Latest news with #AmericanSocietyofClinicalOncology
RTÉ News
2 hours ago
- Health
- RTÉ News
Exercise may reduce risk of cancer returning, study shows
An international cancer study has found that exercise can have huge benefits for cancer patients and can even reduce the risk of the disease returning. The results were presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual conference in Chicago at the weekend, and published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Among those attending the expert gathering was Professor Janice Walshe, medical oncologist at St Vincent's University Hospital in Dublin. She called the study an "incredibly strong finding", saying "it adds to the literatures that suggests that exercise is really important in keeping ourselves well." The study examined nearly 890 patients who had high risk colon cancers (stage 2 or stage 3) and was completed in 55 locations, including in countries such as the US, France and Australia. All patients had completed chemotherapy treatments and were put into one of two groups. One group was given structured, supervised exercise sessions with a personal trainer and the other was just given a booklet outlining the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. The first group did 45 to 60 minute walks three or four times a week and could do more if they chose. Twice a month they worked with a personal trainer and then later once a month for a total of three years. After eight years, the patients in the first group had a 37% lower risk of dying than those in the second group. Prof Walshe said it was important to note that all these patients had already received chemotherapy. "So, this intervention is not a substitute for drugs that we know already reduce the risk of people dying from different various cancers," Prof Walsh said. Speaking to RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Prof Walshe said she felt that some newspaper headlines about the study were "misleading." "I think what they're trying to say is that the magnitude of benefit we have seen with this intervention, of an exercise programme, is the type of reductions we've seen with many of our new drugs. "But this is not a drug substitute," Prof Walshe said. "This is on top of you receiving the best drugs in the market to reduce the risk of disease recurrence." Prof Walshe said there is a "huge amount of Irish research" at this year's American Society of Clinical Oncology conference. "The consultants who travel here are all networking with various research groups to bring these trials home to Ireland and obviously the best approaches in terms of managing our cancer in our Irish patients," she said. "We already have exercise programmes ongoing in various parts of the country that are free of charge, because we believe exercise is really important in terms of, one, reducing risk of disease recurrence and, two, increasing people's confidence," she added.
Iraqi News
2 hours ago
- Health
- Iraqi News
Combination therapy extends survival in advanced skin cancer, trial finds
In patients with an advanced type of skin cancer called cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC), those who received the combination of the immunotherapy drug avelumab and targeted agent cetuximab had almost four times longer median progression-free survival compared to patients who received avelumab alone, according to the results of a phase 2 trial presented today at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting and concurrently published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. "It is both an honor and humbling to develop clinical trials that can be potential options for our patients," said lead author and study chair for the trial, Dan Zandberg, M.D., associate professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh and medical oncology co-leader of the head and neck cancer program at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center. "My hope is that the insights we made with this trial will lead to additional studies that can ultimately bring a new immunotherapy-based combination into standard of care for patients with advanced cSCC." cSCC is a common type of skin cancer with about 1.8 million cases diagnosed in the U.S. each year. About 95% of cSCCs are detected early and can be treated with minor surgery. But in rare cases, patients will go on to develop advanced cSCC, which includes locally advanced tumors that cannot be surgically removed and metastatic disease. At this point, the prognosis is poor and treatment is focused on extending survival, not cure. Zandberg developed the Alliance A091802 (NCT03944941) phase 2 trial in collaboration with the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology through the National Cancer Institute's (NCI) National Clinical Trials Network. This trial, which was open nationwide, included 57 patients with advanced cSCC. UPMC Hillman was the leading site for patient recruitment, with some of those patients recruited and treated at its network of more than 70 community cancer centers. Twenty-nine patients received avelumab and cetuximab and 28 received avelumab alone. Because the trial had a crossover design, nine patients in the avelumab group whose cancer progressed switched to the combination group. Avelumab is an immune checkpoint inhibitor drug that targets a protein found on cancer cells called PD-L1. When PD-L1 binds to a receptor on T cells called PD-1, it acts like a brake, slowing down the cancer-killing activity of T cells. Avelumab and other anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapies release those brakes. Cetuximab is a monoclonal antibody that targets EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor), a protein that plays a critical role in tumor cell growth, proliferation and survival and which is often found in high levels on cSCC cells. It activates natural killer cells, which help fight tumors, and can also activate dendritic cells, which can then stimulate T cells. Previous research done at UPMC Hillman by Robert Ferris, M.D., Ph.D. and his lab helped reveal cetuximab's effect on the immune system. "The rationale for the combination is that avelumab and other anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapies have been shown to take the foot off the brake of the immune system, while cetuximab is pressing on the gas pedal—trying to work together to make the immune system go faster and attack the tumor," said Zandberg. "What's exciting is that in this trial the efficacy of the combination suggests that the two drugs were synergistic, rather than just additive." The study showed that the primary endpoint of progression-free survival was significantly higher in patients who received avelumab plus cetuximab with a median of 11 months compared to just 3 months in patients who received avelumab alone. Even though avelumab and cetuximab led to an almost quadrupling of median progression-free survival compared to avelumab alone, the trial does not support this combination as a standard treatment for patients. That's because since the trial was launched, two other anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapies—cemiplimab and pembrolizumab—have been approved and had higher efficacy than avelumab in trials in patients with cSCC. However, the trial represents the first completed prospective randomized comparison of cetuximab plus blockade of the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway versus blockade of that pathway alone in cSCC or head and neck cancer, where this combination has also shown promise. The trial provides valuable information for future trials. "These findings highlight the potential benefits of combining cetuximab with an anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy and points to the importance of additional clinical trials combining either standard of care pembrolizumab or cemiplimab with cetuximab as a potential way to improve patient outcomes in advanced cSCC," said Zandberg. Notably, patients in the crossover arm had a similar progression-free survival to those who received the combination from the start. Currently, if a patient fails immunotherapy with pembrolizumab or cemiplimab, they switch to cetuximab or chemotherapy. But this trial suggests that continuing immunotherapy and adding cetuximab could be more beneficial.
Mint
5 hours ago
- Health
- Mint
Exercise more effective than drugs in lowering 37% cancer deaths, 28% recurrence, shows new international trial
A groundbreaking international trial involving patients from the US, UK, Australia, France, Canada, and Israel has discovered that following a structured exercise programme after treatment can significantly lower the risk of cancer deaths by third, recurrence, or the development of a new cancer and is even more effective than drugs, The Guardian reported. Patients who started a structured exercise program with the support of a personal trainer or health coach after finishing treatment experienced a 37% lower risk of death and a 28% reduced risk of cancer recurrence or new cancers, compared to those who received only health advice, the trial found. The findings were revealed in Chicago at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting, the world's largest cancer conference, and published in the New England Journal of Medicine. For the first time in medical history, there is clear evidence that exercise surpasses many commonly prescribed medications in preventing cancer recurrence and death, according to one of the world's leading cancer specialists. In the trial, researchers enrolled 889 colon cancer patients from 2009 to 2023, with the majority (90%) diagnosed with stage three disease. Patients were randomly assigned to participate in a structured exercise programme (445) or to just get a healthy lifestyle booklet (444). Patients in the exercise group met with a personal trainer twice a month for coaching and supervised workouts, later reducing to once a month, continuing this routine for a total of three years. The exercise group received coaching and support to help them reach specific exercise goals. Their weekly target was the equivalent of three to four walks lasting 45 to 60 minutes each, though patients were free to choose their preferred activities, some opted for kayaking or skiing, for example. After five years, those in the exercise group showed a 28% lower risk of cancer recurrence or new cancers compared to the control group. After eight years, they also had a 37% lower risk of death than patients who only received the healthy lifestyle booklet. Dr. Julie Gralow, Chief Medical Officer of ASCO and not involved in the decade-long study, described the quality of the findings as the 'highest level of evidence' and stated that they would bring about 'a major shift in recognising the importance of promoting physical activity during and after treatment.' 'We titled [the session it was presented in] As Good as a Drug. I would have retitled it Better than a Drug, because you don't have all the side-effects. It's the same magnitude of benefit of many drugs that get approved for this kind of magnitude of benefit – 28% decreased risk of occurrence, 37% decreased risk of death. Drugs get approved for less than that, and they're expensive and they're toxic. When I started three decades ago it was still the era where we'd be gentle and say, don't overdo yourself when you're on chemo. We've reversed that. I would say [exercise is] better than a drug,' The Guardian quoted her as saying.
Daily Mail
8 hours ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Sleep problem that affects 10million could trigger deadliest cancer - first major study to spot the link
Severe snorers may be at higher risk of one of Britain's deadliest cancer, shock new research has suggested. It is already known that patients with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), which often causes problem snoring, may be more likely to develop cancer. Now, one of the world's first trials exploring the condition and lung cancer specifically has found a 'significant' link between the two. US researchers, who assessed the health records of more than 2.4million adults, said they cannot be sure exactly why the common sleep disorder raises this risk. But they believe it may be due to the lack of oxygen people get during the night - or lifestyle factors including smoking and even obesity. Presenting the findings at the American Society of Clinical Oncology conference in Chicago, scientists urged policymakers to consider screening those with the condition for the disease and tackle sleep apnea early, soon after a diagnosis. OSA, which impacts nearly a billion people worldwide, causes the walls of the throat to relax and narrow or close for a few seconds during sleep. This triggers breathing pauses and loud snoring. Up to 3.9 million people in the UK are estimated to have moderate or severe OSA, although it is considered to be under-diagnosed affecting up to 10million. Not all snorers have sleep apnoea, but the two often go hand in hand, and the louder the snoring, the greater the chances of having it. In the study, researchers at Marshall University in West Virginia, tracked lung cancer diagnoses separating those diagnosed with OSA and those without. After accounting for factors that could skew the results, such as age and other diagnosed health conditions, they found OSA patients were 1.21 times more likely to develop lung cancer compared to those without OSA. Dr Jowan Al-Nusair, study co-author and physician at Marshall University told MailOnline it was 'one of the first statistically significant studies' to prove a link between the condition and lung cancer. 'While further studies are definitely now needed to investigate just how the significant the link truly is, this suggests OSA may be a preventable risk factor for lung cancer. 'We should be more closely monitoring patients with OSA. Patients would definitely benefit from screening and early intervention to combat OSA. 'Additional studies are essential to understand exactly why OSA may increase this risk. 'We really hope this will pave the way for future research and testing.' Lung cancer strikes around 50,000 people in the UK and 230,000 in the US every year. It is the world's biggest cancer killer. It is notoriously difficult to diagnose and often appears later when it's harder to treat. Figures show it kills four out of five patients within five years. Fewer than 10 per cent of people survive their disease for a decade or more. Despite the progress, a disparity among sexes is emerging, with women between the ages of 35 and 54 being diagnosed with lung cancer at higher rates than men in that same age group. Science has long established that smoking definitively causes lung cancer and is the primary risk factor for the disease. But lung cancer rates, which have been dropping for decades as the world weans off tobacco, are also now rising in young, otherwise healthy people who've never smoked. Experts told MailOnline the disease should not be viewed as 'an old person's disease' — as it was previously seen. Speaking at ASCO it was also suggested diet, changes in exercise habits and changes in work patterns could play a part in this increased risk. It comes as a study by The Sleep Charity last year found nine in ten people experience some sort of sleep problem. Poor sleep has been linked to a number of health problems, including cancer, stroke and infertility. Experts have long advised that waking up during the night does not necessarily mean you have insomnia, which figures suggest affects up to 14million Brits. Still, sleep deprivation takes its own toll, from irritability and reduced focus in the short term, to an increased risk of obesity, heart disease and diabetes.
Business Upturn
9 hours ago
- Business
- Business Upturn
Ascentage Pharma Releases Promising Clinical Data on Alrizomadlin Monotherapy and Combinations in Solid Tumors
ROCKVILLE, Md. and SUZHOU, China, June 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ascentage Pharma (NASDAQ: AAPG; HKEX: 6855), a global biopharmaceutical company dedicated to addressing unmet medical needs in cancers, announced that it has released the latest clinical data from its Phase II study of the MDM2-p53 inhibitor alrizomadlin (APG-115) as a single agent or in combination with PD-1 inhibitor toripalimab in patients with advanced adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) or other solid tumors in a poster presentation at the 61st American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting. Alrizomadlin is the first MDM2-p53 inhibitor to enter clinical development in China and a key investigational drug candidate in Ascentage Pharma's apoptosis-targeted pipeline with global first-in-class potential. The ASCO Annual Meeting showcases the most cutting-edge research in clinical oncology and state-of-the-art advanced cancer therapies and is the world's most influential and prominent scientific gathering of the clinical oncology community. Returning to the ASCO Annual Meeting for the eighth consecutive year, Ascentage Pharma has garnered growing interest from the global research community. This year, two studies of the Bcl-2 inhibitor lisaftoclax (APG-2575) and the MDM2-p53 inhibitor alrizomadlin, key drug candidates in the company's apoptosis-targeted pipeline, have been selected for presentations, including an oral presentation, at the ASCO Annual Meeting. These clinical data on alrizomadlin in ACC and other solid tumors demonstrated the antitumor activity of alrizomadlin monotherapy in patients with advanced ACC or malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST). Moreover, alrizomadlin in combination with toripalimab was well tolerated and showed therapeutic potential in MPNST, biliary-tract cancer (BTC), and liposarcoma (LPS). Prof. Ye Guo, MD, a Principal Investigator of the study from the Department of Medical Oncology, Shanghai East Hospital, noted, 'ACC is a rare cancer type that lacks effective treatment options, and the treatment with antiangiogenic tyrosine kinase inhibitors faces certain limitations and safety concerns. At ASCO 2025, our team presented data of alrizomadlin in patients with ACC that demonstrated an objective response rate (ORR) of 16.7% and a disease control rate (DCR) of 100%. These results suggest that the targeted inhibition of the MDM2-p53 pathway has antitumor activity in ACC; therefore, it can potentially offer a new treatment strategy to patients with ACC.' Prof. Ning Li, MD, a Principal Investigator of the study from the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Cancer Hospital, commented, 'Currently, there are limited treatment options for patients with sarcomas such as MPNST and LPS. In this study, alrizomadlin both as a monotherapy and in combination with a PD-1 therapy, showed favorable antitumor activity in MPNST. The clinical benefit was particularly notable in patients who received the combination regimen, with two patients with MPNST achieving long-term responses that lasted more than 60 and 96 weeks, respectively. Furthermore, alrizomadlin in combination with a PD-1 therapy also showed clinical activity in LPS. These results suggest that alrizomadlin monotherapy and combination regimens may bring clinical benefit to more patients with sarcoma.' Dr. Yifan Zhai, Chief Medical Officer of Ascentage Pharma, said, 'Alrizomadlin is an investigational drug with global first-in-class potential. The clinical data presented at this year's ASCO Annual Meeting demonstrated the therapeutic potential of alrizomadlin, both as a monotherapy and in combinations, in ACC and other solid tumors, and underscored the synergistic effects between alrizomadlin and immunotherapies, thus suggesting a promising therapeutic strategy for various solid tumors. We are focused on addressing unmet clinical needs in China and around the world, and intend to further accelerate our clinical programs to advance more novel treatment options for patients as soon as possible.' Highlights of this abstract selected for presentation at ASCO 2025 are as follows: A Phase 2 Study of Novel MDM2 Inhibitor Alrizomadlin (APG-115) With or Without Toripalimab in Patients with Advanced Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma (ACC) or Other Solid Tumors Abstract #: 6102 6102 Format: Poster Presentation Poster Presentation Session Title: Head and Neck Cancer Head and Neck Cancer Principal Authors: Ye Guo, MD, Department of Medical Oncology, Shanghai East Hospital, China; Ning Li, MD, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Cancer Hospital, China; Xing Zhang, MD, Melanoma and Sarcoma Medical Oncology Unit, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, China; Meiyu Fang, MD, Department of Rare Cancer & Head and Neck Medical Oncology, Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, China; Shuhang Wang, MD, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Cancer Hospital, China, et al. Ye Guo, MD, Department of Medical Oncology, Shanghai East Hospital, China; Ning Li, MD, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Cancer Hospital, China; Xing Zhang, MD, Melanoma and Sarcoma Medical Oncology Unit, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, China; Meiyu Fang, MD, Department of Rare Cancer & Head and Neck Medical Oncology, Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, China; Shuhang Wang, MD, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Cancer Hospital, China, et al. Highlights: Alrizomadlin is a novel investigational oral MDM2 inhibitor that has shown a manageable safety profile with initial clinical activity in ACC. As of the data cutoff date of February 13, 2025, 57 patients with advanced ACC, malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST), liposarcoma (LPS), biliary-tract cancer (BTC), and other tumors were enrolled. Alrizomadlin monotherapy showed encouraging antitumor activity in patients with advanced ACC or MPNST. Alrizomadlin in combination with toripalimab was also well tolerated and demonstrated antitumor activity in patients with MPNST, BTC, and LPS. In the monotherapy arm, 17 patients were efficacy-evaluable. The ORR was 16.7%, and the DCR was 100% in 12 patients with ACC. The DCR was 80% in 5 patients with MPNST, 4 of whom achieved stable disease (SD). In 24 safety-evaluable patients, 33.3% reported grade 3 or higher treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs). Three patients (12.5%) experienced treatment-related serious adverse events (SAEs). One patient discontinued treatment because of TRAE. In the combination arm, 29 patients were efficacy-evaluable. The ORR was 16.7% and the DCR was 100% in 6 patients with BTC. The ORR was also 16.7% and the DCR was 66.7% in 6 patients with LPS. Two patients with MPNST had confirmed partial response (PR) with prolonged progression free survival (PFS) of 60 + weeks and 96 + weeks, respectively. In 27 safety-evaluable patients treated with alrizomadlin at the 150 mg dose level, 12 (44.4%) experienced grade 3 or higher TRAEs. Treatment-related SAEs were reported in 8 patients (29.6%). One patient discontinued treatment because of TRAE. * Alrizomadlin (APG-115) is an investigational compound and has not been approved by the US FDA. About Ascentage Pharma Ascentage Pharma (NASDAQ: AAPG; HKEX: 6855) is a global biopharmaceutical company dedicated to addressing unmet medical needs in cancers. The company has built a rich pipeline of innovative drug candidates that includes inhibitors targeting key proteins in the apoptotic pathway, such as Bcl-2 and MDM2-p53 and next-generation kinase inhibitors. The lead asset, olverembatinib, is the first third-generation BCR-ABL1 inhibitor approved in China for the treatment of patients with CML in chronic phase (CML-CP) with T315I mutations, CML in accelerated phase (CML-AP) with T315I mutations, and CML-CP that is resistant or intolerant to first and second-generation TKIs. It is covered by the China National Reimbursement Drug List (NRDL). The Company is currently conducting an FDA-cleared, global registrational Phase III trial, or POLARIS-2, of olverembatinib for CML, as well as global registrational Phase III trials for newly diagnosed Ph+ ALL patients and SDH-deficient GIST patients. The second lead asset, lisaftoclax, is a novel Bcl-2 inhibitor for the treatment of various hematological malignancies. The NDA for the treatment of relapsed and/or refractory CLL and SLL was accepted with Priority Review designation by China's National Medical Products Administration. The Company is currently conducting an FDA-cleared, global registrational Phase III trial, or GLORA, of lisaftoclax in combination with BTK inhibitors for patients with CLL/SLL previously treated with BTK inhibitors for more than 12 months with sub-optimal response, as well as global registrational Phase III trials for newly diagnosed CLL/SLL, AML and MDS patients. Leveraging its robust R&D capabilities, Ascentage Pharma has built a portfolio of global intellectual property rights and entered into global partnerships and other relationships with numerous leading biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, such as Takeda, AstraZeneca, Merck, Pfizer and Innovent, in addition to research and development relationships with leading research institutions, such as Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Mayo Clinic, National Cancer Institute and the University of Michigan. For more information, visit Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, contained in this press release may be forward-looking statements, including statements that express Ascentage Pharma's opinions, expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or projections regarding future events or future results of operations or financial condition. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties as discussed in Ascentage Pharma's filings with the SEC, including those set forth in the sections titled 'Risk factors' and 'Special note regarding forward-looking statements and industry data' in its Registration Statement on Form F-1, as amended, filed with the SEC on January 21, 2025, and the Form 20-F filed with the SEC on April 16, 2025, the sections headed 'Forward-looking Statements' and 'Risk Factors' in the prospectus of the Company for its Hong Kong initial public offering dated October 16, 2019, and other filings with the SEC and/or The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited we made or make from time to time that may cause actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from the information expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this presentation do not constitute profit forecast by the Company's management. As a result of these factors, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based on Ascentage Pharma's current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects and speak only as of the date of such statements. Ascentage Pharma does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Contacts Investor Relations:Hogan Wan, Head of IR and StrategyAscentage Pharma [email protected] +86 512 85557777
