Hematologic Oncology

Chimeric antigen receptor-modified T-cell therapies have demonstrated durable complete responses for patients with relapsed/refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia; however, several questions remain regarding their optimal use and applicability outside of this disease.

Immuno-oncology has advanced rapidly, with the introduction of immune checkpoint inhibition and effective adoptive T-cell therapies. As these agents rush through development, several questions remain regarding the optimal patients for treatment and the next steps for further improving outcomes.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, retired NBA player for the Milwaukee Bucks and the Los Angeles Lakers, discusses his experience with chronic myeloid leukemia‎ (CML) at the 20th Annual International Congress on Hematologic Malignancies: Focus on Leukemias, Lymphomas and Myeloma, held March 18.

Frontline treatment with CPX-351 (Vyxeos) significantly reduced the risk of death by 31% compared with cytarabine and daunorubicin (7+3) for older patients with high-risk, secondary acute myeloid leukemia.

A supplemental biologics license application has been submitted to the FDA to expand the approval of blinatumomab (Blincyto) to include the treatment of pediatric and adolescent patients with Philadelphia chromosome-negative relapsed or refractory B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia.