Hem/Onc Roundup: Chipotle Bowls Linked to Cancer, Two FDA Approvals, and more

Here are the top stories covered by DocWire News this week in the Hematology & Oncology section. This week, a report found that the bowls used at Chipotle contain cancer-linked per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Keytruda® (pembrolizumab) for esophageal cancer and Turalio™ (pexidartinib) for tenosynovial giant cell tumor (TGCT), and more.

According to a study conducted by The New Food Economy, Chipotle Mexican Grill’s famous beige colored receptacles, molded fiber bowls which are reputed as compostable, contain cancer-linked PFAS which are colloquially referred to as “forever chemicals”. This broad class of more than 4,000 fluorinated compounds fail to naturally biodegrade in the environment.

The FDA approved the immunotherapy agent Keytruda® (pembrolizumab) as monotherapy for the treatment of recurrent locally advanced or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus in patients whose tumors express PD-L1 and have experienced disease progression after one or more prior lines of systemic therapy.

The FDA approved the novel oral therapy Turalio™ (pexidartinib) capsules for the treatment of adults with symptomatic TGCT associated with severe morbidity or functional limitations that has not improved with surgery.

A study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology found that many hairdressers may be interested in becoming trained to detect skin cancers of the scalp, face, and neck. Most survey respondents (93%) said they wanted to learn more about skin cancer detection, and 73% believed stylists should receive skin cancer detection training.

An increased intake of vitamin A has been linked with a decreased risk of developing cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, according to a new study published in JAMA Dermatology. “Our study provides another reason to eat lots of fruits and vegetables as part of a healthy diet,” according to the authors.

In case you missed it, more hem/onc headlines are featured below:

Elderly Cancer Patients Who Are HIV-Positive Have Higher Mortality Rates