The phase III KEYNOTE-522 trial has significantly changed the treatment landscape for early-stage triple-negative breast cancer by demonstrating the benefits of neoadjuvant pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy.
KEYNOTE-522 Trial Results
At the ESMO Congress 2024, Peter Schmid, MD, PhD, announced a statistically significant overall survival advantage, with a hazard ratio of 0.66 and a 5% improvement in survival rates after 5 years (86.6% vs 81.7%). The trial involved 574 women, showing consistent benefits across various subgroups, regardless of tumor characteristics. Pembrolizumab was previously approved by the FDA for high-risk patients, validating its role in improving outcomes in this population.
Breast Cancer Incidence Trends
The American Cancer Society’s 2024 Breast Cancer Statistics report reveals a 44% decline in breast cancer mortality rates since 1989, preventing around 517,900 deaths. However, disparities persist, particularly for American Indian and Alaska Native women, whose rates have stagnated. Breast cancer incidence has increased by 1% annually from 2012 to 2021, with the most significant rise in women under 50 and Asian American/Pacific Islander women. The report underscores the need for improved access to screening and treatment, particularly for marginalized groups, and highlights new initiatives like the VOICES of Black Women study to address disparities in outcomes.
Other Recent Cancer Research
- Mobile Phones and Brain Cancer: A recent review commissioned by the World Health Organization (WHO) found no significant link between mobile phone use and an increased risk of brain cancer. The study analyzed 63 research papers from 1994 to 2022.
- Renal Cell Carcinoma: The phase III TiNivo-2 trial found that rechallenging patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma using nivolumab plus tivozanib did not enhance progression-free survival compared to tivozanib alone.
- Colorectal Cancer: The SOLARIS trial found that adding high-dose vitamin D3 to standard treatment did not improve progression-free survival in untreated metastatic colorectal cancer patients compared to standard-dose vitamin D3.
- Pancreatic Cancer: A retrospective cohort study examined the role of adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with resected pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, finding that patients with node-positive disease and elevated CA19-9 levels benefited from adjuvant therapy.
- Prostate Cancer: A study identified unique genetic risk factors for prostate cancer in African men, highlighting variations absent in European populations.
- Solid Tumors: The novel antibody-drug conjugate puxitatug samrotecan shows a manageable safety profile and initial efficacy in heavily pretreated patients with advanced or metastatic solid tumors, according to findings presented at the ESMO Congress 2024. Targeting the B7-H4 protein, the drug delivers a topoisomerase 1 inhibitor to disrupt DNA replication.
