HEMATOLOGY

In this review, our authors discuss the mechanism of action and clinical development of various checkpoint inhibitors in lymphoma.

Leonard Saltz, MD, discusses VEGF inhibitors, their history and why oncologists might be overestimating the treatment.

David Steensma, MD, discusses how midostaurin could affect the treatment paradigm for acute leukemia. He says that while midostaurin is not currently approved by the FDA, studies show its potential usefulness when added to conventional induction platforms.

Ibrutinib (Imbruvica) saw over 80% response in patients with treatment-refractory Waldenstrom

Two CD19-targeted chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-modified T-cell therapies showed complete response (CR) rates from 90% to 100% in patients with high-risk acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), according to data from two studies presented during the 2015 ASH Annual Meeting.

Updated data shows chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-modified T-cell therapies continue to remain effective for patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), according to findings presented at the 2015 ASH Annual Meeting.

Novel BCL-2 inhibitor venetoclax showed a near 80% overall response rate (ORR) in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia harboring a chromosome 17p deletion.

Srdan Verstovsek, MD, PhD, discusses the JAK2 inhibitor, as well as upcoming treatments like momelotinib and pacritinib, for the treatment of patients with myelofibrosis.

Ibrutinib reduced risk of death by 84% against chlorambucil in treatment-naive elderly patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, or small lymphocytic lymphoma.

Over one-third of patients with severe aplastic anemia has hematologic responses lasting at least 6 months when the oral thrombopoietin inhibitor eltrombopag was added to conventional immunosuppressive therapy, according to data from a prospective single-center phase II trial presented at the 57th ASH meeting.

Data from a phase III trial shows adding idelalisib to bendamustine and rituximab (BR) dropped the risk of progression and/or death by 67% when compared to BR alone in patients with relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

The multikinase inhibitor midostaurin (PKC412) has been shown to nearly triple the median overall survival (OS) rates of patients with FLT3-mutated acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in comparison to a placebo, according to the results of the prospective phase III trial CALGB 10603.

Farrukh T. Awan, MBBS, discusses a phase II trial examining the clinical activity of entospletinib in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia who were previously treated with a B-cell receptor pathway signaling inhibitor.

Stephen Nimer, MD, leukemia and lymphoma treatment specialist, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, discusses results of a study which examined Musashi2 as a requirement for maintaining activated myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) cells.

Leonard says some of the more interesting studies to crop up in the field of Hodgkin's lymphoma include ones that utilize checkpoint inhibitors, as well as one of the first combination immunotherapies to be used in the disease

In the last 5 years, the treatment paradigm for patients with hematologic malignancies has seen vast changes. These alterations continue their progress in the field with groundbreaking data and new ideas presented at the 2015 American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting from December 5 through 8.

Michael Mauro, MD, discusses the side effects of tyrosine kinase inhibitors in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia.

Elotuzumab (Empliciti) has been approved by the FDA for use in combination with lenalidomide (Revlimid) and dexamethasone in patients with multiple myeloma after the failure of at least 1 prior therapy.

Where once limited treatment options existed for patients with CLL, medical oncologists now have a plethora of agents from which to choose, making disease management in CLL more effective with fewer toxicities.

Andre Goy, MD, MS, chief, John Theurer Cancer Center's Division of Lymphoma, talks about the emerging novel therapies in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL).

The FDA has given accelerated approval to the CD38-targeted monoclonal antibody daratumumab as a monotherapy for patients with multiple myeloma following at least 3 prior therapies a full four months ahead of schedule.

A supplemental new drug application has been submitted to the FDA for ibrutinib in conjunction with bendamustine and rituximab. The combination would treat patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia or small lymphocytic lymphoma.

Monoclonal antibodies, specifically the CD3 and CD19 bispecific agent blinatumomab (Blincyto) and the CD22-targeted antibody-drug conjugate inotuzumab ozogamicin, are set to overhaul the treatment of adults with relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Achieving optimal results with novel antibodies like elotuzumab (Empliciti) and daratumumab in multiple myeloma treatment will involve combination regimens with established agents, according to Sagar Lonial, MD.

The news of a shifting landscape for the diagnosis and treatment of polycythemia vera (PV) is a good thing for patients and practitioners. The altered playing field means refined criteria for diagnosing symptomatic patients, identifying those at highest risk, and an impressive arsenal for treating a disease which carries such heavy symptom burdens.