Project Oncology®

The discovery of predictive biomarkers, such as sensitizing epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations, anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangements, ROS1 rearrangements, and BRAF V600E mutations has led to an improvement in overall survival and progression-free survival in non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) by identifying subgroups of patients who benefit from targeted treatment. Approximately 5% of patients with NSCLC have ALK gene rearrangements. One of the most noteworthy areas of progress is the development of effective ALK-targeting therapies to treat NSCLC, including crizotinib, ceritinib, alectinib, brigatinib, and lorlatinib, with additional agents under development in ALK positive advanced NSCLC.

This activity will review ALK testing, current and emerging treatment options for ALK positive NSCLC, and recognition and management of adverse events associated with these treatments.

The presence of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) in the tumor microenvironment plays a main role in limiting the clinical efficacy of anti-PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitors. Not only does TGF-β suppress the normal anti-tumor action of natural killer cells and T cells, but it is also involved in many processes of cancer progression and metastasis, such as fibroid cap formation, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, and angiogenesis.

This panel will discuss the latest findings in the role of TGF-β in tumor formation and progression, as well as treatment advances that target PDL1 and TGF-β pathways simultaneously.

For more episodes in this series, visit ReachMD.com/IO.

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Although renal cell carcinoma (RCC) accounts for only 2% to 3% of all adult cancers, for those who present with or progress to advanced RCC, the 5-year survival rate has never been above 10%. Several tyrosine-kinase inhibitors (TKIs), along with many other therapies, now occupy a preferred role in treatment of patients with advanced RCC, but this is a rapidly changing field. The emergence of immunotherapy for patients with RCC is reshaping the landscape of treatment options for both patients with relapse/stage IV surgically unresectable RCC and neoadjuvant therapy. Moreover, advances in the understanding of RCC biomarkers may help to identify which patients may benefit from certain therapies allowing for the possibility of more individualized treatment plans. This interactive activity features an interview with a leading expert in RCC as he discusses the current trends in clinical research in RCC treatment and how these findings are expected to impact not only guideline development but also more individualized patient care. This expert interview was recorded at and discusses some of the latest data featured at the 18th Annual Meeting of ...

Despite the importance of genomic profiling and the advent of targeted therapies, chemotherapeutic strategies remain a cornerstone treatment for patients with advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This includes those patients without actionable mutations in the treatment-naive setting as well as patients with NSCLC that progresses on first-line platinum therapy, and NSCLC with genetic alterations that develops resistance to targeted therapies.

AXIS routinely collects and analyzes data gathered from participants in our live grand rounds programs. These questions provide incredible insight regarding the persistent challenges that clinicians face when trying to optimize treatment planning to verify where clinical practice gaps exist. This activity will provide expert answers to questions asked during a recent grand rounds series on NSCLC.

In this segment, Dr. Rokitka describes the Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) cancer population including what makes them unique and why they need special attention. Also discussed will be the more common cancer types seen among AYAs and what action(s) to take if a malignancy is suspected in an AYA patient.

This activity is part of a series of in-depth discussions with oncology thought leaders at 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.

About 20% of patients treated with anti-PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitors respond to therapy. At issue is the existence and action of immunosuppressive cytokine transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) in the tumor microenvironment, which inhibits the normal anti-tumor action of natural killer cells and T cells. TGF-β is involved in many other processes of cancer progression and metastasis such as fibroid cap formation, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, and angiogenesis.

This activity will explore new horizons in immune checkpoint inhibition with bispecific bifunctional fusion molecules that pharmacologically target the PD-L1 immunosuppression pathway and serve as a TGFβ trap. Clinicians will gain insights into the rationale for development of such a molecule and its mechanisms of action, and explore preliminary clinical experience in a variety of solid tumor types to improve patient outcomes.

For more episodes in this series, visit ReachMD.com/IO.

Get a closer look at the newest development in cancer immunotherapy: the bifunctional fusion protein.

Could this small but mighty protein designed to block two signaling pathways used by tumor cells to escape immune system control be the key to managing both tumor growth and metastasis?

For more episodes in this series, visit ReachMD.com/IO.

Get a closer look at the newest development in cancer immunotherapy: the bifunctional fusion protein.

Could this small but mighty protein designed to block two signaling pathways used by tumor cells to escape immune system control be the key to managing both tumor growth and metastasis?

For more episodes in this series, visit ReachMD.com/IO.

The treatment armamentarium for multiple myeloma (MM) has expanded significantly in recent years, with 6 new agents or indications approved by the US Food & Drug Administration since 2015. Treatment options now include immunomodulatory drugs, proteasome inhibitors, a histone deacetylase inhibitor, and immunotherapies, making clinical decisions much more complex. Additionally, best practices and consensus guidelines, such as those from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®) and International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG), are constantly evolving as new data are published. Approval of these new agents, revision of response criteria, and implementation of new approaches to risk assessment and monitoring residual disease are causing significant changes in the management of MM.

This activity will review areas of current controversy and topics for which consensus is not yet established, including when to initiate treatment, determining transplant eligibility, high-risk disease, duration of maintenance therapy, sequencing newly approved drugs, and choice of treatment at relapse.