Oncology

As the use of sequencing, proteomics, and immunopeptidomics increases, more targets will also be discovered, as well as more biomarkers that predict responses to treatments.

Gabriel N. Hortobagyi, MD, MACP, FASCO, a professor at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discussed the final data on invasive disease-free survival from the NATALEE trial of ribociclib in combination with a nonsteroid aromatase inhibitor (NSAI).

ASH is happening December 9 through 12 in San Diego, California.

The study authors note that stress conditions result in an increased activity of the protein HDAC8, which promotes melanoma cell survival.

Mara Hofherr, PharmD, a clinical oncology pharmacist at Washington University, highlights key findings of the KEYNOTE-522 trial in comparison of outcomes between Black and White patients with triple-negative breast cancer.

Improvements in PFS were also seen among patients with brain metastases.

pCR rates were improved with the addition of pembrolizumab regardless of whether patients received the full chemotherapy doses.

MONARCH 3 final OS data show that the combination of abemaciclib and a NSAI in the first-line resulted in numerically longer OS compared to an NSAI alone.

Individuals with HR+ breast cancer could pause endocrine therapy for up to 2 years to become pregnant, without increasing the risk of recurrence.

Patients with an estrogen receptor measure greater than 8% and those with little to no TIL expression showed no benefit with the addition of nivolumab.

The investigational combination also delayed the median time to first chemotherapy in all age groups.

During clinical trials, individuals treated with iptacopan had increased hemoglobin levels and did not need to receive blood transfusions.

Patients with breast cancer who underwent chemotherapy and skipped RNI did not face an increased risk of disease recurrence or death 5 years post-surgery.

Although PFS was improved in patients with unresectable locally advanced or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer, OS data were immature, requiring further research.

Mridula George discusses the role of personalized circulating tumor DNA monitoring in predicting the response to neoadjuvant therapy for early-stage breast cancer.

Patients enrolled in the study had substantial absolute risks and elevated relative risks, suggesting that AKs may be a clinical marker of UV exposure and increased skin cancer risk.

Trastuzumab deruxtecan and elacestrant both represent important new treatment options for subgroups of patients with breast cancer.

In the first-line setting, inavolisib plus palbociclib and fulvestrant improved PFS in patients with HR-positive breast cancers; however, further research is needed to understand the trends in OS.

Currently, there is no established standard of care treatment approach of HGBL, with frontline interventions consisting of chemo-immunotherapies.

Pharmacy Times will be covering the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS), happening December 5 through 9 in Texas.

Pirtobrutinib is the first and only non-covalent BTK inhibitor to be approved by the FDA and is indicated for adult patients who already received at least 2 prior lines of therapy.

If approved, this combination will become a first-line treatment option for patients who are cisplatin eligible.

Exclusions of medication are often focused on high-cost specialty formularies, resulting in fewer options for patients who need them.

Marlo Blazer, PharmD, BCOP, discusses the collaborative nature of the pharmacist's role within the oncology care team.

Further research is necessary to better understand the development and factors that contribute to CBC after PBC treatment.

This is KRP203’s second Orphan Drug Designation and it is the only S1P receptor modulator being developed as an adjunctive and maintenance treatment for blood cancers.

The study authors are encouraged by the findings, noting that LIMS with algorithmic-based classification can aid in early and accurate diagnosis of skin cancer, improving patient prognosis.

In addition to predicting breast cancer outcomes, the AI tool can help determine effective treatment options in patients, sparing them from unnecessary treatments.

Belantamab mafodotin (Blenrep; GlaxoSmithKline) demonstrated that, when combined with bortezomib and dexamethasone (BorDex), the time to disease progression or death was extended.

Kirollos Hanna, PharmD, BCPS, BCOP, FACC, discusses the multifaceted involvement of oncology pharmacists in various aspects of patient care.