Posts by author
Janet Fricker
Prehabilitation programmes benefit breast cancer patients and save healthcare resources
Referring patients with early-stage breast cancer to exercise programmes prior to surgery not only improves health-related quality of life measures but also lowers overall healthcare costs. The study, abstract 1385675, was presented at the American Society of Breast Surgeons Annual…
Using ultrasound to open blood–brain barrier could be glioblastoma game changer
A novel ultrasound device temporarily opens the blood–brain barrier to allow delivery of chemotherapy. The dose-escalation phase 1 study, published in Lancet Oncology, May 2, provides evidence that use of the new French technology leads to a fourfold increase in…
Genetic targets identified for cancer-associated cachexia
Distinct patterns of genes have been shown to be active in the tumours of non-small-cell lung cancer patients who go on to develop cachexia, including high activity of the protein GDF15. The study, published in Nature Medicine, April 2023 issue,…
Antimicrobial exposure linked to poorer survival in triple negative breast cancer
Each additional total or unique monthly antimicrobial prescription is associated with inferior overall and breast-cancer-specific survival in women with triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). The study published in Nature Communications, 12 April 2023, found that the association was directly related…
Trial platform informs precision treatment of childhood cancers
A stratified medicine basket study has shown the benefit of combining two targeted therapies to treat paediatric cancers with specific molecular profiles. The study, presentation number CT019, presented at the AACR (American Association for Cancer Research) Annual Meeting 2023, held…
Personalised RNA vaccine combined with immune checkpoint inhibitor shows efficacy in melanoma
In advanced melanoma, adding a personalised mRNA-based vaccine to the immune checkpoint inhibitor pembrolizumab improved recurrence-free survival compared with pembrolizumab alone. The KEYNOTE-942 study (presentation number CT001), presented at the AACR (American Association for Cancer Research) Annual Meeting 2023, held…
Intermittent dosing of exemestane is non-inferior to daily dosing
Giving the aromatase inhibitor (AI) exemestane 25 mg three times weekly was non-inferior to the standard dosing of 25mg daily among study participants who complied with the schedule. The international, multicentric study, which was supported by the US National Cancer…
Body weight influences breast cancer risk in women with BRCA1 and 2 mutations
Obesity may be a factor contributing to DNA damage in the breast tissue of women with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations. The study, published in Science Translational Medicine, February 22, suggests maintaining a healthy body weight or pharmacologically targeting oestrogen or…
Improving outcomes in elderly patients taking multiple medications
For older patients with cancer, taking multiple medications can result in toxic chemotherapy side effects and even the need to stop cancer treatment. The cohort study, published in Cancer, 24th January, found cancer patients with one or more potential drug…
Localised prostate cancer: active monitoring offers valid option
Active monitoring of localised prostate cancer has the same high rates of survival after 15 years as radiotherapy or surgery. The ProtecT trial, presented at the European Association of Urology (EAU) meeting in Milan, March 10–13, and published simultaneously in…