What Major Cancer Advancements Did We See in 2022?
- The past year has been a big one for cancer research and 2023 is gearing up to follow suit.
- Some of the highlights include: a new classification of HER2-“low” breast cancer that means more women can benefit from a drug called Enhertu.
- A new FDA approval means immunotherapy can be used for some lung cancer patients in earlier stages.
- A second FDA approval means access to revolutionary CAR T-cell therapy was expanded for people with multiple myeloma.
HER2 “low”: A new breast cancer type
To start off, research this year indicated that there is a new subtype of breast cancer HER2 “low” that can drive treatment for some women with advanced disease, a discovery experts told us was “practice-changing.”
Read MoreMore specifically, the trial reported on the use of Enhertu in women with metastatic hormone receptor-positive or negative, HER2-"low" breast cancer, who had received multiple prior lines of treatment. It's worth noting that Enhertu is designed to target HER2, a protein that promotes the growth of cancer cells. Trial researchers analyzed more than 500 patients with metastatic disease who were categorized as HER2-low (having few HER2 cells).
Enhertu had previously shown success in women with HER2-positive breast cancer, but validation in the newly defined HER2-"low" cohort hadn't been established in a large study.
Who does this help?
Women who have low levels of the HER2 receptor on their cancer cells should speak to their doctors about this treatment option.
Immunotherapy for earlier stage lung cancers
An immunotherapy option for earlier stage lung cancer is big news because these drugs, which harness the body’s immune system to fight cancer, were initially studied in more advanced disease.
For cancers that could potentially be removed with surgery, the Food and Drug Administration this year approved an immunotherapy drug called nivolumab (brand name Opdivo) for use with chemotherapy in treating non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) prior to surgery. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network Lung Cancer Panel also recommends the drug combo for eligible patients.
"Historically, early-stage lung cancers have been treated with surgery, plus chemotherapy administered before or after surgery to reduce the risk of recurrence," Dr. Benjamin Herzberg, a medical oncologist specializing in thoracic malignancies at Columbia University's Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, previously told SurvivorNet. "Now, with the FDA approval of the immunotherapy drug nivolumab given alongside chemotherapy and prior to definitive surgery we have another option to offer patients to reduce the risk of cancer coming back."
Who does this help?
Patients who have localized lung cancer and are getting surgery should talk to their doctors about immunotherapy prior to the operation.
‘Practice-changing’ trial results for one type of advanced lung cancer
Updated results from the phase III ADAURA study presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2022 showed that a targeted therapy drug called osimertinib, brand name Tagrisso, demonstrated more exciting results for lung cancer patients with a mutation in the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) gene.
The study results further support the idea that this targeted drug, which is already approved for certain lung cancer patients with EGFR mutations, can bring precision medicine to patients with earlier, and thereby more curable, stages of lung cancer.
"If a lung tumor harbors an alteration of the EGFR gene, patients can respond to certain medications that block the function of the EGFR gene," Dr. Balazs Halmos, director of the Multidisciplinary Thoracic Oncology Program at Montefiore Health Systems, explained to SurvivorNet. "Tagrisso is one of the very effective EGFR targeting agents used widely in cases of advanced/stage 4 EGFR-positive lung cancer."
Who does this help?
Patients who have a mutation in the EGFR gene should speak to their doctors about this treatment option. If you have not been tested for biomarkers, that is also an important conversation.
Immunotherapy advances for triple negative breast cancer
Earlier this year, new trial results showed an immunotherapy drug called Keytruda showed promise for patients with triple-negative breast cancer. Triple-negative breast cancer accounts for 20% of all breast cancers. It's an aggressive form of the disease and is associated with shorter overall survival.
The research showed that giving Keytruda (generic name: pembrolizumab) to women with chemotherapy before surgery (neoadjuvant), followed by giving Keytruda again (without the chemo) after surgery, extended event-free survival in patients with early-stage triple negative breast cancer.
At the median follow-up of 39 months, pembrolizumab showed a significant event-free survival benefit compared with chemotherapy alone. Event-free survival is a measure of time after treatment that a group of people in a clinical trial has not had cancer come back or get worse.
Top breast cancer specialists explain what triple negative breast cancer is.
"We are proud to offer a new treatment option for patients faced with this challenging cancer," Dr. Vicki Goodman, vice president of clinical research at Merck Research Laboratories, said in a press release. "This neoadjuvant and adjuvant combination with Keytruda is the first immunotherapy regimen to be approved in high-risk early-stage triple negative breast, marking a meaningful milestone for the breast cancer community."
Who does this help?
Women with triple negative breast cancer should discuss the option of neoadjuvant immunotherapy and chemotherapy with their doctors prior to surgery.
Access to revolutionary CAR T-cell therapy expanded for multiple myeloma
Earlier this year, the Food and Drug Administration approved a second CAR T-cell therapy for multiple myeloma patients expanding access to this revolutionary drug.
The new drug, cilta-cel (sold as brand name: Carvykti), has been approved for the treatment of adults with multiple myeloma that has resisted treatment or has returned after four or more prior forms of therapy, including a proteasome inhibitor, an immunomodulatory agent and an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody.
The new approval increased patient access to this revolutionary therapy since in the past there was only one CAR-T cell therapy (Abecma) approved by the FDA.
Who does this help?
Patients with multiple myeloma that has not responded to multiple other treatments or has returned should discuss this option with their doctors.
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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