Vol. 20/No. 15

By the end of 2018, the 57 oncology drugs launched from 2014 to 2018 had gained 89 indications across 23 cancer types. These new agents included numerous checkpoint inhibitors, which saw tremendous uptake based on their ability to dramatically improve patient outcomes.

Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) increases the risk of subsequent Alzheimer disease and dementia among men ≥66 years with prostate cancer, according to findings of a large retrospective study that examined the link between ADT treatment and later cognitive dysfunction.

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.

With the recent publication of an inaugural set of guidelines for treatment of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network seeks to introduce standards to a branch of care long dominated by clinical trial protocols.

A 2018 Giants of Cancer Care award for Community Outreach, Education, and Cancer Policy, Richard L. Schilsky, MD, built a scaffolding upon which new trials were launched into emerging areas of oncology investigation. His work has led to new standards in cancer care, particularly in breast cancer, and along the way he has furthered the careers of many successful and talented oncologists and investigators.

As the immunotherapy research field grows, NY-ESO-1 is emerging as a high-priority target for cancer vaccine development and adoptive T-cell therapies.

Investigators hope to expand frontline treatment options for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma via the phase III IMbrave150 study, which is exploring the synergistic potential of immunotherapy and the immunomodulatory potential of a VEGF inhibitor in locally advanced, metastatic or unresectable HCC.

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.

It is crucial to develop screening programs for stomach cancer in the United States in order to make diagnoses at earlier stages of disease, provide better care, and improve outcomes.

Sometimes referred to as massively parallel sequencing, next-generation sequencing evaluates millions of DNA sequences simultaneously, representing a true revolution compared with traditional, labor-intensive methods in which far less DNA could be sequenced at once.

During a recent OncLive Peer Exchange®, a panel of breast cancer experts discussed how they are using CDK4/6 inhibitors in their practices. They shared their insights on the tolerability and toxicity profiles of the FDA-approved CDK4/6 inhibitors, how they choose which agents to use for each patient, and how they select the next line of therapy after the patient progresses.

Ulcerated melanoma is associated with worse outcomes and appears to be driven in part by systemic inflammation, which is more common in smokers, obese individuals, and those with vitamin D deficiency.

Although concerns have been raised in recent years regarding the need for randomized trials to augment the body of clinical understanding, one critical issue that has failed to generate sufficient discussion is how the choice of the control arm affects the interpretation of an individual study’s outcome and potentially undermines the ethical basis for that particular study.