In an MSK cohort (n==11,975), 17% of patients harboured pathogenic mutations in cancer predisposition genes, of which over a third were potentially actionable (6.5% of all subjects) including germline variants in BRCA1/2, PALB2 and MSI genes.
In a phase III placebo-controlled trial, the IDH inhibitor ivosidenib improved PFS for IDH1 mutant patients in the second/third line setting (median 2.7 months versus 1.4 months for placebo
AIM: To assess time-to-treatment failure (TTF) in US patients with EGFR mutation-positive non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who received sequential afatinib–osimertinib treatment in the global, observational GioTag study. PATIENTS & METHODS: Patients had EGFR T790M mutation-positive disease after first-line afatinib and subsequently received osimertinib. The primary outcome was TTF. RESULTS: In 129 patients at US centers, median TTF was 28.4 months (90% CI: 27.0–34.1). Median overall survival was 47.6 months (90% CI: 35.5–51.5). CONCLUSION: Sequential afatinib–osimertinib in this US-treated population was associated with long median TTF and represents an effective, evidence-based treatment option for US patients with EGFR mutation-positive NSCLC not presenting with active brain metastases or de novo T790M
As of 10 April 2020, New York State had 180,458 cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and 9,385 reported deaths. Patients with cancer comprised 8.4% of deceased individuals1. Population-based studies from China and Italy suggested a higher coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) death rate in patients with cancer2,3, although there is a knowledge gap as to which aspects of cancer and its treatment confer risk of severe COVID-194. This information is critical to balance the competing safety considerations of reducing SARS-CoV-2 exposure and cancer treatment continuation. From 10 March to 7 April 2020, 423 cases of symptomatic COVID-19 were diagnosed at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (from a total of 2,035 patients with cancer tested). Of these, 40% were hospitalized for COVID-19, 20% developed severe respiratory illness (including 9% who required mechanical ventilation) and 12% died within 30 d. Age older than 65 years and treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) were predictors for hospitalization and severe disease, whereas receipt of chemotherapy and major surgery were not. Overall, COVID-19 in patients with cancer is marked by substantial rates of hospitalization and severe outcomes. The association observed between ICI and COVID-19 outcomes in our study will need further interrogation in tumor-specific cohorts.