Alana Hippensteele, Managing Editor

A study in Lancet Haematology revealed that minority ethnic patients face significantly poorer outcomes after hematopoietic cell transplantation compared to White patients.

The phase 3 CEPHEUS trial demonstrated that adding daratumumab (DARA) to the VRd regimen significantly improves minimal residual disease negativity, progression-free survival, and overall response in transplant-ineligible or transplant deferred patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma, establishing a new standard of care.

The GMMG-HD7 trial evaluated the addition of isatuximab to standard induction therapy in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma who are eligible for autologous stem cell transplantation, demonstrating significantly higher rates of minimal residual disease negativity and improved progression-free survival (PFS).

The phase 3 AMPLIFY trial demonstrates that fixed-duration regimens of acalabrutinib and venetoclax, with or without obinutuzumab, significantly improve progression-free survival and deliver manageable safety profiles compared to chemoimmunotherapy in treatment-naive chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

The AQUILA study demonstrates that early treatment with daratumumab significantly delays progression to symptomatic multiple myeloma, improves survival outcomes, and offers a well-tolerated alternative to traditional observation.

A ketogenic diet and its key metabolite, β-hydroxybutyrate, enhance the efficacy of CAR T-cell therapy by improving metabolic fitness, cytokine production, and cellular expansion, offering a promising, safe strategy for optimizing cancer immunotherapy.

Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP1) receptor agonists were shown to be associated with a reduced risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE), while high dietary fiber intake was shown to enhance microbiome health, lower graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) severity, and improve overall survival following allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation.

The American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition will include the latest news and clinical trial updates in the hematology field.

Jacinda Abdul-Mutakabbir, PharmD, MPH, AAHIVP, discusses a study she conducted that highlights how social determinants of health exacerbate severity and increase rates of mortality from Clostridioides difficile infections in vulnerable communities.

AI-powered drug response prediction technology is revolutionizing veterinary and human oncology by enabling personalized treatment plans through live cell testing, machine learning models, and data-driven precision medicine approaches.

An ACCP speaker explains that the FDA faces a multitude of challenges.

Data show that a child’s insurance status is independently associated with mortality after hematopoietic cell transplantation.

Outpatient models are emerging as feasible alternatives to traditional inpatient care, offering potential benefits such as reduced hospitalization, improved social well-being, and cost savings.

Two clinical trials with MRD monitoring may be practice changing: TRACERx and AEGEAN.

ASCO is prioritizing the expansion of pharmacist involvement in its organization by recognizing pharmacists' contributions to safety standards, quality improvement initiatives, and certification programs.

Gut microbiome research is no longer an obscure field in cancer care.

These therapies are being investigated in earlier lines, with several new treatments in development.

The guidelines emphasize the importance of vaccination, risk assessment, and preparedness for immunocompromised patients who are traveling post-transplant.

The KEYNOTE-756 and CheckMate 7FL trials show this combination improves pathological complete response rates in this patient population.

Pharmacogenomic testing can help identify patients' genetic profiles, revealing why certain drugs may be less effective or cause adverse effects.

The FDA faces a multitude of challenges in regulating artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) medical devices.

The work of Obstetrician Ignaz Semmelweis lives on in medical protocols today.

The trial demonstrated that the combination of lenvatinib, pembrolizumab, and transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) significantly improves progression-free survival and objective response rates compared to TACE alone.

The efficacy and safety profiles of CAR T-cell and bispecific antibody therapies have led to their investigation in earlier lines of therapy, with several new treatments in development.

Data from the second interim analysis of the DETECT V trial, presented at ESMO Congress 2024, suggest that a chemotherapy-free regimen combining dual HER2-targeted therapy with endocrine therapy, particularly with the addition of ribociclib, may be an effective treatment for patients.

At ESMO Congress 2024, Shuji Ogino, MD, PhD, MS, explained that the rising incidence of young-onset cancer may be due to generational risk factors such as lifestyle, diet, and environmental changes, emphasizing the need for long-term research and follow up to understand early-life influences on cancer development.

Overall survival results from the phase 3 KEYNOTE-522 study provide evidence of improved long-term outcomes from this pembrolizumab-based regimen.

Clinical research presented at ESMO 2024 highlights the significant survival benefits of perioperative and neoadjuvant immunotherapy with nivolumab and nivolumab plus ipilimumab, while emphasizing the role of biomarkers such as ctDNA and KRAS mutations in guiding treatment decisions.

An ESMO 2024 presentation explores the growing role of the gut microbiome in immunotherapy response, emerging diagnostic tools such as PCR chips, and innovative therapies such as fecal microbiota transplantation and microbiome-preserving strategies to improve patient outcomes.

The gut and intratumoral microbiota influence cancer development, progression, and treatment responses, highlighting the potential for treatment strategies that leverage these microbial interactions to enhance cancer therapies.