Patients with Ph- B-cell ALL May Benefit From Addition of Blinatumomab to Chemotherapy Combo
January 13th 2021The addition of the monoclonal antibody blinatumomab to hyper-CVAD could represent a potential option for extending remission times in patients with Philadelphia chromosome–negative B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
Receipt of IMRT Is a Predictive Factors for Survival in Oropharyngeal Cancer, Study Shows
January 13th 2021A study found that patients without recurrence of their oropharyngeal cancer at 5 years who were treated with intensity-modulated radiation therapy and had less tobacco exposure experienced optimal survival, but still had poorer outcomes when compared with the general population.
Deepu Madduri, MD, on the Design of the Phase 1b/2 CARTITUDE-1 Trial
January 12th 2021The goal of the CARTITUDE-1 study was to evaluate the use of ciltacabtagene autoleucel (cilta-cel; JNJ-68284528) chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy in heavily pretreated patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma.
SWOG S1406 Finds Vemurafenib Combo With Irinotecan, Cetuximab Effective for BRAF-Mutatant CRC
January 12th 2021The study assessed the use of irinotecan and cetuximab (Erbitux) with or without vemurafenib (Zelboraf) in patients with BRAF V600E–mutated metastatic CRC who had been previously treated with 1 or 2 regimens.
Phase 3 QUAZAR AML-001 Trial Finds Oral Azacitidine Extends Survival in Older Adults with AML
January 12th 2021“Based on the results of the QUAZAR study, it is very exciting to think that, by taking a tablet that is relatively well tolerated, we can help reduce relapse risk and improve survival,” lead study author Andrew H. Wei, MB, BS, PhD, said in a press release.
Strategies Proposed to Improve Management of Immune-Related Adverse Events
January 11th 2021Though the majority of immune-related adverse events (irAEs) can be managed with corticosteroids and other immunosuppressive treatments, life-threatening and sometimes fatal events have still been reported thus revealing a need to develop measures for effective management.
COVIDSurg Collaborative Finds Surgery for Head and Neck Cancer Is Safe During COVID-19 Pandemic
January 10th 2021A group launched by the Global Health Research Unit of the National Institute for Health Research, which is currently seeking to determine the best surgical practices for cancer treatments, found that there is no additional risk of contracting COVID-19 for patients with cancer of the head and neck.
Lisa La on the Limitations of a Study Evaluating Diabetes in Patients with Multiple Myeloma
January 10th 2021The clinical investigator and her colleagues sought to evaluate differences in baseline characteristics, treatment patterns, and survival outcomes in diabetic versus nondiabetic patients enrolled in the CONNECT Multiple Myeloma Registry.
Study Finds Current Maintenance Strategies for Primary Ovarian Cancer Lack Cost-Effectiveness
January 9th 2021A study of simulated patients with primary epithelial ovarian cancer found that none of the maintenance therapy regimens evaluated were cost-effective when compared with observation following frontline response.
FDA Adds New Data to Label for Darolutamide in nmCRPC
January 8th 2021In response to the drug’s developer, the FDA added overall survival and other end point data to the label of darolutamide for its indication for treating patients with nonmetastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer who are receiving standard androgen-deprivation therapy.
Study Highlights Interchange Between Health Literacy and Shared Decision Making for PSA Screening
January 8th 2021“These findings highlight the dynamic interplay between both providers and their patients as well as between the latter’s [health literacy] and [shared decision making] that should inform the creation and promulgation of [shared decision making] guidelines, specifically when considering patients with low [health literacy],” wrote David-Dan Nguyen, MPH, and colleagues.
Gwendolyn P. Quinn, PhD, on Sexual Health in AYA Cancer Survivors
January 8th 2021“As the number of AYA survivors continues to grow, there is a pressing need for targeted information, education, and intervention around sexual health, intimate relationships, and body image,” the Children’s Oncology Group (COG) AYA Oncology Discipline Committee wrote in a review.
Lisa La on the Next Steps for a Study of Diabetes in Patients with Multiple Myeloma
January 7th 2021The director of clinical research in the Center for Cancer Care at White Plains Hospital spoke about what she intends to evaluate for a patient population with multiple myeloma and diabetes moving forward.
Phase 3 ARIEL4 Study Meets Primary End Point in Relapsed, BRCA-Mutant Ovarian Cancer
January 7th 2021The phase 3 ARIEL4 trial is evaluating rucaparib (Rubraca) versus chemotherapy in patients with platinum-sensitive, partially platinum-sensitive, and platinum-resistant relapsed ovarian cancer and a BRCA mutation who have received 2 or more prior lines of chemotherapy.
Results Show Promising Efficacy in MCL With Next-Generation BTK Inhibitor LOXO-305
January 7th 2021Investigators on the BRUIN trial reported impressive response rates across multiple B-cell malignancies with the use of the Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor LOXO-305, especially in those with heavily pretreated mantle cell lymphoma.
Young-Onset Esophageal Incidence, Advanced Disease Diagnosis on the Rise
January 6th 2021In addition to a concerning trend of increased rates of esophageal adenocarcinoma noted over the last 4 decades, this study also found that the proportion of those with advanced disease at presentation continues to rise for patients younger than age 50.
Jeffrey Wolf, MD, on the Lack of MRD Results at ASH and the Future of Myeloma Trials
January 5th 2021Jeffrey Wolf, MD, explained how studies presented at the recent 2020 ASH Annual Meeting & Exposition did not report what percentage of patients achieved minimal residual disease negativity with therapy for multiple myeloma, and that the future of phase 3 trials should focus on this status in patients.