Hematologic Oncology

The FDA approved the proteasome inhibitor carfilzomib for the treatment of multiple myeloma, when used in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone.

While the headliners for the 2015 ASCO Annual Meeting featured mainly immunologic approaches to cancer treatment, with agents such as nivolumab and ipilimumab, the new data in hematologic malignancies highlighted a large number of novel therapies, each of which appears promising.

Long-term follow-up of a phase II study shows that nilotinib is highly effective in treating chronic phase CML as a first-line therapy, though with relatively common cardiovascular toxicity associated with treatment.

Lymphoma survivors who underwent autologous HSCT may be at greater long-term risk for heart failure and left ventricular systolic dysfunction than previously thought.

Patients with CML undergoing treatment with dasatinib had a narrower spectrum of mutations in BCR-ABL1 compared to those treated with imatinib.

Treatment with carfilzomib plus lenalidomide and dexamethasone resulted in high rates of minimal residual disease negativity in patients with newly diagnosed or smoldering high-risk multiple myeloma.

Advanced Hodgkin lymphoma patients who discontinue their treatment with bleomycin and vincristine as part of a BEACOPP regimen did not experience an effect on survival.

Results of a large trial have indicated that the use of interim PET/CT imaging has limited prognostic value to DLBCL patients being treated with R-CHOP-14.

Use of a VD regimen alone to treat patients with transplant-ineligible multiple myeloma was not inferior to VTD or VMP regimens, according to the UPFRONT trial.

Sarcomas are a heterogeneous and motley collection of cancers, which struggle with an identity crisis on many levels. The trials often lump vastly different subgroups, and are often unable to collect sufficient numbers of any one disease subtype to complete a unique cohort.

Advanced imaging techniques could allow clinicians the ability to determine as early as 9 days into sarcoma treatment whether the therapy will be effective in a given patient, according to a new University of Michigan study.

Zoledronic acid did not have any antitumor effect in asymptomatic multiple myeloma patients in relapse, but did delay symptomatic progression and bone disease.

Treatment with lenalidomide and the HDAC inhibitor vorinostat may be effective as a maintenance therapy in multiple myeloma patients after autologous transplant.

In a heavily pretreated multiple myeloma (MM) population, daratumumab monotherapy at 16 mg/kg showed meaningful, durable, single-agent activity, with deep responses and a favorable safety profile, according to a new phase II study.

Several lymphoma subtypes may present with isolated splenomegaly. Establishing a correct histologic diagnosis is critical, since patient management is largely determined by histology.

Incorporation of PD-1 blockade into the treatment algorithms for hematologic malignancies is currently being pursued in multiple active clinical trials. Here we review the data on anti–PD-1 monoclonal antibodies to date and discuss ongoing and future clinical trials.

While the results of the multitude of ongoing PD-1 blockade trials are eagerly awaited, it is clear that research involving the immunotherapy of blood cancers is moving swiftly through this first “checkpoint” at breakneck speed. It is sure to be a fascinating ride.

Given the favorable results seen thus far, there is no doubt that the treatment of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia is entering an exciting new era with the advent of these novel, relatively nontoxic and nonmyelosuppressive, oral agents.

Beliefs regarding medication for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) are strongly associated with suboptimal treatment adherence, according to a new study.

Ponatinib demonstrates continuing clinical activity in chronic-phase chronic myeloid leukemia patients who failed prior treatment with other TKIs.

Obinutuzumab in combination with bendamustine followed by obinutuzumab maintenance improved PFS over bendamustine monotherapy in patients with refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

With a high sensitivity for detecting disease recurrence, follow-up imaging using PET/CT may help to more successfully guide the management of NHL patients at risk for disease recurrence.

A vaccine known as AST-VAC1 was successfully produced from most patients in a phase II trial of patients with acute myeloid leukemia.

Even in the absence of cranial radiation therapy, survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) have decreased neurocognitive function years later.