Advertisement

Advertisement

leukemia

FDA Approves Enasidenib in Relapsed or Refractory Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved enasidenib (Idhifa) for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who have a specific genetic mutation. The drug is approved for use with a companion diagnostic, the RealTime IDH2 Assay, which ...

leukemia

Asparaginase-Associated Pancreatitis in Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

An observational study reported in The Lancet Oncology by Wolthers et al in the Ponte di Legno Toxicity Working Group identified characteristics and the course of asparaginase-associated pancreatitis in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Study Details The study involved merged data from...

leukemia

FDA Grants Venetoclax Breakthrough Therapy Designation for Geriatric Patients With Acute Myeloid Leukemia

On July 28, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Breakthrough Therapy designation for venetoclax (Venclexta) in combination with low-dose cytarabine for elderly patients with previously untreated acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who are ineligible for intensive chemotherapy. FDA...

leukemia

Response to CAR T-Cell Therapy After Ibrutinib in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

As reported by Turtle et al in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor–modified (CAR) T-cell therapy produced high response rates in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia previously treated with ibrutinib (Imbruvica). Study Details In the phase I/II study, ...

Leukemia

Ongoing Research in Cancer Immunotherapy for Children With Leukemia

THE CANCER IMMUNOTHERAPY PROGRAM at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia has several clinical trials of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy available to eligible patients.  Pilot Study of Redirected Autologous T Cells Engineered to Contain Anti-CD19 Attached to TCRζ and 4-1BB Signaling...

Leukemia

Pivotal CAR T-Cell Data Reported in Relapsed/Refractory B-Cell ALL

UPDATED RESULTS from the ELIANA clinical trial of CTL019 (tisagenlecleucel)—an investigational chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy—found that remission rates are maintained at 6 months in relapsed/refractory pediatric and young adult patients with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia....

leukemia

Effect of Methotrexate and Corticosteroid Strategies on Neurocognitive Function in Patients With B-Lineage ALL

In a Children’s Oncology Group (COG) study (AALL06N1) reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Hardy et al found that age < 10 years at diagnosis was associated with poorer neurocognitive function in patients with high-risk B-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia regardless of...

leukemia

CD33 Splicing Polymorphism and Response to Gemtuzumab Ozogamicin in AML

In an analysis of the phase III Children’s Oncology Group AAML0531 trial, published by Lambda et al in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, the CD33-targeted immunoconjugate gemtuzumab ozogamicin was shown to have benefit among patients with de novo acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who carry the CC...

leukemia

FDA’s Advisory Committee Supports CTL019 in Pediatric, Young Adult Patients With B-Cell ALL

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC) met to discuss the biologics license application (BLA) for the chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy CTL019 (tisagenlecleucel) for the treatment of relapsed or refractory pediatric and young adult...

leukemia

Blinatumomab Granted Full Approval to Treat Relapsed or Refractory B-cell Precursor ALL in Adults and Children

On July 11, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) for blinatumomab (Blincyto) to include overall survival data from the phase III TOWER study. The approval converts blinatumomab's accelerated approval to a full approval. The sBLA...

leukemia

FDA Accepts sNDA for Dasatinib in Pediatric Patients With Philadelphia Chromosome–Positive Chronic-Phase CML

On July 10, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) accepted a supplemental new drug application (sNDA) to include an indication for dasatinib (Sprycel) to treat children with Philadelphia chromosome–positive chronic-phase chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), as well as a powder for oral...

leukemia

Idarubicin vs High-Dose Daunorubicin Induction in Newly Diagnosed Acute Myeloid Leukemia

A Korean phase III trial has shown no difference in outcomes with high-dose daunorubicin vs idarubicin induction in newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia, although high-dose daunorubicin was associated with better outcomes in patients with FLT3–internal tandem duplication (ITD) mutation....

Leukemia

Blinatumomab in B-Precursor Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

In a phase II trial reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Giovanni Martinelli, MD, of S. Orsola University Hospital, Bologna, and colleagues found that blinatumomab (Blincyto) produced complete responses in patients with relapsed/refractory Philadelphia chromosome–positive B-precursor...

Leukemia

Expert Point of View: Nitin Jain, MD, and Susan O'Brien, MD

Formal discussant of the GENUINE trial, Nitin Jain, MD, of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, noted that the majority of responses to ibrutinib (Imbruvica) in high-risk patients are partial responses. “These patients [have disease progression] even in the context of...

Leukemia

Ublituximab/Ibrutinib Beneficial in Patients With Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

The addition of ublituximab (a glycoengineered anti-CD20 antibody) to ibrutinib (Imbruvica) improved response rates, depth of response, and led to quicker resolution of ibrutinib-associated lymphocytosis in patients with high-risk chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) in the phase III GENUINE trial,...

Leukemia

Phase III CASCADE Trial of Vadastuximab Talirine in Front-Line AML Discontinued

On June 22, 2017, Seattle Genetics confirmed it discontinued the phase III CASCADE clinical trial of vadastuximab talirine (SGN-CD33A) in front-line older acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients. Patient enrollment and treatment in all of its vadastuximab talirine clinical trials are suspended,...

Leukemia

Idelalisib in Resistant CLL: Benefit Shown, Questions Remain

As reported in The Lancet Oncology by Dr. Andrew Zelenetz and colleagues and reviewed in this issue of The ASCO Post, an international phase III trial in 416 patients with refractory or recurrent chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) addressed the benefit of adding the first-in-class phosphoinositide...

Leukemia

Adding Idelalisib to Bendamustine/Rituximab in Relapsed/Refractory CLL

As reported by Andrew D. Zelenetz, MD, of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and colleagues in The Lancet Oncology, interim analysis of a phase III trial has shown the superiority of adding the phosphoinositide-3-kinase δ inhibitor idelalisib (Zydelig) to bendamustine/rituximab (Rituxan) in...

leukemia

Adding Midostaurin to Chemotherapy in Newly Diagnosed Acute Myeloid Leukemia With FLT3 Mutation

In a phase III trial (Cancer and Leukemia Group B 10603 [RATIFY]/Alliance) reported in The New England Journal of Medicine, Stone et al found that the addition of midostaurin (Rydapt) to standard chemotherapy improved overall survival in patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia with...

hematologic malignancies
leukemia
lymphoma
myelodysplastic syndromes

FDA Allows Marketing of Test to Aid in the Detection of Certain Leukemias and Lymphomas

On June 29, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allowed marketing of ClearLLab Reagents (T1, T2, B1, B2, M), the first agency-authorized test for use with flow cytometry to aid in the detection of several leukemias and lymphomas, including chronic leukemia, acute leukemia, non-Hodgkin...

leukemia

EHA 2017: Half of Chronic-Phase Philadelphia Chromosome–Positive CML Patients Stay in Treatment-Free Remission 2 Years After Stopping Nilotinib

New data from two clinical trials—ENESTfreedom and ENESTop—demonstrates that approximately half of adult patients with Philadelphia chromosome–positive chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in the chronic phase, were able to maintain treatment-free remission after stopping treatment with ...

leukemia

EHA 2017: Updated CTL019 ELIANA Data Show Durable Remission Rates in Children, Young Adults With Relapsed/Refractory B-Cell ALL

Updated results from the ELIANA clinical trial demonstrated CTL019 (tisagenlecleucel) remission rates are maintained at 6 months in relapsed/refractory pediatric and young adult patients with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). These data from this pivotal trial of CTL019 show that 83% (52...

leukemia
lymphoma

FDA Approves Rituximab Plus Hyaluronidase Combination for Treatment of Certain Hematologic Malignancies

On June 22, 2017, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted regular approval to the combination of rituximab and hyaluronidase human (Rituxan Hycela) for adult patients with follicular lymphoma, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. The approval provides a...

leukemia

Phase III CASCADE Trial of Front-Line Vadastuximab Talirine in AML Discontinued

Seattle Genetics has discontinued its phase III CASCADE clinical trial of front-line vadastuximab talirine (SGN-CD33A) in older acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients. The phase III CASCADE clinical trial is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluating vadastuximab talirine...

Leukemia

Expert Point of View: Susan O'Brien, MD

Commenting on the studies of CAR T cells in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) thus far, Susan O’Brien, MD, of the University of California at Irvine, said: “Some people are disappointed in the results, but the problem is there was too much hype to begin with. The first article on CAR T published...

Leukemia

Newer Approaches With CAR T Cells Explored in CLL

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy is a hot area of research and development in hematologic malignancies and, more recently, some solid tumors. Results have been particularly good in acute lymphocytic leukemia, and one or more CAR T-cell products may be getting close to approval by the ...

Leukemia

Using a Pediatric Treatment Approach to Improve Outcomes for Young Adults With ALL

Three years ago, early results from the U.S. Intergroup C10403 trial,1 which evaluated the effectiveness of treating adolescent and young adults (AYAs) with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) using an intensive pediatric regimen, showed significant improvement in event-free and overall survival...

leukemia

ICML 2017: Phase III GENUINE Trial: Ublituximab Plus Ibrutinib in High-Risk CLL

Data was recently presented from the phase III GENUINE trial of ublituximab, a novel glycoengineered anti–CD20 monoclonal antibody, in combination with ibrutinib (Imbruvica), a Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor, for the treatment of high-risk chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), at the...

leukemia
lymphoma

ICML 2017: Triplet Combination of Umbralisib, Ublituximab, and Ibrutinib in CLL/SLL/NHL

Data from the chemotherapy-free triple combination of umbralisib, an oral, next generation PI3K delta inhibitor; ublituximab, a novel glycoengineered anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody; and ibrutinib (Imbruvica) in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)/small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) and...

Leukemia

Clofarabine-Based Consolidation in Younger Patients With AML

In a French randomized phase II trial reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Thomas et al found that clofarabine-based consolidation may provide improved relapse-free survival vs conventional high-dose cytarabine in postremission treatment in younger patients with acute myeloid leukemia...

Hematologic Malignancies
Leukemia

Idelalisib Toxicities Appear to Be Immune-Related

Phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitors represent a highly active class of drug for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Idelalisib (Zydelig), a PI3K-delta inhibitor and the first PI3K inhibitor to be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for CLL, has...

Leukemia

Venetoclax Achieves Durable and Deep Remissions in CLL

Preliminary study results suggest that venetoclax (Venclexta) plus rituximab (Rituxan) is a highly active combination in relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), achieving durable responses and minimal residual disease negativity in previously treated patients. “The results of our...

Leukemia

Expert Point of View: David L. Porter, MD & Jonathan S. Serody, MD

In a separate interview with The ASCO Post, David L. Porter, MD, Director of Blood and Marrow Transplantation and the Jodi Fisher Horowitz Professor in Leukemia Care Excellence at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, said: “It is encouraging that many patients with acute lymphoblastic...

Leukemia

CAR T Cells in Relapsed B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Updated results in 51 adults with relapsed B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) treated with chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York showed high complete response rates regardless of pre–CAR T disease burden.1 That said, pretreatment...

Leukemia

First-in-Human Clinical Trial in Children and Young Adults With Leukemia

After phase I results of Seattle Children’s Pediatric Leukemia Adoptive Therapy (PLAT-02) trial, published by Gardner et al in Blood,1 showed T-cell immunotherapy to be effective in sending 93% of patients with relapsed or refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) into complete initial...

leukemia

First-In-Human Clinical Trial Aims to Extend Remission for Children and Young Adults With Leukemia Treated With T-Cell Immunotherapy

After phase I results of Seattle Children's Pediatric Leukemia Adoptive Therapy (PLAT-02) trial, published by Gardner et al in Blood, showed T-cell immunotherapy to be effective in sending 93% of patients with relapsed or refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) into complete initial...

Leukemia

Blinatumomab ‘Takes a BiTE’ Out of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

An investigational immunotherapy is improving outcomes in difficult-to-treat acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and showing promise in other cancers, as well. Blinatumomab (Blincyto), the first U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved bispecific T-cell engager (BiTE), has demonstrated...

hematologic malignancies
leukemia

FDA Approves Midostaurin in Combination With Chemotherapy for Newly Diagnosed FLT3-Positive Acute Myeloid Leukemia

On April 28, 2017, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved midostaurin (Rydapt) for the treatment of adult patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who are FLT3 mutation–positive, as detected by an FDA-approved test, in combination with standard cytarabine and...

Leukemia

Expert Point of View: Susan O'Brien, MD

Susan O’Brien, MD, Associate Director for Clinical Science, Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Irvine Health, put the venetoclax (Venclexta) monotherapy study in context. “The study by Jones et al is impressive. Patients who fail on a prior kinase...

Leukemia

Updated Data on Treatment With Ibrutinib and Venetoclax in Patients With CLL/SLL

Long-term follow-up of treatment with ibrutinib (Imbruvica) in patients with previously untreated and treated chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)/small lymphocytic leukemia (SLL) has shown high response rates that are durable. At 5 years, 89% of patients with treatment-naive and relapsed or...

Leukemia

CAR T-Cell Therapy Shows Benefit in Patients With Treatment-Resistant Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Researchers from Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle reported early results from a small study of their chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell product (JCAR014) in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) at the 2016 American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting &amp; Exposition....

Leukemia

Different Subtypes of Acute Myeloid Leukemia Create Both Clinical and Research Challenges

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is the most common leukemia in adults. Each year, about 20,000 Americans will be diagnosed with AML, and roughly 10,000 people in this country will die of the disease. AML progresses quickly, and unless treatment begins soon and is effective , the prognosis is grim....

leukemia

Blinatumomab After Failure of TKI Treatment in B-Precursor Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

In a phase II trial reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Martinelli et al found that blinatumomab (Blincyto) produced complete responses in patients with relapsed/refractory Philadelphia chromosome–positive (Ph+) B-precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) progressing after...

leukemia

Mercaptopurine Ingestion Habits and Risk of Relapse in Children With Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

In a report from the Children’s Oncology Group Study AALL03N1 published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Landier et al found no association between oral mercaptopurine ingestion habits in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and risk of relapse after adjustment for medication...

Leukemia
Cost of Care

Financial Burden of Targeted Oral Therapy for Patients With Chronic Myeloid Leukemia

In a study reported in the Journal of Oncology Practice, Chan Shen, PhD, of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, and colleagues found that more than three-quarters of patients receiving targeted oral therapy for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) reached the catastrophic phase of the...

leukemia

Association of DNA Thioguanine Nucleotide Concentration and Outcome During Maintenance Therapy for Childhood ALL

In a substudy of a European phase III trial (Nordic Society of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology ALL2008) reported in The Lancet Oncology, Nygaard Nielsen et al found that higher leukocyte DNA-incorporated thioguanine nucleotide (DNA-TGN) levels were associated with an improved relapse-free...

leukemia

Benefit of Imatinib in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Persists Long Term in IRIS Trial

Long-term follow-up of patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) randomized to imatinib in the IRIS trial was reported by Hochhaus et al in The New England Journal of Medicine. In the open-label crossover-design trial, 1,106 patients with CML were randomized to receive imatinib at 400 mg/d (n = ...

leukemia

Blinatumomab vs Chemotherapy in Advanced Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

In the phase III TOWER trial reported in The New England Journal of Medicine, Kantarjian et al found that blinatumomab (Blincyto) treatment improved overall survival vs chemotherapy in heavily pretreated patients with B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Blinatumomab received...

leukemia

Clofarabine-Based Consolidation in Younger Patients With Acute Myeloid Leukemia in First Remission

In a French phase II trial reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Thomas et al found that clofarabine-based consolidation may provide improved relapse-free survival vs conventional high-dose cytarabine in postremission treatment in younger patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and no...

Leukemia

Study Finds Children, Parents Overreport Adherence to Leukemia Treatment

New research suggests that young patients with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL)—the most common type of pediatric cancer—and their parents are likely to report to their physician that they took more of their anticancer medication than they actually did. The study, published by Landier et al in...

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement