Hematologic Oncology

A phase I trial found that blinatumomab, a bispecific T-cell engager antibody, is feasible with regard to safety for treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

A new personalized DNA-based assay can detect very low levels of persistent disease in chronic myeloid leukemia patients thought to be in deep remission.

Despite similar survival, multiple myeloma patients treated with lenalidomide experienced lower rates of neurologic toxicity than those treated with thalidomide.

Researchers have uncovered the mechanism that causes about one-third of myeloma cases associated with Gaucher disease, showing that myeloma cells target certain lipids that are elevated in the blood of a subset of patients.

A number of clinical and sociodemographic factors, including age and gender, were found to be independently associated with fatigue and depression among cancer patients who were treated with hematopoietic cell transplantation.

Five-year results of the randomized phase III ENESTnd trial show a positive risk-benefit profile for nilotinib in patients with CML, as compared to imatinib.

Treatment with the BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase inhibitors dasatinib, nilotinib, and ponatinib was associated with increased risk for vascular occlusive events in patients with CML compared with imatinib.

Older patients with AML who are ineligible for intensive chemotherapy achieved improved overall survival when assigned to low-dose gemtuzumab ozogamicin.

Laboratory studies of mice and human cells found that a protein called Metastasis suppressor 1 (Mtss1) is downregulated in hematopoietic and progenitor cells when chronic myeloid leukemia is present. Mtss1 levels are restored when complete remission is achieved, suggesting the pathway might represent a new therapeutic target.

The FDA granted approval to ofatumumab for the treatment of patients with recurrent or progressive chronic lymphocytic leukemia who are in complete or partial remission after two or more lines of prior therapy.

The FDA recently expanded the drug label for carfilzomib (Kyprolis), which is now approved in combination with dexamethasone or with lenalidomide plus dexamethasone for patients with relapsed or refractory disease who have received one to three lines of therapy.

A laboratory study found that the Hhex protein is overexpressed in acute myeloid leukemia cells and is necessary for their propagation but not for normal myelopoiesis.

Most adolescent and young adult survivors of Hodgkin lymphoma did not receive the recommended care within the first year post-treatment, according to a study.

A laboratory study showed that peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma agonists such as pioglitazone could help treat chronic myeloid leukemia patients who are resistant or otherwise unresponsive to treatment with tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

A new study has shown that dinaciclib disrupted homologous recombination function and led to cell death in multiple myeloma cell lines when combined with the PARP1/2 inhibitor ABT-888.

Researchers have identified several factors that may help to predict the progression of vertebral fractures and future fractures in patients with multiple myeloma.

An oncology pharmacist-managed program significantly increased adherence to tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy among patients with chronic myeloid leukemia.

In this interview we discuss results of the CALGB 10603 RATIFY trial of midostaurin for acute myeloid leukemia presented earlier this month at ASH.

More than half of hematologists providing care to patients with hematologic malignancies reported initiating end-of-life conversations too late in the course of the patient’s disease.

The success of allogeneic HCT in patients with AML varied among those with complete remission and minimal residual disease positivity vs negativity.

Ponatinib offered a better overall survival for chronic myeloid leukemia patients in chronic phase compared with allogeneic stem cell transplantation.

A case series of three individuals suggests that there may be a causal relationship between chemotherapeutic treatments for germ cell tumors and the subsequent development of chronic myeloid leukemia.

Real-time classification can identify a previously unrecognized subset of high-risk patients with childhood B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia who have excellent chances for cure without further intensification of treatment.

Single-agent ibrutinib resulted in significantly improved outcomes for older patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, compared with chlorambucil treatment.

Patients with relapsed or refractory CLL had significant delays in progression and death when idelalisib was added to bendamustine and rituximab.