Oncology

Metrics should empower pharmacists rather than burden them.

Christine Barrett, PharmD, BCOP, addressed advances in the treatment of stage III melanoma that provide the potential to improve long-term outcomes by enhancing immune response, tailoring surgical approaches, and refining patient selection strategies.

Mark Zangardi, PharmD, MS, BCOP, and Amber Cipriani, PharmD, BCOP, discuss the growing role of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) testing in oncology, highlighting its applications in early cancer detection, molecular residual disease assessment, and treatment monitoring.

The approval is for those with metastatic disease or in whom surgical resection is likely to result in severe morbidity, have no satisfactory alternative treatments, or have progressed following treatment.

Matthew Lei, PharmD, BCOP, highlights the value of community, collaboration, and innovation at the HOPA Annual Conference.

Sophie Jabban discusses research presented at the SGO Annual Meeting highlighting significant disparities in MRI access for patients with cervical cancer receiving chemoradiation, with delays linked to both race and insurance status, underscoring systemic barriers that may impact timely treatment.

The approval was based on efficacy and safety data from a randomized, 3-arm, open-label phase 3 CHECKMATE-8HW trial.

Fatty acid metabolism plays a critical role in treatment responses.

Sophie Jabban discusses findings from 2 studies that highlight how geographic location, race, ethnicity, and social determinants of health contribute to delays in initiating chemoradiation for patients with cervical cancer.

Siremadlin is a novel, investigational, second-generation antagonist that binds to MDM2.

Generics play a crucial role in mitigating drug shortages by offering a real alternative for 80% of drugs that are becoming increasingly unavailable in Italy.

The predictive tool may reveal the mechanisms underlying treatment resistance in patients with HER+ breast cancer.

Nicolas Girard, MD, explains the benefits observed in the MARIPOSA clinical trial among patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with amivantamab plus lazertinib.

By decade’s end, approval of additional bispecifics is expected for hematological malignancies, solid tumors, and non-oncology conditions such as inflammatory, autoimmune, neurodegenerative and vascular diseases, and ocular disorders and infections.

Evolving breast cancer risk models and prevention methods are necessary to improve patient outcomes, according to Sagar Sardesai, MD.

Sarah Spinler, PharmD, FCCP, FAHA, FASHP, AACC, discussed management of atrial fibrillation in patients with cancer.

Effective management of immune checkpoint inhibitor-related toxicities requires early intervention, evolving guideline adherence, and multidisciplinary collaboration, with steroids remaining a key treatment.

The antibody-drug conjugate is currently undergoing evaluation in a phase 1 trial that enrolled patients with pancreatic cancer and squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

The results should lead to a guideline update recommending extended treatment with a reduced-dose anticoagulant in this patient population.

PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitors are now standard for early-stage non-metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), with neoadjuvant, adjuvant, and perioperative strategies improving survival and outcomes.

Approval of durvalumab is in combination with gemcitabine and cisplatin as neoadjuvant treatment for adults with muscle invasive bladder cancer.

Aromatase inhibitors were superior to tamoxifen in reducing risk of contralateral breast cancer.

Patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) show weakened T-cell memory responses to COVID-19 vaccination.

The findings provide a deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying breast cancer progression and treatment resistance.

Patients achieved statistically significant benefits in progression-free survival and overall response rates.

Megan May, PharmD, BCOP, FHOPA, FAPO, discusses lurbinectedin and tarlatamab and what ongoing research in the small cell lung cancer (SCLC) space entails.

National Adverse Drug Event Awareness Day was established to promote awareness, drive policy changes, and encourage health care professionals and patients to prioritize medication safety.

Specialty distribution models, including limited drug distribution systems, ensure safe medication access but can create barriers for patients, making medically integrated pharmacies essential in coordinating care.

After decades without improvements, an expert with Baptist Health described the small cell lung cancer (SCLC) space as “exciting” following multiple innovations in the past few years.