Cancer Information Highlights, March 27, 2019

Cancer Information Highlights, March 27, 2019

Cancer Information Highlights

From the National Cancer Institute

Updating you about cancer causes, prevention, screening, treatment, coping, and more

New from NCI Video—Colorectal Cancer Screening: What to Expect   Everyone over the age of 50 should be screened for colon and rectal cancer. Learn about the three screening methods that work to reduce the chance of death from colon and rectal cancer: colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, and home stool test. Experimental Drug Delays the Spread of Some Prostate Cancers Read about results from a recent study that showed that the experimental drug darolutamide can help slow the spread of prostate cancer in some men with the disease. The drug also caused fewer side effects than similar prostate cancer drugs. Targeted Therapy and Immunotherapy Combination Effective for Kidney Cancer Read about the results from two large clinical trials that are expected to change the usual treatment for many people with newly diagnosed advanced kidney cancer. Revitalizing the Discovery of New Cancer Drugs from Natural Products   NCI has launched an ambitious initiative to make it easier for researchers to mine nature for leads on new cancer drugs. Learn about the Cancer Moonshot℠–funded NCI Program for Natural Products Discovery. HPV and Pap Testing Learn about the current guidelines for cervical screening, the three testing options—HPV alone, Pap alone, and HPV and Pap testing together—and who should get which test how often. Bone Marrow Transplant Drug May Improve Immunotherapy for Metastatic Breast Cancer A thick layer of connective tissue around some types of cancer cells acts as a barrier to immunotherapy. A new study used the bone marrow transplant drug plerixafor to thin this layer and improve how well immune checkpoint inhibitors worked in animal models of breast cancer. PDQ Summary Updates Adult Primary Liver Cancer Treatment We’ve updated our PDQ summary on liver cancer with information about targeted therapyand immunotherapy as treatment options for stages C and D disease. Drug Information Updates Atezolizumab for Breast and Lung Cancers We’ve updated our atezolizumab (Tecentriq) drug information summary to include two recent approvals by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Atezolizumab is now approved to treat triple-negative breast cancer that has the PD-L1 protein and extensive-stage small cell lung cancer. New Form of Trastuzumab for Breast Cancer See our new drug information summary on trastuzumab and hyaluronidase-oysk (Herceptin Hylecta), which is approved by FDA to treat HER2-positive breast cancer. This combination drug is given under the skin, so treatment times are shorter than they are for trastuzumab alone.

Also of Interest When Cancer Returns This publication for patients and their loved ones has been updated with refreshed content. Visit this page to view or print the PDF and download the e-book. Risk Factors: Infectious Agents Learn about infectious agents, including viruses, bacteria, and parasites, that can cause cancer or increase the risk of cancer.