Hematologic Oncology

Anas Younes, MD, chief of the Lymphoma Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses the impact of the FDA approval of nivolumab (Opdivo) for the treatment of patients with classical Hodgkin lymphoma.

Brentuximab vedotin showed a 5-year overall survival rate of 41% for patients with relapsed or refractory classical Hodgkin lymphoma, suggesting a cure for some patients.

Adding the anti-CD20 agent obinutuzumab (Gazyva) to CHOP chemotherapy in the frontline setting did not improve progression-free survival compared with the standard regimen of rituximab (Rituxan) plus CHOP in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

After less than a week, the FDA has lifted a clinical hold placed on the phase II ROCKET study that is exploring the CAR T-cell therapy JCAR015 for adult patients with relapsed or refractory B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

The FDA has placed a clinical hold on a phase II study exploring the CD19-targeted CAR-T cell therapy JCAR015 for adult patients with relapsed or refractory B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.