News from NYU Langone Health
A Better Option For Women With Common Type Of Advanced Breast Cancer: New Trial Data Provides Hope. (SurvivorNet)
SurvivorNet (6/1) At the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting, researchers presented findings from the phase III SERENA-6 study indicating that an innovative treatment approach using camizestrant combined with a CDK4/6 inhibitor, initiated upon detection of an emerging ESR1 mutation via liquid biopsy, can significantly reduce the risk of disease progression or death by 56% in patients with hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative advanced breast cancer, with Nancy Chan, MD, associate professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Perlmutter Cancer Center, describing the study as the first global, randomized phase III study utilizing circulating tumor DNA guidance to direct therapy for patients.
In a separate article, SurvivorNet (6/2) Data from the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology conference reveals that the DESTINY-Breast09 study showed a 44% reduction in disease progression or death for patients with HER2 positive advanced breast cancer using trastuzumab deruxtecan (Enhertu) plus pertuzumab, compared to the traditional combination of taxane, trastuzumab, and pertuzumab, allowing patients to delay harsh chemotherapy; Nancy Chan, MD, associate professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Perlmutter Cancer Center, said, “That’s where the clinically meaningful and statistically significant improvement in progression-free survival matters,” adding that this approach offers patients a longer period before progression and an improved quality of life.
Measles Can Be A Risk During Air Travel. Here’s How To Stay Safe. (Washington Post)
Paywalled* The Washington Post (6/2) Adam J. Ratner, MD, professor, Departments of Pediatrics, and Microbiology, Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital, shared in March that some adults who received the vaccine between 1963 and 1967 “may have received a version of the measles vaccine that isn’t as effective”
Cannabis Use Among Older Adults In The US Reaches Record Levels. (News Medical)
News Medical (6/2) Marijuana use among older adults in the U.S. has risen to 7 percent, according to researchers from the Center for Drug Use and HIV/HCV Research at the NYU School of Global Public Health, with contributors including Joseph J. Palamar, MPH, PhD, associate professor, Department of Population Health, with the study revealing increased usage among college-educated, married, female, and higher-income demographics; Palamar said, “Interestingly, with respect to income, those with the highest incomes had the lowest prevalence of cannabis use in 2021, but by 2023 this group had the highest prevalence, which may indicate who has access to medical cannabis given its costs.”
McKnight’s Long-Term Care News (6/2) Joseph J. Palamar, MPH, PhD, associate professor, Department of Population Health, said, “Our study shows that cannabis use among older adults continues to increase, although there have been major shifts in use according to demographic and socioeconomic factors.”
The Fox News Rundown Podcast: Progress Being Made In Fighting Alzheimer’s. (Fox News Rundown)
Fox News Rundown (6/3) Joel Salinas, MD, MBA, clinical associate professor, Department of Neurology, the Pearl I. Barlow Center for Memory Evaluation and Treatment, discussed advancements in Alzheimer’s research on the Rundown, highlighting over 100 potential new treatments and a new blood test for early detection as part of the evolving efforts to combat the disease, which affects an estimated 7.2 million Americans aged 65 and older.
What Is EMDR – The Form Of Therapy That Miley Cyrus Says ‘Saved My Life’? (Well and Good)
Well and Good (6/2) Miley Cyrus, who has struggled with anxiety around large performances, credits eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy for helping her overcome this fear, describing her experience as akin to watching a movie in her mind; Thea Gallagher, PsyD, clinical associate professor, Department of Psychiatry, said EMDR is among evidence-based therapies for PTSD, though research on its mechanisms is still developing, and emphasized that it can be transformative by allowing individuals to process distressing memories and regain control over their lives.
The Weight Of Two Worlds: Lipo-Lymphedema And Obesity. (Medscape)
Paywalled* Medscape (6/3)* Shannon Ashley’s journey with lipo-lymphedema, a condition arising from the progression of lipedema, underscores the challenges of misdiagnosis and lack of awareness in the medical community, as highlighted by experts including Holly F. Lofton, MD, clinical associate professor, Departments of Surgery, Division of Bariatric Surgery, and Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine and Clinical Innovation, who stressed the necessity of incorporating lipedema education into medical school curricula.
Weight-Loss Meds Reduce Risk Of Obesity-Related Cancers. (Real Health)
Real Health (6/2) A study presented at the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting in Chicago suggests that popular weight-loss medications, such as semaglutide and tirzepatide, are linked to a moderately lower risk of obesity-related cancers and reduced overall mortality compared to other diabetes drugs, according to Lucas A. Mavromatis, research assistant, Department of Medicine, Division of Precision Medicine, who said, “Our results suggest [the medication] may modestly cut the chance of developing certain cancers – especially cancers of the colon and rectum – and reduce rates of death due to all causes.”
Also reporting is Hep Mag (6/2).