News Articles

8.22.2024 Endoscopic Activity, Cancer Detection in Gastric Cancer Slow to Recover After COVID-19

Endoscopy activity and cancer detection was slower to recover in gastric cancers, such as colorectal cancer (CRC), after the COVID-19 pandemic, with cancer detection slower than endoscopy activity to recover, according to a study published in Heliyon.1 Maintaining cancer services in future waves of the pandemic should be the focus in the future.
Gastrointestinal diseases, including CRC, can be diagnosed by using digestive endoscopy but patients diagnosed with COVID-19 increased the number of patients in the hospital and stretched resources. With COVID-19 a significant risk to patients receiving an endoscopy, many endoscopies were suspended or canceled during the pandemic.2 Although endoscopies resumed, the effect of endoscopy uptake after the pandemic is unknown. This study aimed to assess how endoscopy activity and cancer detection recovered after the pandemic and estimate how many cancer patients were missed.

8.22.2024 FDA weighs limiting PD-1 drugs in stomach cancer, calls on experts to discuss Merck, BMS and BeiGene meds

The FDA is once again gathering external experts to scrutinize PD-1 inhibitors as a group. This time, the agency is considering limiting these immunotherapies’ use in stomach cancer and esophageal cancer.
The FDA will hold an Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC) meeting Sept. 26 to consider whether approvals for checkpoint inhibitors in advanced gastric and gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinoma—as well as in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC)—should be restricted based on tumors’ PD-L1 expression, the agency said in a public filing (PDF)

8.23.2024 RARB associated with MSI, affects progression and prognosis of gastric cancer

Abstract: Microsatellite instability (MSI) has been widely acknowledged as an important factor regulating tumor intrinsic biological behavior and affecting the survival of gastric cancer patients. Here, we firstly identified the RARB as a gene associated with MSI gastric cancer. RARB was downregulated in human gastric cancer tissues compared to paired paracancerous tissues, Knockdown of RARB accelerated the proliferation, invasion and migration of cancer cells in vitro. Mechanismly, RARB knockdown promoted epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process of gastric cancer. However, RARBLow patients exhibited better survival compared to RARBHigh patients. Further study revealed that RARB expression was inversely correlated with MSI status and immune infiltrates in vivo. Thus, RARB may be a potential target for the treatment of gastric cancer.

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8.21.24 MD Anderson Research Highlights

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center’s Research Highlights showcases the latest breakthroughs in cancer care, research and prevention. These advances are made possible through seamless collaboration between MD Anderson’s world-leading clinicians and scientists, bringing discoveries from the lab to the clinic and back.

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8.19.2024 New drug combos make previously inoperable stomach cancer treatable

The recent application of targeted and immuno-oncology drugs to treat gastric cancer has significantly changed the outcome of inoperable gastric cancer.
In the past, conventional chemotherapy for gastric cancer consisted of only cytotoxic antitumor drugs. Recently, however, it has become possible to add targeted or immuno-oncology drugs to cytotoxic antitumor drugs, depending on the “biomarkers” of gastric cancer tissue

8.19. 24 AI unlocks secrets of gastric cancer development

Gastric cancer, a significant global health challenge, is characterized by a complex transition from inflammation-induced premalignant lesions to malignancy. The quest for early diagnosis and prevention is impeded by the intricate biological shifts that mark this journey, highlighting an urgent need for a deeper dive into the underlying the multi-level and dynamic features

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8.14.2024 China approves AstraZeneca-Daiichi Sankyo’s gastric cancer therapy

AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo‘s antibody drug conjugate (ADC) Enhertu (trastuzumab deruxtecan) has received conditional approval from the China National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) for gastric cancer.
The approval allows Enhertu to be used as a single agent for adults with locally advanced or metastatic human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive gastric or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinoma who have undergone a minimum of two previous treatment regimens.

8.14.2024 Astellas’ gastric cancer therapy gets UK regulator’s nod

(Reuters) -Britain’s health regulator said on Wednesday it has approved Japan-based Astellas Pharma’s therapy to treat a type of gastric cancer.
The monoclonal antibody, which can attach itself to certain cancer cells and destroy them, was approved in combination with a standard chemotherapy for adults with cancer in the stomach or the junction where the oesophagus joins the stomach.
The therapy, to be sold under brand name Vyloy, is allowed in patients whose gastric or gastro-oesophageal junction cancer cannot be removed by surgery, or has spread to other parts of the body.

8.12.2024 ASCO Applauds Senate for Prioritizing Cancer Research in FY 2025

The Association for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) is applauding the Senate Appropriations Committee for its bipartisan support of federal cancer research in the fiscal year (FY) 2025 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies spending bill.
For FY 2025, the Senate is allocating $48.851 billion for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a $1.77 billion increase over FY 2024 funding. The bill includes funding for the 21st Century Cures Act, averting and reversing scheduled cuts.
For the National Cancer Institute (NCI), appropriators allocated $7.49 billion, and called for restoring $216 million in funding for the Cancer Moonshot.

8.12.2024 EO-3021 Elicits Responses in Advanced CLDN18.2+ Gastric/GEJ Cancer

Treatment with EO-3021 (SYSA1801) produced promising preliminary data in a small cohort of patients with advanced, unresectable, or metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) cancers expressing Claudin 18.2 (CLDN18.2), according to dose-escalation findings from a phase 1 trial (NCT05980416).1
Among 15 patients with evaluable gastric or GEJ cancers, 7 (47%) had CLDN18.2 expression in at least 20% of tumor cells at a data cutoff date of June 10, 2024

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