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Cancer changes everything about one’s self-image, but that doesn’t mean it is a negative outcome.
 

Cancer And Your Self-Image: Adjusting Is an Ongoing Process

Investigators are launching a global multi-regional phase 3 clinical trial that is to evaluate ASP-1929 photoimmunotherapy in combination with Keytruda (pembrolizumab) as a first-line therapy in patients with recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), according to a news release from Rakuten Medical announced.

Furthermore, the first patient enrolled onto the trial recently received a study treatment at the Avera Cancer Institute in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Patient enrollment is also planned for sites in Japan and Taiwan, with further expansion planned to other countries and regions.

"Photoimmunotherapy has a unique mode of action, which involves a biophysical disruption of targeted cells. [Keytruda] has become a mainstay in systemic treatment for recurrent/metastatic HNSCC,” Dr. Kristen Coffroth an expert in Head and Neck Surgery, Ear, Nose & Throat and Otolaryngology, at Avera Medical Group, and one of the investigators for the ASP-1929-381 study at the Avera Cancer Institute, stated in the news release. “This trial will evaluate whether the combination of ASP-1929 photoimmunotherapy with [Keytruda] can harness synergistic antitumor effects, which may shed new light on the treatment of locoregional recurrent HNSCC."

This study builds on interim evaluation data from 19 patients enrolled in the HNSCC cohort of a prior phase 1b/2 study, ASP-1929-181. The data indicated an estimated 24-month survival rate of 52.4%, with a generally tolerated safety and a median overall survival (OS) that was not reached. Specifically, there were no fatal serious side effects nor synergistic serious side effects reported due to ASP-1929 and anti-PD-1, though two life-threatening serious side effects were noted.

The phase 3 trial is evaluating ASP-1929 photoimmunotherapy plus anti-PD-1 Keytruda as a first-line treatment for recurrent, locoregional HNSCC without distant spreading of the disease. The randomized, open-label study will enroll approximately 400 patients globally, assigned to either the experimental treatment group, consisting of ASP-1929 photoimmunotherapy plus Keytruda, or the control therapy group, evaluating the Keytruda-based standard of care, which may include chemotherapy.

Patients will be enrolled onto the study and across three treatment groups: ASP-1929 PIT at doses of 320 milligrams per square meter (mg/m²) or 640 mg/m² combined with Keytruda, or a standard-of-care group where patients may receive Keytruda alone or Keytruda plus chemotherapy by a physician's choice.

The primary end goal of the study is OS, while secondary end goals include complete response rate and overall response rate.

According to the news release, ASP-1929 is an antibody-dye conjugate that binds to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), a cancer antigen expressed in various solid tumors. After binding to cancer cells, ASP-1929 is activated by red light, causing damage to the cancer cell membrane and selective necrosis. In Japan, ASP-1929 received marketing approval for unresectable locally advanced or recurrent head and neck cancer in 2020. Outside Japan, it hasn’t been approved by any regulatory authority.

Dr. William Chad Spanos, an expert in Ear, Nose & Throat and Head and Neck Surgery, as well as the Principal Investigator for the ASP-1929-381 study at the Avera Cancer Institute, emphasized that he is, “…impressed by the technology behind photoimmunotherapy, which offers a novel and targeted approach to cancer treatment. Combining this with [Keytruda] has the potential to expand first-line treatment options for patients with recurrent HNSCC. I am pleased to initiate this groundbreaking trial at our site and look forward to contributing to advancing care for patients facing this challenging disease."

For more news on cancer updates, research and education, don’t forget to 

subscribe to CURE®’s newsletters here.

A global phase 3 clinical trial is underway to evaluate ASP-1929 photoimmunotherapy combined with Keytruda as a first-line treatment for recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The trial, involving approximately 400 patients, aims to assess the synergistic antitumor effects of this combination therapy. ASP-1929, an antibody-dye conjugate targeting EGFR, is activated by red light to induce cancer cell necrosis. The study's primary endpoint is overall survival, with secondary endpoints including complete and overall response rates. ASP-1929 is approved in Japan but not elsewhere.

A phase 3 trial is evaluating ASP-1929 photoimmunotherapy plus Keytruda in first-line treatment for recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Tumor

New Trial to Test Light Therapy Plus Keytruda in Head and Neck Cancer

Dr. Filippo Pietrantonio discusses OrigAMI-1 trial data which assessed Rybrevant in mutated, wild-type, non-HER2-amplified metastatic colorectal cancer.

Rybrevant Alone and in Combo With Chemo is Efficacious in HER+ mCRC

2025 ASCO Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium

, investigators, such as Dr. Filippo Pietrantonio, shared data on the OrigAMI-1 trial which assessed Rybrevant (amivantamab) as a monotherapy and in combination with chemotherapy in patients with mutated, wild-type, non-HER2-amplified metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). In an interview with CURE, Pietrantonio broke down the data that were shared at the meeting.

The responses that patients had to treatment were durable, with median duration of response of 7.4 months with the monotherapy and 5.8 months for combination therapy. The safety profile was also consistent with previous findings, including things like rash and hypoalbuminemia as the most common grade 3 (severe) or higher side effects. As of August 26, 2024, 23 patients received the monotherapy, with an objective response rate (ORR) of 22% and a disease control rate (DCR) of 78%. Among seven patients receiving Rybrevant plus chemotherapy, the ORR was 43% and DCR was 86%.

Read more about next steps with the trial and insights from Pietrantonio, who serves as the Head of the Gastrointestinal Oncology Unit at Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, in Milan, Italy, below!

Given the promising anti-tumor activity of Rybrevant in this patient population, two phase three trials are planned and are ongoing in patients with mCRC [whose disease has] KRAS and BRAF wild-type type status. OrigAMI-2 [will serve] as phase three study comparing doublet chemotherapy plus Rybrevant versus the same chemotherapy backbone plus cetaximab in patients with left-sided tumors. [Additionally], OrigAMI-3 is another phase 3 trial investigating Rybrevant irrespective of primary tumor location, so including patients with right-sided tumors. This phase three trial compares second-line treatment with [chemotherapy] plus Rybrevant versus the same chemotherapy regimen plus cetaximab or bevacizumab.

The [advantage] point of these trials is that a more convenient subcutaneous formulation of Rybrevant will be used. This is much more tolerable the intravenous formulation used in the previous studies, including OrigAMI-1, because of the lower incidence of infusion reactions. Improving the treatment compliance and tolerability is important for patients and for the overall safety profile of this novel combination, so we are [looking forward to] coupling a good safety profile with potentially higher efficacy.

The OrigAMI-1 trial evaluated Rybrevant (amivantamab) as a monotherapy and in combination with chemotherapy for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) with specific genetic profiles. The trial demonstrated durable responses, with a median duration of response of 7.4 months for monotherapy and 5.8 months for combination therapy. Safety profiles were consistent with previous findings. Two phase three trials, OrigAMI-2 and OrigAMI-3, are underway to further assess Rybrevant's efficacy, utilizing a more tolerable subcutaneous formulation to improve patient compliance and safety.

Conference

Rybrevant Alone and in Combo With Chemo is Efficacious in Wildtype+ mCRC

One of the many issues that patients with cancer face is food insecurity and malnutrition, according to Dr. Anna Arthur, who added that based on this gap in the treatment space, investigators launched the NOURISH trial (Nutrition Outreach in Systems of Healthcare) which will investigate the impact of addressing these needs among patients with blood cancers undergoing transplant or cellular therapy.

“We know that individuals who are diagnosed with cancer and going through treatment are at higher risk of compromised nutritional status and malnutrition compared with healthy individuals without cancer,” said Arthur,   the study’s primary investigator, in an interview with CURE®.

In the interview, Arthur delved into insights on the NOURISH trial and highlighted the importance of addressing food insecurity and malnutrition in patients with cancer. She also shared what types of foods are most important for patients with cancer to consume during their treatments.

Arthur is currently the Director of the Medical Nutrition Science Program, as well as a tenure-track Assistant Professor in the Department of Dietetics and Nutrition at the University of Kansas Medical Center.

: How does food insecurity impact cancer treatment outcomes overall for patients?

: Patients [with cancer] who start treatment malnourished, or who become malnourished during their cancer treatment, are at higher risk of several different negative outcomes. These [outcomes] include reduced quality of life; increased susceptibility to infection and illness; increased hospital admissions, as well as increased time spent in the hospital if they're admitted; and reduced tolerance to cancer treatment. This could lead to things like treatment breaks, delays in initiating their treatment, dose reductions in the treatment that they're receiving, or even in severe cases, early cessation of treatment.

These factors also put these individuals at higher risk of morbidity and mortality. When a patient [has] a cancer diagnosis and [is] going through cancer treatment, [they are more likely to be] at a higher risk of compromised nutrition, if they are also food insecure and unable to afford or access the food that they need to help maintain their nutritional status during treatment. This [is] an added obstacle in the prevention of malnutrition and optimizing nutritional status.

What types of foods are most important for patients with cancer to consume during their treatments? Which nutrients might act like fuel for the body to recover during treatment?

There are recommendations that we give to patients with cancer during treatment for dietary intake, as well as how we prioritize types of medical nutrition therapy interventions that we provide. [These recommendations are highly] individualized; [they] vary depending on what type of cancer patients have, what stage the cancer is when diagnosed, the type of treatment that they're going to receive and other health conditions that they may be presenting with.

For patients with cancer that are at high risk for malnutrition, focusing on foods that are high in calories and high in protein are often prioritized to help minimize weight loss and with maintenance and prevention of muscle mass loss. We know that weight loss, especially in the form of muscle loss, during cancer treatment, is associated with those [poor] outcomes. Therefore, maintaining the adequate intake of calories and protein during cancer treatment can help reduce the risk of those negative outcomes, minimize that weight loss and preserve muscle mass. [This is] so that the patient can better tolerate their treatment, enhancing their recovery after treatment.

How does the NOURISH trial aim to simplify the process of accessing nutritious foods for these patients?

We'll be providing patients with bags of food that are provided by our food bank partners at each of the four cancer centers that we are doing this trial at. We're working in Kansas City with Harvesters Food Bank, and these food bags will provide enough food for two to three days of balanced nutrition for one person. When patients come into clinic for their cancer treatment, they'll receive their bags in a discrete manner, and they'll also be receiving bags two times per week.

We anticipate, by providing the food bag when they come in for their cancer treatment, we're ensuring that they have the food that they need to maintain their nutritional status, and that avoids having to procure the food themselves, either at a grocery store or at a food pantry, which can be a really major burden during a very stressful time in their life, when patients are not feeling well. Additionally, [if the patients are] food insecure, they may also lack resources like money and transportation to be able to go out and get food on their own.

In addition to the food bags, we’re providing patients with recipes and video cooking demonstrations in the bag and on a centralized website so that patients and their care partners can know and don't have to figure out on their own how to use the content of the bags that they receive. [This] helps them manage the side effects they may be experiencing so that they can get the nutrition that they need, even if they are experiencing symptoms and side effects.

How do you envision it influencing cancer care and health system policies in the future, particularly regarding food insecurity and malnutrition in these patients?

I'm hopeful that we will be successful in demonstrating positive outcomes; the positive outcomes that we're mainly looking at are cost effectiveness as well as reduced malnutrition or preventing malnutrition.

This trial could then pave the way for other health systems and cancer centers around the country to provide a similar program to patients who need it as part of their standard of care. That would be beneficial for food insecure patients, and maybe even someday, we could reach a point where we could provide food for all patients with cancer, regardless of food insecurity.

Why is it important for patients with cancer undergoing transplant or cellular therapy to prioritize calorie and protein intake, even if it means adjusting their normal, healthy diet?

As a registered dietitian and nutritionist, I am trained to prioritize nutrition problems that patients come to us with based on what the most urgent need is the. During cancer treatment, often the most urgent need is to prevent or treat malnutrition and help manage side effects, preventing the loss of muscle mass.

Cancer treatment is not the time to focus on losing weight. While we still must be attentive to other nutrition-related issues that the patients may present to us with, like diabetes or high cholesterol or micronutrient deficiencies, minimizing weight loss and muscle mass loss during cancer treatment is the highest priority, even in patients who are overweight or obese.

There's quite a bit of data showing that somebody can be malnourished and have low muscle mass, even if they're obese. It is really important that we prioritize preventing malnutrition and weight loss. A lot of times in patients who are diagnosed [with cancer] who are overweight or obese, they think, ‘I'm losing weight so easily now, great,’ but it is really not, especially if that's muscle.

How can patients advocate for themselves if they're experiencing food insecurity or malnutrition?

In patients experiencing food insecurity or malnutrition that haven't been identified and addressed by their care team, I would encourage the patient themselves or their care partner, if they have social support with them, to speak up about their concern to one of the members of their care team, whether it be a physician, a nurse, a registered dietitian, social worker, or someone else. That care team member can help refer them to the appropriate health care provider, like a dietitian or a social worker, which would be the most common types of providers that could help refer them and connect with resources that would help address those needs.

Oftentimes food insecurity and malnutrition are overlooked, especially malnutrition among individuals who are overweight or obese. If they're having a difficult time consuming a regular diet, as much food as they consumed prior to their diagnosis, or if they are having trouble accessing food, affording food, they should not be afraid to advocate for themselves and ask for help with those things.

Transcript has been edited for clarity and conciseness.

For more news on cancer updates, research and education,

don’t forget to subscribe to CURE®’s newsletters here.

Addressing food insecurity and malnutrition is crucial for cancer patients, particularly those undergoing transplant or cellular therapy. The NOURISH trial aims to assess the impact of providing nutritious food to these patients, potentially improving treatment outcomes and reducing negative effects like increased hospital admissions and treatment delays. High-calorie and high-protein foods are emphasized to prevent weight and muscle loss. The trial also seeks to simplify food access through partnerships with food banks, offering food bags and educational resources. Success could influence future cancer care policies and standard practices.

Dr. Anna Arthur discusses how the NOURISH trial is addressing food insecurity and malnutrition in patients undergoing treatment for their blood cancers.

Understanding Food Insecurity and Malnutrition During Cancer Treatment

The recent American Cancer Society’s Cancer Statistics, 2025 report was released revealing a sobering trend for pancreatic cancer. Despite increases over the past three years, the five-year relative survival rate for pancreatic cancer remains flat at 13%, and just 8% for people diagnosed with the most common form of pancreatic cancer, pancreatic adenocarcinoma. 

According to the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Statistics, 2025, report, an estimated 67,440 Americans are expected to be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2025, and an estimated 51,980 are predicted to die from the disease this year.While overall cancer mortality is decreasing, the annual report highlights that pancreatic cancer remains the third-leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. Evidence suggests that it is on track to become the second-leading cause in the coming years. The five-year relative survival for Black people with pancreatic cancer is lower at 11%, consistent with the disparities seen for cancer overall.

As one of the five most lethal cancers, pancreatic cancer, unlike lung, breast, prostate and colorectal cancer, is the only one that does not have a standard screening strategy. The lack of progress highlights the need for focused research efforts to narrow the gap between outcomes from pancreatic cancer and other major cancer types. 

There is good news. Overall, cancer mortality rates are decreasing. Although pancreatic cancer continues to lag behind, successes in other cancers can provide a roadmap and highlight focus areas that may have a positive impact on outcomes for patients with pancreatic cancer in the years to come.

“While we’ve seen incremental progress in the treatment of pancreatic cancer, it’s sobering to know that pancreatic cancer survival has not increased and remains the only major cancer with a five-year survival rate below 20%,” said Anna Berkenblit, M.D., MMSc, Chief Scientific and Medical Officer at PanCAN. “The minimal improvement in survival in recent years is in part related to more people being diagnosed with incidentally detected, well differentiated neuroendocrine tumors, which are less aggressive than pancreatic adenocarcinomas. This highlights the need for screening and surveillance strategies for pancreatic adenocarcinoma as well as the need for better therapies, which will require more research funding.”

The bad news is that there continues to be a lack of research funding for an early detection strategy and better treatments for patients.

Dr. Berkenblit added, “I am hopeful that with the approval of new drugs for the treatment of diabetes and obesity, both of which are risk factors for pancreatic cancer, and the development of targeted therapies like RAS inhibitors for pancreatic cancer, we will begin to see improved outcomes in the years ahead.” 

Learn more about how you can help by reading the article: 

A Call to Action: Progress for Pancreatic Cancer Depends on You.

Pancreatic cancer remains a significant challenge, with a stagnant five-year relative survival rate of 13%, and only 8% for pancreatic adenocarcinoma. The American Cancer Society's 2025 report estimates 67,440 new cases and 51,980 deaths in 2025, highlighting its status as the third-leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S. Despite overall cancer mortality declining, pancreatic cancer lacks a standard screening strategy, underscoring the need for focused research. Promising developments in diabetes and obesity treatments, and targeted therapies like RAS inhibitors, offer hope for future improvements.

The recent American Cancer Society’s Cancer Statistics, 2025 report was released revealing a sobering trend for pancreatic cancer.

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Pancreatic Cancer Diagnoses and Mortality Rates Rise 

An expert spoke with CURE® about the emotional bonds that can develop while treating patients with cancer.

Kate, Princess of Wales, ‘Got So Attached’ to Her Port During Cancer Treatment

Kate, the Princess of Wales, has announced that her cancer is in remission, but revealed in a candid moment that she felt connected to her port mechanism through which drugs were administered.

During a Jan. 14 visit to Royal Marsden Hospital in London, where she’d received treatment, the princess said of her port, “I got so attached to it,” with the Associated Pres noting that she joked that she had been almost reluctant to have hers removed when told she no longer needed it.

Dr. Frank J. Penedo of Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, in an interview CURE®, said that he doesn’t often hear of patients becoming attached to their port, but he is familiar with patients developing an emotional connection with their care teams.

“It's not uncommon… for the patient to have a sense of loss and disconnection from their care team, because they become such a critical part of their lives and such an emotional connection occurs with them,” said Penedo, Associate Director, Cancer Survivorship and Translational Behavioral Sciences; Director, Cancer Survivorship and Supportive Care; and Director, Biopsychosocial Mechanisms and Health Outcomes (BMHO) Lab, at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, in Miami, Florida .

While at the Royal Marsden, Kate thanked the medical team for their support and spoke with other patients, the Associated Press reported.

“I wanted to come and show my support for the amazing work that’s going on here, and for those who are going through treatment and having such a hard time,” she said.

Kate announced in March 2024 that she had received a 

. The type of cancer has never been disclosed.

Penedo spoke with CURE® about the emotional bond that can form between patients with cancer and their care teams.

I do hear [about] a lot of emotional attachment to the care teams. It's not uncommon, even when it's good news and the patient is told, ‘You're in remission, the treatment has worked, we'll see you in months,’ for the patient to have a sense of loss and disconnection from their care team, because they become such a critical part of their lives and such an emotional connection occurs with them.

These are individuals — and I have to really give credit to not only the physicians, but the nursing teams, the social workers, the psychologists — the entire care team that works with these patients really are invested in not only making sure that the treatments are set up so that the patient can develop an optimal response, but also that they can live their best possible lives.

So it's [about] adjusting to the new normal, and of course, these patients are going to develop a connection to those individuals that are helping them navigate the challenges of living with cancer.

Heal

An expert explains the new phase of Princess Kate’s cancer journey as she enters remission.

A.J. Cincotta-Eichenfield, LMSW

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