Recent cancer news includes the FDA approval of an injectable immunotherapy for small cell lung cancer.
New drug combinations show promise for recurring prostate cancer, and studies indicating the potential for personalized vaccines against various
cancers.
Additionally, researchers are exploring novel strategies such as using nanoparticle-based vaccines to prevent cancer in mice, and another study showed that cancer patients who received a COVID-19 vaccine while starting immunotherapy had significantly longer survival rates.
Treatments and therapies:
• Tarlatamab for small cell lung cancer: The FDA has fully approved tarlatamab, a bispecific T cell engager, for small cell lung cancer based on results from a Phase 3 clinical trial.
• New combination therapy for prostate cancer: A combination of the drugs enzalutamide and hormone therapy has shown a greater than 40% reduction in the risk of death for men with recurring prostate cancer, according to a study of over 1,000 patients.
• Improved immunotherapy: A new AI-based tool, SCORPIO, has demonstrated more accurate predictions of patient response to checkpoint inhibitors compared to current tests.
• Personalized vaccines: Researchers are developing personalized cancer vaccines that target specific cancer-related proteins to treat and potentially prevent cancer recurrence, including in lung cancer.
Research and prevention:
• Nanoparticle vaccine: A research team has shown that a nanoparticle-based vaccine can successfully prevent melanoma, pancreatic cancer, and triple-negative breast cancer in mice.
• Physical activity and cancer risk: A large study in the UK suggests that daily physical activity, even at low intensity, is linked to a lower risk of cancer.
• COVID-19 vaccine and immunotherapy: A study found that cancer patients who received a COVID-19 mRNA vaccine within 100 days of starting immunotherapy lived significantly longer than those who did not.
Other discoveries:
• Targeting a new weakness: Scientists have discovered a new vulnerability in drug-resistant sarcomas, which could lead to more effective treatment strategies.
• New drug targets: Researchers are investigating new ways to target proteins like KRAS (uncontrollable cell growth) that were previously considered "undruggable," potentially leading to new treatments for various cancers.
