The first liquid biopsy used to detect gene mutations that are associated with non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) was approved by the FDA. The cobas EGFR Mutation Test v2 (Roche Molecular Systems), a blood-based companion diagnostic for erlotinib (Tarceva), is indicated as an initial test to detect EGFR gene mutations in patients with NSCLC.
The first oncology biosimilar—filgrastim-sndz (Zarxio)—was approved in the United States in March 2015, but this category of drugs is still fairly misunderstood, according to Jim M. Koeller, MS, Professor, College of Pharmacy, University of Texas at Austin.
Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are the mainstay of therapy for patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation–positive non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to the updated National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) NSCLC guideline. The NCCN guideline recommends EGFR testing as part of a broad molecular profiling in patients with NSCLC.
A “liquid biopsy” was able to detect 2 mutations in the ESR1 gene that predicted worse overall survival (OS) in women with estrogen receptor (ER)-positive metastatic breast cancer who were originally enrolled in the phase 3 BOLERO-2 clinical trial, according to results presented at the 2015 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.
  • Afatinib Superior to Gefitinib as First-Line Treatment for EGFR Mutation–Positive NSCLC
  • Combination Chemotherapy plus Radiation Prolongs Survival in Low-Grade Glioma
  • Less Frequent Lung Cancer Screening Warranted in Individuals with Negative Initial Screening
  • Fluciclovine F18 Diagnostic Imaging Agent Approved to Detect Recurrent Prostate Cancer
  • Tecentriq for Metastatic Urothelial Bladder Cancer
  • Afatinib Receives New Indication for Advanced Squamous-Cell NSCLC
  • FDA Approves Netspot Diagnostic Test to Detect Neuroendocrine Tumors
Women with clinicopathologic high-risk breast cancer had nearly a 50% reduction in prescription chemotherapy, with no increased risk for metastatic recurrence when a cancer gene-based assay was used to guide treatment decision-­making, according to new data presented at the 2016 American Association for Cancer Research meeting.
The investigational oral androgen receptor drug ODM-201 has significant antitumor activity with a favorable safety profile in men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, according to a pooled analysis of 2 early-phase clinical trials.
All women with ovarian cancer should be offered genetic testing regardless of tumor histology, said Barbara S. Norquist, MD, gynecologic oncologist, University of Washington, Seattle, at the 2016 Society of Gynecologic Oncology meeting. She presented the results of a retrospective, tissue-based analysis of a randomized clinical trial.
The key arguments supporting the use of combination therapy with checkpoint blockade immunotherapies as the standard of care for treating metastatic melanoma arise from the combination’s high disease control rates; rapid deep responses; improved response rates; longer progression-free survival (PFS); and good estimated overall survival (OS), approaching 70% at 3 years, said Steven J. O’Day, MD, Professor of Medical Oncology, John Wayne Cancer Institute at Providence Saint John’s Health Center, Santa Monica, CA, at the recent HemOnc Today Melanoma and Cutaneous Malignancies meeting.
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