All Oncology News

The FDA granted a fast track designation to the selective AXL inhibitor bemcentinib in combination with a PD-1/PD-L1 agent in the treatment of patients with STK11-altered advanced or metastatic non–small cell lung cancer without actionable mutations.

Sameek Roychowdhury, MD, PhD, discusses the efficacy and safety data reported with infigratinib in FGFR2-positive cholangiocarcinoma, nuances to treatment with the agent, and ongoing research efforts to further improve outcomes in this population.

Katherine Poruk, MD, a board-certified and fellowship-trained surgical oncologist and researcher, is the latest addition to the Cancer Treatment Centers of America®, Atlanta, physician team.

An increased understanding of the biology of non–small cell lung cancer has led to a significant increase in therapeutic options for patients.

Gastrointestinal cancer is increasingly viewed through a multidisciplinary lens, and the 2021 International Society of Gastrointestinal Oncology Annual Meeting produced intriguing developments in the armamentarium.

The use of androgen deprivation therapy and prolongation of adjuvant ADT to at least 18 months in conjunction with definitive radiotherapy provides clinically meaningful benefit for patients with localized prostate cancer, irrespective of radiation dose.

Although next-generation TKIs have helped to overcome resistance in EGFR-mutated non–small cell lung cancer, a more complete understanding of resistance mechanisms may lead to the ability to overcome resistance to the next generation of these drugs.

The era of direct inhibitors to treat KRAS G12C-mutated non-small cell lung cancer has arrived in the clinic.

Mark G. Kris, MD, discusses recent progress in non–small cell lung cancer and small cell lung cancer, efforts being made to address unmet needs in these paradigms, and ongoing research that is generating excitement.

The addition of nivolumab to chemotherapy resulted in a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in event-free survival vs chemotherapy alone, when administered prior to surgery in patients with resectable stage IB to IIIA non–small cell lung cancer.

Eric P. Winer, MD, will be appointed next director of Yale Cancer Center and physician-in-chief of Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale New Haven, effective February 1, 2022.

The addition of immune checkpoint inhibitors and targeted therapies has paved the way for advances in the adjuvant and met-astatic setting with recent data from clinical trials demonstrating significant improvements in overall survival for patients with advanced melanoma.

A phase 0 trial that will evaluate niraparib in patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma and recurrent glioma has just opened.

The treatment algorithm in metastatic colorectal cancer has gone from accounting only for the sidedness of the primary tumor, performance status, volume of disease, and potential resectability to also include the genetics of the tumor, particularly for patients in need of second-line therapy.

Chemoimmunotherapy is the new frontline standard of care for patients with small cell lung cancer, and other novel agents, such as, bispecific T-cell engagers are in the pipeline and gaining momentum for those who experience disease progression.

Nagashree Seetharamu, MD, MBBS, discusses the importance of early and frequent genomic testing in patients with lung cancer, as well as remaining challenges faced in clinical practice and efforts being made to overcome them.

Ripretinib did not significantly improve progression-free survival over sunitinib in patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumor who previously received imatinib, missing the primary end point of the phase 3 INTRIGUE trial.

CAR T-cell therapy and bispecific antibodies for T-cell redirection are 2 recent immune strategies developed in the treatment of multiple melanoma.

Unsurprisingly, the use of cannabis in patients with cancer appears to be increasing as more and more states are adopting cannabis legislation, both for medical and adult use.

Significant progress with rapidly evolving therapies, including blinatumomab, inotuzumab ozogamicin, and CAR T-cell therapy, has been made to extend the median overall survival and improve outcomes for patients with relapsed/refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Julie Renee Brahmer, MD, MSc, discusses remaining questions regarding immunotherapy and targeted therapy in locally advanced NSCLC, data from the phase 3 PACIFIC and ADAURA trials, and her hopes for future clinical trials in the paradigm.

The FDA granted a fast track designation to EZM0414, a first-in-class, oral SETD2 inhibitor, for use as a potential therapeutic option in adult patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

Expanding the definition of personalized medicine to include social determinants of health disparities is needed to ensure patients with cancer receive optimal care, said Karen Winkfield, MD, PhD, who added that lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic have sparked a new wave of enthusiasm to advocate for change and bridge existing gaps in oncology.

Increases investigative efforts into bispecific monoclonal antibodies could lead to their availability to treat a broad range of hematologic and solid cancers. Their current use in practice is limited to non–small cell lung cancer, leukemia, and hemophilia.

The management of endometrial cancer, a molecularly driven malignancy with 4 distinct subtypes, has witnessed significant progress with recent regulatory approvals of checkpoint blockade alone and in combination, said Bhavana Pothuri, MD, MS.

As the COVID-19 pandemic persists, patients with cancer should receive the full vaccination with 1 of the 3 approved COVID-19 vaccines as soon as they are able, according to Steven Ludlow, PharmD, BCOP, BCPS.

The European Medicines Agency granted an orphan drug designation to devimistat for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory Burkitt lymphoma. The novel compound targets mitochondria in tumor cells.

Leronlimab was found to improve survival in patients with CCR5-positive metastatic triple-negative breast cancer in whom at least 2 prior lines of therapy had failed, according to data from an updated analysis of a Compassionate Use Study, a phase 1b/2 study, and from a basket study.

Maurie Markman, MD, discusses the need for peer-reviewed publications to encourage further discussion and debate, challenge existing ideas or dogma, or provide support for current biological concepts or in the clinical realm for treatment of patients.

ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines indicate that the management of metastatic breast cancer requires nuanced and multidisciplinary decision making to optimize and personalize locoregional, systemic, and supportive care.