Hem/Onc Roundup: Guidelines OK Red Meat, ESMO Data Shows Promising Survival Outcomes, and more

Here are the top stories covered by DocWire News this week in the Hematology & Oncology section. This week, various studies from the ESMO Congress 2019 compared survival among different cancer treatments, the American College of Physicians said current levels of red meat consumption is fine, and more.

An updated guideline from the American College of Physicians suggests that most adults can continue current levels of unprocessed red meat and processed meat consumption with little long-term health risks, despite previous warnings that these meats are linked to certain health concerns, such as cancer.

Baylor University researchers have created a mobile health app that helps parents detect early signs of eye disease, such as retinoblastoma, in their children. This app, CRADLE (Computer Assisted Detector Leukocoria), was developed by Baylor researchers Bryan F. Shaw, PhD, professor of chemistry and biochemistry, and Greg Hamerly, PhD, associate professor of computer science.

A study published in Nature found that the movement of certain fungi from the gut to the pancreas can increase the risk of cancer by up to a thousand-fold. The study provides strong evidence that the mycobiome can turn normal cells into pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma—a particularly deadly form of pancreatic cancer.

First-line Tagrisso® (osimertinib) improved overall survival (OS) compared with a comparator tyrosine kinase inhibitor in patients with epidermal growth factor receptor-mutated, advanced non-small cell lung cancer, according to research presented at the ESMO Congress 2019.

Results from the multicenter, randomized, open-label, global, phase III ATTRACTION-3 trial presented at the ESMO Congress 2019 found that Opdivo® (nivolumab) improves OS compared with chemotherapy in patients with unresectable advanced or recurrent esophageal squamous cell carcinoma that is refractory or intolerant to combination therapy with fluoropyrimidine and platinum-based drugs.

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

• Lynparza® Delays Prostate Cancer Progression Compared With Xtandi® and Zytiga®
• A Simple Blood Test that Detects Cancer and Diabetes Complications
• Incidences of Head and Neck Melanoma Have Increased Over 50% in the Past Two Decades
• Breast Cancer Death Rates Continue to Decline, but at Slower Pace
• Incidences of Head and Neck Melanoma Have Increased Over 50% in the Past Two Decades