Andrew D. Smith

Articles

Traina Helps Navigate Surge of New Breast Cancer Therapies

September 14th 2020

Nearly 15 years have passed since pathologists at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center conducted gene expression analyses on breast cancer primary tumors and described a potential role for a novel target, which quickly became a major research focus for their colleague Tiffany A. Traina, MD.

A Myeloma Pioneer Sees More Innovation

March 16th 2020

Kenneth C. Anderson, MD, discusses key trials in multiple myeloma that have reported promising findings or are poised to shed light on novel treatments.

The New Horizon in Melanoma

December 11th 2019

Jeffrey S. Weber, MD, PhD, looks to earlier use of immunotherapy and novel combinations in melanoma.

Shaping the Future in Lung Cancer

November 13th 2019

Rapid advancements are dramatically changing the lung cancer treatment landscape, creating challenges across the spectrum of care.

Novel Metastatic Strategies Gain Traction

October 15th 2019

Emboldened by strong evidence investigators are growing confident that localized therapy in oligometastatic disease across cancers may soon lead to a new staging system and become standard of care.

The New Ovarian Cancer Landscape: Many Questions, Much Hope

September 3rd 2019

In the past 5 years, the FDA has awarded 4 drugs 9 new indications for the treatment of advanced ovarian cancers. Although these approvals represent a welcome expansion of the therapeutic toolkit for this challenging malignancy, the arrival of new options has outpaced efforts to discover the best use for each medication.

Expert Advocates Universal Genetic Testing in Breast Cancer

August 5th 2019

Although research findings have established many applications for genetic information in breast cancer, not enough patients are being tested for the risk of germline mutations and new strategies are needed to broaden the clinical application of genomic advancements.

Fresh Signs of Progress Surface in Geriatric Oncology

August 2nd 2019

Although there has been significant progress in the field of geriatric oncology, experts say there is still a pressing need to increase clinical trial participation by older patients and to improve the predictive value of assessment tools.

The Fight to Save the Bladder Turns to Genomics

June 14th 2019

The search for effective alternatives to radical cystectomy (RC) in patients with bladder cancer has lasted more than 3 decades. Progress has been slow, but investigators have proved that a combination of radiation, chemotherapy, and maximal transurethral resection of the bladder tumor works as well as RC in carefully selected patients.

Persistent BCG Shortages Lead to Hard Choices in Bladder Cancer

April 27th 2019

The Tice strain of BCG has emerged as a go-to drug for treating primary and recurrent bladder cancer, but in the United States and some other countries, a constellation of marketplace dynamics has reduced manufacturers of this agent to a sole producer that is unable to keep up with demand. Available supplies are being rationed, and sufficient expansion of supply could be years away.

Strategies Take Shape for a New Disease State in Prostate Cancer

April 1st 2019

Now that the FDA has carved out nonmetastatic, castration-resistant prostate cancer as a new disease state, the decision about whether to administer recently approved antiandrogen therapies in this setting hinges on the rate of increase in prostate-specific antigen levels and comorbidities.

Excitement Grows About Immunotherapy Potential in Breast Cancer

March 10th 2019

Although the first checkpoint inhibitor has just been approved for patients with breast cancer, findings from dozens of ongoing studies may eventually change the paradigm for large subsets of those with the malignancy.

Controversy Adds Caution to CRISPR Editing in United States

January 17th 2019

The development of cancer treatments and diagnostic tools using CRISPR/Cas9 and other gene-editing technology is a promising area of research in the United States, although the field is moving into human studies at a relatively slow pace.

Biomarker Hunt Focuses on Predicting Immunotherapy Adverse Events

December 26th 2018

Although the need for biomarkers of immunotherapy response has generated much attention, investigators also are pursuing mechanisms for distinguishing which patients will experience adverse effects from these therapies.

Step Therapy Policy Alarms Cancer Leaders

October 16th 2018

A policy change that allows step therapy provisions in Medicare Advantage insurance plans is setting off alarm bells among oncology leaders, who have joined medical associations from across the country in objecting to the revision.

340B Advantage for Hospitals Starts to Erode

October 3rd 2018

The battle over 340B continues in Congress, with multiple legislative initiatives.

Risk Prediction Calculators Multiply in Cancer Care

October 1st 2018

Like clinicians elsewhere, investigators from the University of Colorado, Denver, struggled not only to predict the likelihood that a particular patient would do well with surgery alone but also to convey their estimates in terms that patients would understand.

Tumor-Treating Field Therapy Looks Beyond Brain Cancer

July 31st 2018

Tumor-treating field therapy, which uses low-intensity electrical fields to disrupt cancer cell division and promote cell death, has gained a frontline approval in glioblastoma. Several pivotal clinical trials have been launched to determine whether the technology can help patients with other solid tumors.

Reinventing Benchmarking for the Value Era

May 23rd 2018

Benchmarking has historically been difficult in oncology because of barriers to the flow of information and the complexities of care. However, such performance comparisons are now becoming a part of payment models, and practices realize they need comparative data to understand how well they perform.

Blueprint for Tackling Toxicities From Checkpoint Blockade Agents Is Introduced

May 14th 2018

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network has developed its first set of recommendations to help clinicians manage toxicities in the recognition of the variety of immune-related adverse events that patients receiving checkpoint blockade immunotherapy may experience.