GI CANCERS

Findings from a phase I study investigating the use of nonengineered T-cell therapy suggest that the therapy is safe and feasible in pancreatic cancer and may offer benefit to patients. The novel therapy targets the tumor-associated antigens PRAME, SSX2, MAGEA4, NY-ESO-1, and Survivin.

The initial pilot study of CTL019 in heavily pretreated CD19-positive hematologic malignancies demonstrated the feasibility of CAR T-cell therapy in patients with CLL. A presentation at the 2019 American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy Annual Meeting reported 2 cases of chemotherapy-resistant CLL, with ongoing follow- up at 8 years showing persistence of CAR-engineered T cells and sustained remission, as determined by flow cytometry and deep sequencing of immunoglobulin H rearrangements. 

In an interview with <em>Targeted Oncology</em>, Chong, a fellow at the University of Pennsylvania, discussed the 4-year follow-up data for CAR T cells in patients with DLBCL and FL. She also addressed the challenges that need to be overcome in order to give more patients access to this type of therapy.

Pashtoon M. Kasi, MBBS, MD, MS, clinical assistant professor of internal medicine, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, discusses how serial testing via liquid biopsies in patients with gastrointestinal cancers can provide oncologists with a better picture of the patient&rsquo;s condition and potential acquired mechanisms of resistance.

In the phase I/II TRANSCEND CLL 004 study, chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy lisocabtagene maraleucel led to undetectable minimal residual disease in patients with relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Olaparib improved progression-free survival compared to placebo in patients with&nbsp;<em>BRCA</em>-mutant metastatic pancreatic cancer, based on data from the phase III POLO trial presented at the 2019 ASCO Annual Meeting.

Take a look back on the FDA happenings, including approvals, fast track designations, priority reviews, and more from the month of July 2019.

Kieron Dunleavy, MD, discussed current approaches to treating patients with MCL, highlighting peer discussions on the subject and information about the ZUMA-2 trial, in an interview with&nbsp;<em>Targeted Oncology</em>.

The FDA has approved pembrolizumab monotherapy as a treatment for patients with recurrent, locally advanced, or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma whose tumors express PD-L1, as determined by an FDA-approved test, and who have disease progression after &ge;1 prior systemic regimen.&nbsp;

The approval of TAS-102 has been backed by the&nbsp;European Medicines Agency&#39;s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use for the treatment of&nbsp;adult patients with metastatic gastric cancer, including adenocarcinoma of the gastroesophageal junction, in those previously treated with at least 2 prior systemic therapy regimens for advanced disease.

Laura Dawson, MD, FRCPC, FASTRO, has been selected as the president-elect of the American Society for Radiation Oncology and will begin her term at the society&rsquo;s 61st Annual Meeting, which is being held in Chicago, Illinois on September 15-18.

The FDA has granted an orphan drug designation to MB-102, a CD123-directed CAR T-cell therapy, for the treatment of patients with acute myeloid leukemia.

Pancreatic cancer with&nbsp;<em>BRCA1</em>and&nbsp;<em>BRCA2&nbsp;</em>mutations has shown positive responses to the PARP inhibitor olaparib in preliminary trials.&nbsp;