M. Alexander Otto began his reporting career early in 1999 covering the pharmaceutical industry for a national pharmacists' magazine and freelancing for the Washington Post and other newspapers. He then joined BNA, now part of Bloomberg News, covering health law and the protection of people and animals in medical research. Alex next worked for the McClatchy Company. Based on his work, Alex won a year-long Knight Science Journalism Fellowship to MIT in 2008-2009. He joined the company shortly thereafter. Alex has a newspaper journalism degree from Syracuse (N.Y.) University and a master's degree in medical science -- a physician assistant degree -- from George Washington University. Alex is based in Seattle.
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Study supports genetic testing in older women with breast cancer
- Author:
- M. Alexander Otto
Variants in BRCA1/2, CHEK2, and PALB2 were significantly associated with increased breast cancer risk in women older than 65 years.
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Pembrolizumab plus axitinib continues to outshine sunitinib for advanced RCC
- Author:
- M. Alexander Otto
The combination produced a survival benefit in the overall population but not among patients with favorable-risk disease.
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Early results ‘encouraging’ for CAR NKT cells in neuroblastoma
- Author:
- M. Alexander Otto
The CAR NKT cells localized to tumors, and one of three patients treated achieved a response.
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Intensive surveillance after CRC resection does not improve survival
- Author:
- M. Alexander Otto
There was no significant difference in recurrence-free or overall survival.
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Atezolizumab strikes out in ovarian cancer
- Author:
- M. Alexander Otto
Atezolizumab did not extend progression-free survival.
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High-dose TRT: A new standard of care for LS-SCLC?
- Author:
- M. Alexander Otto
Though it conferred a significant improvement in survival without increasing toxicity, high-dose thoracic radiotherapy should not be the new...
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HPV vaccine shown to substantially reduce cervical cancer risk
- Author:
- M. Alexander Otto
A review of more than 1 million girls/women vaccinated in 2006-2017 shows a substantial reduction in the risk for invasive cervical cancer.
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Neoadjuvant mFOLFIRINOX improves DFS, OS effect uncertain
- Author:
- M. Alexander Otto
Modified FOLFIRINOX should be considered as a new option for T3-T4 rectal cancer, according to an investigator.
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Predicting complications of cytoreductive nephrectomy in metastatic RCC
- Author:
- M. Alexander Otto
Registry data revealed factors associated with intraoperative and postoperative complications.
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Lorlatinib: Another first-line option for ALK-positive NSCLC?
- Author:
- M. Alexander Otto
Lorlatinib bested crizotinib as first-line therapy for ALK-positive non–small cell lung cancer.
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Metformin may delay prostate cancer progression, randomized trial suggests
- Author:
- M. Alexander Otto
The data are “hypothesis generating” but not definitive, according to a study discussant.
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AI algorithm on par with radiologists as mammogram reader
- Author:
- M. Alexander Otto
Combining the algorithm with first-reader radiologists revealed more breast cancer cases than combining first- and second-reader radiologists.
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If PPIs are onboard, atezolizumab may not work for bladder cancer
- Author:
- M. Alexander Otto
Proton pump inhibitor use was associated with worse overall and progression-free survival among patients on atezolizumab.
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FOLFOXIRI tops doublets as bevacizumab backbone for mCRC
- Author:
- M. Alexander Otto
A pooled analysis showed better overall survival with upfront FOLFOXIRI plus bevacizumab.
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Atezolizumab TNBC indication ‘in jeopardy’ because of phase 3 results
- Author:
- M. Alexander Otto
Negative results from the IMpassion131 trial may jeopardize the U.S. approval of atezolizumab in breast cancer.