Deborah Schrag, MD, MPH, an oncologist in the Gastrointestinal Treatment Center and chief of the Division of Population Sciences, Department of Medical Oncology, at Dana-Farber, is lead author of the study.

"We already understand that one reason for the difference in survival is that specific mutations such as BRAF are more common the right side," she said. "As more patients undergo genotyping, the mechanisms that underlie this finding will be better understood."


Breast cancer: Clinical trial participation of older patients with breast cancer still lagging, research finds

Abstract 1024: Rachel A. Freedman, MD, MPH - Presenter

Poster Board: #129

Poster session, breast cancer - triple negative, Cytotoxics/Local Therapy

Sunday, June 5, 8 a.m. - 11:30 a.m., Hall A

Even though the proportion of older patients with breast cancer participating in clinical trials after surgery has increased somewhat over the past 25 years, the proportion of older patients with metastatic breast cancer in presurgical trials is decreasing. In a study to be presented at the ASCO annual meeting, researchers found that overall, older patients with breast cancer are still largely underrepresented within these trials, research by investigators at Dana-Farber and City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center suggests. By examining the ages of patients enrolled in more than a dozen breast cancer trials between 1985 and 2012, the researchers found that the proportion of patients over age 65 - and in particular over age 70 - is not meaningfully improving with time, despite the fact that most breast cancers occur in these groups. The researchers, led by Rachel Freedman, MD, MPH, of the Susan F. Smith Center for Women's Cancers at Dana-Farber and Arti Hurria, MD, of City of Hope, call for the development of new accrual strategies to increase the participation of older patients.

Pediatric cancer: Survey finds strong support among clinicians for medical marijuana use in children with cancer

Abstract 10581: Prasanna Janaki Ananth, MD, MPH - Presenter

Poster Board: #272

Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center

Poster Session, Pediatric Oncology, Monday, June 6, 8 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Hall A

More than 90 percent of pediatric oncology providers favored access to medical marijuana for children and adolescents with cancer, according to a survey study to be presented at the ASCO annual meeting.

With more states legalizing medical marijuana, patients and families are asking providers to help them obtain marijuana products to try as treatments for nausea, pain, and loss of appetite. Nearly one-third of respondents to the survey reported receiving such requests more than once in the past month, according to lead researcher Prasanna Ananth, MD, MPH, pediatric oncologist, Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center. Senior author is Joanne Wolfe, MD, MPH, director of the Pediatric Advanced Care Team, a joint pediatric palliative care program of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Boston Children's Hospital.

Association Viewpoints Homepage