Michael Fisch MD MPH

Presented at #ASCO25:

The addition of encorafenib and cetuximab to mFOLFOX6 chemotherapy improved outcomes in the primary treatment of metastatic BRAF V600E–mutated colorectal cancer.

Full BREAKWATER phase 3 trial results:

Adding to growing evidence of #AI -based CT scan muscle analysis in cancer. Pts with mCRC receiving 1L FOLFOX or FOLFIRI with low skeletal muscle index had higher rates of ≥G3 neutropenia. journals.sagepub.com/eprint/RSAKM... #CancerCachexia @ryannipp.bsky.social @pallonccop.bsky.social

SWOG 2210 is open for #prostatecancer patients w/ BRCA1 or BRCA2. Fascinating to see BRCA’s role in other cancers. Hoping we see biomarkers unlock clues in RCC soon. #GUonc #oncsky #cansky

So thrilled to be joined by @missmeganel.bsky.social to discuss her amazing essay “Tamales” in our latest @ascocancer.bsky.social #CancerStories podcast! Listen to how patients invite their doctors into their culture and their world. 🎗️♥️🇲🇽 ascopubs.org/do/tamales-cel…

Why Good Palliative Care Clinicians Get Fired This Viewpoint discusses why palliative care clinicians may be fired despite good job performance.

"If palliative care clinicians walk the line between security and vulnerability, then they must expect to misstep sometimes."

This Viewpoint explores why palliative care clinicians may be at increased risk for dismissal.

#MedSky https://ja.ma/42bomND

Clinician researchers should just remove the work "trend" from your vocabulary. Seriously! 😜

If what you are indicating by using that word is actually important, you will be able to find another way to describe it. I promise.

A brief plea to call a spade a spade (or more specifically, call a phase 1 a phase 1; a phase 2 a phase 2; a phase 3 a phase 3). www.europeanurology.com/article/S030...

Cancer-Related Cognitive Impairment: A Practical Guide for Oncologists | JCO Oncology Practice

Cancer-Related Cognitive Impairment: A Practical Guide for Oncologists | JCO Oncology Practice ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/...

Resilience and the Fallacy of “One Size Fits All.”

www.nejm.org/doi/abs/10.1...

@nejm.org @harvardmed.bsky.social @danafarber.bsky.social
#PallOnc #GeriOnc #PalliativeCare

@fumikochino.bsky.social published in @ascocancer.bsky.social this important #pallonc study

#Fintox 💰 is direct costs (e.g., copays) ➕ indirect costs (e.g., lost income)

➡️: ⬆️stress and skipping #cancer meds.

4 step #COST frame work ⬆️🗣️

🔗: ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/...

At some point the US will need to consider value when approving drugs (or at least deciding if we are going to pay for them).

Will Renaming Some Cancers as Noncancers Hurt or Help? This Medical News article discusses the ongoing debate about whether the word cancer should be dropped from the names of indolent tumors of the prostate and breast.

re: cancer label for lo-risk cancer: either a) relabel "but ensure patients understand [need for] monitoring" or b) don't relabel "but ensure patients understand lesions are unlikely to cause problems, so surveillance is appropriate." We know a) works better then b). jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

24 Executive Healthcare AI Predictions & Trends to Watch in 2025 Can AI solve the physician shortage and revolutionize chronic disease management? Healthcare executives share their predictions for 2025

hitconsultant.net/2025/01/16/e...

Cancer affects all in some way. Change is coming after too brief a period of great leadership by Dr. Kimryn Rathmell. Whatever happens it is an honor to express a vision for the field of cancer research & innovation in oncology. Research on causes & cures brings hope for patients.

I, too, have been surprised by the rise of "tornado plots" to plot clinical trial AEs at our conferences!

100% agree with ⬆️ this simple data vis change to improve interpretability of AEs.

#ESMOImmuno24
Proffered paper🔥

Ph III CM73L: Nivo+cCRT➡️consol Nivo/Ipi v Nivo v cCRT➡️Durva @solangepeters.bsky.social

- no PFS/OS benefit
- g3+TRAE 57%, 54%, 49%
- concerning pneumonitis signal

Concurrent RT+IO - going going gone
@oncoalert.bsky.social #LCSM #Medsky #Oncsky

1/4 @swog.org lung cancer trial, PRAGMATICA, closes early! This randomized trial enrolled 800 volunteers w stage 3-4 lung cancer in 21 months (goal was 700 in 24m). Tested chemo vs ramicirumab/pembrolizumab. Not applicable to every trial, but...

Hot of the press from @proteuspros - an infographic explaining the value of PROs!
Note - they need to start as parr of the clinical encounter to benefit patients and society.
tinyurl.com/3m594fhk

Remote Symptom Monitoring of Patients With Advanced Lung #Cancer (The ProWide Study): A Randomized Controlled Trial.

ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/...

@ascopost.bsky.social
#LungCancer #PallOnc #SuppOnc

De-escalation discussion on Europa trial tag line - which would you prefer, 5 days of RT or 5 years of ET…. 🤔🤔 No-brainer?? Supported by BASO II trial longer term data #SABC24

This is great because patients hate endocrine therapy!

However, we need to see recurrence data before adopting in the clinic.

#BCSM #SABCS24

#SABCS24 #bcsm #OncSky #RadOnc #MedSky

BIG 2-04 SUPREMO: postmastectomy #radiation in int risk #breastcancer did not improve 10y overall survival, incl for node + subset. Stat sig but small ⬇️ in chest wall recurrence (2.5% -> 1.1% abs risk, NNT 63 to prevent 1 CW recurrence)
@oncoalert.bsky.social

Axillary Surgery in Breast Cancer — Primary Results of the INSEMA Trial | NEJM Whether surgical axillary staging as part of breast-conserving therapy can be omitted without compromising survival has remained unclear. In this prospective, randomized, noninferiority trial, we i...

Omission of Axillary surgery continues to build momentum
Here in pts w/ cN0 T1-2 invasive breast cancer—omission is noninferior to SLNB w 6 years med f/u

Axillary Surgery in Breast Cancer — Primary Results of the INSEMA Trial www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.... #SABCS24 @oncoalert.bsky.social @nejm.org

Dr. Singh draws nice comparisons between SOUND and INSEMA. #SABCS24 @oncoalert.bsky.social @sabcs.bsky.social

It's a difficult topic to discuss- weight. Hugely personal, not easy to change, but impt.

4% ⬆️ recurrence in pts w/ node + #bcsm obese vs. lean

2% ⬆️ recurrence in pts with N0 dz

📌Magnitude of effect larger among premeno.

📌ER + AND ER neg

@sabcs.bsky.social
#SABCS24
@oncoalert.bsky.social

📌 PATINA: a Randomized, Open Label, Phase III Trial to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Palbociclib + Anti-HER2 Therapy + ET vs. Anti-HER2 Therapy + ET after Induction Treatment for Hormone Receptor-Positive (HR+)/HER-Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer
#SABCS24 #day3 @oncoalert.bsky.social

Better together- very excited about this @swog.org @alliancenctn.org #CTIU collaboration 🤝

I never tire of seeing these progressively improved pediatric ALL survival curves, which represent one of the most remarkable achievements in all of medicine.

Amazing to see even more improvement with bispecific antibody #immunotherapy presented in the #ASH24 Plenary session. #hematology #leukemia

5-year POLARIX F/U #ASH24
- 5-yr PFS better w/ polaRCHP: 65% v 59%
- no difference in OS (7 yr F/U planned)
- more LBCL deaths in RCHOP arm, polaRCHP arm w/ less subsequent tx
- in underpowered subgroup analysis, polaRCHP PFS/OS better in ABC
6% PFS benefit enough for SOC? #lymsm