Immuno-Oncology

Results included those for several bispecifics, used as monotherapy and in combination, including early results for 2 bispecifics used together.

The researchers emphasized the importance of early referral for chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell treatment, as patients eligible for the treatment are often in very late stages of disease, and mitigating delays in care has the potential to improve response rates by more than 10%.

Researchers seeking answers regarding the most beneficial duration of immune checkpoint inhibitor–based therapy for non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) found no significant impact of indefinite-duration treatment on patient survival.

Joseph Mikhael, MD, MEd, FRCPC, FACP, chief medical officer of the International Myeloma Foundation, discussed the manufacturing challenges sometimes seen with chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies and strategies being implemented to improve access for historically underserved patients.

Significant mechanobiological advances have not yet been incorporated into oncology treatment, the authors wrote. 

Findings from the 5-year follow-up analysis of the phase 3 KEYNOTE-042 study continue to support frontline pembrolizumab as standard of care for PD-L1-positive, locally advanced/metastatic non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

The uptake of next-generation sequencing (NGS) in clinical practice varies across the region.

Recent developments in nanoparticle-mediated cancer immunotherapy promote treatment with less toxicity.

More data are needed to confirm the findings and assess individual risk levels, the authors said.

A new review outlines strategies that may help reduce the risk of severe cytokine release syndrome (CRS) for patients treated with immunotherapy.

Considering the depth and durability of responses with axicabtagene ciloleucel (axi-cel) in large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL), the investigators added that CAR T cells should no longer be seen as a therapy only for heavily pretreated patients, but also as an option for earlier lines of therapy.

Investigators found important differences that may help clinicians better understand how to manage toxicities associated with the therapy.

The findings, which suggest that axicabtagene ciloleucel (axi-cel) may be a good option for a patient group often deemed ineligible for other curative-intent therapy, come from a planned subgroup analysis from the ZUMA-7 trial.

The autologous CAR T-cell therapy axicabtagene ciloleucel (axi-cel) demonstrated effectiveness and safety consistent with the ZUMA-5 trial when used in real-world settings to treat a broader population of patients with follicular lymphoma (FL).

Barb Kunz, MS, LCGC, senior genetic counselor at the US Oncology Network, discussed the importance of germline genetic testing in patients with triple-negative breast cancer and other cancer types.

The study, wrote the researchers, offers insight into emerging and uncommon complications following chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy.

Investigators said longer-term outcomes from chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies are still a significant question in patients who have non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) or acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

Mark A. Socinski, MD, executive director of the AdventHealth Cancer Institute, shared his thoughts on the most important recent advances in non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), including a better understanding of patients who may benefit from immunotherapy.

Precision medicine starts with the patient-physician relationship, and this also involves an entire care team, emphasized Sigrun Hallmeyer, MD, medical oncologist with Advocate Health.

Researchers compared chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapies axicabtagene ciloleucel (axi-cel) and tisagenlecleucel.

Kevin Davies, PhD, executive editor, The CRISPR Journal and GEN Biotechnology, discusses how CRISPR technology has seen success and potential areas for future application.

For Brain Cancer Awareness Month, AJMC shares an interview with Day One Biopharmaceuticals CEO Jeremy Bender, PhD, MBA. Bender discussed the company's lead agent, tovorafenib, which has shown promise in treatment of pediatric low-grade glioma.

An expert panel at the recent meeting of the Quality Cancer Care Alliance discussed the Enhancing Oncology Model (EOM), which is set to begin on July 1, 2023.

A recent study found that patients with advanced solid cancers with high tumor mutational burden (TMB) saw improved outcomes on immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) compared with patients who had low-TMB cancers.

These study results are the first to demonstrate randomized evidence that a personalized neoantigen approach could be beneficial for patients with cancer.