Guest: Darcy A. Krueger, MD, PhD

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is an autosomal dominant genetic disorder characterized by the systemic growth of benign, noninvasive legions. SEGAs, which are slow-growing glioneural tumors that develop near the foramen of Monro, usually develop before the age of 20 years and represent a significant morbidity and mortality burden in children and adolescents with TSC. The current standard of treatment for symptomatic SEGA is surgical resection of lesions. Asymptomatic SEGAs with growth can be treated with either surgery or therapy with the mTOR inhibitor everolimus. Because mTOR inhibition is the first pharmacotherapeutic alternative to surgery, it is important that clinicians be educated about its benefits and applications, thereby potentially improving patient quality of life and survival. Additionally, Wang and colleagues noted, “Prompt identification and treatment of seizures is an important focus in the overall management of tuberous sclerosis complex patients.” Everolimus and cannabidiol are being studied for the management of TSC-associated seizures. Given the rarity of the disease, clinicians may not be fully aware of SEGA associated with TSC, its clinical manifestations and molecular basis, or the current guidelines for diagnosis and treatment. Similarly, clinicians may not be up to date about the emerging treatment strategies for SEGA or appreciate their ...

Host: John J. Russell, MD

Guest: David A. Reardon, MD

Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) is the most common and most malignant of all glial tumors. These tumors present a challenge to the team managing the patient, as there is no curative treatment; the goal is to find the best approach and optimal role for each team member. There are a variety of treatment options, which include surgery (resection), radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. The prognosis for these patients is measured in years with respect to median survival; with one study reporting nearly 10% of patients live five years or longer. The current clinical research environment includes a variety of new approaches to treating patients with GBM, and antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are one type of treatment currently being investigated. In today's activity we will discuss the role of ADCs in managing patients with GBM.

Host: Shira Johnson, MD

Guest: Ronald DeMatteo, MD, FACS

A Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor (GIST) is a rare sarcoma that begins in the digestive tract or stomach, with an incident rate in the United States of approximately 4,000 to 6,000 cases per year. Since these tumors behave differently from other gastrointestinal cancers, they require a specialized treatment plan.

Host Dr. Shira Johnson chats with Ronald DeMatteo, MD, FACS, Chair of the Department of Surgery and a surgical oncologist at Penn Medicine. They discuss the diagnosis, treatment and current clinical research of GIST. Dr. DeMatteo is a world-renowned surgical expert and researcher for the rare GIST. His research breakthroughs helped develop the new standard of care for GIST.

Comparing SurePath, ThinPrep, and conventional cytology as primary test method: SurePath is associated with increased CIN II+ detection rates. Rozemeijer K, Penning C, Siebers AG, Naber SK, Matthijsse SM, van Ballegooijen M, van Kemenade FJ, de Kok IM. Cancer Causes Control. 2016 Jan;27(1):15-25.doi: 10.1007/s10552-015-0678-1. Epub 2015 Oct 12. Background Information: In the previous audio abstract summarizing the results from these researchers from the Erasmus Medical Center in the Netherlands, the BMJ 2017 article described the use of LBC in the Dutch screening program and the impact on interval cervical cancers). In this second installation, we will be reviewing a previous publication from the same group, where the effectiveness of LBC will be described in terms of detecting cytological abnormalities and corresponding detection of cervical intraepithelial lesions within cervical biopsy specimens. Objective: To compare the relative effectiveness of liquid-based cytology, in terms of atypical cytology classification and corresponding biopsy-confirmed cervical lesions, in relation to manually read conventional Pap smears, within the Dutch cervical cancer screening program Design: Retrospective, population based cohort study Setting Population: Nationwide network and registry of histology and cytology in the Netherlands PALGA database between January 2000 and March 2011. Population included 3,118,685 conventional smear results; 1,313,731 SurePath ...

Guest: A. Oliver Sartor, MD

Prostate cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in men in the United States, accounting for 8% of all cancer deaths with an estimated 26,730 deaths in 2017. The recent development of novel hormonal agents, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy has dramatically changed the treatment paradigm of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Until 2010, docetaxel was the only agent approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat mCRPC. Sipuleucel-T and cabazitaxel were both FDA approved in 2010, followed by abiraterone acetate in 2011, enzalutamide in 2012, and most recently, radium-223 dichloride in 2013. With the approval of several new agents by the FDA in recent years, there are now multiple treatment options for patients with mCRPC, making clinical decision-making more difficult. There are also guideline recommendations published from the NCCN, American Urological Association (AUA), and American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), which can contribute to variations in treatment approaches. Additionally, treatment in an outpatient, office-based setting may result in cost savings compared to both hospital inpatient and outpatient settings. Other advantages include safe and easy drug administration, avoidance of hospitalization, familiarity with a particular facility, enhanced physical comfort, and improved psychological well being. This activity will review ...

Oncologists Dr. Sanjeeve Bala and Dr. Abhilasha Nair from FDA’s Oncology Center of Excellence discuss the recent approval of bevacizumab-awwb, a biosimilar to US-licensed Avastin, marketed as MVASI. MVASI is the first biosimilar approved in the US for the treatment of cancer.

Released on December 21, 2017

Guest: Vishala Neppalli, MD

In this segment, Dr. Vishala Neppalli discusses the importance of a peripheral blood smear review in addition to the clues obtained from both “Red Cell” morphology and “White Blood Cell” morphology and counts. This activity is part of a series of in-depth discussions with oncology thought leaders from the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo, New York targeting primary care and family physicians. This series was made possible through the generous support of BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York.

Guest: Amy Allen Case, MD, FAAHPM

In this segment, Dr. Case describes supportive and palliative care and how that differs from hospice/end-of life care. This activity is part of a series of in-depth discussions with oncology thought leaders from the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo, New York targeting primary care and family physicians. This series was made possible through the generous support of BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York.

Guest: Gal Shafirstein, D.Sc.

In this segment, Dr. Shafirstein describes photodynamic therapy and how it is administered. He also discusses when to consider PDT in lung cancer and being aware of the future application of PDT in head and neck cancer. This activity is part of a series of in-depth discussions with oncology thought leaders from the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo, New York targeting primary care and family physicians. This series was made possible through the generous support of BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York.

What is hereditary cancer and why is genetic testing important to understand a patient's risk? Cancer is complex and has many causes. Most cancers are sporadic, but about 10 to 15 percent of certain cancers are due to harmful genetic changes called mutations that are passed down through families. Learning whether your patient is at risk for hereditary cancer can help you as a healthcare provider to develop a screening and prevention plan that may help identify cancer at an earlier stage. Because men and women with mutations have a 50% chance of passing their mutation to each of their children, learning about hereditary cancer risk is not only important for your patient, but also their family members. Learn more about Color’s Hereditary Cancer Test and the unique program it offers, including complimentary access to genetic counselors. Learn more about how Color is working with healthcare providers to bring affordable, accessible, and actionable genetic testing to patients at color.com/providers/contact.