GYNECOLOGIC CANCERS

The first patient has been enrolled in the phase III ATHENA trial looking at rucaparib (Rubraca) in combination with nivolumab (Opdivo) in patients with newly diagnosed advanced ovarian cancer, according to Clovis Oncology, the company developing rucaparib.

The combination of lenvatinib (Lenvima) and pembrolizumab (Keytruda) has been granted a breakthrough therapy designation by the FDA as a treatment for patients with advanced and/or metastatic non–microsatellite instability high/proficient mismatch repair endometrial carcinoma who have progressed after ≥1 prior systemic therapy. This designation will allow for the expedited development and review of the combination in this setting.

Ovarian cancer expert Kelly McCann, MD, PhD, discusses the process of DNA damage and repair, resistance to PARP inhibitors, and rational combination strategies to overcome resistance.

In an interview with&nbsp;<em>Targeted Oncology</em>, Panagiotis A.&nbsp; Konstantinopoulos, MD, director of Translational Research, Gynecologic Oncology Program at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, discussed the findings from the TOPACIO trial for patients with platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer. He also highlights the outlook for immunotherapy in gynecologic cancers and what the next steps are moving forward.

Shannon Westin, MD, MPH, recently explained the treatment considerations and decisions she makes when treating patients with ovarian cancer. Westin explained her treatment decisions based on 2 case scenarios during a <em>Targeted Oncology</em> live case-based peer perspectives presentation.

General Cancer

The FDA approved several indications in the month of June, including venetoclax (Venclexta) in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and small lymphocytic leukemia (SLL), the combination of binimetinib (Mektovi) plus encorafenib (Braftovi) in melanoma, and bevacizumab (Avastin) in ovarian cancer. The FDA also accelerated approvals for pembrolizumab (Keytruda) in cervical cancer and in primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma, while also granting a priority review to glasdegib for acute myeloid leukemia.

In findings from the&nbsp;randomized phase III SOLO-1 trial, olaparib (Lynparza) tablets&nbsp;reduced the risk of disease progression or death compared with placebo as frontline maintenance therapy for women with <em>BRCA</em>-positive advanced ovarian cancer.

Based on survival data from the phase III TOWER study, blinatumomab has been granted full marketing authorization by the&nbsp;European Commission for&nbsp;the treatment of adult patients with Philadelphia&nbsp;chromosome-negative relapsed/refractory B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia,&nbsp;according to Amgen, the developer of the anti-CD19 immunotherapy.

Christa Dominick, MD, a gynecologic oncology fellow at University Hospitals, discusses the rationale behind this trial and the results. She also highlights her plans moving forward with other trials involving the cowpea mosaic virus in ovarian cancer.<br /> &nbsp;

Mario M. Leitao, Jr, MD, FACOG, FACS, program director of Gynecologic Oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, highlights some of the phase I and II clinical trials in ovarian cancer currently enrolling at his institution. He also discusses the rationale behind a new trial that is expected to open soon.

Based on results from the phase III GOG-0218 trial, bevacizumab (Avastin) has been approved by the FDA&nbsp;for use in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel, followed by&nbsp;bevacizumab monotherapy, for the treatment of women with advanced ovarian cancer following initial surgical resection.