Oncology On The Go

• S1 Ep183: Charting the Evolution of TKIs and Finding the Next Breakthrough in CML

  In a conversation with CancerNetwork®, Jorge Cortes, MD, explored the evolution of the chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) landscape. Specifically, he highlighted how the development of ibrutinib (Gleevec) paved the way for other tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and described where research must go next in terms of implementing fixed-duration therapy and targeting genetic abnormalities. Cortes, the director, and Cecil F. Whitaker Jr., GRA Eminent Scholar Chair in Cancer at the Georgia Cancer Center, began by detailing the standards of care that existed before the development of imatinib. He noted that many patients did “not have great options,” as neither interferon nor transplant was associated with “good” outcomes.  Following its approval for patients with CML in 2001, imatinib became what Cortes described as a “groundbreaker” in the field. He explained how imatinib’s newfound status as a standard of care in CML would signal the advancement of a second generation of TKIs, which included agents like dasatinib (Sprycel), nilotinib (Tasigna), and bosutinib (Bosulif). Even with the subsequent development of third-generation TKIs, Cortes stated that researchers are continuing to improve and innovate to help provide patients with enhanced quality of life. Looking towards the future, Cortes observed 2 major goals to achieve in CML research. The first objective is to stop therapy more effectively and give a greater portion of patients a more precisely defined duration of treatment. He noted that approximately 25% to 30% of patients today can effectively discontinue therapy without having to resume treatment, which wasn’t even considered a possibility in the field 20 years ago. Moreover, he emphasized that finding the therapeutic options that work best in a subset of patients with recently discovered genetic abnormalities may yield a breakthrough. “In terms of whether we are getting closer to a cure, I think we are. We can stop therapy effectively in some patients, which is equivalent to a cure,” Cortes said. “If [a patient has] done well, and you can stop therapy and the disease doesn't come back, that's essentially what we think about as a cure. We are there, just not on as many patients as we want.” Reference Center for Drug Evaluation and Research: Application Number: NDA 21-335. FDA. May 10, 2001. Accessed October 6, 2025. https://tinyurl.com/44xh2u9j

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• S1 Ep182: Optimizing Care for TILs, Cellular Therapy in Melanoma and Solid Tumors

  In a special co-branded episode between Oncology On the Go, hosted by CancerNetwork®, and the American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy (ASTCT)’s program, ASTCT Talks, for American Pharmacists Month, a panel of oncology pharmacists discussed optimal strategies for using cellular therapies as treatment for patients with solid tumors. The panel included Brooke Adams, PharmD, BCOP, a board-certified oncology pharmacist specializing in stem cell transplantation and cellular therapy at the Orlando Health Cancer Institute in Orlando, Florida; Natalie Brumwell, PharmD, BCOP, a board-certified oncology pharmacist specializing in cellular therapy at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, New York; and Bryant A. Clemons, PharmD, a board-certified oncology pharmacist specializing in hematology, blood and marrow transplantation, and cellular therapy at the University of Kentucky’s Markey Cancer Center in Lexington, Kentucky. The discussion focused on the use of the first commercially available tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) for patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma, lifileucel (Amtagvi), which the FDA granted accelerated approval status to in February 2024.1 The panelists first reviewed supporting data from the phase 2 C-144-01 trial (NCT02360579), in which lifileucel demonstrated an objective response rate of 31.5% (95% CI, 21.1%-43.4%), and a median duration of response that was not reached (NR; 95% CI, 4.1 months-NR) at the time of the approval. Additionally, the group highlighted considerations for dosing interleukin-2 (IL-2), including management of toxicities and when to hold or discontinue further doses.  Following a thorough breakdown of the proper conditions for using lifileucel in melanoma, the panelists concluded by discussing how to build upon an “exciting time for cellular therapy in solid tumors.” As part of optimizing the dosing of lifileucel and other cellular therapies in these patient populations, the experts exchanged ideas on how practices can collaborate across institutions and departments to expand access to novel treatments while helping providers develop comfort in administering these agents. Reference FDA grants accelerated approval to lifileucel for unresectable or metastatic melanoma. News release. FDA. February 16, 2024. Accessed September 30, 2025. https://tinyurl.com/2kweca6x

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• S1 Ep181: Gemcitabine Intravesical System Offers Tremendous Benefits in NMIBC

  In a conversation with CancerNetwork® following the FDA approval of the gemcitabine intravesical system (Inlexzo; formerly TAR-200) for patients with high-risk, Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG)–unresponsive non–muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), Gary Steinberg, MD, discussed how this regulatory decision may impact the treatment paradigm. Steinberg, a professor in the Department of Urology at Rush University, highlighted an unmet need for those with BCG-unresponsive, high-grade NMIBC. With a different mechanism of action compared with prior therapeutic choices in the field, he stated that the gemcitabine intravesical system may allow patients and physicians to benefit tremendously. Based on supporting data from the phase 2 SunRISe-1 trial (NCT04640623), he described how the gemcitabine intravesical system may replace prior standards such as intravesical gemcitabine plus docetaxel. The conversation also touched upon considerations for preventing the risk of progression to metastatic disease with delayed cystectomy, as Steinberg emphasized following up with patients via cystoscopies, urinary cytologies, CT scans, or MRI imaging after treatment with the intravesical system. Steinberg also detailed strategies for mitigating urinary frequency, dysuria, and other toxicities associated with the therapy. He noted a “fine line” regarding bladder medication administration to older patient populations, as these practices may cause adverse effects such as dry mouth, constipation, and blurry vision. Looking ahead, Steinberg illustrated a need to clarify the immunologic effects of regimens like the gemcitabine intravesical system, which can inform the use of additional therapeutic combinations down the road. He highlighted how other novel agents like cretostimogene grenadenorepvec (CG0070) may further improve outcomes in the NMIBC landscape. “One of the key questions that we all need to ask with all our treatments is not about the patients who respond, but about the patients who do not respond,” Steingerg stated regarding the potential next steps for research. “We can begin to understand mechanisms of resistance so that we can target those mechanisms of resistance and treat them better.” Reference U.S. FDA approval of INLEXZO (gemcitabine intravesical system) set to transform how certain bladder cancers are treated. News release. Johnson & Johnson. September 9, 2025. Accessed September 22, 2025. https://tinyurl.com/4zjz22z7

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• S1 Ep180: How To Discuss Death? A Conversation of Mortality in Cancer Care

  In the recent episode of Oncology-on-the-Go, in collaboration with the American Psychosocial Oncology Society (APOS), Daniel C. McFarland, DO, welcomes William S. Breitbart, MD, to discuss how clinicians can address patients’ existential concerns. While oncologists often focus on treatment and the drive for life, the core concern for many patients remains mortality. Breitbart’s work in meaning-centered therapy provides a framework for these difficult conversations. Breitbart emphasizes that patients grappling with fear, uncertainty, and depression may not always express it directly. The goal of meaning-centered therapy is to help patients find a sense of purpose and peace, even as they face a terminal illness. This approach is not about eliminating suffering, but about helping patients find meaning in their experiences. The conversation covers the practical application of these principles, including how to bring up topics of death and dying, and the importance of validating a patient's fears without resorting to platitudes. The discussion also touches on the concept of “existential guilt,” which Breitbart links to the human awareness of one’s own existence and mortality. He notes that many clinicians are drawn to oncology or psycho-oncology because of their own personal experiences with death and illness. Overall, the episode is a reminder for oncologists and their multidisciplinary team members to look beyond the treatment and its clinical outcomes, and engage in human conversations that can significantly improve a patient’s quality of life, emotional support, and overall well-being. McFarland is the director of the Psycho-Oncology Program at Wilmot Cancer Center and a medical oncologist who specializes in head, neck, and lung cancer, in addition to being the psycho-oncology editorial advisory board member for the journal ONCOLOGY®; Breitbart is an attending physician and the Jimmie C. Holland Chair in Psycho-Oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. 

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• S1 Ep179: Unraveling Key Blood Cancer Takeaways From the 2025 SOHO Meeting

  At the Society of Hematologic Oncology 2025 Annual Meeting, CancerNetwork® spoke with a variety of experts about notable clinical developments and trial results across the hematologic oncology landscape. Throughout the meeting, clinicians and researchers discussed the latest data and initiatives in myelofibrosis, multiple myeloma, lymphoma, and other types of blood cancer. Francesca Palandri, MD, PhD, an adjunct professor in the Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences at the University of Bologna in Bologna, Italy, shared insights from a session focused on exploring predictive markers for the efficacy of ruxolitinib (Jakafi) among patients with myelofibrosis.1 Noting variance in response rates as well as possibilities of disease progression or treatment discontinuation associated with ruxolitinib, Palandri emphasized the importance of assessing predictors of response to better orient clinical decision-making strategies regarding the agent’s use. She also highlighted how factors such as cytopenic phenotype, higher peripheral blast counts, and higher burden of disease may impact response rates and survival among patients. Additionally, Sundar Jagannath, MD, a professor of Medicine specializing in hematology and medical oncology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and The Tisch Cancer Institute, spoke about his presentation on potentially defining a cure in the management of multiple myeloma.2 He described the importance of “chang[ing] the dialogue” in multiple myeloma to give hope to patients and encourage physicians to engage in patient care more optimally. By defining a cure in multiple myeloma, Jagannath stated, it may be possible to offer more finite durations of treatment and stop therapy with the confidence that patients will not relapse. Finally, Adam J. Olszewski, MD, an associate professor of medicine at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, discussed his work on the phase 3 SUNMO trial (NCT05171647).3 Findings from this presentation showed that mosunetuzumab-axgb (Lunsumio) plus polatuzumab vedotin-piiq (Polivy; M-Pola) reduced the risk of progression or death by 59% vs rituximab (Rituxan) with gemcitabine and oxaliplatin (R-GemOx) in relapsed/refractory large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL). Olszewski also outlined next steps for refining treatment strategies in this patient population. References Palandri F. Predictive markers for ruxolitinib in MF. Presented at the Society of Hematologic Oncology 2025 Annual Meeting; September 3-6, 2025; Houston, TX. Jagannath S. Is it time to say “CURE” in multiple myeloma? Presented at the Society of Hematologic Oncology 2025 Annual Meeting; September 3-6, 2025; Houston, TX. Westin J, Zhang H, Kim W, et al. Mosunetuzumab plus polatuzumab vedotin is superior R-GemOx in transplant-ineligible patients with R/R LBCL: primary results of the phase III SUNMO trial. Presented at the Society of Hematologic Oncology 2025 Annual Meeting; September 3-6, 2025; Houston, TX. Abstract ABCL-1492.

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