Alliance E-News - December 2025
Spotlight on Alliance Research
ALLIANCE IN THE NEWS
At the Alliance, we share stories that highlight the progress and impact of cancer research. By highlighting new clinical trials, scientific discoveries, and the achievements of our investigators, we shine a light on the progress being made against cancer and the people driving it forward. These stories raise awareness of the essential role clinical trials play in improving care, help patients find studies that may offer new hope, and build trust in the science behind our work. By amplifying these efforts through the media, we strengthen collaboration, accelerate innovation, and move closer to our mission of delivering better treatments, and better outcomes, for people with cancer.
Below are links to some of our recent media coverage.
Challenging fixed age cut-offs for AML treatment, clinical trials
Using chronological age cut-offs—such as 60 years—to divide patients with acute myeloid leukemia for clinical trials and guide treatment decisions may need to be rethought, according to the results of a multi-institutional, cross-continental study published in Leukemia. Articles in the ASCO Post, MSN News, American Journal of Managed Care, Medical Xpress, News Medical, News Break and Quick News were based on an Alliance news release about the work of Ann-Kathrin Eisfeld, MD, of The Ohio State University.
Blood test may help identify which colon cancer patients benefit from NSAIDs
A blood test could help doctors decide which patients with colon cancer should receive anti-inflammatory medication along with chemotherapy after surgery, according to a study appearing in JAMA Oncology based on data from CALGB (Alliance) 80702. Media coverage in Medscape, MSN, News Medical, Mirage News, Technology Networks, First Word Pharma, Health Tech, BioNews Central and Medical Xpress was based on an Alliance news story citing authors George Q. Zhang, MD, MPH, of Brigham and Women's Hospital and Jeffrey Meyerhardt, MD, MPH, of Dana-Farber Cancer Center.
Alliance launches trial to study exercise in cancer patients
The Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology has launched a new clinical trial to evaluate the feasibility of delivering a structured exercise program entirely through telehealth for patients with cancer receiving chemotherapy, reported The Cancer Letter. The story was based on a news release on Alliance A222302 led by Jennifer Ligibel, MD, of Dana-Farber Cancer Center, and Kathryn Schmitz, PhD, MPH, from UPMC Hillman Cancer Center. The story was also covered by Oncology News, Gene Online, Bioengineer.org, and Science Magazine.
Targeted immunotherapy combination offers hope to older adults with leukemia
Researchers from the Alliance have found that two targeted immunotherapy drugs lead to high remission rates and long survival with reasonable side effects for older patients with a tough-to-treat form of leukemia, reported Medical Xpress, First Word Pharma, Gene Online and Bioengineer.org. The articles were based on an Alliance news release about a Journal of Clinical Oncology publication from Alliance A041703 Cohort 1 led by Matthew Wieduwilt, MD, PhD, of Wake Forest University School of Medicine.
Digital health tools for younger cancer survivors
Angela Bradbury, MD, of the University of Pennsylvania Abramson Cancer Center, leads the new Alliance A232301CD/AYA ACCESS study to see if digital health tools help ways to address longstanding gaps in genetic services for adolescents and young adults (AYA) aged 18 to 39. Coverage by News Medical, Oncology News, and ScienceX was based on an Alliance news story.
Alliance launches clinical trial of targeted therapies for adrenal cancer
The Alliance has initiated a clinical trial aimed at addressing the urgent need for novel therapeutic options in advanced adrenocortical carcinoma, reported Newsbreak, Bioengineer.org and Science Magazine. Articles quoting Bhavana Konda, MD, MPH, of The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, as study chair of Alliance A092204, originated from an Alliance news story.
New Alliance trial seeks to enhance outcomes in metastatic prostate cancer
The Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology has initiated a Phase III clinical study, known as the ASPIRE trial (Alliance A032302), which aims to explore the potential survival benefits of integrating chemotherapy with existing therapeutic regimens for men diagnosed with metastatic castrate-sensitive prostate cancer, reported Science Magazine, Gene Online and Bioengineer.org. More information on Alliance A032302 can be found in the Alliance news release.
Go ask a nurse
Alliance researcher Steven Dunder, MD, an oncologist from Cancer Partners of Nebraska, says in an interview on the Go Ask a Nurse podcast that “every single treatment, drug, chemotherapy, or immunotherapy that we give now came about because of well-done clinical trials.” Dr. Dunder notes that it’s incumbent on treatment teams to look for clinical trials for all patients, regardless of what stage they are in during their treatment.
Cognitive function and statins during doxorubicin-based treatment
Contrary to previous research, a preplanned secondary analysis of the multicenter PREVENT trial, supported by the Alliance and published in JAMA Network Open, showed that patients with cancer undergoing anthracycline-based treatment who receive statins may not experience deterioration in cognitive function. The findings were reported by W. Gregory Hundley, MD, of Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine and colleagues in the ASCO Post.
