CancerSpeak: An American Cancer Society Journals Podcast

What do the latest data tell us about cancer in the United States, and what’s behind the substantial progress against lung cancer over the past two decades?

In this episode of CancerSpeak, Jane Henley, MSPH, of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is joined by Ahmedin Jemal, DVM, PhD, of the American Cancer Society (ACS); Serban Negoita, MD, DrPH, of the National Cancer Institute (NCI); and Recinda L. Sherman, MPH, PhD, ODS-C, of the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries (NAACCR) to discuss findings from the latest Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer. The group explores trends in cancer incidence and mortality, 21st century progress against lung cancer, changing breast and prostate cancer incidence, and findings among children, adolescents, and young adults.

Read “Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer, Featuring 21st Century Progress Against Lung Cancer,” now available in Cancer: https://bit.ly/ARNReport2026 

Follow Cancer on social media:

x.com/JournalCancer

Speakers in this conversation may have used shortened or informal terms rather than the precise terminology used in the published report. Please refer to the published article for exact definitions, categories, and classifications.

The findings and conclusions presented do not necessarily represent the official positions of the CDC; NCI, part of the National Institutes of Health; ACS; or NAACCR.

Original music by J. Gilman.

Where is pediatric and adolescent and young adult (AYA) oncology headed—and what research is needed to move the field forward?

In this episode of CancerSpeak, Dr. Nirali Shah, Editor-in-Chief of Pediatric, Adolescent & Young Adult Cancer, sits down with Associate Editors Dr. Julia Glade Bender and Dr. Jonathan Metts to share their perspectives on the questions, challenges, and opportunities shaping pediatric and AYA cancer research today.  

Together, they discuss areas of unmet need, research they believe merits greater attention, and the kinds of studies they're eager to see submitted to the new journal. Drs. Glade Bender and Metts also reflect on the unique expertise they contribute to the editorial team and their excitement about helping shape the vision, direction, and foundation of Pediatric, Adolescent & Young Adult Cancer in its early years.

To explore Pediatric, Adolescent & Young Adult Cancer, sign up for alerts, and submit a manuscript, visit the journal homepage:

https://acsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/30683513

Follow Pediatric, Adolescent & Young Adult Cancer on social media:

Original music by J.Gilman.

What are the latest recommendations for frontline acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) treatment? In this episode of CancerSpeak, Cancer Hematologic Malignancies Section Editor Dr. Courtney DiNardo is joined by Dr. Daniel DeAngelo and Dr. David McCall to discuss a new international expert consensus statement on optimizing the safety and efficacy of asparaginase and blinatumomab in frontline ALL treatment. They walk through the key recommendations from the consensus statement, exploring how these therapies fit into modern treatment approaches and what clinicians should consider when applying these strategies across different healthcare settings.

Read the full consensus statement in Cancer: https://acsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cncr.70559

Follow Cancer on social media:

Original music by J. Gilman.

Palliative and supportive care helps reduce suffering, manage symptoms, and improve quality of life for people living with cancer, yet many patients still face barriers to accessing these services. Recent advances are helping address these challenges, from new evidence on the impact of telehealth and electronic patient-reported outcomes to emerging approaches for cancer cachexia.

In this episode of CancerSpeak, Cancer Deputy Editor and Breast Disease Section Editor Dr. Ruth O'Regan speaks with Dr. Carrie Sha, Dr. Andrew Epstein, and Dr. Yael Schenker about the year’s most notable developments in palliative and supportive care in oncology, the challenges that remain, and how these advances may translate into better support for patients with cancer and their caregivers.

Read the accompanying commentary in Cancer:

https://acsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cncr.70392

Follow Cancer on social media:

Original music by J. Gilman

Have newer therapies improved outcomes for patients with acute myeloid leukemia after myeloproliferative neoplasms, or post-MPN AML? In this episode of CancerSpeak, Cancer Hematologic Malignancies Section Editor Dr. Courtney DiNardo is joined by Dr. Jan Philipp Bewersdorf and Dr. Anand Patel to discuss an article in Cancer evaluating real-world outcomes among patients with post-MPN AML in the United States. Their conversation explores survival trends in the era of novel therapies, barriers to allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation, and future directions for improving outcomes in this rare, high-risk disease.

Read the accompanying article in Cancer: https://acsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cncr.70415

Follow Cancer on social media:

Original music by J. Gilman.

Dr. Daniel Morgensztern, Section Editor of Chest and Lung Disease for the journal Cancer, is joined by Dr. Emiliano Calvo and Dr. André Mansinho to discuss a new supplement in Cancer focused on recent advances in antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs). Their conversation covers the main mechanisms of resistance and action, key considerations for oncologists related to toxicities, and the evolving outlook for ADCs, including next-generation strategies and their role in clinical practice.

Read the supplement in Cancer: https://acsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/10970142/2026/132/S1

Follow Cancer on social media:

Original music by J.Gilman

In this episode of CancerSpeak, Dr. Nirali Shah is joined by Dr. William Dahut, Chief Scientific Officer of the American Cancer Society, and Dr. Suresh Ramalingam, Editor-in-Chief of Cancer, to discuss the launch of Pediatric, Adolescent & Young Adult Cancer, a new open-access, multidisciplinary journal from the American Cancer Society.

As inaugural Editor-in-Chief of the new journal, Dr. Shah leads a conversation exploring the current landscape of pediatric and adolescent and young adult (AYA) oncology research, the ongoing gaps and challenges across the field, and why a dedicated new publication focused on these populations is both timely and necessary.

The discussion also addresses how broader dissemination of pediatric and AYA oncology research through Pediatric, Adolescent & Young Adult Cancer can help accelerate progress in clinical care and patient outcomes while supporting the American Cancer Society’s mission to end cancer as we know it, for everyone.

To explore the new journal, sign up for alerts, and submit a manuscript, visit https://acsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/30683513

Original music by J.Gilman.

Follow Pediatric, Adolescent & Young Adult Cancer on social media:

Dr. Priya Kumthekar, Neuro-Oncology Section Editor for CANCER, and Dr. Helen Shih, Radiation Oncology Section Editor for CANCER, discuss the current treatment landscape for low-grade gliomas with a focus on the evolving role of isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) inhibitors. Drawing on findings from the INDIGO trial, they reflect on how recent evidence has informed ongoing discussions around the use of IDH inhibitors, alongside their perspectives on treatment planning and real-world clinical considerations. The conversation also emphasizes the importance of engaging patients in shared decision making throughout the course of care. 

Drs. Kumthekar and Shih invite investigators in neuro-oncology, radiation oncology, and related disciplines to consider submitting their research to CANCER. Their closing remarks highlight the journal’s global reach, supportive editorial staff, and connection to the mission of the American Cancer Society. 

Learn more about submitting your work to CANCER: https://acsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10970142/homepage/why-submit  

Original music by J.Gilman. 

Follow CANCER on social media: 

Dr. Christopher Li, editor of the Cancer Prevention and Epidemiology sections for CANCER, speaks with Dr. William Grady of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center about the latest innovations in noninvasive colorectal cancer screening. Their conversation draws on highlights from Dr. Grady’s latest commentary in CANCER’s Top Advances of the Year series, exploring how emerging stool- and blood-based testing approaches are improving early detection, patient participation, and screening accessibility.

Read the commentary “Top advances of the year: Noninvasive colorectal cancer screening tests” here: https://acsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cncr.70115

Read more articles in CANCER’s Top Advances of the Year series: https://acsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/toc/10.1002/(ISSN)1097-0142.top-advances-of-the-year

Follow CANCER on social media:

Original music by J. Gilman.

CANCER Editor-in-Chief Dr. Suresh Ramalingam is joined by Dr. Gil Morgan, Dr. Sandip Patel, and patient advocate Allison Rosen to reflect on key takeaways from the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting. The discussion highlights notable clinical trials presented at the meeting, the emerging role of AI in the clinic and in research, and patient-centered perspectives on where the field is headed.