Overall survival and quality-of-life superiority in modern phase 3 oncology trials

JAMA Oncology

2025-06-01

(Press-News.org) About The Study: Although phase 3 trials are often interpreted as demonstrating superiority, overall survival and quality of life (QOL), which may be the most relevant end points to patients, are uncommonly improved. To increase the meaningfulness of late-phase research, future trial designs and regulatory processes should be refocused toward overall survival and QOL improvements.

Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Alexander D. Sherry, MD, email alexanderdsherry@gmail.com.

To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/

(doi:10.1001/jamaoncol.2025.1002)

Editor’s Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, conflict of interest and financial disclosures, and funding and support.

# # #

Media advisory: This study is being presented at the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting.

Embed this link to provide your readers free access to the full-text article This link will be live at the embargo time https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaoncology/fullarticle/10.1001/jamaoncol.2025.1002?guestAccessKey=1631ff64-3f47-4d6e-b4bd-d757aea0d7f5&utm_source=for_the_media&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ftm_links&utm_content=tfl&utm_term=060125

END

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Not-so-tasty: Plastic particles found in food could harm the body

2025-06-01

Results from a new animal study suggest that microscopic plastic particles found in food and beverages may affect glucose metabolism and harm organs such as the liver. The findings raise concerns about potential health risks in people and point to the need for more research. As plastic breaks down, it forms micro- (<5 mm) and nanoparticles (<100 nm), which can enter the food chain and end up in seafood and other foods people eat. Studies estimate that a person may ingest around 40,000 ...

For heart health, food quality matters more than cutting carbs or fat

2025-06-01

A new study that followed almost 200,000 people for several decades has found that when it comes to heart health, the quality of food consumed matters as much as following a low-carbohydrate or low-fat diet. The results suggest that choosing healthy, high-quality foods is key to protecting the heart. In the past two decades, low-carbohydrate and low-fat diets have been promoted for their potential health benefits, such as weight management and improved blood sugar and cholesterol levels. However, the impact of these diets on reducing heart disease risk has remained an ongoing debate. “We found that what you eat on low-carb or low-fat ...

Study suggests obesity contributes to anxiety and cognitive impairment

2025-06-01

With rates of obesity and anxiety both on the rise—especially among younger Americans—new research suggests that the two conditions may be connected through interactions between the gut and the brain. The study, conducted in mice, links diet-induced obesity with anxiety-like symptoms, alterations in brain signaling and differences in gut microbes that may contribute to impaired brain functioning. “Several studies have pointed to a link between obesity and anxiety, though it is still unclear whether obesity directly causes anxiety or if the association is influenced by societal pressures,” said Desiree ...

Higher linoleic acid levels linked to lower heart disease and diabetes risk

2025-06-01

New research that used blood markers to measure linoleic acid levels and their relation to cardiometabolic risk adds evidence that this omega-6 fatty acid may help to lower risks for heart disease and type 2 diabetes. The findings challenge claims that seed oils are harmful to cardiometabolic health. Linoleic acid, which is found in vegetable oils—especially seed oils like soybean and corn oil—and plant foods, is the primary omega-6 fatty acid consumed in the diet. “There has been increasing ...

Dual-target CAR T cell therapy slows growth of aggressive brain cancer

2025-06-01

CHICAGO – A dual-target CAR T cell therapy approach shows promise for slowing tumor growth in a notoriously aggressive and fast-growing brain cancer. Tumors became smaller after the experimental CAR T cell therapy in nearly two-thirds of patients. While survival data is still accumulating, several patients lived 12 months or longer after receiving the investigational therapy, which is notable given the typical survival for this patient population is less than a year. The findings were presented today at the 2025 American Society of ...

Adding immune checkpoint inhibitor to standard chemotherapy regimen improves outcomes in stage 3 colon cancer, study finds

2025-06-01

BOSTON, June 1, 2025 – Combining standard adjuvant chemotherapy with an immune checkpoint inhibitor (atezolizumab) leads to a significant improvement in disease-free survival in a subset of patients with stage 3 colon cancer that is deficient in DNA mismatch repair (dMMR), Dana-Farber Cancer Institute investigator Dr. Jeffrey Meyerhardt and his colleagues report at the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting. These results stem from the ATOMIC trial, a phase 3 multicenter, randomized, ...

Diet influences survival after stage iii colon cancer, Dana-Farber study finds

2025-06-01

BOSTON, June 1, 2025 – Patients with colon cancer who consumed an anti-inflammatory diet during a phase 3 clinical trial showed longer overall survival post-treatment compared to those on a proinflammatory diet, according to a Dana-Farber Cancer Institute analysis. Engaging in higher levels of physical activity may amplify the positive influence on survival. “One of the most common questions that patients ask is what they should do after treatment to maximally reduce their risk of cancer recurrence and improve survival,” says first author Dr. Sara Char, a clinical fellow in Hematology and Oncology at Dana-Farber ...

Switch to experimental drug after liquid biopsy detection of breast cancer recurrence improves outcomes

2025-06-01

A large prospective, randomized clinical trial in patients with advanced breast cancer has found that the use of liquid biopsy blood tests for early detection of a treatment-resistance mutation, followed by a switch to a new type of treatment, substantially extends the period of tumor control compared to standard care. The SERENA-6 study, published June 1 in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented concurrently at the annual meeting of the American Society for Clinical Oncology, was conducted at multiple medical centers, principally in Europe, East Asia and the United States, including at Weill ...

Alliance presents results from phase III ATOMIC trial combining atezolizumab with chemotherapy for patients with stage III dMMR colon cancer at ASCO 2025

2025-06-01

June 1, 2025 — The Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology announced today results from ATOMIC (A021502), a phase III trial evaluating standard chemotherapy alone or combined with atezolizumab (Tecentriq®) in treating patients who have surgically resected stage III colon cancer and deficient deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) mismatch repair (dMMR). The study, sponsored by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and conducted in partnership with Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, met its primary endpoint, demonstrating a statistically ...

Immunotherapy boosts chemotherapy in combating stage 3 colon cancer

2025-06-01

Late-breaking abstract featured at ASCO 2025 ROCHESTER, Minn. — Colon cancer is the third most prevalent form of cancer in the U.S., and while screening has helped detect and prevent colon cancer from spreading, major advancements in treating colon cancer have lagged. Now, new research led by Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center found that adding immunotherapy to chemotherapy after surgery for patients with stage 3 (node-positive) colon cancer — and with a specific ...

Turning agricultural waste into advanced materials: Review highlights how torrefaction could power a sustainable carbon future

Pollen counts can be predicted by machine learning models using meteorological data with more than 80% accuracy even a week ahead, for both grass and birch tree pollen, which could be key in effective

Rewriting our understanding of early hominin dispersal to Eurasia

Rising simultaneous wildfire risk compromises international firefighting efforts

Honey bee "dance floors" can be accurately located with a new method, mapping where in the hive forager bees perform waggle dances to signal the location of pollen and nectar for their nestmates

Overall survival and quality-of-life superiority in modern phase 3 oncology trials

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES: