Articles related to Hematology/Oncology

This is an 8-year follow-up to the author’s initial report of a randomized phase II study in patients with newly diagnosed primary CNS lymphoma treated with high-dose methotrexate-based induction chemotherapy followed by whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) or high-dose chemotherapy (thiotepa-busulfan-cyclophosphamide) with autologous stem-cell transplantation (ASCT). They conclude that 40 Gy WBRT should be avoided in first-line treatment in this population because of its neurotoxicity and suboptimal efficacy in reducing relapses, while ASCT appears to be highly efficient in preventing relapses.

Dr. Jonathan Abbas, Director of the Acute Leukemia and Blood Cancer Program with Tennessee Oncology in Nashville, shares key strategies and considerations for managing patients with t-AML and AML-MRC.

JAK inhibitors provide a relatively tolerable drug option for controlling symptoms, reducing splenomegaly, and improving quality of life, but often at the expense of worsening cytopenias and without halting disease progression or preventing leukemic transformation. In this article, the authors review FDA–approved JAK inhibitors as well as those in late-phase clinical trials, and provide a schema for choosing among the available options for patients with MF.

Gilteritinib is standard therapy for relapsed/refractory FLT3-mutated (FLT3mut) AML but seldom reduces FLT3mut burden or induces sustained efficacy. This phase Ib open-label, dose-escalation/dose-expansion study enrolled 61 patients (63% having received prior FLT3 therapy) to receive 400 mg oral venetoclax once daily and 80 mg or 120 mg oral gilteritinib once daily. The combination of venetoclax and gilteritinib was associated with high mCRc and FLT3 molecular response rates regardless of prior FLT3 inhibitor exposure, but did require dose interruptions for myelosuppression.

Memorial Sloan Kettering oncologist Raajit Rampal presents a case report, discusses the rationale for the few treatment options available, and summarizes the 5-year follow-up data for the RESPONSE and RESPONSE 2 trials.

A 0.25-credit, 15-minute video CME program that asks the question, “How do you decide which multiple myeloma treatment regimen is best?” Hear what the presenters have to say.