Latest news with #JAMAOncology
Medscape
19-05-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Cancer's Toll Raises Suicide Risk for Spouses
This transcript has been edited for clarity. Hello. I'm Dr Maurie Markman from City of Hope. I'd like to briefly discuss a very difficult topic, but one that I believe needs to be more openly discussed — not necessarily the specifics of the topic, but the implications of findings. The paper I'm referring to is entitled, 'Suicide attempt and suicide death among spouses of patients with cancer.' This was reported in JAMA Oncology . What we're looking at here in this analysis are data from Denmark. There are a number of countries, particularly in Scandinavia, that have a national registry of diseases, treatments, and outcomes. We are relying here on data from Denmark, but I would have no reason to believe it's any different than what we might see in the United States. We're looking at registry data from 1986 to 2016. The analysis was performed in August 2022. Again, what they were looking at here is the risk of suicide attempts among spouses of individuals with cancer. Clearly, we were looking at registries that relate to cancer, and then they would also have other registries related to attempted suicide or actual suicide deaths, a nd they were matching these databases. It's obviously complex registry data, which of course, we would not have in the United States, but it's potentially very relevant. T he term they used was exposed individuals, these were the spouses of individuals with cancer. There were 409,000 individuals, and they compared that to over 2 million individuals who would be unexposed. These must be individuals in the population, presumably age matched, without cancer. They saw that the risk of a suicide attempt among spouses of patients with cancer was much higher than the population without cancer,particularly notable in the first year after diagnosis. The hazard ratio of those at risk versus not at risk for a suicide attempt was 1.45, and 2.56 for suicide death for the exposed compared to the unexposed, two-and-a-half-time risk. It's noted in the paper that there was even a higher risk — and I think the numbers will get smaller here — if that family member was diagnosed with an advanced-stage cancer or if the individual died of cancer. This is not surprising. Clearly there's much to be discussed here, but the most important point to be made is the stress — both psychological and financial, fear, risk of depression (particularly in an individual who might already have some concerns) — is very real, and this paper makes it very palpable. As emphasized in the paper, b ehavioral support, social work support, and financial support over time, particularly at the beginning of the cancer journey, is really important. What we can do as individuals, as family, as friends, but also as a healthcare establishment, either at an individual physician level or at a public health level, to help families and to help spouses through this journey is critical to potentially avoidsuicide and certainly suicide deaths. This is a very complex subject and a very personal subject for many individuals but a very important one. Thank you for your attention.
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
JAMA Oncology Publication Strengthens Evidence for Oncotype DX® Test Reliability Across Racial and Ethnic Groups
Comprehensive review confirms that the Oncotype DX Breast Recurrence Score® test accurately predicts breast cancer outcomes and chemotherapy benefit for patients regardless of race or ethnicity MADISON, Wis., April 14, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Exact Sciences Corp. (Nasdaq: EXAS), a leading provider of cancer screening and diagnostic tests, today announced the publication of a comprehensive review in JAMA Oncology that strengthens the evidence supporting the Oncotype DX Breast Recurrence Score test. The peer-reviewed article titled, "Genomic Assays for Breast Cancer in Diverse Populations: Prognostic and Predictive Insights," affirms that the Oncotype DX test provides accurate and reliable information to help guide breast cancer treatment decisions across all racial and ethnic groups. While breast cancer mortality has declined overall, non-Hispanic Black women continue to face a 40% higher mortality rate compared to non-Hispanic White womenI. The publication acknowledges these disparities and the need to better understand the complex factors behind them. Despite the prognostic differences between racial and ethnic minority groups, the Oncoytpe DX Breast Recurrence Score test accurately predicts chemotherapy benefit regardless of race or ethnicity. While these disparities highlight the need for broader systemic change, advancing precision oncology remains critical and tools like the Oncotype DX Breast Recurrence Score test ensure treatment decisions are guided by reliable data for every patient. The largest real-world SEER registry analysis to date—spanning more than 171,000 breast cancer patients and presented at ASCO 2024—provides powerful new evidence that the Oncotype DX test accurately predicts chemotherapy benefit across all racial and ethnic groups. In this study, which is not part of the JAMA Oncology review, the Recurrence Score® result predicted chemotherapy benefit in Hispanic, non-Hispanic Black and non-Hispanic White patientsII. These findings add to the body of evidence from key clinical trials—including NSABP*-B20 and SWOG†-8814—which confirm that Oncotype DX is the only genomic test proven to predict chemotherapy benefit, the utility of which was further confirmed in randomized clinical trials including TAILORx and RxPONDER III,IV. With no racial or ethnic differences shown in its predictive value, the Oncotype DX test remains a trusted tool to help guide breast cancer treatment decisions for all patients. "This study helps deepen our understanding of the multifaceted factors driving disparities in breast cancer outcomes," said Dr. Yara Abdou, assistant professor of medicine and breast cancer clinical trial program leader at the University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center in Chapel Hill and the first author of the paper. "By building on insights from landmark clinical trials, we further validate the utility of genomic tests across diverse populations. Our findings reinforce the value of using genomic assays to help guide treatment decisions for all racial and ethnic groups." Key Highlights: This publication reinforces the Oncotype DX test's value in helping guide treatment decisions—providing precise estimates of distant recurrence risk and accurately identifying which breast cancer patients may or may not benefit from chemotherapy, regardless of race or ethnicity. Secondary analyses of TAILORx and RxPONDER, which included the Oncotype DX Breast Recurrence Score test, confirm consistent chemotherapy benefit across racial and ethnic groups, highlighting that worse prognostic outcomes do not necessarily translate to greater chemotherapy benefitV. The paper suggests that continued research is essential to understanding the biological, social, and systemic drivers of disparities in breast cancer outcomes—and to ensuring equitable access to genomic tools like the Oncotype DX test. "At Exact Sciences, we're proud that the Oncotype DX test continues to stand alone as the only genomic test validated to predict chemotherapy benefit in randomized trials—and that it performs consistently across racial and ethnic groupsV," said Dr. Rick Baehner, chief medical officer of Precision Oncology at Exact Sciences. "We remain deeply committed to partnering with global clinical leaders to reduce disparities and ensure every patient has access to the Oncotype DX test." * National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project† SWOG is part of the National Cancer Institute's National Clinical Trials Network References I. Giaquinto AN, Sung H, Miller KD, et al. Breast Cancer Statistics, 2022. CA Cancer J Clin. Nov 2022;72(6):524-541. doi:10.3322/caac.21754 II. Diego et al. Updated SEER database study of 21-gene assay to assess breast cancer-specific mortality and benefit of chemotherapy by race and ethnicity. Presented at ASCO 2024. III. Sparano JA, Gray RJ, Makower DF, et al. Adjuvant chemotherapy guided by a 21-gene expression assay in breast cancer. N Engl J Med. 455. Jun 3 2018;379(2):111-121. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1804710 IV. Kalinsky K, Barlow WE, Gralow JR, et al. 21-Gene Assay to Inform Chemotherapy Benefit in Node-Positive Breast Cancer. N Engl J Med. 461. Dec 16 2021;385(25):2336-2347. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2108873 V. Abdou Y, Kantor O, Racz J, Newman L, Pierce LJ, Winer EP. Prognostic and Predictive Insights From Genomic Assays for Breast Cancer in Diverse Populations: A Review. JAMA Oncol. Published online April 03, 2025. doi:10.1001/jamaoncol.2025.0178 About Exact Sciences Corp. A leading provider of cancer screening and diagnostic tests, Exact Sciences helps give patients and health care professionals the clarity needed to take life-changing action earlier. Building on the success of the Cologuard® and Oncotype DX® tests, Exact Sciences is investing in its pipeline to develop innovative solutions for use before, during, and after a cancer diagnosis. For more information, visit follow Exact Sciences on X (formerly known as Twitter) @ExactSciences, or find Exact Sciences on LinkedIn and Facebook. NOTE: Oncotype DX, Recurrence Score, and Oncotype DX Breast Recurrence Score are registered trademarks of Genomic Health, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Exact Sciences. Exact Sciences is a registered trademark of Exact Sciences Corporation. View source version on Contacts Contacts Media (US)Lisa Warshawlwarshaw@ Media (OUS)Federico Maiardi+41 79-138-1326fmaiardi@ InvestorsDerek Leckow+1 608-893-0009investorrelations@ Sign in to access your portfolio
Reuters
04-04-2025
- Health
- Reuters
Health Rounds: Some early breast cancers may not need surgery after chemo
April 4 (Reuters) - (To receive the full newsletter in your inbox for free sign up here) Patients with early-stage invasive breast cancer can safely skip surgery if the tumors disappear after chemotherapy, a small new study suggests. Keep up with the latest medical breakthroughs and healthcare trends with the Reuters Health Rounds newsletter. Sign up here. Thirty-one patients with no evidence of residual cancer after chemotherapy for small, invasive HER-2 positive or triple-negative tumors all received radiation therapy, but none had surgery. Five years later, all 31 were still alive, with no recurrence of the cancer, researchers reported at the Society of Surgical Oncology 2025 Annual Meeting, opens new tab in Tampa, Florida and in JAMA Oncology, opens new tab. "The absence of detectable breast cancer recurrences at the five-year mark highlights the tremendous potential of this surgery-free approach to breast cancer management," study leader Dr. Henry Kuerer of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center said in a statement. He attributes the success to use of a particularly accurate biopsy method to check for residual disease. During image-guided vacuum assisted biopsy, his team used ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging to achieve more accurate needle placement and to collect multiple tissue samples with a single insertion. The researchers have expanded the trial to include more women, Kuerer noted. "These continued promising results suggest that eliminating breast surgery for invasive breast cancer could become the new standard of care, offering women the opportunity to preserve their bodies,' he said. 'While we are hopeful that this approach will become routine, further clinical trials are necessary before this is a standard therapy." TINY EXPERIMENTAL PACEMAKER DISSOLVES AFTER USE An experimental cardiac pacemaker smaller than a grain of rice can be inserted with a syringe and activated by light, and it dissolves when no longer needed, researchers reported in Nature, opens new tab. Although it can work with hearts of all sizes, the pacemaker is particularly well-suited to the tiny hearts of newborn babies with congenital heart defects, the researchers said. The pacing is controlled by a small, soft, flexible, wireless, wearable device on the patient's chest. When the device detects an irregular heartbeat, it automatically shines a light pulse through the patient's skin, breastbone and muscles to activate the pacemaker. Designed for patients who only need temporary pacing, the pacemaker has biocompatible components that naturally dissolve into body fluids. Researchers have so far tested the device in large and small animals and in human hearts from deceased organ donors. Infants who undergo surgery for congenital heart defects only need pacemakers for about seven days, until the heart recovers, study leader Igor Efimov of Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois noted in a statement. 'But those seven days are absolutely critical,' Efimov said. Ultimately, he said the hope is, 'we can place this tiny pacemaker on a child's heart and stimulate it with a soft, gentle, wearable device. And no additional surgery is necessary to remove it.' NO BENEFIT FROM WIDELY USED STROKE-PREVENTER DEVICE IN TRIAL A widely used device for protecting against stroke after minimally invasive heart valve replacement procedures failed to show any benefit in a large clinical trial, researchers reported at the American College of Cardiology Annual Scientific Session, opens new tab in Chicago. The device – the Sentinel Cerebral Protection System from Boston Scientific (BSX.N), opens new tab – is designed to filter fragments of tissue that can be released into the bloodstream when doctors insert a new heart valve via an artery in the arm or the groin, in a procedure called transcatheter aortic valve replacement, or TAVR. If these embolic fragments are not caught, they can travel to the brain and cause strokes. But among 7,635 UK patients treated by TAVR between 2020-2024 at an average age of 81, there was no difference in stroke rate at 72 hours after the procedure regardless of whether participants were randomized to undergo TAVR with the Sentinel device or without such protection, researchers found. Stroke rates were 2.1% in the Sentinel group and 2.2% in the control group. There was also no difference between the groups in rates of death from any cause, stroke severity, disabling stroke and cognitive outcomes, according to a report of the trial published in The New England Journal of Medicine, opens new tab. Sentinel is the most frequently used embolic protection device in TAVR procedures, the researchers said. Study leader Dr. Rajesh Kharbanda of the University of Oxford said the trial was large enough and appropriately designed to address the question of whether the Sentinel Cerebral Protection System is effective in these patients. 'Our study provides convincing evidence that there is no value in the routine use of this device during (TAVR),' he said. Boston Scientific told Reuters that an upcoming analysis of 10,000 patients from this and an earlier trial with similar results to be presented at a medical meeting next month may help identify subgroups of patients that might benefit from Sentinel.
