Don’t Call It Cancer; Clues to ‘Exceptional’ Responses; More Predictions for 2025

More debate about whether the lowest-risk prostate cancers should even be called “cancer.” (Harvard Health Publishing)

Four cancer drugs — palbociclib (Ibrance), enzalutamide (Xtandi), pomalidomide (Pomalyst), and acalabrutinib (Calquence) — were selected by the Biden administration for the next round of Medicare drug price negotiation.

Atara Biotherapeutics acknowledged receipt of a complete response letter from the FDA, which declined to approve tabelecleucel for Epstein Barr virus-positive posttransplant lymphoproliferative disease at this time as a result of issues identified at a third-party manufacturing facility.

The FDA announced approval of sotorasib (Lumakras) in combination with panitumumab (Vectibix) for adults with KRAS G12C-mutated metastatic colorectal cancer after specific chemotherapy regimens.

The agency also approved acalabrutinib, in combination with bendamustine (Bendeka, Treanda) and rituximab (Rituxan), for previously untreated mantle cell lymphoma.

New insights into why some patients with kidney cancer have “exceptional” responses to immunotherapy and others do not. (Yale Cancer Center)

Major League Baseball Hall of Fame broadcaster Bob Uecker, 90, died of small-cell lung cancer earlier this week. (ESPN)

Basketball Hall of Fame broadcaster and former coach Dick Vitale, 85, will resume his announcing career January 25 after being declared cancer-free for a fourth time. (ESPN)

Targeting the enzyme IMPDH2 could help overcome resistance to chemotherapy in triple-negative breast cancer. (Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center)

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network published a new guideline to help patients better understand genetic testing and improve shared decision-making about the tests.

Multicancer early detection tests appear to cause minimal psychological distress for patients and distress dissipates fairly quickly in most cases. (Lancet Oncology)

The Justice Department announced that a California man pleaded guilty to participating in a kickback scheme involving cancer genetic testing that cost Medicare $10 million.

Out-of-pocket costs for diagnostic tests for breast cancer vary widely from state to state, posing a financial barrier for many patients, according to a report from the American Cancer Society.

Patients with sickle cell disease have older-looking brains, which could help explain cognitive impairment often observed in association with the disease. (Washington University Medicine)

A top-10 list of first-in-class drugs expected to win regulatory approval in 2025 includes several hematology/oncology agents. (Labiotech)

Leading cancer researchers forecast potential major advances in research and treatment for 2025. (American Association for Cancer Research)