The use of analgesic agents has been associated with a reduced risk of colon cancer. In a cohort study, Barnard and colleagues analyzed analgesic use and ovarian cancer diagnosis data from the Nurses’ Health Study I and II to evaluate whether aspirin or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug use is associated with a decreased risk of ovarian cancer. Results showed a reduced risk of ovarian cancer with regular use of low-dose aspirin and an increased risk with long-term use of other analgesic agents. Further work is needed to confirm if long-term use of other analgesics is associated with an increased ovarian cancer risk. Seewaldt provides an Editorial.
Editorial and Related Article
Author Audio Interview
In this statistical analysis, Li and colleagues analyzed genomic data from gastric cancer samples obtained from 2 cohorts to determine whether MUC16 mutations are associated with tumor mutation load and prognosis in patients with gastric cancer. Gastric cancer samples with MUC16 mutations exhibited significantly greater tumor mutation loads than those without MUC16 mutations, and these mutations were significantly associated with better prognosis. MUC16 mutations may be used as an indicator of prognosis and to guide the use of immune therapy in patients with gastric cancer. Smyth and Fitzgerald provide an Invited Commentary.
Invited Commentary
Sparano and colleagues performed a secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial to determine if detectable circulating tumor cells (CTCs) were associated with late recurrence of breast cancer. In multivariable models, a positive CTC assay result was associated with a 13.1-fold higher risk of recurrence. This assay may be able to predict late recurrence of hormone receptor–positive breast cancer and may be used to risk stratify for surveillance and guide novel therapies.
In a meta-analysis of drug reactions, Wang and colleagues analyzed the fatal toxic effects associated with the use of immune checkpoint inhibitor antibodies to evaluate their incidence in patients with cancer treated with these antibodies. Deaths related to anti-cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 were usually from colitis, and deaths owing to the use of anti–programmed death-1/ligand-1 antibodies were most often associated with pneumonitis followed by hepatitis. Myocarditis had the highest fatality rate.
Continuing Medical Education
Kushner and colleagues performed a randomized clinical trial to determine the maximum-tolerated dose of hu3F8, a humanized anti-GD2 monoclonal antibody, in patients with neuroblastoma. No maximum dose was identified. Human antihuman antibody positivity developed in 9% patients after treatment cycle 1. Antineuroblastoma activity included major responses associated with higher dosing. The tolerability and overall lack of immunogenicity of hu3F8 allows multicycle dosing.