“Look at how many people are in science now that were not even allowed to be part of a scientific community,” Olufunmilayo I. Olopade, MD said. https://cancerletter.com/black-history-month/20260213_3/

FDA approves companion diagnostic for pembrolizumab for ovarian cancer https://cancerletter.com/drugs-and-targets/20260213_10b/

"Infection and immunity are no longer peripheral to cancer; they are now central to the conversation," writes Tampa General Hospital Cancer Institute's Eduardo Sotomayor https://cancerletter.com/trials-and-tribulations/20260213_6/

Advanced PET/CT imaging can improve long-term outcomes in recurrent prostate cancer, UCLA-led study finds https://cancerletter.com/clinical-roundup/20260213_9a/

Team USA’s Julie Letai competes in Milan Olympics speed skating event. Julie Letai, daughter of NCI Director Anthony Letai, finished her heat in 3rd place in the short track speed skating women’s 500m on Day 4 of the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics. https://cancerletter.com/in-brief/20260213_8b/

FDA has approved drug labeling changes to six menopausal hormone therapy products, also known as hormone replacement therapy. https://cancerletter.com/cancer-policy/20260213_7b/

John O'Brien/National Pharmaceutical Council: "The treatments we now have would have been science fiction when I was in pharmacy school. The sustained, high-risk investments from scientists at drug companies have yielded remarkable innovations." https://cancerletter.com/guest-editorial/20260213_5/

FDA approves pembrolizumab with paclitaxel for platinum-resistant epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal carcinoma https://cancerletter.com/drugs-and-targets/20260213_10a/

NCAB ad hoc group approves seven new, reissue concepts https://cancerletter.com/nci/20260213_4/

Why infection and immunity matter for Florida’s cancer patients. Guest editorial by Tampa General Hospital Cancer Institute's Eduardo Sotomayor https://cancerletter.com/trials-and-tribulations/20260213_6/

David Gius named director of University of Cincinnati Cancer Center https://cancerletter.com/in-brief/20260213_8a/

A Super Bowl LX commercial by Hims & Hers, a controversial direct-to-consumer medication platform, featured the company’s new offering: Galleri, a multi-cancer detection test produced by GRAIL Inc. https://cancerletter.com/cancer-policy/20260213_7a/

John O'Brien/National Pharmaceutical Council: Science is winning the war on cancer—CMS shouldn’t disarm https://cancerletter.com/guest-editorial/20260213_5/

The FY26 funding package gave NCI a raise, but the institute’s buying power is 18% less than it was two decades ago Lowy: “We still have percentiles, but we’re not allowed to make awards exclusively on the basis of payline.” https://cancerletter.com/nci/20260213_1/

Olopade: “The genetic basis of every cancer, or everything we do, starts in Africa.” For #BlackHistoryMonth, Olopade reflects on mentorship, community, and her career in cancer genetics in conversation with @vcumassey.bsky.social's Winn https://cancerletter.com/black-history-month/20260213_3/

CBER Director Vinay Prasad sidelined staff to jettison Moderna’s mRNA flu shot https://cancerletter.com/regulatory-news/20260213_2/

Oral cancer pain and opioid tolerance share underlying process, study finds https://cancerletter.com/clinical-roundup/20260206_8d/

"I just felt like it was really time for me to come out of a freestanding cancer center environment into something that was more like an NYU model of an integrated health system," said NYU Perlmutter Director Anirban Maitra. https://cancerletter.com/conversation-with-the-cancer-letter/20260206_1/

Letai charged NCAB ad hoc working group members: "In evaluating these concepts, please consider whether proposed initiatives will advance or enhance the institute’s research efforts and provide guidance on future research directions." https://cancerletter.com/nci/20260206_2/

@mskcme.bsky.social launches MSK Care Partners to expand access to cancer care https://cancerletter.com/in-brief/20260206_7c/

The bill is a revised version of the six-part funding package that was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives Jan. 20. At the time, the package was hailed as a legislative victory. https://cancerletter.com/capitol-hill/20260206_4/

Ken Kobayashi, MD and Joan H. Schiller, MD (@ouchinternational.bsky.social): "Outdoor air pollution from car, truck and diesel exhaust puts people at increased risk for lung cancer and death." https://cancerletter.com/guest-editorial/20260206_5/

Oxybutynin reduces hot flashes during prostate cancer treatment, randomized study finds https://cancerletter.com/clinical-roundup/20260206_8c/

FDA debuts precheck manufacturing program to boost domestic drug development https://cancerletter.com/cancer-policy/20260206_6d/

Anirban Maitra's priorities as NYU Perlmutter director: "Clinical trials, early detection and screening, survivorship, these are all areas that I want us to build on and to be able to deliver to the population that we serve." https://cancerletter.com/conversation-with-the-cancer-letter/20260206_1/

In honor of #BlackHistoryMonth, @vcumassey.bsky.social's Robert Winn sat down with Otis Brawley (@jhu.edu) to talk about how growing up in West Side Detroit shaped Brawley's stance on cancer prevention. https://cancerletter.com/black-history-month/20260206_3/

Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center has announced the opening of the Kenneth C. Griffin Cancer Research Building. The building has doubled Sylvester’s research footprint. https://cancerletter.com/in-brief/20260206_7d/

George Coukos launches Ludwig Laboratory for Cell Therapy at @weillcornell.bsky.social https://cancerletter.com/in-brief/20260206_7b/

Neoadjuvant pembrolizumab helps shrink tumors in patients with desmoplastic melanoma https://cancerletter.com/clinical-roundup/20260206_8b/

This year is a powerful reminder of what happens when people come together and fight for what matters." - Julie M. Fleshman (@pancan.bsky.social) https://cancerletter.com/capitol-hill/20260206_4/

“Basic Experimental Studies Involving Humans” no longer classified as clinical trials at NIH in an effort to reduce administrative burden https://cancerletter.com/cancer-policy/20260206_6c/

The new ad hoc working group of the National Cancer Advisory Board will play a key role in shaping NCI’s extramural priorities, NCI Director Anthony Letai said at the group’s inaugural meeting Feb. 6. https://cancerletter.com/nci/20260206_2/

Growing up in inner-city Detroit, Otis Brawley (@jhu.edu) had a thriving community made up of his parents, Jesuit priests, friends, and neighbors encouraging him that he could do anything he put his mind to. #BlackHistoryMonth https://cancerletter.com/black-history-month/20260206_3/

NCCN updates guidelines recognizing MammaPrint to guide personalized anthracycline use in HR+/HER2- early‑stage breast cancer https://cancerletter.com/clinical-roundup/20260206_8a/

Soon after Anirban Maitra, a pathologist specializing in pancreatic cancer, joined the NYU Langone Health Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, a cascade of changes elevated him to the job of the center director. https://cancerletter.com/conversation-with-the-cancer-letter/20260206_1/

TrumpRx, a direct-to-consumer drug purchasing platform, limited to self-pay patients, is live, as of Feb. 5. https://cancerletter.com/cancer-policy/20260206_6b/

NCI Trials for February 2026 https://cancerletter.com/nci-trials/20260206_10/

"John Paul Sartre said 'Every word has consequences. Every silence, too.' As physicians and health care providers, we are violating our oath by our silence," write @ouchinternational.bsky.social's Ken Kobayashi, MD and Joan H. Schiller, MD. https://cancerletter.com/guest-editorial/20260206_5/

FDA issues a boxed warning for capecitabine and fluorouracil on risks associated with DPD deficiency https://cancerletter.com/drugs-and-targets/20260206_9a/

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has a profound, albeit not immediately obvious, impact on cancer Guest editorial by @ouchinternational.bsky.social's Ken Kobayashi and Joan Schiller https://cancerletter.com/guest-editorial/20260206_5/

Letai: NCAB’s ad hoc working group plays major role in advising NCI on extramural research The group replaced the NCI Board of Scientific Advisors https://cancerletter.com/nci/20260206_2/

Alex Khariton named COO and SVP for cancer services at Fox Chase https://cancerletter.com/in-brief/20260206_7a/

NIH’s Bhattacharya acknowledges absence of causal link between vaccines and autism https://cancerletter.com/cancer-policy/20260206_6a/

After a brief government shutdown, FY26 funding bill is signed into law NIH gets $415M raise, NCI gets $128M more, CDMRP funding largely restored https://cancerletter.com/capitol-hill/20260206_4/

#BlackHistoryMonth: Otis Brawley shares how lessons learned in West Side Detroit shape his stance on cancer prevention “Trying to realize how good we actually could be if our system were truly efficient is what Otis is all about” https://cancerletter.com/black-history-month/20260206_3/

On Day 2 as director of NYU Perlmutter, Anirban Maitra talks about the advantages of running a matrix cancer center https://cancerletter.com/conversation-with-the-cancer-letter/20260206_1/

UTSW researchers boost the power of CAR T cells to fight cancer https://cancerletter.com/clinical-roundup/20260130_8d/

“Cancer centers need a reliable partnership with the government,” said Ramon Parsons, director of Tisch Cancer Institute. https://cancerletter.com/podcastc/20260130_1/

“I will not vote to fund the illegal DHS and ICE operations that terrorize the city of Chicago, Minneapolis, and so many other communities,” Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) said in a statement. https://cancerletter.com/capitol-hill/20260130_2/

Jennifer Dahne named director of Research Innovation and Integration at MUSC https://cancerletter.com/in-brief/20260130_7d/