David G. Pfister, MD, on Supportive Care in Head and Neck Cancers: Multidisciplinary Management
NCCN 2021 Virtual Annual Conference
David G. Pfister, MD, of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses the many considerations when caring for patients with head and neck cancers, such as dental and nutritional issues; side effects from radiation, including necrosis of the bone; oral health; problems with speech; and the concerns of younger patients who may have to cope with the sequelae of treatment such as altered function or disfigurement for years to come.
The ASCO Post Staff
Sandy Srinivas, MD, of Stanford Cancer Institute, discusses the increasing number of ways to deliver life-prolonging therapy to patients with advanced prostate cancer, including more accurate imaging techniques; PET tracers to help better detect, diagnose, and treat disease; PARP inhibitors for BRCA and other mutations; and new sequencing of drugs.
The ASCO Post Staff
Robert Winn, MD, of the Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center, discusses the creation of a health equity report card to track how institutions are dealing with disparities in oncology care, ways to recognize bias in care, and adding health equity experts to guideline panels and other advisory groups.
The ASCO Post Staff
Shaji K. Kumar, MD, of the Mayo Clinic Cancer Center, discusses the latest data on treating patients with multiple myeloma, including standard-of-care induction before stem cell transplant; the role of quadruplet induction; long-term results with the combination of daratumumab, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone in those who are ineligible for stem cell transplant; CAR T-cell engagers; and the need for more research on how immunotherapy fits in the sequence of treatments.
The ASCO Post Staff
Crystal S. Denlinger, MD, of Fox Chase Cancer Center, and Mary F. Mulcahy, MD, of the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, discuss biomarkers for determining treatment; immune checkpoint inhibitors; when to employ such treatments as platinum/fluoropyrimidine and fam-trastuzumab deruxtecan-nxki; and other second- or later-line therapies such as paclitaxel, ramucirumab, irinotecan-based regimens, and trifluridine/tipiracil.
The ASCO Post Staff
April K. Salama, MD, of Duke Cancer Institute, discusses the shift in recent years, as more effective therapies have become available, toward integrating systemic upfront treatment of patients with brain metastases from cutaneous melanoma; pivotal studies that have provided key data; and the need for a multidisciplinary approach incorporating medical, surgical, and radiation oncology.