June 2017, Vol 8, No 3

Orlando, FL—Enthusiasm for immunotherapy in the treatment of cancer must be balanced with a healthy respect for the power of T-cell activation. Autoimmunity is recognized as an effect of prolonged T-cell activation via PD-1/PD ligand 1 inhibition. Although immune-­related adverse events are generally easily managed, they occasionally can be fatal and therefore should be managed without delay, said Stephanie Andrews, MS, ANP-BC, a hospitalist specializing in medical oncology at Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, at the 2017 National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) annual conference.

National Harbor, MD—Platinum-resistant ovarian cancer also appeared resistant to the immunotherapeutic effects of the toll-like receptor 8 (TLR8) agonist motolimod as add-on to chemotherapy, according to results of a randomized trial.

Washington, DC—Adding the investigational drug indoximod, an indole­amine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) pathway inhibitor, to the checkpoint inhibitor pembrolizumab (Keytruda) led to higher response rates in patients with advanced melanoma than what is reported with pembrolizumab monotherapy, said lead investigator Yousef Zakharia, MD, Clinical Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine, Division of Hema­tology, Oncology and Blood and Marrow Transplantation, University of Iowa, Iowa City, at the 2017 American Association for Cancer Research meeting.

Orlando, FL—Atezolizumab plus bevacizumab showed encouraging responses as a first-line treatment of metastatic renal-cell carcinoma in a phase 2 trial. Although the trial failed to meet its primary end point of significant improvement in progression-free survival (PFS) compared with sunitinib, the combination did reduce the risk for death or disease progression by 36% in patients with elevated PD ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression. The median PFS was almost double in the PD-L1–positive group with atezolizumab plus bevacizumab versus sunitinib (14.7 months vs 7.8 months, respectively).

Orlando, FL—Somatostatin analogs have multiple roles in the treatment of neuroendocrine tumors (NETs), including the management of symptoms of hormone hypersecretion and, more recently, slowing tumor progression.

Orlando, FL—Immunotherapy is now an established option for patients with non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in the second-line setting and in selected patients in the first-line setting.

Orlando, FL—The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) has provided guidance for the clinical management of genetic mutation carriers who are identified using multigene panels without endorsing the routine use of these tests outside of research and/or intensive counseling on the risks and benefits of their use.

Implementing clinical pathways for the management of patients with metastatic non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) led to a dramatic reduction in the total cost of care, while maintaining clinical outcomes, according to a study of 370 patients with NSCLC conducted at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.

A brief overview of cancer drugs approved by the FDA between March 15, 2017, and May 30, 2017.

Orlando, FL—Molecular analysis and PD ligand 1 (PD-L1) testing for patients with non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are critically important. Optimally, multiple biomarker testing should be done at diagnosis, but it also has value before choosing therapy for second-line or later.