image: Sylvester physicians and other researchers will participate in more than 60 presentations at ASCO 2025, a novel, long-awaited drug nears its trial milestone, the American Cancer Society’s latest trends report reveals progress and concerns, and a cancer researcher strives to build a foundation for future treatments in this month’s tip sheet from Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Credit: Photo by Sylvester Cancer
MAY 2025 TIP SHEET
Cancer Conference
ASCO Preview: Sylvester Physicians to Share Research Findings
Sylvester physician-scientists and other researchers will be involved in more than 60 oral, rapid-oral and poster presentations at ASCO 2025, the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, May 30-June 3 in Chicago. Some of the featured (EMBARGOED) oral presentations in which Sylvester researchers are involved include:
Randomized, multi-center study of carfilzomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone (KRd) with or without daratumumab (D) in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM): The ADVANCE clinical trial. Dr. C. Ola Landgren is first and presenting author.
Lara Traeger, Ph.D., is a co-author.
Romiplostim for chemotherapy‑induced thrombocytopenia (CIT) in colorectal, gastroesophageal, and pancreatic cancers: A global, phase 3, randomized, placebo-controlled trial (RCT).
Dr. Gerald Soff is a co-author.
Dr. Jaime Merchan is a co-author.
Dr. Gina D’Amato is a co-author.
Dr. Jose Lutzky is a co-author. (Late-Breaking Abstract)
Psychosocial digital application for caregivers of patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT): A randomized controlled trial.
Dr. Lara Traeger is a co-author.
Phase 1 clinical update of IMA203, an autologous TCR-T targeting PRAME in patients with PD1 refractory metastatic melanoma.
Dr. Leonel Hernandez-Aya is a co-author.
Dr. Jonathan Trent is a co-author.
Escalating impact of alcohol-related cancer mortality in the US: A call for action. Dr. Chinmay Jani is first and presenting author and Dr. Gilberto Lopes is senior author.
Dr. Michele Ceccarelli is a co-author.
Dr. Gilberto Lopes is a co-author.
Dr. Terrence Bradley is a co-author.
Cancer Trial
Novel Cancer Drug Nears Milestone After Years in Development
An experimental cancer drug discovered and developed at Sylvester over the past 14-plus years is nearing a milestone. Researchers expect to begin clinical trials for the drug, known as EP31670, this month. The trial marks a major step in a journey that began in the lab of Claes Wahlestedt, M.D., Ph.D., back in 2011. “It’s very satisfying as a researcher to see a drug candidate move to the clinic where it can help people,” he explained. Sylvester will join six other sites in testing the drug. Terrence Bradley, M.D., principal investigator, and Justin Watts, M.D., will lead Sylvester’s trial focused on using EP31670 for chronic leukemias.
Cancer Trends
Latest Trends Report Reveals Gains, Concerns in Fighting Cancer
There’s good and troubling news in the annual trends report released by the American Cancer Society. The report showed overall death rates from cancer dropped 34% between 1991 and 2022, resulting in 4.5 million fewer deaths. However, cancer diagnoses among women are increasingly more common, with lung cancer diagnoses rising 84% in women since 1983. This year, the ACS projects that more women than men will be diagnosed with this cancer. “The report matches what I’m seeing in my practice,” said Estelamari Rodriguez, M.D., M.P.H., clinical research lead, Thoracic Site Disease Group at Sylvester. “At our lung cancer clinic, we’re seeing more and more women,” she added, noting that while the average age used to be 68, they now see women as young as 34.
Cancer Profile
Cancer Epigenetics Researcher Builds Foundation for Future Care
Medical science has made extraordinary gains in treating cancer, but some cancers continue to confound physician-scientists by developing treatment resistance that can lead to death. Researchers such as Lluis Morey, Ph.D., are striving to overcome resistance by understanding its underlying molecular mechanisms and laying the foundation for new therapies. “You need to understand what the problem is in order to identify new pathways to explore and to develop new drugs,” said Morey, basic science leader for the Breast Cancer Site Disease Group at Sylvester.
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