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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‘Remarkable’ results for targeted therapy of rare CNS tumors
- Author:
- M. Alexander Otto
New options emerge for difficult lesions.
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Adjuvant capecitabine shown a less punishing option after NPC chemoradiation
- Author:
- M. Alexander Otto
The study teams were looking for “a way to make adjuvant therapy more tolerable.”
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Cabozantinib gains ground for salvage in differentiated thyroid cancer
- Author:
- M. Alexander Otto
It’s an option when first-line VEGFR blockers stop working.
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Chemotherapy/local excision avoids proctectomy in rectal cancer
- Author:
- M. Alexander Otto
Promising results, but the short follow-up means the true organ preservation rate is unknown for now.
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Drug conjugate extends life in HER2+ end-stage metastatic colorectal cancer
- Author:
- M. Alexander Otto
An almost 50% response rate is “very exciting.”
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Study findings support consideration of second biopsy for transected melanomas
- Author:
- M. Alexander Otto
Accurate Breslow depth is necessary for surgical decisions.
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Mohs surgery favorable as monotherapy for early Merkel cell carcinomas
- Author:
- M. Alexander Otto
Small series adds to growing body of literature.
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Checkpoint inhibitors earn spot in new ESMO SCLC guidelines
- Author:
- M. Alexander Otto
ESMO calls for upfront atezolizumab or durvalumab with etoposide and a platinum for stage 4 SCLC.
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Study supports intensifying chemoradiotherapy for head and neck cancer
- Author:
- M. Alexander Otto
Intensifying chemoradiotherapy appeared to improve outcomes in locally advanced head and neck cancer.
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Novel hedgehog inhibitor strategies improve BCC outcomes
- Author:
- M. Alexander Otto
Upfront tumor debulking seems to help.
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Checkpoint inhibitor skin side effects more common in women
- Author:
- M. Alexander Otto
"Clinicians should consider these results in counseling female patients regarding an elevated risk of dermatologic adverse events."
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Lobaplatin deemed ‘promising alternative’ to cisplatin in nasopharyngeal carcinoma
- Author:
- M. Alexander Otto
A lobaplatin-based regimen was as effective as a cisplatin-based regimen in a phase 3 trial.
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Survival benefit with nivolumab extends to 5 years in NSCLC
- Author:
- M. Alexander Otto
Early response portends durable outcome, but the optimal duration of treatment is uncertain.
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Cell-free DNA improves response prediction in breast cancer
- Author:
- M. Alexander Otto
Using cell-free DNA and MRI in combination improved prediction of pathological complete response.
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Adverse reactions to immunotherapy can appear after a year
- Author:
- M. Alexander Otto
Some melanoma patients receiving anti-PD-1 immunotherapy may tolerate the drug well for months but then develop...