Articles

San Diego, CA—The combination of the targeted therapy ibrutinib (Imbruvica), a protein kinase inhibitor, and the monoclonal antibody rituximab (Rituxan) extends disease-free survival by 65% and overall survival (OS) by 83% compared with standard-of-care chemotherapy with the fludarabine plus cyclophosphamide and rituximab (FCR) regimen as first-line therapy in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) under age 70, according to results of the phase 3 ECOG-ACRIN 1912 trial presented at a late-breaking abstract session at ASH 2018.

San Diego, CA—Results with chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy have been less robust in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) compared with B-cell acute lymphocytic leukemia and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Preliminary studies presented at ASH 2018 suggested that a strategy of using CAR T-cell therapy to augment the response to ibrutinib (Imbruvica) holds promise in patients with CLL.

Orlando, FL—The updated guideline on the management of metastatic ­renal-cell carcinoma (RCC) from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), version 3.2019, underwent a major shift in its risk categories to define preferred and alternative first-line treatments.

Orlando, FL—Germline testing should now be considered for any patient with pancreatic cancer, and molecular analysis of tumors should be considered in patients with metastatic disease, according to the updated National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guideline for pancreatic cancer presented at the 2019 NCCN Conference.

Orlando, FL—A growing number of targeted therapies and immunotherapies are now recommended in the updated National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guideline for metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC). New first-line immunotherapy options for patients with mismatch repair deficiency (dMMR) and microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) CRC are also listed in the new guideline.

Orlando, FL—Maintaining patient safety and minimizing the risks for opioid misuse and abuse in the management of cancer pain require proper assessment and new strategies for pain management that include integrative interventions, according to Judith A. Paice, PhD, RN, Director, Cancer Pain Program, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University, Chicago. She discussed this topic at the 2019 National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Conference.

Atlanta, GA—Immune checkpoint inhibitors represent a tremendous advance in the treatment of several types of cancers. Although approximately 20% to 25% of patients will have durable responses with these agents, it has been challenging to find biomarkers to identify who these patients are.

Two cancer experts at Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center in Baltimore, MD, are advocating for greater focus on metastatic cancer survivorship and its impact on those living with incurable cancer, a situation they know all too well. Both are living with metastatic cancer and are urging the medical community to increase the study and awareness of this condition and improve the lives of this growing population.

Orlando, FL—With price tags approaching $1 million or more for delivery of certain immune cell therapies, new payment models will be needed to ensure access to these therapies and to further innovations. This was a key issue addressed at a roundtable discussion at the 2019 National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Conference. Ensuring access to chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy emerged as a top area of concern.

San Francisco, CA—The era of immunotherapy has opened new perspectives in renal-cell carcinoma (RCC), which is one of the tumors most highly infiltrated with CD T-cells and PD-1 expression, partially accounting for its sensitivity to immunotherapy. Other mechanisms to explain its sensitivity include myeloid infiltration, metabolic alterations, loss-of-function mutations, and human endogenous retroviruses.