Articles

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and a common type of cancer.

Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) in Philadelphia, PA, is the first US center to investigate the use of nanotherapy for the treatment of metastatic lung cancer.

Empire Genomics is developing the first molecular diagnostic test for multiple myeloma (MM) using a novel genomic biomarker from Emory University that will allow providers to select the right treatments for the right patients based on their genetic profile.

Cabozantinib (Cometriq; Exelixis) is the second drug ever to be approved by the FDA for the treatment of patients with metastatic medullary thyroid cancer.

Using its priority review process, the FDA approved a new indication for abiraterone acetate (Zytiga; Janssen Biotech) for the treatment of patients with metastatic, castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) before chemotherapy.

The US Food and Drug Admin­istration (FDA) approved ponatinib (Iclusig; ARIAD Pharmaceuticals) under its accelerated program for the treatment of patients with chronic- phase (CP), accelerated-phase (AP), or blast-phase (BP) chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) that is resistant to or intolerant to tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy or to Philadelphia chromosome–positive (Ph+) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) that is resistant to or intolerant to TKI therapy. The recommended dose is 45 mg, taken orally once daily, with no regard to food.

San Diego, CA—Adherence to several quality care standards markedly improved in practices participating in ASCO’s Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI) over a 4-year period, according to a study presented at ASCO’s inaugural 2012 Quality Care Symposium.

Atlanta, GA—Targeting Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) resulted in high response rates, without severe toxicity, according to the results of 2 studies that were presented at the 2012 American Society of Hematology meeting.

San Antonio, TX—The national cost of screening mammography could vary by as much as $7 billion annually, depending on the screening strategy, according to a new study reported at the 2012 CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.