Author: Editor

Dr. Jim Brugarolas, Director of the UT Southwestern Kidney Cancer Program, sat down with expert urologist, Dr. Vitaly Margulis, and leading oncologist, Dr. Hans Hammers, in a roundtable discussion about the CARMENA trial, a clinical trial evaluating the role of surgery for the primary tumor in the kidney in patients with metastatic disease.

Hannah Linden, MD, University of Washington shares Estrogen Receptor Imaging | Lobular Tumors Detectable by FES PET

Eric Jonasch, MD, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center explains Axitinib Titration Post-I-O Therapy | Change Dose to Maximize Quality of Life at Annual Meeting 2018

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a highly heterogenous disease, and the specific mutations that are present in the patient play a large role in the prognosis. Here, Andrew Wei, MBBS, PhD, FRACP, FRCPA, from the Monash University, Melbourne, Australia, explains the importance minimal residual disease (MRD) monitoring in this context. Dr Wei discusses how next-generation sequencing will allow clinicians to monitor the complete molecular architecture of each AML patient, and enable precision-guided therapy to target the different varieties of malignancies. This video was recorded at the 2018 European School of Hematology (ESH) Clinical Updates on Acute Leukemias, held in Budapest,…

Speaking from the 2018 European School of Hematology (ESH) Clinical Updates on Acute Leukemias, held in Budapest, Hungary, Andrew Wei, MBBS, PhD, FRACP, FRCPA, from Monash University, Melbourne, Australia, discusses the benefits of machine learning technology, which can empirically perform thousands of experiments within seconds. Specific algorithms can be applied to discover the positive and negative gene-gene interactions that occur in patients in order to determine treatment options and prognosis.

Andrew Wei, MBBS, PhD, FRACP, FRCPA, from Monash University, Melbourne, Australia, discusses clinical trials investigating the effect of BH3 mimetic drugs, such as venetoclax, on acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Current studies are trying to improve the activity of venetoclax in combination with low-dose chemotherapy and hypomethylating agents in patients with poor risk FLT3, DNMT3A or IDH mutations to produce a longer, more sustainable remission. This interview was recorded at the 2018 European School of Hematology (ESH) Clinical Updates on Acute Leukemias, held in Budapest, Hungary.

Speaking from the 2018 European School of Hematology (ESH) Clinical Updates on Acute Leukemias, held in Budapest, Hungary, Marion Subklewe, MD, from LMU Hospital Munich, Munich, Germany, gives insight into the steps that can be taken to improve the effectiveness and safety of CAR T-cell therapy, including performing allogeneic stem cell transplants on the patient after CAR T-cell therapy to overcome hematotoxicity, and using smaller adaptor molecules, such as blinatumomab, in combination with universal CAR T-cell products to enhance overall efficacy. Dr Subklewe also expresses her excitement about the amount of CAR T-cell trials that are currently in development or…

Marion Subklewe, MD, from LMU Hospital Munich, Munich, Germany, discusses several clinical trials in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) that are currently underway, including a Phase I trial investigating MGD006 (NCT02152956), and a trial investigating the use of the anti-CD33/CD3 BiTE antibody, known as AMG 330, for the management of relapsed/refractory AML (NCT02520427). Speaking from the 2018 European School of Hematology (ESH) Clinical Updates on Acute Leukemias, held in Budapest, Hungary, Dr Subklewe also discusses an upcoming trial that is in development to investigate the effects of a follow-up molecule of AMG 330.

Paul Nghiem, MD, PhD, University of Washington, shares Collaborative Community Working to Understand MCC | Do Not Need Mutational Burden to Have Response at Annual Meeting 2018

Eric A. Klein, MD, Cleveland Clinic explains No Good Screening Tests for Several Cancers | Able to See Early Signals in Bloodstream for Cancers at Annual Meeting 2018

Saveri Bhattacharya, DO, Thomas Jefferson University, talks about Therapies for Metastatic Breast Cancer | Clinical Trial Development is Key to Advancing Field at Annual Meeting 2018

Paul Nghiem, MD, PhD, University of Washington, shares Cannot Predict Who Responds to Immunotherapies | Response is 60% or More If therapy is Given First Line at Annual Meeting 2018

Eric A. Klein, MD, Cleveland Clinic, explains Tumor Cells Shed DNA & RNA | Technology Is Powerful Enough to Find those Signals at Annual Meeting 2018

Saveri Bhattacharya, DO, Thomas Jefferson University, talks about Triple Negative Breast Cancer Immunotherapies | Pemborlizumab works in NeoAdjuvant Setting at Annual Meeting 2018

Eric A. Klein, MD, Cleveland Clinic, Preliminary Look at 10% of 15,000 Participants | Not Ready to be Applied to Clinic Yet at Annual Meeting 2018

Saveri Bhattacharya, DO, Thomas Jefferson University, talks about Vaccine Immunotherapy with Cytoxan & Interferon | Eventually add Ipilimumab or Pembrolizumab at Annual Meeting 2018

Paul Nghiem, MD, PhD, University of Washington, shares Immunotherapy better than Chemo-Therapy More Durable, Works Better in the Frontline at Annual Meeting 2018

Eric A. Klein, MD, Cleveland Clinic, explains how Test Must Have High Specificity | False-Positive Rate Must be Extraordinarily Low at Annual Meeting 2018

Saveri Bhattacharya, DO, Thomas Jefferson University, talks about Metastatic Breast Cancer Does Well with Bria-IMT Side-Effect Profile Not as Severe at Annual Meeting 2018

Paul Nghiem, MD, PhD, University of Washington, shares Immunotherapy & Chemo-Therapy with MCC Response is 60% or More If therapy is Given First Line at Annual Meeting 2018

Eric A. Klein, MD, Cleveland Clinic, explains The Circulating Cell-free Genome Atlas Study | Hope to Develop Multi-Cancer Screening Test at Annual Meeting 2018

Saveri Bhattacharya, DO, Thomas Jefferson University, talks about Phase 1 & 2 Trial of Bria-IMT | Immunotherapy with Cytoxan & Interferon at Annual Meeting 2018

Paul Nghiem, MD, PhD, University of Washington, explains Avelumab, for Metastatic Merkel Cell Carcinoma | Observed Responses are Durable at Annual Meeting 2018

Here, Jacob Kettle, PharmD, BCOP, of the University of Missouri Health Care, Columbia, MO, shares his perspective on the different challenges surrounding the advancements made in the development of newer immunotherapy agents for pharmacists, including the need to constantly keep up to date with newly approved drugs, and being aware of their side effects on different organ systems upon administration. This video was recorded at the 2018 Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association (HOPA) Annual Conference held in Denver, CO.

Results from clinical trials determine the effectiveness, toxicity and, ultimately, the approval of novel therapies for cancer. Here, Gregory Pond, PhD, from McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, discusses the results of two Phase III studies investigating the immune checkpoint inhibitor cabozantinib, COMET-1 and COMET-2. Speaking from the 2018 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium, held in San Francisco, CA, Dr Pond reviews the rationale, cohort and results of the trial. He ultimately highlights the importance of the presence risk of factors in identifying working novel therapies for cancer.

Urothelial carcinoma has been a challenge for oncologists to treat for many years, with a steady mortality rate and no new treatments on the horizon until the recently developed checkpoint inhibitors, such as atezolizumab. In this interview, Gregory Pond, PhD, from McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, briefly discusses a promising new model for identifying patients who would benefit from atezolizumab treatment. This 6-factor model contains six prognostic factors used to identify these patients. The model was shown to be effective during two clinical trials, including IMvigor210 (NCT02302807), using atezolizumab post-platinum. Although a clinical use has yet to be defined, this new…

Jacob Kettle, PharmD, BCOP, of the University of Missouri Health Care, Columbia, MO, discusses the different ways in which pharmacists can overcome the uncertainties surrounding new tools, such as PD-L1 testing. Pharmacists are encouraged to be aware of the correct applications of these tools by identifying the patients who are most likely to benefit from them, as well as the limitations of each test. This interview was filmed at the 2018 Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association (HOPA) Annual Conference held in Denver, CO.

From the 2018 Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association (HOPA) Annual Conference held in Denver, CO, Jacob Kettle, PharmD, BCOP, of the University of Missouri Health Care, Columbia, MO, gives his insight on the factors that need to be considered when administering drugs with low response rates, as applying a treatment like this may worsen outcomes at a time when palliative or end-of-life care would be more beneficial. Dr Kettle also discusses how the application of testing for PD-L1 is not as straightforward as that for other cancer biomarkers, such as HER2, BRAF and ALK.

With the involvement of so many genetic and molecular alterations in cancer, it is nearly impossible to know what pathway to target for a clinically significant outcome that also has a low toxicity level. In this interview, Lisa Pickering, MRCP, PhD, of The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK, speaking from the Genitourinary Cancers Symposium, in San Francisco, CA, objectively compares retrospective and prospective studies for penile cancer, emphasizing the lack of the prospective studies. She discusses recent trials, including HER-Uro01 (NCT01728233) and the large-scale InPACT study (NCT02305654).

The recent Phase II VinCap trial (NCT02057913) shows promising results for vinflunine as a chemotherapy for locally-advanced and metastatic carcinoma of the penis. At the Genitourinary Cancers Symposium, in San Francisco, CA, Lisa Pickering, MRCP, PhD, of The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK, provides a detailed and concise review of vinflunine. Dr Pickering discusses the results of the VinCap trial, depicting the advantages of vinflunine in efficacy, tolerability, and meeting its primary endpoint and clinical benefit rate compared to other chemotherapies.

In this interview, Christopher Campen, PharmD, BCOP, from the GHS Cancer Institute, Greenville, SC, discusses combining immune checkpoint inhibitors for the treatment of cancer as opposed to using single agent drugs, but do the benefits outweigh the risks? Checkpoint inhibitors can be associated with severe side effects such as dermatitis, but despite this, the correct management of these adverse effects may lead to increased survival rates compared to current methods of treatment. This video was recorded at the 2018 Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association (HOPA) Annual Conference held in Denver, CO.

The unique side effects that accompany the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors for the treatment of cancer need to be closely monitored to ensure the highest quality of patient care. Here, Christopher Campen, PharmD, BCOP, from the GHS Cancer Institute, Greenville, SC, explains how new collaborative guidelines from the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) have been developed to help healthcare providers assess and manage these side effects. This interview was recorded at the 2018 Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association (HOPA) Annual Conference, held in Denver, CO.

Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) give a greater insight into the lives of patients and their perspectives on the treatment received. Here, Suwicha Limvorasak, PharmD, BCOP, from the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, explains how older PRO measures, such as questionnaires that are currently being used in clinical trials, are difficult to implement in regular clinical practice. Dr Limvorasak also suggests faster and more accessible methods that may be used as a quality indicator of patient care, satisfaction and safety. This interview was recorded at the 2018 Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association (HOPA) Annual Conference held in Denver, CO.

The expression of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) can be used as a clinical biomarker to determine the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment; however, there are many areas of uncertainty when it comes to PD-L1 testing. In this interview, recorded at the 2018 Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association (HOPA) Annual Conference held in Denver, CO, Jacob Kettle, PharmD, BCOP, of the University of Missouri Health Care, Columbia, MO, discusses the challenges of using PD-L1 levels as a determining factor in offering treatment to cancer patients.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors are effective in the management of various cancers. However, there are a number of side effects that are linked to the long-term use of these agents, including colitis and myocarditis. Here, Christopher Campen, PharmD, BCOP, from the GHS Cancer Institute, Greenville, SC, discusses the management of the related toxicity and the steps that can be taken to reduce these effects. This video was recorded at the 2018 Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association (HOPA) Annual Conference held in Denver, CO.

Jennifer K. Litton, MD, explains The Number of Agents Has Exploded Impactful Studies Happen with Federal Funding at Annual Meeting 2018

Liviu Niculescu, MD PhD, explains Reanalysis of Study in Hodgkin Lymphoma 23% Reduction in Risk of Modified PFS at Annual Meeting 2018

Jennifer K. Litton, MD, MD Anderson Cancer Center, talks about TAILORx Trial is Confirmatory Group of Patients Avoiding Chemo-Therapy at Annual Meeting 2018

Liviu Niculescu, MD PhD, explains Frontline Trials to Show if Alunbrig is Superior Figure What is the Best Sequencing for Patients at Annual Meeting 2018

Jennifer K. Litton, MD, MD Anderson Cancer Center, talks about Warranting Larger Ongoing Confirmatory Study Possibility of Avoiding Chemo-Therapy in BRCA at Annual Meeting 2018

Lisa A. Rometty, IBM Watson Health, shares Pioneering Work with VA Precision Oncology Disproportionate Amount of Patients in Rural Areas at Annual Meeting 2018

Liviu Niculescu, MD PhD, explains Patients Have Other Companies & Research Groups Working with Colleagues to Advance Life of Patients at Annual Meeting 2018

Jennifer K. Litton, MD, MD Anderson Cancer Center, shares Biopsies Pre- & Post-PARP inhibitors Combination Studies for Response Beyond BRCA at Annual Meeting 2018

Lisa A. Rometty, IBM Watson Health, shares how Watson is in Over 200 Hospitals Around the World Physician to Patient Ratio Outside of U.S. is High at Annual Meeting 2018

Liviu Niculescu, MD PhD, explains Newly Diagnosed Patients with ALK-Positive Disease Are Being Randomized with Alunbrig at Annual Meeting 2018

Jennifer K. Litton, MD, MD Anderson Cancer Center, shares Warrants Larger Ongoing Confirmatory Study Possibility of Avoiding Chemo-Therapy in BRCA at Annual Meeting 2018

Lisa A. Rometty, IBM Watson Health, shares AI Technology Matches Info to Clinical Trial Criteria Increased Number of Patients Matched to Trials by 80

Liviu Niculescu, MD PhD, explains How To Make Sense of the Amount of Information Focus on the Most Important Data at Annual Meeting 2018

Jennifer K. Litton, MD, MD Anderson Cancer Center, shares Feasibility Study with 2 Months of Talazoparib Tumor Volume Decrease of 88i% n 2 Months at Annual Meeting 2018

Lisa A. Rometty, IBM Watson Health, Watson Uses AI Technology with Analytic Data To Package All Information into One Place at Annual Meeting 2018

Liviu Niculescu, MD PhD, Alunbrig – Drug for ALK-Positive Lung Cancer 56% Overall Response Rate at Annual Meeting 2018

Jennifer K. Litton, MD, MD Anderson Cancer Center, shares Talazoparib – Active in Metastatic Breast Cancer Pathologic Complete Response Rate of 53 at Annual Meeting 2018

Lisa A. Rometty, IBM Watson Health, talks about Augmented Intelligence Plays Important Role Enabling Value in Precision Oncology at Annual Meeting 2018

Jon Eckard, PhD, TYME Inc., explains Not Much Getting Approval for Pancreatic Cancer | Cost of cancer care is very high at Annual Meeting 2018.

Michelle Dawson, MD, AstraZeneca, talks about Chemo-free Regimens for Patients Moxetumomab delivers different experience at Annual Meeting 2018.

Jon Eckard, PhD, TYME Inc., explains Taking Advantage of the Metabolism of a Cancer Delivering drug specifically to the cancer at Annual Meeting 2018.

Eytan Stein, MD, from the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, discusses the new and exciting clinical trials that are currently underway for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), including a Phase I study of isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) inhibitors in combination with induction chemotherapy, a Phase III study investigating low dose cytarabine and venetoclax, and the ADMIRAL study (NCT02421939) of the FLT3 inhibitor, gilteritnib, versus salvage chemotherapy in relapsed and refractory AML. Dr Stein also conveys his excitement about the QuANTUM-R trial (NCT02039726), which is investigating the effects of quizartinib monotherapy versus salvage chemotherapy on overall survival…

Christoph Röllig, MD, from the University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Dresden, Germany, discusses the rationale behind determining the most suitable treatment for a patient with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The most reasonable choice of treatment for a patient with a genetic cause of AML, such as an isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutation or tyrosine kinase overexpression, is a form of immunotherapy that directly targets the specific mutation. Dr Röllig explains how early clinical trial data and detecting minimal residual disease levels after targeted therapy can be used to determine drug efficacy. This interview was recorded at the 2018 European School of…

Rafael G Amado, MD, Adaptimmune, LLC, explains Engineer T-Cell Receptors, Affinity Matured Can recognize and kill tumor cells at Annual Meeting 2018.

Michelle Dawson, MD, AstraZeneca, talks AstraZeneca is Relatively New Six Agents in Phase 1 & another Six in Phase 2 at Annual Meeting 2018.

Jon Eckard, PhD, TYME Inc., explains Development in Solid & Liquid Tumor Front Complete & partial response in Hodgkins, Non-Hodgkins at Annual Meeting 2018.

Rafael G Amado, MD, Adaptimmune, LLC, explains Updates of Positive CAR-T Studies & Approval Speaks to the power and potential of T-Cell at Annual Meeting 2018.

Michelle Dawson, MD, AstraZeneca, talks about FDA Accepted Moxetumomab BLA Studies looking for toxicities and developments at Annual Meeting 2018.

Jon Eckard, PhD, TYME Inc., explains Patients Tired of Toxic Chemotherapies Current data shows efficacy & maintaining quality of life at Annual Meeting 2018.

Rafael G Amado, MD, Adaptimmune, LLC, explains Expanding Cohorts of Patients to Verify Results Increase number of cells & intensity of regimen at Annual Meeting 2018.

Michelle Dawson, MD, AstraZeneca, talks about Adverse Effects for Moxetumomab Pasudotox Mild percentages of headache, nausea, HUS, CLS at Annual Meeting 2018.

Jon Eckard, PhD, TYME Inc., explains Studies Today are Focused on Biomarkers Not Biomarker specific, broad efficacy at Annual Meeting 2018.

Rafael G Amado, MD, Adaptimmune, LLC, Hopes T-cell Therapies Will Lead to Approval Difficult to treat solid tumors with adoptive T-cell at Annual Meeting 2018.

Michelle Dawson, MD, AstraZeneca, talks about Moxetumomab Pasudotox is Unique Immunotoxin Fused pseudomonas exotoxin with antibody variable at Annual Meeting 2018.

Jon Eckard, PhD, TYME Inc., talks about Four Drug Combination – effects driven by one drug With other drugs supplementing & tweaking biology at Annual Meeting 2018.

Michelle Dawson, MD, AstraZeneca, talks about 75% Overall Response from Moxetumomab 41% of patients had complete response at Annual Meeting 2018.

Rafael G Amado, MD, Adaptimmune, LLC, explains Between 1-5 Billion Cells Given to Patients Cytokine Release Syndrome resolved with antiIL-6 at Annual Meeting 2018.

Jon Eckard, PhD, TYME Inc., shares Trial Designed to Target Unique Tumor Biology Most cancer therapies come with side-effects at Annual Meeting 2018.

Michelle Dawson, MD, AstraZeneca, talks about Moxetumomab Pasudotox Pivotal in relapse refractory hairy cell leukemia at Annual Meeting 2018.

Rafael G Amado, MD, Adaptimmune, LLC, explains MRCLS Responded to Active Therapy Treatment Harvested T-Cells transduced with antiviral vector at Annual Meeting 2018.

Jon Eckard, PhD, TYME Inc., explains Ongoing Phase II Pancreatic Cancer Trial Metabolic therapy is tumor-treating, patient-sparing at Annual Meeting 2018.

Michelle Dawson, MD, AstraZeneca, talks about Acalabrutinib (Calquence) Approved For relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma at Annual Meeting 2018.

Rafael G Amado, MD, Adaptimmune, LLC, explains Infusion of T-Lymphocytes with T-Cell Receptor MRCLS could be sensitive to therapy at Annual Meeting 2018.

Martina A. Sersch, MD, Executive Medical Director at Amgen Inc., talks about Many Drugs Being Looked at for Multiple Myeloma CD38 and Venetoclax at Annual Meeting 2018

Seth M. Pollack, MD, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, shares Myxoid Round Cell Liposarcoma Expresses NY-ESO-1 T-Cell therapy targeting NY-ESO-1 can induce response at Annual Meeting 2018

Ahmad Tarhini, MD, PhD, Cleveland Clinic Main Campus, talks about Adjuvant Data Changing Clinical Practice Moving into Anti-PD-1 monotherapy, and BRAF at Annual Meeting 2018

Martina A. Sersch, MD, Executive Medical Director at Amgen Inc., shares Trials of BCMA BiTE Platform & CAR-T Cell Early trials hope to provide significant benefit at Annual Meeting 2018

Seth M. Pollack, MD, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, talks about Creating a number of followup studies Testing checkpoint Inhibitors, PD-1 blockade

Ahmad Tarhini, MD, PhD, Cleveland Clinic Main Campus, shares Economics Outcome Research More Important Guiding clinicians & policy makers, survival benefits at Annual Meeting 2018

Seth M. Pollack, MD, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, explains Lots of Patients with Refractory Sarcomas Considering Off-Label Checkpoint Inhibitor

Ahmad Tarhini, MD, PhD, Cleveland Clinic Main Campus, talks about Data is Hypothesis-Generating Data is still useful for determining optimal sequences at Annual Meeting 2018

Martina A. Sersch, MD, Executive Medical Director at Amgen Inc., shares Safety Profile of Once-Weekly Regimen Was comparable opposed to the twice-weekly regimen at Annual Meeting 2018

Seth M. Pollack, MD, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, explains Undifferentiated Pleomorphic Sarcoma Can respond to checkpoint blockade like pembrolizumab at Annual Meeting 2018

Ahmad Tarhini, MD, PhD, Cleveland Clinic Main Campus, talks about ECOG-ACRIN EA6134 Ipilimumab + Nivolumab vs. Dabrafenib + Trametinib at Annual Meeting 2018

Martina A. Sersch, MD, Executive Medical Director at Amgen Inc., shares Novel Endpoints in MRD in Multiple Myeloma Novel Drugs Targeting BiTE Platform at Annual Meeting 2018

Seth M. Pollack, MD, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, explains Sarcoma Subtypes React to Different Immunotherapy Have inflammatory tumor-immune micro-environments at Annual Meeting 2018

Ahmad Tarhini, MD, PhD, Cleveland Clinic Main Campus, shares Economic Outcome Analysis for BRAF Melanoma Anti-CD4+PD-1, & Anti-PD-1 both followed by BRAF-MEK at Annual Meeting 2018

Martina A. Sersch, MD, Executive Medical Director at Amgen Inc., discusses Data from ARROW Trial for Multiple Myeloma Progression-free survival with KYPROLIS at Annual Meeting 2018.

Dr. Nasser Hanna, Indiana University Health, considers the use of induction or consolidation chemotherapy for unresectable stage III NSCLC.

Dr. Nasser Hanna, Indiana University Health, discusses the development of chemoradiation as a standard of care for unresectable stage III NSCLC.

Heather H. Cheng MD, PhD, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, discusses Gentlemen’s Study Originally for All Men in WA Now available nationwide at Annual Meeting 2018.

Heather H. Cheng MD, PhD, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, discusses Areas of Research in 2018-19 include Combination therapy, CARP Inhibitors, radiopharmaceuticals at Annual Meeting 2018.

Dr. Meletios A. Dimopoulos, MD, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, explains Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia is Rare Disease Results of study are the most clinically relevant at Annual Meeting 2018

Heather H. Cheng MD, PhD, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, discusses Combination Study of Olaparib & Abiraterone Especially for patients with DNA repair alterations at Annual Meeting 2018.

Dr. Meletios A. Dimopoulos, MD, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, talks about Better Defining Nature of Mutations of Genes Such as MYD88 & CXCR4 at Annual Meeting 2018

Dr. Meletios A. Dimopoulos, MD, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, explains Acalabrutinib is Another BTK Inhibitor Active drug for Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia at Annual Meeting 2018

Heather H. Cheng MD, PhD, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, discusses Further Characterize Identified Mutations A lot of work to be done beyond the study at Annual Meeting 2018.

Chuck Wiseman, MD, BriaCell Therapeutics, talks about Rollover Protocol Approval Bria-IMT in combination with a checkpoint inhibitor at Annual Meeting 2018.

Dr. Meletios A. Dimopoulos, MD, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, talks about Devising Future Trials That Add Another Agent Potentially Carfilzomib, Venetoclax, & Bendamustine at Annual Meeting 2018

Heather H. Cheng MD, PhD, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, discusses Underserved & Underepresented Patient Population African-Americans have higher risk of prostate cancer at Annual Meeting 2018.

Chuck Wiseman, MD, BriaCell Therapeutics, discusses Capitalizing on Matching HL-Antigens Key to developing clinically relevant immune response at Annual Meeting 2018

Dr. Meletios A. Dimopoulos, MD, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, explains BTK Inhibitors Associated with Atrial Fibrillation Only 4% of patients had to go off-study at Annual Meeting 2018

Heather H. Cheng MD, PhD, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, explains how Patients Can Learn More About Gentlemen’s Study from www.gentlemenstudy.org at Annual Meeting 2018.

Dr. Meletios A. Dimopoulos, MD, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, explains Ibrutinib & Rituximab is a new standard for WM Design trials that use the combination as a backbone at Annual Meeting 2018

Heather H. Cheng MD, PhD, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, discusses Gentlemen’s Study for Metastatic Prostate Cancer Trial offers testing in a web-based, phone-based manner at Annual Meeting 2018.

Chuck Wiseman, MD BriaCell Therapeutics, discusses Cell Preparation Bria-IMT Confirms that similar vaccine therapies can regress advances at Annual Meeting 2018

Dr. Meletios A. Dimopoulos, MD, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, explains Innovate Trial – Randomized Placebo Control 150 patients with Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia at Annual Meeting 2018

Dr. Nasser Hanna, Indiana University Health, reviews efforts to utilize targeted therapies as consolidation after chemoradiation in locally advanced NSCLC

Heather H. Cheng MD, PhD, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, discusses New Treatments for Prostate Cancer Identified from Tumor & Germline or Inherited sequencing at Annual Meeting 2018.

Application of 2% Sequester Cut to Medicare Part B Drug Reimbursement is Unconstitutional and Illegal; Costing Seniors and Taxpayers Billions The Community Oncology Alliance (COA) has filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to stop the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) from applying the Medicare sequester cut to reimbursement for Part B drugs. In the lawsuit, COA, which represents more than 5,000 independent, community-based oncologists, shows the sequester cut has harmed patients, decimated the nation’s independent community cancer care system, and cost…

Jinghui Zhang, PhD, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, explains Genome Sequencing Enable a Complete Picture Additional analyses not found on other platforms at AACR 2018

Chinthalapally V. Rao, PhD, Stephenson Cancer Center, talks about Marginal Beneficial Effects After 6 Months to 1 Year Limitations of high-dose are side-effects at AACR 2018

Jinghui Zhang, PhD, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, explains Researchers Upload Data With St. Jude Cloud Goal is to Enable Datasharing for Pediatric Cancer at AACR 2018

Scott Newman, PhD, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, explains What is St. Jude Cloud? Bring tools to the data & doing analyses in a secure cloud at AACR 2018

Jinghui Zhang, PhD, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, explains Access, Analyze, & Visualize Genomic Data Offer 5,000 Genome sequencing datasets worldwide at AACR 2018

Chinthalapally V. Rao, PhD, Stephenson Cancer Center, talks about Aspirin Prevents Colorectal Cancer Progress Patients subconsciously taking aspirin may cause GIB at AACR 2018

Paul A. Northcott, PhD, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, explains Examples of Genes Activated by Enhancer Hijacking Validate findings based on genomic data at AACR 2018

Scott Newman, PhD, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, explains St. Jude Cloud Reanalyzed coding variants Some B-Cell ALL have mutational signature at AACR 2018

Jinghui Zhang, PhD, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, explains Cloud-Computing – Centralized Infrastructure Enables access of data for all research institutes at AACR 2018

Paul A. Northcott, PhD, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, explains Linking Aberrations to Oncogene De-Regulation Unable to make 1-to-1 correlation at AACR 2018

Timothy Yap, MBBS, Ph.D., MD Anderson Cancer Center, talks about MD Anderson Provides Screenings for Therapies Reviewed by Precision Oncology Decision Support team at AACR 2018

Elaine R. Mardis, PhD, The Institute for Genomic Medicine, talks about Next Meeting will Showcase Modern Technology Next generation sequencing & computational approaches at AACR 2018

Paul A. Northcott, PhD, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, explains Novel Mechanisms of Oncogene De-Regulation Integrative Genomic Approaches to implicate new genes at AACR 2018

Emily L. Harris, Ph.D., M.P.H.,National Cancer Institute – Deputy Associate Director, explains ARA Process for Large Budget Grants Program director works with you for details on sharing plan at AACR 2018

Elaine R. Mardis, PhD, The Institute for Genomic Medicine, talks Cancer Care for Pediatctrics and Young Adults Rare diseases in this subset patient population at AACR 2018

Dr. Nasser Hanna, Indiana University Health, lists chemo regiments appropriate for use with radiation in locally advanced NSCLC.

Timothy Yap, MBBS, Ph.D., MD Anderson Cancer Center, talks about Understanding Intratumor Heterogeneity Founding ubiquitous mutations vs. heterogeneous events at AACR 2018

Dr. Nasser Hanna, Indiana University Health, discusses the possible role of immunotherapy in locally advanced NSCLC.

Emily L. Harris, Ph.D., M.P.H., National Cancer Institute – Deputy Associate Director, explains Three Main Data Sharing Policies Large Budget Studies, Genomic Research, & Moonshot at AACR 2018

Timothy Yap, MBBS, Ph.D., MD Anderson Cancer Center, talks about Abnormalities With Next-Gen Sequencing Widen therapeutic options by tailoring trials to aberrations at AACR 2018.

Elaine R. Mardis, PhD, The Institute for Genomic Medicine, explains 80% of Patients Don’t go to Tertiary Centers Making sure every patient has access to information at AACR 2018

Emily L. Harris, Ph.D., M.P.H.,National Cancer Institute – Deputy Associate Director, explains NIH Data Sharing Accelerates Research Progress Sharing broadly with other researchers to analyze data at AACR 2018

Timothy Yap, MBBS, Ph.D., MD Anderson Cancer Center, explains TRK-Inhibitor, Larotrectinib Can administer to patients with TRK-fusions at AACR 2018.

Elaine R. Mardis, PhD, The Institute for Genomic Medicine, talks about Variety of Developments in Cancer Genomics Translate discoveries in cancer genomics for patients at AACR 2018

Timothy Yap, MBBS, Ph.D., MD Anderson Cancer Center, FDA Approval of Pembrolizumab The 1st approval of a drug that is tumor agnostic at AACR 2018.

Despite major advancements in the understanding of the genetic drivers of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and the pathophysiology of the disease, standard treatment options for AML patients have not experienced any major changes in the past few decades. Clinicians are often hesitant to send patients into clinical trials if the condition of the patient is unlikely to improve. Here, Gail Roboz, MD, from Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York City, NY, discusses the potential of newly-approved AML drugs on the market and how these drugs may increase clinical trial participation rates. Clinical trials will provide an in-depth understanding…

Gail Roboz, MD, from the Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York City, NY, explores exciting next-generation agents for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), such as guadecitabine, a next-generation DNA hypomethylating agent that has the potential to be more effective than decitabine. A similar concept has previously been used for the development of the CPX-351, a liposomal formulation of cytarabine and daunorubicin, which received FDA approval for the treatment of high-risk AML. This video was recorded at the 2018 European School of Hematology (ESH) Clinical Updates on Acute Leukemias, held in Budapest, Hungary.

Patients suffering from acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who have achieved complete remission are still at risk of relapse. Assessing blood counts or examining the morphology of the bone marrow is not sufficient to determine the levels of residual leukemic cells remaining upon completion of therapy. Here, Gail Roboz, MD, from Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York City, NY, discusses the importance of assessing the levels of minimal residual disease (MRD) and what these levels can mean to the patient. Dr Roboz also emphasizes the need to quantify MRD in AML across the world, which will help clinicians and…

The average age of people suffering from acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is around 60 to 70 years, and there are many issues surrounding the use of chemotherapy drugs in this population. In this interview, Gail Roboz, MD, from Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York City, NY, highlights the challenges of AML treatment in the elderly, and some of the options that can be offered to patients in which high dose chemotherapy will not prove beneficial, or patients who have a low tolerance to intensive chemotherapy. This video was recorded at the 2018 European School of Hematology (ESH) Clinical…

Noelle Frey, MD, from the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, highlights the importance of minimal residual disease (MRD) assessment in predicting the long-term effects of therapy in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients, and the steps that should be followed if a patient is MRD-positive after the administration of CAR T-cell therapy or other forms of treatment. This interview was recorded at the 2018 European School of Hematology (ESH) Clinical Updates on Acute Leukemias, held in Budapest, Hungary.

Unlike childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), there are currently no approved CAR T-cell products for the treatment of adult ALL; here, Noelle Frey, MD, from the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, explains how clinical trials investigating ALL are often scarce and extremely competitive to enroll patients. Dr Frey also shares her excitement about the future of CAR T-cell therapies and the benefits that will follow. This interview was recorded at the 2018 European School of Hematology (ESH) Clinical Updates on Acute Leukemias, held in Budapest, Hungary.

CAR T-cell therapy has proven effective in delivering high response rates in relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients, but what can be done to move the field forward? Here, Noelle Frey, MD, from the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, discusses the current strategies that are being put in place to mitigate toxicity, such as the early delivery of tocilizumab and modifying the dose of CAR T-cell therapy delivered to the patient. Although the initial response rates to CAR T-cell therapy are high, this form of therapy should also be targeted towards antigens such as CD22, which would decrease the rates…

Treatment outcomes for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients treated with immunotherapy have significantly lagged behind those achieved for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and this is due to the fact that eliminating the B-cell lineage for the management of ALL is less problematic than eliminating the myeloid lineages involved in AML. In this interview, Marion Subklewe, MD, from the Ludwig-Maximilians University Hospital of Munich, Munich, Germany, explores the antigens targeted for the treatment of ALL, such as CD22, CD20 and CD19. Dr Subklewe also discusses the other factors that play a role in choosing the right AML targets, including cofactors and…

Despite recent approvals of drugs targeting acute myeloid leukemia (AML), overall survival and complete remission rates remain suboptimal. In this interview, Eytan Stein, MD, from the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, explains how he encourages his AML patients to participate in clinical trials, especially those who are in a relapsed or refractory state. Patients are more hesitant to participate in randomized, placebo-controlled trials because there is no guarantee that they will receive the active drug, and due to the general commitments associated with trial participation. This video was recorded at the 2018 European School of Hematology (ESH)…

Eytan Stein, MD, from the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, discusses the mechanisms of resistance to targeted therapies such as enasidenib and ivosidenib in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Primary resistance, defined by a complete lack of response to the drug, is mediated by co-occurring mutations and is most common in patients with FLT3, JAK and Ras mutations. Secondary resistance, where the patient relapses after achieving remission on the drug, is primarily mediated through the clonal outgrowth of different clones, such as different FLT3, Ras or isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutations. This video was recorded at the 2018 European…

The side effects of isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) inhibitors for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) include gastrointestinal toxicity, leukocytosis, differentiation syndrome and QT prolongation, among many others. Here, Eytan Stein, MD, from the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, explains how these side effects are minimal and well tolerated in most patients. Dr Stein highlights how differentiation syndrome, characterized by symptoms such as unexplained fever, weight gain and peripheral edema, should be addressed immediately with high doses of steroids. This interview was recorded at the 2018 European School of Hematology (ESH) Clinical Updates on Acute Leukemias, held…

Eytan Stein, MD, from the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, explains the mechanisms of isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutations and their effect on myeloid differentiation, ultimately leading to the phenotype of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Targeting the IDH mutation, using IDH inhibitors, may lead to the reversal of this differentiation blockade. Dr Stein discusses the IDH2 inhibitor enasidenib, which received FDA approval last year for the treatment of relapsed and refractory AML, and the IDH1 inhibitor ivosidenib, which is currently under FDA review. This interview was recorded at the 2018 European School of Hematology (ESH) Clinical Updates on…

Traditionally, the standard therapy for the management of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in elderly patients has been low-dose cytarabine, but hypomethylating agents (HMAs) have quickly become the backbone of AML treatment in many countries. Here, Chrisoph Röllig, MD, from the University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Dresden, Germany, provides evidence for the efficacy of HMAs in the elderly and those with unfavorable cytogenetics, including an increased tolerability and decreased toxicity when compared to intensive chemotherapy. Early clinical trials into HMAs combined with other drugs, such as venetoclax, have demonstrated increased complete remission rates and prolonged survival in elderly AML patients. This…

Minimal residual disease (MRD) is a highly important prognostic indicator used to determine treatment efficacy in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients. Here, Christoph Röllig, MD, from the University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Dresden, Germany, discusses the benefits and disadvantages of the common techniques used to measure MRD today, including next-generation sequencing and flow cytometry. This interview was recorded at the 2018 European School of Hematology (ESH) Clinical Updates on Acute Leukemias, held in Budapest, Hungary.

Patients suffering from acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who have achieved complete remission are still at risk of relapse. Assessing blood counts or examining the morphology of the bone marrow is not sufficient to determine the levels of residual leukemic cells remaining upon completion of therapy. Here, Gail Roboz, MD, from Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York City, NY, discusses the importance of assessing the levels of minimal residual disease (MRD) and what these levels can mean to the patient. Dr Roboz also emphasizes the need to quantify MRD in AML across the world, which will help clinicians and…

Gemtuzumab ozogamicin is a monoclonal antibody drug for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). This drug uses a different strategy to classical chemotherapeutic agents, and the development of other similar drugs is expected to drastically improve the outcomes of patients with AML. In this interview, Chrisoph Röllig, MD, from the University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Dresden, Germany, also discusses treatments that have recently received FDA approval, such as CPX-351, a liposomal formulation of cytarabine and daunorubicin that has been approved for the treatment of secondary AML in the US, and isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) inhibitors. This video was recorded at…

Christoph Röllig, MD, from the University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Dresden, Germany, discusses how his team is carrying out treatment optimization trials to match established acute myeloid leukemia (AML) therapies to the ideal patient population. This initiative involves comparing dosing schedules of available drugs and establishing which patients will benefit from allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Newly FDA-approved drugs are also being examined to see if they can be combined with standard regimens to tackle relapse and resistance. This interview was recorded at the 2018 European School of Hematology (ESH) Clinical Updates on Acute Leukemias, held in Budapest, Hungary.

Christoph Röllig, MD, from the University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Dresden, Germany, explains how the lack of novel drugs for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in the past 50 years has led to increased research into combination therapy using existing drugs. Different dosing schedules of available AML drugs are now being used to improve patient outcomes, but extensive research into new therapiesis needed to further increase response rates. This interview was recorded at the 2018 European School of Hematology (ESH) Clinical Updates on Acute Leukemias, held in Budapest, Hungary.

Speaking from the 2018 European School of Hematology (ESH) Clinical Updates on Acute Leukemias, held in Budapest, Hungary, Charles Mullighan, MBBS (Hons), MSc, MD, from St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, discusses ways of improving the outcomes of patients suffering from B- cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and other B-cell disorders using CAR T-cell therapy. Therapy should be offered as early as possible before relapse has occurred and before initial diagnosis to avoid the effects of high-dose chemotherapy. B-cell ALL target antigens including CD19 have also been proven to demonstrate efficacy in ALL patients and should be considered when…

Minimal residual disease (MRD) in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is now considered to be an equal, or greater, marker in predicting patient outcomes. MRD can aid in tailoring therapies according to initial treatment response. This risk-adapted approach to therapy has been shown to reduce the poor outcomes associated with high-risk subtypes of ALL. In this interview, Charles Mullighan, MBBS (Hons), MSc, MD, from St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, highlights the importance of MRD monitoring and the new techniques that are being used to measure MRD in ALL patients, such as sequencing-based approaches. Recorded at the 2018 European…

Charles Mullighan, MBBS (Hons), MSc, MD, from St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, discusses the novel and interesting approaches for first-line therapy, in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients treatments given to those who have relapsed. The monoclonal antibody, rituximab, has been found to increase survival rates in adult ALL patients, and reduce allergic reactions to the chemotherapeutic agent, asparaginase. As a therapy targeted towards a specific mutation, kinase inhibitors have been found to be effective in ALL subtypes such as BCR-ABL-positive ALL and Philadelphia chromosome-positive ALL. Dr Mullighan also emphasizes the need to use different immunotherapy techniques upon poor…

Finding the right treatment for a specific subset of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) requires a correct diagnosis, but there are many challenges that clinicians face when trying to implement precision medicine. ALL subsets are not as easily identified in comparison to other leukemias, as the various genetic changes that occur in ALL, such as chromosomal rearrangements, deletions of DNA and sequence changes, are challenging to identify. Charles Mullighan, MBBS (Hons), MSc, MD, explains how the team at St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital, Memphis, TN has taken a different approach to diagnosing new ALL patients. Recorded at the 2018 European School…

Charles Mullighan, MBBS (Hons), MSc, MD, from St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, provides an overview of his talk presented at the 2018 European School of Hematology (ESH) Clinical Updates on Acute Leukemias, held in Budapest, Hungary, where he discussed the advancements in the molecular classifications of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) with an increased understanding of the genetic drivers of the disease. The identification of the complex mutations that accompany the different subtypes of ALL have also allowed for a better prognosis for both childhood and adult ALL, as available therapies can be tailored to the patient.

Arnold Ganser, MD, from the Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany, discusses the importance of collaborating with other trial groups that are focusing on acute leukemias by joining efforts with other experts at various networking events and conferences. Recorded at the 2018 European School of Hematology (ESH) Clinical Updates on Acute Leukemias, held in Budapest, Hungary.

Midostaurin is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor that has been newly approved for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). In this interview, Arnold Ganser, MD, from the Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany, discusses the process of organizing the midostaurin clinical trials by collaborating with experts throughout North America, Europe and Australia (NCT00651261). Although midostaurin is already FDA-approved, analysis of the collected data from the trials is still being carried out to find out the causes of a low response to the drug, which may lead to a further understanding of AML in the future. Recorded from the 2018 European School…

Speaking from the 2018 European School of Hematology (ESH) Clinical Updates on Acute Leukemias, held in Budapest, Hungary, Arnold Ganser, MD, from the Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany, explains how CAR T-cell therapy might not prove effective in acute myeloid leukemia patients if healthy hematopoietic stem cells are targeted. His research group is now looking into special gene-modified autologous dendritic cells that have increased activity towards WT1, a tumor antigen that is expressed at high levels in various acute and chronic leukemias.

Arnold Ganser, MD, from the Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany, discusses the research carried out by some of his former mentees that identified the IDH1 mutation as a novel therapeutic target in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). As Prof. Ganser explains, the genetic changes that occur in AML are now becoming better understood through enthusiastic young researchers and medical students that are willing to explore exciting new topic areas. This interview was recorded at 2018 European School of Hematology (ESH) Clinical Updates on Acute Leukemias, held in Budapest, Hungary.

Dealing with patients with refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or with those who have relapsed, is challenging, and stem cell transplantation is one of the few therapies that can be offered in these instances. However, most patients who have relapsed are too old to undergo this procedure, so palliative care must be offered in its place to relieve existing symptoms and improve quality of life. Arnold Ganser, MD, from the Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany explains how the right balance should be achieved when using aggressive forms of therapy, because mechanisms of resistance in AML are not yet fully understood.…

Arnold Ganser, MD, from the Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany talks about his experience of the 2018 European School of Hematology (ESH) Clinical Updates on Acute Leukemias, held in Budapest, Hungary, where he discusses the quality of the presentations being held at the event, the exciting conversations with other experts such as current controversies surrounding acute leukemia research, and the overall atmosphere of the conference.

Dr. Nasser Hanna, Indiana University Health, addresses the issue of prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) in locally advanced NSCLC.

Elaine R. Mardis, PhD, The Institute for Genomic Medicine, talks about Big Shoes to Fill as President of AACR Association is over 110 years old at AACR 2018

Charis Eng, MD, PhD, Genomic Medicine Institute – Cleveland Clinic, explains KLLN & SEC23B Novel Predisposition Genes Prediction tools for cancer and autism at AACR 2018.

Charis Eng, MD, PhD, Genomic Medicine Institute – Cleveland Clinic, explains SEC23B is Altered For Rare Blood Disorder Type II Congenital dyserythropoietic anemia at AACR 2018.

Charis Eng, MD, PhD, Genomic Medicine Institute – Cleveland Clinic, explains SEC23B is Very Rarely Studied in Cancer Enters the nucleus and plays other roles at AACR 2018.

Charis Eng, MD, PhD, Genomic Medicine Institute – Cleveland Clinic, explains KLLN is Right Next to PTEN Gene Might play a role in DNA damage response at AACR 2018.

Charis Eng, MD, PhD, Genomic Medicine Institute – Cleveland Clinic, explains 3D Modeling of PTEN Tumor Suppressor at AACR 2018.

How Do Thoracic Surgeons Assess Fitness for Surgery

Dr. David Harpole, Duke University Medical Center, describes the mediastinoscopy and its use in lung cancer staging.

Dr. David Harpole, Duke University Medical Center, describes the sleeve resection and how it can help selected patients with large tumors retain lung function.

Dr. David Harpole, Duke University Medical Center, defines the concept of mediastinal node sterilization and its use after neoadjuvant therapy.

Dr. David Harpole, Duke University Medical Center, compares traditional open thoracotomy with video-assisted thorascopic surgery, highlighting the advantages of the newer approach.

Dr. Benjamin Levy, Mount Sinai Health Systems, lists the goals of treating advanced NSCLC and the methods used to achieve those goals.

Dr. Jack West reviews his top 5 abstracts in stage I-III non-small cell lung cancer, small cell lung cancer, and mesothelioma at ASCO 2018, explaining why each is poised to change the landscape of patient care in this setting.

How Rate of Progression Can Affect Treatment Decisions

Dr. Jack West reviews his top 5 abstracts in the advanced NSCLC track at ASCO 2018, explaining why each is poised to change the landscape of patient care in this setting.

Dr. Benjamin Levy, Mount Sinai Health Systems, compares zoledronic acid and denosumab, two agents used for treatment of bone metastases in lung cancer.

Dr. Heather Wakelee, Stanford University Medical Center, discusses the purpose of adjuvant chemotherapy, and which patients benefit most from it.

Dr. Heather Wakelee, Stanford University Medical Center, lists standard adjuvant chemotherapy regimens, comparing their administration and uses.

Dr. Heather Wakelee, Stanford University Medical Center, evaluates the lack of evidence for the use of targeted therapies after surgery, and describes ongoing trials attempting to resolve that issue.

Dr. Ross Camidge, University of Colorado, discusses the potential benefits as well as the disadvantages of multiplex mutation testing.

Dr. Ross Camidge, University of Colorado, describes ALK rearrangements and the characteristics of patients who most often have them.

Dr. Ross Camidge, University of Colorado, describes ROS-1 rearrangements and compares them to ALK rearrangements in frequency of occurrence and response to treatment.

Dr. Ross Camidge, University of Colorado, explains the preference for crizotinib rather than platinum doublet chemotherapy as first line treatment for patients with ALK or ROS1 rearrangements.

Scott Kopetz, M.D., Ph.D., FACP, discusses Safety Lead-In from the Beacon Study 48% Overall Response Rate

Scott Kopetz, M.D., Ph.D., FACP, explains Less Predictable Alternate BRAF Mutations Not all BRAF mutations are the same.

Scott Kopetz, M.D., Ph.D., FACP, discusses Getting Patients into Clinical Trial Sooner than Later Start with aggressive cytotoxic backbone

Scott Kopetz, M.D., Ph.D., FACP, explains the Rare Clones of KRAS Mutant Cells Able to identify resistant clones

Scott Kopetz, M.D., Ph.D., FACP, explains BRAF V600E Mutation BRAF with EGFR Provided Synergy.

Dr. Ross Camidge, University of Colorado, describes the second generation ALK-inhibitors which provide good options for ALK-positive NSCLC patients who have developed acquired resistance to crizotinib.

Dr. Ross Camidge, University of Colorado, discusses management of CNS progression for ALK-positive NSCLC including monitoring frequency and preferences between systemic and radiation therapy.

Community Oncology Alliance Statement on President’s Blueprint to Lower Drug Prices Putting Cancer Patients First and Lowering Drug is Critically Important, Community Oncology Supports Blueprint and is Working on Solutions Administration Must Fix and Avoid Past Policy Mistakes That Have Contributed to Ongoing Problems with Cancer Care System Washington, DC – Friday, May 11, 2018 – The Community Oncology Alliance (COA) released the following statement regarding President Donald Trump’s recently announced blueprint to lower drug prices and reduce out-of-pocket costs. COA strongly supports President Trump and the Administration’s work to put patients first and lower the price of prescription drugs.…

Community Oncology Alliance Names Dr. Frederick M. Schnell to Newly Created Medical Director Position Experienced Community Oncologist Will Provide Valuable Guidance on Patient Care and Practice Operations Washington, D.C. – February 22, 2018 – The Community Oncology Alliance (COA) announced today that Frederick M. Schnell, M.D., F.A.C.P., has been appointed to the newly created staff position of Medical Director. He brings more than three decades of experience as a physician and community oncology practice CEO. Among the first issues Dr. Schnell will help community oncology practices address is the future of oncology payment reform. Previously, Dr. Schnell was a practicing…

Community Oncology Alliance Statement on White House Budget Proposal Drug Price Recommendations Administration’s Budget has Numerous Smart, Overdue Policy Solutions; but Certain Medicare Part B Proposals Ignore History and will Backfire  Washington, DC – February 13, 2018 – Today, the Community Oncology Alliance (COA) released the following statement regarding the White House’s proposed budget recommendations and a recent report from President Trump’s Council of Economic Advisors on strategies to reform biopharmaceutical pricing. Ensuring patients can afford and access life-saving therapies to fight cancer is a top concern for oncologists, nurses, practice administrators, and other cancer care professionals. Every day we…

Journalist, author and television host Joan Lunden sat down with COA executive director Ted Okon to discuss her latest book “Had I Known: A Memoir of Survival.” Here she discusses key things readers should take away from the book.

Scott Hamilton discusses the importance of the health care industry and everyone on the cancer care team.

COA Cancer Policy Minute with Ted Okon This Cancer Policy Minute video is part of Community Oncology TV.

Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs): Abusive Middlemen COA Cancer Policy Minute with Ted Okon

Did you know that the majority of Americans battling cancer receive their care in what is known as a community oncology practice?

COA Patient Advocacy Network (CPAN) advocates talk about what being a part of CPAN means to them.

COA Cancer Policy Minute with Ted Okon. This Cancer Policy Minute is part of the Community Oncology TV series.

Community oncology practice New England Cancer Specialists (NECS) is always looking forward, providing high quality, data-driven, low cost cancer care.

Community oncology practices like Augusta Oncology take care of the whole patient, from diagnosis and treatment to social and financial issues.

NFL linebacker and Super Bowl champion Mark Herzlich of the New York Giants sat down with with COA executive director Ted Okon. Here he talks about his cancer journey and advice for others fighting cancer.

NFL linebacker and Super Bowl champion Mark Herzlich of the New York Giants discusses how he created a team of caregivers, doctors, nurses, family, and friends who were there for him when battling cancer.

Dr. Ross Camidge, University of Colorado, addresses the question of whether to use a second generation ALK inhibitor as first line therapy or only after acquired resistance to crizotinib.

Dr. Jack West, Swedish Cancer Institute, identifies the platinum-based chemotherapy doublet as the backbone of first-line treatment for the majority of NSCLC patients.

Dr. Jack West, Swedish Cancer Institute, discusses the anti-angiogenic agent bevacizumab (Avastin) and the trial evidence of its efficacy for non-squamous NSCLC.

Dr. Jack West, Swedish Cancer Institute, reviews the choices for a first-line chemotherapy regimen based on a squamous histology

Dr. Jack West, Swedish Cancer Institute, identifies the best choice for first-line chemotherapy for large-cell neuroendocrine histology.

H. Jack West, MD, Medical Director, Thoracic Oncology Program, Swedish Cancer Institute, Founder & President, Grace Global Resource for Advancing Cancer Education leads this section on new data concerning Lurbinectedin of a three part series dedicated to the advancements in treatment of small cell lung cancer. The discussants include Anne Chiang MD, PhD, Associate Professor, Yale University School of Medicine, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Chief Network Officer, Smilow Cancer Hospital, Taofeek Owonikoko, MD, PhD, MSCR, Professor, Department of Hematology & Medical Oncology, Emory University School of Medicine, Co-Chair, Clinical & Translational Review Committee, Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, Jeff…

H. Jack West, MD, Medical Director, Thoracic Oncology Program, Swedish Cancer Institute, Founder & President, Grace Global Resource for Advancing Cancer Education leads this section on immunotherapy of a three part series dedicated to the advancements in treatment of small cell lung cancer. The discussants include Anne Chiang MD, PhD, Associate Professor, Yale University School of Medicine, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Chief Network Officer, Smilow Cancer Hospital, Taofeek Owonikoko, MD, PhD, MSCR, Professor, Department of Hematology & Medical Oncology, Emory University School of Medicine, Co-Chair, Clinical & Translational Review Committee, Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, Jeff Petty, MD, Director,…

H. Jack West, MD, Medical Director, Thoracic Oncology Program, Swedish Cancer Institute, Founder & President, Grace Global Resource for Advancing Cancer Education leads this section on ROVA-T of a three part series dedicated to the advancements in treatment of small cell lung cancer. The discussants include Anne Chiang MD, PhD, Associate Professor, Yale University School of Medicine, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Chief Network Officer, Smilow Cancer Hospital, Taofeek Owonikoko, MD, PhD, MSCR, Professor, Department of Hematology & Medical Oncology, Emory University School of Medicine, Co-Chair, Clinical & Translational Review Committee, Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, Jeff Petty, MD, Director,…

H. Jack West, MD, Medical Director, Thoracic Oncology Program, Swedish Cancer Institute, Founder & President, Grace Global Resource for Advancing Cancer Education leads a roundtable discussing newly released data on Lurbinectedin, ROVA-T, and emerging immunotherapies within small cell lung cancer treatments. This clip is the entire virtual roundtable with all topics discussed in detail. The panel includes Anne Chiang MD, PhD, Associate Professor, Yale University School of Medicine, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Chief Network Officer, Smilow Cancer Hospital Taofeek Owonikoko, MD, PhD, MSCR, Professor, Department of Hematology & Medical Oncology, Emory University School of Medicine, Co-Chair, Clinical & Translational Review…

Thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) is a rare complication that may arise post-transplant in patients, however, incidence of TMA has increased in recent years with no clear reason. Speaking at the 2018 European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) Annual Meeting in Lisbon, Portugal, Enric Carreras, MD, PhD, from the Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain, analyses the current knowledge of TMA complications and discusses the potential of various therapeutic options available, including tacrolimus, rituximab and eculizumab.

The complications in blood and marrow transplantation can be serious with rapid onset, therefore ideal donor matching is crucial in minimizing complications. In this talk, Enric Carreras, MD, PhD, from the Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain, outlines the process of donor selection for blood and marrow transplants and the variables to be considered in selecting ideal donors. This video was recorded at the 2018 European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) Annual Meeting in Lisbon, Portugal.

Speaking from the 2018 European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) Annual Meeting in Lisbon, Portugal, Mohamad Mohty, MD, PhD, from Saint-Antoine Hospital, Paris, France, discusses the key reasons why EBMT 2018 has been a success. Mohamad talks about the attention that the latest treatment options including CAR-T therapy are receiving and how, together with managing complications, patient outcomes can be improved.

There has been an increase in the number of patients with refractory hematological malignancies being referred to transplant centers, although previously, treatment was limited for refractory conditions. In this talk, Mohamad Mohty, MD, PhD, from Saint-Antoine Hospital, Paris, France, alludes to the optimism regarding allogeneic therapy for patients with refractory hematological malignancies. Talking from the 2018 European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) Annual Meeting in Lisbon, Portugal, Prof. Mohty discusses the potential candidates for allogeneic transplantation.

The therapeutic landscape of Hodgkin lymphoma has improved considerably over the past 50 years, with patient outcomes improving due to accurate diagnoses. Here, Mohamad Mohty, MD, PhD, from Saint-Antoine Hospital, Paris, France, raises the issue that not all patients respond in the same way to therapy. Speaking from the 2018 European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) Annual Meeting in Lisbon, Portugal, Prof. Mohty discusses the factors that may introduce complications in therapy response, and how novel therapies may hold the key in delivering tailored care to patients.

Dr. Jack West, Swedish Cancer Institute, compares the mechanism of action, efficacy and toxicity of PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibitors.

Dr. Jack West, Swedish Cancer Institute, reviews trial evidence for the efficacy of rociletinib and osimertinib for EGFR acquired resistance not driven by a T790M mutation.

Dr. Jack West, Swedish Cancer Institute, defines maintenance therapy in advanced NSCLC and discusses maintenance treatment strategies.

Dr. Jed Gorden, Swedish Cancer Institute, describes the differences between bronchoscopy and endobronchial ultrasound, highlighting the advantages of EBUS in diagnosis and staging

Dr. Jed Gorden, Swedish Cancer Institute, reviews the lung cancer screening process, including low-dose CT scanning, smoking cessation, follow-up testing and counseling, and describes the potential benefits.

Dr. Jack West, Swedish Cancer Institute, raises the question of whether to use immune checkpoint inhibitors as first-line treatment of lung cancer, alone or in combination with chemotherapy.

Dr. Jack West, Swedish Cancer Institute, discusses current trials seeking to determine the efficacy of combining immunotherapy agents in lung cancer

1st Video in the GRACE ASCO 2016 Lung Cancer Roundtable series, featuring Jack West, MD, Janet Freeman-Daily, Everett Vokes, MD, and Suresh Ramalingam, MD. Dr. West moderates this roundtable discussion highlighting studies presented at ASCO 2016.

2nd video in GRACE ASCO 2016 Lung Cancer Roundtable series, featuring Jack West, MD, Janet Freeman-Daily, Everett Vokes, MD, and Suresh Ramalingam, MD. Dr. West moderates the subject of if online groups help speed development of new targeted therapies.

Disease relapse is a significant cause of transplant failure in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Talking at the 2018 European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) Annual Meeting in Lisbon, Portugal, Charles Craddock, CBE, FRCP (UK), FRCPath, DPhil, from University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK, stresses the importance of managing relapse and how it may be achieved. Prof. Craddock mentions the exciting opportunities present to improve patient outcomes, but only with the use of clinical trials.

Charles Craddock, CBE, FRCP (UK), FRCPath, DPhil, from University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK, outlines the breakthrough therapies for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in adults, including midoastaurin in patients with a FLT-3 mutation, vyxeos for patients with secondary AML, and IDH2 inhibitors. This video was recorded at the 2018 European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) Annual Meeting in Lisbon, Portugal.

Cure Leukemia is a leading center for the development of new drug and transplant treatments for patients with hematological cancers. Its aim is to improve the access to the latest clinical trials for patients in the UK with the assistance of research nurses, who play a pivotal role in recruiting patients for transplant clinical trials. In this talk, Charles Craddock, CBE, FRCP (UK), FRCPath, DPhil, from University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK, mentions the recognition Cure Leukemia has received and why its role is crucial. Prof. Craddock was speaking from the 2018 European Society for Blood and Marrow…

There is a desperate need for rapid turnaround of transplant clinical trials to bring forward breakthrough therapies. IMPACT is a new partnership that aims to improve regulation and transplant outcomes. Speaking here, Charles Craddock, CBE, FRCP (UK), FRCPath, DPhil, from University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK, introduces key trials that will be starting soon, including the PRO-DLI trial (NCT02856464), a trial investigating CPX-351 for untreated acute myeloid leukemia (NCT03335267). This video was recorded at the 2018 European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) Annual Meeting in Lisbon, Portugal.

4th video in GRACE ASCO 2016 Lung Cancer Roundtable series, featuring Jack West, MD, Janet Freeman-Daily, Everett Vokes, MD, and Suresh Ramalingam, MD. Dr. West moderates the discussion featuring local consolidation therapies for Oligometastases.

Dr. Rachel Sanborn, Providence Thoracic Oncology Program, discusses the reasons behind using adjuvant chemotherapy for early stage NSCLC patients. Clinical studies have shown that adding chemotherapy after surgery for lung cancer can indeed improve survival.

Dr. Jack West reviews the CheckMate 227 trial, summarizing highlights from efficacy & side effects of nivolumab/ipilimumab (nivo/ipi) compared to standard doublet chemotherapy in patients with advanced NSCLC & high tumor mutational burden (TMB).

Dr. Rachel Sanborn, Providence Thoracic Oncology Program, discusses using adjuvant chemotherapy for elderly and frail patients. What was seen in particular in the trial performed by NCI Canada, using cisplatin with navelbine chemotherapy, was that people who were considered elderly were able to achieve just as much benefit from chemotherapy in terms of survival as younger people did.

Ruben Niesvizky, MD, explains Incorporating Different Schedules into Combinations Use minimum active dose at Imedex Great Debates 2018.

Ruben Niesvizky, MD, explains Quadruple Agents in Relapse Refractory Myeloma Capitalizing on synergy & lack of toxicities at Imedex Great Debates 2018.

Paul G. Richardson, MD, explains Adding to Lenalidomide to Make it Work Better Prednisone inhibitors, carfilzomib, and bortezomib at Imedex Great Debates 2018.

Paul G. Richardson, MD, explains One Size Does Not Fit All in Myeloma Clonal Tiding & Complex Heterogeneity at Imedex Great Debates 2018.

Paul G. Richardson, MD, explains Early Transplant Confers PFS Benefit, but Not Overall Stem cell transplant is an option at Imedex Great Debates 2018.