Sarcomas

Determining the best course of treatment for sarcomas of the bone and soft tissues is a complex process.

George D. Demetri, MD, expands on the challenges with overall survival as a primary outcome measure, the potential of trabectedin in soft tissue sarcomas, and the significance of a recent trial.

The FDA has granted a priority review designation to eribulin mesylate as a treatment for patients with soft tissue sarcoma following an anthracycline and at least one other regimen.

The final analysis of phase III data for trabectedin were consistent with interim results by showing a lack of improvement for the primary endpoint of overall survival in patients with advanced soft tissue sarcoma.

Trabectedin demonstrated superior disease control compared with dacarbazine in heavily pretreated patients with advanced soft tissue sarcoma.

An application has been submitted to the FDA for eribulin mesylate (Halaven) as a treatment for patients with soft tissue sarcoma following an anthracycline and at least one other regimen.

George D. Demetri, MD, Director, Center for Sarcoma and Bone Oncology Senior Vice President for Experimental Therapeutics, Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Dana Farber Cancer Center, discusses a phase III study of trabectedin verus dacarbazine for the treatment of patients with advanced liposarcoma (LPS) or leiomyosarcoma (LMS).