HEMATOLOGY

The FDA has granted a priority review designation to daratumumab (Darzalex) in combination with lenalidomide (Revlimid) and dexamethasone or bortezomib (Velcade) and dexamethasone for patients with relapsed multiple myeloma following at least 1 prior therapy. 

Two oncologists from Emory University School of Medicine faced off to determine if molecular markers should play a role in the treatment of subgroups of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. 

Jennifer Brown, MD, PhD, discusses the status of targeted therapy agents for the treatment of patients with CLL.

Marco Davila, MD, PhD, medical oncologist, Moffitt Cancer Center, discusses the significant need for new agents to treat MDS.

According to findings from a multicenter randomized trial, chemoradiation for early-stage, low-grade follicular lymphoma led to significant improvement in progression-free survival (PFS) compared with involved-field radiotherapy alone (IFRT).

Jennifer Woyach, MD, offers her expert insight into the practical clinical use of CLL treatments.

Nitin Jain, MD, assistant professor, Department of Leukemia, Division of Cancer Medicine, MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses the checkpoint inhibitors under investigation in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

Focusing primarily on the therapeutic categories of PI3K and BTK inhibitors, O’Brien, associate director for clinical science at the Chao Comprehensive Cancer Center, acknowledged efforts to build on existing success but said the hoped-for progress and advances await definitive data.

Bruce Cheson, MD, outlines the treatment choices for each of the 3 patient categories of CLL, noting that, regardless of the treatment, “a clinical trial is always the preferred option.”

According to findings of a recent study, Induction therapy with the combination of bendamustine, gemcitabine, and vinorelbine (BeGEV) effectively induced complete remissions (CRs) for nearly three-fourths of patients with relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma prior to autologous stem-cell transplantation (ASCT)

Marco Davila, MD, PhD, medical oncologist, Moffitt Cancer Center, discusses MDS as an immunoresponsive disease and applying immunotherapies to MDS.

Based on findings from the phase III TOURMALINE-MM1 study, the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has recommended a conditional approval for ixazomib (Ninlaro) in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone as a treatment for patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least 1 prior therapy.

With a number of effective targeted therapies now available for patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms and chronic myeloid leukemia, patient selection for transplantation should rely heavily on prognostic scoring.

When it comes to managing high-risk patients with essential thrombocythemia (ET) or polycythemia vera (PV), John Mascarenhas, MD, starts with risk stratification.

Immunotherapy offers promise in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a disease type which has not seen significant progress in many years, said Naval G. Daver, MD, Assistant Professor, Department of Leukemia, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Individualized treatment for Waldenström's macroglobulinemia (WM) has become a feasible strategy with improved understanding of the disease and expanded treatment options.

As molecular and genetic studies have provided new insights into myelodysplastic and myeloproliferative neoplasms (MDS/MPN), diagnostic criteria and therapeutic strategies for the diseases continue to evolve.

Naval Daver, MD, assistant professor, Department of Leukemia, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses agents being investigated in acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

Results from the phase Ib M13-365 study showed combining the BCL-2 inhibitor venetoclax (Venclexta) with the anti-CD20 agent rituximab (Rituxan) led to objective responses in 86% of patients with relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

Lenalidomide (Revlimid) has provided evidence of potential to improve survival and reduce the leukemic progression in patients with 5q-deletion (del[5q]) myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS).

Blinatumomab (Blincyto) has received accelerated approval from the FDA for the treatment of pediatric and adolescent patients with Philadelphia chromosome-negative (Ph-) relapsed or refractory B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

The FDA has approved ofatumumab (Arzerra) in combination with fludarabine and cyclophosphamide as a treatment for patients with relapsed chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). The approval was based on an improvement in progression-free survival (PFS) in the phase III COMPLEMENT-2 study.

Two-thirds of patients with chronic myeloid leukemia who ceased to receive the TKI treatment imatinib did not relapse after six months, according to Johan Richter, MD, PhD.

Blinatumomab almost doubles the overall survival of patients with relapsed/refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia, according to Max Topp, MD.

Richard M. Stone, MD, Program Director, Adult Leukemia Program, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, discusses the CALGB 10603 trial, which explored the use of midostaurin as a treatment for patients with FLT3-mutated acute myeloid leukemia.