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Upping Immunotherapy Activity; A Win for Lung Screening; Looming Drug Price Break?

— News, features, and commentary about cancer-related issues

MedpageToday
Onco Break over a computer rendering of a cancer cell.

Finding a way to could make immune checkpoint inhibitors more effective in the 60% of melanoma patients who do not benefit or develop resistance to the drugs. (University of California Irvine)

A laboratory study showed that administering a biodegradable "scaffold" in an animal model of aggressive lymphoma. (Wyss Institute at Harvard, Nature Biomedical Engineering)

In a study in laboratory mice, an showed potential as a means to stimulate the immune system to recognize and kill cancer cells. (Johns Hopkins Medicine, Advanced Materials)

The FDA converted accelerated approval to for RET fusion-positive thyroid cancer.

The agency also granted to repotrectinib (Augtyro) for adults and children with NTRK-positive solid tumors.

to pediatric oncology patients may help relieve parents' anxiety. (National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners, Journal of Pediatric Health Care)

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center announced , a program to help make high-quality cancer care more widely available across the U.S.

Participation in almost doubled the diagnosis rate for stage I cancers and helped significantly lower lung cancer mortality in a study among U.S. military veterans. (Cancer)

Patients undergoing reported less distress and improved quality of life after participating in a tailored, telephone-based, positive psychology program. (Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network)

often begin with a patient's first call to ask about available services. (University of Michigan, JAMA Network Open)

A lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson (J&J), filed by one of its employees, alleges the company and its pharmacy benefit manager, Express Scripts, , leading to higher insurance premiums and out-of-pocket costs. (STAT)

In other legal action, J&J agreed to pay $700 million to settle an investigation by 42 states and the District of Columbia into the company's marketing practices related to . (Reuters)

Junshi Biosciences announced that its PD-1 inhibitor toripalimab (Loqtorzi) plus bevacizumab (Avastin) significantly improved progression-free and overall survival in .

Will in the next few years finally bring down the cost of blockbuster, but pricey, drugs? (Quartz)

  • author['full_name']

    Charles Bankhead is senior editor for oncology and also covers urology, dermatology, and ophthalmology. He joined ľֱ in 2007.