Hematology

Targeted combination therapy found to improve overall survival with rapid and durable treatment responses in patients with acute myeloid leukemia.

CAR T-cell therapy involves collecting a patient’s blood, extracting the T cells within the blood, and returning the remaining blood back into the body, a process called leukapheresis.

The FDA has issued an emergency use authorization for the use of convalescent plasma in the treatment of COVID-19.

The FDA has approved an expansion of the prescribing information for carfilzomib to include its use with daratumumab and dexamethasone for the treatment of relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma.

Belantamab mafodotin-blmf is the first anti-BCMA therapy approved by the FDA for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who received at least 4 prior therapies.

As the most accessible member of the health care team, the pharmacist can provide patients with cancer with the information and support necessary to get through what might be the most challenging time of their lives.

“These new therapies allow for treatment without some of the traditional chemotherapy agents.”

The investigators found that patients with preexisting neutropenia could be managed on venetoclax, although use of G-CSF would likely also be required in conjunction with the treatment.

Brexucabtagene autoleucel (Tecartus, Kite Pharma) is indicated for adult patients diagnosed with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) who have not responded to or who have relapsed following other kinds of treatment.

The review also summarized proposed mechanisms behind these wide-ranging systemic effects and provided clinical guidance for physicians, according to a press release.

The test is intended to determine whether someone is currently infected with COVID-19 and if they have been infected in the past.

Caroline Bernal-Silva, a patient spokesperson for the National Blood Clot Alliance, discusses a recent survey regarding patients’ fears of a life-threatening bleeding event while taking anticoagulant medications.

According to new research published in Clinical and Translational Immunology, a new cancer vaccine is ready for human trials following its success in preclinical studies.

The von Willebrand factor may be the reason why coronavirus disease 2019 presents itself so differently in each person.

COVID-19 increases the risk of blood clotting due to increased activity in blood clotting cells.

At just 1.2%, chronic lymphocytic leukemia represents a small percentage of all new cancer cases but is the most common leukemia in Western countries.

Many companies are working with health systems to transition patients from the hospital to in-home care as quickly as possible.

According to the survey results, not only do a majority of the 500 respondents experience fear of bleeding events, but many of them also avoid or modify activities in order to mitigate their risk.

The FDA has approved tazemetostat for the treatment of 2 different follicular lymphoma (FL) indications.

Mitapivat is an investigational, oral, small molecule allosteric activator of wild-type and a variety of mutated PKR enzymes that is not yet approved by the FDA.

IVLBCL is a rare subtype of lymphoma that is particularly hard to diagnose due to a lack of swelling or enlargement of the lymph nodes.

At the 2020 American Society of Clinical Oncology Virtual Scientific Program, researchers presented a recent study that is the largest to date analyzing CLL treatment patterns among VHA patients between 2013 and 2018.

The new formulation of twice-a-day deferiprone 1000 mg oral tablets eliminates the mid-day dose, and provides patients with the ability to reduce serum ferritin levels, and cardiac and liver iron.

The placement of clinical pharmacists at the nexus of functional pharmacogenomics and in specialty pharmacy care makes good sense.

Options include Adakveo, Endari (L-glutamine oral powder), hydroxyurea (Droxia, Hydrea, Siklos), Oxbryta (voxelotor), as well as OTC medications, such as aspirin and ibuprofen.