Ulka Vaishampayan, MD

Ulka aishampayan, MD, professor of oncology at Wayne State University, and chief of the Solid Tumor Program at Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, discusses the excitement surrounding PSMA radioligand therapy in the prostate cancer space.

This is a promising advance that is eagerly awaited for the treatment of patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, Vaishampayan says. The FDA’s recent approval of Gallium 68 PSMA-11 (Ga 68 PSMA-11), marking the first ever drug for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of PSMA positive lesions in men with prostate cancer, allows for the detection of early evidence of metastasis, and this can also help physicians make better treatment decisions for patients.

In regard to the PSMA radioligand therapy, preliminary data in both Australia and Germany have established the safety and efficacy of this treatment. Overall, Vaishampayan says this is an intriguing and exciting opportunity, and the PSMA radioligand therapy will move the field forward. She also notes that this therapeutic approach appears to be easier to tolerate than chemotherapy and will allow for 1 more option that is relatively tolerable for patients with prostate cancer.

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Ulka Vaishampayan, MD, discusses the excitement surrounding PSMA radioligand therapy in the prostate cancer space.

PSMA Radioligand Therapy Generates Excitement in Prostate Cancer Treatment Paradigm

Ulka Vaishampayan, MD, professor of oncology at Wayne State University, and chief of the Solid Tumor Program at Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, discusses the findings from the phase 3 CheckMate-9ER study, which demonstrated promising response and survival outcomes with the combination of cabozantinib (Cabometyx) plus nivolumab (Opdivo) as treatment of patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) compared with sunitinib (Sutent).

Overall, the frontline treatment of cabozantinib plus nivolumab improved efficacy compared with sunitinib in patients with newly diagnosed mRCC, Vaishampayan says. The response rate in this study was doubled, and the progression-free survival (PFS) was statistically and significantly improved with the combination over sunitinib. The median PFS with the combination was 16.6 months compared with 8.3 months in the control arm (HR, 0.51; 

The overall response rate with the combination 55.7% versus 27.1% with sunitinib, and completes responses were observed in 8.0%, partial responses in 47.7%, and stable disease in 32.2% of patients in the combination arm of the study. The safety profile for the combination of nivolumab and cabozantinib appears manageable as treatment of patients with mRCC.

Ulka Vaishampayan, MD, discusses the findings from the phase 3 CheckMate-9ER study, which demonstrated promising response and survival outcomes with the combination of cabozantinib plus nivolumab as treatment of patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma compared with sunitinib.

Cabozantinib Plus Nivolumab Improves Efficacy Over Sunitinib in mRCC

Ulka Vaishampayan, MD, professor of oncology at Wayne State University, and chief of the Solid Tumor Program at Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, discusses the VEGF tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) tivozanib (Fotivda) as treatment of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC), based on supportive data in the TIVO-3 clinical trial.

While this agent is not currently approved in the United States by the FDA, it is approved in Europe where it is used as a single-agent VEGF TKI as treatment of patients with advanced RCC. Based on the results from TIVO-3, however, tivozanib could be a reasonable option for patients with advanced RCC following treatment with both a VEGF TKI and an immune-based regimen.

The TIVO-3 study demonstrated that tivozanib prolonged progression-free survival in this particular patient population, and the agent was also relatively well tolerated, Vaishampayan says. In conclusion, this agent may give patients additional efficacy benefit in the pretreated setting.

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Ulka Vaishampayan, MD, discusses the use of tivozanib as treatment of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma, based on supportive data in the TIVO-3 clinical trial.

Ulka Vaishampayan, MD | Authors

Articles

PSMA Radioligand Therapy Generates Excitement in Prostate Cancer Treatment Paradigm

Cabozantinib Plus Nivolumab Improves Efficacy Over Sunitinib in mRCC

Data Support Use of Tivozanib in Patients With Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma