Eight notable studies exploring new approaches in the treatment and management of genitourinary cancers will be presented at the 2023 ASCO Genitourinary Cancers Symposium, taking place February 16-18, 2023, at the Moscone West Building in San Francisco, California.  

The TALAPRO-2 phase III clinical trial found that a polymerase inhibitor combined with an androgen receptor inhibitor had significantly better progression-free survival (PFS) versus the current standard of care for people with metastatic, castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), regardless of homologous recombination repair pathway status. Homologous recombination repair involves a pathway that can help fix DNA double-strand breaks and cross-links between DNA strands.

Study participants with prostate cancer who reported the highest amounts of plant-based foods in their diets had a 52% lower risk of the cancer progressing and a 53% lower risk of recurrence compared to those who had the lowest amounts of plants in their diets. The diet assessments were based on questionnaires of food consumption given to people enrolled in the Cancer of the Prostate Strategic Urologic Research Endeavor (CaPSURE) study.

A non-invasive blood test may help to determine the most effective treatment for patients with advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) that has progressed or is intolerant to first-line imatinib. These results will be presented during the January 2023 session of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Plenary Series.

State-run Medicaid insurance, expanded in 2014 as part of the Affordable Care Act, has resulted in decreased metastatic cancer incidence rates as well as decreased overall cancer mortality rates and averted over one thousand deaths due to cancer per year. About 12% of the improvements in cancer mortality were due to decreases in metastatic diagnoses, according to a study to be presented as part of the 2022 ASCO Quality Care Symposium. 

Substituting biosimilars, generics and clinically appropriate lower cost drugs for established, costlier drugs was shown to be an effective way to reduce the total cost of care, by 5% or so, while maintaining the quality of care for patients with cancer. Even small shifts towards lower cost drugs resulted in significant reductions in the total cost of care, according to a study to be presented as part of the 2022 ASCO Quality Care Symposium. 

Testing for pathogenic germline variants (PGVs) – genetic changes present from the time of conception, those that have been inherited – can help identify patients at risk for hereditary cancers. The role of PGVs in lung cancer has been underrecognized, largely due to the fact that it is mostly assumed to be caused by environmental factors such as cigarette smoking. A new study of patients with lung cancer, however, found that nearly 15% had PGVs, which means they and their family members are at an increased risk for other types of cancers. The results of the study will be presented during the ASCO Plenary Series session taking place August 16, 2022, at 3:00 PM (ET).