CU Cancer Center In the News

In this episode of "How This Is Building Me," Drs Camidge and Vokes discuss the span of countries and institutions along Dr Vokes’ journey to MD Anderson Cancer Center, how Dr Vokes balances research and work in the clinic, and how the correct mentors can help shape career paths in oncology.

Horse Barn Community Garden is in Five Points’ Curtis Park, near downtown Denver. This is where you’ll often find Charlotte Griffin, watering the vegetables.

A novel therapeutic approach that combined radiation and immunotherapy demonstrated the ability to eliminate pancreatic tumors and halt metastases.

During a Targeted Oncology Case-Based Roundtable event, Daniel Pollyea, MD, MS, and participants discussed the diagnosis and treatment of a patient with blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm.

Barrett’s esophagus is the only identifiable precursor lesion for esophageal adenocarcinoma, a lethal cancer type that has seen increased incidence and mortality rates over the past several decades.

Drs Lunning and Kamdar spotlight the design of the POLARIX trial, the ways in which its results have changed their practice when treating patients with DLBCL, and the importance of further research investigating the molecular heterogeneity of this disease to determine potential causes of early relapse with pola-R-CHP.

Wastage from dose reduction or discontinuation of the most common oral anticancer drugs costs a mean $4,290 per patient, results of a retrospective study showed. 

A new study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute brings researchers and oncologists one step closer to better understanding the complexities of PD-1 inhibitors, a common type of immunotherapy, and their intracellular signaling on cancer behavior.

During a Targeted Oncology Case-Based Roundtable event, D. Ross Camidge, MD, PhD, discussed dosing and toxicity concerns with the KRAS inhibitors adagrasib and sotorasib.

Cancer cells are even smarter than scientists previously believed, according to new CU Boulder research.

Colon cancer deaths among young people are expected to double by 2030, experts warn. 

Thomas Flaig, MD, discusses recent updates seen in the bladder cancer space and how they have led to changes to the NCCN guidelines.

Cannabis use among patients with cancer helped relieve pain and improve sleep quality as well as subjective cognitive function, a new study suggests.

For women who’ve had breast cancer and want to have a child, taking a break from a common treatment to try for a pregnancy appears safe in the short term.

Colorado lawmakers approved a plan that could lead to a program to fund community health work that bolsters traditional medical care. 

U.S. cigarette smoking dropped to another all-time low last year, with 1 in 9 adults saying they were current smokers.

Research combining two cancer therapies has shown early promise against pancreatic cancer, signaling hope for those living with the often lethal disease.

As cancer survival rates in the United States improve, many survivors are left with permanent changes to their body — outwardly and functionally.

Lack of attention to sexual health appears to be more common when dealing with women vs. men with cancer, research shows.

People who provide care for spouses with cancer are more likely to experience a sustained decline in financial stability, CU Cancer Center research shows.

CU Cancer Center researchers found that suppressing a protein that helps breast and ovarian cancers thrive can kill cancer cells without harming healthy ones.

Because early detection offers the best chance of surviving cancer, screening tests that involve one quick blood draw are generating excitement.

Fatigue is a common companion of many illnesses that beset older adults, typically those 65 and older, and researchers are working to understand why.

While the majority of colorectal cancer cases are still in people over the age of 65, experts said more and more young people are now being diagnosed.

An innovative cell squeezing technology showed great promise in a phase I trial against certain head and neck cancers.

Swati Patel, MD, MS, discusses younger people being diagnosed with colon cancer at nearly twice the rate than in 1995.

Doctors increasingly see people contracting colon cancer before the recommended screening age of 45.

Colon cancer is one of the deadliest cancers -- but with early detection is also one of the most survivable. This is why regular screenings are so key.

The National Cancer Institute is funding a CU study looking into psilocybin's effect on the emotional and mental suffering of terminal cancer patients.

Four 2022 Wings of Hope grants are supporting groundbreaking work at the University of Colorado Cancer Center on the Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora.

Andrea Dwyer, co-director of the Colorado Cancer Screening Program, which is affiliated with the CU Cancer Center, discussed the importance of screening.

Swati Patel, MD, discusses the importance of raising awareness for colorectal cancer.

A groundbreaking technology shows significant promise against a subtype of HPV16-positive cancers, including head and neck, cervical, and anal cancers.

New research shows gardening appeared associated with increased fiber intake and moderate-to-vigorous activity and decreased levels of stress and anxiety.

Recent developments in mantle cell lymphoma treatment are increasingly moving toward novel approaches that are resulting in improved outcomes.

Sunnie Kim, MD, contextualizes the use of tislelizumab (BGB-A317) as a frontline treatment option in advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). 

Researchers from the CU Cancer Center have identified a new feature indicative of the chance of recurrence of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs).

The first-of-its-kind study of the benefits of community gardening found that the hobby can boost daily fiber intake and physical activity, even for novice gardeners.

The FDA’s ODAC voted that data from two proposed single-arm trials will provide adequate means of characterizing the risk-benefit profile of dostarlimab.

Less invasive treatment induced durable responses among patients with HPV-unrelated locally advanced head and neck cancer, recent research shows.

Researchers are excited but apprehensive about the latest advances in artificial intelligence.

The addition of all-trans retinoic acid to pembrolizumab conferred benefit to patients with metastatic melanoma, according to newly published research.

Thomas Flaig, MD, has been named director of the Academic Urology Research Investigators Consortium, an oncology consortium for genito-urinary cancers.

Thomas Flaig, MD, vice chancellor of research for CU Denver and CU Cancer Center member, discusses some of the current NCCN guidelines in bladder cancer.

About one out of every two Medicare patients with non-small cell lung cancer does not get the appropriate imaging before receiving radiation therapy.

The 2022 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium highlighted research and treatments for HER2-negative, HER2-low, and HER2-positive breast cancer.

Using genetic testing to identify BRCA mutations in ovarian cancer can help inform the selection of frontline maintenance therapies and manage toxicities.

CU researchers have discovered a drug combination that may offer a better prognosis for children diagnosed with MYC amplified medulloblastoma.

New analysis shows elective nodal radiation appears to decrease systemic immune responses, leading to tumor growth in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

The AI community faces a reproducibility crisis and is working toward greater algorithmic transparency and promoting checklists to avoid common errors.

New research found that receiving adjuvant chemotherapy improved survival in patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma who received curative-intent surgery.

A University of Colorado study has shown that gardening can improve both physical and mental health.

Overcoming the suppressive activity of myeloid-derived suppressor cells may improve the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors in treating melanoma.

Research shows survival benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and surgery among patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Physicians who treat childhood cancers of organs say that the need to extend CAR-T-cell therapies is particularly acute in those under the age of 18.

Biomarker testing helps guide cancer treatment decisions, but there’s no hiding that the field is complex and often difficult for patients to understand.

CU Cancer Center research shows that chemotherapy treatment before and after surgery for pancreatic cancer is the most effective combination for patients.

CU-Anschutz announced the creation of a new center to improve patient care and advance new methods for detecting esophageal and gastric cancers early.

New CU Cancer Center research highlights the need for more data for women hoping for successful pregnancies while undergoing lung cancer treatment.

Researchers see potential in studying cancer risk factors, novel diagnostics, and new treatments in canine patients to learn about benefits for people.

During a roundtable event, Peter Forsberg, MD, discussed data from several trials of selinexor in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma.

November is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month. Laura Foote shares her story to bring hope and express gratitude.

Men are three to four times more likely than women to develop bladder cancer, but the disease tends to be deadlier in females. Why?

New therapeutic addresses need in patients suffering with cold and refractory tumors.

CU Cancer Center member Philippa Marrack, PhD, is one of five Colorado women researchers are considered among the best female scientists in the world.

A preliminary study suggests that the combination of enfortumab vedotin and pembrolizumab may be a promising option for treating urothelial cancer.

Ross Camidge, MD, PhD, and colleagues found that the combination of telisotuzumab vedotin and erlotinib showed activity in c-Met protein–expressing advanced non–small cell lung cancer.

An FDA advisory committee voted unanimously against recommending approval of the radiolabeled monoclonal antibody I-omburtamab for progressive neuroblastoma with central nervous system/leptomeningeal metastases.

Cannabis users reported somewhat worse postoperative pain compared with people who did not use cannabis before surgery, according to a recent study.

CU Cancer Center researcher Ross Camidge, MD, PhD, discusses toxicities observed with sunvozertinib (DZD9008) in EGFR Exon 20–Mutated non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Guidelines for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia have recently been updated by both the World Health Organization and the European LeukemiaNet.

While more Americans than ever before are living full and active lives after a cancer diagnosis, patients still must navigate treatments, medications and appointments as cancer survivors.

Knowledge gaps around the preferences of older patients with advanced bladder cancer prompted Elizabeth Kessler, MD, and colleagues to better understanding this patient population. 

Peter Forsberg, MD, reviews options for treatment sequencing and initiating treatment for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma.

A new way of assessing cancer lesions’ response to treatment could pave the way for developing new cancer therapeutics.

PARP inhibitors can play a significant role in the first-line setting for patients with advanced ovarian cancer.

Although most women with breast cancer reported adverse sexual health effects of treatment, many also reported their oncologist paid less attention to discussion of these effects during consultation.

In an 8-4 vote, the FDA’s Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee Roster voted against the benefit-risk profile of Secura Bio’s P13K inhibitor Copiktra.

Two CU Cancer Center members detail how the Supreme Court decision in Dobbs V. Jackson Women’s Health Organization will harm some patients.

A novel imaging information system developed by researchers at CU Anschutz may eventually provide a faster, more accurate prognosis for certain tumors.

CU Cancer Center researchers have discovered how to extract critical information about breast cancer tumors and disease progression by analyzing blood plasma.

Researchers have identified a non-small cell lung cancer mechanism driven by fine particulate matter typically found in air pollution.

Prevention, screening, treatment, and the sequencing of multidisciplinary care are key to reducing cancer death rates.

U.S. lung cancer screening guidelines miss people who have never smoked, as well as many women and Black people. Expanding outreach and eligibility could help.

Peter Forsberg, MD, and Robert M. Rifkin, MD, FACP, discussed the trials supporting use of BCMA-targeted agents for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma.

A CU Cancer Center researcher recommended an experimental CAR T cell treatment to a Buena Vista wife and mother, who experienced great success with it.

Women with breast cancer commonly see their sexual health decline, yet their doctors aren't telling them what to expect -- or what to do about it.

Rare diseases, often called orphan diseases, are conditions that each affect fewer than 200,000 people in the United States. Living with one can be a nightmare. Symptoms can be life-altering and life-threatening.

A new study released by the University of Colorado Cancer Center shows that more than 70 percent of breast cancer patients have reported changes that affect their sexual health during and beyond treatment.

The concept of drugs having multiple functions may lead to unintended consequences. This is a common occurrence for cancer drugs in clinical trials.

Watch for these five signs of pancreatic cancer, which affects around 62,000 Americans every year, accounting for 3% of all cancers in the US and approximately 7% of all cancer deaths, including beloved former Jeopardy host Alex Trebek.

Expert oncologists review key data from the CRESTONE trial, which observed the safety and efficacy of seribantumab, an anti-HER3 IgG2 monoclonal antibody, in solid tumors with NRG1 fusions.

The FDA approved Breyanzi, a CAR-T cell therapy, for the treatment of certain patients with previously treated large B-cell lymphoma.

After training a machine learning model to analyze ultrasound images of the neck, researchers tested their algorithm and have found it correctly flagged 97% of likely cancerous nodules of the thyroid gland.

Artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to identify thyroid nodules seen on thyroid ultrasound that are very unlikely to be cancerous, reducing a large number of unnecessary biopsies.

A CU Cancer Center researcher recently published a study using DNA from thousands of healthy people to help identify disease-causing mutations by using the principle of natural selection.

Run by the Colorado Melanoma Foundation, the Sun Bus has provided more than 3,500 free skin cancer screenings throughout the central and southwestern United States. Along the way, providers are learning about melanoma misconceptions.

The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus has announced that it will make a $200 million investment over the next five years to create the Gates Institute, a research and treatment center that will focus on the development of new regenerative, cellular, and gene therapies for a variety of serious illnesses.

In initial research recently published in the journal Molecular Cancer Research, Cecilia Caino, PhD, and her co-investigators discovered that tumor cells use mitochondria to control their growth and detect stress that can destroy a tumor cell if it is not controlled.

Lung cancer cells seem to smell yummy to one species of little worm. Now, scientists are using that allure to build a squirmy new tool to detect cancer.

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network and the NCCN Foundation has announced seven recipients for the 2022 NCCN Foundation Young Investigator Awards (YIA) Program. 

In a 16 to 0 vote, with 1 abstention, the FDA’s Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC) voted in support of basing future approvals for PI3K inhibitors on randomized data instead of single-arm clinical trials.

The Journal of American Medicine expects colorectal cancer to become the highest cancer killer among those between the ages of 18 and 45. 

Investigators have explored the potential of KRAS inhibition in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC), and early results have established the pathway as a prime target for drug development.

Vaccines, antibody therapies, pills. COVID-19 treatments have been the focus of a lot of healthcare research over the past two years.

Adjuvant therapy in patients who did not undergo complete lymph node removal surgery for the treatment of stage 3 melanoma, a type of skin cancer, may provide better distant metastasis-free survival, according to recent data.

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, and a Broomfield man is trying to make everyone aware of the danger.

March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, and there’s no better time to go get screened! Colon cancer is a lot more common – and a lot more deadly – than many realize. It’s currently the second-leading cause of cancer deaths and an equal opportunist, striking both women and men.

As unlucky as it is to get bladder cancer when you don’t have any of the typical risk factors – being male, smoking, a family history of the disease, exposure to environmental toxins – artist Shelley Kerr considers herself “super lucky” to have benefited from recent breakthroughs in treatment for the malignancy. 

Since the approval of the first chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy, the research community has grappled with a crucial question: Is the modality appropriate for earlier use by patients with certain types of cancer?

Richard Schulick, MD, MBA, director of the University of Colorado Cancer Center, says he believes President Joe Biden's Cancer Moonshot goal to reduce cancer deaths by 50 percent over the next 25 years is ambitious but attainable.

Wings of Hope for Pancreatic Cancer Research has given two milestone grants for 2022, totaling $350,000—more than double what the organization typically awards annually.

A growing number of young adults are being diagnosed with late-stage colon cancer, newly published research finds.

CU Cancer Center member Neil Box, MD, separates fact from pseudoscience when it comes to protecting yourself from the sun.

In 2021, a Crested Butte family received a life-changing diagnosis. During the holiday season, their story is an apparent reminder that sometimes the best gifts are never found under a tree.

A three-drug regimen was shown to lengthen the amount of time before cancer progressed to the central nervous system — known as central nervous system progression-free survival — in certain patients with breast cancer.

The University of Colorado Cancer Center is helping host a three-day workshop at the National Academy of Science, the lab Lincoln founded in Washington.

The Association of Community Cancer Centers announced recipients of its 11th annual Innovator Awards.

Uncomfortable and possibly discriminatory situations are what keep many LGBTQIA+ community members from seeking health care on a regular basis.

Of all cancers, pancreatic cancer is one of the hardest to suspect, screen for or treat. For Castle Pines resident Maureen Shul, the disease took away two family members and changed her outlook on life.

Despite the continuing effects of COVID-19, a dedicated community of supporters converged Sept. 18 for the sold-out Evening of Hope, generating more than $100,000 to benefit pancreatic cancer research at the University of Colorado Cancer Center.

A giant robot at CU Anschutz Medical Campus is busy doing lifesaving work. Dan LaBarbera is the founding director at the Center for Drug Discovery at the campus.

The International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine awarded Natalie J. Serkova, the 2021 Senior Fellow Award for her work in animal imaging for oncology research. “I was humbled and ecstatic to receive this award…,” Serkova, director of the Animal Imaging Shared Resource at University of Colorado Cancer Center, said during an interview with Healio.

At first, Camron King’s sixth-grade teacher thought he was nervous. King had just started at a new school when he told the teacher he couldn’t read aloud from his textbook. The problem, however, was more complicated than childhood stage fright.

UCHealth ranked in the top 50 nationally for gastroenterology; ear, nose and throat care; adult diabetes and endocrinology; cancer treatment; urology; and rheumatology.

Daniel Pollyea, MD, MS, associate professor of medicine/hematology, and the clinical director of Leukemia Services at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, discusses indications for anti-CD33 therapy in the treatment of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

In the 2016 animated film “Moana,” the title character bravely battled a volcanic demon and saved her people.

Now that summer has officially arrived, thoughts might be turning to a new seasonal look. But, before that, it might be wise to think about another look, one that results from spending too much time in the sun. Sunburn is not just an uncomfortable condition, it could be a precursor to skin cancer, the most common and potentially fatal cancer in the United States.

FDA advisors told the agency to wait on more data before approving an investigational immunotherapy for squamous carcinoma of the anal canal (SCAC), largely due to questions over the drug's activity.

Using radiation to kill malignant cells in the body is nothing new, but thanks in part to funding from Wings of Hope for Pancreatic Cancer Research, oncologists are continuing to explore newer applications for one of their more standard medical therapies.

A Highlands Ranch forty-year-old mother of four was diagnosed with stage four cancer 10 months ago. The problem was, at the time, doctors did not know where exactly the cancer was in her body.

A doctor at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital is now using virtual reality to help cancer patients see their tumors in 3D form.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recently lowered its recommended age to begin screening for colon cancer from 50 to 45. It’s the third most common cancer in America, and in Colorado, there are an estimated 2,100 new cases each year.

Dr. Chris Lieu, the Associate Director of Clinical Research at the CU Cancer Center, explained the change stems from an increase in the number of colorectal cancer cases among younger people.

Loss of MAP3K7 protein expression, seen in approximately 40% of prostate cancer patients, is a major driver of prostate tumor aggressiveness and should be considered for inclusion in management algorithms, researchers say.

Learning you have cancer is shocking and going through treatment is scary. At UCHealth, a team developed technology that allows patients to watch a favorite movie or show during radiation treatments.

Peyton taught the world that ovarian cancer doesn’t just strike mothers and grandmothers. “She’s brought so much awareness to the disease through her advocacy,” said CU Cancer Center member Saketh Guntupalli, MD. 

It is one of the most common types of leukemias in adults; however, the disease comprises only about 1% of all cancers. There are a variety of treatment options available for patients with AML, with more clinical trials evaluating new therapies in the pipeline.  In this episode of the “CURE talks Cancer” podcast, we spoke with Dan Pollyea, from the University of Colorado Cancer Center, about these treatment options.

Mia and her parents shared their experience with RadFlix with FOX31. They explained that watching TV or a movie while getting radiation treatment was a game-changer. RadFlix was developed by Douglas Holt, MD, Brian Miller, PhD, and Sarah Milgrom, MD. 

Bucky Dilts, former Denver Broncos and prostate cancer survivor, and Dr. Paul Maroni, shared with CBS Denver why men should be getting a prostate cancer screening.

Erin Schenk, MD, PhD, University of Colorado Cancer Center member, discusses the rapidly evolving treatment landscape in lung cancer.

Paul A. Bunn, Jr, MD, distinguished professor, James Dudley Chair in Lung Cancer Research, Division of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado, and a 2014 Giant of Cancer Care® in Lung Cancer, discusses potentially targeting HER3 in non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

“Current guidelines recommend a 28-day course of enoxaparin for thromboprophylaxis after surgery for gynecologic cancer,” wrote Saketh R. Guntupalli, Director of the Division of Gynecologic Oncology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, and colleagues.

Paul A. Bunn, Jr, distinguished professor, James Dudley Chair in Lung Cancer Research, Division of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado and a 2014 Giant of Cancer Care® in Lung Cancer, highlights encouraging data with fam-trastuzumab deruxtecan-nxki (Enhertu) in HER2-mutant non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

According to Kelly Faulk, University of Colorado Cancer Center investigator and pediatric oncologist at Children’s Hospital Colorado, these findings are not altogether negative. “Good treatments have been developed for some of our most common childhood cancers, such as acute lymphoblastic leukemia,” Faulk said in an interview with Healio.

On the CU Anschutz Medical Campus, there’s a factory known to churn out warriors, a fitness center just for patients battling cancer.

According to a study lead by Chad Rusthoven, MD, patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) with brain metastases saw similar if not slightly better survival when treated with stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) compared with standard-of-care whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT).

“These outstanding results support rituximab as a new standard-of-care therapy for young patients with advanced B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma,” co-author Thomas Gross, of University of Colorado Cancer Center and Children’s Hospital Colorado, said.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide, and metastatic non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the deadliest form, with a 5-year survival rate of just over 5%. Nonetheless, thoracic oncologists at the University of Colorado Cancer Center in Aurora who specialize in the treatment of advanced NSCLC say there is room for optimism. In this six-part series, distinguished professor Paul Bunn and his colleagues Ross Camidge and Erin Schenk discuss how to choose the optimal treatment for a patient on the basis of pathologic findings, disease staging, and biomarker testing.

“Colorado has some of the highest UV exposure levels in the country,” Dr. Neil Box of the University of Colorado’s Cancer Center said during an interview on CBSN Denver. “Melanoma is historically the most dangerous form of cancer,” adding basal cell and squamous carcinoma are the most common types of skin cancer.

The Association of Community Cancer Centers announced recipients of its 11th annual Innovator Awards.

The Association of Community Cancer Centers announced recipients of its 11th annual Innovator Awards.