GYNECOLOGIC CANCERS

Matthew Powell, MD, discusses the promise of immunotherapy in ovarian cancer, despite its challenges.

David O’Malley, MD, lead investigator of the FORWARD II trial, discusses the emerging combination of mirvetuximab soravtansine plus bevacizumab and the evolving treatment landscape in ovarian cancer.

Ophira Ginsburg, MD, discusses cervical cancer prevention, screening, and elimination on a global scale.

Laura Michaelis, MD, associate professor of medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, discusses thrombotic risk for patients with essential thrombocythemia and polycythemia vera.

Vicky Makker, MD, a medical oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses 2 agents, lenvatinib and pembrolizumab, in patients with endometrial cancers.

Adding the combination of venetoclax (Venclexta) and navitoclax (ABT-263) to chemotherapy induced an objective response rate of 66.7% in adults with relapsed/refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia or lymphoblastic lymphoma, according to results from a small phase I study presented at the 2018 SOHO Annual Meeting.

In a presentation during the 2018 SOHO Annual Meeting, Terry J. Fry, MD, discussed some of the data that have been seen so far with CD19- and CD22-direct CAR T cells, and addressed resistance to these products.  

The adoption of intensive pediatric treatment regimens has resulted in improved survival for adolescents and young adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia over the past decade, said Wendy Stock, MD, at the 2018 SOHO Annual Meeting.

A supplemental biologics license application for dasatinib (Sprycel) for use in combination with chemotherapy for the treatment of pediatric patients with newly diagnosed Philadelphia chromosome–positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia has been accepted by the FDA.

Blinatumomab (Blincyto) has been approved by the European Commission for the treatment of pediatric patients with Philadelphia chromosome–negative, CD19-positive B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia that is refractory or in relapse after receiving at least 2 prior therapies or in relapse after receiving prior allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

New guidelines issued by the US Preventive Services Task Force recommend that women aged 30 to 65 years who are at average risk for cervical cancer can choose to receive a Pap smear alone every 3 years or screening with the high-risk human papillomavirus test alone or cotesting every 5 years.

Tisagenlecleucel has gained approval from the European Commission as a treatment for adult patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma that is relapsed or refractory after 2 or more lines of systemic therapy, or patients up to 25 years of age with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia that is refractory, in relapse posttransplant, or in second or later relapse.

David O’Malley, MD, a professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, discusses the results seen so far with the combination of bevacizumab plus mirvetuximab soravtansine, an antibody-drug conjugate, in patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer.

Ursula A. Matulonis, MD, lead author of the phase II QUADRA trial, discusses the activity and tolerability of niraparib in patients with heavily pretreated homologous recombinant deficiency-positive ovarian cancer, and other recent data in ovarian cancer.

Mesothelin-targeted chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy has shown early evidence of efficacy in a phase I trial of patients with malignant pleural disease and mesothelioma, non–small cell lung cancer, or breast cancer. Additionally, significant responses were seen in patients who went on to receive subsequent PD-1 checkpoint inhibition treatment.

The combination of apatinib and oral etoposide showed promising efficacy and a manageable safety profile in patients with platinum-resistant or platinum-refractory ovarian cancer, according to findings from the phase II AEROC trial recently published in <em>The Lancet Oncology</em>.

The first patient has been enrolled in the phase III ATHENA trial looking at rucaparib (Rubraca) in combination with nivolumab (Opdivo) in patients with newly diagnosed advanced ovarian cancer, according to Clovis Oncology, the company developing rucaparib.

The combination of&nbsp;lenvatinib (Lenvima) and pembrolizumab (Keytruda) has been granted a breakthrough therapy designation by the FDA as a treatment for patients with advanced and/or metastatic non&ndash;microsatellite instability high/proficient mismatch repair endometrial carcinoma who have progressed after &ge;1 prior systemic therapy.&nbsp;This designation will allow for the expedited development and review of the combination in this setting.

Maurie Markman, MD, President of Medicine and Science at the Cancer Treatment Centers of America, discusses where he sees the field of ovarian cancer and other gynecologic cancers headed in the future, based on the research shared at the 2018 ASCO Annual Meeting.

Ovarian cancer expert Kelly McCann, MD, PhD,&nbsp;discusses the process of DNA damage and repair, resistance to PARP&nbsp;inhibitors, and rational combination strategies to overcome resistance.

In an interview with&nbsp;<em>Targeted Oncology</em>, Panagiotis A.&nbsp; Konstantinopoulos, MD, director of Translational Research, Gynecologic Oncology Program at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, discussed the findings from the TOPACIO trial for patients with platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer. He also highlights the outlook for immunotherapy in gynecologic cancers and what the next steps are moving forward.

Shannon Westin, MD, MPH, recently explained the treatment considerations and decisions she makes when treating patients with ovarian cancer. Westin explained her treatment decisions based on 2 case scenarios during a <em>Targeted Oncology</em> live case-based peer perspectives presentation.