National Cancer Institute

FRIDAY, Feb. 21, 2025 -- Cancer mortality has decreased among Black Americans, but they still have elevated mortality rates compared with White Americans, according to a study published online Feb. 20 in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians . Anatu H. Saka, M.P.H., from the American Cancer Society in Atlanta, and colleagues compiled the most recent data on cancer incidence (through 2021), mortality (through 2022), survival, screening, and risk factors using population‐based data from the National Cancer Institute and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for Black people in the United States. The researchers note there will be about 248,470 new cancer cases and 73,240 cancer deaths among Black people in the United States in 2025. From 1991 to 2022, Black men experienced the largest relative decline in cancer mortality overall (49 percent) and in almost every 10-year age group, with decreases of 65 to 67 percent in those aged 40 to 59 years. The improvements mainly reflect historical reductions in smoking initiation in Black adolescents, treatment advances, and earlier detection for certain cancers. However, Black men had 16 percent higher mortality than White men during the most recent five years despite just a 4 percent higher incidence; Black women had 10 percent higher mortality despite a 9 percent lower incidence than White women. Larger inequalities for mortality than incidence reflect higher death rates for many cancers. The causes of ongoing disparities are multifactorial, but mainly stem from inequities in social determinants of health relating to structural racism. "Future efforts must go beyond research to disentangle the influence of structural racism on health and actively develop mechanisms to reverse course," the authors write. Abstract/Full Text Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.

FRIDAY, Feb. 21, 2025 -- Higher calcium intake is associated with reduced colorectal cancer (CRC) risk across tumor sites and calcium sources, according to a study published online Feb. 17 in JAMA Network Open . Semi Zouiouich, Ph.D., M.P.H., from the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland, and colleagues examined the association between calcium intake and CRC risk in a cohort study analyzing data from the National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health Study involving participants aged 50 to 71 years at baseline (October 1995 to May 1996) with self-reported good health and neither extremely high nor low caloric or calcium intake. The researchers identified 10,618 first primary CRC cases during 7,339,055 person-years of follow-up among 471,396 participants who were cancer-free at baseline. Mean total calcium intake for the lowest quintile (Q1) was 401 mg/d for women and 407 mg/d for men; mean total intake for the highest quintile (Q5) was 2,056 mg/d for women and 1,773 mg/d for men. A lower risk for CRC was seen in association with higher total calcium intake (Q5 versus Q1: hazard ratio, 0.71; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.65 to 0.78; P <  0.001 for trend); results were consistent across calcium sources and tumor sites. The mean calcium intake was 382 and 1,916 mg/d for Q1 and Q5, respectively, among non-Hispanic Black participants, with no association seen for total calcium intake with CRC risk (Q5 versus Q1: HR, 0.60; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.32 to 1.13; P = 0.12 for trend). No evidence of effect measure difference was seen by race and ethnicity. "While calcium intake may vary by race and ethnicity, the potential for calcium to play a role in CRC prevention appeared to be consistent across racial and ethnic groups; still, research in racial and ethnic minority populations is needed," the authors write. Abstract/Full Text Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.

Tecentriq is the first immune checkpoint inhibitor in Japan for unresectable alveolar soft part sarcoma, a disease with no standard treatment established Approval for unresectable alveolar soft part sarcoma in adults and children over 2 years, which is a type of alveolar soft part sarcoma of high incidence in the AYA (Adolescent and Young Adult) generation The approval is based on the results from an investigator-initiated Japanese phase II clinical study and a U.S. NCI-initiated overseas phase II clinical study TOKYO, February 20, 2025 -- Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (TOKYO: 4519) announced that it obtained regulatory approval today from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare for the anti-cancer agent/humanized anti-PD-L1 monoclonal antibody Tecentriq® Intravenous Infusion [generic name: atezolizumab (genetical recombination)] for an additional indication of unresectable alveolar soft part sarcoma. Tecentriq is the first immune checkpoint inhibitor in Japan for the treatment of this disease. “We are very pleased that we can offer Tecentriq as a new treatment for unresectable alveolar soft part sarcoma in adults and children over 2 years. This very rare disease, which occurs most often in the adolescents and young adults (AYA) generation, is known to have a poor prognosis with no standard treatment if it becomes unresectable. We will continue our efforts to provide information on the proper use of Tecentriq in order to contribute to the patients with unresectable alveolar soft part sarcoma,” said Chugai’s President and CEO, Dr. Osamu Okuda. This approval is based on the results from a phase II ALBERT study initiated by investigators in Japan including National Cancer Center Hospital and an overseas phase II clinical study conducted by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), which evaluated the efficacy and safety of Tecentriq in patients with unresectable alveolar soft part sarcoma. Chugai Pharmaceutical, a leading company in the oncology field, remains committed to addressing unmet medical needs in cancer treatment with innovative medicines, supporting patients and healthcare professionals. Approval Information *Newly added description Indications: unresectable alveolar soft part sarcoma Dosage and administrations: The usual adult dosage is 1200 mg atezolizumab (genetical recombination) administered by intravenous infusion over 60 minutes once every 3 weeks. The usual dose for children over 2 years old is 15 mg/kg (weight) (max 1200 mg) atezolizumab (genetical recombination) administered by intravenous infusion over 60 minutes once every 3 weeks. If the initial infusion is well tolerated, subsequent infusions can be delivered over 30 minutes. About the ALBERT study1 The ALBERT study is a domestic Phase II, multicenter, open-label, single-arm study led by physicians including National Cancer Center Hospital in Japan to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Tecentriq in patients aged 16 years and older with unresectable alveolar soft part sarcoma. The study enrolled 20 patients to investigate safety and efficacy. The ALBERT study is being conducted as a substudy of the MASTER KEY project, which promotes the development of treatments for rare cancers through industry-academia collaboration with the National Cancer Center Hospital. About alveolar soft part sarcoma2, 3 Alveolar soft part sarcoma is one of the ultra-rare cancers accounting for less than 1% of soft tissue sarcomas. It is estimated to occur in 15-40 Japanese people annually. It most commonly affects the limbs, mainly the thighs, and is more common among adolescents and young adults (15-35 years old, AYA (Adolescent and Young Adult) generation). Unresectable alveolar soft part sarcoma has a poor prognosis, and no standard treatment has been established. About Tecentriq Tecentriq is a cancer immune checkpoint inhibitor targeting PD-L1, which is a protein expressed on tumor and tumor-infiltrating immune cells. PD-L1 blocks T cell activity by binding with PD-1 and B7.1 receptors on T cell surface. By inhibiting PD-L1, Tecentriq may enable the activation of T cells and boost immune response against cancer cells. In Japan, Tecentriq was launched in April 2018 and has obtained approval for 4 indications (extensive-stage small cell lung cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, breast cancer, and hepatocellular carcinoma). Trademarks used or mentioned in this release are protected by law. Sources