An Assortment of Journal Abstracts to Enhance Oncology Care

BREAST CANCER Impact of a Weight Loss Intervention on 1-Year Weight Change in Women With Stage II/III Breast Cancer Findings from the secondary analysis of the Breast Cancer Weight Loss (BWEL) trial demonstrated that a remotely delivered, telephone-based weight loss intervention (WLI) led to significant and sustained weight loss in women with early-stage breast cancer and overweight or obesity (JAMA Oncology 2025; doi.org/10.1001/jamaoncol.2025.2738). Obesity is a well-established risk factor for breast cancer recurrence, treatment-related complications, and reduced quality of life. The BWEL trial enrolled 3,180 patients with stage II–III, HER2-negative breast cancer and a body mass index (BMI) of 27 or higher. Participants had completed primary cancer therapy and were randomized to receive either health education alone or a structured, 2-year WLI delivered by telephone. The intervention included caloric restriction guidance, physical activity coaching, and tailored dietary support. Among the study cohort, 1,591 and 1,589 patients were randomized to the WLI and control groups, respectively. At 1 year, participants in the WLI arm lost an average of 4.3 kg (4.7% of baseline weight), while those in the control group gained an average of 0.9 kg (1%). Nearly half (46.5%) of WLI participants lost at least 5% of their baseline body weight, and 22.5% lost 10% or more. In contrast, only 14.3% and 5% of control participants reached these respective thresholds. The intervention was effective across tumor subtypes, treatment regimens (including endocrine therapy), and socioeconomic backgrounds. Importantly, weight loss outcomes varied by demographic subgroup. Postmenopausal women achieved greater weight loss than premenopausal women, while Black and Latina participants lost less weight on average than their White counterparts. Ongoing follow-up from BWEL will evaluate whether weight loss through such interventions can reduce breast cancer recurrence and improve survival—potentially integrating structured lifestyle support into survivorship care models. AUTHOR COMMENTARY: “This remotely delivered intervention was successful in helping women lose weight across many different patient and treatment factors, and it worked well across a large number of sites across the U.S. and Canada,” noted principal investigator Jennifer Ligibel, MD, Professor at Harvard Medical School and a Senior Physician in the Breast Oncology Center at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. “These results put us in a great position to be able to determine whether the weight loss program will help reduce the risk of cancer recurrence.” NERVE INJURY Cancer-Induced Nerve Injury Promotes Resistance to Anti-PD-1 Therapy A recently published study suggests that cancer-induced nerve injury (CINI) is a key driver of chronic inflammation and immune exhaustion that impairs responses to anti-PD-1 therapy (Nature 2025; doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09370-8). In this analysis, researchers explored the role of perineural invasion and cancer-associated nerve injury in relation to the development of immunotherapy resistance that is often observed among patients with squamous cell carcinoma, melanoma, and stomach cancer. The study reveals that tumor cells physically disrupt the protective myelin sheaths surrounding nerve fibers, leading to direct neuronal injury. In response, damaged nerves initiate a self-repair program mediated by IL-6 and type I interferon signaling, triggering an inflammatory cascade. While initially regenerative, this inflammation becomes chronic as tumor progression continues, sustaining a cycle of nerve injury and immune recruitment that ultimately exhausts cytotoxic T cells and fosters an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Data showed that the CINI-driven anti-PD-1 resistance can be reversed by targeting multiple steps in the CINI signaling process, according to the study authors. This includes “denervating the tumor, conditional knockout of the transcription factor mediating the injury signal within neurons (Atf3), knockout of interferon-α receptor signaling, or by combining anti-PD-1 and anti-IL-6-receptor blockade.” AUTHOR COMMENTARY: “These findings uncover novel mechanisms by which the immune system and nerves within the tumor microenvironment interact, revealing actionable targets that could transform the way we approach resistance to immunotherapy in patients with cancer,” noted co-corresponding author Moran Amit, MD, PhD, Professor of Head and Neck Surgery at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. “This marks a significant advance in our understanding of tumor-neuro-immune dynamics, highlighting the importance of investigating the interplay of cancer and neuroscience in meaningful ways that can directly impact clinical practice.” CANCER MORTALITY Occupation as a Firefighter & Cancer Mortality in a Population-Based Cohort in the United States A large, population-based cohort study, recently published in the International Journal of Epidemiology, has found that occupation as a firefighter is associated with increased cancer mortality, particularly from skin and kidney cancers (2025; doi.org/10.1093/ije/dyaf104). The study strengthens evidence of occupational carcinogenic risk in firefighters and expands on the findings of a 2022 International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) review confirming causal links with mesothelioma and bladder cancer, but had limited or inadequate evidence for other cancer types. In this recent analysis, researchers examined data from more than 470,000 men enrolled in the ACS Cancer Prevention Study-II in 1982, including 3,085 firefighters. Participants were followed prospectively for cancer mortality through 2018, providing 36 years of longitudinal data. Cancer mortality was classified using ICD codes, and multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated to assess risk. “Occupation as a firefighter compared to career professionals was associated with most cancers, but strongest for skin (HR=1.72; 95% CI: 1.14-2.60) and kidney (HR=1.39; 95% CI: 0.92-2.09) cancer mortality,” according to the study authors. The data also showed suggestive increases in prostate and colorectal cancer mortality with more years as a firefighter. Notably, an elevated risk of lung cancer became evident only after 30 years of follow-up, highlighting the importance of long-term observation. Adjusting for confounders, such as smoking and socioeconomic status, reduced some associations, but the excess mortality from skin and kidney cancers remained robust. “These results support additional associations for occupation as a firefighter and cancer mortality beyond those reported in the most recent IARC evaluation,” the investigators concluded. AUTHOR COMMENTARY: “Our findings support the growing body of research linking firefighter exposures to cancer risk,” stated lead study author Lauren Teras, PhD, Senior Scientific Director, Epidemiology Research at the American Cancer Society. “The associations with skin, kidney, prostate, and colorectal cancer notably help to fill gaps for cancers that were considered to have limited or inadequate evidence in the previous IARC review. This study shines a spotlight on the long-term risks firefighters face beyond the immediate dangers of fighting a fire. Continued efforts to safeguard the health of firefighters by increasing access to cancer screening, early detection, and prevention are paramount. This population plays a crucial role in our communities as first responders and protectors of life and property.”

Récupéré en direct depuis OpenAlex et désinversé. Les résumés ne sont pas conservés dans cette base de données : les index inversés représentent 8,6 Go des 9,3 Go de texte de la base, et le serveur dispose de 13 Go libres.