Oncology News Central Peer-Spectives

What Recent “Outstanding Results” in MCL Mean for Practice

“Therapies are improving dramatically” in mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), according to Michael Wang, MD, professor in the department of lymphoma/myeloma, division of cancer medicine at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Dr. Wang presented updates on major advances in MCL at the recent Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) annual meeting. Here, he speaks with Bob Figlin, MD, the Steven Spielberg family chair in hematology-oncology at Cedars-Sinai Cancer Center in Los Angeles, about which promising regimens from recent studies are most appropriate for certain age groups. Dr. Wang and Dr. Figlin also discuss common challenges when approaching newly diagnosed patients, as well as how to process the “explosion” of new information in MCL.

The Quest to Cure CLL: “Remarkable” Results With New Strategy

Recent advances have provided new options for when and how best to treat patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Trials of combination strategies have shown promise in providing patients the potential for unmaintained remissions. Marco Ruella, MD, an assistant professor of medicine in hematology-oncology at the Perlman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and scientific director of the lymphoma program, speaks with Robert Figlin, MD, the Steven Spielberg Family Chair in hematology-oncology at Cedars-Sinai Cancer Center in Los Angeles, about the current state of CLL care and what changes are likely in the near future. Although satisfied in many ways with recent progress, Dr. Ruella argues in favor of moving past simply “maintaining the disease at long-term” and, instead, pushing for a cure.   Dr. Ruella reports relationships with AbClon, BMS, Bayer, NanoString, and UPenn/Novartis.   Dr. Figlin has reported relationships with numerous companies.

Which Data From the 2023 World Conference on Lung Cancer Are Most Likely to Change Practice?

The World Conference on Lung Cancer (World Lung) will be held in Singapore, September 9–12. The current president of International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC), Heather A. Wakelee, MD, division chief of medical oncology at the Stanford Cancer Institute in California, shares which presentations and findings she is most looking forward to at this year’s event. She speaks with Robert Figlin, MD, the Steven Spielberg Family Chair in hematology-oncology at Cedars-Sinai Cancer Center in Los Angeles, about steps being taken to ensure that key information from the conference is communicated quickly, clearly, and effectively to community oncologists around the world. They also discuss specific issues that will be addressed in Singapore, including a focus on lung cancer screening and why overcoming obstacles to more widespread uptake is crucial.

“Really Impactful” New Guidelines for Stage IV NSCLC With Driver Alterations

Updates to the American Society for Clinical Oncology’s (ASCO’s) living guidelines for therapy in patients with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with driver alterations were recently released. Dwight H. Owen, MD, MS, from The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – James, examines the new recommendations that he and his team introduced with Bob Figlin, MD, the Steven Spielberg family chair in hematology-oncology at Cedars-Sinai Cancer Center in Los Angeles. They discuss how the living guidelines are updated and the rationale for what gets included, a process Dr. Figlin notes is “critical to the practicing oncologist.” Dr. Owen describes three new additions that are “really impactful” and his hopes for how these will directly improve patient care.

More “Cage Rattling,” Less Talking: Susan Love’s Lessons for Oncologists

In early July, beloved surgeon and breast cancer advocate Susan Love, MD, MBA, died at age 75 years, after a recurrence of leukemia. Dr. Love’s legacy extends beyond the lives of her patients and into the approaches and attitudes of her fellow physicians. Stephanie Graff, MD, medical advisor to the Dr. Susan Love Foundation for Breast Cancer Research and director of breast oncology at the Legorreta Cancer Center at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, shares memories and insights about Dr. Love with Bob Figlin, MD, the Steven Spielberg Family Chair in hematology-oncology at Cedars-Sinai Cancer in Los Angeles. They discuss why talking less, listening more, and “rattling” the right cages are key lessons oncologists can take away from “a giant in cancer care” and mentor, who is already sorely missed.

Will HER3 Targeting Change Breast Cancer Care?

HER2 inhibitors dramatically changed care for many breast cancers; however, less is known about HER3, which acts in concert with HER2. Does HER3 have the same potential to reshape treatment strategies? Erika Hamilton, MD, director of breast cancer and gynecologic cancer research at Sarah Cannon Research Institute in Nashville, talks with Bob Figlin, MD, the Steven Spielberg family chair in hematology-oncology at Cedars-Sinai Cancer Center in Los Angeles, about HER3, how it works, and how new antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) that target HER3 are already showing activity in hard-to-treat disease. She also explains how sequencing ADC therapies may work and what other changes could be next.

“Practice-Expanding” Data on Adjuvant Osimertinib in NSCLC: Steps to Take Now

Although findings have suggested that adjuvant osimertinib is beneficial in early-stage non-smallcell lung cancer (NSCLC), some concerns have persisted. Balazs Halmos, MD, MS, associate director of clinical science, and director of both thoracic oncology and clinical cancer genomics at Montefiore Einstein Cancer Center in New York, says that “all these doubts have been shifted away,” given recent data presented at the 2023 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting. Dr. Halmos speaks with Bob Figlin, MD, the Steven Spielberg Family Chair in Hematology-Oncology at Cedars-Sinai Cancer in Los Angeles, about data from the ADAURA trial and other studies. Dr. Halmos says that the new evidence is “not just practice-affirming” butcan be considered “practice-expanding,” resulting in complicated questions that necessitate morethorough collaborations among oncologists, surgeons, pathologists, and radiologists.

“Don’t Just Throw Drugs Together”: How to Best Approach ESR1 Mutations in Breast Cancer

How should community oncologists best approach ESR1 mutations in breast cancer, given the latest findings? Recent data presented at the 2023 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting and elsewhere have shed light on issues related to ESR1 testing and treatment selection. Bob Figlin, MD, the Steven Spielberg Family Chair in hematology oncology at Cedars-Sinai Cancer in Los Angeles, speaks with Hope Rugo, MD, professor of medicine in the division of hematology and oncology, department of medicine, and director of breast oncology and clinical trials education at the University of California San Francisco Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, about how to put new findings into practice. Dr. Rugo provides key recommendations, as she explains that “It’s really important that we don’t just throw drugs together in clinical practice.”

mRNA Cancer Vaccines: When to Expect FDA Approval, and What’s Next?

Recent results demonstrated that mRNA vaccination improved recurrence-free survival among patients with melanoma. This has led to questions about what’s next for this promising intervention. Bob Figlin, MD, the Steven Spielberg Family Chair in hematology-oncology at Cedars Sinai Cancer in Los Angeles, welcomes Jeffrey Weber, MD, PhD, deputy director, professor, and co-director of the melanoma research program at NYU Langone’s Perlmutter Cancer Center, todiscuss potential timing for FDA approval and additional cancers that may see benefit from a vaccine strategy.

“Major Wins” in Lung Cancer Treatment: How “Explosion of Data” Is Changing Practice

Within the last few years, an “explosion of data” regarding adjuvant and neoadjuvant treatment for resectable lung cancer has contained “major wins” for patient care. Although exciting, the rapid advancement has led to questions about when chemotherapy and chemoimmunotherapy should be adopted or avoided. Bob Figlin, MD, the Steven Spielberg Family Chair in hematology-oncology at Cedars Sinai Cancer in Los Angeles, and Charu Aggarwal, MD, MPH, the Leslye M. Heisler Associate Professor for Lung Cancer Excellence at the University of Pennsylvania’s Abramson Cancer Center in Philadelphia, discuss how to apply key recent findings. They also share “the special sauce” that allows Dr. Aggarwal’s team to make the best determination for surgical timing.