GYNECOLOGIC CANCERS

Dmitriy Zamarin, MD, PhD, discusses the potential for immunotherapy in the treatment of ovarian cancer.

There is genuine excitement within the gynecologic cancer clinical and research communities for the potential role of PARP inhibitors in the management of ovarian cancer.

Michael J. Birrer, MD, PhD, discusses the introduction of poly ADP-ribose polymerase inhibitors to the ovarian cancer treatment landscape.

Investigators recently evaluated the genetic profiles of 160 breast and ovarian cancers associated with germline mutations in <em>BRCA1 </em>and <em>BRCA2 </em>and<em>&nbsp;</em>determined that there is a relationship between the genetics of <em>BRCA</em>1/2 mutations and the risk of resistance to platinum-based chemotherapy.

Efforts to improve outcomes in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia should follow leads provided by next-generation sequencing and appropriate use of minimal residual disease criteria, a pediatric hematologist said at the 2017 Society of Hematology Oncology Annual Meeting in Houston.

Today, ABP-215, a biosimilar for bevacizumab developed by Amgen and Allergan, received FDA approval for the treatment of several different cancer types, making it the first biosimilar approved for the treatment of cancer.

The PARP inhibitor Rucaparib (Rubraca) improved median progression-free survival by 11.2 months compared with placebo as a maintenance treatment for patients with <em>BRCA</em>-mutant platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer, according to findings from the phase III ARIEL3 trial presented at the 2017 ESMO Congress.&nbsp;

Jonathan Ledermann, MD, professor of medical oncology in the University College London Cancer Institute and director of Cancer Research UK and UCL Cancer Trials Centre, discusses the toxicities associated with rucaparib (Rubraca) for the treatment of ovarian cancer.

A look back at all the FDA news that occurred in the month of August.

A historic approval of the first chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has been issued by the FDA, authorizing the use of tisagenlecleucel (Kymriah) for the treatment of patients up to 25 years of age with B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia that is refractory or in second or later relapse.

Jane McElroy, PhD, discusses the association between higher cadmium levels and an increased risk of endometrial cancer.

Overall survival was improved for women with cervical cancer by adding bevacizumab (Avastin) to chemotherapy, according to final results from the phase III GOG 240 trial published online in <em>The Lancet</em>.

The FDA has granted its approval to olaparib tablets (Lynparza) as a maintenance therapy for patients with recurrent epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer, who are in a complete or partial response to platinum-based chemotherapy, regardless of <em>BRCA</em> status.

Inotuzumab ozogamicin (Besponsa) has received FDA approval for the treatment of adults with relapsed or refractory B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), based on findings from the phase III INO-VATE trial.

Kathleen N. Moore, MD, assistant professor in the section of gynecologic oncology and director of the Oklahoma TSET Phase I Clinical Trials Program at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, discusses challenges with PARP inhibitors in ovarian cancer.

The risk of progression or death was reduced by 70% with maintenance olaparib (Lynparza) compared with placebo for patients with platinum-sensitive, relapsed, <em>BRCA</em>-mutant ovarian cancer.

Development of chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapies is in the works for both hematologic malignancies and solid tumors, but the most promising results to date have been seen with CD19-targeted CAR T cells in the treatment of B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Julia A. Elvin, MD, PhD, discusses her genomic research in ovarian cancer and how it could potentially impact treatment decisions for patients.

Douglas Levine, MD,&nbsp;provides his insight on some of the recent data with PARP inhibitors in ovarian cancer, as well as his predictions for the field in the next several years.<br /> &nbsp;

Ursula A. Matulonis, MD, professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, medical director of Gynecologic Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, discusses the toxicities that are associated with PARP inhibitors in ovarian cancer.

Rebecca C. Arend, MD, discusses some of the key abstracts presented during ASCO, as we as other key developments in endometrial cancer.

Women with node-positive stage IB-IIB cervical cancer who received systemic chemotherapy post-surgery were at a reduced risk of distant recurrence, according to results from a retrospective study of Japanese women published in the <em>International Journal of Cancer</em>.

Nivolumab (Opdivo) demonstrated clinical activity in women with recurrent/metastatic cervical cancer, and was active to a lesser extent in vaginal and vulvar cancers, according to&nbsp;phase I/II results from CheckMate-358.

In a 17-0 vote, the FDA&rsquo;s Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee&nbsp;unanimously recommended the approval of ABP-215, a biosimilar for bevacizumab.

Rucaparib improved progression-free survival versus placebo as a maintenance treatment for women with&nbsp;platinum-sensitive, high-grade ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer,&nbsp;according to results from the phase III ARIEL3 trial.