Authors
Latest:
The Promise of Pharmacogenomics: Gemcitabine and PemetrexedAlthough no overall differences in survival have been observed betweenthe many chemotherapy combinations in non–small-cell lungcancer, the clinical application of mRNA expression levels of amplifiedgenes may disclose many genetic influences on cytotoxic drug sensitivityand enable clinicians to tailor chemotherapy according to eachindividual’s gene profile. Specifically, the assessment of ribonucleotidereductase subunit M1 and thymidylate synthase mRNA expression levelsmight select patients who benefit from gemcitabine (Gemzar) orpemetrexed (Alimta) combinations. Until recently, clinical prognosticfactors such as performance status, weight loss, and lactate dehydrogenasewere the only parameters used to predict chemotherapy responseand survival. However, accumulated data indicate that overexpressionof genes involved in cancer glycolysis pathways plays an important role,and might be an independent mechanism of chemoresistance. Thedysregulation of glycolytic genes is affected by growth signals involvingthe PI3K/Akt pathway and downstream genes such as hypoxiainduciblefactor-1-alpha. One can thus envision that substantial improvementsin therapeutic outcome could benefit from the integrationof tailored ribonucleotide reductase-dependent chemotherapy, ribonucleotidereductase antisense therapy, and targeted therapy.
Latest:
The Promise of Pharmacogenomics: Gemcitabine and PemetrexedAlthough no overall differences in survival have been observed betweenthe many chemotherapy combinations in non–small-cell lungcancer, the clinical application of mRNA expression levels of amplifiedgenes may disclose many genetic influences on cytotoxic drug sensitivityand enable clinicians to tailor chemotherapy according to eachindividual’s gene profile. Specifically, the assessment of ribonucleotidereductase subunit M1 and thymidylate synthase mRNA expression levelsmight select patients who benefit from gemcitabine (Gemzar) orpemetrexed (Alimta) combinations. Until recently, clinical prognosticfactors such as performance status, weight loss, and lactate dehydrogenasewere the only parameters used to predict chemotherapy responseand survival. However, accumulated data indicate that overexpressionof genes involved in cancer glycolysis pathways plays an important role,and might be an independent mechanism of chemoresistance. Thedysregulation of glycolytic genes is affected by growth signals involvingthe PI3K/Akt pathway and downstream genes such as hypoxiainduciblefactor-1-alpha. One can thus envision that substantial improvementsin therapeutic outcome could benefit from the integrationof tailored ribonucleotide reductase-dependent chemotherapy, ribonucleotidereductase antisense therapy, and targeted therapy.
Latest:
Anthracycline vs Nonanthracycline Adjuvant Therapy for Breast CancerThe treatment of breast cancer has progressed substantially overthe past 15 years. Data from randomized adjuvant trials have shownthat the risk of disease recurrence and death is significantly reducedwhen adjuvant chemotherapy and/or hormonal therapy is added to treatment.As new strategies are incorporated, one of the continued controversiesin patient management is whether adjuvant anthracyclinesshould be the preferred treatment for all patients. Data from randomizedand translational clinical trials have become available and arehelping to elucidate the proper role of anthracyclines, as well as their acuteand long-term toxicities. In most situations, an anthracycline is currentlypreferred, but other single and combination chemotherapies arecurrently under evaluation and appear promising for use in the adjuvantsetting. Continued breast cancer research using molecular markers(such as topoisomerase II–alpha and gene clusters) as predictors oftreatment response, could help individualize decisions regardingwhether to incorporate anthracyclines into adjuvant therapy regimens.
Latest:
Anthracycline vs Nonanthracycline Adjuvant Therapy for Breast CancerThe treatment of breast cancer has progressed substantially overthe past 15 years. Data from randomized adjuvant trials have shownthat the risk of disease recurrence and death is significantly reducedwhen adjuvant chemotherapy and/or hormonal therapy is added to treatment.As new strategies are incorporated, one of the continued controversiesin patient management is whether adjuvant anthracyclinesshould be the preferred treatment for all patients. Data from randomizedand translational clinical trials have become available and arehelping to elucidate the proper role of anthracyclines, as well as their acuteand long-term toxicities. In most situations, an anthracycline is currentlypreferred, but other single and combination chemotherapies arecurrently under evaluation and appear promising for use in the adjuvantsetting. Continued breast cancer research using molecular markers(such as topoisomerase II–alpha and gene clusters) as predictors oftreatment response, could help individualize decisions regardingwhether to incorporate anthracyclines into adjuvant therapy regimens.
Latest:
Anthracycline vs Nonanthracycline Adjuvant Therapy for Breast CancerThe treatment of breast cancer has progressed substantially overthe past 15 years. Data from randomized adjuvant trials have shownthat the risk of disease recurrence and death is significantly reducedwhen adjuvant chemotherapy and/or hormonal therapy is added to treatment.As new strategies are incorporated, one of the continued controversiesin patient management is whether adjuvant anthracyclinesshould be the preferred treatment for all patients. Data from randomizedand translational clinical trials have become available and arehelping to elucidate the proper role of anthracyclines, as well as their acuteand long-term toxicities. In most situations, an anthracycline is currentlypreferred, but other single and combination chemotherapies arecurrently under evaluation and appear promising for use in the adjuvantsetting. Continued breast cancer research using molecular markers(such as topoisomerase II–alpha and gene clusters) as predictors oftreatment response, could help individualize decisions regardingwhether to incorporate anthracyclines into adjuvant therapy regimens.
Latest:
Potency of CAR T-Cell Therapy for Myeloma May Vary by Disease StageCAR T cells are a more effective therapy if manufactured for patients with multiple myeloma prior to the onset of relapsed or refractory disease.
Latest:
ALLO-715, Off-the-Shelf CAR T-Cell Therapy, Produces Early Promise in Multiple MyelomaAn off-the-shelf CAR T-cell therapy that targets B-cell maturation antigen, ALLO-715, elicited responses in heavily pretreated patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma in early findings from a first-in-human study presented at the 2020 ASH Meeting.
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ASCO Expert on the Analysis of Autologous Stem Cell Transplant in Relapsed DLBCLNirav Niranjan Shah, MD, discussed the use of autologous transplantation in patients with relapsed, chemosensitive DLBCL after the introduction of CAR T-cells.
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Cilta-Cel is Well-Tolerated with Durable Efficacy in R/R Multiple MyelomaThe recommended phase 2 dose of cilta-cel elicited deep and durable responses, along with a tolerable safety profile.
Latest:
Engineered CAR T Cells Show Promise in Multiple MyelomaChimeric antigen receptor T cells can eradicate large burdens of multiple myeloma, according to a new study presented at ASH.
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Targeted Therapy Proves Its Worth in Metastatic Kidney Cancer PatientsA new study looked at targeted vs nontargeted therapy in real world patients with renal cell carcinoma.
Latest:
Safety of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors With Nephrectomy in mRCCA pilot study evaluated cytoreductive surgery combined with immune checkpoint therapy in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma.
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MD Anderson Partners with Takeda to Develop CAR Natural Killer-Cell TherapyThe University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited have entered an exclusive license agreement and research agreement to develop and market chimeric antigen receptor-directed natural killer-cell therapies.
Latest:
Samantha Jaglowski, MD, MPH, on Next Steps Regarding Tisagenlecleucel for Patients with DLBCLThe associate professor at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center explained the goals for the future of the CAR T-cell therapy data in patients with DLBCL.
Latest:
Christian Buske, MD, on the Influence of CAR T-Cells Being Presented at ASHThe lymphoma expert spoke about the research being presented at the 2020 ASH Annual Meeting and what he believes has the potential to be most influential for treating this patient population.
Latest:
Jeffrey Wolf, MD, on Emerging T-Cell Engagers and Their Impact in Multiple MyelomaThe interview features comments on the emergence of T-cell engagers for therapy in patients with multiple myeloma made during the 2020 ASH Meeting & Exposition.
Latest:
Improve Medicare Policy to Remove Barriers to Bone Marrow and Cord Blood TransplantsReducing barriers to hematopoetic stem cell (HPC) transplant is critical to supporting patients with one of the more than 70 blood cancers and other blood disorders (such as leukemia, lymphoma, and myloplastic dysplasia) for which a transplant may be the only therapy remaining with curative intent.
Latest:
The Conundrum Of Antibacterial Use in Neutropenic Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy for Hematologic Malignancy or HSCTPatients with hematologic malignancy who are undergoing chemotherapy or a conditioning regimen for hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) are at high risk of infection because of the severity and duration of neutropenia. Fever with neutropenia is a common presentation that suggests an infection leading to empiric antibacterial therapy. To prevent infection and thus the neutropenic fever, antibacterial prophylaxis, especially with fluoroquinolones, emerged as a common practice based on results of 2 randomized controlled trials published in 2005 that showed reduced incidence of fever and bacteremia despite lack of a mortality benefit.
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Two Gene Therapies Fix Fault in Sickle Cell Disease and ß-thalassemiaTwo gene therapy techniques in separate, concurrently published trials demonstrate clinical success in mitigating monogenic hemoglobinopathies.
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Stem Cell Therapy Reverses Type 1 DiabetesA novel treatment method called stem cell educator therapy appears to reverse the effects of type 1 diabetes, researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago and colleagues in China report.
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Bendamustine Plus Rituximab Bests Current Standard of Care for Indolent LymphomaBendamustine (Treanda) plus rituximab (Rituxan; B/R) was superior to CHOP plus rituximab (CHOP-R) as first-line therapy of indolent lymphoma and mantle cell lymphoma in a multicenter, randomized, controlled trial of the German Study Group on Indolent Lymphoma (StiL). At an oral presentation at the 51st ASH Annual Meeting, experts agreed that this study may be practice-changing.
Latest:
Dr. Margulis on Different Approaches to Adjuvant Therapy in RCCVitaly Margulis, MD, assistant professor of Urologic Oncology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, discusses 2 different approaches to administering adjuvant therapy for patients with renal cell carcinoma.
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Dr. Harshman on Earlier Use of Immunotherapy in RCCLauren C. Harshman, MD, assistant professor of medicine, Harvard Medical School, senior physician, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, discusses moving immunotherapy earlier in the line of therapy for patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC).
Latest:
Dr. Urbanic on the Evolution of Radiation in NSCLCJames Urbanic, MD, associate professor, Radiation Medicine and Applied Sciences, University of California, San Diego, discusses the evolution of radiation therapy in the treatment of patients with oligometastatic non–small cell lung cancer.
Latest:
Dr. McGregor on Whether Patients Need Frontline Combinations in RCCBradley McGregor, MD, physician, Genitourinary Oncology program, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and instructor of medicine, Harvard Medical School, discusses whether patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) need frontline combination therapy.
Latest:
Dr. Pinilla-Ibarz on the FDA Approval of Moxetumomab Pasudotox in Hairy Cell LeukemiaJavier A. Pinilla-Ibarz, MD, PhD, senior member, Moffitt Cancer Center, discusses the FDA approval of moxetumomab pasudotox for the treatment of adult patients with hairy cell leukemia who have received at least 2 prior lines of therapy.
Latest:
Dr. Forster on Next Steps With Lurbinectedin in SCLCMartin Forster, MD, a medical oncologist, University College London Hospitals, discusses the next steps with the investigational agent lurbinectedin in combination with doxorubicin as a second-line therapy for patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC).
