HEMATOLOGY

The FDA has granted an accelerated approval to an oral suspension formulation of deferasirox (Jadenu) for the treatment of patients aged 2 and older with chronic iron overload due to multiple blood transfusions.

The focus in non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) now needs to shift to predictive biomarkers, according to Randy Gascoyne, MD.

Progression on treatment with ibrutinib in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) was associated with pretreatment BCL6 abnormalities, acquired mutations in BTK and PLCG2, and complex karyotypes.

To gain new insight on bortezomib’s use in the frontline MCL setting, Targeted Oncology interviewed Andrew Evens, DO, MSc, director of the Tufts Cancer Center.

Although treatments and cure rates have increased significantly over the past 60 years for patients with HL, it is crucial that practitioners stay up-to-date on research that can affect outcomes for their patients with this uncommon form of cancer.

Combination therapy with ibrutinib plus bendamustine and rituximab significantly extended progression-free survival compared with BR alone in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia or small lymphocytic lymphoma enrolled in the phase III HELIOS trial.

Cytogenetic and molecular data are becoming increasingly important in the individualization of treatment of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

Growth in healthcare spending in the United States continues to outpace growth in European countries that enjoy a similar standard of living.

Through a $21 billion acquisition of Pharmacyclics, AbbVie has announced plans to acquire the blockbuster BTK inhibitor ibrutinib (Imbruvica).

Although advances are being made in novel therapies for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), standard chemotherapy remains part of the treatment paradigm, but its role is undergoing a major shift.

Follicular lymphoma (FL) is a slow-growing and typically asymptomatic disease, characterized by many relapses.

Experts on hematologic malignancies will convene for the 19th Annual International Congress on Hematologic Malignancies, from February 20-21 in Miami, Florida, to provide insight into recent developments in the treatment of the diseases.

Jae Park, MD, assistant attending physician, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses toxicities associated with CAR-modified T cell therapy.

Ibrutinib (Imbruvica) showed promising activity in heavily pretreated, relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (ASCT).

Ian W. Flinn, MD, PhD, discusses the mechanism of action and toxicity profile of duvelisib (IPI-145). Duvelisib is being studied for the treatment of hematologic malignancies.

Representatives Diana DeGette (D, Colorado) and Fred Upton (R, Michigan) recently released a "discussion draft" of the 21st Century Cures Act.

Gareth Morgan, MD, PhD, the director of the Myeloma Institute at the University of Arkansas, discusses gene expression profiling for patients with smoldering myeloma.

The FDA has expanded the approval of ibrutinib (Imbruvica) for the treatment of patients with Waldenström’s Macroglobulinemia.

Metastatic disease accounts for the vast majority of cancer-related deaths. Ensuring a definitive diagnosis and the most effective treatment in a timely fashion is essential for extending life expectancy.

The FDA has granted a Fast Track Designation to CPX-351, a liposomal formulation of cytarabine and daunorubicin, for the treatment of elderly patients with relapsed acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

ASCO named the improved outlook for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) as its inaugural “Cancer Advance of the Year.”

Bayard L. Powell, MD, discusses a phase I study that looked at CPI-613 in combination with high dose ARA-C and mitoxantrone for the treatment of patents with relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

Fulvestrant (Faslodex) improved overall survival (OS) by 5.7 months compared with anastrozole as a frontline treatment for postmenopausal women with HR-positive metastatic breast cancer. These findings from the phase II FIRST trial were presented at the 2014 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.

Treatment with the tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) sorafenib in combination with standard chemotherapy increased event-free survival (EFS) by 11.3 months in patients with newly diagnosed AML.

In a phase II trial, some patients with heavily treated acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) benefited from treatment with the BCL-2 inhibitor venetoclax (ABT-199).

Jae Park, MD, assistant attending physician, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses CAR T-cell therapy for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

The novel drug AG-221 generated durable remissions in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) by targeting a mutation of the IDH2 gene in a small, first-in-man study that represents a new, chemotherapy-free approach for attacking the malignancy. Eytan M. Stein, MD, reported these findings during a press briefing at the 56th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH).

Patients with HIV-associated lymphoma can effectively be treated with autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHCT), with outcomes that are similar to patients without HIV. Joseph Alvarnas, MD, presented results from a phase II study at the 2014 ASH Annual Meeting.

Treatment with nilotinib (Tasigna) in combination with chemotherapy elicited complete hematological remissions (CHR) in 87% of elderly patients with newly diagnosed Philadelphia-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph+ ALL).

Adrian Wiestner, MD, PhD, senior investigator, National Institutes of Health, discusses curing or managing patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).