‘Reconstructive Burnout’; Better Brachytherapy for Cervical Ca; Body-Image Distress

Identifying risk factors for “reconstructive burnout” may help reduce the number of patients who begin reconstruction surgery after breast cancer treatment but do not complete the process. (Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery)

Individualized brachytherapy protocols may lead to better outcomes in cervical cancer. (Medical University of Vienna, Journal of Clinical Oncology)

Survivors of head and neck cancer had improvement in body-image distress after brief cognitive behavioral therapy via telemedicine. (MUSC Hollings Cancer Center, JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery)

FDA review of the PD-1 inhibitor toripalimab plus chemotherapy for recurrent/metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma has been slowed by COVID-related delays in an inspection of production facilities, according to Coherus BioSciences and Junshi Biosciences.

PDS Biotechnology reported a 21-month median overall survival in patients with HPV-positive advanced solid tumors — compared with a 4-month historical median — treated with a combination of PDS0101 cancer vaccine, interleukin-12-targeting fusion protein M9241, and the bifunctional fusion protein bintrafusp alfa.

The FDA announced that Lupin Pharmaceuticals voluntarily recalled four lots of the blood pressure medication quinapril because of possible contamination with nitrosamine, which has been shown to increase the risk of cancer with prolonged exposure.

A phase III trial of the telomerase inhibitor imetelstat in lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes met the primary endpoint of transfusion independence at 8 weeks, Geron announced.

An analysis of circulating tumor DNA showed that patients with imatinib-treated gastrointestinal stromal tumors and mutations in KIT exon 11 and 17/18 obtained “substantial clinical benefit” from ripretinib (Qinlock), according to Deciphera Pharmaceuticals.

Patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer had significant improvement in survival with Tumor Treating Fields plus standard therapy, Novocure announced.

Real-time tracking of radiation therapy shows promise for improving safety and efficacy. (University of Michigan, Nature Biotechnology)

Delaying antibiotics more than 60 minutes after the onset of neutropenic fever did not adversely affect short-term survival in patients with cancer, in contrast to current clinical guidelines. (American Journal of Medical Quality)