A Whirlwind of Changes in Kidney Cancer Brings Optimism
June 7th 2017The pharmacologic treatment for advanced renal cell carcinoma has evolved considerably since the FDA approved interleukin-2 as the first systemic therapy for the tumor type in 1992. Since then, the FDA has approved more than 20 drugs for RCC in the past 12 years.
Marine-Derived Drug Anchors Chemo Regimen in SCLC Trial
June 1st 2017Lurbinectedin (PM01183 or PM1183), a transcription inhibitor that induces DNA double-strand breaks, is being combined with doxorubicin in a phase III trial for patients with recurrent small cell lung cancer in the hopes of providing a superior option to the current standard-of-care second-line chemotherapy.
Updated NSCLC Guidelines Incorporate PD-L1 Testing and Molecular Assays
May 30th 2017Updates to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines for the management of advanced non–small cell lung cancer call for routine molecular analysis and testing for PD-L1 expression, preferably at diagnosis.
Breast Cancer Guidelines Outlook Covers Radiotherapy, Biomarkers, and More
May 29th 2017Updated guidelines for the management of invasive breast cancer, issued by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, define indications for radiation therapy, the use of biomarkers and multigene assays in clinical decision making, and new concepts in endocrine therapy in early-stage and advanced-stage estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer.
Immunotherapy Gains Frontline Foothold in NSCLC
May 29th 2017Less than 2 years after checkpoint blockade immunotherapy first became available for patients with non-small cell lung cancer, the PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab is poised to reshape the treatment paradigm for previously untreated individuals without molecular mutations.
B-Cell Receptor Signaling Pathway Emerges as Ripe Target in Many Cancers
May 25th 2017Despite the availability of numerous effective treatment options, most patients with B-cell malignancies still experience frequent relapses and progressively shorter remissions, creating a pressing need for new drugs to add to the therapeutic arsenal.