Support for the oral immunomodulatory agent pomalidomide for multiple myeloma took a step forward when the phase III MM-003 trial showed a survival advantage in patients with advanced disease, in addition to a doubling in progression-free survival, when pomalidomide was given with low-dose...
The pivotal phase II Ponatinib Ph+ ALL and CML Evaluation (PACE trial) found that 1 year of treatment with the novel investigational drug ponatinib achieved robust activity in heavily pretreated patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and Philadelphia chromosome–positive acute lymphoblastic...
A last-minute patch to the sustainable growth rate formula included in the “fiscal cliff” deal averted massive cuts to oncologists who care for and treat Medicare patients. “This end-of-year crisis management once again demonstrates the critical need for fundamental reform of the Medicare...
February Highlights of ASH® Miami, FL and San Francisco, CAFebruary 1-2 • Miami, Florida, and San Francisco, CaliforniaFor more information: www.hematology.org/meetings Optimizing Outcomes in Colorectal CancerFebruary 7 • Boston, MassachusettsFor more information: www.omedlive.com Interventional...
Commenting on the UK NCRI RAPID trial data presented at the ASH Annual Meeting, Martin Dreyling, MD, Professor of Medicine and Head of the Lymphoma Program at the University Hospital Grosshaden, Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, Germany, stated, “This is a straightforward study suggesting that...
Positron-emission tomography (PET)-directed therapy is promising for early-stage Hodgkin lymphoma, according to results of the UK NCRI RAPID trial presented at the 54th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH).1 The use of PET scan enabled the identification of a population of...
Single-agent inotuzumab ozogamicin achieved an encouraging overall response rate of 57% in the treatment of relapsed/refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in a phase II trial reported at the 54th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH). Response was independent of monthly ...
Martin Dreyling, MD, Professor of Medicine at Ludwig Maximilians University in Munich and Coordinator of the European Mantle Cell Lymphoma Network, commented on the data emerging for ibrutinib in lymphoma. “Ibrutinib is the molecule of the year at ASH,” he told The ASCO Post. “With other molecular ...
At the 2012 ASH Annual Meeting, researchers also reported preliminary results for ibrutinib in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, follicular lymphoma, and multiple myeloma. A multicenter phase II study in 70 heavily pretreated patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in two...
The investigational agent ibrutinib demonstrated “unprecedented” single-agent activity in relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma, according to the lead author of an international phase II study reported at the Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH).1 Durable Responses “The...
Commenting on Dr. Palumbo’s presentation at the ASH meeting, Sagar Lonial, MD, Professor of Hematology and Medical Oncology at the Winship Cancer Center at Emory University, Atlanta, noted that while a survival benefit has been associated with maintenance lenalidomide (Revlimid) after transplant,...
An overall survival benefit in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma was attained with a four-drug induction regimen followed by a duet for maintenance in a study from the Italian GIMEMA network. Antonio Palumbo, MD, Chief of the Myeloma Unit at the University of Torino in Italy, reported the findings...
February Scripps Cancer Center’s 33rd Annual Clinical Hematology and Oncology ConferenceFebruary 16-19 • San Diego, CaliforniaFor more information:www.scripps.org/events/clinical-hematology-and-oncology-february-16-2013 2013 Translational Research Cancer Centers Consortium: The Power of Negative...
The work of an American Society of Hematology (ASH) international clinical network collaborative focused on modernizing treatment protocols for patients in the developing world with acute promyeloctyic leukemia (APL) has drastically improved cure rates in patients in Central and South America. In...
The 54th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) featured about 5,000 abstracts, including oral sessions and posters, as well as named lectures and symposia. In addition to our regular news coverage from the meeting, below are capsule summaries of a few news highlights that we...
Omitting daunorubicin from induction therapy for children with standard-risk acute B-cell lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) does not compromise survival and at the same time reduces the risk of associated toxicities, including myelosuppression and cardiac damage, according to results of the large phase...
Over the past 2 decades, we have witnessed remarkable progress in the treatment of patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). The introduction of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) in the front-line therapy setting and arsenic trioxide in the relapse setting had already led to a significant...
For the first time, a chemotherapy-free regimen was superior to conventional cytotoxic chemotherapy for the treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). The combination of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) plus arsenic trioxide (Trisenox) achieved significantly superior overall survival compared...
The word “revival” signifies a renewed use or acceptance after a period of inactivity; similarly, the word “resurrection” refers to the concept of an entity coming back to life after death. In the past year, these terms have been used frequently by us (and others) in articles calling for the return ...
March Hematology and Medical Oncology Board Review: Contemporary Practice from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer CenterMarch 1-5, 2013 • New York, New YorkFor more information: www.mskcc.org/hemoncreviewcourse International Congress on Targeted Anticancer TherapiesMarch 4-6 • Paris, FranceFor more...
At the 54th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH), held in Atlanta, nearly 5,000 abstracts were presented in oral sessions and posters. As part of our ongoing comprehensive coverage from the meeting, here are several more studies of note. New Targets in Acute Myeloid Leukemia...
Prophylactic platelet transfusions should remain the standard of care for many patients with hematologic malignancies who are thrombocytopenic during intensive treatment or stem cell transplant, investigators of the TOPPS trial (noninferiority Trial Of Prophylactic Platelet transfusionS)...
March Emerging Trends Conference: Reactivation of Hepatitis BMarch 21-22 • Arlington, VirginiaFor more information: www.aasld.org/additionalmeetings/Pages/emergingtrends.aspx 5th Thyroid Neoplasms ConferenceMarch 21-23 • Houston, TexasFor more information: www.mdanderson.org/conferences Community...
A large Swedish study using population-based data to estimate the risk of bacterial and viral infections among 9,610 patients with multiple myeloma (9,253 eligible for analysis) found that the myeloma patients had a 7-fold risk of developing any infection compared to 34,931 matched controls from...
High-dose cytarabine should be incorporated into the induction regimen of younger patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) before autologous stem cell transplantation, according to final results of the MCL Younger Trial of the European Mantle Cell Lymphoma Network, presented at the ASH Annual...
The investigational oral FLT3 inhibitor quizartinib appears to be a safe and effective treatment for patients with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML), according to results of a phase II trial presented at the 54th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) in...
The combination of bendamustine (Treanda) and rituximab (Rituxan), or BR, was found to be noninferior to commonly used chemotherapy with R-CHOP (rituximab plus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone) or R-CVP (rituximab plus cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and prednisone) in...
April IV Latin American Symposium of Gastroenterology OncologyApril 17-20 • Vina del Mar, ChileFor more information: www.slago.com 3rd ITLT Essen 2013 - Interdisciplinary Treatment of Liver TumorsApril 18-20 • Essen, GermanyFor more information: www.itlt.org The Arizona Clinical Oncology Society...
First, a clarification: Homoharringtonine is a natural plant alkaloid derived from Cephalotaxus fortunei; from the 1970s until the present, it was the subject of intensive research efforts by Chinese investigators to clarify its role as an antileukemic agent.1-3 Omacetaxine mepesuccinate (Synribo)...
Early trial results in single-agent therapy with the oral Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor ibrutinib have produced excellent responses in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Moreover, ibrutinib is extremely well tolerated, allowing patients to remain on trial and receive the...
In her editorial about the RESONATE trial (page 1), Dr. O’Brien raises the issue of equipoise in this phase III clinical trial that compares the efficacy of ibrutinib and ofatumumab (Arzerra) in patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) who are not appropriate...
Forty years ago, President Richard Nixon announced a “war on cancer.” Some of that war’s first battles were won in the field of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with two agents, cytarabine and daunorubicin, receiving U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval based on their ability to produce...
May Northern New England Clinical Oncology Society Spring MeetingMay 17 • Manchester, New HampshireFor more information: www.nnecos.org Iowa Oncology Society Spring Membership ConferenceMay 17-18 • West Des Moines, IowaFor more information: www.ios-iowa.com California Breast Cancer Research...
Results from an ongoing phase II study reported at the recent Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) demonstrate impressive activity with the use of ibrutinib in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and 17p deletions, which are associated with a poor...
June Molecular and Translational Oncology WorkshopJune 14-18 • Fort Myers, FloridaFor more information: www.cancereducationconsortium.org/programs_mtow.html 12th International Conference on Malignant LymphomaJune 19-22 • Lugano, SwitzerlandFor more information: www.lymphcon.ch British...
June 2nd International Breakthrough Breast Cancer Conference– Triple Negative Breast CancerJune 26-28 • London, United KingdomFor more information: www.breakthroughconference.org.uk MASCC/ISOO 2013 International Cancer Care SymposiumJune 27-29 • Berlin, GermanyFor more information: mascc.kenes.com ...
July WIN 2013 Symposium: Personalized Cancer Therapy: From Innovation to ImplementationJuly 10-12 • Paris, FranceFor more information: www.winsymposium.org 12th International Congress on the Future of Breast CancerJuly 18-20 • Huntington Beach, CaliforniaFor more information:...
The close association between cancer and thrombosis has been recognized now for more than 150 years.1 Not only is it now known that patients with cancer are at substantially increased risk of developing venous thromboembolism, even prior to the diagnosis of cancer, but the association between...
July 14th International Lung Cancer CongressJuly 25-27 • Huntington Beach, CaliforniaFor more information: www.gotoper.com/conferences Up Close and Personalized: The 2nd International Congress on Personalized MedicineJuly 25-28 • Paris, FranceFor more information: www.upcp.org Multidisciplinary...
August Hematology and Medical Oncology Best PracticesAugust 15-22 • Arlington, VirginiaFor more information: www.gwumc.edu/cehp/hemoncbestpractices/ Best of ASCO® Los AngelesAugust 16-17 • Los Angeles, CaliforniaFor more information: boa.asco.org ISEH – Society for Hematology and Stem Cells 42nd...
September Georgia Society of Clinical Oncology 2013 GASCO Annual MeetingSeptember 6 • Atlanta, GeorgiaFor more information: www.gasco.us SGI Summit Turkey 2013: Innovations in Obstetrics and GynecologySeptember 6-8 • Istanbul, TurkeyFor more information: www.sgiturkey2013.org/ Breast Cancer...
The American Society of Hematology (ASH) announced the seven scientists who have received 2013 Honorific Awards for their significant contributions to the understanding and treatment of hematologic diseases. The Honorific Awards are the Society’s most prestigious awards. This year’s awards will be...
September Inflammation, Microbiota, and CancerSeptember 19-20 • Bethesda, MarylandFor more information: ncifrederick.cancer.gov/events/microbiota/agenda.asp Continuum Cancer Centers of New York Conference on Quality of Care in OncologySeptember 20 • New York, New YorkFor more information:...
November Graft vs Host Disease National SymposiumNovember 1 • Independence, OhioFor more information: www.cowdenfoundation.org/gvhd-home/ Washington State Medical Oncology Society Fall 2013 Oncology ConferenceNovember 1 • Seattle, WashingtonFor more information: www.wsmos.org Quality Care...
The American Society of Hematology (ASH) recently announced the election of three new members to its Executive Committee for terms beginning after the ASH Annual Meeting in December. Charles S. Abrams, MD, will serve a 1-year term as Vice President, followed by successive terms as President-Elect...
Bone health is critical in patients with multiple myeloma, since up to 85% will suffer bone damage. Options for management include two FDA-approved bisphosphonates—pamidronate and zoledronic acid—and possibly the RANK-L inhibitor denosumab (Xgeva, investigational use). Importance of Supportive ...
November Academy of Oncology Nurse Navigators 4th Annual Navigation and Survivorship Conference November 14-17 • Memphis, Tennessee For more information: aonnonline.org/conference Iowa Oncology Society Fall Membership ConferenceNovember 15 • West Des Moines, IowaFor more information:...
A new report recently released and supported by the American Society of Hematology (ASH) details the crippling effects of sequestration on programs that rely on discretionary federal funding, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH). In “Faces of Austerity: How Budget Cuts Have Made Us...
December Sixth AACR International Conference on The Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically UnderservedDecember 6-9 • Atlanta, GeorgiaFor more information: www.aacr.org 55th ASH Annual MeetingDecember 7-10 • New Orleans, LouisianaFor more information:...
With an expanded list of drugs to treat multiple myeloma, experts are interested in whether treating precursor diseases to multiple myeloma can prevent progression to full-blown myeloma. In addition, new drugs are entering the armamentarium for treating multiple myeloma, noted Ruben Niesvizky, MD,...