CancerNetwork®’s Week in Review: March 15, 2021

Each Monday, CancerNetwork® highlights the most important content from the previous week in oncology.

Among the top news from last week was an article covering a presentation on promising antibody-drug conjugates to treat patients with HER2-negative breast cancer with Kevin Kalinsky, MD, MS, from the 38th Annual Miami Breast Cancer Conference®.

Utility of the 21-Gene Recurrence Score in Node-Positive Breast Cancer

This review published in the Journal ONCOLOGY® highlights the existing data supporting the prognostic and predictive ability of the recurrence score in mode-positive breast cancer, current practice patterns related to recurrence score use in this population, and emerging applications.

Substantial existing data support the clinical utility of the recurrence score in patients with hormone receptor–positive/HER2-negative, node-positive breast cancer.

MRI-Guided Focused Ultrasound Ablation Shows Promising Early Outcomes in the Treatment of Prostate Cancer

Data published in Radiology found early positive results regarding the treatment of intermediate-risk prostate cancer with MRI-guided focused ultrasound ablation.

The early oncologic and functional outcomes were encouraging to the research team, suggesting the current options such as surgery and radiation therapy that eliminate the cancer but often leave patients with incontinence and sexual dysfunction can be improved upon.

Promising Antibody-Drug Conjugates Have the Potential to Change Treatment Landscape for HER2-Negative Breast Cancer

Kevin Kalinsky, MD, MS, discussed a number of antibody-drug conjugates, detailing the prevailing data and potential trials that may change the treatment paradigm for patients with breast cancer.

Specifically, Kalinsky touched on the data and prospective trials surrounding a number of ADCs, including sacituzumab govitecan (Trodelvy), ladiratuzumab vedotin, and trastuzumab deruxtecan (Enhertu), among others

Atezolizumab Indication in US Withdrawn for Previously Treated Metastatic Urothelial Cancer

As part of an industry-wide assessment of indications based on accelerated approval, Roche in consultation with the FDA has decided to withdraw the indication for atezolizumab (Tecentriq) in patients with urothelial carcinoma following platinum-based chemotherapy.

The decision was made in consultation with the FDA and is part of an industry-wide assessment of indications from accelerated approval that have not met requirements of confirmation.

Considering Lymphedema Is Key for Multimodality Therapy of Breast Cancer

Susan B. Kesmodel, MD, FACS, of the University of Miami, describes 3 methods by which breast surgical oncologists can strategize to reduce the incidence of lymphedema in patients undergoing surgery for breast tumors.

Kesmodel went on to say that the likelihood of lymphedema developing depends on interventions on the axilla, with the incidence being lowest in patients having sentinel lymph node biopsy alone and highest in those with axillary lymph node dissection.

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