Medical Oncology
Physician insights on cancer treatment protocols, immunotherapy, targeted therapies, and clinical trial updates.
Recent Discussions
Would you offer first line atezolizumab plus bevacizumab in unresectable/metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma based on the IMbrave 150 data?
I would definitely discuss (and offer) atezolizumab/bevacizumab as first-line therapy for advanced HCC and in fact, I have already started the treatment in 3 patients. There is no denying that this is the greatest advance in first-line therapy since the presentation/publication of the SHARP trial an...
How and when do you incorporate PTEN testing in a patient newly diagnosed with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer?
I always incorporate PTEN testing in all patients with mHSPC (mAPMS) using NGS testing. Recently, with the approval of capivasertib, I have also started doing PTEN IHC testing. The NGS information is prognostic in how I educate the patient as well as understand their disease. It also comes as part o...
Are any centers routinely using 55 Gy in 20 fractions with chemotherapy for definitive treatment of head and neck cancer following presentation of the HYPNO study?
I would not consider 55 Gy in 20 fractions a standard approach. The comparator arm was not standard practice in the US (66 Gy in 33 fractions with 5 weekly cycles of cisplatin at 35 mg/m2). Both the total RT dose (66 Gy < 70 Gy) and the total cisplatin dose (cumulative dose 175 mg/m2, less than the ...
How does the presence of indeterminate lymphadenopathy on PSMA PET scan alter your management of unfavorable intermediate-risk prostate cancer?
Summary: In practice, I usually review the imaging myself and attempt to evaluate for common pitfalls of interpretation or evidence that may convince me of a true positive. Often, I find a second review by a blinded radiologist helpful. Unless I am highly suspicious of a false positive, I often err ...
What are your top takeaways in Cutaneous Malignancies from ASCO 2026?
I presented a phase II trial of neoadjuvant cemiplimab immunotherapy and response-adapted radiotherapy for patients with locally advanced, unresectable cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. Historically, the 2-year progression-free survival (PFS) rate in this situation with radiotherapy with or without...
Would you offer PMRT to a patient with pTisN1a left breast DCIS?
Macrometastases suggest there is missed invasive disease in the midst of 11-cm DCIS. For one macromet with only SLNB done, I would add CW and RNI as part of treatment, but if I had an ALND, then RT can be avoided.
Is it safe to use medroxyprogesterone for vasomotor flushing?
There are many options for management of hot flashes including venflaxine and gabapentin being most frequently used as well as some data on cognitive behavioral therapy, oxybutynin, and acupuncture. For the most refractory cases, I do discuss medoroxyprogesterone 400 mg IM as a one time option based...
Would you offer radiation therapy for stage IV pancreatic adenocarcinoma with liver metastases after 12 cycles of FOLFIRINOX and maintenance capecitabine, now with locally progressive disease at the pancreatic primary and rising CA 19-9?
Although not stated in the question, I assume this is a situation in which the liver metastases appear to be responding to chemotherapy with a radiographic partial response or stable disease. If the patient were progressing in both the liver and the pancreas, the next step in management would most l...
After an optimal tertiary cytoreduction for recurrent granulosa cell tumor previously treated with BEP and hormonal therapy, would you recommend systemic chemotherapy?
If it was R0 with no residual disease, then - no - I would not treat. If there was some disease left (even if optimal) - I would consider chemo - Carbo/taxol - not BEP. Observation is also very reasonable in order to reserve further systemic chemo for when the disease is no longer resectable.
Would you give a PARP inhibitor, and at what dose, to a patient with end-stage renal disease on hemodialysis after completion of 6 cycles of carboplatin and paclitaxel for advanced ovarian cancer?
This is an interesting question, for which I don't have a quick answer.When it comes to PARP inhibitors (PARPi), there is compelling data for its use as maintenance therapy as well as recurrent treatment. The article by Kurnit et al., is a nice summary of the data available supporting PARPi use (Kur...