A Collection of Hematology & Oncology Articles
The practice of oncology and hematology is in constant evolution. These articles highlight some of the most notable advancements and discoveries in the modern medical world. We invite you to use this site frequently and collaborate with medical professionals across the globe.
Welcome
At Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute (FCS), our physicians and advanced practice providers are deeply vested in clinical research to provide the most cutting-edge treatment options available to our patients. In our own practices we are fortunate to offer over 300 clinical trials across 37 locations including 3 dedicated Phase 1 Drug Development Units. We value every opportunity to share best practices and the latest research both within and outside of our institution. We welcome you to use this collection as a resource to support your own research and understanding as we strive together to advance cancer care one step at a time.
Recent Articles
Enfortumab Vedotin and Pembrolizumab in Cisplatin-Eligible Bladder Cancer
Is this the end of the cisplatin era in bladder cancer? It sure seems that way. The results here are no surprise based on the signal we saw in the metastatic setting.
Teclistamab in Multiple Myeloma with One to Three Previous Lines of Therapy
It comes as no surprise that bispecific agents are moving up into earlier lines of therapy in multiple myeloma. Here, in the setting of early relapsed, anti-CD38 and –imid exposed patients, single agent teclistimab showed an 18mo progression-free survival benefit over PFd/Kd.
Overall Survival Among Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treated With External Beam Radiation Therapy: Individual Patient Data Outcomes From a Multinational Cohort
This was not randomized, so it did not establish equivalence between external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) and resection or ablation, but these are strong real-world data supporting EBRT as a frontline local option when standard curative approaches are not feasible. The early-stage, treatment-naïve outcomes make it hard to keep thinking of RT as just a salvage or bridge strategy in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), we likely underutilize this therapy.
Bladder Adjuvant Radiotherapy: Phase III Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial of Adjuvant Radiotherapy or Observation for Postcystectomy Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer
Shout to all the rad/onc’s who read this! This was a meaningful signal that modern adjuvant pelvic radiotherapy (RT) could finally have a role for selected very high-risk post-cystectomy patients. The lack of immunotherapy in this cohort and absence of a statistically significant survival benefit suggests this is not an automatic new standard, but it certainly makes multidisciplinary discussion of RT more interesting.
Duvelisib Induces Deep Responses in Peripheral T-Cell Lymphoma: Final Results of the Phase II PRIMO Trial of Duvelisib in Relapsed/Refractory Peripheral T-Cell Lymphoma
This was a reassuring finding for standard risk nontransplant patients with deep sustained responses, esp those having issues taking lenalidomide. I would be cautious in extrapolating this to high risk or post-transplant patients. This study makes the fixed duration therapy idea more palatable for many of us.
Continuous or Fixed-Duration Maintenance Therapy in Multiple Myeloma
This was a reassuring finding for standard risk nontransplant patients with deep sustained responses, esp those having issues taking lenalidomide. I would be cautious in extrapolating this to high risk or post-transplant patients. This study makes the fixed duration therapy idea more palatable for many of us.
Adjuvant Pembrolizumab plus Belzutifan for Renal-Cell Carcinoma
Adding belzutifan to adjuvant pembro improved disease-free survival (DFS), but overall survival (OS) remains immature and was not statistically different. This is a compelling signal that makes sense, but I would still be a bit cautious adding this until OS maturity. There is clearly an increase in rates of anemia and lung toxicity, which in the adjuvant setting need careful consideration.
Ensartinib in Resected ALK-Positive Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer
It seems the old cliche of more drugs than patients is becoming true for most providers here. The data needs to mature further here but likely this will be another option for Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)+ non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients in the adjuvant setting. It does look like CNS protection benefits are meaningful as well.
FCS Physician Focus
Plasma Proteome–Based Test for First-Line Treatment Selection in Metastatic Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer
FCS medical oncologist and hematologist Ernesto Bustinza-Linares, MD has co-authored an abstract published in the American Society of Clinical Oncology Journal, JCO Precision Oncology, that uncovers a new testing method to determine personalized care options for patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The abstract’s authors address the limitations of existing guidelines that recommend checkpoint immunotherapy, sometimes in combination with chemotherapy, for treating NSCLC, which often discounts patient variability and immune factors. The findings from the study show that by incorporating additional plasma proteome-based testing, combined with the standard protein inhibitor testing, clear differences in patient outcomes were observed after applying targeted treatments based on the testing results.
Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute