Over five days, physicians from Institut Curie across all areas of oncology were present in full force to share their very promising results to speed up the fight against cancer, particularly in the fields of female cancers, digestive cancers and hematology.
“Following two very unusual years in many respects, I am delighted that this year’s ASCO meeting, with its highly promising results, can be held in Chicago. Physicians from Institut Curie will present unique and original research encompassing targeted therapies, treatment combinations and supportive care, geared towards developing new therapeutic strategies. This year again we have a great many papers accepted at ASCO, a testimony to the excellence of our teams, our international reputation and the importance of the productive collaborations that bring us further in the fight against cancer, for the benefit of patients.”
says Prof. Steven Le Gouill, Director of the Hospital Group at Institut Curie.
Institut Curie Highlights at ASCO 2022
BREAST AND GYNECOLOGICAL CANCERS
► Elderly women: highly anticipated results from a major breast cancer study
Almost half of all cancers occur in patients aged 70 and over; and the occurrence in this population will continue to rise in the coming years, bringing with it major public health challenges. This elderly portion of the population is too often excluded from therapeutic trials, which are necessary for developing appropriate treatments. The unique ASTER 70s trial, conducted on 2,000 women patients, is the first multi-center therapeutic trial based on the analysis of a prognostic biomarker for choosing to perform adjuvant chemotherapy in patients over the age of 70 after breast cancer surgery. The aim of the trial is to assess the effectiveness of post-surgical chemotherapy treatment when the tumor is aggressive (chemotherapy and hormone therapy versus hormone therapy alone). The results give information on therapeutic de-escalation and will provide valuable information in terms of quality of life, autonomy and acceptability of care. Dr. Etienne Brain, medical oncologist at Institut Curie, coordinated this ASTER 70s study sponsored by Unicancer, and presented its results on June 7 at the ASCO meeting.
DIGESTIVE CANCERS
► Pancreatic cancer: an original study to assess the effectiveness of adapted physical activity
Among the different types of supportive care, adapted physical activity (APA) in patients receiving chemotherapy is a truly innovative treatment that combats fatigue and sarcopenia (cancer-related muscle loss) and improves quality of life. Its beneficial effects have already been demonstrated in patients treated for breast cancer with an adjuvant treatment. The data for digestive cancers, in particular advanced ones (inoperable), are more limited. Dr. Cindy Neuzillet, a gastroenterologist and specialist in digestive cancers at Institut Curie, is prepared to present the final results of a unique study that she coordinated with Prof. Pascal Hammel (AP-HP) for 8 years. Sponsored by GERCOR, this phase-3 trial, APACaP, evaluated the role of adapted physical activity among over 300 patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.
HEMATOLOGY
► Mantle cell lymphoma: what are the results of a new combination of a targeted therapy and immunotherapy?
With approximately 600 patients diagnosed each year in France, mantle cell lymphoma represents 2 to 10% of lymphomas. These are non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas (NHL) that affect the B lymphocytes of the immune system in a region of the lymph node, called the “mantle zone”. These tumors are aggressive and relapse is common. In recent years, new treatments and clinical trials have emerged that may change the landscape for patients. This is the case of the SHINE study, which evaluated the efficacy of a targeted therapy (a Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor) combined with immuno-chemotherapy in first-line treatment.
Professor Steven Le Gouill, hematologist and director of Institut Curie’s Hospital Complex, coordinated the study in France. The main results of the SHINE study were presented at ASCO and published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Nanoparticles