Blood Cancer
Patients with relapsed multiple myeloma who were treated with the immunotherapy drug teclistamab lived significantly longer and remained in remission much longer than those receiving standard therapies. That's the headline from an international clinical trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented recently at ASCO 2026. The study , led by C. Ola Landgren, M.D. , chief of the Sylvester Myeloma Institute, found that nearly 70% of patients taking teclistamab had no disease progression after 18 months, compared to 27% for those on standard treatments.
Brain Cancer
Study Sheds Light On How Gliomas Evolve After Treatment
A new, multi-institutional study co-led by Sylvester researchers helps explain how IDH-mutant gliomas change after they recur, revealing a dynamic landscape shaped by genetics, epigenetics and the immune environment. The study , published this month in Nature, offers a clearer picture of how these brain cancers adapt following treatment and how their evolution may guide more effective treatments. "This study allowed us to see tumor evolution as a process, not a snapshot," explained Antonio Iavarone, M.D. , director of the Sylvester Brain Tumor Institute and co-senior study author.
Mesothelioma
Study: Mesothelioma Cases and Deaths Rise Despite Decades of Asbestos Regulation
In one of the most comprehensive national and state‑level analyses to date, Sylvester researchers tracked mesothelioma incidence, mortality and disability burden across all 50 states from 1990 to 2023. Their findings reveal a paradox: while rates have declined overall, the absolute burden of disease continues to rise, and progress has not been shared equally. The study , "Geographic, Temporal, and Sex-Specific Trends in Mesothelioma Burden in the United States, 1990–2023," appears in JCO Global Oncology.
Sarcoma / Soft-Tissue Cancer
Genetic Clues May Reveal Which Solitary Fibrous Tumors Are Aggressive, Likely to Spread
Certain genetic fusion patterns in solitary fibrous tumors may help physicians identify which patients face a greater risk of metastasis, recurrence and more aggressive cancer behavior, according to new, Sylvester-led research presented at ASCO 2026. "This work is helping us move toward a more precision-based approach for these patients," said Gina D'Amato, M.D. , sarcoma medical oncologist. "Our goal is to better understand which tumors are more aggressive and which treatments may work best based on the biology of the disease."
Sylvester's Horowitz Initiative Advances Sarcoma Treatment Through Research, Precision Medicine
Joel Horowitz is living with a solitary fibrous tumor, a rare and complex sarcoma that develops in connective tissue and can affect other body structures. Like many rare diseases, it has received limited attention and funding, slowing progress toward a cure. Horowitz hopes to change that trajectory through a transformational gift to Sylvester that established the Horowitz Solitary Fibrous Tumor Initiative . The gift has helped create a "Sarcoma Dream Team" at Sylvester.
Cancer Survivorship
Q & A: Sylvester Researcher Patricia Moreno, PhD, Focuses On Survivorship, Supportive Care
June is National Cancer Survivor Month and Sylvester researcher Patricia Moreno, Ph.D. , is guided by an insightful quotation: "Survival is how long someone lives and survivorship is how well someone lives." Moreno, who leads the Cancer Community Research, Engagement and Support (CARES) Lab at Sylvester, focuses on the psychosocial factors that shape quality of life for patients and survivors across the cancer continuum.
Emotional Wellness is Essential Cancer Care at Sylvester
For many patients, the end of primary cancer treatment does not mean the end of their emotional distress. Long after cancer treatment ends, patients may struggle with symptoms of anxiety, depression, fear of recurrence or uncertainty. That's where the Fields Galley Cancer Survivorship Emotional Wellness Clinic can help. Launched in 2023, the clinic is part of a broader effort to expand psychosocial oncology services for cancer survivors.
