Oncology Data Advisor™ · Applying Precision Medicine in BRAF V600E-Mutant Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among men and women in the United States (ACS,2021). An estimated 149,500 new cases are diagnosed annually, and 52,980 people die of the disease (ACS, 2021). When detected and treated early at a localized stage, the 5-year survival rate is 90%. However, because colorectal cancer initially exhibits no symptoms and the use...

· Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) represents a heterogeneous group of tumors that originate in the lip/oral cavity, hypopharynx, oropharynx, nasopharynx, and larynx. An estimated 66,630 new cases are diagnosed in the United States annually, and 14,620 people die of the disease (Siegel et al, 2021). Historically, HNSCC has been associated with tobacco and alcohol use; however, infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) is now recognized as a causative factor for a gr...

There are an estimated 13,800 new cases of cervical cancer in the United States each year, and 4,290 people die of the disease (ACS, 2020). Deaths have declined during the past few decades due to screening and heightened awareness, yet this malignancy continues to be a global health concern and is considered an epidemic in parts of the world. A significant proportion of patients develop advanced disease, which is rarely curable with available therapies, and treatment is often limited to palliati...

Oncology Data Advisor™ · Rethinking the Management of Differentiated and Anaplastic Thyroid Cancers Thyroid cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers in the United States. An estimated 44,280 new cases are diagnosed annually, and 2,200 people die of the disease (ACS, 2021). Thyroid cancer is typically more aggressive in men than in women and becomes increasingly lethal in those above the age of 40 (NCCN, 2021). There are three primary subtypes: differentiated (including papillary,...

Hodgkin lymphoma is a rare malignancy involving the lymph nodes and lymphatic system, with 8,830 new cases diagnosed and accounting for 960 deaths each year in the United States (Siegel et al, 2021). In contrast with other cancers whose risk increases with age, the risk for HL increases in patients between 15 and 30 years of age, decreases during middle age, and is followed by another peak in adults older than 55 (NCCN, 2020). There are 2 main types of HL: classical HL, which accounts for 95% of...

Immune thrombocytopenia is an acquired immune-mediated disorder defined as a peripheral blood platelet count <100 x109/L with no known cause (Rodeghiero et al, 2009). The incidence is estimated to be 1.6 to 3.9 per 100,000 patient-years in adults and 0.46 to 12.5 per 100,000 patient-years in children (Terrell et al, 2010). Research has shown that the burden of ITP is significant. A survey of more than 1,300 patients across 13 countries showed 36% reported a high impact on emotional well-being...

An estimated 235,760 new cases of lung cancer are reported in the United States annually, and 131,880 people die of the disease. Approximately 84% of cases are classified as non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (ACS, 2021). The most frequent genomic aberration among patients with NSCLC is the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation, approximately 2%-10% of which are exon 20 insertion mutations (Kumari et al, 2019; Dersarkissian et al, 2019). Exon 20 insertion mutations are a heterogenous ...

An estimated 228,820 new cases of lung cancer are reported in the United States annually, and 135,720 people die of the disease (ACS, 2020). Approximately 84% of cases are classified as non-small cell. Most patients are diagnosed at a locally advanced or metastatic stage, making systemic therapy the cornerstone of management (ACS, 2020). Although 70% of patients receiving first-line classical doublet chemotherapy demonstrate clinical benefit, most develop progressive disease within 5 months of t...

Physician burnout and work-related stress are serious and prevalent issues in oncology, with nearly 45% of oncologists experiencing signs of burnout. Recently, this problem has been further exacerbated by the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. In this episode of Oncology Data Advisor, Daniel McFarland, DO, a head and neck medical oncologist and consult-liaison psychiatrist at Northwell Health Lenox Hill Hospital, joins i3 Health for a discussion that covers the varying factors th...

Merkel cell carcinoma is a rare and aggressive neuroendocrine tumor of unknown origin that typically presents in older white and immunocompromised adults. An estimated 2,488 cases are diagnosed in the United States annually (Paulson et al, 2018). The incidence of MCC has risen rapidly during the past few decades, which has been attributed in part to people living longer with increased sun exposure and weakened immune systems, a feature that suggests an infectious origin and warrants further rese...