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On November 13, 2020, the FDA accelerated the approval of pembrolizumab (Keytruda; Merck), a PD-1 inhibitor, plus chemotherapy, for the treatment of locally recurrent unresectable or metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) in patients with PD-L1 (combined positive score [CPS] ≥10), as determined by an FDA-approved test.

On October 14, 2020, the FDA expanded the approval of pembrolizumab (Keytruda; Merck), a PD-1 inhibitor, for the treatment of relapsed or refractory classical Hodgkin lymphoma in adults and for refractory classical Hodgkin lymphoma or classical Hodgkin lymphoma in pediatric patients that has relapsed after receiving ≥2 lines of therapy. The FDA granted pembrolizumab orphan drug and breakthrough therapy designations for this indication.

On October 2, 2020, the FDA approved the combination of nivolumab (Opdivo; Bristol Myers Squibb), a PD-1 inhibitor, and ipilimumab (Yervoy; Bristol Myers Squibb), a CTLA-4 inhibitor, for first-line treatment of adults with unresectable malignant pleural mesothelioma.

In October and November, the FDA approved FoundationOne Liquid CDx (Foundation Medicine), a next-generation sequencing liquid biopsy test, for the identification of multiple cancers and biomarkers.

On October 23, 2020, the FDA approved the FoundationOne CDx diagnostic test as a companion diagnostic to identify fusions in the NTRK1, NTRK2, and NTRK3 genes in patients who are eligible for treatment with larotrectinib (Vitrakvi).

Although chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has been a life-saving treatment for some patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and other hematologic malignancies, additional therapies may be able to perform equally well in select patients, according to Andrew D. Zelenetz, MD, PhD, Medical Director, Quality Informatics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York City. Dr Zelenetz spoke at the 2020 NCCN hematologic malignancies conference.

Although smoldering myeloma is acknowledged as a clinical entity, debate continues about whether to treat, when to treat, and how to treat this condition, said Natalie S. Callander, MD, Leader, Myeloma/Lymphoma Disease-Oriented Team, University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, Madison, at the 2020 NCCN hematologic malignancies conference.

At the 2020 NCCN hematologic malignancies conference, multiple myeloma expert Shaji Kumar, MD, Consultant and Professor of Medicine, Division of Hematology, Mayo Clinic Cancer Center, Rochester, MN, discussed the “bonanza of treatment regimens for multiple myeloma.”

Enrollment in clinical trials is vital for the advancement of knowledge and improvement of patient outcomes, but few adults participate in cancer clinical trials. The numbers are even lower among minority adolescent and young adults (AYAs).

Total growth in the oncology pipeline in 2020 has been driven by targeted therapies, said Doug Long, Vice President, Industry Relations, IQVIA, at the 10th Annual Summit of the Association for Value-Based Cancer Care (AVBCC) in 2020.