This is a clinical trial to test the drug dostarlimab. If you have progressed on your treatment and have been told you are out of treatment options, perhaps you should ask you doctor if this trial would be worth a shot.
• Combining CD47 blockade with trastuzumab eliminates HER2-positive breast cancer cells and overcomes trastuzumab tolerance
“ Our study demonstrates that combining trastuzumab and Hu5F9-G4 represents a potential new treatment option for HER2+ breast cancer patients, even for patients whose tumors have progressed after trastuzumab.”
My two cents: New life can be breathed into trastuzumab after it stops working which, we are told will happen at some point. Basically, by inhibiting, or blocking, the CD47 surface protein with the magrolimab monoclonal antibody. It strips cancer cells of their protection and the immune system finishes them off.
Testing News:
• New NCCN Guidelines for Mammography: All Women Over 40
“New evidence-based patient-facing breast cancer guidelines from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) call for annual mammograms for all average-risk women over age 40 years. This simplifies the message, says the NCCN. These are the latest, evidence-based guidelines from experts in the field of breast cancer screening and diagnosis from more than two dozen leading cancer centers in the United States.”
My two cents: It’s nice to have clarification. in my case, mammograms never showed anything, even when I had large tumors.
• Blood test spots multiple cancers without clear symptoms, study finds
“a study found a simple blood test could spot multiple cancer types in patients before they develop clear symptoms. Results from the Galleri test, which looks for cancer DNA in the blood, have been returned to patients and their doctors, to guide cancer investigations and any necessary treatment.”
My two cents: read on… (every silver lining has a cloud)
On the other hand …
• Harms of Cancer Blood Tests?
“New blood tests, which look for tiny shards of cancer DNA or proteins, are “a new frontier in screening. The companies developing the tests say they can find dozens of cancers, and supporters say they can “slash cancer death rates by finding tumors when they are still small and curable. Critics say that finding cancers sooner could mean just as many deaths because, with current treatments, cancers destined to kill are not necessarily cured if found early, the Times reported. Additionally, some people will have a positive test, but their doctors will be unable to locate the cancer. And others will be treated aggressively with surgery or chemotherapy for cancers that would not have grown and spread.”
My two cents: ay, ay, ay…. Sounds like a potential mess. A wolf in sheep’s clothing? Can’t we just have nice things?
Issues:
• Metastatic Breast Cancer: Why Race and Ethnicity Matter
“ Race and ethnicity can be a key driver in how often breast cancer shows up, whether you catch it early or at the metastatic stage, and what kind of treatment you get. Black women have a slightly lower rate than white women. Young women who are Black, Hispanic, or Latina are more likely to get breast cancer than young white women. Older white women have a higher rate of breast cancer than older Black women. Income is one of the main reasons for breast cancer inequality because it affects many aspects of diagnosis and treatment. ”
My two cents: There’s s bit of a flaw in their logic here. They offer income level as a defining factor…. If you’re lower income, you wont have as much access to medical care. They point out that women of color tend to have lower income so that could explain the disparity. Except that the disparity is that white women are getting breast cancer more than others. It would make sense if they were talking about survival rates, but they don’t offer that data.
• Animal Protein “Turns On” Cancer Genes – T. Colin Campbell PhD
“Casein is the most relevant carcinogen ever tested.”
My two cents: I saw him give this presentation at a wellness conference and was fascinated. Im glad I found it on YouTube so I could share it with you, even though its just a short snippet and doesnt provide enough data to make his case here. Dr. Campbell is the author of “The China Study”.
Cancer in the News has a posting frequency of once every one to two months.