Latest Conference Articles

T-VEC Combinations, Monotherapy Intriguing in Unresectable Melanoma

The intratumoral injection talimogene laherparepvec demonstrated promise in combinations and utility as a monotherapy in certain subsets of patients with unresectable melanoma.

HPV-Targeting Immunotherapy Shows Early Promise in Cervical Cancer

Two patients with metastatic cervical cancer achieved durable complete responses that have so far lasted from 15 to 22 months through an adoptive T-cell therapy (ACT) targeting the human papillomavirus (HPV) in a study that researchers say supports the concept that the experimental immunotherapy approach may be beneficial in a variety of tumor types.

New Study Findings Confirm Pembrolizumab's Durable Responses in Metastatic Melanoma

The anti-PD 1 checkpoint inhibitor, pembrolizumab, continues to deliver impressive results in patients with advanced melanoma-producing long-lasting responses and improved overall survival, regardless of whether patients have been previously treated with ipilimumab.

Adjuvant Ipilimumab Reduces Risk of Recurrence in Stage III Melanoma

The immunotherapy drug ipilimumab reduced the relative risk of cancer recurrence in the adjuvant setting by 25% compared to placebo for patients with high-risk, lymph-node positive melanoma.

Dr. Andtbacka Discusses OS With T-VEC in Melanoma

Robert H. I. Andtbacka, MD, CM, from the Huntsman Cancer Institute, discusses OS findings from the phase III OPTiM study that explored T-VEC in patients with unresectable melanoma.

Dr. Fong Discusses Intratumoral Electroporation of Plasmid IL-12 in Melanoma

Lawrence Fong, MD, from the University of California, San Francisco, discusses the systemic antitumor effect and clinical response in a phase II trial of intratumoral electroporation of plasmid interleukin-12 in patients with advanced melanoma.

Dr. Bendell Discusses Two Studies in BRAF-Mutated CRC

Johanna Bendell, MD, director of GI Cancer Research Program, associate director, Drug Development Program, Sarah Cannon Research Institute, discusses two studies in BRAF-mutated colorectal cancer.

CO-1686 Continues to Show Promising Results in Treatment-Resistant NSCLC

The third-generation EGFR inhibitor CO-1686 continues to demonstrate promising activity in patients with non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who developed resistance after prior treatment with an EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI).

Dr. Rizvi on Nivolumab Plus Erlotinib in Patients with EGFR MT NSCLC

Naiyer A. Rizvi, MD, an associate attending physician, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses the safety and response with plus erlotinib in patients with epidermal growth factor receptor mutant (EGFR MT) advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Survival Comparable With Bevacizumab, Cetuximab in mCRC

Frontline therapy with bevacizumab (Avastin) or cetuximab (Erbitux) combined with either FOLFOX or FOLFIRI yielded a comparable survival benefit of approximately 29 months in patients with KRAS wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer

Adding Chemo to ADT Confers Dramatic Survival Gains in Prostate Cancer

In what was described as "an almost unprecedented improvement in median survival," the addition of the chemotherapy drug docetaxel to standard hormone therapy prolonged life for men with newly diagnosed metastatic, hormone-sensitive prostate cancer by nearly 14 months.

Negative ALTTO Results Reverberate for Lapatinib, Novel Clinical Trials

A dual HER2-blockade strategy that added lapatinib to trastuzumab for the adjuvant treatment of women with early breast cancer failed to demonstrate a significant improvement in DFS over the standard therapy with trastuzumab alone.

Dr. Byrd on Ibrutinib Versus Ofatumumab in CLL

John C. Byrd, MD, from The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, discusses the promising findings from the phase III RESONATE trial that compared ofatumumab to ibrutinib in patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Investigational Immunotherapy Granted First Breakthrough Therapy Designation in Bladder Cancer

MPDL3280A reduced tumors in 43% of patients with previously treated PD-L1-positive metastatic bladder cancer, resulting in the first breakthrough therapy designation from the FDA for a treatment in this setting.

Ramucirumab Modestly Improves Survival in Advanced NSCLC

Adding the VEGFR-2 inhibitor ramucirumab to standard docetaxel improved overall survival by 1.4 months versus docetaxel alone in patients with advanced non–small cell lung cancer.

Dr. Pegram on a Phase II Trial of MGAH22 in Breast Cancer

Mark D. Pegram, MD, from the Stanford University Medical Center, discusses a phase II study of margetuximab in patients with relapsed or refractory advanced breast cancer whose tumors express HER2 at the 2+ level by immunohistochemistry and lack evidence of HER2 gene amplification by FISH.

Targeted Therapy Combination Improves PFS in Ovarian Cancer

Combining the oral targeted agents olaparib and cediranib resulted in a near-doubling of median progression-free survival (PFS) among women with recurrent ovarian cancer in a phase II study highlighted Saturday during the 2014 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting.

Ibrutinib Triples PFS, Doubles OS in Phase III CLL Trial

Treatment with single-agent ibrutinib dramatically increased PFS by nearly 80% and significantly extended OS by 57% compared with ofatumumab in patients with relapsed or refractory CLL.

Lenvatinib Likely to Become Standard in Resistant Differentiated Thyroid Cancer

Lenvatinib, a novel multityrosine kinase inhibitor, is highly effective against differentiated thyroid cancer that has become resistant to standard RAI therapy.

Study Supports Dialing Back Radiation for Some Patients With HPV-Positive Oropharyngeal Cancer

Patients with less aggressive, HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer can be effectively treated with a lower-dose radiation regimen depending upon their response to combination induction therapy.

Dr. Yardley on Enzalutamide Plus Exemestane in HR-Positive Breast Cancer

Denise A. Yardley, MD, hematologist/oncologist, Sarah Cannon Research Institute discusses a pilot study to assess safety, pharmacokinetics, and effects on circulating estrogens in women with advanced hormone-positive breast cancer when given enzalutamide plus exemestane.

Goserelin Preserves Fertility, Aids Survival During Breast Cancer Chemo

Adding goserelin to chemotherapy for women with early-stage hormone receptor (HR)-negative breast cancer helps both to preserve their fertility and to prolong their survival.

Early Palliative Care for Caregivers Improves Their Wellbeing, Too

A phone-based intervention that offers practical tools to help family caregivers support their loved one with advanced cancer-as well as emphasizing the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle themselves-resulted in less caregiver depression and better quality of life, according to the findings of a new study presented May 30 at the 50th Annual ASCO Meeting in Chicago.

Zoledronic Acid Can Be Administered Less Frequently in Breast Cancer

The dosing frequency of zoledronic acid can be reduced by 67% without compromising efficacy and safety in women with breast cancer and bone metastases.

Dr. Hussain on ETS Gene Fusions as a Predictive Biomarker in Prostate Cancer

Maha Hussain, MD, from the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, discusses the possibility of ETS gene fusions acting as a predictive biomarker for prostate cancer.

Reducing Pills From the Cup: Discontinuing Statins in Late-Stage Cancer Patients

For patients with less than a year to live, the discontinuation of statins may increase the median time-to-death and improve quality of life.

Dr. Formenti on Concurrent Adjuvant Systemic Therapy and Accelerated Radiotherapy in TNBC

Silvia Formenti, MD, The Sandra and Edward H. Meyer Professor of Radiation Oncology chair, Radiation Oncology, NYU Langone Medical Center, associate director, Radiation Oncology, Perlmutter Cancer Center at NYU Langone, discusses a trial that examines concurrent adjuvant systemic therapy and accelerated radiotherapy in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC)

Dr. Pavlick on a Phase II Trial of Cyclophosphamide and Ipilimumab in Melanoma

Anna C. Pavlick, DO, associate professor, Hematology and Medical Oncology, medical director, Clinical Trials Office, Perlmutter Cancer Center at NYU Langone, discusses a phase II trial exploring low-dose cyclophosphamide and ipilimumab in metastatic melanoma.

Dr. Luke Discusses the Phase III COMBI-d Trial Results

Jason J. Luke, MD, instructor, Department of Medicine, Harvard School of Medicine, staff physician, medical oncologist- melanoma, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, discusses the controversy behind the COMBI-d trial results.

Dr. Shore on a Long-Term Safety Analysis of the COU-AA-302 Study

Neal D. Shore, MD, FACS, medical director, Carolina Urologic Research Center, Myrtle Beach, discusses a long-term safety analysis of the COU-AA-302 study, which he presented at the 2014 AUA Annual Meeting.