German-Australian AML Study Group Identifies 11 Classes of AML
June 9th 2016The German-Australian AML Study Group, one of the largest global groups evaluating treatments for acute myeloid leukemia (AML), has published results in the New England Journal of Medicine that now classifies AML into 11 classes based on the harbored genetic mutations.
ASCO Study Finds Daratumumab Economical Over Other Novel MM Agents
June 8th 2016A poster presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) found that the cost per median month of survival for daratumumab was lower compared with 2 other novel treatments in multiple myeloma.
A $67 Million Fine for False Claims on Erlotinib
June 8th 2016The Department of Justice has announced that Genentech and OSI Pharmaceuticals “will pay $67 million to resolve False Claim Act allegations that they made misleading statements about the effectiveness of the drug Tarceva to treat non-small cell lung cancer.”
The Value of a 21-Gene Test in Early-Stage Breast Cancer
June 7th 2016Can the Oncotype DX Breast Cancer Assay impact recommendation and receipt of chemotherapy in early stage breast cancer? Does the test also improve patient experience? These were some of the questions asked by researchers at the University of Michigan, and the results presented during the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.
Clinical Interpretation of the ASCO Recommendations on Quality and Value
June 6th 2016A session at the ongoing annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) provided an overview of ASCO's recently updated value framework and their quality program, the Quality Oncology Practice Initiative.
Zeroing in on Predictive Biomarkers for Cancer Immunotherapy
June 6th 2016While several clinical trials have tried to identify a programmed death-1 or programmed death ligand-1 expression—dependent response, it’s been an uphill task. During one of the sessions at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, researchers were tasked with sharing their data on any breakthroughs or leads with biomarker-based treatment.
Promising Results With Combination Immunotherapies, but Biomarkers Elusive
June 4th 2016As immunotherapy continues to show promise in solid as well as liquid tumors, clinicians have been evaluating these agents in combination. During a session on the second day of the ongoing annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, in Chicago, IL, the results from some of these trials were shared.
Lessons in Cancer Care From NICE and Health Canada at ASCO
June 4th 2016On the first day of the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, healthcare experts from the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, compared and contrasted the care models that are widely adopted in each nation.
First Liquid Biopsy Companion Diagnostic, for Erlotinib, Approved by FDA
June 2nd 2016The FDA has approved the first ever blood-based companion diagnostic test. The cobas EGFR Mutation Test v2 was developed by Roche for the drug erlotinib (Tarceva), which was developed by Astellas for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer.
DSH Hospitals More Prone to Readmissions Following Cancer Surgery
June 1st 2016Hospitals that serve the more vulnerable population perform worse with their readmission rate following cancer surgery, and the subsequent penalties that they face can further strain the hospital’s already burdened finances.
ASCO Releases an Updated Value Framework
May 31st 2016The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)’s Value in Cancer Care Task Force has published an updated value framework that can help clinicians and patients assess the relative value of cancer therapies that have been compared in clinical trials.
Combining IL-21 and Ipilimumab Resulted in a 5-Year Remission in Metastatic Melanoma
May 31st 2016A single-patient study at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center found that combining ipilimumab and interleukin-21 (IL-21) in metastatic melanoma eradicated the tumors and the patient remained disease-free 5 years post treatment.
Surgery in Advanced Pancreatic Cancer Can Improve Survival, Says Mayo Study
May 25th 2016Oncologists at the Mayo Clinic have developed a more aggressive approach to treating patients with pancreatic cancer-combining surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, surgical oncologists have been successful in significantly improving survival in a small number of patients.
MSK Survey Indicates Misbelief Responsible for Dismal Cancer Trial Participation
May 24th 2016A survey conducted by MaPS/Millward Brown Analytics, on behalf of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, has identified multiple concerns of American consumers with cancer clinical trial participation, which could be responsible for the dismal 4% national enrollment rate in clinical trials.
Early Results of an Oral CDK4/6 Inhibitor, Abemaciclib, Prove Mixed
May 23rd 2016A phase 1 study in 225 patients diagnosed with breast cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, glioblastoma, melanoma, or colorectal cancer has concluded that abemaciclib, a selective inhibitor of the cell cycle regulators CDK4/6, has single-agent activity in specific tumor types.
Another Lawsuit Against Genentech Over Trastuzumab Drug Volume
May 23rd 2016An Oklahoma-based non-profit hospital is the latest medical facility to sue pharmaceutical giant Genentech,accusing the company of shipping less than the labeled claim of the anticancer drug trastuzumab (Herceptin) in each multi-dose vial.
Choosing Between Nivolumab, Cabozantinib, and Newly Approved Lenvatinib Plus Everolimus in RCC
May 16th 2016The FDA has approved the combination of lenvatinib and everolimus for use in patients with renal cell carcinoma who have failed at least 1 anti-angiogenic treatment. The approval raises questions around the sequencing these agents when a patient fails on first-line care.
Significant Toxicity of Mitoxantrone in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis: Cancer
May 13th 2016Researchers in Germany have discovered that mitoxantrone-used to treat aggressive, relapsing, or progressive multiple sclerosis-can increase the risk of leukemia and colorectal cancer in those being treated.
Nivolumab Approved by EC for Melanoma, Rejected by NICE for Lung Cancer
May 12th 2016The immunotherapy agent nivolumab was approved by the European Commission in combination with ipilimumab for the treatment of advanced melanoma, but rejected by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence for use in patients with advanced lung cancer.