FDA medical oncologists discuss the FDA approvals of brigatinib and ceritinib for ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer.

Released July 25, 2017

Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP

It's widely known that genetics, family history, race, and other factors all play important roles in cancer risk. But what kinds of roles do they play, specifically, and how can we leverage these understandings into better primary care?

Dr. Brian McDonough is joined by Dr. Maureen Murphy, research scientist at the Wistar Institute at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Murphy has spent the past twenty years studying how genes affect breast cancer risk in women, particularly for African American populations. She discusses her findings on the discovery of p53 protein variants and how this advances the role for precision medicine in treating breast cancer.

Guest: Ezra E.W. Cohen, MD

Guest: James L. Gulley, MD, PhD, FACP

Guest: Omid Hamid, MD

Guest: Howard L. Kaufman, MD, FACS

Guest: Kunle Odunsi, MD, PhD, FRCOG, FACOG

Guest: Mario Sznol, MD

This program presents several expert perspectives on the latest immuno-oncology developments and how these advancements are impacting clinical practice.

This program has been developed with funding from
EMD Serono, Inc. and Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany.

The D.I.S.C.O. hosts discuss the agency’s first approval of pembrolizumab, a cancer treatment based on a common biomarker rather than the location in the body where the tumor originated.

Released May 30, 2017.

Host: Matt Birnholz, MD

Guest: Alain Mita, MD, MSc

Each year more people die of lung cancer than of colon, breast, and prostate cancers combined. Non-small cell lung cancer, which accounts for 85% of lung cancer cases, has been the key target of several clinical trials evaluating new immune-modifying agents. Dr. Alan Mita, Associate Professor of Medicine and Co-Director of Experimental Therapeutics at the Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute of Cedar Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles joins host, Dr. Matt Birnholz, to discuss one such drug therapy entering this immune oncology space and ways for oncologists treating patients with non-small cell lung cancer to get involved in this drug’s global phase 3 trial directly. To inquire about participating in the trial please contact BeyondSpring Pharmaceuticals at [email protected].

Host: Jennifer Caudle, DO

Guest: Major Kenneth Lee, IV, MD, PhD

Though a relatively rare disease, pancreatic cancer remains at the forefront of clinical discussion due to its highly aggressive nature. Dr. Major Kenneth Lee, Assistant Professor of Surgery at Penn Medicine, estimates that pancreatic cancer will become the number 2 cause of cancer death by the year 2020. This projected rise in mortality is largely due to the need for better advancement in treatment options.

Join host Dr. Jennifer Caudle and guest, Dr. Major Kenneth Lee, as they discuss major signs and symptoms associated with a pancreatic cancer diagnosis, risk factors, and treatment options.

FDA medical oncologists discuss the agency’s March 23, 2017 approval of avelumab for the treatment of patients 12 years and older with metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma.

Released May 22, 2017

FDA medical oncologists discuss the agency’s March 2017 approval of niraparib for the maintenance treatment of patients with recurrent epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer who are in complete or partial response to platinum-based chemotherapy.

Released May 18, 2017

Host: Matt Birnholz, MD

Several new screening tests have been developed to help doctors find colorectal cancer early when it's most treatable and can reduce the burden of this disease and the death toll nationwide.

Host Dr. Matt Birnholz chats with Dr. John Kisiel, gastroenterologist and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, about new screening guidelines for detecting colorectal cancer.

Guest: Mark A. Socinski, MD

Discussions will focus on the angiogenesis pathway in NSCLC, the implementation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitors in older patients with NSCLC and its controversies, clinical results with use of VEGF inhibitors in older patients, and factors causing unintended treatment bias. An expert thought leader will provide insights in support of their perspectives on the discussion points. This activity is based upon outcomes from a prior predictive modeling analysis of a live grand rounds series, and features evidence-based updates and expert consensus recommendations to address specific educational gaps highlighted as a result of the predictive modeling exercise. The activity focused on the drivers identified that influence poor performance, and provides the evidence to assist learners in overcoming said drivers and gaps, apply this information to clinical situations, and encourage steps to close these remaining gaps in their own practices.