June 2 opens in Chicago the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (Asco), the world’s premier event for showcasing new cancer research. Results in four days 5,500 trialsin the presence of about 42 thousand specialists participants and a thousand journalists. All eyes will be on the news, which, in addition to oncologists, gives hope to millions of patients and family members. especially those they face advanced or difficult to treat cancerfor whom standard therapies no longer work and who have confidence in the progress of research.
The four studies in plenary session
What is the most relevant news to come out of this Asco 2023? “The studies considered of greater importance will be presented at the conference’s plenary session, Sunday, June 4, and until then the results are all strictly embargoed – he replies Joseph Curigliano, Director of the Department of New Medicines for Innovative Therapies at the European Institute of Oncology in Milan —. But we already know they will be concerned
low grade gliomas, brain tumors that often affect young people around the age of 30-40, for which a new effective drug (vorasidenib) comes on the market after 20 years and for which there is currently no approved targeted therapy. The second study in plenary is over locally advanced rectal cancer, whose standard treatment is chemotherapy and radiation before surgery, but a new combination of chemotherapy is being tested in hopes it will have fewer side effects. And again: the final results of the ADAURA study in patients with early stage non-small cell lung cancer treated, after surgery, with the drug osimertinib which has already been shown to significantly reduce the risk of recurrence and death: we now expect to see significant progress in survival.”
The fourth novelty is coming a blood cancer, advanced Hodgkin lymphomafor which the current standard of care was compared to an innovative, immunotherapy-based (nivolumab), which is hoped to cure a greater number of patients.
Trials also available in Italy
Should we go abroad to get more innovative therapies, better than those offered in our hospitals? “No, it is not necessary to cross national borders to get advanced therapies – he emphasizes Carmine Pintopresident of the federation that brings together the best researchers (Federation of Italian Cooperative Oncology Groups) —. Almost all the trials presented at Asco are also available in Italy and it’s not uncommon for us to be one of the study’s lead authors. Despite many critical issues, our country has a significant wealth of top-level cancer researchers and centers who have developed important research and led to changes in standards of care around the world.”
He spoke about the fundamental contribution of Italian scientists in an earlier interview with Courier
Also Eric Winerchairman of Asco: «Umberto Veronesi and Gianni Bonadonna they made a huge difference when women died of breast cancer. And the value of Italy is still high today,” he stressed the immense value of our national health system and the “luck of living in a country that doesn’t ask you for a credit card before going to the hospital”.
Free treatment for all: the challenge of the NHS
Will our NHS continue to treat all cancer patients for free? New therapies save lives and save valuable time, but are becoming increasingly expensive. And cancer cases have been rising steadily for years. “It’s a very difficult challenge, in our country the NHS is already underfunded for the help and services it provides – says Pinto, director of medical oncology at Reggio Emilia’s AUSL-IRCCS -. Resources are needed to maintain and implement current standards of care without inequalities between the Regions. Otherwise it would be difficult to guarantee access to new and more effective oncological drugs molecular diagnostics with genomic testing essential in many tumors to be able to give “the right drug to the right patient”. screening for early diagnosisto new imaging technologies such as radiotherapy or surgery with the proliferation of robotics and minimally invasive procedures”.
Meanwhile in Italy healing increases (there are 3.6 million compatriots alive after a diagnosis of cancer, of whom more than a million can be said to have been cured) and the army of people who they survive for a long time, even many years. “Our mortality rates are often below average – recalls Curigliano, a member of the board of the Italian Society of Medical Oncology (Aiom) – once again demonstrating the quality of our doctors and hospitals, but this always entails higher costs along and the NHS is not being supported as needed, public health risks are collapsing».
Password prevention
But in the Def (Economics and Finance Document) 2023, the ratio of health expenditure to GDP falls to 6.7% compared to 6.9% in 2022: that is, we will invest even less to protect our health. While a recently published analysis on Jama
highlights that Italy surpasses the United States by as much as 5 points, in a ranking that shows how cancer mortality in Italy is markedly lower, spending almost half.
Speaking of research, what can we expect or hope for in the near future? What will be the most important things to come in the next 5-10 years? «The prevention of cancer must be a priority, because a third of cases can only be avoided with a correct lifestyle and the commitment of everyone is needed – replies Curigliano -. Further it is essential to improve early diagnosismeans you are more likely to recover or survive for a long time: about 9 in 10 patients survive five years or more from early-stage breast or colon cancer, while the odds drop dramatically if the discovery is too late. As for the new treatments, the more we know genetic mutations that cause the different types of cancer, the more we will be able to find cures (such as immunotherapy and target therapyable to be effective”.
Because participating in the trials is an advantage
Most of the studies to be presented at the upcoming U.S. conference will involve patients with high blood pressure a metastatic neoplasm or at least very advanced, on which all previous treatments have had no effect. In this situation, many people wander around looking for an avant-garde therapy, while others refuse to participate in the trials because they don’t want to be a “guinea pig”. «It is a stereotype that has never been surpassed – concludes Pinto -. Today is a clinical trial an opportunity to receive innovative medicines (not yet on the market), which it is hoped will be more effective and the risks to the sick are very limited. It is a strictly internationally regulated route and that protect the patient first».
Source: Corriere
I am Barbara Redford, a professional journalist and writer with extensive experience in news reporting. I have been writing for The News Dept since 2019, covering topics related to health and wellness. My passion is to keep people informed about the latest developments in healthcare and the medical industry. With my articles, I strive to create awareness on various diseases while also highlighting their remedies or treatments.
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