July 25, 2015 (View All Issues)
Obinutuzumab Moves Into Lymphoma Treatment
The addition of obinutuzumab (Gazyva) to standard bendamustine (Treanda) chemotherapy followed by obinutuzumab maintenance therapy delays the progression of indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), almost doubling progression-free survival in rituximab (Rituxan)-refractory patients, according to the...
Collaborating Toward a Cure
We’ve seen how dramatically patients’ lives can change when they are matched with the right treatment at the right time in their disease course. Although this is still an exception and not the rule, we believe collaborative research approaches will make this kind of precision medicine a reality for ...
ASTRO Guidelines on Radiotherapy in Locally Advanced NSCLC: A Good Place to Start
ASCO’s endorsement of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) guidelines on the role of radiotherapy in locally advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is an important summary of the best evidence on the appropriate role and techniques for radiotherapy in this disease.1 These...
Carfilzomib/Dexamethasone Doubles Progression-Free Survival vs Bortezomib/Dexamethasone in Patients With Relapsed Multiple Myeloma
In the first head-to-head study comparing two proteasome inhibitors in relapsed multiple myeloma, carfilzomib (Kyprolis)/dexamethasone provided a doubling in progression-free survival, compared with bortezomib (Velcade)/dexamethasone.1 Results of the phase III ENDEAVOR trial of the two regimens in...
Immunotherapy Marches On, Making Headway in Advanced Urothelial Bladder Cancer
Two immunotherapy agents show promise in preliminary studies of advanced urothelial bladder cancer: the anti–PD-1 (programmed cell death protein 1) antibody pembrolizumab (Keytruda) and the anti–PD-L1 (programmed cell death ligand 1) antibody atezolizumab. Separate phase I studies of each drug...
Novel Enzyme Improves Outcomes in Subset of Patients With Pancreatic Cancer
Patients with stage IV pancreatic cancer who received a novel enzyme along with standard chemotherapy experienced a doubling in progression-free survival, compared to those given chemotherapy alone, in a study presented at the 2015 ASCO Annual Meeting.1 Response rates and median duration of...
George Wilding, MD, Named Vice Provost for Clinical and Interdisciplinary Research at MD Anderson
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center is pleased to announce the appointment of George Wilding, MD, as Vice Provost for Clinical and Interdisciplinary Research, effective September 1.
Prior to joining MD Anderson, Dr. Wilding served on the institution’s external advisory board. He also ...
Jonathan D. Licht, MD, Appointed Director of the University of Florida Health Cancer Center, Gainesville
Jonathan D. Licht, MD, has been appointed Director of the University of Florida (UF) Health Cancer Center, Gainesville. His appointment will go into effect on October 1.
Dr. Licht comes to UF Health from Northwestern University. He is currently Associate Director for Clinical Sciences at the...
Kevin Fitzpatrick Named CEO of CancerLinQ LLC
Kevin Fitzpatrick has been named CEO of CancerLinQ LLC, a wholly owned nonprofit subsidiary of ASCO. Mr. Fitzpatrick, who is currently the Executive Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer of the American College of Cardiology (ACC), will begin his new role on August 3. CancerLinQ LLC was...
Triple Inhibition May Cripple BRAF-Mutated Colorectal Cancer
Triplet therapy that inhibits the BRAF, MEK, and EGFR pathways appears promising in BRAF-mutated colorectal cancer, a malignancy that typically does not respond to BRAF inhibition alone.1 At the 2015 ASCO Annual Meeting, Chloe Evelyn Atreya, MD, of the University of California, San Francisco,...
New Concept for Brain Tumors: Tumor Treating Fields
A novel treatment modality that applies electric forces to brain tumors via scalp electrodes improved outcomes in a study reported at the 2015 ASCO Annual Meeting.1
In the first report of the full dataset, tumor treating fields significantly and consistently prolonged both progression-free...
Advancing Classification and Risk Stratification for Leukemia and Myelodysplastic Syndromes
Refinements in the classification and risk stratification for leukemia and myelodysplastic syndromes were reported by three different investigators at the 2015 ASCO Annual Meeting. The first study showed that leukemia stem cell phenotypes are associated with outcomes in acute myeloid leukemia...
PET/CT Detects Asymptomatic Melanoma Recurrences
In monitoring patients with melanoma at high risk for relapse, surveillance imaging with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose–positron-emission tomography (FDG-PET)/computed tomography (CT) can detect asymptomatic metastases and thus facilitate early treatment, according to Australian investigators who presented ...
Precision Medicine Trials Bring Targeted Treatments to More Patients
At the 2015 ASCO Annual Meeting, both ASCO and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) unveiled details of new precision medicine trials that will greatly expand the number of patients with cancer who are benefiting from targeted agents. The trials will match a patient’s tumor molecular profile with an ...
New Appointments Announced at Taussig Cancer Institute
The following new appointments were recently announced at Cleveland Clinic’s Taussig Cancer Institute.
James Stevenson, MD
Dr. Stevenson has been appointed Vice Chairman of the Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology. As Vice Chairman, Dr. Stevenson will assist the Chairman and Department...
Cyrus Ghajar, PhD, Receives $4.1 Million From Department of Defense
Cyrus Ghajar, PhD, a metastatic breast cancer researcher at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, has received a $4.1 million Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program (BCRP) “Era of Hope” Scholar Award.
The Department of Defense’s BCRP is the second biggest funder of breast cancer...
NCCS Advocates for Legislation to Establish Medicare Service for Cancer Survivorship Care Planning
Some years after successful treatment of a childhood cancer, a 16-year-old survivor required surgery to replace both hip joints, which were damaged from therapy containing steroids. An x-ray of the teenager’s destroyed joints is a stark reminder of the serious health challenges faced by cancer...
Early-Phase Studies Show Activity of Novel EGFR Inhibitors Rociletinib and AZD9291 in T790M-Positive NSCLC
Two early-phase studies have shown that the novel epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors rociletinib and AZD9291 exhibit high activity in non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with the EGFR T790M mutation who had progressed on prior EGFR inhibitor therapy.1,2 The T790M mutation...
Progress in the Treatment of Patients With EGFR-Mutated NSCLC
Approximately 10% to 15% of patients with advanced non–small cell lung (NSCLC) cancer have mutations in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in tumor cells. Specific therapies to inhibit the activity of EGFR-mutated NSCLC have now been clearly shown to improve response rate and...
ASCO Endorses ASTRO Guideline on Definitive and Adjuvant Radiotherapy in Locally Advanced NSCLC
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Andrea Bezjak, MD, of Princess Margaret Cancer Center, Toronto, and colleagues,1 ASCO has recently endorsed the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) evidence-based guideline on external-beam radiotherapy for patients with locally...
2015 Palliative Care in Oncology Symposium to Highlight the Science of Symptom Management
For the past few decades, ASCO has led efforts to integrate palliative care into all phases of cancer treatment. Through numerous educational programs, advocacy efforts, and most recently, the first annual Palliative Care in Oncology Symposium, ASCO has championed the idea that palliative care,...
ASCO, Conquer Cancer Foundation Congratulate 2015 Grant and Award Recipients
The Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO presented more than $6.7 million in grants and awards to more than 200 promising oncology researchers at the 2015 ASCO Annual Meeting. The Conquer Cancer Foundation and ASCO congratulate the recipients on their contributions to the field of oncology and offer...
ASCO Urges Evidence-Based, Flexible Drug Handling Requirements in Comments on USP 800
ASCO has responded to changing health-care standards by submitting comments to the U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) on the revised version of its proposed General Chapter 800, “Hazardous Drugs—Handling in Healthcare Settings.” While ASCO notes some positive changes to the proposal, the Society...
Order Cancer.Net Fact Sheets for Your Practice
Be sure to check out Cancer.Net’s ASCO Answers fact sheets on a variety of topics, including diagnosis and treatment options, side effects, and more than 25 cancer types. These one-page (front and back) introductions include an overview, illustrations, terms to know, and questions to ask the...
Comprehensive Oncology Practice Business Guide Now Available
ASCO has released Practical Tips for the Oncology Practice 6th Edition, a comprehensive business and management resource for oncology practices. Recognizing the increasing burdens that oncology practices face in today’s healthcare delivery system, ASCO is releasing this guide with new information...
Gynecologic Cancer in the Older Patient: The Activities of the Elderly Working Group of NRG Oncology
Geriatrics for the Oncologist is guest edited by Stuart Lichtman, MD, FACP, FASCO, and developed in collaboration with the International Society of Geriatric Oncology (SIOG). Visit SIOG.org for more on geriatric oncology.
The elderly population in the United States is growing, and by the year...
Matthew Trunnell Named Vice President and Chief Information Officer at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center announced the appointment of Matthew Trunnell as its Vice President and Chief Information Officer (CIO). Mr. Trunnell has worked at the intersection of information technology and life sciences research in both academic and commercial environments in support of ...
John A. Zaia, MD, Named Director of Center for Gene Therapy at City of Hope
Gene therapy pioneer John A. Zaia, MD, has been named Director of the Center for Gene Therapy within City of Hope’s Hematologic Malignancies and Stem Cell Transplantation Institute. Internationally known and respected for his groundbreaking research into potential gene therapy treatments for HIV,...
David Gius, MD, PhD, Named Co-leader of Northwestern’s Women’s Cancer Research Program
David Gius, MD, PhD, has been named Co-leader of the Women’s Cancer Research Program at the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, a position he has served in interim since February 2014. Dr. Gius, a nationally recognized radiation oncologist and researcher, is a...
Laura van’t Veer, PhD, Receives European Inventor Award 2015
Laura van’t Veer, PhD, Co-leader of the University of California San Francisco Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center (HDFCCC) Breast Oncology Program, and her team at the Netherlands Cancer Institute were awarded the European Inventor Award for the invention of a gene-based tissue test,...
Microangiopathic Hemolytic Anemia and Thrombocytopenia
The ASCO Post is pleased to present Hematology Expert Review, an occasional feature that includes a case report detailing a particular hematologic condition followed by questions. Answers to each question with expert commentary can be found in the sidebar. In this installment, we present the case...
Clinical Trials Actively Recruiting Patients With Melanoma
The information contained in this Clinical Trials Resource Guide includes actively recruiting clinical studies for patients with melanoma. The trials are investigating immune response; vaccine therapy; ipilimumab in conjunction with numerous therapies; and chemotherapy regimens. All of the...
FDA’s Pregnancy Category Labeling
INSIDE THE BLACK BOX is an occasional column providing insight into the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and its policies and procedures. In this installment, FDA supervisory toxicologist Todd Palmby, PhD, and pharmacologist Eias Zahalka, PhD, MBA, discuss the approach taken in the Office of ...
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Receives Gift of $150 Million From David H. Koch
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) announced that it has received the largest gift in its history, a commitment of $150 million, from long-time MSK board member David H. Koch. This unprecedented contribution will fund a state-of-the-art outpatient medical facility to be known as The David ...
American Ginseng
The use of dietary supplements by patients with cancer has increased significantly over the past 20 years despite insufficient evidence of safety and effectiveness. Finding reliable sources of information about dietary supplements can be daunting. Patients typically rely on family, friends, and the ...
Adjuvant Ipilimumab Increases Recurrence-Free Survival After Complete Resection of High-Risk Stage III Melanoma
In the phase III European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) 18071 trial reported in The Lancet Oncology, Alexander M.M. Eggermont, MD, PhD, Director General of the Gustave Roussy Cancer Center in Villejuif, France, and colleagues found that adjuvant therapy with the immune...
Adjuvant Ipilimumab in High-Risk Stage III Melanoma: Encouraging Study Results Yet Questions Remain
Ipilimumab (Yervoy) is a fully human monoclonal antibody that blocks the negative T-cell regulator cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4) and has improved overall survival for patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma in two phase III studies.1,2 Based upon these results, ipilimumab was...
Capitalizing on Increased Interest in Skin Cancer During Summer to Reeducate People About Sunscreens and ‘Smart Sun Strategies’
Amid the encouraging studies reported at the 2015 ASCO Annual Meeting about advances in the treatment of melanoma was a troubling finding about the incidence of melanoma increasing. An analysis of data from nine Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) registries found that the incidence...
My Faith Helped Me Choose a Way Forward With Cancer
I've been fortunate to be strong and healthy for most of my life. In fact, there is no history of any serious illness in my family, which is why I was so unprepared to hear the words “You have breast cancer” 5 years ago. Not only was the diagnosis foreign to me, I had no idea what chemotherapy and...
2015 Oncology Meetings
JULY
APOS 12th Annual Conference and IPOS 17th World Congress of Psycho-Oncology
July 28–August 1 • Washington, DC
For more information:
http://www.apos-society.org/professionals/meetings-ed/annualconference.aspx
16th Annual International Lung Cancer Congress®
July 30-August 1 • Huntington Beach,...
Preeminent Cancer Researcher Brian E. Henderson, MD, Dies
Brian E. Henderson, MD, began his medical path as a researcher in virology, and as a young scientist, he ventured to Africa as part of a Centers for Disease Control team to study yellow fever. The better part of his esteemed medical career, however, was as one of the world’s most respected...
Michael O'Malley, PhD, MPH, Former UNC Lineberger Associate Director, Dies at 64
Michael O’Malley, PhD, MPH, former Associate Director of the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill’s Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and former Adjunct Associate Professor of Health Policy and Management at UNC’s Gillings School of Global Public Health, has passed away...
Irwin Rose, PhD, Nobel Laureate and Biochemist, Dies at 88
Scientist and Nobel Laureate Irwin “Ernie” Rose, PhD, passed away June 2, 2015, after a long illness. He was 88. Dr. Rose shared the 2004 Nobel Prize for chemistry with Aaron Ciechanover, MD, DSc, and Avram Hershko, MD, PhD, of the Israel Institute of Technology for their pioneering work in...
Durable Responses at 3-Year Follow-up for CLL Patients Receiving Single-Agent Ibrutinib
At a median follow-up of 3 years, ibrutinib (Imbruvica) demonstrated continued activity with durable responses that improved in quality with extended treatment of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). In addition, grade 3 toxicity and adverse events leading to treatment discontinuation...
Thyroid Cancer Rarely Diagnosed in Those With Asymptomatic, Benign Nodules
A prospective, multicenter, observational study involving 992 consecutive patients with one to four asymptomatic, sonographically or cytologically benign thyroid nodules found that “the majority of nodules exhibited no significant size change during 5 years of follow-up or actually decreased in...
