Hematologic Oncology

Researchers have identified Down syndrome as a risk factor for infection-related mortality among pediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

A comparison of melphalan, prednisone plus either thalidomide or lenalidomide found that patients assigned to lenalidomide had fewer grade 3 or higher toxicities and a better quality of life at the end of induction therapy.

This review will focus on newer FDA-approved targeted therapies associated with type II chemotherapy-related cardiac dysfunction, or generally reversible cardiotoxicity, and will provide the latest information on the incidence and clinical spectrum of cardiotoxicity associated with each therapy, modifiable risk factors where known, and the mechanisms of cardiotoxicity.

Treatment of relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma with the three-drug combination of panobinostat/bortezomib/dexamethasone resulted in a nearly 4-month improvement in progression-free survival compared to treatment with bortezomib/dexamethasone alone.

Ruxolitinib was significantly better than the best available therapy in a phase III, open-label trial of patients with polycythemia vera who were resistant to or intolerant of hydroxyurea.

A phase II trial of the selective spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) inhibitor GS-9973 showed substantial biologic activity in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

Ibrutinib substantially increased progression-free survival and overall survival over ofatumumab in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL), according to the results of the RESONATE trial.

Treatment with lenalidomide and dexamethasone improved quality-of-life measures in multiple myeloma patients, according to a study presented at the 2014 ASCO Annual Meeting.

Continuous therapy produces drastically better progression-free survival and overall survival outcomes in patients with multiple myeloma. A novel endpoint involving time to second progression is an important tool in evaluating this type of treatment in the future.

As part of our coverage of the 2014 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, we discuss the pros and cons of follow-up imaging in lymphoma.

The new drug volasertib, which is in trials for the treatment of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), has been granted orphan drug designation by the FDA.

Obesity or underweight status at diagnosis can influence outcomes in pediatric ALL patients, but a new study shows that the risk can be mitigated if weight status changes following treatment induction.

A novel agent known as BL-8040 will enter phase I/II testing for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia, according to BioLineRx, the company developing the drug.

A phase II trial of propylene glycol-free melphalan in patients with multiple myeloma has met its primary endpoint, according to a statement released by the drug manufacturer.

The NICE announced that newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients will be guaranteed access to treatment with the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib (Velcade).

A rare subtype of disease known as atypical chronic myeloid leukemia (aCML) has been shown to be clinically distinct from a related condition known as unclassifiable myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative neoplasm.

The FDA has approved siltuximab (Sylvant) for the treatment of multicentric Castleman disease, a disorder of the lymph nodes that is similar to lymphoma and often treated with chemotherapy and radiation.

Using both clinical and molecular markers, researchers have created a simple prognostic index for patients with cytogenetically normal acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

Our heads hit the pillow later at night as the complexity of treating DLBCL increases, but we are well rested on account of the progress that is being made.

Rationally designed clinical trials investigating novel agents in patient populations enriched for those who are most likely to benefit will be instrumental for expediting progress. With respect to DLBCL, it has become clear that one treatment no longer fits all.

With the progress in diagnostic methods that has made it possible to decipher the genetic code of DLBCL within a relatively short time, and with the increasing number of drugs that are entering clinical trials, our next big challenge is to enroll patients in trials in a timely manner.

The classification of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma into three distinct molecular diseases--germinal center B-cell–like subtype, an activated B-cell–like subtype, and a primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma subtype--has laid the foundation for the development of new agents and novel strategies that target individual subtypes.

The novel experimental drug sotatercept increased bone mineral density and bone formation in patients with osteolytic lesions of multiple myeloma who had not used bisphosphonates, a phase II study showed.

New trial results show that a novel, oral metabolic inhibitor has demonstrated early activity in relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML), according to data presented at the annual meeting of the American Association of Cancer Research.