THYROID CANCERS

Promising efficacy was seen with anlotinib therapy in patients with unresectable locally advanced or metastatic medullary thyroid cancer in the form of durable antitumor responses, according to the results of a Chinese phase II study recently published in the journal <em>Thyroid</em>.

The FDA has granted an&nbsp;accelerated approval to larotrectinib (Vitrakvi)&nbsp;for use in adult and pediatric patients with solid tumors that have an <em>NTRK</em> gene fusion without a known acquired resistance mutation, are metastatic or where surgical resection is likely to result in severe morbidity, and have no satisfactory alternative treatments or that have progressed following treatment.

Targeted agents have produced new treatment options for patients with advanced thyroid cancers, with significant advances being seen this year in moving toward precision medicine for various thyroid cancer subtypes, according to Marcia S. Brose, MD, PhD.&nbsp;

Patients with thyroid cancer classified as having low risk of disease recurrence can be treated safely with a lower dose of radiation following surgery, compared with the standard higher dose, according to long-term findings from the HiLo trial presented at the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) Cancer Conference.

More research is still needed to determine the risk of developing a subsequent malignant neoplasm following radioactive iodine treatment for thyroid cancer, according to findings that were presented during the Annual Meeting of the American Thyroid Association and published in <em>Thyroid</em>.

Lori J. Wirth, MD, discusses the promising results seen so far with LOXO-292 in patients with thyroid cancer.

A look back at all the&nbsp;FDA news&nbsp;that happened in the month of&nbsp;October 2018, including several new FDA approvals, priority reviews, a breakthrough therapy designation, and more, in a variety of cancer types.<br /> &nbsp;

James L. Wade III, MD, FACP, FASCO, discusses the importance of clinical trials in the community.

Marcia S. Brose, MD, PhD,&nbsp;discussed the clinical benefit of larotrectinib in treating patients with&nbsp;<em>TRK</em> fusion&ndash;positive papillary thyroid cancer.

I think one of the most important advancements in biomedical technology that has improved our understanding of the complexities of cancer is the ability to sequence the cancer genome for any individual patient, in a rapid and cost-effective manner, to help us make treatment decisions in the clinic.

Lori J. Wirth, MD, discusses the role of lenvatinib in the treatment landscape of differentiated thyroid cancer and how this might evolve in the future.

Groundbreaking developments in cancer therapies can change lives, extending survival and sending patients who previously thought their chances were slim into remission. But these therapies come at a cost, and many patients reel at the prospect of heavy financial burdens. To help patients and programs meet the challenges of affording cancer treatments, community cancer centers are expanding the role of financial advocates in their organizations.

Thomas A. Gallo, MS, MDA, president of the Association of Community Cancer Centers, discusses his mission as president to &ldquo;reflect, renew, and reignite&rdquo; in order to create a more resilient oncology team for the community.

Among patients with advanced solid tumors associated with <em>NTRK</em> gene fusions, more than half had responses to&nbsp;the small-molecule inhibitor entrectinib, according to an integrated analysis of 3 clinical trials presented at the 2018 ESMO Annual Congress.

Larotrectinib induced an objective response rate of 80% in patients with advanced solid tumors who harbored&nbsp;<em>NTRK&nbsp;</em>gene fusions, according to results pooled from 3 small trials of the TRK inhibitor. Results were presented during the 2018 ESMO Congress.

Rising prescription drug prices continue to add to the burden of paying for quality healthcare. In an effort to confront such costs, the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services has rescinded a prohibition on step therapy for Medicare Advantage plans. But some contend such a policy will reduce patient access to optimal medication.

LOXO-292 has been granted a breakthrough therapy designation by the FDA&nbsp;for treatment of patients with advanced RET fusion&ndash;positive thyroid cancer requiring systemic therapy, who have progressed on prior treatment and have no other acceptable alternative treatment options. Loxo Oncology, the developer of the selective RET inhibitor, released the news of the designation in a statement today.

Patients with nonanaplastic thyroid cancer who received concurrent chemotherapy with intensity-modulated radiation therapy had superior local progression-free survival and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) compared with those who received only IMRT, according to recently published results.

LOXO-292 has been granted a breakthrough therapy designation by the FDA for the treatment of&nbsp;patients with <em>RET</em> fusion&ndash;positive non&ndash;small cell lung cancer or <em>RET</em>-mutant medullary thyroid cancer.

General Cancer