Oncology

Targeting BRD4 with BET inhibitors shows promise in reversing immune suppression by myeloid-derived suppressor cells in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Trastuzumab deruxtecan shows promising efficacy in treating HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer with brain metastases, offering hope for challenging cases.

Sundar Jagannath, MD, MBBS, explains how linvoseltamab showed strong efficacy and tolerability in the LINKER-MM1 trial, making it an appealing option for older patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (MM).

Immense burden is laid upon patients with cancer who are infected with COVID-19, as they are at higher risk of experiencing cancer treatment disruptions and severe illness that necessitates hospitalization.

Eugene Przespolewski, PharmD, BCOP, DPLA, shares insights from his presentation at the 2025 OPC meeting in Austin, Texas.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming oncology by enhancing clinical trial design, streamlining patient recruitment, improving precision medicine, and optimizing pharmacy operations, while raising important challenges around data ethics, bias, and integration into clinical workflows.

Carrie Harney, JD, of US Pharmacopeia (USP) discusses how proposed tariffs could impact generic drug supply chains, sterile injectable shortages, and pharmacy operations, underscoring the need for policy incentives and manufacturing diversification.

Sundar Jagannath, MD, discusses how prophylactic tocilizumab reduced cytokine release syndrome incidence and severity with talquetamab in relapsed or refractory (R/R) multiple myeloma.

Debra Patt, MD, PhD, MBA; and Houston Holmes, MD, explore how the removal of risk evaluation and management strategies (REMS) for chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell (CAR T) therapies can improve health equity, expand access in community settings, and elevate the pharmacist’s role in care coordination.

With AI-enhanced pharmacogenetics, pharmacists lead the shift to truly individualized medicine.

Andrew H. Wei, PhD, discusses phase 1b findings on the safety, pharmacokinetics, and preliminary efficacy of combining the menin inhibitor bleximenib with venetoclax and azacitidine in patients with newly diagnosed or relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML) harboring NPM1 mutations or KMT2A rearrangements.

Neladalkib enters phase 3 trials, targeting advanced ALK-positive NSCLC, promising improved outcomes for TKI-naive patients with brain metastases.

Nikita Dahake, MD; Hossein Borghaei, DO, MS; and Yasmine Baca, MS, PhD candidate, MB(ASCP)CM, explore how distinct HER2-alteration subtypes in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) impact survival outcomes, co-mutation profiles, and treatment response to immunotherapy-based regimens.

Franck Morschhauser, MD, PhD, discusses the novel cereblon-dependent bifunctional degrader BMS-986458, highlighting its selective targeting of BCL6, promising early efficacy in relapsed/refractory lymphoma, favorable safety profile, and future potential in combination regimens and earlier treatment lines.

The advisory committee cited concerns around ocular toxicity and overall tolerability, raising serious questions about the drug's benefit-risk profile ahead of its scheduled Prescription Drug User Fee Act action date on July 23, 2025.

The CRL states that the STARGLO data do not provide sufficient evidence to support the second-line indication in the US patient population.

ImCheck's ICT01 gains an orphan drug designation from the FDA, offering hope for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) treatment in older patients with limited options.

The updated version 1.2026 NCCN Guidelines for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) emphasize individualized treatment strategies, TKI-specific considerations, drug interaction management, and pregnancy safety, highlighting the critical role of oncology pharmacists in optimizing therapy selection, patient counseling, and cost-effective care.

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) has released multiple myeloma guidelines version 2.2026 to include linvoseltamab as a preferred treatment for heavily pretreated patients, highlighting its intravenous formulation, dosing options, and streamlined Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy program.

NCCN updates ovarian cancer guidelines, emphasizing personalized maintenance therapy with niraparib for HR-deficient patients, enhancing oncology pharmacists' roles.

Enzalutamide combined with leuprolide significantly enhances survival in high-risk non-metastatic prostate cancer, marking a breakthrough in treatment strategies.

Research reveals HER2-negative breast cancer shows higher pCR rates than HER2-low, influencing neoadjuvant chemotherapy strategies for early-stage patients.

Research reveals that higher BMI in women with cardiovascular disease significantly increases breast cancer risk, highlighting the need for targeted prevention strategies.

An adjusted analysis of the ALPINE and ASCEND trials revealed a statistically significant progression-free survival advantage for zanubrutinib.

The data highlight novel therapies and biomarkers shaping personalized cancer care.

The data showed patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma achieved a 73% overall response rate.

The fibroblast growth factor receptor 2b (FGFR2b)-inhibiting bemarituzumab demonstrated improvements in overall survival and other key secondary end points compared with placebo in first-line gastric cancer.