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William King
Authored Items
New NCCN Guidelines for CLL/SLL Include Second-Generation BTK Inhibitors
By
William King
May 2023, Vol 13, No 5
NCCN 2023 Conference Highlights
,
Leukemia
,
Lymphoma
In a session during the 2023 National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Annual Conference, Deborah M. Stephens, DO, provided important updates to treatment recommendations for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)/small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL), and identified key factors for selecting frontline and subsequent therapies, including (
IGHV
) gene status, 17p deletion/
TP53
mutation status, age, patient comorbidities, and resistance mutations.
Read More ›
Optimal Systemic Therapy for Renal Cell Carcinoma Is Still Evolving
By
William King
May 2023, Vol 13, No 5
NCCN 2023 Conference Highlights
,
Renal-Cell Carcinoma
,
Genitourinary Cancers
Surgery is typically the gold standard for patients with biopsy-proven, clear cell, renal cell carcinoma with no evidence of metastatic disease, said Eric Jonasch, MD, in a session during the 2023 National Comprehensive Cancer Network Conference. In this setting, there is probably not a role for systemic neoadjuvant treatment, as response rates of 15% to 45% have been recorded with axitinib (Inlyta), sunitinib (Sutent), and other tyrosine kinase inhibitors.
Read More ›
Molecular Characteristics Increasingly Define Adult Gliomas
By
William King
May 2023, Vol 13, No 5
NCCN 2023 Conference Highlights
,
Head & Neck Cancers
,
Brain Cancers
Molecular/genetic characterization has taken on greater importance in the classification of adult gliomas and in diagnostic and treatment decision-making. “These tumors are now grouped and predicated more on molecular features rather than histopathologic criteria,” said L. Burt Nabors, MD, in a presentation during the 2023 National Comprehensive Cancer Network Annual Conference.
Read More ›
Experts Discuss Strategies for Achieving Health Equity in Bladder Cancer Care
By
William King
April 2023, Vol 13, No 4
Disparities in Cancer Care
,
ASCO GU 2023 Highlights
,
Bladder Cancer
During the 2023 American Society of Clinical Oncology Genitourinary Cancers Symposium, a panel of experts identified some of the key challenges to achieving health equity in bladder cancer care and discussed what can be done to improve access to clinical trials, mitigate financial toxicity, and promote value-based care.
Read More ›
Choosing Adjuvant Therapies in Patients with RCC Requires Careful Consideration of Risks and Benefits
By
William King
March 2023, Vol 13, No 3
ASCO GU 2023 Highlights
,
Renal-Cell Carcinoma
The decision to use adjuvant therapies in patients with renal-cell carcinoma (RCC) should be based on risk, patient goals, and shared decision-making. This topic was explored in a presentation by Matthew Zibelman, MD.
Read More ›
Dexamethasone-Sparing Regimen Safe and Effective in Frail Patients with Multiple Myeloma
By
William King
February 2023, Vol 13, No 2
Hematologic Malignancies
,
Multiple Myeloma
Results from the IFM2017-03 trial showed that a dexamethasone-sparing regimen of daratumumab (Darzalex) plus lenalidomide (Revlimid; DR) was superior to lenalidomide plus dexamethasone (Rd) in terms of response rates and rates of minimal residual disease (MRD) negativity in frail patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma.
Read More ›
CTC Count May Help Providers Choose Optimal Therapy for Patients with Metastatic Breast Cancer
By
William King
February 2023, Vol 13, No 2
Breast Cancer
Using circulating tumor cell (CTC) count to guide the choice of first-line treatment—chemotherapy or endocrine therapy—improved overall survival (OS) compared with investigator’s choice of treatment for patients with metastatic, estrogen receptor (ER)-positive,
HER2
-negative breast cancer, according to results from the STIC CTC trial.
Read More ›
Addition of Capivasertib to Fulvestrant Improves Outcomes in HR-Positive, HER2-Low or -Negative Metastatic Breast Cancer
By
William King
January 2023, Vol 13, No 1
SABCS 2022 Highlights
,
Breast Cancer
In patients with hormone receptor (HR)-positive,
HER2
-low or -negative, locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer resistant to aromatase inhibitors, the addition of the investigational first-in-class AKT inhibitor capivasertib (AZD5363) to fulvestrant (Faslodex) led to a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in progression-free survival (PFS) compared with placebo plus fulvestrant.
Read More ›
Ribociclib plus Endocrine Treatment Outperforms Chemotherapy in Advanced Breast Cancer
By
William King
January 2023, Vol 13, No 1
SABCS 2022 Highlights
,
Breast Cancer
Patients with hormone receptor (HR)-positive,
HER2
-negative advanced breast cancer, including those with visceral crises, treated with the CDK4/6 inhibitor ribociclib (Kisqali) plus endocrine therapy had a significantly longer progression-free survival (PFS) and fewer adverse events (AEs) compared with those treated with combination chemotherapy, according to results from the phase 2 RIGHT Choice trial.
Read More ›
Survey Results Provide Insights into Biosimilar Use at Cancer Centers
By
William King
January 2023, Vol 13, No 1
Biosimilars
Results of a recent survey of cancer centers revealed that 66% of responding institutions had a biosimilar interchangeability policy in place, but barriers to adoption remain an issue.
Read More ›
AVBCC Panel Discusses the Current and Future State of Value-Based Agreements
By
William King
December 2022, Vol 12, No 12
AVBCC Summit Highlights
,
Value-Based Care
At the AVBCC 12th Annual Summit in 2022, a panel of experts from Upstream Partners discussed the current state of value-based agreements (VBAs) in pharma and what lies ahead.
Read More ›
Standardized Biosimilar Protocol Leads to Higher Conversion Rates and Lower Costs
By
William King
December 2022, Vol 12, No 12
Biosimilars
Standardizing biosimilar adoption in oncology through the electronic health record can improve biosimilar utilization and reduce health system costs.
Read More ›
Overcoming Challenges in the Treatment of Primary Brain Tumors
By
William King
November 2022, Vol 12, No 11
ESMO 2022 Highlights
In a special symposium held during the European Society for Medical Oncology Congress 2022, experts discussed lessons learned in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with primary brain tumors and what is on the horizon.
Read More ›
Results from Phase 3 Trial Show Similar Efficacy and Safety Outcomes with CT-P16 versus Bevacizumab in Patients with NSCLC
By
William King
November 2022, Vol 12, No 11
ESMO 2022 Highlights
One-year follow-up data from a phase 3 study found similar duration of response, time to progression (TTP), and survival rates with the biosimilar candidate CT-P16 compared with its reference drug, bevacizumab (Avastin), in the first-line treatment of patients with metastatic or recurrent nonsquamous non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Read More ›
Increased Biosimilar Use Translates to Substantial Savings for Oncology Practices
By
William King
November 2022, Vol 12, No 11
Biosimilars
The increased use of biosimilars within the US Oncology Network generated more than $6 million of savings in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Oncology Care Model (OCM) during the first half of 2020.
Read More ›
Biosimilar Substitution May Reduce Financial Risk to Providers in Value-Based Payment Models
By
William King
November 2022, Vol 12, No 11
Biosimilars
Providers participating in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS’) value-based payment (VBP) models may realize a reduction in financial risk via biosimilar substitution.
Read More ›
Strategies for Minimizing Some of the Most Distressing Symptoms of Cancer and Its Treatment
By
William King
October 2022, Vol 12, No 10
ESMO 2022 Highlights
Minimizing some of the most distressing symptoms of cancer and its treatment requires systematic screening and risk assessment, as well as a focus on the underlying cause of these symptoms, according to experts at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2022.
Read More ›
Key Factors Associated with Early Discontinuation of Abemaciclib Therapy in Patients with Breast Cancer in the MonarchE Trial
By
William King
October 2022, Vol 12, No 10
Breast Cancer
Several baseline factors were associated with an increased risk for treatment discontinuation in the phase 3 monarchE clinical trial, which assessed adjuvant abemaciclib (Verzenio) in patients with hormone receptor–positive,
HER2
-negative early breast cancer, according to findings from a multivariate analysis presented during the American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting.
Read More ›
Adding Pembrolizumab to Chemotherapy Prolongs Survival Among Patients with Cervical Cancer Across Several Subgroups
By
William King
September 2022, Vol 12, No 9
Cervical Cancer
The addition of pembrolizumab (Keytruda) to chemotherapy with or without bevacizumab (Avastin) resulted in significantly and clinically meaningful improvements in overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in women with cervical cancer.
Read More ›
Trastuzumab Deruxtecan a New Standard for Patients with HER2-Low Metastatic Breast Cancer
By
William King
August 2022, Vol 12, No 8
ASCO 2022 Highlights
Targeting
HER2
with the antibody–drug conjugate fam-trastuzumab deruxtecan-nxki (Enhertu; T-DXd) provided clinically meaningful benefits for patients with
HER2
-low metastatic breast cancer, according to findings presented at the 2022 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting.
Read More ›
Lisocabtagene Maraleucel Yields High Response Rates in Patients with Relapsed or Refractory LBCL Who Are Not Candidates for Transplant
By
William King
August 2022, Vol 12, No 8
ASCO 2022 Highlights
More than 50% of adults with refractory or relapsed large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL) who were not deemed candidates for high-dose chemotherapy and hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT) had complete responses (CRs) following treatment with lisocabtagene maraleucel (Breyanzi).
Read More ›
ASCO President Stresses the Importance of Innovation for Advancing Equitable Cancer Care
By
William King
July 2022, Vol 12, No 7
ASCO 2022 Highlights
The theme for the 2022 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting selected by 2021-2022 ASCO President Everett E. Vokes, MD, John E. Ultmann Professor of Medicine, and Chair, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago Duchossois Center for Advanced Medicine, Hyde Park, was advancing equitable cancer care through innovation.
Read More ›
Adding Ibrutinib to Chemoimmunotherapy Improves PFS in Older Patients with Newly Diagnosed Mantle-Cell Lymphoma
By
William King
July 2022, Vol 12, No 7
ASCO 2022 Highlights
Once-daily ibrutinib (Imbruvica) combined with bendamustine (Bendeka) and rituximab (Rituxan; BR) significantly improved progression-free survival (PFS) compared with placebo plus BR in patients aged ≥65 years with newly diagnosed mantle-cell lymphoma (MCL), according to results from the phase 3 SHINE trial, which were presented at the 2022 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting and simultaneously published in the New England Journal of Medicine (N Engl J Med. 2022 June 3. Epub ahead of print).
Read More ›
Experts Discuss the Evolving Role of Telemedicine in Oncology Care
By
William King
June 2022, Vol 12, No 6
Telehealth
Telehealth is playing a larger role in the delivery of cancer care, but there is more work that needs to be done to permanently increase access, according to a panel of experts during a plenary session at the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) 2022 Annual Conference.
Read More ›
Best Practices for Genetic Cancer Risk Assessment and Counseling
By
William King
June 2022, Vol 12, No 6
Genetic Counseling
Genetic testing is becoming increasingly used in oncology because of its potential to inform surgical decisions and chemotherapy.
Read More ›
Updated NCCN Guidelines Lower Age for Initial Colorectal Cancer Screening
By
William King
May 2022, Vol 12, No 5
NCCN 2022 Highlights
Updates to the screening guidelines for colorectal cancer (CRC) from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) include lowering the initial screening age for average-risk individuals and second- and third-degree family members with CRC, as well as an extension in the interval for surveillance colonoscopy for low-risk individuals.
Read More ›
New Treatment Strategies for Patients with Advanced Melanoma
By
William King
May 2022, Vol 12, No 5
NCCN 2022 Highlights
During a presentation at the National Comprehensive Cancer Network 2022 Annual Conference, Genevieve Boland, MD, PhD, FACS, Section Head, Melanoma/Sarcoma Surgery; Surgical Director, Termeer Center for Targeted Therapies; and Director, Therapeutic Intralesional Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, discussed how targeted treatments and immunotherapies are improving the treatment landscape for melanoma.
Read More ›
Darolutamide plus ADT and Docetaxel Improves Survival in Men with Metastatic Hormone-Sensitive Prostate Cancer
By
William King
May 2022, Vol 12, No 5
ASCO GU 2022 Highlights
Treatment with the androgen receptor inhibitor darolutamide (Nubeqa), in combination with androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) and docetaxel, significantly improved overall survival (OS) compared with ADT and docetaxel alone in patients with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC), according to recent results from the phase 3 ARASENS clinical trial, which were simultaneously published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Read More ›
Neoadjuvant Checkpoint Inhibitor plus TKI for Localized RCC: Encouraging Disease-Free Survival
By
William King
May 2022, Vol 12, No 5
ASCO GU 2022 Highlights
The neoadjuvant combination of avelumab (Bavencio) and axitinib (Inlyta) resulted in a partial response (PR) rate of 30% in patients with localized renal-cell carcinoma (RCC) at high risk for relapse after nephrectomy, according to results from the phase 2 NeoAvAx clinical trial.
Read More ›
Trastuzumab Deruxtecan Shows Survival Benefit in HER2-Positive Advanced Gastric Cancers
By
William King
May 2022, Vol 12, No 5
ASCO GI 2022 Highlights
Trastuzumab deruxtecan (Enhertu; T-DXd) continues to show superior antitumor activity and improved survival compared with standard chemotherapy in patients with advanced HER2-expressing gastric or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) cancer, according to updated results from the phase 2 DESTINY-Gastric01 trial.
Read More ›
Nivolumab plus Ipilimumab Yields High Rate of pCR in the Neoadjuvant Setting for Patients with Resectable MSI/dMMR Oeso-Gastric Adenocarcinoma
By
William King
May 2022, Vol 12, No 5
ASCO GI 2022 Highlights
Treatment with nivolumab (Opdivo) plus ipilimumab (Yervoy) in the neoadjuvant setting plus adjuvant nivolumab resulted in a high rate of pathologic complete response (pCR) in patients with resectable microsatellite instable (MSI)/mismatch repair deficient (dMMR) oeso-gastric junction (OGJ) adenocarcinoma, according to findings from the GERCOR NEONIPIGA clinical trial.
Read More ›
AK104 plus Chemotherapy Looks Promising as First-Line Treatment Option for Gastric Cancers
By
William King
May 2022, Vol 12, No 5
ASCO GI 2022 Highlights
The PD-1/CTLA-4 bispecific antibody, AK104, plus chemotherapy represents a potential new first-line treatment option for patients with advanced gastric or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) cancer.
Read More ›
Novel Cancer Vaccine Shows Efficacy in Patients with Advanced Pancreatic Cancer
By
William King
April 2022, Vol 12, No 4
ASCO GI 2022 Highlights
Interim results from a phase 2 clinical trial showed that a novel combination of aldoxorubicin, N-803 (an IL-15 superagonist), and PD-L1 natural killer cell therapy (Nant Cancer Vaccine) plus low-dose chemotherapy doubled overall survival (OS) compared with historical controls in patients with locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic cancer.
Read More ›
Pembrolizumab plus BSC Demonstrates Significant Survival Benefit in Advanced HCC
By
William King
April 2022, Vol 12, No 4
ASCO GI 2022 Highlights
Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) added to best supportive care (BSC) improved outcomes including overall survival (OS) versus BSC alone in Asian patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) previously treated with sorafenib (Nexavar), according to final results from the KEYNOTE-394 trial.
Read More ›
Continuous Enzalutamide Reduces Risk for Progression in Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer
By
William King
April 2022, Vol 12, No 4
ASCO GU 2022 Highlights
Continuous enzalutamide (Xtandi) treatment in combination with docetaxel significantly improved progression-free survival (PFS) compared with placebo plus docetaxel in men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer who had disease progression on enzalutamide alone, according to results from the phase 3b PRESIDE clinical trial.
Read More ›
Neoadjuvant Enfortumab Vedotin Appears Promising in Patients with Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer Not Eligible for Cisplatin
By
William King
April 2022, Vol 12, No 4
ASCO GU 2022 Highlights
Neoadjuvant enfortumab vedotin (Padcev) showed promising antitumor activity in patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) who were ineligible for cisplatin therapy, according to preliminary findings from cohort H of the phase 1b/2 EV-103 clinical trial.
Read More ›
Circulating Tumor DNA Profiling Useful for Diagnosing CNS Lymphoma and Guiding Treatment Selection
By
William King
April 2022, Vol 12, No 4
ASH 2021 Highlights
According to results presented at the 2021 ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition, new sequencing technologies may overcome previous limitations of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) profiling in patients with central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma.
Read More ›
Exploring the Future of Genetic Therapies and Value-Based Care in Oncology
By
William King
March 2022, Vol 12, No 3
AVBCC Summit Highlights
With better insights into the biology of cancer and other diseases, genetic medicine is entering “a whole new ballgame,” said Scott Gottlieb, MD, Former FDA Commissioner, during the keynote session at the 11th Annual Summit of the Association for Value-Based Cancer Care in 2021.
Read More ›
Community Providers Share Their Perspectives on Cancer Care
By
William King
March 2022, Vol 12, No 3
AVBCC Summit Highlights
Community-based providers remain at the core of the oncology care delivery system. A panel moderated by Barbara McAneny, MD, Chief Executive Officer, New Mexico Oncology Hematology Consultants, Albuquerque, at the 11th Annual Summit of the Association for Value-Based Cancer Care in 2021 explored the road ahead for community practices in terms of balancing value and delivering optimal access to care for patients.
Read More ›
Oncology Pipeline Overview: Recent Approvals and Near-Term Drugs
By
William King
February 2022, Vol 12, No 2
AVBCC Summit Highlights
Many innovative therapies in oncology have made it to market recently, with a wealth of agents that are currently on the verge of FDA approval.
Read More ›
Support Services for Patients with Cancer Must Go Beyond Simply Building a HUB
By
William King
February 2022, Vol 12, No 2
AVBCC Summit Highlights
The success of oncology support services developed by pharmaceutical manufacturers depends on tailoring programs that meet the needs of their specific patient populations, said panelists at a roundtable discussion on patient centricity and connectivity in oncology support and HUB services.
Read More ›
CAR T-Cell Therapies Demonstrate Efficacy in Second-Line Treatment of LBCL
By
William King
January 2022, Vol 12, No 1
ASH 2021 Highlights
The results from 2 phase 3 clinical trials highlighted the superiority of CAR T-cell therapies over current standard of care (SOC) when used earlier in the course of treatment for patients with large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL). These findings were reported at the ASH 2021 Annual Meeting and Exposition.
Read More ›
Reducing Racial Disparities in Cancer Care
By
William King
January 2022, Vol 12, No 1
AVBCC Summit Highlights
Reducing disparities in cancer care, including those affecting research and treatment, requires a better understanding of the history of racism, noted experts during a panel discussion at the 11th Annual Summit of the Association for Value-Based Cancer Care in 2021.
Read More ›
Flexibility and Adaption Key for Future-Proofing Cancer Care Against Pandemics
By
William King
January 2022, Vol 12, No 1
AVBCC Summit Highlights
Enhanced flexibility in delivery, increased investment in digital capability, and quick adaptation to events were some of the positive impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer care.
Read More ›
The Current and Future State of Medically Integrated Pharmacy in Oncology
By
William King
January 2022, Vol 12, No 1
AVBCC Summit Highlights
At the 11th Annual Summit of the Association for Value-Based Cancer Care in 2021, a panel of experts, moderated by Michael Reff, RPh, MBA, Founder and Executive Director, National Community Oncology Dispensing Association (NCODA), Cazenovia, NY, discussed the current and future state of Medically Integrated Pharmacy (MIP) and the benefits of this approach in oncology.
Read More ›
Stakeholders Discuss Opportunities and Challenges in Biosimilars Adoption
By
William King
January 2022, Vol 12, No 1
AVBCC Summit Highlights
Currently, 31 biosimilar products have been approved by the FDA, 20 of which have been launched in the United States. As the biosimilar markets become more competitive, so should pricing, said Sean McGowan, Senior Director, Biosimilars, AmerisourceBergen, Philadelphia, PA, who moderated a panel discussion on the gateway and watershed opportunities ahead for biosimilars and their adoption in oncology at the 11th Annual Summit of the Association for Value-Based Cancer Care in 2021.
Read More ›
Results from 2 Studies Provide Insights on Antibody Response to COVID-19 Vaccines in Patients with Hematologic Malignancies
By
William King
January 2022, Vol 12, No 1
ASH 2021 Highlights
Results from 2 single-center studies presented at the ASH 2021 Annual Meeting and Exposition showed that nearly 1 in 6 patients with hematologic diseases had no or low antibody response after a second COVID-19 vaccination, but that the mRNA 1273 COVID-19 vaccine induced a strong antibody response in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS).
Read More ›
Mosunetuzumab Induces Deep Remissions in Relapsed/Refractory Follicular Lymphoma
By
William King
January 2022, Vol 12, No 1
ASH 2021 Highlights
Treatment with the investigational agent mosunetuzumab (RG7828) as monotherapy induced deep remissions in patients with relapsed/refractory follicular lymphoma, according to results of a recent trial presented at the ASH 2021 Annual Meeting and Exposition.
Read More ›
Transforming Oncology Drug Pricing with Greater Value in Mind
By
William King
December 2021, Vol 11, No 12
AVBCC Summit Highlights
Oncologic drug pricing is being transformed with greater value in mind. At the 11th Annual Summit of the Association for Value-Based Cancer Care in 2021, a panel led by moderator William McGivney, PhD, Managing Principal, McGivney Global Advisors, Wayne, PA, discussed innovation in drug pricing, how the current rebate system supports higher drug costs, balancing new interventions with profits, and the implications of drug price negotiations being considered in Congress.
Read More ›
Health Plans and Employers Look to Value-Based Contracts to Manage Oncology Costs While Keeping Focus on Patients
By
William King
December 2021, Vol 11, No 12
AVBCC Summit Highlights
At the 11th Annual Summit of the Association for Value-Based Cancer Care in 2021, health plans and employers discussed the utility of value-based contracting for managing oncology care costs while maintaining focus on outcomes of value for patients. Rob O’Brien, Vice President, Specialty, Real Endpoints, Florham Park, NJ, served as moderator for this session.
Read More ›
The Impact of Telehealth on Quality, Access, and Cost in Cancer Care
By
William King
December 2021, Vol 11, No 12
AVBCC Summit Highlights
The use of telehealth in the fee-for-service program surged by more than 4000% during the first 6 months of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read More ›
The mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine Appears Safe and Effective in Patients with Cancer Receiving Active Treatment
By
William King
December 2021, Vol 11, No 12
COVID-19 & Cancer
Vaccination with the mRNA-1273 vaccine (Moderna) appears safe in patients with solid tumors receiving immunotherapy, chemotherapy, or chemoimmunotherapy.
Read More ›
New CAR T-Cell Therapy Produces Durable Responses in Relapsed or Refractory Multiple Myeloma
By
William King
November 2021, Vol 11, No 11
Multiple Myeloma
A single dose of ciltacabtagene autoleucel (cilta-cel), an investigational B-cell maturation antigen–directed CAR T-cell therapy, resulted in early, deep, and durable responses in heavily pretreated patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma, according to updated results from the phase 1b/2 CARTITUDE-1 clinical trial. These findings were reported by Saad Zafar Usmani, MD, FACP, Director, Plasma Cell Disorder Program, and Director, Clinical Research in Hematologic Malignancies, Levine Cancer Institute, Charlotte, NC, at the American Society of Clinical Oncology 2021 virtual annual meeting.
Read More ›
Early Phase 3 Results Show Survival Benefit with Nivolumab-Based Regimens in Advanced Esophageal Squamous-Cell Cancer
By
William King
November 2021, Vol 11, No 11
Gastrointestinal Cancers
Early results from the CheckMate-648 clinical trial, which evaluated the 1 and safety of Opdivo (nivolumab), a PD-1 inhibitor, plus Yervoy (ipilimumab), a CTLA-4 inhibitor, or nivolumab plus chemotherapy, sugge1st a potential new standard of care for the first-line treatment of patients with advanced esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma (ESCC). These findings were presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2021 virtual annual meeting by Ian Chau, MD, Consultant Medical Oncologist, Gastrointestinal and Haemato-Oncology, Royal Marsden Hospital, Sutton, United Kingdom, and lead investigator of the trial.
Read More ›
Olaparib Prolongs Survival in Patients with Early-Stage Breast Cancer and BRCA Mutation
By
William King
October 2021, Vol 11, No 10
Breast Cancer
The use of the PARP inhibitor olaparib (Lynparza) for 1 year after receiving standard chemotherapy in the neoadjuvant or the adjuvant setting significantly improved invasive disease-free survival in patients with high-risk, early-stage, HER2 negative breast cancer and BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations, according to results presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology 2021 virtual annual meeting.
Read More ›
5-Year Follow-Up Study Confirms Safety and Efficacy of Trastuzumab Biosimilar in Patients with HER2-Positive Breast Cancer
By
William King
October 2021, Vol 11, No 10
Biosimilars
During the virtual European Society for Medical Oncology Congress 2021, 5-year follow-up data from a clinial trial showed comparable results related to cardiac safety and long-term efficacy between trastuzumab (Herceptin) and the biosimilar trastuzumab-dttb (SB3; Ontruzant) in patients with HER2-positive, early or locally advanced breast cancer. These findings were reported in a poster presentation by Xavier Pivot, MD, PhD, General Director, Centre Paul Strauss, Institut de Cancérologie Strasbourg Europe, France, and colleagues.
Read More ›
Balstilimab Shows Promising Activity in Advanced Cervical Cancer, Regardless of PD-1/PD-L1 Expression
By
William King
September 2021, Vol 11, No 9
Cervical Cancer
According to results from a recent study, balstilimab, an investigational PD-1 inhibitor, demonstrated meaningful and durable clinical activity in patients with recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer. These findings were presented by Cailin E. Joyce, MD, Director, Applied Technology, Agenus, Boston, MA, during the American Society of Clinical Oncology 2021 virtual annual meeting.
Read More ›
Saliva Test Accurate in Detecting HPV-Associated Head and Neck Cancer
By
William King
September 2021, Vol 11, No 9
Head & Neck Cancers
Oropharyngeal cancer, which can develop at the base of the tongue, tonsils, and the middle part of the throat, is primarily caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, the most common sexually transmitted virus and infection in the United States.1 Over the past 2 decades, cases of HPV-positive oropharyngeal squamous-cell carcinoma (OPSCC) have been increasing at an alarming rate among men in the United States.2,3 According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 54,000 cases of oropharyngeal and oral cavity cancer will be diagnosed in the United States in 2021, and more than 10,000 individuals will die from the disease.4 OPSCC is often diagnosed at an advanced stage, resulting in increased mortality and morbidity.
Read More ›
Addition of Bemarituzumab to Chemotherapy Improves Survival in Patients with FGFR2b-Positive Advanced Gastric Cancer
By
William King
May 2021, Vol 11, No 5
Gastrointestinal Cancers
Bemarituzumab, an investigational first-in-class humanized immunoglobulin G1 monoclonal antibody that selectively binds to
FGFR2b
, improved progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) when added to modified FOLFOX6 (mFOLFOX6) chemotherapy in patients with
FGFR2b
-positive advanced gastric or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) cancer in the phase 2 FIGHT clinical trial.
Read More ›
CD73 Inhibitor Shows Promise as Part of Combination Therapy for Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer
By
William King
May 2021, Vol 11, No 5
Pancreatic Cancer
A small-molecule CD73 inhibitor (AB680) induced a 41% overall response rate (ORR) when combined with chemotherapy (with nab-paclitaxel and gemcitabine), plus the novel PD-1 inhibitor zimberelimab, as a first-line treatment for patients with metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, according to results of the dose-escalation portion of a phase 1/1b study known as ARC-8. The data were presented as a poster at the 2021 ASCO Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium.
Read More ›
Pevonedistat plus Azacitidine Combination Improves Outcomes in Higher-Risk MDS
By
William King
May 2021, Vol 11, No 5
Hematologic Malignancies
The combination of the investigational drug pevonedistat in combination with azacitidine injection (Vidaza) leads to longer event-free survival (EFS) and a higher complete response rate than azacitidine alone in patients with high-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), according to results from a phase 2, open-label, international clinical trial. The findings were presented by Mikkael A. Sekeres, MD, MS, Director, Leukemia Program, Cleveland Clinic, OH, at ASH 2020.
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Bispecific Antibodies Show Encouraging Activity in Heavily Pretreated Patients with Multiple Myeloma
By
William King
May 2021, Vol 11, No 5
Hematologic Malignancies
Bispecific antibodies are showing promise in patients with hematologic malignancies, notably relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. Results from studies of 3 bispecific antibodies were presented at ASH 2020, showing deep and durable responses.
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Zanidatamab Demonstrates Durable Antitumor Activity in HER2-Overexpressing Gastric Cancers
By
William King
April 2021, Vol 11, No 4
Gastrointestinal Cancers
,
ASCO GU Cancers Highlights
The
HER2
-targeted bispecific investigational antibody zanidatamab, either as monotherapy or in combination with chemotherapy, has shown promising antitumor activity in an ongoing phase 1 clinical trial of patients with
HER2
-expressing biliary tract cancer or gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma, reported Funda Meric-Bernstam, MD, Chair, Department of Investigational Cancer Therapeutics, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, at the 2021 ASCO Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium.
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Encouraging Results Seen with Magrolimab plus Azacitidine in Unfit Patients with AML
By
William King
March 2021, Vol 11, No 3
Emerging Therapies
Magrolimab, a first-in-class investigational antibody targeting CD47, showed good efficacy when combined with azacitidine injection (Vidaza) regardless of TP53 mutation in patients with treatment-naïve acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who are ineligible for intensive chemotherapy, according to data presented at ASH 2020. The results also showed that this combination did not lead to significant immune-related side effects.
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Umbralisib plus Ublituximab Regimen Superior to Chemoimmunotherapy in CLL
By
William King
March 2021, Vol 11, No 3
ASH 2020 Highlights
The combination of 2 investigational agents—umbralisib and ublituximab (U2)—represents a promising new treatment option for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). In the phase 3 multicenter clinical trial UNITY-CLL, the median progression-free survival (PFS) was significantly longer with U2 than with standard-of-care chemoimmunotherapy, reported John G. Gribben, MD, DSc, FRCP, Centre Lead, Centre for Haemato-Oncology, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, England, at ASH 2020.
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Belantamab Induces Clinically Meaningful Responses in Heavily Pretreated Patients with Multiple Myeloma
By
William King
February 2021, Vol 11, No 2
ASH 2020 Highlights
Apost-hoc analysis of a pivotal clinical trial presented at ASH 2020 showed that the recently approved belantamab mafodotin-blmf (Blenrep), a first-in-class antibody targeting BCMA (B-cell maturation antigen), induced deep and durable responses in heavily pretreated patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. This analysis of the ongoing, open-label DREAMM-2 study focused on 1-year outcomes based on the number of previous therapies. The results were presented by Sagar Lonial, MD, FACP, Chief Medical Officer, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA.
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Targeting HIF-2 Has the Potential to Improve Outcomes for Patients with Clear-Cell Renal-Cell Carcinoma
By
William King
February 2021, Vol 11, No 2
Renal-Cell Carcinoma
In a keynote address during the virtual 2020 International Kidney Cancer Symposium, William G. Kaelin, Jr, MD, Sidney Farber Professor of Medicine, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, provided an update on treatment strategies aimed at improving outcomes for patients with clear-cell renal-cell carcinoma (RCC) caused by inactivation of the
VHL
gene. Promising therapies include immunotherapies, hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-2α inhibitors, and cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK)4/6 inhibitors.
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First-Line Combinations Show Promise in the Treatment of Patients with Advanced Renal-Cell Carcinoma
By
William King
February 2021, Vol 11, No 2
Renal-Cell Carcinoma
The treatment of renal-cell carcinoma (RCC) continues to evolve with the development of more effective frontline regimens. During the virtual 2020 International Kidney Cancer Symposium, experts discussed the expanding role of several of these therapies, including tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and immunotherapies, which are being evaluated in various combinations to improve outcomes for patients with advanced and high-risk disease.
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Dual RAF/MEK Inhibitor Shows Promising Activity in Tumors with RAS/RAF Mutations
By
William King
January 2021, Vol 11, No 1
Personalized Medicine
VS-6766, a unique inhibitor of the
RAF/MEK
-signaling pathway, has shown antitumor activity in
RAS/RAF
mutation–positive solid tumors and in multiple myeloma, when administered on an intermittent dosing schedule, according to recently published data.
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Novel Drug Combinations Achieving Undetectable Minimal Residual Disease in Patients with CLL
By
William King
December 2020, Vol 10, No 12
NCCN 2020 Highlights
The approaches to the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and small lymphocytic lymphoma are evolving, including the sequencing of therapy and a possibly expanded role for minimal residual disease (MRD) status, said William G. Wierda, MD, PhD, Section Chief, Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, at the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) 2020 Virtual Congress: hematologic malignancies.
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Strategies for Lowering the Cost of Cancer Care
By
William King
November 2020, Vol 10, No 11
NCCN 2020 Highlights
,
Value-Based Care
Value-based drug purchasing, better coordination of care delivery, and earlier institution of palliative care were among the measures to lower the cost of cancer care that were suggested during a panel discussion at the 2020 virtual National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Oncology Policy Summit. The discussion was moderated by Clifford Goodman, PhD, Senior Vice President, Comparative Effectiveness Research, the Lewin Group.
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Experts Agree That Innovation Is Key to Improving Value-Based Care
By
William King
November 2020, Vol 10, No 11
NCCN 2020 Highlights
,
Value-Based Care
Value-based or alternative payment models have yet to deliver the cost-savings in oncology hoped for when these models were proposed, said experts at the 2020 virtual National Comprehensive Cancer Network Oncology Policy Summit during a panel discussion on best practices for value-based agreements.
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The Impact of COVID-19 on the Oncology Care Model
By
William King
November 2020, Vol 10, No 11
NCCN 2020 Highlights
The COVID-19 pandemic has not only resulted in adjustments to the current Oncology Care Model (OCM), but it has led to considerations for future models, said Lara M. Strawbridge, MPH, Director, Ambulatory Payment Models, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI), Washington, DC, during the 2020 virtual National Comprehensive Cancer Network Oncology Policy Summit.
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AACR’s Cancer Disparities Progress Report Highlights Need for Healthcare Equity
By
William King
November 2020, Vol 10, No 11
Disparities in Cancer Care
Cancer health disparities remain a challenge in the United States, despite some strides being made to reduce these disparities, according to a new report from the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) that was released in a virtual presentation on September 16, 2020. Furthermore, many of the populations affected by cancer care disparities are the ones affected by disparities related to the COVID-19 pandemic, AACR experts said.
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Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes Show Promising Activity in Patients with Advanced Melanoma
By
William King
October 2020, Vol 10, No 10
Emerging Therapies
,
Melanoma
A single infusion of the investigational agent lifileucel—an immunotherapy using cryopreserved autologous tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL)—induced responses in more than 33% of patients with advanced melanoma whose disease progressed with multiple previous therapies, including PD-1 and BRAF/MEK inhibitors.
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Axicabtagene Ciloleucel Induces Durable Responses in Indolent Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
By
William King
September 2020, Vol 10, No 9
Leukemia
,
Lymphoma
A total of 80% of patients with relapsed or refractory indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) achieved a complete response (CR) to axicabtagene ciloleucel (Yescarta), and those responses have proved durable, according to the interim results of the phase 2 ZUMA-5 study, said Caron A. Jacobson, MD, Medical Director, Immune Effector Cell Therapy Program, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, at the ASCO 2020 virtual annual meeting.
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Adavosertib Shows Promising Clinical Activity in Uterine Serous Cancer
By
William King
September 2020, Vol 10, No 9
Emerging Therapies
The small-molecule inhibitor of tyrosine kinase WEE1 adavosertib demonstrated promising clinical activity in a single-arm, phase 2 study of patients with unselected uterine serous cancer (USC), with an objective response rate of 29.4%, said Joyce F. Liu, MD, MPH, Director of Clinical Research, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, at the ASCO 2020 virtual annual meeting. The responses were durable, with a median duration of response of 9.03 months.
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Immunotherapy plus Chemotherapy Improves Metastatic Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Outcomes
By
William King
September 2020, Vol 10, No 9
Breast Cancer
Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) in combination with chemotherapy demonstrated a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in progression-free survival (PFS) compared with chemotherapy alone as a first-line treatment for patients with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) whose tumors express PD-L1.
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Few Actionable Genomic Alterations Identified in Renal-Cell Carcinoma
By
William King
August 2020, Vol 10, No 8
Renal-Cell Carcinoma
There has been an increased focus on the study of tumor alterations that may predict treatment benefit or serve as possible actionable targets in cancer.
Read More ›
Adjuvant Treatment with Osimertinib is Highly Effective in EGFR-Mutated Earlier-Stage NSCLC
By
William King
August 2020, Vol 10, No 8
Lung Cancer
Treatment with osimertinib (Tagrisso) in the adjuvant setting significantly improves disease-free survival (DFS) in patients with localized non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with an
EGFR
mutation, according to results presented by Roy S. Herbst, MD, PhD, FACP, FASCO, Chief of Medical Oncology, Yale Cancer Center, New Haven, CT, at the ASCO 2020 virtual annual meeting.
Read More ›
Capmatinib Shows Promise in MET-Amplified Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer
By
William King
August 2020, Vol 10, No 8
Lung Cancer
Capmatinib (Tabrecta), an oral kinase inhibitor, has shown clinical activity in patients with high-level MET-amplified advanced non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to new data presented at the ASCO 2020 virtual annual meeting.
Read More ›
Olaparib Maintenance Prolongs Survival by >1 Year in BRCA-Mutated Ovarian Cancer
By
William King
August 2020, Vol 10, No 8
Ovarian Cancer
With follow-up of more than 5 years, women with relapsed platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer and a
BRCA
mutation who participated in the multicenter phase 3 SOLO2 clinical trial lived more than 1 year longer when randomized to maintenance therapy with the poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor olaparib (Lynparza) compared with placebo, according to data released at the ASCO 2020 virtual annual meeting.
Read More ›
First-Line Nivolumab plus Ipilimumab Shows Activity in MSI-H and dMMR Colorectal Cancer
By
William King
August 2020, Vol 10, No 8
Colorectal Cancer
The first-line immunotherapy combination of nivolumab (Opdivo) and low-dose ipilimumab (Yervoy) continues to show robust, durable clinical benefit, with a deepening of response, in patients with microsatellite instability high (MSI-H) or mismatch repair-deficient (dMMR) metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC), according to results presented at the ASCO 2020 virtual annual meeting.
Read More ›
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