Biomarker-driven trials that include multiple substudies represent a new approach for investigating which patients with lung cancer are more likely to respond to different targeted therapies and are helping to set the pace throughout the oncology field.
The past few years have seen rapid evolution in the treatment and handling of advanced non–small cell lung cancer, prompting questions on how to optimize immunotherapies and targeted agents as well as incorporate biomarker testing.
The optimal use of emerging assays that characterize molecular abnormalities from plasma in late-stage non–small cell lung cancer will be to augment tissue biopsies at initial diagnosis and to evaluate patients for second- and third-line therapies.
Paul A. Bunn Jr, MD, discussed how combining immunotherapy with chemotherapy, molecular therapy, or anti-angiogenic therapy has shown promising results in recent randomized trials of patients with lung cancer, although the combinations have yet to demonstrate clear superiority.
The value of PD-L1 expression when using checkpoint inhibitors in non–small cell lung cancer is underscored by the just-announced disappointing progression-free survival findings from the phase III CheckMate-026 study of frontline nivolumab (Opdivo) versus physician's choice of combination chemotherapy.
Roy S. Herbst, MD, PhD, Ensign Professor of Medicine (Medical Oncology), professor of Pharmacology, chief of Medical Oncology, Yale Cancer Center and Smilow Cancer Hospital, associate director for Translational Research, Disease Alligned Research Team Leader, Thoracic Oncology Program, Yale Cancer Center, discusses the next generation of agents coming down the pipeline in non–small cell lung cancer.
David R. Gandara, MD, director, Thoracic Oncology Program, professor, senior advisor to director, UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, UC Davis Health System, discusses the most recent—and significant—advancements in the field of lung cancer.
ROS1 and TRK are two emerging targets that have significant therapeutic promise for patients with non–small cell lung cancer, although they are not commonly considered while doing mutation testing.
Tony Mok, MD, discussed translational advances on the horizon in non-small cell lung cancer during a presentation at the 2016 International Lung Cancer Congress.
Paul A. Bunn Jr, MD, Distinguished Professor, Division of Medical Oncology/University of Colorado, James Dudley Chair in Lung Cancer Research, University of Colorado Denver, 2014 Giant of Cancer Care in Lung Cancer, discusses the phase III results from CheckMate-026, which explored nivolumab (Opdivo) monotherapy in treatment-naïve patients with advanced non–small cell lung cancer.
Tony Mok, MD, professor of Medicine, Department of Clinical Oncology, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong, discusses breakthrough therapies and ongoing trials for patients with ALK-positive non–small cell lung cancer.
Edward B Garon, MD, director, Thoracic Oncology, Jonnson Comprehensive Cancer Center, UCLA, discusses the evolution of immunotherapy for the treatment of patients with non–small cell lung cancer.
Fred R. Hirsch, MD, PhD, professor of Medicine, University of Colorado Denver, CEO, the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer, discusses the importance of molecular testing for patients with lung cancer.
New classes of immunotherapies emerging in lung cancer are building on previous success with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors.
Volker Heinemann, MD, PhD, director of the Comprehensive Cancer Center at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, discusses how depth of response, which is highly correlated with overall survival, was improved for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer who added selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT) to chemotherapy.
Bruno Daniele, MD, director, Department of Oncology and Medical Oncology, G. Rummo Hospital, Italy, discusses the potential impact of regorafenib (Stivarga) for the treatment of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
The addition of cetuximab to standard FOLFOX-4 chemotherapy in the first-line treatment of patients with RAS wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer significantly improved survival outcomes.
MABp1, a novel anti–interleukin 1-alpha antibody, was safe, well-tolerated, and demonstrated a significant impact on symptoms compared with placebo for patients with advanced colorectal cancer.
The first prospective study to investigate the use of immunotherapy in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal demonstrated promising results following treatment with nivolumab.
Treatment with ARQ-087 demonstrated promising signs of clinical activity with a manageable safety profile for patients with FGFR2 fusion-positive advanced and/or metastatic intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.
Adding selective internal radiation therapy with SIR-Spheres Y-90 resin microspheres to standard first-line chemotherapy significantly increased hepatic depth of response in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.
IMAB362, a novel chimeric IgG1 backbone antibody highly specific for CLDN18.2, extended median overall survival by 4.8 months when added to standard chemotherapy in patients with advanced gastric cancer.
Dr. Navesh K. Sharma, associate professor of Radiology in the Division of Radiology and Oncology at Penn State Hershey Medical Center and section chief of Radiation Oncology at the Penn State Health St. Joseph Cancer Center, discusses that age should not be a deciding factor in giving internal radiation to patients with liver cancer.
Dr. Jordi Bruix, MD, head of the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) at University of Barcelona, discusses the major impact that regorafenib (Stivarga) will have for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
Dr. Adam Bass, MD, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, discusses the causes for different types of gastric cancer.
Patients with stage Ib-IVa resectable gastric adenocarcinoma undergoing surgery with curative intent had similar survival outcomes regardless of whether they received chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy after surgery.
Eileen M. O’Reilly, MD, associate director for Clinical Research, David M. Rubenstein Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses factors that patients and oncologists should consider when developing a treatment plan for pancreatic cancer.
Daniel Sargent, PhD, professor of Oncology and Biostatistics, Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, discusses the IDEA initiative, which is an international study to examine if patients with colon cancer would benefit from reducing the duration of adjuvant therapy from 3 months to 6 months to reduce side effects and cost.
Adding MM-398 (irinotecan liposome injection; nal-IRI; Onivyde) to 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin had no negative effect on quality of life while significantly improving overall survival in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer.
John L. Marshall, MD, chief, Division Of Hematology/Oncology, Georgetown University Hospital Associate Director, clinical research, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center at Georgetown University Hospital, discusses the difference between squamous and adenocarcinoma in esophageal and gastric cancer.
