News

Based on the phase II study BLC2001, erdafitinib has been granted a breakthrough therapy designation by the FDA for the treatment of metastatic urothelial carcinoma, according to Janssen, the manufacturer of the oral pan-FGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor.

Agne Paner, MD, recently shared the treatment considerations and decisions she makes when treating patients with multiple myeloma. Paner, an assistant professor of medicine at Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, explained her treatment decisions based on 2 case scenarios during a <em>Targeted Oncology</em> live case-based peer perspectives presentation.

C. Ola Landgren, MD, PhD, recently shared the treatment considerations and decisions he makes when treating patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. Landgren, chief of the Myeloma Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, explained how he would treat these patients based on the review of a case scenario during a <em>Targeted Oncology </em>live case-based peer perspectives dinner discussion.

The use of immunotherapy agents for the treatment of gynecologic cancers is currently a hot topic in the field, with various clinical trials ongoing. The success of PARP inhibitors has also exploded over the past year, translating to improvements in progression-free survival and quality of life for some patients, says Erin K. Crane, MPH, MD.

The FDA has placed a clinical hold on a phase I/II study of&nbsp;axalimogene filolisbac and durvalumab, according to an announcement by Advaxis, the manufacturer of axalimogene filolisbac, in a quarterly earnings report.The study is evaluating the combination&nbsp;in patients with advanced, recurrent or refractory HPV-associated cervical cancer and HPV-associated head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Edward M. Wolin, MD, has been named the director of the Center for Carcinoid and Neuroendocrine Tumors at The Tisch Cancer Institute of Mount Sinai Health System. He will also serve as a professor of medicine (hematology and medical oncology) at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) has been granted a priority review by the FDA for&nbsp;the treatment of advanced cervical cancer with disease progression on or after chemotherapy.

Denise. L. Pereira, MD, recently shared the treatment considerations and decisions she makes when treating patients with multiple myeloma. Pereira, assistant professor of clinical medicine, University of Miami, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miami, Florida, explained her treatment decisions based on 2 case scenarios during a <em>Targeted Oncology</em> live case-based peer perspectives presentation.

David O&#39;Malley, MD,&nbsp;discusses the excitement surrounding PARP inhibitors for patients with ovarian cancer.

David M. Ashley, MBBS, FRACP, PhD, has been named director of the Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke University. His position began March 1, 2018, and he succeeded Darell Bigner, MD, PhD.

Abemaciclib, the only CDK4/6 inhibitor approved as a single-agent, has amassed several clinical indications for patients with metastatic breast cancer. The findings from the phase III MONARCH2 and 3 trials, as well as the phase II MONARCH1 study led to these approvals. Each trial showed improvements in progression-free survival, especially in patients with visceral disease and endocrine therapy resistance.

Presented at the 2018 Miami Breast Cancer Conference, results from the phase III OlympiAD trial demonstrated improvements in progression-free survival with olaparib over treatment of physician&#39;s choice. These results were consistent regardless of the baseline tumor burden for patients with HER2-negative breast cancer with a germline <em>BRCA</em>1/2 mutation.

The results of the phase III PALOMA-2 study were presented at the 2018 Miami Breast Cancer Conference. According to the deep analysis, the CDK 4/6 inhibitor palbociclib showed significant efficacy in combination with the aromatase inhibitor letrozole in the frontline setting of estrogen receptor-positive, HER2-negative, postmenopausal metastatic breast cancer.

After reviewing data from a decade of clinical research, a joint panel from ASCO and the College of American Pathologists concluded that circulating tumor DNA testing should be used only to screen for participation in, or during, a clinical trial.

Lilly Oncology has hired Maura Dickler, MD, to serve as vice president of late phase development, beginning May 7, 2018. She will report to Levi Garraway, MD, PhD, senior vice president of global development and medical affairs of Lilly Oncology.

According to results from the phase III MONALEESA-7 trial presented at the 2018 Miami Breast Cancer Conference, the progression-free survival benefit for ribociclib in pre- or perimenopausal women with hormone receptor&ndash;positive, HER2-negative advanced or metastatic breast cancer had been sustained across patient subgroups.

23andMe, Inc. has received authorization from the FDA for the first-ever direct-to-consumer genetic test for cancer risk.

Lenvatinib mesylate, an oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor, will continue to be developed and commercialized worldwide by its creator, Japan&rsquo;s Eisai Co. Ltd, in a strategic collaboration with Merck, which is better known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada. The partnership between the 2 companies was announced on March 7.

Stand Up to Cancer has awarded E. John Wherry, PhD, cancer and immunology researcher at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, with the &ldquo;Convergence 2.0&rdquo; research grant. Wherry will co-lead an 11-member team to investigate the immune system&rsquo;s response to cancers.

In an interview with<em> Targeted Oncology</em>&nbsp;ahead of the 5th Annual Miami Lung Cancer Conference,&nbsp;Sarah B. Goldberg, MD, discusses&nbsp;the key points of her lecture on testing for and treating resistance to EGFR TKI therapy in NSCLC.

In an 8 to 4 vote, the FDA&#39;s&nbsp;Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee recommended approval of blinatumomab for the treatment of minimal residual disease-positive B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

A supplemental new drug application for Blue Light Cytoscopy with Cysview, a procedure for detecting bladder cancer, was recently approved by the FDA.

According to findings published in<em> Nature Communications, </em>a&nbsp;blood test detecting early changes in circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) may provide earlier indication of whether patients with hormone receptor&ndash;positive, HER2-negative breast cancer are responding to the CDK4/6 inhibitor palbociclib (Ibrance).

Frederick M. Schnell, MD, has been appointed to the newly created position of medical director at the Community Oncology Alliance. With over 30 years of experience as a physician and CEO of a community oncology practice, Schnell plans to reform the future of oncology payment.

One of the most exciting advancements in the lymphoma community has been the FDA approval of axicabtagene ciloleucel (axi-cel; Yescarta) for patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma&nbsp;in October 2017.

Based on data&nbsp;from the phase III S-TRAC trial,<span style="font-size:10.8333px"> </span>the&nbsp;European Medicines Agency&rsquo;s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use recently recommended against approving&nbsp;sunitinib for use as an adjuvant therapy in patients with renal cell carcinoma who have received nephrectomy and are high risk for recurrence.

According to results from the CALGB 8903 study published in the <em>Journal of Clinical Oncology, </em>there is an association between total nut intake and improved outcomes in patients with stage III colon cancer. Results of the study showed patients who ate at least 2 servings of nuts per week had superior disease-free survival and overall survival.

The FDA has approved a 4-week dosing schedule for the PD-1 inhibitor nivolumab (Opdivo) across several indications.

Robert A. Figlin, MD, Steven Spielberg Family Chair in Hematology-Oncology, professor of medicine, and director, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, recently discussed the cases of 2 patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

Alan Klitzke, MD has been named the 2018 president of the American College of Nuclear Medicine.