Hematology

According to a new study, the speed at which older patients with blood cancers are able to walk nearly 13 feet (about 4 meters) contains important information about their overall health and may be able to help predict survival and unplanned hospital visits.

Based upon an agreement that study protocol would be revised, the FDA has removed the partial clinical hold it placed in March on CANOVA, a phase 3 clinical trial of venetoclax.

Early treatment, in comparison to deferred treatment, of patients with smoldering multiple myeloma could reduce progression and mortality.

Thomas Marsland, MD, medical oncologist, discusses his take on the CAR T-cell therapy reimbursement plan put forward by CMS.

According to results from a randomized phase 3 trial presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s recent annual meeting, the addition of isatuximab to pomalidomide and low-dose dexamethasone significantly improvement progression-free survival (PFS) and the overall response rate (ORR) in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM).

Survival of patients with multiple myeloma has continued to improve as treatments have evolved over time.

According to 2 abstracts presented at the 2019 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting, multimorbidity, insurance status, and income may affect survival rates of patients with multiple myeloma.

The American Society of Clinical Oncology recently held its annual meeting in Chicago, Illinois. The meeting brought together oncologists, payers, and other stakeholders to discuss the latest updates and therapeutic advances in cancer care. Here are 5 of the biggest takeaways from the meeting.

The addition of daratumumab to standard treatment of lenalidomide and dexamethasone for patients with multiple myeloma, who were ineligible for autologous stem-cell transplant, was found to significantly lower the risk of disease progression or death compared with those who only received standard treatment.

According to results from a recent retrospective study, patients previously diagnosed with a hematologic malignancy were found to be at a higher risk of developing head and neck cancers compared with patients without a prior hematologic malignancy.

Analysis of findings from the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study found no association between sickle cell trait and cognitive impairment.

As a precursor to myeloma, smoldering multiple myeloma (MM) currently has no treatment. In fact, the standard of care is observation until the patient starts to present with symptoms. However, according to new research that will be presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s annual meeting in Chicago, Illinois, held May 31 to June 4, early treatment of smoldering MM may delay progression to full-blown disease.

Venetoclax (Venclexta) has received FDA approval in combination with obinutuzumab (Gazyva) for the treatment of adult patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL), offering a chemotherapy-free regimen for patients with previously untreated disease.

Cure rates for Hodgkin lymphoma are high, but survivors may live for decades with side effects from chemotherapy. Finding a new treatment target could lead to fewer toxic effects.

Researchers have identified a new target in the mitochondria of cancer cells that indicate the potential of a treatment class for certain blood cancers.

Proof-of-concept studies suggest the treatment that targets CD47 produces a strong response in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) with fewer adverse effects than current options.

DNA rearrangement may be the key to predicting poor outcomes in high-risk patients with multiple myeloma, according to a new study.

Radiotherapy after chemotherapy is controversial, as evidenced by the fact that doctors for some patients in the study did not follow the protocol for those assigned to radiotherapy and may have affected the results.

Modifications to the engineering of the chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) mean that the patient produces fewer cytokines and has time to clear them before they build up in the bloodstream.

As part of CMS’ FY 2020 Medicare Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System and Long-Term Acute Care Hospital Prospective Payment System Proposed Rule and Request for Information, the agency is proposing an increase in how much it reimburses hospitals for chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, as well as wage index hikes for rural hospitals.

The investment fund spun off from the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation will start at $50 million and will be self-sustaining, focusing on early-stage biotech companies.

Among patients with multiple myeloma treated with older proteasome inhibitors, those who developed peripheral neuropathy (PN) had significantly higher costs, suggesting that newer therapies may maintain effective treatment while lowering the economic and disease burden of PN in these patients.

A preliminary study discussed how a vaccine regimen stimulated dendritic cells to attack tumors, which could point to a new way of making immunotherapy effective in cancers that have proved resistant to treatment thus far.

Assessing 4 dose levels of carfilzomib, researchers have determined that the drug, in combination with thalidomide and low-dose dexamethasone, is highly safe and effective in transplant-eligible patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma.