Leukemia and Lymphoma

The German-Australian AML Study Group, one of the largest global groups evaluating treatments for acute myeloid leukemia (AML), has published results in the New England Journal of Medicine that now classifies AML into 11 classes based on the harbored genetic mutations.

During a session on the second day of the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, experts discussed treating patients with chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR-T cells).

A Medicare claims analysis of patients newly diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia revealed that high cost sharing was associated with reduced and/or delayed tyrosine kinase inhibitor initiation under Part D.

Just 2 days after being rejected by cost regulators in the UK, ibrutinib has been approved for the frontline treatment of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia in the United States.

At the 57th annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology, oncologists discussed trial data evaluating combination therapies for multiple myeloma and lymphoma.

Moffitt Cancer Center said there's nothing wrong with the drug, but a spokesman said the trial is halted for now pending the outcome of the investigation.

Results from a subgroup analysis of the phase 3 ENDEAVOR study and a phase 2 study in diffuse large B cell lymphoma patients were presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology.

During a health outcomes session on the second day of the American Society of Hematology meeting, data presented from a study conducted at the University of Nebraska Medical Center suggested that the site of care bears a significant influence on the outcomes of patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Adolescent and young adults (AYA) constitute a distinct population amongst patients with cancer. Historically, AYA patients with ALL treated along pediatric-inspired protocols had better outcomes compared to those treated on standard "adult type" regimens.

The study, published in the journal Cancer, found that non-biological factors are as important as biological variables in shaping outcomes in young patients with leukemia.

In the first clinical study to demonstrate the importance of precision medicine in lymphomas, researchers determined that patients with a specific molecular subtype of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma responded better to ibrutinib than patients with a different molecular subtype.

At the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in Chicago, physicians introduced some new lymphoma treatments as they described their personal experience with using them during the session, "Incorporating Novel Agents Into Lymphoma Therapy: Value in Everyday Practice."

Young adult cancer survivors who had received their first rounds of cancer treatment between the ages of 20 and 44 were 1.5 times more likely to have more hospitalizations after remission than the general public.

On the first day at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in Chicago, physicians introduced some of the newer agents currently available to treat lymphoma and described their experience with these agents during the session, "Incorporating Novel Agents into Lymphoma Therapy: Value in Everyday Practice."

During laboratory experiments, while growing these leukemic cells, the authors observed that some of the cancer cells in culture were changing shape and size into what looked like macrophages. Subsequent experiments confirmed that by manipulating some of the transcription factors, these human cancer cells could be transformed into macrophages, which can engulf and digest cancer cells and pathogens.

Improved survival without disease progression prompted independent reviewers to unblind the study comparing Imbruvica against a placebo, in combination with bendamustine and rituximab.

The recommendation has not come easy for Roche. Back in October 2014, NICE had rejected Gazyravo based on inconsistencies in the filing, which were then addressed by the drug manufacturer. Subsequently, NICE struck a deal with Roche to provide the drug to NHS at a reduced price.

AbbVie will spend about $21 billion to buy leukemia drugmaker Pharmacyclics in its first major deal attempt since walking away from a $55 billion takeover of Shire last fall.

The study, conducted in 2 separate patient cohorts at St. Jude Children's Hospital and the Children's Oncology Group and published in the The Journal of the American Medical Association, found that children with gene variants in the CEP72 gene were more sensitive to vincristine-induced peripheral neuropathy.

In it's report, "Clinical Cancer Advances 2015: ASCO's Annual Report on Progress Against Cancer," published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, 4 newly approved treatments for CLL were predicted to have a dramatic impact on patients with the disease.

Actor and singer Charles Esten, whose daughter was diagnosed with leukemia when she was 2-and-a-half, shares the challenging and painful experiences of battling the disease.

At an education session at the American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting, Christopher R. Flowers, MD, MS, discussed current thinking in the use of routine imaging for patients who have achieved a long-term complete response in non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Blincyto, which was considered a promising immunotherapy with a novel mechanism of action, was approved 5 months prior to its PDUFA date.

The NIH-funded study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, identified mutations that are harbored early and could be potential early-onset biomarkers for detection.