Emerging Treatments in Bladder Cancer
January 25th 2018The year 2017 saw significant advancements in the field of bladder cancer treatment. Five Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approvals for checkpoint inhibitors in both the first and second line setting opened up the immunotherapy landscape, and more develoments are on the way.
FDA Grants Priority Review to Daratumumab for First-line Treatment of Multiple Myeloma
January 23rd 2018Daratumumab (Darzalex) in combination with bortezomib (Velcade), melphalan, and prednisone (VMP), has been granted a priority review designation by the FDA for patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma who are ineligible for autologous stem cell transplant.
FDA Approves Carfilzomib Label Update to Include Overall Survival Data for Myeloma
January 18th 2018Impressive overall survival (OS) data from the phase III ENDEAVOR trial inspired the FDA to approve a supplemental new drug application to add it to the label for carfilzomib (Kyprolis) for use in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma.
A Little Weight Loss Goes a Long Way in Preventing Breast Cancer in Postmenopausal Women
January 18th 2018Results of a large study showed that postmenopausal women who lost 5% or more of their body weight were 12% less likely to develop breast cancer than those whose weight remained stable; those who lost 15% or more reduced their risk by 37%.
FDA Grants Priority Review to CAR T-Cell Therapy Tisagenlecleucel for DLBCL
January 17th 2018A supplemental biologics license application for the CAR T-cell therapy tisagenlecleucel (Kymriah) has been granted a priority review by the FDA for use in adult patients with relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) who are ineligible for or relapse after autologous stem cell transplant.
Jimmie Holland Dedicated Her Life to Supporting the Psychosocial Needs of People with Cancer
January 17th 2018Jimmie C. Holland, MD, known as the mother of psychosocial oncology, died last month at the age of 89. The oncology community has lost a pioneer in the integration of humanity into cancer care.
FDA Cracks Down on Homeopathic Drugs to Protect Consumers
January 15th 2018The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) estimates that the market for homeopathic drugs is about $3 billion. In an effort to crack down on the industry, the FDA announced a new, risk-based approach to regulating homeopathic treatments.
Cisplatin May Cause Ototoxicity
January 12th 2018Cisplatin, a platinum-based chemotherapy agent that is used to treat testicular cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, bladder cancer, cervical cancer, ovarian cancer and head and neck cancer, has been found to cause a significant amount of hearing loss in patients, according to a recent article published in Nature Communications.
FDA Approves Olaparib, a PARP Inhibitor, for BRCA+ Breast Cancer
January 12th 2018Based on results from the phase III OlympiAD trial, the FDA approved olaparib (Lynparza), a PARP inhibitor, for the treatment of patients with germline BRCA-positive, HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer who have previously received chemotherapy. HR-positive patients must also have had prior endocrine therapy.
Breast Pain Does Not Necessarily Indicate Breast Cancer
January 10th 2018Though women presenting with breast pain are often sent by their clinicians for different types of breast cancer testing — typically undergoing mammography, an ultrasound, and a physical exam — a new study reveals that breast pain is not necessarily an indicator of cancer.
FDA Grants Breakthrough Designation to Pembrolizumab/Lenvatinib for RCC
January 9th 2018The FDA has granted a breakthrough therapy designation to the combination of pembrolizumab (Keytruda), a PD-1 inhibitor, and lenvatinib (Lenvima), a VEGF/FGF inhibitor, for the treatment of patients with advanced and/or metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC).
Steep Rise in Price of Chemotherapy Drug Causes Anger and Dismay
January 8th 2018NextSource Pharma has raised the price of oral chemotherapy agent lomustine (Gleostine) by 1400% since acquiring the drug, which is used to treat Hodgkin lymphoma and glioblastoma, from Bristol-Myers Squibb in 2013.
Combo of Lenalidomide and Rituximab Effective for Mantle Cell Lymphoma
January 5th 2018The duo of lenalidomide (Revlimid) and rituximab (Rituxan) is a combination that is feasible, safe and active as initial and maintenance therapy for use in patients with mantle cell lymphoma, according to a new study.
FDA Grants Breakthrough Designation to Ribociclib for Breast Cancer Treatment
January 4th 2018Some younger women with breast cancer may soon have a new first-line treatment option. Ribociclib (Kisqali), has been granted a breakthrough therapy designation by the FDA for use in combination with tamoxifen or an aromatase inhibitor (AI) as frontline treatment for pre- or perimenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative advanced or metastatic breast cancer.
FDA Priority Review Granted to Brentuximab Vedotin as Frontline Treatment for Hodgkin Lymphoma
January 3rd 2018Seattle Genetics announced that a supplemental biologics license application for brentuximab vedotin (Adcetris) used in combination with Adriamycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine as a frontline treatment for advanced classical Hodgkin lymphoma has been granted a priority review by the FDA.
Lapatinib/Trastuzumab Combo Improves PFS in Patients with HER2+/HR+ Metastatic Breast Cancer
January 3rd 2018A new study shows that using the targeted agents lapatinib (Tykerb) and trastuzumab (Herceptin) together, combined with an aromatase inhibitor (AI), significantly reduced the risk of death or progression in women with HER2-positive/HR-positive metastatic breast cancer compared with each single targeted agent in combination with an AI.