Adjuvant endocrine therapy with cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitor, ribociclib, for localized hormone receptor-positive/HER2- breast cancer (LEADER).

Optimal timing and dosing of adjuvant cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 4/6 inhibitor in early breast cancer is controversial. This prospective phase II clinical trial investigated tolerability and safety of two ribociclib dosing schedules. Patients with stage I-III hormone receptor-positive (HR+)/HER2- breast cancer on adjuvant endocrine therapy (ET) were randomized to two ribociclib dosing schedules: 400 mg continuous vs 600 mg intermittent, with initiation in early (prior ET < 2 years) vs delayed (prior ET ≥ 2 years) setting.

Prevalence and Subtype Distribution of High-Risk Human Papillomavirus Among Women Presenting for Cervical Cancer Screening at Karanda Mission Hospital.

Purpose: High-risk human papillomaviruses (hrHPV) are the primary cause of cervical cancer. Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination is expected to prevent cervical cancers caused by the HPV types included in vaccines and possibly by cross-protection from other types. This study sought to determine the hrHPV type distribution in women at a rural Zimbabwe hospital.

POETIC (Program for Enhanced Training in Cancer): An Initial Experience of Supporting Capacity Building for Oncology Training in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Background: Sub-Saharan Africa is simultaneously facing a rising incidence of cancer and a dearth of medical professionals because of insufficient training numbers and emigration, creating a growing shortage of cancer care. To combat this, Massachusetts General Hospital and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center partnered with institutions in South Africa, Tanzania, and Rwanda to develop a fellowship exchange program to supplement the training of African oncologists practicing in their home countries.

Methods: In its initial year, 2018, the Program for Enhanced Training in Cancer (POETIC) hosted a pilot cohort of seven fellows for 3-week observerships in their areas of interest.

All Men Are Created Equal: Addressing Disparities in Prostate Cancer Care.

The global cancer burden is estimated to have risen to 18.1 million new cases and 9.6 million deaths in 2018.

Comparative Assessment of Clinical Benefit Using the ESMO-Magnitude of Clinical Benefit Scale Version 1.1 and the ASCO Value Framework Net Health Benefit Score.

Purpose: To better understand the European Society for Medical Oncology-Magnitude of Clinical Benefit Scale version 1.1 (ESMO-MCBS v1.1) and the ASCO Value Framework Net Health Benefit score version 2 (ASCO-NHB v2), ESMO and ASCO collaborated to evaluate the concordance between the frameworks when used to assess clinical benefit attributable to new therapies.

American Society of Clinical Oncology's Global Oncology Leadership Task Force: Findings and Actions.

In response to rising cancer incidence and mortality rates in low- and middle-income countries and the increasingly global profile of ASCO's membership, the ASCO Board of Directors appointed the Global Oncology Leadership Task Force (Task Force) to provide recommendations on ASCO's engagement in global oncology. To accomplish its work, the Task Force convened meetings of global oncology experts, conducted focus group discussions with member groups, did site visits to South America and India, and met regularly to analyze the findings and develop recommendations. Task Force findings included global concerns, such as access to care, and specific concerns of middle- and low-resource settings.

Therapeutic Bone-Modifying Agents in the Nonmetastatic Breast Cancer Setting: The Controversy and a Value Assessment.

Clinical trials and meta-analyses investigating bisphosphonates as an adjuvant breast cancer therapy have shown a consistent trend, with postmenopausal women and women receiving ovarian suppression with gonadotropin-releasing hormone therapy gaining improved breast cancer outcomes with the use of adjuvant bisphosphonate therapy. The interpretation of these data is controversial, because the primary endpoints of the majority of adjuvant bisphosphonate studies have been negative. Pros and cons as well as the value of adjuvant bisphosphonate therapy are discussed here.

ESMO / ASCO Recommendations for a Global Curriculum in Medical Oncology Edition 2016.

The European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) and the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) are publishing a new edition of the ESMO/ASCO Global Curriculum (GC) thanks to contribution of 64 ESMO-appointed and 32 ASCO-appointed authors. First published in 2004 and updated in 2010, the GC edition 2016 answers to the need for updated recommendations for the training of physicians in medical oncology by defining the standard to be fulfilled to qualify as medical oncologists. At times of internationalisation of healthcare and increased mobility of patients and physicians, the GC aims to provide state-of-the-art cancer care to all patients wherever they live.

New Frameworks to Assess Value of Cancer Care: Strengths and Limitations.

Confronted with the different clinical impacts of different treatments, the rising cost of cancer care, and the financial burden of high drug prices, several influential professional organizations have developed models with which to assess the clinical benefit and value of cancer treatment regimens. The goal is a system of valuing patient therapies that is aligned with the beneficial impact to the patient and society and that moves away from a fixed cost regardless of clinical circumstances.