News
High-fibre diets associated with improved melanoma immunotherapy response
Melanoma patients eating greater quantities of fibre-rich foods at the start of checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy survive longer than patients with insufficient dietary fibre intake. The observational study, published in Science (23 December 2021), reports benefits to be most noticeable among…
Early exercise helps avoid shoulder problems after breast cancer treatment
Introducing a physiotherapy-led exercise programme following treatment for breast cancer reduces upper limb disability. The UK study, published in The British Medical Journal (online 11 November), found no increase in complications, lymphoedema or adverse events for patients allocated exercise. “Our…
Antihistamines could improve efficacy of checkpoint inhibitors
Over-the-counter antihistamines appear to improve outcomes for cancer patients treated with checkpoint inhibitors. The study, reported in Cancer Cell (published online 24 November), found that melanoma and lung cancer patients taking antihistamines targeting the H1 receptor during anti-PD-1/PD-L1 treatment achieved…
Ending cancer service delays and backlogs: voices from the frontline
Pandemic-related delays and backlogs in cancer diagnosis, screening and treatments can be rapidly addressed if health services invest now in data systems that monitor needs and resources, together with innovative ways to meet that need. This was the key message…
Study provides insights into long-term effects of childhood cancers
People surviving childhood cancers have a higher risk of other morbidities as they grow older. The study, published online The Lancet Regional Health-Europe (14 November), found that a greater burden of disease was experienced by patients receiving combined treatment with…
Study challenges dogma that RCC is biologically radioresistant
Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) represents a safe and effective non-invasive treatment for oligometastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC). The study, published in Lancet Oncology, supports sequential radiotherapy as an alternative treatment option to systemic therapy for oligometastatic renal cell carcinoma.…
Systematic review fills knowledge gaps about metastatic breast cancer
In breast cancer the risk of metastasis is higher among women diagnosed at a younger age, those with larger tumours at diagnosis and those with luminal B breast cancer. The study, abstract 0R-91, presented at the Advanced Breast Cancer Sixth International…
Atlas provides ‘one-stop shop’ for myeloma care information across Europe
Myeloma Patients Europe (MPE) has launched an overview of myeloma and AL amyloidosis treatment inequalities across Europe. The Myeloma Access Atlas, released 19 October, is a platform which has been developed to provide a ‘one-stop’ shop mapping national availability of…
Most basic cancer drugs remain inaccessible in low- and lower-middle-income countries
Despite being available for more than 20 years, basic cancer drugs found to be most effective against the disease can still not be accessed by patients in most low- and lower-middle-income countries according to a new study. The paper, published…
What’s new in lung and colorectal cancer? reports from ESMO 2021
New research findings presented at ESMO 2021 show progress in adjuvant treatment for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), a novel inhibitor for HER2+ NSCLC patients, and the latest from the FOCUS 4 adaptive, molecularly stratified, umbrella trial platform, set up to…