In a retrospective cohort study reported in JAMA Oncology by Allison W. Kurian, MD, of Stanford University School of Medicine, and colleagues found that use of germline multiple-gene sequencing has become more common than BRCA1/2-alone sequencing after breast cancer diagnosis in clinical practice. ...
The Journal of Oncology Practice (JOP) launched a new care delivery blog, JOP DAiS(Discussion & Analysis in Short), to serve as a forum for commentary and analysis on issues affecting the mechanisms of oncology care delivery. This new platform will be a way to collaborate, debate, and discuss...
A NEW INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL, Advances in Cell & Gene Therapy, recently published its inaugural issue in May 2018. The new publication aims to provide a forum for authors to share their newest results, views, and visions in the field of cell and gene therapy. The journal will be published on a...
ON JUNE 13, 2018, bevacizumab (Avastin) was granted approval for treatment of epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel, followed by single-agent bevacizumab, for stage III or IV disease after initial surgical resection1,2. The...
ASCO HAS ENDORSED the recommendations in the Society for Integrative Oncology (SIO) clinical practice guidelines for integrative therapies during and after breast cancer.1,2 The guidelines “are clear, thorough, and based on the most relevant scientific evidence,” wrote the ASCO expert panel that...
The article “A Commitment to Innovation, Gender Equality, and Family Legacy Inspire Endowed Young Investigator Award Gifts for ASCO’s Conquer Cancer Foundation” in the May 25, 2018, issue included an incorrect quote attributed to Murdo Gordon. The corrected article is available online at...
RECOMMENDATIONS IN the Society for Integrative Oncology (SIO) clinical practice guidelines for integrative therapies during and after breast cancer treatment “are clear, thorough, and based on the most relevant scientific evidence,” concluded an ASCO expert panel that reviewed the guidelines.1,2...
ASCO’s Conquer Cancer Foundation presented more than $7.3 million in grants and awards to exceptional oncology researchers at the 2018 ASCO Annual Meeting. ASCO and Conquer Cancer congratulate the recipients and offer their profound thanks to those who generously supported these awards. Visit...
Sagar Lonial, MD, of the Emory University School of Medicine, discusses the importance of planning for relapse based on the treatment a patient has received, new targets for refractory myeloma, and the role of cellular therapy.
Andrew D. Zelenetz, MD, PhD, of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses the various ways genomics can be used in diagnosing and treating non-Hodgkin lymphoma and the need for a proper support tool to help interpret the data.
Julie M. Vose, MD, MBA, of the University of Nebraska Medical Center, discusses promising pathways for inhibitors—BTK, PI3K, EZH2, bcl-2—and the clinical trials for single agents and combinations that suggest their potential for lymphoma treatment.
In 2015, Congress passed the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization ACT (MACRA), which aims to move Medicare toward reimbursement based more on outcomes and values, a goal, in theory, shared by the oncology community. To shed light on the complicated and problematic attempt to restructure the...
On June 4, 2018, pegfilgrastim-jmdb (Fulphila) was approved as a biosimilar to pegfilgrastim (Neulasta) to decrease infection risk in patients with nonmyeloid cancer receiving myelosuppressive chemotherapy associated with a significant incidence of febrile neutropenia.1,2 Approval Basis Approval...
As reported in The Lancet by Thomas Powles, MD, of Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, and colleagues, the phase III IMvigor211 trial showed no survival benefit for atezolizumab vs physician’s choice of chemotherapy in platinum-treated locally advanced or metastatic urothelial...
In an article published recently in TheNew England Journal of Medicine, Gary H. Lyman, MD, MPH, FACP, FRCP (Edin), FASCO, of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, and colleagues reviewed opportunities, issues, and challenges posed by the advent of biosimilar medications, focusing on...
Prior to ASCO’s 2016 endorsement of the Cancer Care Ontario (CCO) guideline on active surveillance in the management of localized prostate cancer,1 most men—over 90%—diagnosed with low-risk localized disease were treated with active therapy.2 Today, about 50% of American men with low-risk disease...
Critics of health-care consolidation have cited higher costs of chemotherapy administration as an example of how mergers drive up costs. A new study by Kalidindi et al in The American Journal of Managed Care found that although drug administration costs in hospitals are higher,...
The US Oncology Network (The Network) announced the appointment of Loren Rourke, MD, MHCM, as its Chief Surgical Officer, a new role created to support and enhance the surgical community within The Network. With more than 15 years of surgical experience, Dr. Rourke served as Regional Breast...
A new study by Meulepas et al in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute suggests that computed tomography (CT) scans may increase the risk of brain tumors. The use of CT scans has increased dramatically over the past 2 decades. CT scans greatly improve diagnostic capabilities,...
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently granted Breakthrough Therapy designation for atezolizumab (Tecentriq) in combination with bevacizumab (Avastin) as a first-line treatment for people with advanced or metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common form of liver...
In a retrospective registry study reported in JAMA Oncology, Kharfan-Dabaja et al found no overall survival difference with second allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) vs donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI) in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) relapse. The study involved 418...
In the phase III NRG Oncology-RTOG 1203 study, patient-reported gastrointestinal (GI) and urinary toxicities were reduced with intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) vs standard radiotherapy (RT) in women with cervical or endometrial cancer. The findings were reported by Klopp et al in the...
ERIC TETZLAFF, MHS, PA-C, DFAAPA, a physician assistant at Fox Chase Cancer Center, has received the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) 2018 Publishing Award for his article, “National Study of Burnout and Career Satisfaction Among Physician Assistants in Oncology: Implications for...
STEPHEN J. FORMAN, MD, the Francis & Kathleen McNamara Distinguished Chair in Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation at the City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, has been inducted as a member of the Association of American Physicians. Dr. Forman has been a leader in the field of ...
Difficult-to-treat, cancer-related fatigue is a common, distressing clinical issue. It impedes daily activities, severely affecting patients’ quality of life. Compounding the problem is a lack of consensus on an effective pharmacologic intervention. Acupressure is a traditional Chinese medicine...
EARLY IN 2018, olaparib tablets (Lynparza) were granted regular approval for treatment of patients with deleterious or suspected deleterious germline BRCA-mutated, HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer who have been treated with chemotherapy in the neoadjuvant, adjuvant, or metastatic setting.1,2...
Question 1 Which of the following is one of the four major criteria for the diagnosis of essential thrombocythemia? Correct Answer: A. Platelet count ≥ 450 × 109/L. Expert Perspective The diagnosis of essential thrombocythemia requires that all four major criteria or the first three major...
The ASCO Post is pleased to present Hematology Expert Review, an ongoing feature that quizzes readers on issues in hematology. In this installment, Drs. Abutalib and Medeiros explore the recently updated World Health Organization (WHO) classification of hematopoietic and lymphoid tissue...
EARLY IN 2018, abiraterone acetate tablets (Zytiga) in combination with prednisone were approved for the treatment of metastatic high-risk castration-sensitive prostate cancer.1,2 Supporting Efficacy Data APPROVAL WAS based on the findings of the phase III LATITUDE trial, in which 1,199 patients...
Medicine is a family tradition for Hanna K. Sanoff, MD, MPH. “I was born and reared in a suburb just outside of Philadelphia and lived there my whole life until after college. I was one of those people who always knew they wanted to be a doctor. There were four generations of physicians on my...
ON JULY 13, 2018, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved enzalutamide (Xtandi) for patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). This approval broadens the indicated patient population to include patients with either nonmetastatic CRPC or metastatic CRPC. Enzalutamide was ...
In a study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Hu et al found that higher postradiotherapy levels of the inflammatory marker high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) were associated with an increased risk of early grade 4+ skin toxicity in patients with breast cancer. Study Details...
In a Dutch study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Groot et al found that the risk of subsequent malignant neoplasms was increased in the long-term follow up of patients receiving cisplatin or radiotherapy for testicular germ cell cancer. Risk vs General Population The study involved...
Patients with cancer receiving anti–programmed cell death protein 1 (anti–PD-1) therapies who develop lesions, eczema, psoriasis, or other forms of autoimmune diseases affecting the skin may experience those adverse reactions on a delay—sometimes even after treatment has...
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently accepted a biologics license application (BLA) for filing and granted Priority Review for sacituzumab govitecan for the treatment of patients with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer who previously received at least two prior therapies for...
On July 20, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved filgrastim-aafi (Nivestym), a biosimilar to filgrastim (Neupogen), for all eligible indications of the reference product. “The FDA approval of filgrastim-aafi marks an important step in helping expand access to critical...
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved ivosidenib (Tibsovo) tablets for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who have a specific genetic mutation. This is the first drug in its class (isocitrate dehydrogenase-1 [IDH1]...
Mailing colorectal cancer screening tests to patients insured by Medicaid increased screening rates for this population, reported researchers at the University of North Carolina (UNC) Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. In collaboration with the Mecklenburg County Health Department in...
The gains in insurance coverage with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) have already translated into improved health for young women with gynecologic cancers, who are getting diagnosed at earlier stages of their disease because of ACA benefits. That’s the conclusion of a new ...
In a study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Rodin et al found that a manualized psychotherapeutic intervention (Managing Cancer and Living Meaningfully, CALM) was successful in reducing depressive symptoms in patients with advanced cancer. CALM is novel, brief, tailored...
In a phase II trial reported in JAMA Oncology, Autio et al found that prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)–targeted docetaxel nanoparticle (BIND-014) treatment was active in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Study Details In the multicenter trial,...
For patients with early kidney cancer, surgically removing a portion of the kidney instead of the whole organ is often a preferred treatment, because the procedure can effectively remove tumors while preserving kidney function. But when it comes to the best surgical approach—robotic,...
A study published by Patil et al in the Journal of Thoracic Oncology explores the occurrence and treatment of brain metastases in stage IV ROS1-positive non–small cell lung cancer. ROS1-Positive Disease vs Other Genetic Mutations Importantly, and in contrast with the findings ...
The randomized, phase III TOURMALINE-MM3 study met its primary endpoint, demonstrating single-agent oral ixazomib (Ninlaro) as a maintenance therapy resulted in a statistically significant improvement in progression-free survival (PFS) vs placebo. The trial evaluated the effect of ixazomib as a...
According to the American Cancer Society, cancer is the leading cause of death for Hispanics and Asian/Pacific Islanders in the United States. However, their cancer burden is less than that of non-Hispanic whites and especially non-Hispanic blacks, who bear the most disproportionate share of the...
In a French phase II trial reported in The Lancet Oncology, Kim et al found that treatment with docetaxel, cisplatin, and fluorouracil (DCF) was active in patients with metastatic or unresectable locally recurrent anal squamous cell carcinoma. Study Details The multicenter study included 66...
“What is a reasonable plan of follow-up for patients with cancers for which early detection of metastatic disease offers no advantage?” Posing that question during his Presidential Address at the 2018 Society of Surgical Oncology (SSO) Annual Cancer Symposium, Kelly M. McMasters, MD,PhD,...
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®) has recently released The NCCN Guidelines for Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), which includes resources for better-informed medical decision-making. The NCCN Guidelines for Patients with AML is endorsed by the Aplastic Anemia and MDS...
Veterans with cancer who receive treatment from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will now have easier access to clinical trials of novel cancer treatments, thanks to an agreement between the VA and the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health. The NCI...
An analysis of cancer registry data from a California hospital system showed that women with head and neck cancer were less likely to receive intensive chemotherapy (35% vs 46%) and radiation (60% vs 70%) compared to men. Controlling for factors such as age and serious medical conditions, a...