Research spotlight: Advances in male breast cancer, mesothelioma, other rare malignancies

Rare Disease Day is Feb. 28.

The observance is intended to increase awareness about the estimated 300 million people around the world with rare diseases and the impact these conditions have on their lives.

Rare disease day ribbon. — *Source: Adobe Stock.*

The campaign targets the public, as well as researchers, industry representatives, policy makers and others.

In conjunction with Rare Disease Day, Healio provides these important updates related to research into and treatment of rare malignancies.

Male breast cancer

Breast cancer-specific mortality rates among men have not improved in the last 3 decades. Read more.
Men with breast cancer exhibited a high prevalence of cardiovascular conditions, according to research presented at American College of Cardiology’s Advancing the Cardiovascular Care of the Oncology Patient. Read more.

Mesothelioma

Atezolizumab (Tecentriq, Genentech) plus bevacizumab (Avastin, Genentech) appeared well-tolerated and resulted in a 40% objective response rate among patients with malignant peritoneal mesothelioma. Read more.
Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy followed by pembrolizumab (Keytruda, Merck) appeared safe and feasible for patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma. Read more.
Access to care varied significantly among patients with stage I to stage III malignant pleural mesothelioma. The findings showed variations in access based on factors such as distance to treatment facility, as well as facility type and volume. Read more.

Gallbladder, biliary tract cancers

The incidence and mortality of gallbladder and biliary tract cancer have increased over the last 3 decades. Read more.

Cholangiocarcinoma

Ivosidenib (Tibsovo, Agios) modestly extended OS among patients with previously treated isocitrate dehydrogenase 1-mutated advanced cholangiocarcinoma. Read more.
A cholangiocarcinoma advisory board composed entirely of women has given physicians who treat the rare malignancy, as well as patients and their advocates, an opportunity to collaborate, share best practices and forge alliances. Read more.

Anal cancer

The NCI has awarded more than $4 million to a collaboration between three research institutions to evaluate anal cancer screenings in high-risk women previously diagnosed with HPV. Read more.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Incidence of nasopharyngeal cancer differed greatly among Asian American ethnic subgroups, with significantly higher risk among Chinese and Laotian individuals compared with white individuals. Read more.
The addition of toripalimab (Junshi Biosciences) to gemcitabine-cisplatin chemotherapy significantly improved PFS and overall response rates and induced longer-lasting responses than chemotherapy alone as first-line therapy for advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Read more.

Oropharynx cancer

A novel noninvasive droplet digital polymerase chain reaction-based assay predicted treatment response months before standard imaging scans among a cohort of patients with metastatic HPV-associated oropharynx squamous cell carcinoma. Read more.
It may take more than 25 years to slow increasing oropharynx cancer incidence by HPV vaccination because the disease will be observed in older population not yet vaccinated, projections showed. Read more.

Gastrointestinal stromal tumor

Ripretinib (Qinrock, Deciphera Pharmaceuticals) did not extend PFS compared with sunitinib (Sutent, Pfizer) for patients with advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumor who previously received imatinib, according to randomized phase 3 study results. Read more.

Sarcoma

American Society for Radiation Oncology issued its first clinical guideline for sarcoma. Read more.
Nearly 40% of patients with advanced or metastatic synovial sarcoma or myxoid/round cell liposarcoma responded to therapy with afamitresgene autoleucel. Read more.

Uveal melanoma

The FDA approved tebentafusp-tebn (Kimmtrak, Immunocore) for the treatment of adults with HLA-A*02:01-positive unresectable or metastatic uveal melanoma. The agent is the first T-cell receptor therapeutic to receive regulatory approval. Read more.

Merkel cell carcinoma

Surgical margins larger than 1 cm improved survival for patients with localized Merkel cell carcinoma regardless of factors such as tumor subsite and receipt of adjuvant chemotherapy. Read more.
Localized Merkel cell carcinoma tumors with a primary site in the neck and scalp appeared associated with the highest 5-year probability of mortality. Read more.

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