Factors associated with early death from de novo metastatic breast cancer in Ontario, Canada - CMAJ | Journal

A new study published in Clinical Cancer Research Title: Second- and third-line outcomes after selective RET inhibitor failure in RET fusion-positive metastatic lung cancer: A real-world analysis from the RET-MAP registry

Results from a recent matching-adjusted indirect comparison (MAIC) analysis indicated clinical favorability of retifanlimab versus avelumab for the treatment of metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), which investigators described as “a rare and aggressive skin cancer with poor prognosis and low survival rate. A team of researchers from Italy conducted the study and published their findings in Advances in Therapy. Both retifanlimab and avelumab are classified as monoclonal immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) antibodies, and investigators highlighted that both medications are approved for the treatment of metastatic or locally advanced recurrent MCC. They explained that the goal of their research was to assess clinical outcomes of both ICIs via a MAIC analysis of data from the phase 2 POD1UM-201 trial and part B of the phase 2 JAVELIN Merkel 200 trial. Patient data from each trial were used in the analysis, with data from POD1UM-201 informing the retifanlimab group and aggregate data from JAVELIN Merkel 200 informing the avelumab treatment group. Investigators also underscored that the data cutoff of POD1UM-201 was July 2024.

Ketamine, a medication used in operating rooms for anesthesia and pain control, may offer another benefit for some new mothers: easing early symptoms of postpartum depression after cesarean delivery (C-section), according to a study presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY® 2026 annual meeting. A new meta-analysis found that administering ketamine or esketamine (a ketamine derivative) during or immediately after a C-section was associated with a statistically significant reduction in depressive symptoms within the first two weeks after birth, a vulnerable period for women as they recover from surgery and care for their infants.