Canada's wildfires could continue into fall, says government
Canada is facing its second-worst wildfire season on record, with 7.8 million hectares already burned, and the fires could persist for weeks, accordin...
A groundbreaking study presented at ASCO reveals that AstraZeneca’s experimental pill camizestrant, when used based on blood test results, can halve the risk of breast cancer progression or death—potentially reshaping treatment for patients with hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer
AstraZeneca’s experimental drug camizestrant significantly reduced the risk of disease progression or death in patients with advanced hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer by 56%, when prescribed based on early blood test results rather than visible tumor growth, experts announced Sunday at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting in Chicago.
The international trial marks a major shift in cancer treatment strategy by using liquid biopsy—a blood test that detects ESR1 gene mutations indicating early resistance to standard hormone therapies. Camizestrant, a selective estrogen receptor degrader (SERD), was shown to be effective in patients with early treatment resistance, even before tumors could be detected via imaging.
“This is going to be very impactful for our patients,” said Dr. Hope Rugo, head of breast medical oncology at City of Hope, California. “We’re staying ahead of the curve rather than reacting after the disease has already progressed,” added Dr. Eleonora Teplinsky, another ASCO expert.
The Phase 3 clinical trial involved 3,256 women, all previously treated with aromatase inhibitors and CDK4/6 inhibitors like Pfizer’s Ibrance or Novartis’ Kisqali. Among them, 315 women who developed ESR1 mutations were selected for a randomized trial. Those who switched to camizestrant plus CDK4/6 inhibitors experienced a median 16 months of progression-free survival compared to 9.2 months in the control group that continued standard therapy.
Camizestrant is not yet FDA-approved, but based on these findings, it may soon be adopted as part of a new treatment paradigm for early intervention in breast cancer progression.
AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot acknowledged that integrating liquid biopsy into routine practice would initially be challenging but emphasized it as the future of cancer care.
In a separate announcement at the same ASCO meeting, another AstraZeneca drug, Imfinzi (durvalumab), showed promise in improving outcomes for early-stage stomach and esophageal cancer patients. When added to chemotherapy before and after surgery, Imfinzi reduced the risk of cancer recurrence, progression, or death by 29%.
Both sets of results were published in the New England Journal of Medicine and are expected to have lasting implications for the future of oncology.
A powerful eruption at Japan’s Shinmoedake volcano sent an ash plume more than 3,000 metres high on Sunday morning, prompting safety warnings from authorities.
According to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), a magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck the Oaxaca region of Mexico on Saturday.
A magnitude 5.2 earthquake struck 56 kilometres east of Gorgan in northern Iran early Sunday morning, according to preliminary seismic data.
'Superman' continued to dominate the summer box office, pulling in another $57.25 million in its second weekend, as theatres welcome a wave of blockbuster competition following a challenging few years for the film industry.
Honduras has brought back mask mandates as COVID-19 cases and a new variant surge nationwide.
A new analysis of previous studies has found that women seeking in vitro fertilization might improve their odds of becoming pregnant if they lose weight.
The UK is gearing up for Exercise Pegasus 2025, its largest pandemic readiness test since COVID-19. Running from September to November, this full-scale simulation will challenge the country's response to a fast-moving respiratory outbreak.
A scientist in the US revealed the pioneering device which works alongside artificial intelligence to monitor the body's vital signs and alert in case of danger.
Dubai has launched its first-ever 'Mallathon,' a month-long event turning shopping centres into indoor running tracks to offer residents a safe way to exercise during peak summer heat, that started 1 August.
Tech giant Google has announced a $1 billion investment to support Artificial Intelligence (AI) education and research at universities across the United States.
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