Podcasts about texas md anderson cancer center

Join host Dr. Nikolaos Papadantonakis for an in-depth conversation with Dr. Sanam Loghavi of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. In this episode, we take listeners inside the hematopathology lab to demystify what happens after a bone marrow biopsy is performed.Dr. Loghavi explains how traditional morphologic assessment is integrated with modern,  molecular testing to establish the diagnosis of myelodysplastic syndromes.

In this episode of Same Surgeon, Different Light, cohosts Dr. Cherie Erkmen and Dr. Sara Pereira sit down with guest Dr. Ara Vaporciyan, professor of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, to explore a career dedicated to advancing surgical education and leadership.  Dr. Vaporciyan reflects on his path from an early fascination with heart transplantation to becoming a nationally recognized educator and institutional leader. He discusses the evolution of thoracic surgery, the demands of academic medicine, and his belief that expert surgeons must become “consciously competent” to effectively teach trainees.  Grounded in mentorship, negotiation, and “teaching to the gap,” he offers thoughtful insights on curriculum design, leadership, and preparing the next generation of surgeons.

In today's episode, we welcomed Luhua (Michael) Wang, MD, to discuss the implications of the full FDA approval of brexucabtagene autoleucel (Tecartus; brexu-cel) for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed/refractory mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). Dr Wang is a professor in the Department of Lymphoma/Myeloma in the Division of Cancer Medicine, as well as a professor in the Department of Stem Cell Transplantation at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.On April 2, 2026, the FDA granted traditional approval to brexu-cel based on data from the phase 2 ZUMA-2 trial (cohorts 1 and 2, NCT02601313; cohort 3, NCT04880434), with confirmatory data from cohort 3 showing that patients naive to a BTK inhibitor experienced an overall response rate (ORR) of 91% (95% CI, 82.5%-95.9%), a complete response (CR) rate of 79% (95% CI, 69.0%-87.1%), and a median duration of response (DOR) that was not reached (NR; 95% CI, 26.2 months-not evaluable).Dr Wang detailed the evolution of therapies in the MCL treatment paradigm, leading up to the approval of brexu-cel and the integration of CAR T-cell therapy. Along with highlighting the evolution of MCL management, Dr Wang explained how data from cohort 3 of ZUMA-2 add further context to the role of CAR T-cell therapy in the treatment paradigm and how it may affect treatment sequencing considerations.

In the first episode of our podcast series, Vivek Subbiah from the Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA, Martin Dietrich from the US Oncology Network and Cancer Care Centers of Brevard, Orlando, FL, USA, and Xiuning Le from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA introduce the emerging landscape of HER2-mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), highlighting its place within the broader context of lung cancer. This podcast is published open access in Targeted Oncology and is fully citeable. You can access the original published podcast article through the Targeted Oncology website and by using this link: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11523-026-01214-3. All conflicts of interest can be found online. Open Access This podcast is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License, which permits any non-commercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The material in this podcast is included in the article's Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article's Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/.

Glioma research has evolved rapidly over the past decade, driven by breakthroughs in molecular biology, imaging technologies, and computational tools. Today, clinicians can classify tumors with far greater precision than ever before, using genetic mutations, epigenetic markers, and advanced diagnostic frameworks. Yet, despite this progress, an important question remains: are we truly capturing the full picture of what shapes patient outcomes? Traditionally, glioma classification has focused on what can be measured in the tumor itself—its histology, molecular profile, and biological behavior. While these factors are undeniably critical, they may not fully explain why patients with similar tumors can experience very different clinical trajectories. Increasingly, researchers are beginning to recognize that broader influences—particularly social and environmental factors—may also play a role. Understanding how these different layers of information connect is becoming an important challenge in neuro-oncology. A review was published in Volume 17 of Oncotarget on March 31, 2026, titled “Bibliometric mapping of glioma classification research through main path, key route, and K-core analyses.” The study was led by first and corresponding author Kayode Ahmed from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, in collaboration with Juan E. Núñez-Ríos from Universidad Panamericana. Full blog - https://www.oncotarget.org/2026/05/05/mapping-the-hidden-structure-of-glioma-research-what-are-we-missing/ Paper DOI - https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.28851 Correspondence to - Kayode Ahmed - kmahmed@mdanderson.org Abstract video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8h2z3eEMFM Sign up for free Altmetric alerts about this article - https://oncotarget.altmetric.com/details/email_updates?id=10.18632%2Foncotarget.28851 Subscribe for free publication alerts from Oncotarget - https://www.oncotarget.com/subscribe/ Keywords - cancer, glioma research, social network analysis, socio-clinical domains, web of science, networks To learn more about Oncotarget, please visit https://www.oncotarget.com and connect with us on social media: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Oncotarget/ X - https://twitter.com/oncotarget Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/oncotargetjrnl/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@OncotargetJournal LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/oncotarget Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/oncotarget/ Reddit - https://www.reddit.com/user/Oncotarget/ Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0gRwT6BqYWJzxzmjPJwtVh MEDIA@IMPACTJOURNALS.COM

Dr Jaffer Ajani from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Dr Samuel Klempner from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Dr Rutika Mehta from Weill Cornell Medicine/NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital in New York, New York, and Dr John Strickler from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, review relevant data supporting immunotherapy for patients with gastroesophageal cancers and review recently presented clinical findings from the 2026 ASCO Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium. CME information and select publications here.

Dr Natalie Vokes from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston discusses recent developments with circulating tumor DNA assays in the management of lung cancer. CME information and select publications here.

Dr Matthew Milowsky from the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, comments on real patient cases of metastatic urothelial bladder cancer presented by Dr Jacqueline T Brown from the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia, and Dr Nazli Dizman from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.CME information and select publications here.

Editor's Choice:  Same day discharge after minimally invasive interval debulking surgery in advanced stage ovarian cancerEditorial: Same-day discharge in advanced ovarian cancer as a milestone of surgical evolution and patient selectionHosted by: Gregg Nelson, MD, PhD, FRCSC University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta CanadaFeaturing: Surabhi Tewari, MD, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mass General Brigham, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USAAlexander Melamed, MD MPH, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mass General Brigham, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USAJose Alejandro Rauh-Hain, MD MPH, Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USACheck out more content on the journal's homepage  at https://www.gynecologiconcology-online.net

Dr Ravin Ratan from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston discusses available clinical data with treatment approaches for desmoid tumors, alongside clinical cases illustrating real-world application.CME information and select publications here.

Dr Ravin Ratan from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston discusses available clinical data with treatment approaches for desmoid tumors, alongside clinical cases illustrating real-world application.CME information and select publications here.

BUFFALO, NY – April 6, 2026 – A new #review was #published in Volume 17 of Oncotarget on March 31, 2026, titled “Bibliometric mapping of glioma classification research through main path, key route, and K-core analyses.” Led by first and corresponding author Kayode Ahmed from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, and Juan E. Núñez-Ríos from Universidad Panamericana, the study uses bibliometric network analysis to map how glioma classification research has evolved across clinical, molecular, and social domains. The authors analyzed Web of Science data using direct citation networks and applied main path analysis, key route analysis, and K-core analysis to identify influential papers, critical routes, and densely connected thematic clusters. The network comprised 46,204 nodes and 231,432 arcs, highlighting the prominent role of DNA methylation profiling in molecular biomarker-based classification models. The authors also found that advanced imaging and molecular techniques were key drivers of the field, while the subset of glioma classification studies that incorporate social factors remained relatively scarce. Their analysis, therefore, points not only to the major intellectual structure of the literature but also to a thematic gap in how social determinants are represented in glioma classification research. “Through quantitative network analysis complemented by narrative interpretation, we uncovered patterns and substructures that offer deep insights into the evolving research landscape.” The authors conclude that their framework offers a more integrative view of glioma classification research than approaches centered only on citation counts or h-index–style metrics. By identifying the evolutionary logic of the field and the limited but notable presence of social factors, the study suggests future glioma classification models may benefit from incorporating clinical, molecular, and social dimensions more explicitly. DOI - https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.28851 Correspondence to - Kayode Ahmed - kmahmed@mdanderson.org Abstract video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8h2z3eEMFM Sign up for free Altmetric alerts about this article - https://oncotarget.altmetric.com/details/email_updates?id=10.18632%2Foncotarget.28851 Subscribe for free publication alerts from Oncotarget - https://www.oncotarget.com/subscribe/ Keywords - cancer, glioma research, social network analysis, socio-clinical domains, web of science, networks To learn more about Oncotarget, please visit https://www.oncotarget.com and connect with us on social media: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Oncotarget/ X - https://twitter.com/oncotarget Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/oncotargetjrnl/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@OncotargetJournal LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/oncotarget Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/oncotarget/ Reddit - https://www.reddit.com/user/Oncotarget/ Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0gRwT6BqYWJzxzmjPJwtVh MEDIA@IMPACTJOURNALS.COM

Dr Jaffer Ajani from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Dr Samuel Klempner from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Dr Rutika Mehta from Weill Cornell Medicine/NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital in New York, New York, and Dr John Strickler from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, review relevant data supporting immunotherapy for patients with gastroesophageal cancers and recently presented clinical findings from the 2026 ASCO Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium.CME information and select publications here.

Dr Matthew Milowsky from the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, comments on real patient cases of metastatic urothelial bladder cancer presented by Dr Jacqueline T Brown from the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia and Dr Nazli Dizman from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. CME information and select publications here.

Dr Jaffer Ajani from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Dr Rutika Mehta from Weill Cornell Medicine/NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital in New York, New York, Dr John Strickler from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, and moderator Dr Samuel Klempner from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston review relevant data supporting immunotherapy for patients with gastroesophageal cancers and review recently presented clinical findings from the 2026 ASCO Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium.CME information and select publications here.

Dr Jaffer Ajani from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Dr Rutika Mehta from Weill Cornell Medicine/NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital in New York, New York, Dr John Strickler from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, and moderator Dr Samuel Klempner from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston review relevant data supporting immunotherapy for patients with gastroesophageal cancers and review recently presented clinical findings from the 2026 ASCO Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium.CME information and select publications here.

Dr Jaffer Ajani from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Dr Rutika Mehta from Weill Cornell Medicine/NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital in New York, New York, Dr John Strickler from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, and moderator Dr Samuel Klempner from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston review relevant data supporting immunotherapy for patients with gastroesophageal cancers and review recently presented clinical findings from the 2026 ASCO Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium.CME information and select publications here.

Identification of pancreatic cystic lesions has become increasingly common due to improved resolution and increased utilization of cross-sectional imaging. However, there are many types of pancreatic cysts, each with varying degrees of malignant potential. In this episode from the HPB team at Behind the Knife, listen in as we discuss the clinical presentation, diagnostic work-up, and management strategies for various pancreatic cysts: Pseudocysts, Serous Cystadenomas, Mucinous Cystic Neoplasms, and IPMNs, amongst others. HostsAnish J. Jain MD (@anishjayjain) is a current PGY4 General Surgery resident at Stanford University and a former T32 Research Fellow at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.Jon M. Harrison MD is a Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic (HPB) surgeon at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, MA and a former HPB Surgery fellow at Stanford University. Learning Objectives·      Develop an understanding of the clinical presentation, diagnostic work-up, and treatment of benign pancreatic cysts·      Develop an understanding of the clinical presentation, diagnostic work-up, and treatment of pre-malignant pancreatic cysts·      Develop an understanding of when surveillance is appropriate for management of pancreatic cysts, and the criteria involved in making that determination·      Develop an understanding of the prognostic utility of PancSeq for IPMNsReferences: Paniccia A, Polanco PM, Boone BA, et al. Prospective, Multi-Institutional, Real-Time Next-Generation Sequencing of Pancreatic Cyst Fluid Reveals Diverse Genomic Alterations That Improve the Clinical Management of Pancreatic Cysts. Gastroenterology. 2023 Jan;164(1):117-133.e7.PubMed Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36209796/ Ohtsuka T, Fernandez-Del Castillo C, Furukawa T, et al. International evidence-based Kyoto guidelines for the management of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm of the pancreas. Pancreatology. 2024 Mar;24(2):255-270.PubMed Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38182527/ Zelga P, Hernandez-Barco YG, Qadan M, et al. Number of Worrisome Features and Risk of Malignancy in Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Neoplasm. J Am Coll Surg. 2022 Jun 1;234(6):1021-1030.PubMed Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35703792/ Ciprani D, Weniger M, Qadan M, et al. Risk of malignancy in small pancreatic cysts decreases over time. Pancreatology. 2020 Sep;20(6):1213-1217.PubMed Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32819844/ ***Fellowship Application Link: https://forms.gle/QSUrR2GWHDZ1MmWC6Sponsor Disclaimer: Visit goremedical.com/btkpod to learn more about GORE® SYNECOR Biomaterial, including supporting references and disclaimers for the presented content.Refer to Instructions for Use at eifu.goremedical.com for a complete description of all applicable indications, warnings, precautions and contraindications for the markets where this product is available. Rx only Please visit https://behindtheknife.org to access other high-yield surgical education podcasts, videos and more.  If you liked this episode, check out our recent episodes here: https://behindtheknife.org/listenBehind the Knife Premium:General Surgery Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/general-surgery-oral-board-reviewTrauma Surgery Video Atlas: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/trauma-surgery-video-atlasDominate Surgery: A High-Yield Guide to Your Surgery Clerkship: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/dominate-surgery-a-high-yield-guide-to-your-surgery-clerkshipDominate Surgery for APPs: A High-Yield Guide to Your Surgery Rotation: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/dominate-surgery-for-apps-a-high-yield-guide-to-your-surgery-rotationVascular Surgery Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/vascular-surgery-oral-board-audio-reviewColorectal Surgery Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/colorectal-surgery-oral-board-audio-reviewSurgical Oncology Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/surgical-oncology-oral-board-audio-reviewCardiothoracic Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/cardiothoracic-surgery-oral-board-audio-reviewDownload our App:Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/behind-the-knife/id1672420049Android/Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.btk.app&hl=en_US

In today's episode of OncLive On Air®, Jonathan Trent, MD, PhD, and Neeta Somaiah, MD, sat down to discuss the evolving role of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) testing in gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST), as well as the importance of identifying both initial drivers of disease and secondary resistance mechanisms when approaching frontline treatment selection and overall therapeutic sequencing.Trent is a professor of medicine, associate director of Clinical Research, and director of the Sarcoma Medical Research Program at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, in Florida. Somaiah is a professor and chair of the Department of Sarcoma Medical Oncology in the Division of Cancer Medicine at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.Drs Trent and Somaiah began their discussion by highlighting the rarity of GIST, underscoring the importance of evaluation at specialized sarcoma centers and comprehensive molecular testing to identify driver alterations.Somaiah then reviewed the molecular landscape of GIST, noting that approximately 70% to 80% of tumors harbor activating mutations in the KIT gene, while additional cases involve rarer alterations such as BRAF or NTRK fusions. Of note, resistance to imatinib (Gleevec) frequently emerges through secondary mutations in KIT exons 13 or 17, which can influence sensitivity to subsequent TKIs.ctDNA testing may help detect these resistance mechanisms, particularly at progression or when tissue is limited, enabling clinicians to refine sequencing strategies, both experts explained. They also discussed how mutation-informed approaches may guide treatment selection, including emerging strategies such as combining sunitinib (Sutent) with bezuclastinib to address resistant clones involving KIT exon 13 or 17 alterations.This content is a production of OncLive; this OncLive On Air podcast episode is supported by funding, however, content is produced and independently developed by OncLive.

Dr Ravin Ratan from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston discusses available clinical data with treatment approaches for desmoid tumors, alongside clinical cases illustrating real-world application.CME information and select publications here.

Dr Ravin Ratan from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston discusses available clinical data with treatment approaches for desmoid tumors, alongside clinical cases illustrating real-world application.CME information and select publications here.

Dr Ravin Ratan from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston discusses available clinical data with treatment approaches for desmoid tumors, alongside clinical cases illustrating real-world application.CME information and select publications here.

Dr Ravin Ratan from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston discusses available clinical data with treatment approaches for desmoid tumors, alongside clinical cases illustrating real-world application.CME information and select publications here.

"Our goal of precision oncology has been to shift to tailored therapies that can help to improve treatment efficacy and ultimately improve patient outcomes. Resistance biomarker testing can help the care team to detect these genomic changes that the tumor may have acquired during therapy that makes the cells resistant to therapy. This information can be extremely helpful when we're talking about making choices about second-line or subsequent-line therapy," ONS member Danielle Fournier, DNP, APRN, AGPCNP-BC, AOCNP®, advanced practice RN at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, told Jaime Weimer, MSN, RN, AGCNS-BS, AOCNS®, manager of oncology nursing practice at ONS, during a conversation about drug resistance biomarker testing. This podcast episode is sponsored by AstraZeneca. ONS is solely responsible for the criteria, objectives, content, quality, and scientific integrity of its programs and publications. Music Credit: "Fireflies and Stardust" by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons by Attribution 3.0  Episode Notes  This episode is not eligible for NCPD credit.  ONS Podcast™ episodes: Episode 389: Biomarker Testing for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Episode 373: Biomarker Testing in Prostate Cancer Episode 169: How Biomarker Testing Drives the Use of Targeted Therapies ONS Voice articles: Help Your Patients Understand Biomarker Resistance Testing Key Patient Education Points for Biomarker Resistance Testing Quick Quiz: How Much Do You Know About Drug Resistance in Cancer? Quick Quiz: How Much Do You Know About Somatic Biomarker Resistance Testing? When Targeted Therapy Stops Working, What's Next? Discover How Biomarker Resistance Testing Opens New Doors ONS Biomarker Database Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing article: Tumor-Agnostic Therapies Reshaping Cancer Care ONS book: Understanding Genomic and Hereditary Cancer Risk: A Handbook for Oncology Nurses ONS course: Genomic Foundations for Precision Oncology ONS Genomics and Precision Oncology Learning Library American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network: Access to Biomarker Testing page White paper: The Landscape of Biomarker Testing Coverage in the United States Find out which states are currently discussing biomarker testing bills and how you can advocate for them through ONS. To discuss the information in this episode with other oncology nurses, visit the ONS Communities. To find resources for creating an ONS Podcast club in your chapter or nursing community, visit the ONS Podcast Library. To provide feedback or otherwise reach ONS about the podcast, email pubONSVoice@ons.org. Highlights From This Episode "We know that biomarkers are playing an ever more important role in cancer care, and really, their use can range anywhere from helping us to confirm a given diagnosis, understand a patient's cancer susceptibility or risk, evaluate prognosis, as well as personalize treatment recommendations. … But in some cases, though, biomarkers can also help us to avoid therapies that are not likely to work. We also call these drug resistance biomarkers. These are those biomarkers that signify that a tumor is unlikely to respond to a given therapy." TS 1:50 "Resistance to cancer therapies is one of the most common issues that arises during cancer treatment. Because the populations of cancer cells within a tumor can be very diverse, when a given drug kills the cells that are sensitive to that therapy, it can also eventually leave behind resistant tumor cells, which can grow and multiply over time. So this can ultimately lead to a point where the treatment that was initially effective is no longer able to control the disease." TS 4:33 "While costs have come down, there can still be a cost associated with biomarker testing, and in some cases, this can be considered a barrier to care. What patients pay out of pocket can vary widely depending on their insurance coverage. So we have some data that was published from the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, and this was published a few years ago in 2023, which showed the average allowed unit cost to insurers per biomarker test ranged anywhere from about $79 for patients who were on Medicaid to about $224 for large-group, self-insured patients." TS 10:03 "There's research underway that's looking not only at genomic changes—so DNA changes that impact drug resistance—but how other substances such as RNA and proteins within the cell can also contribute to drug resistance. And this kind of falls into not just genomics but multiomics field. I have no doubt whatsoever that the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning is likely going to play a large role in drug resistance research. And really, these tools can help researchers to analyze complex data sets, identify novel resistance biomarkers, predict resistance patterns, as well as help to develop treatments that may overcome some of those resistance mechanisms." TS 17:00

In today's episode, we spoke with Eric K. Singhi, MD. Dr Singhi is an assistant professor in the departments of general oncology and thoracic/head and neck medical oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are rapidly emerging as one of the most exciting therapeutic advances in lung cancer. In this episode, Singhi explored how TROP2-directed ADCs are beginning to reshape treatment strategies across both non–small cell and small cell lung cancer.Singhi discussed where these agents currently fit within the treatment algorithm for EGFR-mutant non–small cell lung cancer, including the recent accelerated approval of datopotamab deruxtecan-dlnk (Datroway; Dato-DXd) and the evolving clinical data supporting its use after progression on targeted therapy and platinum-based chemotherapy. He also examined emerging evidence for other TROP2-targeting agents such as sacituzumab tirumotecan (sac-TMT) and what early trial results suggest about response rates and future treatment sequencing.Beyond efficacy, Singhi highlighted the practical considerations oncologists must navigate as ADCs enter routine practice, from managing chemotherapy-like toxicities to monitoring for unique adverse effects such as stomatitis, ocular effects, and interstitial lung disease.In our exclusive interview, Dr Singhi discussed where agents like dato-DXd and sac-TMT may fit in evolving treatment algorithms, the clinical data driving their momentum, and what oncologists should consider as these therapies move closer to routine practice in lung cancer.

In this episode, Courtney Holladay, VP and Chief Learning Officer at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, shares how the organization embeds leadership development across its 27,000 person workforce to improve engagement, patient experience, and research impact. She discusses cultivating leadership early, breaking down silos, and making development a strategic lever in the mission to eliminate cancer.

Dr Stacey A Cohen from the University of Washington in Seattle, Dr Arvind Dasari from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, and Dr Christopher Lieu from the University of Colorado Cancer Center in Aurora discuss the role of molecular residual disease assessment using circulating tumor DNA-based tools in the management of colorectal cancer.CME information and select publications here.

Dr Stacey A Cohen from the University of Washington in Seattle, Dr Arvind Dasari from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, and Dr Christopher Lieu from the University of Colorado Cancer Center in Aurora discuss the role of molecular residual disease assessment using circulating tumor DNA-based tools in the management of colorectal cancer.CME information and select publications here.

Dr Stacey A Cohen from the University of Washington in Seattle, Dr Arvind Dasari from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, and Dr Christopher Lieu from the University of Colorado Cancer Center in Aurora discuss the role of molecular residual disease assessment using circulating tumor DNA-based tools in the management of colorectal cancer.CME information and select publications here.

At the 2026 Tandem Meetings, CancerNetwork® spoke with a variety of experts who presented on key developments and advancements across hematologic oncology. As part of different oral presentations and poster sessions, researchers and clinicians shared updated findings that may influence the management of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), leukemia, lymphoma, and other blood cancer types.First, Fernando Duarte, head of the Bone Marrow Transplant Service at Walter Cantídio University Hospital (HUWC), hematologist and professor at the Federal University of Ceará, and president of the Brazilian Society of Cell Therapy and Bone Marrow Transplant, highlighted his presentation analyzing trends associated with allogenic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) among patients with MDS or myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) and other types of MDS. Data from the Brazillian SBTMO and CIBMTR registry revealed that patients receiving allo-HCT for MDS/MPN were typically older with worse performance statuses. Additionally, MDS/MPN independently predicted worse overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival outcomes.Next, Alfonso Molina, MD, MPH, a third-year Hematology and Medical Oncology fellow at Stanford University, detailed results from a phase 1 trial (NCT05507827) assessing Orca-T, an investigational allogeneic T-cell immunotherapy, among those with high-risk B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). Treatment with Orca-T yielded disease-free survival and OS in all (100%) 18 evaluable patients after a median follow-up of 14 months (range, 3-35), which occurred without graft failure, significant graft-versus-host-disease, or severe CAR-mediated toxicity.Finally, Irtiza N. Sheikh, DO, an assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics - Patient Care, Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Section of the Division of Pediatrics at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discussed his presentation exploring differences in outcomes with lisocabtagene maraleucel (Breyanzi; liso-cel) across various treatment settings and patient populations with large B-cell lymphoma. Data demonstrated that among patients younger than 50 years old, liso-cel produced enduring responses across real-world and clinical trial settings, which were comparable to outcomes in overall populations. References Duarte FB, Garcia YDO, Hamerschlak N, et al. Comparative outcomes of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation in myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative neoplasms and other myelodysplastic syndromes: Brazilian Sbtmo/CIBMTR registry analysis. Presented at: 2026 Transplantation & Cellular Therapy Meetings of ASTCT and CIBMTR; February 4-7, 2026; Salt Lake City, UT. Presentation 63. Molina A, Shiraz A, Kanegai A, et al. Mature outcomes from the phase I trial of Orca-T and allogeneic CD19/CD22 CAR-T cells for adults with high-risk B-ALL. Presented at: 2026 Transplantation & Cellular Therapy Meetings of ASTCT and CIBMTR; February 4-7, 2026; Salt Lake City, UT. Presentation 31. Sheikh IN, Patel K, Perales MA, et al. Clinical outcomes of lisocabtagene maraleucel (liso-cel) in YOUNGER PATIENTS (Pts) with relapsed or refractory (R/R) large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL). Presented at: 2026 Transplantation & Cellular Therapy Meetings of ASTCT and CIBMTR; February 4-7, 2026; Salt Lake City, UT. Poster 210.

In today's episode, we spoke with Nicholas Short, MD. Dr Short is an associate professor in the Department of Leukemia of the Division of Cancer Medicine at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.In our exclusive interview, Dr Short discussed evolving factors at play for the treatment of patients with Philadelphia chromosome (Ph)–positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). He also noted how the TKI ponatinib (Iclusig) stacks up against other TKIs for Ph-positive ALL, in addition to evolving approaches that incorporate treatments like blinatumomab (Blincyto).

Olufunmilayo “Funmi” Olopade, director for the Center for Clinical Cancer Genetics and Global Health at the University of Chicago, credits her Nigerian upbringing for her focus on global cancer genetics.“My Yoruba culture really worships our ancestors and the people before us,” Olopade said on the Cancer History Project podcast. “And so that's why I was able to really say, ‘Okay, let's lay the foundation for genetics. Let's go to Nigeria.'”Olopade appears on this special Black History Month episode of the Cancer History Project Podcast in conversation with Robert A. Winn, director and Lipman Chair in Oncology at VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center and guest editor for The Cancer Letter for Black History Month highlighting some of the giants in the field of cancer research.This episode is sponsored by City of Hope, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.Olopade is certainly a giant in cancer genetics and global health.“For those of you who don't know, Dr. Olopade is not only the director of the Center for Clinical Cancer Genetics and Global Health at the University of Chicago, but she is really a giant in the field and internationally renowned in the context of her expertise in breast cancer,” Winn said on the podcast. “By the way, for those of you who thought you knew Dr. Olopade, remember that she is a really rare, not only National Academy, but in that top 1% of 1% of the 2025 MacArthur Fellowship, also known as the Genius Grant.”On this episode of the Cancer History Project Podcast, Olopade shares her story of immigrating to the U.S. from Nigeria to pursue medicine, and finding her way to becoming a leading expert in oncology.“For us to honor Black History Month, we have to honor all the people who mentored us, who were ahead of us,” Olopade said. “For me, my father was a pastor, and my parents really wanted a doctor. I had big brothers and sisters, I was number 5 of 6 children, and there was just one last chance to find a doctor in the family. Because in those days, growing up in Nigeria, you were either a teacher or a pastor, or and then in his generation he became a pastor.”Growing up in Nigeria, Olopade was deeply influenced by the health disparities she saw due to lack of healthcare access, which initially sparked an interest in cardiology.Explore related articles and read the full transcript: https://cancerhistoryproject.com/article/funmi-olopade-podcast/ 

Dr Jaffer Ajani from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Dr Rutika Mehta from Weill Cornell Medicine/NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital in New York, New York, Dr John Strickler from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, and Dr Samuel Klempner from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston review relevant data supporting immunotherapy for patients with gastroesophageal cancers and review recently presented clinical findings from the 2026 ASCO Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium.CME information and select publications here.

Dr Jaffer Ajani from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Dr Rutika Mehta from Weill Cornell Medicine/NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital in New York, New York, Dr John Strickler from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, and Dr Samuel Klempner from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston review relevant data supporting immunotherapy for patients with gastroesophageal cancers and review recently presented clinical findings from the 2026 ASCO Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium.CME information and select publications here.

The treatment landscape for melanoma continues to evolve at a rapid pace, with new clinical trial data and therapeutic modalities refining how clinicians approach both early-stage and advanced disease. Michael A. Davies, MD, PhD, Professor and Chairman of the Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, recently chaired i3 Health's CME/NCPD/AAPA activity, "Melanoma in Minutes: Evidence-Driven Care for Improved Patient Outcomes." With numerous new developments in melanoma treatment over recent months, Dr. Davies sat down again to share these critical updates that are impacting practice. After the interview, stay tuned to hear module 2 of the full podcast activity. Click the link to complete module 2 and claim your free credit: bit.ly/44yO9RB

The treatment landscape for melanoma continues to evolve at a rapid pace, with new clinical trial data and therapeutic modalities refining how clinicians approach both early-stage and advanced disease. Michael A. Davies, MD, PhD, Professor and Chairman of the Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, recently chaired i3 Health's CME/NCPD/AAPA activity, "Melanoma in Minutes: Evidence-Driven Care for Improved Patient Outcomes." With numerous new developments in melanoma treatment over recent months, Dr. Davies sat down again to share these critical updates that are impacting practice. After the interview, stay tuned to hear module 1 of the full podcast activity. Click the link to complete module 1 and claim your free credit: bit.ly/4iYmYD2

In today's episode, the discussion features Guillermo Garcia-Manero, MD, who reviewed the clinical rationale for targeting BCL-2 in higher-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and outlined the phase 3 GLORA-4 trial (NCT06641414) evaluating lisaftoclax (APG-2575) plus azacitidine (Vidaza) in this population. Dr Garcia-Manero is the chair ad interim in the Department of Leukemia in the Division of Cancer Medicine, as well as leader of the MDS/AML Moon Shot Program, at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.In the exclusive interview, Dr Garcia-Manero contextualized lisaftoclax as a next-generation BCL-2 inhibitor being advanced as a hypomethylating agent (HMA) partner strategy intended to improve on outcomes historically achieved with azacitidine alone in higher-risk MDS. He emphasized that GLORA-4 is designed as a registrational, randomized trial to rigorously assess whether adding BCL-2 inhibition to standard HMAs can meaningfully deepen responses and translate into clinically relevant benefit. He also characterized the regimen's tolerability profile in a population that often requires careful supportive care and dose management.

As we turn the page on a new year, the neuroendocrine cancer community isn't just reflecting on progress—we're looking ahead. This episode of NETWise explores where the field is going next, and what that future means for patients, caregivers, and clinicians alike.Recorded in connection with the 2025 NETRF Neuroendocrine Cancer Research Symposium, this conversation brings together researchers, physicians, patient advocates, and NETRF leaders to examine the momentum shaping the years ahead.In this episode, you'll hear about:How emerging therapies—from PRRT advances to immune-based and cell therapies—are changing careWhy precision medicine, surface targeting, and biomarkers are defining the next era of researchNETRF's research roadmap, focused on early detection, improved treatments, and precision medicine.The growing role of patient education, self-advocacy, and “thrivership” in living well with NETs and Neuroendocrine CarcinomaHow collaboration across institutions and disciplines is accelerating progress toward better outcomesThis isn't just a vision of the future—it's the work already underway, and the direction the field is moving next.Whether you're a patient, caregiver, clinician, or advocate, this episode offers clear, accessible insights into the breakthroughs that’s driving the research forward.Please like, share, and subscribe. Your engagement helps us reach more patients and caregivers seeking reliable neuroendocrine cancer information—and supports NETRF's mission to expand research, awareness, and hope across the NET community. NET specialists included in this episodeUse our episode infographics to get a visual picture of some of the things we have discussed. Po-Hien Ear, PhDAssistant Professor of Surgery (Surgical Oncology & Endocrine Surgery), University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine Martyn Caplin, MD, PhD, FRCPProfessor of Gastroenterology & Tumour Neuroendocrinology, Royal Free Hospital & University College London (UCL) Carl Gay, MD, PhDAssistant Professor, Department of Thoracic/Head & Neck Medical OncologyDivision of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX Pamela L. Kunz, MDDirector, Center for Gastrointestinal Cancers, Smilow Cancer Hospital & Yale Cancer CenterChief, GI Medical Oncology, Yale School of Medicine Neil Renwick, MD, PhD, FRCPCAssistant Professor, Department of Pathology & Molecular Medicine, Queen's University(SEAMO New Clinician-Scientist Program) Nancy Joseph, MD, PhDProfessor of Surgical Pathology, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) Iacovos Michael, PhDSunnybrook Research institute and University of Toronto Elsa Hadj Bachir, PhDResearch Fellow in Medicine Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Thank you to NETRF staff members Elyse Gellerman and Anna Greene, PhD, and NETRF Board Members Josh Mailman, and Todd Gillman for their contributions to this episode.A special thank you to Jake Dawson and Nancy Lewis for sharing their neuroendocrine cancer journeys. Download a transcript of this episode. The post Episode 51: A New Year— Where We're Going appeared first on NETRF.

In this episode of ASTCT Talks, host Terri Lynn Shigle, PharmD(The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center; Pharmacy SIG Immediate Past-Chair), sits down with Zainab Shahid, MD (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center; ID SIG Chair), and Gabriela Maron, MD (St. Jude Children's ResearchHospital). As coauthors of the ASTCT Practice Guidelines, "American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Best Practice Considerations for the Prevention and Management of Infections After Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell Therapy for Hematological Malignancies," recently published in Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, they discuss the implementation of critical strategies for safeguarding CAR T recipients.The conversation explores the nuances of the manuscript,providing a practical perspective on translating these consensus recommendations into clinical operations.Assessing the Burden of Immunosuppression: Evaluating the cumulative risk factors that predispose CAR T recipients to infection, including heavy pretreatment and the effects of lymphodepletion.Prophylaxis Optimization: Critical considerations regarding the timing, selection, and duration of antimicrobial regimens in the post-CAR T setting.Managing Hypogammaglobulinemia: A pragmatic look at IVIG replacement strategies, balancing emerging clinical evidence with institutional protocols and global product shortages.Addressing Evidence Gaps: Insider insights into the expert panel's deliberations on "grey areas," such as the management of CMV reactivation and optimal post-therapy vaccination schedules.The Pediatric-Adult Continuum: Ensuring that prevention and management strategies are robust and applicable across the full age spectrum of CAR-T recipients.This episode provides essential context for cliniciansseeking to move beyond the published guidelines and operationalize these bestpractices with greater precision and confidence.Thank you to Johnson & Johnson and Legend Biotech forsupporting this episode.

Dr Scott Kopetz from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston discusses recent developments with circulating tumor DNA assays in the management of colorectal cancer. CME information and select publications here.

Dr Scott Kopetz from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston discusses recent developments with circulating tumor DNA assays in the management of colorectal cancer. CME information and select publications here.

Dr Scott Kopetz from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston discusses recent developments with circulating tumor DNA assays in the management of colorectal cancer.CME information and select publications here.

Dr Scott Kopetz from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston discusses recent developments with circulating tumor DNA assays in the management of colorectal cancer.CME information and select publications here.

In today's episode, we had the pleasure of speaking with Jason Mouabbi, MD, about the role of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) testing in early-stage breast cancer management. Dr Mouabbi is an assistant professor in the Department of Breast Medical Oncology in the Division of Cancer Medicine at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. In our exclusive interview, Dr Mouabbi highlighted the ways that ctDNA has evolved from a research tool to a potential clinical decision-making aid in breast cancer, data suggesting that ctDNA negativity after neoadjuvant therapy can be more predictive of long-term outcomes than pathologic complete response, and the importance of offering ctDNA testing to patients and discussing the benefits of this emerging approach.

What exactly is 'phantom pain' and how does it work? Hannah and Dara investigate a medical phenomenon that's been known about for centuries but is often misunderstood; and involves masses of unanswered questions.The condition 'phantom pain' is when someone gets a sensation of pain that feels like it's coming from a part of their body that's no longer there - so that could be an amputated limb, or perhaps something that has been removed, such as a tooth or an organ. It's thought to be caused by how the brain and body process pain and physical awareness, but there's still debate around what exactly is going on neurologically.Researchers around the world are looking into the condition; in the meantime, people who experience phantom pain - like today's studio guest Lynn - often have to try out a range of treatments, to find out what combination works best for them. But as the team discover, pain is deeply subjective - and in this case, there is really no 'right answer'...Contributors: - Tamar Makin, Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at the MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit at the University of Cambridge, where she leads the Plasticity Lab; - Lynn Williams, a qualified therapist and upper limb amputee who volunteered as a subject for one of Tamar's research programmes; - Carlos Roldan, Associate Professor in the Department of Pain Medicine at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center; - Keren Fisher, a Consultant Clinical Psychologist who's worked in the NHS for more than four decades; largely in pain management at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital.Producers: Emily Bird & Lucy Taylor Executive Producer: Alexandra FeachemA BBC Studios Audio Production

Dr John Heymach from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston discusses recent updates on available and novel treatment strategies for HER2-altered non-small cell lung cancer. CME information and select publications here.

Dr. Monty Pal and Dr. Jason Westin discuss the federal funding climate for cancer research and the persistent problem of drug shortages, two of the major concerns facing the oncology community in 2026. TRANSCRIPT Dr. Monty Pal: Hello and welcome to the ASCO Daily News Podcast. I am your host, Dr. Monty Pal. I am a medical oncologist and vice chair of academic affairs at the City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center in Los Angeles. There are always multiple challenges facing oncologists, and today, we discuss two of them that really stand out for 2026: threats to federal funding for cancer research and the persistent problem of drug shortages. I am thrilled to welcome Dr. Jason Westin, who believes that one way to meet these challenges is to get oncologists more involved in advocacy, and he will share some strategies to help us meet this moment in oncology. Dr. Westin is a professor in the Department of Lymphoma and Myeloma at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, but he actually wears a lot of hats within ASCO. He is a member of the Board of Directors and has also previously served as chair of ASCO's Government Relations Committee. And he is also one of the inaugural members of ASCO's Political Action Committee, or PAC. He has testified before Congress about drug shortages and many other issues. Dr. Westin, I am really excited to have you on the podcast today and dive into some of these elements that will really impact our community in 2026. Thanks so much for joining us today. Dr. Jason Westin: Thank you for having me. Dr. Monty Pal: You've had such a range of experience. I already alluded to you testifying before Congress. You've actually run for office before. You wear so many different hats. I'm used to checking my PubMed every other day and seeing a new paper out from you and your group, and you publish in the New England Journal [of Medicine] on practice-setting standards and the diseases that you treat. But you've also done all this work in the domain of advocacy. I can't imagine that balancing that is easy. What has sort of motivated you on the advocacy front? Dr. Jason Westin: Advocacy to me is another way to apply our skills and help more people than just those that you're sitting across from at the time. Clinical research, of course, is a tool to try and take what we know and apply it more broadly to people that you'll never meet. And advocacy, I think, can do the same thing, where you can have a conversation with a lawmaker, you can advocate for a position, and that hopefully will help thousands or maybe even more people down the road who you'd never get to directly interact with. And so, I think it's a force multiplier in the same way that research can be. And so, I think advocacy is a wonderful part of how doctors care for our patients. And it's something that is often difficult to know where to start, but once people get into advocacy, they can see that the power, the rewarding nature of it is attractive, and most people, once they get going, continue with that through the rest of their career. Dr. Monty Pal: So, I'll ask you to expand on that a little bit. We have a lot of our younger ASCO members listening to this podcast, folks that are just starting out their careers in clinical practice or academia. Where does that journey begin? How do you get to the point that you're testifying in front of Congress and taking on these bigger sort of stances for the oncology community? Dr. Jason Westin: Yeah, with anything in medicine and in our careers, you have to start somewhere. And often you start with baby steps before you get in front of a panel of senators or other high-profile engagement opportunities. But often the first setting for junior colleagues to be engaged is doing things – we call them "Hill Days" – but basically being involved in kind of low-stakes meetings where you're with a group of peers, some of whom have done this multiple times before, and can get engaged talking to members of representatives' offices, and doing so in a way where it's a natural conversation that you're telling a story about a patient in your clinic, or that you're telling a personal experience from a policy that impacted your ability to deliver optimal care. It sounds stressful, but once you're doing it, it's not stressful. It's actually kind of fun. And it's a way that you can get comfort and skill with a group of peers who are there and able to help you. And ASCO has a number of ways to do that, both at the federal level, there's the Hill Day where we each April have several hundred ASCO members travel to Capitol Hill. There's also state engagement that can be done, so-called visiting at home, when representatives from the U.S. Congress or from state legislators are back in district. You can meet with your own representatives on behalf of yourself, on behalf of your organization, and advocate for policies in a way that can be beneficial to your patients. But those initial meetings that are in the office often they're low stakes because you could be meeting not with the representative but with their staff. And that staff sometimes is as young or even younger than our junior colleagues. These sometimes can be people in their 20s, but they're often extremely knowledgeable, extremely approachable, and are used to dealing with people who are new to advocacy. But they actually help make decisions within the office. So it's not a waste of time. It's actually a super useful way to engage. So, it's that first step of anything in life. The activation energy is always high to do something new. But I'd encourage people who are listening to this podcast already having some level of interest about it to explore ways that they could engage more. Dr. Monty Pal: You know, I have to tell you, I'm going to riff on what you just said for a second. ASCO couldn't make it any easier, I think, for folks to participate and get involved. So, if you're listening to this and scratching your head and thinking, "Well, where do I begin? How do I actually sign on for that meeting with a local representative?" Go to the ASCO ACT Network website. And I'll actually talk to our producer, Geraldine, to make sure we've got a link to that somewhere associated with this podcast after it's published, Jason, but I actually keep that on my browser and it's super easy. I check in there every now and then and see if there's any new policy or legislation that ASCO, you know, is sort of taking a stance on, and it gives me some fodder for conversation with my local representatives too. I mean, it's just an awesome, awesome vehicle. I'm going to segue right from there right to the issues. So, you and I are both at academic centers. You know, I think this is something that really pervades academia and enters into implications for general clinical practice. There's been this, you know, massive sort of proposal for decreased funding to the NCI and to the NIH and so forth. Tell us what ASCO is doing in that regard, and tell us perhaps how our community can help. Dr. Jason Westin: We live in interesting times, and I think that may be an understatement x 100. But obviously investments in research are things that when you're at an academic center, you see and feel that as part of your daily life. Members of Congress need to be reminded of that because there's a lot of other competing interests out there besides investing in the future through research. And being an elected representative is a hard job. That is something where you have to make difficult choices to support this, and that may mean not supporting that. And there's lots of good things where our tax dollars could be spent. And so, I'm sympathetic to the idea that there's not unlimited resources. However, ASCO has done an excellent job, and ASCO members have led the charge on this, of stating what research does, what is the benefit of research, and therefore why should this matter to elected representatives, to their staff, and to those people that they're elected to serve. And ASCO has led with a targeted campaign to basically have that message be conveyed at every opportunity to elected representatives. And each year on Hill Day, one of the asks that we have is to continue to support research: the NCI, NIH, ARPA-H, these are things that are always in the asks to make sure that there's appropriate funding. But effectively playing offense by saying, "It's not just a number on a sheet of paper, this is what it means to patients. This is what it means to potentially your loved ones in the future if you are in the opposite situation where you're not on the legislative side, but you're in the office receiving a diagnosis or receiving a difficult piece of news." We only have the tools we have now because of research, and each breakthrough has been years in the making and countless hours spent funded through the engine of innovation: clinical research and translational research. And so ASCO continues to beat that drum. You mentioned earlier the ACT Network. Just to bring that back again is a very useful, very easy tool to communicate to your elected representatives. When you sign up on the ASCO ACT website, you get emails periodically, not too much, but periodically get emails of, "This is a way you can engage with your lawmakers to speak up for this." And as you said, Monty, they make it as easy as possible. You click the button, you type in your address so that it figures out who your elected representatives are, and then it will send a letter on your behalf after like five clicks to say, "I want you to support research. I want you to vote for this particular thing which is of interest to ASCO and by definition to members of ASCO." And so the ACT Network is a way that people listening can engage without having to spend hours and significant time, but just a few clicks can send that letter to a representative in Congress. And the question could be: does that matter? Does contacting your senator or your elected representative do anything? If all they're hearing is somebody else making a different argument and they're hearing over and over again from people that want investments in AI or investments in something else besides cancer research, whatever it is, they may think that there's a ground shift that people want dollars to be spent over here as opposed to at the NIH or NCI or in federally funded research. It is important to continue to express the need for federal funding for our research. And so, it really is important for folks to engage. Dr. Monty Pal: 100%. One of the things that I think is not often obvious to a lot of our listeners is where the support for clinical trials comes from. You know, you've obviously run the whole gamut of studies as have I. You know, we have our pharmaceutical company-sponsored studies, which are in a particular bucket. But I would say that there's a very important and critical subset of studies that are actually government funded, right? NCI-funded clinical trials. If you don't mind, just explain to our audience the critical nature of the work that's being done in those types of studies and if you can, maybe compare and contrast the studies that are done in that bucket versus perhaps the pharmaceutical bucket. Dr. Jason Westin: Both are critical, and we're privileged that we have pharma studies that are sponsored and federally funded clinical research. And I think that part of a healthy ecosystem for us to develop new breakthroughs has a need for both. The pharma sponsored studies are done through the lens of trying to get an approval for an agent that's of interest so that the pharma company can then turn around and use that outside of a clinical trial after an FDA approval. And so those studies are often done through the lens of getting over the finish line by showing some superiority over an existing treatment or in a new patient population. But they're done through that lens of kind of the broadest population and sometimes relatively narrow endpoints, but to get the approval so that then the drug can be widely utilized. Clinical trials done through cooperative groups are sometimes done to try and optimize that or to try and look at comparative things that may not be as attractive to pharma studies, not necessarily going for that initial approval, but the fine tuning or the looking at health outcomes or looking at ensuring that we do studies in representative populations that may not be as well identified on the pharma sponsored trials, but basically filling out the gaps in the knowledge that we didn't gain from the initial phase 3 trial that led to the approval. And so both are critical. But if we only do pharma sponsored trials, if we don't fund federally supported research and that dries up, the fear I have, and many others have, is that we're going to be lacking a lot of knowledge about the best ways to use these great new therapies, these new immune therapies, or in my team, we do a lot of clinical trials on CAR T-cell therapies. If we don't have federally funded research to do the important clinical studies, we'll be in the dark about the best ways to use these drugs, and that's going to be a terrible shame. And so we really do need to continue to support federal research. Dr. Monty Pal: Yeah, there are no softball questions on this podcast, but I think everybody would be hard pressed to think that you and I would come on here and say, "Well, no, we don't need as much money for clinical trials and NCI funding" and so forth. But I think a really challenging issue to tackle, and this is something we thought to ask you ahead of the podcast, is what to do about the general climate of, you know, whether it's academic research or clinical practice here that seems to be getting some of our colleagues thinking about moving elsewhere. I've actually talked to a couple of folks who are picking up and moving to Europe for a variety of considerations, other continents, frankly. The U.S. has always been a leader when it comes to oncology research and, one might argue, research in general. Some have the mindset these days that we're losing that footing a little bit. What's your perspective? Are you concerned about some of the trends that you're seeing? What does your crystal ball tell you? Dr. Jason Westin: I am highly concerned about this. I think as you said, the U.S. has been a leader for a long time, but it wasn't always. This is not something that's preordained that the world-leading clinical research and translational research will always be done in the United States. That is something that has been developed as an ecosystem, as an engine for innovation and for job development, new technology development, since World War II. That's something that through intentional investments in research was developed that the best and brightest around the world, if they could choose to go anywhere, you wanted them to come to work at universities and academic places within the United States. And I think, as you said, that's at risk if you begin to dry up the investment in research or if you begin to have less focus on being engaged in research in a way that is forward thinking, not just kind of maintaining what we do now or only looking at having private, for profit sponsored research. But if you don't have the investment in the basic science research and the translational research and the forward-thinking part of it, the fear is that we lose the advantage and that other countries will say, "Thank you very much," and be happy to invest in ways to their advantage. And I think as you mentioned, there are people that are beginning to look elsewhere. I don't think that it's likely that a significant population of researchers in the U.S. who are established and have careers and families – I don't think that we're going to see a mass exodus of folks. I think the real risk to me is that the younger, up-and-coming people in undergraduate or in graduate school or in medical school and are the future superstars, that they could either choose to go into a different field, so they decide not to go into what could be the latest breakthroughs for cancer patients but could be doing something in AI or something in a different field that could be attractive to them because of less uncertainty about funding streams, or they could take that job offer if it's in a different country. And I think that's the concern is it may not be a 2026 problem, but it could be a 2036 or a 2046 problem that we reap what we sow if we don't invest in the future. Dr. Monty Pal: Indeed, indeed. You know, I've had the pleasure of reviewing abstracts for some of our big international meetings, as I'm sure you've done in the past too. I see this trend where, as before, we would see the preponderance of large phase 3 clinical trials and practice setting studies being done here in the U.S., I'm seeing this emergence of China, of other countries outside of the U.S. really taking lead on these things. And it certainly concerns me. If I had to sort of gauge this particular issue, it's at the top of my list in terms of what I'm concerned about. But I also wanted to ask you, Jason, in terms of the issues that are looming over oncology from an advocacy perspective, what else really sort of keeps you up at night? Dr. Jason Westin: I'm quite concerned about the drug shortages. I think that's something that is a surprisingly evergreen problem. This is something that is on its face illogical that we're talking about the greatest engine for research in the world being the United States and the investment that we've made in drug development and the breakthroughs that have happened for patients all around the world, many of them happen in the United States, and yet we don't necessarily have access to drugs from the 1970s or 1980s that are cheap, generic, sterile, injectable drugs. This is the cisplatins and the vincristines and the fludarabine type medications which are not the sexy ones that you see the ads in the magazine or on TV at night. These are the backbone drugs for many of our curative intent regimens for pediatrics and for heme malignancies and many solid tumors. And the fact that that's continuing to be an issue is, in my opinion, a failure to address the root causes, and those are going to require legislative solutions. The root causes here are basically a race to the bottom where the economics to invest in quality manufacturing really haven't been prioritized. And so it's a race to the cheapest price, which often means you undercut your competitor, and when you don't have the money to invest in good manufacturing processes, the factory breaks down, there's no alternative, you go into shortage. And this has been going on for a couple of decades, and I don't think there's an end in sight until we get a serious solution proposed by our elected officials. That is something that bothers me in the ways where we know what we should be doing for our patients, but if we don't have the drugs, we're left to be creative in ways we shouldn't have to do to figure out a plan B when we've got curative intent therapies. And I think that's a real shame.  There's obviously a lot of other things that are concerning related to oncology, but something that I have personally had experience with when I wanted to give a patient a CAR T-cell, and we don't have a supply of fludarabine, which is a trivial drug from decades ago in terms of the technology investments in genetically modified T-cells, to not then have access to a drug that should be pennies on the dollar and available at any time you want it is almost like the Air Force investing in building the latest stealth bomber, but then forgetting to get the jet fuel in a way that they can't use it because they don't have the tools that they need. And so I think that's something that we do need to have comprehensive solutions from our elected officials. Dr. Monty Pal: Brilliantly stated. I like that analogy a lot. Let's get into the weeds for a second. What would that proposal to Congress look like? What are we trying to put in front of them to help alleviate the drug shortages? Dr. Jason Westin: We could spend a couple hours, and I know podcasts usually are not set up to do that. And so I won't go through every part. I will direct you that there have been a couple of recent publications from ASCO specifically detailing solutions, and there was a recent white paper from the Senate Finance Committee that went through some legislative solutions being explored. So Dr. Gralow, ASCO CMO, and I recently had a publication in JCO OP detailing some solutions, more in that white paper from the Senate Finance. And then there's a working group actually going through ASCO's Health Policy Committee putting together a more detailed proposal that will be published probably around the end of 2026. Very briefly, what needs to happen is for government contracts for purchasing these drugs, there needs to be an outlay for quality, meaning that if you have a manufacturing facility that is able to deliver product on time, reliably, you get a bonus in terms of your contract. And that changes the model to prioritize the quality component of manufacturing. Without that, there's no reason to invest in maintaining your machine or upgrading the technology you have in your manufacturing plant. And so you have bottlenecks emerge because these drugs are cheap, and there's not a profit margin. So you get one factory that makes this key drug, and if that factory hasn't had an upgrade in their machines in 20 years, and that machine conks out and it takes 6 months to repair or replacement, that is an opportunity for that drug to go into shortage and causes a mad dash for big hospitals to purchase the drug that's available, leaving disparities to get amplified. It's a nightmare when those things happen, and they happen all the time. There are usually dozens, if not hundreds, of drugs in shortage at any given time. And this has been going on for decades. This is something that we do need large, system-wide fixes and that investment in quality, I think, will be a key part. Dr. Monty Pal: Yeah, brilliantly said. And I'll make sure that we actually include those articles on the tagline for this podcast as well. I'll talk to our producer about that as well.  I'm really glad you mentioned the time in your last comment there because I felt like we just started, but in fact, I think we're right at our close here, Jason, unfortunately. So, I could have gone on for a couple more hours with you. I really want to thank you for these absolutely terrific insights and thank you for all your advocacy on behalf of ASCO and oncologists at large. Dr. Jason Westin: Thank you so much for having me. I have enjoyed it. Dr. Monty Pal: Thanks a lot. And many thanks to our listeners too. You can find more information about ASCO's advocacy agenda and activities at asco.org. Finally, if you value the insights that you heard today on the ASCO Daily News Podcast, please rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks so much. ASCO Advocacy Resources: Get involved in ASCO's Advocacy efforts: ASCO Advocacy Toolkit Crisis of Cancer Drug Shortages: Understanding the Causes and Proposing Sustainable Solutions, JCO Oncology Practice Disclaimer: The purpose of this podcast is to educate and to inform. This is not a substitute for professional medical care and is not intended for use in the diagnosis or treatment of individual conditions. Guests on this podcast express their own opinions, experience, and conclusions. Guest statements on the podcast do not express the opinions of ASCO. The mention of any product, service, organization, activity, or therapy should not be construed as an ASCO endorsement. Find out more about today's speakers:     Dr. Monty Pal   @montypal   Dr. Jason Westin @DrJasonWestin   Follow ASCO on social media:      @ASCO on X     ASCO on Bluesky    ASCO on Facebook      ASCO on LinkedIn      Disclosures:     Dr. Monty Pal:    Speakers' Bureau: MJH Life Sciences, IntrisiQ, Peerview   Research Funding (Inst.): Exelixis, Merck, Osel, Genentech, Crispr Therapeutics, Adicet Bio, ArsenalBio, Xencor, Miyarsian Pharmaceutical   Travel, Accommodations, Expenses: Crispr Therapeutics, Ipsen, Exelixis   Dr. Jason Westin: Consulting or Advisory Role: Novartis, Kite/Gilead, Janssen Scientific Affairs, ADC Therapeutics, Bristol-Myers Squibb/Celgene/Juno, AstraZeneca, Genentech/Roche, Abbvie, MorphoSys/Incyte, Seattle Genetics, Abbvie, Chugai Pharma, Regeneron, Nurix, Genmab, Allogene Therapeutics, Lyell Immunopharma Research Funding: Janssen, Novartis, Bristol-Myers Squibb, AstraZeneca, MorphoSys/Incyte, Genentech/Roche, Allogene Therapeutics

In today's episode, we had the pleasure of speaking with Shubham Pant, MD, MBBS, about the first-line treatment of patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer. Dr Pant is a professor in the Department of Gastrointestinal (GI) Medical Oncology of the Division of Cancer Medicine, director of Clinical Research, and a professor in the Department of Investigational Cancer Therapeutics at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. In our exclusive interview, Dr Pant discussed factors that drive frontline chemotherapy selection for metastatic pancreatic cancer, the role of NALIRIFOX (irinotecan liposome [Onivyde], oxaliplatin, 5-fluorouracil, and leucovorin) in this treatment setting, and how the first-line treatment paradigm may evolve and expand going forward.

Keratinocyte carcinomas, which include basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, are common forms of skin cancer. Approximately 5.4 million keratinocyte carcinomas are diagnosed in the US annually. Author Mackenzie R. Wehner, MD, MPhil, of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center joins JAMA Associate Editor David Simel, MD, MHS, to discuss treatment of these types of nonmelanoma skin cancer. Related Content: Keratinocyte Carcinoma ----------------------------------- JAMA Editors' Summary

Surgical resection of perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (pCCA) is one of the highest-risk elective operations performed. The obstructive jaundice suffered by patients preoperatively, central location of the tumors, and extensive nature of the resection make pCCA one of the most challenging HPB disease processes. In this episode from the HPB team at Behind the Knife, listen in on the discussion about perioperative strategies to improve outcomes for surgical resection of perihilar cholangiocarcinoma. Hosts Anish J. Jain MD (@anishjayjain) is a current PGY4 General Surgery Resident at Stanford University and a former T32 Research Fellow at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Timothy E. Newhook MD, FACS (@timnewhook19) is an Assistant Professor within the Department of Surgical Oncology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. He is also the associate program director of the HPB fellowship.  Jean-Nicolas Vauthey MD, FACS (@VautheyMD) is Professor of Surgery and Chief of the HPB Section, as well as the Dallas/Fort Worth Living Legend Chair of Cancer Research in the Department of Surgical Oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Learning Objectives ·      Develop an understanding of the three treatment sequences for resection of disease in patients with synchronous liver metastasis from a primary rectal cancer (reverse, combined, and classic approach) ·      Develop an understanding of the benefits, risks, and nuances of each of the three treatment sequences ·      Develop an understanding of which patient cases each treatment sequence is ideal for as well as which cases they are not suitable for. Papers Referenced: 1)    Ribero D, Zimmitti G, Aloia TA, Shindoh J, Fabio F, Amisano M, Passot G, Ferrero A, Vauthey JN. Preoperative Cholangitis and Future Liver Remnant Volume Determine the Risk of Liver Failure in Patients Undergoing Resection for Hilar Cholangiocarcinoma. J Am Coll Surg. 2016 Jul;223(1):87-97. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27049784/ 2)    Jain AJ, Lendoire M, Haddad A, Tzeng CD, Boyev A, Maki H, Chun YS, Arvide EM, Lee S, Hu I, Pant S, Javle M, Tran Cao HS, Vauthey JN, Newhook TE. Improved Outcomes Following Resection of Perihilar Cholangiocarcinoma: A 27-Year Experience. Ann Surg Oncol. 2025 Jun;32(6):4352-4362. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40000564/ Additional Suggested Reading Olthof PB, Erdmann JI, Alikhanov R, Charco R, Guglielmi A, Hagendoorn J, Hakeem A, Hoogwater FJH, Jarnagin WR, Kazemier G, Lang H, Maithel SK, Malago M, Malik HZ, Nadalin S, Neumann U, Olde Damink SWM, Pratschke J, Ratti F, Ravaioli M, Roberts KJ, Schadde E, Schnitzbauer AA, Sparrelid E, Topal B, Troisi RI, Groot Koerkamp B; Perihilar Cholangiocarcinoma Collaboration Group. Higher Postoperative Mortality and Inferior Survival After Right-Sided Liver Resection for Perihilar Cholangiocarcinoma: Left-Sided Resection is Preferred When Possible. Ann Surg Oncol. 2024 Jul;31(7):4405-4412. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38472674/ Mueller M, Breuer E, Mizuno T, Bartsch F, et al. Perihilar Cholangiocarcinoma - Novel Benchmark Values for Surgical and Oncological Outcomes From 24 Expert Centers. Ann Surg. 2021 Nov 1;274(5):780-788. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34334638/ Ad Disclosures: Visit goremedical.com/btk to learn more about GORE® ENFORM Biomaterial. Refer to Instructions for Use at eifu.goremedical.com for a complete description of all applicable indications, warnings, precautions and contraindications for the markets where this product is available. Rx only Please visit https://behindtheknife.org to access other high-yield surgical education podcasts, videos and more.   If you liked this episode, check out our recent episodes here: https://behindtheknife.org/listen Behind the Knife Premium: General Surgery Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/general-surgery-oral-board-review Trauma Surgery Video Atlas: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/trauma-surgery-video-atlas Dominate Surgery: A High-Yield Guide to Your Surgery Clerkship: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/dominate-surgery-a-high-yield-guide-to-your-surgery-clerkship Dominate Surgery for APPs: A High-Yield Guide to Your Surgery Rotation: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/dominate-surgery-for-apps-a-high-yield-guide-to-your-surgery-rotation Vascular Surgery Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/vascular-surgery-oral-board-audio-review Colorectal Surgery Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/colorectal-surgery-oral-board-audio-review Surgical Oncology Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/surgical-oncology-oral-board-audio-review Cardiothoracic Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/cardiothoracic-surgery-oral-board-audio-review Download our App: Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/behind-the-knife/id1672420049 Android/Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.btk.app&hl=en_US