Doublet Shows Activity in Rare, Aggressive Kidney Cancer
There is currently no effective therapy for patients with advanced HLRCC-associated papillary renal cell carcinoma. Treatment with bevacizumab and erlotinib resulted in a confirmed response of 72% in patients with hereditary papillary renal cell carcinoma. The combination was approximately half as effective in patients with sporadic papillary renal cell carcinoma. Bevacizumab (Avastin) combined with erlotinib […]
Vismodegib-RT Regimen Achieves High Rate of Disease Control in Head and Neck BCC
More than 90% of patients with locally advanced basal cell carcinoma (BCC) of the head and neck achieved locoregional control (LRC) with vismodegib (Erivedge) and radiation therapy (RT), a small clinical trial showed. LRC at 1 year was 91% after vismodegib induction therapy followed by concurrent vismodegib and RT. The overall response rate was 63% […]
Advanced Practice Providers Push to Unionize in Oregon
It’s not just physicians who are moving to unionize: More than 600 advanced practice providers (APPs) at the Oregon Health & Science University Hospital (OHSU) system have announced their intent to join a union. Members of the group include nurse practitioners (NPs), certified nurse midwives, and physician assistants (PAs), according to the Oregon Nurses Association […]
Clinical Challenges: Beyond CDK4/6 Inhibition in Advanced HR-Positive Breast Cancer
The emergence of CDK4/6 inhibitors has reshaped the therapeutic landscape for advanced hormone receptor (HR)-positive breast cancer, extending progression-free survival (PFS) and in some cases overall survival (OS) when combined with first-line endocrine therapy. Unfortunately, most patients eventually progress, and the next step after CDK4/6 inhibition is perhaps “the hottest topic that all of us […]
FDA Approves New First-Line Standard of Care in Bladder Cancer
Patients with locally advanced or metastatic bladder cancer have a permanent new first-line standard of care after the FDA granted full approval to the combination of enfortumab vedotin (Padcev) and pembrolizumab (Keytruda) regardless of cisplatin eligibility. The action finalized the approval process for the combination, which received accelerated approval earlier this year, at the time […]
Novel Therapies Show Early Promise in Advanced Gastroesophageal Cancers
Results of two early-phase trials offered a glimpse of promising new agents in the pipeline for advanced gastroesophageal cancer. In a phase II study, incorporating an investigational PD-1 inhibitor and anti-T-cell immunoglobulin and ITM domain (TIGIT) monoclonal antibody into standard first-line chemotherapy showed promising activity in advanced gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma, reported Yelena Janjigian, MD, from Memorial […]
Randomized Trial Backs HIF-2a Inhibition in Advanced RCC
MADRID — Treatment with the hypoxia-inducible factor 2α (HIF-2α) inhibitor belzutifan (Welireg) in advanced, heavily pretreated kidney cancer led to superior outcomes when compared with an older kinase inhibitor, a phase III trial demonstrated. Final progression-free survival (PFS) analysis showed a 26% reduction in disease progression or death with belzutifan versus everolimus (Afinitor), despite an […]
Landmark Trial Produces New First-Line Standard for Advanced Bladder Cancer
MADRID — Chemotherapy’s generation-long dominance in first-line advanced urothelial cancer ended with a resounding victory for the antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) enfortumab vedotin (Padcev) plus pembrolizumab (Keytruda) in an international randomized trial. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) doubled with enfortumab-pembrolizumab (EV-P) at 12.5 and 31.5 months versus 6.3 and 16.1 months with platinum-containing chemotherapy. […]
Study Reinforces BRAF-MEK Inhibition Over Anti-BRAF Only in Advanced Melanoma
Combined BRAF-MEK inhibition for advanced BRAF-mutant melanoma led to significantly better progression-free survival (PFS) as compared with single-agent BRAF inhibition, according to a randomized trial. Patients who received encorafenib (Braftovi) plus binimetinib (Mektovi) had a median PFS of 12.9 months as compared with 9.2 and 7.4 months for two cohorts treated with encorafenib alone. The […]
FGFR Inhibitor Stakes Claim to Post-Anti-PD-1 Role in Advanced Bladder Cancer
CHICAGO — Patients with FGFR-mutated advanced urothelial cancer that progressed after anti-PD-1/L1 therapy lived significantly longer if they received the selective FGFR inhibitor erdafitinib (Balversa) instead of chemotherapy, a randomized trial showed. Median overall survival (OS) increased from 7.8 months with physician’s choice of chemotherapy to 12.1 months with the targeted agent. Progression-free survival (PFS) […]