GYNECOLOGIC CANCERS

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.

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.

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.

General Cancer

The FDA approved several indications in the month of June, including venetoclax (Venclexta) in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and small lymphocytic leukemia (SLL), the combination of binimetinib (Mektovi) plus encorafenib (Braftovi) in melanoma, and bevacizumab (Avastin) in ovarian cancer. The FDA also accelerated approvals for pembrolizumab (Keytruda) in cervical cancer and in primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma, while also granting a priority review to glasdegib for acute myeloid leukemia.

In findings from the&nbsp;randomized phase III SOLO-1 trial, olaparib (Lynparza) tablets&nbsp;reduced the risk of disease progression or death compared with placebo as frontline maintenance therapy for women with <em>BRCA</em>-positive advanced ovarian cancer.