Oncology

In a recently released position statement, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) has outlined a pathway that would address the rising costs of cancer drugs in the United States.

In a late-breaking abstract at the 2017 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting, researchers presented an interim analysis of a randomized phase 2 trial of second- or third-line nivolumab, with or without ipilimumab, in patients with second- or third-line malignant pleural mesothelioma.

The International Duration Evaluation of Adjuvant chemotherapy (IDEA) collaboration found evidence to support the noninferiority of 3 versus 6 months oxaliplatin-based adjuvant therapy for capecitabine plus oxaliplatin for patients with stage III colon cancer.

In a study performed by the Grupo Español de Investigación en Sarcomas, Fas biomarker detection showed value in predicting progression-free and overall survival after trabectedin administration to patients with advanced soft tissue sarcoma.

The incidence of human papilloma virus (HPV)-positive oropharyngeal cancer can be reduced with a prophylactic vaccine, according to a collaborative study that was presented at the 2017 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting in Chicago.

According to findings from a 63-center international study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, complete lymph node excision may not be essential for improved outcomes in melanoma.

The FDA has approved neratinib (Nerlynx) for the extended adjuvant treatment of some forms of breast cancer, but recommends precautions against the common side effect of diarrhea.

An interim analysis of two phase 2 trials, reported in a poster session at the 2017 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting, has found that trabectedin and lurinectedin demonstrated remarkable activity as single agents in BRCA2-associated metastatic breast cancer.

A late-breaking abstract at the 2017 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting reported a significant effect on overall and failure-free survival from the addition of abiraterone at the start of androgen deprivation therapy in men with high-risk prostate cancer.

A late-breaking abstract at the 2017 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting showed that alectinib demonstrates efficacy and favorable tolerability compared with crizotinib in the primary results of the global phase 3 ALEX study in patients with treatment-naïve advanced anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive non—small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

A study presented by researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), which queried the effect of thoracic radiotherapy and immune checkpoint inhibition on the risk of pneumonitis or immune-related adverse events (irAEs), found that radiotherapy did not increase patient risk for pneumonitis and that elevated expression of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) could be a predictor of grade 2 or higher irAEs.

ARCHER 1050, the first phase 3 head-to-head study of epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibition, has produced results that demonstrate statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement with dacomitinib compared with gefitinib (Iressa) as first-line therapy for non—small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with EGFR-activating mutations.

According to a recent study, adding a stimulator of interferon genes (STING) agonist to rituximab for lymphoma can help provoke an immune response to the monoclonal antibody in patients who had shown resistance.

In a discussion on state-of-the-art uses for immunotherapy in the management of non—small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting, oncologists shared their experiences with managing toxicities from immunotherapy and discussed the role of immunotherapy in specific patient populations.

An early stage international clinical trial is actively enrolling patients with relapsed, advanced or metastatic non—small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) to evaluate response to a combination of atezolizumab and daratumumab, according to a study at the 2017 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology that detailed the trial design.

Proposed change to the payment rate under the 340B program for certain Medicare Part B drugs would cut reimbursement rate in attempt to address rising drug costs.

The FDA is considering adding the risk of ocular inflammatory conditions to labels for 3 immune checkpoint inhibitors due to sight-threatening complications.

Managing heavily pretreated, often less fit, patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma is a challenge in routine practice, as illustrated by the fact progression-free survival remains short, although daratumumab-based combination therapies are proven effective, according to results presented during a poster session at the 2017 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting.

A phase 1 study, presented at the 2017 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, found that using daratumumab, an antibody that binds and inhibits the CD38 receptor, can improve patient response to treatment.

Updated trial results at the 2017 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology showed the combinations of daratumumab with either lenalidomide and dexamethasone or bortezomib and dexamethasone prolonged progression-free survival for patients with relapsed refractory multiple myeloma.

A new blood biomarker demonstrates its ability to detect pancreatic cancer earlier, which can lead to better treatment and outcomes, according to a study published in Science Translational Medicine.

A new study examines the impact that a pharmaceutical’s designation as an orphan drug can have on its manufacturer’s stock prices, and finds that the largest returns were for oncology drugs.

The comittee voted 17-0 in favor of the Amgen/Allergan bevacizumab biosimilar candidate, ABP 215, and 16-0 in favor of Mylan’s trastuzumab biosimilar candidate, MYL-1401O.

The Community Oncology Alliance (COA) is forging ahead with its COA Patient Advocacy Network (CPAN), says Rose Gerber, director of patient advocacy for COA. The network’s major focuses include increasing its presence and making it easier for community practices to get involved.

A new draft report from the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) evaluates the evidence on the effectiveness and value of 3 drugs used to treat ovarian cancer.