News

Merck, the manufacturer of pembrolizumab (Keytruda), has announced the FDA has granted priority review to a supplemental biologics license application (sBLA) for the PD-1 inhibitor as a first-line treatment for patients with PD-L1-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Blinatumomab (Blincyto) has received accelerated approval from the FDA for the treatment of pediatric and adolescent patients with Philadelphia chromosome-negative (Ph-) relapsed or refractory B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

As a group, Rio Grande Urology shares a sense of obligation and culture. Its leaders have embraced an integrative model approach and sees the advantages of it. It was formed by 4 urology practices merging to build a main campus that houses the cancer center and radiation therapy center.

Undergoing surgery to prevent ovarian cancer should depend on familial history, as well as age, according to Maurie Markman, MD.

The upcoming HALO 3013 is the first-ever biomarker-driven trial in pancreatic adenocarcinoma, and could potentially change the treatment paradigm for the disease.

The differentiation between squamous and adenocarcinomas in GI cancer could revolutionize the disease's treatment paradigm, according to John Marshall, MD.

A multicenter trial taking place in Germany seeks to quantify the quality of life for patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer undergoing a combination of nab-paclitaxel and gemcitabine.

<div>The developer of neratinib, Puma Biotechnology, has announced the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has validated the marketing authorization application for neratinib as a potential extended adjuvant therapy for patients with HER2-positive early stage breast cancer following 12 months of trastuzumab (Herceptin).</div>

<div>Though Nivolumab (Opdivo) and ipilimumab (Yervoy) have demonstrated considerable success in the field of metastatic melanoma as both single agents and in combination, questions remain regarding sequencing the agents and the high toxicities that often occur when the 2 immunotherapies are used together.<br /> &nbsp;</div>

Melanoma research is rapidly advancing, explains Jedd D. Wolchok, MD, PhD, particularly with immunotherapy.<br /> <br /> &nbsp;

In an interview with <em>Targeted Oncology</em>, Julio Pow-Sang, MD, chair of Urological Oncology at Moffitt Cancer Center, discussed the significance of assessing risk status, options for patients whose risk status falls in a &ldquo;grey-zone,&rdquo; and how technology is helping oncologists more accurately characterize risk.

The FDA has approved ofatumumab (Arzerra) in combination with fludarabine and cyclophosphamide as a treatment for patients with relapsed chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). The approval was based on an improvement in progression-free survival (PFS) in the phase III COMPLEMENT-2 study.

According to phase II findings published in&nbsp;<em>The New England Journal of Medicine</em>¹,&nbsp;multikinase&nbsp;inhibitor midostaurin (PKC412) demonstrated an overall response rate (ORR) of 60% in patients with advanced systemic mastocytosis.

The field of metastatic bladder cancer&mdash;an area that had long been stagnant&mdash;has quickly evolved with the recent FDA approval of atezolizumab (Tecentriq) coupled with the breakthrough therapy designation of nivolumab (Opdivo).

A new drug application (NDA) has been submitted for brigatinib (AP26113) as a potential treatment for patients with advanced ALK-positive non&ndash;small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) following resistance or intolerance to crizotinib (Xalkori).

In an interview with&nbsp;<em>Targeted Oncology</em>,&nbsp;&nbsp;Richard Levine, MD, medical director, Moffitt International Plaza, Moffitt Cancer Center,&nbsp;&nbsp;discussed the selection of therapies available for patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer&nbsp;(mCRPC) and the next steps in the field.

Colorectal cancer mortality rates have been on the decline in California for both men and women since the mid-1990s, but for Hispanic men, rates have remained essentially unchanged.

Pfizer has announced plans to acquire the biopharmaceutical company Medivation, which is the developer of the androgen receptor inhibitor enzalutamide (Xtandi). Under the terms of the agreement, Pfizer will pay $81.50 per share in cash for Medivation, totaling approximately $14 billion. Both companies agreed to the transaction, which is expected to complete later this year.

Approximately 46% of patients with breast cancer at high risk for recurrence but low genomic risk with the 70-gene breast cancer recurrence assay (MammaPrint) might not require adjuvant chemotherapy, according to prospective 5-year results of the MINDACT trial published in&nbsp;<em>The New England Journal of Medicine</em>.¹

<p>A set of guidelines for treating patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma published by the International Myeloma Working Group may not aid&nbsp;researchers in identifying ideal treatment paths for those with relapsed and refractory disease until more genomic data has been gathered.</p>

Not all gastroesophageal junction cancers should be treated the same, according to Richard J. Bold, MD.

While the utilization of immunotherapy in gastric cancer may not be as clear cut as it is in melanoma or lung cancer, Zev Wainberg, MD, illustrates some trials where the therapy type is breaking through.

Apatinib demonstrated an improvement in overall survival by 1.8 months and an acceptable toxicity profile compared to placebo as treatment for advanced gastric cancer.

<p>Approximately four years after the FDA approval of two powerful new oral androgen-targeting agents for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, an analysis&nbsp;heightened&nbsp;clinical awareness of the&nbsp;potential for both under-treatment and over-treatment with abiraterone acetate, as well as potential drug-drug interactions with both abiraterone acetate and enzalutamide.</p>

The optimal use of emerging assays that characterize molecular abnormalities from plasma in late-stage non-small cell lung cancer will be to augment tissue biopsies at initial diagnosis and to evaluate patients for second- and third-line therapies.

ROS1 and TRK are two emerging targets that have significant therapeutic promise for patients with non-small cell lung cancer, although they are not commonly considered while doing mutation testing.

The FDA approval of pembrolizumab as a treatment for patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma in August 2016 was extremely significant for this patient population, which previously had limited options following progression on a platinum-based chemotherapy.

A therapy that provides an impressive and durable benefit has been mostly out of reach in the primary brain cancer space, particularly for glioblastoma.

Priority review has been granted by the FDA for a new drug application (NDA) for rucaparib as a treatment for patients with&nbsp;<em>BRCA</em>-positive advanced ovarian cancer who have received at least 2 prior lines of chemotherapy, according to Clovis, the manufacturer of the PARP inhibitor.

The search for effective biomarkers is still one of the biggest challenges in cancer, said Janice M. Mehnert, MD.