FDA Approves Tucatinib to Treat HER2+ Breast Cancer
April 17th 2020The FDA has approved tucatinib (Tukysa) for use in combination with trastuzumab (Herceptin) and capecitabine (Xeloda) for the treatment of patients with unresectable locally advanced or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer, including patients with brain metastases, following at least 1 prior therapy.
Socioeconomic and Healthcare Disparities Are Now More Apparent
April 17th 2020The COVID-19 pandemic has shocked the US healthcare system, highlighting our flaws while showing our deep commitment to quality patient care. We in healthcare cannot “pause,” but I am hoping millions of people around the world will do so and realign their convictions from the lessons learned.
FDA Considers Pemigatinib Approval for Cholangiocarcinoma Treatment
April 16th 2020Findings from the phase II FIGHT-202 study of pemigatinib in patients with previously treated, locally advanced or metastatic FGFR2-positive cholangiocarcinoma have been published in the Lancet Oncology as the FDA considers a new-drug application (NDA) for the treatment in this setting.
Trial Will Test Acalabrutinib for COVID-19
April 15th 2020Acalabrutinib (Calquence), a BTK inhibitor approved for the treatment of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), is being explored in the CALAVI trial as a treatment for cytokine storm in patients with COVID-19.
T-Cell Therapies Are Promising in Melanoma, But Challenges Remain
April 13th 2020T-cell therapies, such as tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy, T-cell receptor (TCR) therapy, and CAR T-cell therapy, which have shown preliminary signals of activity, are poised to have a dramatic impact in metastatic melanoma, according to Jason J. Luke, MD, FACP.
Indigenous American Ancestry May Be Associated With HER2+ Breast Cancer Risk
April 11th 2020An increased proportion of Indigenous American (IA) genetic ancestry may be linked with a higher incidence of HER2-positive breast cancer, according to findings from a study published in Cancer Research.
FDA Approves First-Ever Drug for Pediatric Neurofibromatosis Type 1
April 11th 2020The FDA approved selumetinib (Koselugo) to treat pediatric patients aged 2 years or older with neurofibromatosis type 1. This is the first-ever therapy approved for this rare genetic disorder, which causes tumors to grow on nerves.
FDA Grants Priority Review to Pembrolizumab Monotherapy for TMB-High Tumors
April 7th 2020The FDA granted priority review to pembrolizumab monotherapy for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients with unresectable or metastatic TMB-high solid tumors who have progressed following prior treatment and who have no satisfactory alternative treatment options.
Cancer Centers Work to Mitigate COVID-19 Risk
April 5th 2020From implementing telemedical approaches to resequencing treatments, cancer centers across the nation have nimbly adapted to face the clinical challenges posed by the novel coronavirus 2019 disease (COVID-19). These adjustments in standard operating procedures mitigate the risk for virus spread among clinicians and patients alike.
PARP Inhibitors Continue to Show Promise in Prostate Cancer Treatment
March 31st 2020The use of PARP inhibitors against DNA damage repair (DDR) alterations in prostate cancer is the first display of the potential for widespread precision medicine in the field, according to William K. Oh, MD, in a presentation during the 13th Annual Interdisciplinary Prostate Cancer Congress® and Other Genitourinary Malignancies.