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View all ArticlesHER2-Low, A New Classification Of Breast Cancer, Expands The Use Of Enhertu For Metastatic Patients
Contributed by Dr. Muneeb Niazi, Medical Fellow at SurvivorNet. Trastuzumab deruxtecan (brand name: Enhertu) is a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved drug for certain stage four breast cancer patients whose tumors are classified as HER2- low. Previous therapies targeting cancer tumors with HER2 (Human Epidermal Growth Factor 2)-low proteins, such as trastuzumab (brand name: […]
Learn MoreThe Evolving Management of Anemia in Myelofibrosis
Contributed by Dr. Muneeb Niazi, Medical Fellow at SurvivorNet. Myelofibrosis (MF) belongs to a group of blood cancers called myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs). These cancers originate in the myeloid tissue, commonly known as the bone marrow, which lines the inside of large bones, such as the vertebral column or the hip bones. “The [abnormal] cell of […]
Learn MoreBTK Inhibitor Jaypirca is Now FDA-Approved & May Help Difficult-to-Treat Mantle Cell Lymphoma
Contributed by Dr. Muneeb Niazi, Medical Fellow at SurvivorNet. Mantle Cell Lymphomas (MCL) are rare blood cancers that affect the white blood cells (WBCs), one of the main cell types within the blood. These cancers are as aggressive as they are rare. Treating them can often prove to be an uphill battle. They often reoccur […]
Learn MoreElacestrant (Orserdu) Is Effective For A Stubborn Form of Metastatic Breast Cancer
Contributed by Dr. Muneeb Niazi, Medical Fellow at SurvivorNet. For some women with a particular type of advanced, or metastatic, breast cancer, a new treatment option is showing really promising results. Metastatic breast cancer can be hard to treat, especially when some of the traditional hormone/endocrine therapies do not work. This may happen with particular […]
Learn MoreIbrutinib For Mantle Cell Lymphoma
Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is a rare but deadly form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a blood cancer affecting the white blood cells (WBCs). It tends to be aggressive and is usually diagnosed later in the disease course, when it is often resistant to treatment. Traditional treatment with the best chance for long-term disease control for MCL […]
Learn MoreWhen To Treat Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)?
Contributed by Dr. Muneeb Niazi, Medical Fellow at SurvivorNet. Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) is a slow-going or “indolent” blood cancer. Despite being cancer, it is one of those counterintuitive diseases for which delaying treatment can surprisingly be the most appropriate “treatment” option. Studies show that many patients with this disease can live long, fulfilling lives […]
Learn MoreActive Surveillance For Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)
Contributed by Dr. Muneeb Niazi, Medical Fellow at SurvivorNet. Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) is a slow-growing cancer of the white blood cells (WBCs). This specific type of cancer has great, effective treatment options Moreover, some patients, especially those in the early, asymptomatic stages of the disease, may be able to live for long periods of […]
Learn MoreBispecific Antibodies For Follicular Lymphoma
Contributed by Dr. Muneeb Niazi, Medical Fellow at SurvivorNet. Follicular Lymphoma (FL) is a type of cancer of the white blood cells (WBCs). It is slow growing and often does not cause any symptoms in patients. Traditional therapies, while effective against many cases of FL, can often fail in the long term. The disease can […]
Learn MoreDurvalumab Improves Survival in Liver and Biliary Tract Cancers
Contributed by Dr. Muneeb Niazi, Medical Fellow at SurvivorNet. Liver cancers including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and biliary tract or bile duct cancers (BTC) are rare but deadly, with only 20% and 9% of the patients surviving at 5 years respectively. In a welcome and much-needed development, studies show that the immunotherapy drug Durvalumab (tradename Imfinzi) […]
Learn MoreA Better Medication For Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia & Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma: Zanubrutinib
Contributed by Dr. Muneeb Niazi, Medical Fellow at SurvivorNet. In two large clinical trials, zanubrutinib (tradename Brukinsa) outperformed Ibrutinib and Bendamustine-Rituximab, which are common drugs used as a first treatment for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) and Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma (SLL). This led to its swift approval by the FDA for clinical use in these cancers. […]
Learn MoreNew Developments In Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Therapy (TKI) for Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML)
Contributed by Dr. Muneeb Niazi, Medical Fellow at SurvivorNet. Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors (TKIs) are a highly specific treatment for Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML). CML is a type of blood cancer that arises in the cells of the red-spongy tissue lining, called the bone marrow, the insides of large bones. TKIs are a form of targeted […]
Learn MoreViewpoints
Clinical developments explained by the country's leading voices on cancer care
View all ArticlesOral Azacitidine May Increase Survival in Older Patients with AML
Maintenance therapy with the oral version of azacitidine (brand name: ONUREG) significantly improves disease-free survival in older adults with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who have achieved complete remission on intensive chemotherapy, according to research published in the journal Blood. This is the first time a maintenance therapy has shown a survival advantage in older adults, who make up the vast majority of AML patients.
Learn MoreThe Evolution to BTK Inhibitors in CLL Treatment
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) treatment used to be one-size-fits-all. Today, the approach has shifted to more targeted therapies, thanks to the introduction of the Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitors. Dr. James Gerson, hematologist-oncologist at Penn Medicine, tells SurvivorNet Connect that he prefers acalabrutinib (brand name: Calquence) because it has fewer side effects than ibrutinib in a similar patient population.
Learn MoreMetastatic Lung Cancer — Deciding on Next Steps
Biomarker testing can guide you to the initial targeted treatment for patients with metastatic lung cancer, but what happens when that first-line treatment stops holding the cancer at bay? Dr. Patrick Forde, thoracic oncologist at Johns Hopkins, suggests retesting to find a new therapeutic target.
Learn MoreShould CAR T-Cell Therapy be the Standard Third Line Treatment for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma?
“If you don’t think of CAR T-cell therapy as a third line of therapy, you’re malpracticing,” Dr. Stephen Schuster, Penn Medicine hematologist/oncologist, tells SurvivorNet Connect. His concern is that, “It’s not yet gelled in the mind of all practicing oncologists that this is a reality for their patients.” Dr. Schuster is eager to raise awareness of CAR T-cell therapy because its success as third line therapy depends in large part on earlier therapeutic choices.
Learn MoreBispecific Antibodies Offer Lymphoma Patients a Promising New Therapeutic Option
Bispecific antibodies have exciting potential as a cancer therapy, due to their ability to simultaneously bind to two targets. Right now, this treatment is only available in investigational trials, but it has shown promising outcomes for patients with relapsed-refractory lymphoma who have already undergone a transplant, CAR T-cell therapy, or other lines of treatment.
Learn MoreBelamaf is ‘First-In-Class’ New Therapy for Relapsed/Refractory Myeloma, But What’s Its Role in the Toolkit?
In August, the FDA granted belantamab mafodotin (Belamaf) accelerated approval for patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who've received at least four prior therapies, including an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody, a proteasome inhibitor, and an immunomodulatory agent.
Learn MoreCalquence (Acalabrutinib) Has an Advantage Over Other BTK Inhibitors in CLL Treatment
Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitors have proven themselves highly effective for both treatment-naïve and relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). The first-generation BTK inhibitor ibrutinib was followed by second-generation drugs such as acalabrutinib (brand name: Calquence), zanubrutinib and tirabrutinib, which have all shown good long-term efficacy and safety.
Learn MoreHow Physicians Can Prevent Physical and Emotional Burnout
“One of the first things we look for with burnout is exhaustion, and it can happen in both a physical and emotional way,” explains Dr. Marianna Strongin, a licensed clinical psychologist and founder of Strong in Therapy, her Manhattan-based private practice. Physical exhaustion is often a precursor to emotional exhaustion, but complicating burnout diagnosis and treatment in physicians is the fact that they’ve been trained to work through physical exhaustion and even to ignore it.
Learn MoreAddressing Work-Life Balance Essential for Doctors’ Mental Health
More than half of physicians surveyed say they've struggled to maintain a healthy work-life balance, and the COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated the problem.
Learn MorePractical Steps for Physician Burnout
Therapy for physicians is important. Providers can be consumers of therapy, and there should be no shame in seeking help. Dr. Elizabeth Jewell says to identify risk factors. “Middle-aged women, and associate professors tend to be high risk [for mental health issues]. A lot of it has to do with busier clinical practices, job expectations, and responsibilities at home. As a society, we need to figure that out.”
Learn MoreCOVID-19 Could Lead to Dangerous Levels of Physician Burnout — How Can We Change the Culture of Medicine?
Working to the extreme is a hazard of the medical profession. In January 2020, 42% of physicians surveyed reported feeling exhausted and overwhelmed, otherwise known as burnout. And that was before COVID-19 sent a flood of new patients into medical offices and hospitals.
Learn MorePractical Advice for Physicians Struggling with Mental Illness
A mental health crisis is going on right now, and acknowledging it is a first step in addressing the problem. The demanding pace of the industry puts physicians at high risk for burnout, particularly in the midst of the high-stress environment that a global pandemic brings.
Learn MoreCOVID-19 Pandemic Reinforces the Need to Care for Your Mental Health
Fear of being perceived as weak or unable to do their jobs has created a stigma that prevents many physicians from accessing the mental health care they need. Inadequate treatment may be one reason why the risk for suicide is so much higher among doctors than it is in the general population.
Learn MorePARP Inhibitor Developments
How PARP inhibitors such as Olaparib (brand name: Lynparza) are changing ovarian cancer treatment and boosting survival for women
View all ArticlesProgression-Free Survival With Olaparib (Lynparza) in SOLO-1 Study “Dramatic and Impressive”
Over the last few years, we have been more strategically targeting ovarian cancer treatment based on a patient’s BRCA or homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) status. “We’ve seen a complete transformation in how we think about ovarian cancer,” says Dr. Stephanie Wethington, gynecologic oncologist at Johns Hopkins Medicine.
Learn MoreBreaking Down the PAOLA Trial — Who Benefits from Olaparib (Lynparza)?
In the PAOLA trial, ovarian cancer patients received either bevacizumab alone or bevacizumab plus olaparib (brand name: Lynparza) after their frontline therapy. “And what they found in this trial was very interesting,” says Dr. John Nakayama, gynecologic oncologist with Allegheny Health Network in Pittsburgh.
Learn MorePARP Inhibitors Boost Survival in Ovarian Cancer, Prompting New ASCO Guidelines on Their Use
PARP inhibitors are a class of drugs that inhibit one of the backup systems of DNA damage repair. Ovarian cancers with BRCA1, BRCA2, or certain other mutations have a defect in a major DNA damage repair pathway and are highly dependent on secondary pathways for their survival.
Learn MoreDecision Making Around PARP Inhibitors Such as Olaparib (Lynparza) in Frontline Maintenance
The typical treatment for patients with advanced ovarian cancer is surgery plus platinum-based chemotherapy. Although most patients go into remission following this regimen, an estimated 70% relapse within the next three years.
Learn MoreShould PARP Inhibitors Be Offered to All Women?
When it comes to PARP inhibitors, Dr. Rebecca Arend of the University of Alabama says, “The message is not that each patient should get a PARP inhibitor no matter what, but that it is an awareness that we need to put out into the community.”
Learn MoreEvaluating Risks versus Benefits of PARP Inhibitors for Ovarian Cancer Patients
Prescribing any medication or course of treatment involves weighing the risks versus the benefits to the patient, but balancing this equation is particularly crucial with cancer drugs which carry significant side effects and toxicity. As the data on treating ovarian cancer with PARP inhibitors becomes more promising and their use becomes more widespread, oncologists are looking for information on patient tolerance.
Learn MoreTo Treat Ovarian Cancer With PARP Inhibitors or Not: Factoring the Progression-Free Survival Benefit and Side Effects Into the Decision
PARP inhibitors like niraparib (Zejula) are an effective tool against ovarian cancer. The NOVA trial established that niraparib as maintenance therapy in platinum-sensitive patients significantly improved progression-free survival compared to placebo, regardless of women's BRCA or homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) status. Then, the PRIMA study found the treatment extended PFS in patients with newly diagnosed ovarian cancer, with or without HRD deficiency.
Learn MoreIdentifying Ovarian Cancer Patients for PARP Inhibitors
How to determine which ovarian cancer patients will benefit most from PARP inhibitors such as olaparib (brand name: Lynparza) is still a big question in oncology. “If you're going to use a selective strategy to identify patients for PARP inhibitors, there are different approaches, different pathways,” says Dr. Stephanie Wethington, gynecologic oncologist at Johns Hopkins Medicine.
Learn MorePARP Inhibitors and Recurrent Platinum-Sensitive Ovarian Cancer
Treating Recurrence after PARP Therapy Maintenance therapy with PARP inhibitors is still relatively new There are no clear guidelines yet for how to treat women with platinum-sensitive tumors when they recur after PARP maintenance therapy New trials, such as MEDIOLA, suggest a triplet option Four years ago the FDA approved the first PARP inhibitor (niraparib) […]
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