We sat down with Marwan Fakih, MD, to discuss a clinical scenario he faced in practice, and how he used the latest data available to inform his treatment for his patient.

We recently traveled to Boston, Massachusetts, for a State of the Science Summit™ on Ovarian Cancer and Soft Tissue Sarcoma. During the meeting, faculty from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute gave focused presentations on the facets of genetic testing in ovarian cancer, surgical options available for patients with newly diagnosed disease, and emerging strategies for the treatment of patients with uterine sarcomas. Additional topics included novel strategies and emerging agents being used in the treatment of patients with recurrent ovarian cancer, the success of PARP inhibitors in the relapsed setting, and the use of immunotherapy combinations in gynecologic cancers.

We recently traveled to Kansas City, Missouri, for a State of the Science Summit™ on Advanced Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer. During the meeting, the faculty from St. Luke’s Cancer Institute and the University of Missouri-Kansas City gave focused presentations on recent progress made in squamous NSCLC and small cell lung cancer, provided tips on how to navigate the complex paradigm of oncogene-driven disease, and shed light on emerging biomarkers in the space. Additional topics included the use of robotic thoracic surgery to improve outcomes and quality of life for patients with lung cancer as well as examining the critical role of the pulmonologist in lung cancer management.

We recently traveled to Memphis, Tennessee, for a State of the Science Summit™ on Genitourinary Cancers. During the meeting, the faculty gave focused presentations on advances made in the treatment landscapes of metastatic renal cell carcinoma and prostate cancer. 

In renal cell carcinoma, the faculty homed in on the role of adjuvant TKIs, the current and future use of immunotherapy, the utility of cytoreductive nephrectomy, and the management of treatment-related toxicities. In prostate cancer, the faculty spoke to the current treatment of patients with castration-naïve and non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, the management of androgen deprivation-associated cardiac complications, addressed health disparities, and discussed the use of radiation therapy.

We recently traveled to New York City for a State of the Science Summit on Advanced Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer. The meeting, which featured insight from experts from NYU Langone’s Perlmutter Cancer Center, covered a wide array of topics, ranging from surgical techniques, to headway made in immunotherapy, to emerging biomarkers, to diagnostic advancements.

We recently traveled to Minneapolis, Minnesota, for a State of the Science Summit on Breast Cancer. At the meeting, topics ranged from surgical approaches for node-positive breast cancer, to the use of CDK4/6 inhibitors in hormone receptor–positive disease, to emerging drug therapies in triple-negative disease. Presenters also highlighted treatment approaches for those with lymphedema, discussed the use of proton beam radiation in breast cancer, and examined treatment de-escalation in the curative setting for those with HER2-positive disease. 

We recently traveled to Syracuse, New York, for a State of the Science Summit on Advanced Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer. At the meeting, we spoke with the faculty of Upstate Medical University on practice-change clinical trials in the space, as well as novel approaches to treatment with checkpoint inhibitors, targeted therapies, radiation, and minimally invasive surgery. They also discussed the importance of screening for disease and highlighted the latest diagnostic and staging techniques.

We recently traveled to New York City for a State of the Science Summit on Multiple Myeloma. At the meeting, we spoke with the faculty of Mount Sinai to get their take on stem cell transplant, minimal residual disease, maintenance options, and treatment approaches for newly diagnosed myeloma. They also discussed outcomes for relapsed/refractory disease, novel agents in development, chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy, and immunotherapy.

Recently, we headed to Washington D.C. for a State of the Science Summit on Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer. Topics ranged from determining optimal strategies for molecular interrogation in NSCLC to the emergence of rare, targetable biomarkers—such as MET, RET, and NTRK. Presentations also focused on additional recent advances in the NSCLC and small cell lung cancer paradigms, touching on TKIs, immunotherapy, and other investigational agents.

Recently, we visited Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for a State of the Science Summit on Breast Cancer. Topics of discussion ranged from controversies in the management of hormone receptor-positive breast cancer to de-escalating therapy for patients with HER2-positive disease. Presentations also focused on novel approaches in metastatic triple-negative breast cancer and treatment strategies for patients with brain metastases.