CHICAGO—Several studies addressed key questions in the treatment of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). One evaluated a shorter, more intense rituximab-based regimen, and another evaluated the benefit of autologous stem-cell transplantation (ASCT) in high-risk patients. The 21-day regimen of rituximab plus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone (R-CHOP) is still the standard of care for this paient population.
CHICAGO—The cancer drug pipeline is bursting with promising new therapies for a variety of tumors. Of the many investigational drugs presented, this article highlights some of the most promising agents now in phase 2 or 3 clinical trials.
Cabozantinib
This oral inhibitor of MET kinase and the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor produced high rates of disease control in several solid tumor types, and fully or partially eliminated bone metastases in a randomized phase 2 study.
CHICAGO—A new regimen of busulfan and melphalan extended eventfree survival over a regimen of carboplatin, etoposide, and melphalan (CEM) in a phase 3 clinical trial of patients with high-risk pediatric neuroblastoma.
The trial was terminated early after the superiority of the busulfan/melphalan myeloablative regimen became evident, said lead investigator Ruth Ladenstein, MD, associate professor of pediatrics, University of Vienna, and St. Anna Children’s Cancer Research Institute, Vienna.
The Oncology Nurse-APN/PA recently asked its online reading community to share their inspiration for entering the oncology field. The response was overwhelming. It is abundantly clear that those involved in the field are passionate, caring, and extremely optimistic. Repeatedly responses highlighted a single person who inspired a career choice and a desire to help those living with cancer. On behalf of all of us at The Oncology Nurse-APN/PA, thank you for all you do to help your patients. Below, we share with you excerpts from several of the responses.
When I first met Dr Lange and Josh at one of the exhibit booths during an American Academy of Pediatrics meeting in 2008, it was “love at first sight.” From the moment I became familiar with Josh and Friends, I knew that Josh had the capacity to be an incredible tool for healing through the power of mind–body medicine. My challenge was to figure out how to implement a program at Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital (LLUCH) where Josh could be used appropriately to help comfort and heal our pediatric patients.
Conventional lung cancer treatment protocols often call for radiation therapy to be administered after chemotherapy for patients with locally advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, a new treatment standard may be on the horizon.
Women with the BRCA gene mutation are diagnosed with breast cancer approximately 8 years earlier than relatives of the previous generation who also had breast and/or ovarian cancer, according to new research from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
The findings, published online in Cancer, could have an effect on how women with the highest breast cancer risk are counseled and even screened in the future, explained Jennifer Litton, MD, assistant professor in MD Anderson’s Department of Breast Medical Oncology.
The largest population of cancer survivors in the United States are those who have defeated breast cancer. Often times survivors attempt to return to the workplace after treatment, but symptoms and long-term side effects can influence their ability to work. However, a recent development can help address these issues.
Dual backup circuits in cancer cells that allow the cells to evade the effects of a common cancer drug have been discovered by scientists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and colleagues in Japan. Using targeted therapies to disconnect those circuits may improve or re-establish the cancer drug’s effectiveness, according to a study published in the September 7 issue of Science Translational Medicine.
To sign up for our newsletter or print publications, please enter your contact information below.
