Hematologic Malignancies

Atlanta, GA—A recent analysis of US administrative claims data showed that stem-cell transplantation (SCT) is associated with increased healthcare resource utilization and costs compared with matched controls. According to data presented at 2017 ASH, patients who underwent SCT had, on average, >$114,000 increase in healthcare costs compared with age-, sex-, and comorbidity-matched patients with multiple myeloma who did not undergo SCT.

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), a form of cancer that starts in the lymphatic system, is the most common type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in adults. In the United States, approximately 72,000 new cases of NHL are diagnosed annually; more than 20,000 people were estimated to die from the disease in 2017.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a rare but deadly cancer. Approximately 21,400 new cases of AML were diagnosed in 2017 in the United States, and nearly 10,600 people died from the disease. Approximately 60% to 70% of adults with AML respond to initial treatment with cytotoxic chemotherapy. However, the 5-year survival rate for patients with AML remains poor at approximately 27%.

Multiple myeloma is a cancer of plasma cells in the bone marrow that often leads to bone destruction and bone marrow failure. According to the American Cancer Society, more than 30,280 new cases of multiple myeloma will be diagnosed in 2017, and 12,590 deaths will be attributed to the disease. In the past 20 years, mortality rates associated with multiple myeloma have declined. Novel therapies, as well as improvements in autologous hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT) procedures and supportive care, have contributed to extended survival for patients with this malignancy.

Atlanta, GA—Single-agent daratum­umab (Darzalex) shows significant activity in smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM). The 12-month progression-free survival (PFS) rate with a long dosing schedule of daratumumab was 95%, and the median PFS was not yet reached in any of the 3 dosing schedules studied, announced Craig C. Hofmeister, MD, MPH, Associate Professor, Division of Hematology, the Ohio State University, Columbus, at ASH 2017.

Atlanta, GA—A maintenance regimen of lenalidomide (Revlimid) and elotuzumab (Empliciti) after autologous stem-cell transplant (ASCT) improved the quality of responses achieved with induction therapy in patients with multiple myeloma.

Atlanta, GA—Venetoclax (Venclexta) plus rituximab (Rituxan) achieved superior progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) compared with standard-of-care bendamustine (Treanda/Bendeka) plus rituximab in patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). PFS improved by 81% and OS by 52% with venetoclax plus rituximab, and the depth of response was impressive—complete response and complete response with incomplete platelet recovery was 26.8%, and minimal residual disease negativity in peripheral blood was 83.5%.

Atlanta, GA—More than 90% of patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) achieved objective responses with the new Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor acalabrutinib (Calquence), updated data from an ongoing study showed. In most cases, the responses were durable, reported John C. Byrd, MD, Director, Division of Hematology, the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, at ASH 2017.

Atlanta, GA—The past few years have witnessed significant progress in the treatment of several hematologic malignancies, and truly paradigm-changing therapies have recently emerged in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). At ASH 2017, Crystal L. Mackall, MD, Co-Director, Immunology & Immunotherapy of Cancer Program, Stanford University, CA, discussed the FDA approvals of 2 important treatments for patients with B-cell precursor ALL.

Atlanta, GA—Ibrutinib (Imbruvica) plus venetoclax (Venclexta) led to an objective response rate of 100% in patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), with 47% in complete remission at 6 months. These high response rates were achieved with only 1 case of laboratory tumor lysis syndrome, said Peter Hillmen, MBChB, PhD, FRCP, FRCPath, Leader, Section of Experimental Haematology, Leeds Institute of Cancer and Pathology, United Kingdom, at ASH 2017.