Good News in Pancreatic Cancer; Breast Screening Debate; AI May Erode Docs’ Skills

Revolution Medicines announced that its investigational RAS inhibitor daraxonrasib doubled median overall survival for previously treated advanced pancreatic cancer (13.2 vs 6.7 months) in a randomized phase III trial comparing the drug against chemotherapy.

In related news, former Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) described his experience as a participant in a daraxonrasib clinical trial. (STAT)

A study involving preclinical models of pancreatic cancer suggested that biofield therapy — a touch-based therapy that uses energy fields to promote self-healing — may help slow disease progression and reduce the risk of metastasis. (Cancer Medicine)

In an update to its breast cancer screening guidelines, the American College of Physicians (ACP) recommends biennial screening mammography for average-risk women ages 50-74, while women 40-49 should discuss the risks and benefits of mammography with their doctors.

The American College of Radiology slammed the ACP guidelines, calling them “a step backward” and saying they could contribute to more breast cancer deaths.

A review of published evidence suggested that reliance on artificial intelligence (AI) in medicine can “erode” physician expertise. (ESMO Real World Data and Digital Oncology)

Another showed that AI systems and dermatologists had similar accuracy for diagnosing melanoma. (JAMA Dermatology)

Basketball broadcasting legend Dick Vitale, 86, said he feels “fantastic” after revealing he has melanoma involving the lung and liver, his fifth cancer diagnosis. (NBC News)

A specific mix of bacteria in the gut microbiome may help predict melanoma’s likelihood of recurring after treatment. (NYU Langone Health)

Citing falsification of a figure, Science Translational Medicine announced retraction of an article published 5 years ago about targeted immunotherapy for HER2-low breast cancer.

Sirtex Medical announced that a prospective trial of its Y-90 selective internal radiation therapy showed a 100% local disease control rate for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma, including a 90% complete response rate and median response duration of 295 days.

Can the field of radiotherapy keep up with the demand created by the predicted rise in cancer incidence? (Institute of Cancer Research)

A National Cancer Institute-supported clinical trial will evaluate a form of laser therapy to manage treatment-induced vaginal dryness in breast cancer survivors. (Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology)

Higher taxes on e-cigarettes were associated with decreased vaping frequency without an increase in regular cigarette smoking. (The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center)

Are cancer patients worldwide being priced out of access to a blockbuster treatment? (International Consortium of Investigative Journalists)

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