Samantha A. Armstrong, MD, is a hematologist/oncologist and assistant professor of clinical medicine at Indiana University Health

Karine Tawagi, MD, is a hematologist/oncologist and assistant professor of clinical medicine at the University of Illinois

Two Onc Docs, hosted by Samantha A. Armstrong, MD, and Karine Tawagi, MD, is a podcast dedicated to providing current and future oncologists and hematologists with the knowledge they need to ace their boards and deliver quality patient care. Dr Armstrong is a hematologist/oncologist and assistant professor of clinical medicine at Indiana University Health in Indianapolis. Dr Tawagi is a hematologist/oncologist and assistant professor of clinical medicine at the University of Illinois in Chicago.

 partnered with Two Onc Docs, Tawagi and Armstrong reviewed key principles in the diagnosis and management of uterine and endometrial cancers, incorporating updates in surgical approaches, adjuvant therapy selection, molecular testing, and the management of rare uterine sarcomas. The discussion outlined the epidemiology, risk factors, clinical presentation, diagnostic evaluation, staging, histologic classification, and treatment algorithms relevant to board preparation and clinical practice.

They discuss how uterine cancer most commonly presents with postmenopausal vaginal bleeding, which occurs in approximately 90% of patients. Other symptoms may include vaginal discharge, pelvic pain or pressure, and altered bowel habits. Established risk factors include obesity, unopposed estrogen exposure, tamoxifen use, polycystic ovarian syndrome, infertility, prior pelvic radiation, and hereditary cancer syndromes such as Lynch syndrome. Endometrial biopsy remains the diagnostic gold standard, and staging is based on the extent of uterine involvement, regional spread, and distant metastasis.

The majority of endometrial cancers are endometrioid carcinomas (type 1), whereas type 2 cancers—such as uterine serous carcinoma, clear cell carcinoma, and grade 3 endometrioid carcinoma—are typically more aggressive and require more intensive treatment. Surgery, generally total hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, is the mainstay for localized disease. Adjuvant therapy is determined by stage, histology, and risk category: low-risk patients may not require additional treatment, while higher-risk cases may receive brachytherapy, external beam radiation therapy (EBRT), chemotherapy, or combined-modality approaches.

Podcasts

Drs. Armstrong and Tawagi reviewed diagnostic, staging, and treatment principles in uterine cancer and recent advances in immunotherapy.

Endometrial (Uterine) Cancer 2025 UPDATE

, hosted by Samantha A. Armstrong, MD, and Karine Tawagi, MD, is a podcast dedicated to providing current and future oncologists and hematologists with the knowledge they need to ace their boards and deliver quality patient care. Dr Armstrong is a hematologist/oncologist and assistant professor of clinical medicine at Indiana University Health in Indianapolis. Dr Tawagi is a hematologist/oncologist and assistant professor of clinical medicine at the University of Illinois in Chicago.

 to bring a discussion of key data from the phase 3 MATTERHORN trial (NCT04592913), which were presented at the 2025 ASCO Annual Meeting. MATTERHORN was a randomized, double-blind, multinational study evaluating the addition of durvalumab (Imfinzi) to FLOT (5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, oxaliplatin, and docetaxel) in patients with previously untreated, resectable gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma.

In the MATTERHORN trial, 948 patients were randomly assigned 1:1 to receive either durvalumab or placebo in combination with perioperative FLOT, followed by 10 cycles of durvalumab or placebo as adjuvant therapy. The primary end point was event-free survival (EFS); secondary end points included overall survival (OS) and pathological complete response (pCR).

The trial met its primary end point. Durvalumab plus FLOT (n = 474) significantly improved EFS vs placebo plus FLOT (n = 474; HR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.58-0.86; P < .001), representing a 29% reduction in risk of progression, recurrence, or death. The interim OS analysis showed a nonsignificant trend favoring durvalumab (HR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.62-0.97; P = .025). The pCR rate was 19% (95% CI, 15.75%-23.04%) with durvalumab vs 7.2% (95% CI, 5.02%-9.88%) with placebo.

Toxicity profiles were comparable between the 2 groups, though immune-related adverse effects were more frequent with durvalumab. Importantly, the addition of durvalumab did not delay surgery or initiation of adjuvant therapy.

Although the MATTERHORN regimen is not yet FDA approved or included in the National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines, this trial demonstrates a promising EFS benefit and potential practice-changing implications, pending mature OS data and further molecular subgroup analyses, according to Armstrong and Tawagi.

Drs Armstrong and Tawagi discussed key data from the phase 3 MATTERHORN trial, which were presented at the 2025 ASCO Annual Meeting.

ASCO 2025 Plenary — MATTERHORN

 to bring discussion of data from the phase 3 SERENA-6 trial (NCT04964934), which were presented at the 2025 ASCO Annual Meeting. SERENA-6 evaluated switching to camizestrant plus a CDK4/6 inhibitor vs continuing with a standard-of-care aromatase inhibitor plus a CDK4/6 inhibitor in the frontline setting in patients with hormone receptor–positive, HER2-negative advanced breast cancer whose tumors harbor an emergent 

Drs Armstrong and Tawagi highlighted key efficacy, safety, and patient-reported outcomes from the study. They also noted the clinical implications of these findings, including how they might be currently applicable to clinical practice, as well as limitations of the research that warrant further investigation.

Drs Armstrong and Tawagi discuss key efficacy, safety, and patient-reported outcomes from the phase 3 SERENA-6 study. 

ASCO 2025 Plenary: SERENA-6

 to bring you a curated list of resources to use as you study for the hematology and oncology board exams. Drs Armstrong and Tawagi discussed their personal board review plans they followed in the months leading up to boards, including the books, sections of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Guidelines, videos, question banks, and podcasts; where you can find the “cheat sheets” they made to help them study; and the importance of personalizing your study plan based on your own knowledge and strengths.

Drs Armstrong and Tawagi discuss the board review plans they followed in the months leading up to their hematology and oncology board exams. 

Board Review Resources 2024

 to bring you a review session for the oncology board exams. Drs Armstrong and Tawagi discussed high-yield oncology and hematology topics to focus on during study sessions, memorization tricks they used for their own boards, and other tips for exam preparation.

Drs Armstrong and Tawagi discuss high-yield oncology and hematology topics to focus on when studying for the 2024 oncology board exams. 

Heme & Onc Fellow Board Review Tips 2024

 to bring you insights on the phase 3 NADINA trial (NCT04949113), findings from which were presented at the 

 by Christian U. Blank, MD, PhD, of The Netherlands Cancer Institute in Amsterdam. NADINA evaluated neoadjuvant nivolumab (Opdivo) plus ipilimumab (Yervoy) vs adjuvant nivolumab in patients with macroscopic, resectable, stage III melanoma. In this episode, Drs Armstrong and Tawagi discussed the staging and prior standard of care for locally advanced melanoma; key findings from NADINA; and how these data may impact clinical practice.

Drs Armstrong and Tawagi discuss the NADINA trial of neoadjuvant nivolumab/ipilimumab vs adjuvant nivolumab in resectable, macroscopic, stage III melanoma.

ASCO 2024 Plenary: NADINA Trial Neoadjuvant Ipi/Nivo vs Adjuvant Nivo for Resectable Stage III Melanoma

 to bring you insights on the phase 3 ADRIATIC trial (NCT03703297), which investigated durvalumab (Imfinzi) with or without tremelimumab (Imjudo) vs placebo as consolidation therapy in patients with limited-stage small cell lung cancer (LS-SCLC) who have not progressed following concurrent chemoradiotherapy. The findings from the durvalumab monotherapy and placebo arms of this trial were presented at the 

 by David R. Spigel, MD, of Sarah Cannon Research Institute in Nashville, Tennessee. In this episode, Drs Armstrong and Tawagi reviewed common risk factors, pathology, presentation, and staging of SCLC; the current standard of care for patients with LS-SCLC; and key findings from ADRIATIC that inspired a standing ovation at ASCO.

OncLive On Air partners with Two Onc Docs to bring insights on the ADRIATIC trial, data from which were presented at the 2024 ASCO Annual Meeting.

ASCO 2024 Plenary: ADRIATIC Trial in Limited-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer

, hosted by Samantha A. Armstrong, MD, and Karine Tawagi, MD, is a podcast dedicated to providing current and future oncologists and hematologists with the knowledge they need to ace their boards and deliver quality patient care. Dr Armstrong is a hematologist/oncologist and assistant professor of clinical medicine at Indiana University Health in Indianapolis. Dr Tawagi is a hematologist/oncologist and assistant professor of clinical medicine at the University of Illinois in Chicago. 

 to bring you insights on the primary results of the 

 (NCT03521154), which were presented at the 

 by Suresh S. Ramalingam, MD, FACP, FASCO, of the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. LAURA evaluated osimertinib following chemoradiation in patients with stage III, unresectable, 

-mutated non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Drs Armstrong and Tawagi shared lung cancer staging tips; explained standard treatment strategies for stage I, II, and IIIA NSCLC; highlighted key findings from LAURA; and discussed questions raised by the trial’s design and its findings.

OncLive On Air partners with Two Onc Docs to bring insights on primary data from the LAURA trial, which were presented at the 2024 ASCO Annual Meeting.

Samantha A. Armstrong, MD

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