Cometriq for Medullary Thyroid Cancer

Cometriq (cabozantinib) is now FDA approved for the treatment of progressive metastatic medullary thyroid cancer. It is an oral chemotherapy involved in inhibiting multiple tyrosine kinases which are involved with cancer growth and spread. 

Abraxane added to Gemzar helps in metastatic pancreatic cancer

Preliminary results of a recent clinical trial shows a survival benefit when Abraxane (modified Taxol) is added to Gemzar for treatment of metastatic pancreatic cancer.  Full results of the study to be announced in January 2014.

Synribo for CML

Synribo (injectable) now approved for CML patients with resistance or intolerance to 2 or more TKIs.

Liquid tamoxifen now available

A liquid form of tamoxifen is now available for breast cancer patients who have trouble swallowing tablets. It's called Soltamox Oral Solution, marketed by DARA BioSiences. 

Bosulif now approved in CML

Bosulif (bosutinib) has been recently approved as a new treatment in CML. It is used as second-line therapy in the case of disease progression or intolerance to first-line treatment. Efficacy is comparable to currently available second-line treatments. 

Alimta maintenance for NSCLC

Alimta now approved as maintenance therapy every 3 weeks after completion of combination therapy with cisplatin for locally advanced or metastatic non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer.

Abraxane now approved for NSCLC

The FDA has approved Abraxane (nanoparticle albumin bound paclitaxel) for the first-line treatment of locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer, in combination with carboplatin, in patients who are not candidates for curative surgery or radiation therapy. 

Yervoy for advanced melanoma

Yervoy (ipilimumab) is now being used for advanced, metastatic malignant melanoma.  Cancer cells can turn off the body's anti-cancer defenses.  Yervoy is an antibody used to keep this from happening.

Zelboraf for melanoma

Zelboraf (vemurafenib) is a new drug for the treatment of unresectable or metastatic melanoma with a specific gene mutation called BRAF V600E.

New Vincristine for ALL

Liposomal vincristine received accelerated FDA approval for the treatment of adult patients with Philadelphia chromosome (Ph)-negative ALL (acute lymphocytic leukemia) in second or greater relapse that have progressed after 2 or more lines of antileukemic therapy.  This preparation of vincristine has less neurologic toxicity than traditional vincristine.

Stivarga for metastatic colon cancer now approved

FDA has approved Stivarga (regorafenib) oral tablets for the treatment of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer who have been previously treated with multiple other therapies.  Stivarga inhibits multiple cellular pathways involved in tumor growth. 


 http://www.chemotherapyadvisor.com/stivarga-approved-for-metastatic-colorectal-cancer/article/261202/?DCMP=EMC-CTA_weekly&spMailingID=4866344&spUserID=MjMyNTIwMzY2OQS2&spJobID=54425681&spReportId=NTQ0MjU2ODES1

Another new drug for colon cancer

Zaltrap (ziv-aflibercept), in combination with 5-FU, leucovorin, irinotecan (FOLFIRI), has now been approved for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer that is resistant to or has progressed following an oxaliplatin-containing regimen.  It works by inhibiting the growth of blood vessels that help supply nutrients to the tumor.

New hope for Hodgkin's lymphoma after BMT failure

Adcetris (brentuximab vedotin) is now approved for patients with progressive Hodgkin's lymphoma after bone marrow transplant and for patients with anaplastic large cell lymphoma who progressed after multiple lines of previous chemotherapies. Adcetris is a combination of an antibody which attacks the CD30 receptor and an anti-tumor drug, thus two modes of attack within one treatment. 

New therapy for kidney cancer

Inlyta (axitinib) has been approved for renal cell carcinoma.  It targets many different receptors which, when engaged with specific growth factor molecules, can cause tumor growth. Inlyta attaches to these receptors and prevents tumor progression.  It is used in patients who have failed one previous therapy and has been shown to significantly extend survival.

New drug for HER 2 + breast cancer!

In June, the FDA approved a new drug, Perjeta (pertuzumab), for HER 2 + breast cancer. It's used in combination with Herceptin and chemotherapy in previously untreated, metastatic disease.  This combination  is the only regimen to have shown a significant improvement in survival compared to Herceptin plus chemotherapy alone. Perjeta works complementary to Herceptin, as the two medicines target different regions on the HER2 receptor.

New drug approved for refractory myeloma

On July 20, 2012, the FDA granted accelerated approval to Kyprolis (carfilzomib) for the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least two prior therapies, including Velcade (bortezomib), Revlimid (lenalidomide) and thalidomide, and have demonstrated disease progression on or within 60 days of the completion of the last therapy.

Possible new drug for myeloma patients refractory to standard therapy and transplant

Pomalidomide in combination with low-dose dexamethasone has shown a 30% overall response rate in patients with multiple myeloma refractory to Revlimid (lenalidomide), Velcade (bortezomib), or both, including those with prior bone marrow transplant. We look forward to hearing about FDA approval in February 2013. 

Xalkori for lung cancer patients

 People with non-small cell lung cancer that have the ALK genetic mutation have a new option for treatment called XALKORI (crizotinib).  It is a very effective oral drug with the potential to give an average of 8 months of remission.  This is exciting news for this type of cancer. Ask your oncologist if your tumor has been tested for the ALK mutation.

New hope for leukemia patients

 Ponatinib has been shown to be highly effective in heavily pretreated CML* patients or certain ALL** patients who are resistant or intolerant to Sprycel (dasatinib) or Tasigna (nilotinib) or have the T3151*** mutation and has been submitted to the FDA for approval with a request for priority review.

*CML - chronic myelogenous leukemia
**ALL - acute lymphocytic leukemia
***T3151 mutation - a genetic mutation in some forms of leukemia which causes resistance to some drugs.


http://www.chemotherapyadvisor.com/ponatinib-active-in-patients-with-cml-and-ph-all-resistantintolerant-to-dasatinib-or-nilotinib-or-who-have-the-t315i-mutation/article/260399/?DCMP=EMC-CTA_Front&Visitor_ID=&cpn=cta_sutinl&spMailingID=4840653&spUserID=MTM2NzY5NTE2MDgS1&spJobID=53829863&spReportId=NTM4Mjk4NjMS1

New drug on the horizon for HER 2 + breast cancer!

A new drug called TDM-1 has now been shown to help HER2-positive locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer patients who have previously undergone treatment with Herceptin (trastuzumab) and taxane (Taxol/Taxotere) chemotherapy. 

T-DM1 is composed of Herceptin in combination with DM1, a chemotherapy agent.  It targets the HER 2 molecule on the breast cancer cells and also delivers DM1 directly into those cells. The cells get hit by two different anti-cancer effects!

We are all anxiously awaiting FDA approval. Continue to check back with me and I will let you know as soon as TDM-1 is commercially available and what the trade name will be.

A new treatment for colon cancer!

Vectibix (panitumumab) is a new agent used to treat colon cancer that has spread outside of the colon to other organs.  It's used in cancers that have a molecule on the surface of the cancer cell called EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor).  Vectibix is called a monoclonal antibody, which attaches itself to the receptor and keeps growth factors from attaching to the receptor and causing the cancer cells to reproduce.  Vectibix is made only from human sources in contrast to Erbitux (cetuximab) which is chimeric, meaning that it is derived from both mouse and human antibodies. Vectibix is used in patients who have had progression of their cancer after or while being treated with other chemotherapy drugs used in colon cancer. 

Bone mets and Afinitor

The combination of Afinitor (everolimus) plus Aromasin (exemestane) halved the rate of further bone metastases compared with exemestane alone in postmenopausal women with advanced breast cancer during the first 12 weeks of therapy. (BOLERO-2 study presented at the 8th European Breast Cancer Conference in Vienna, Austria.)

Many new options for prostate cancer

PROSTATE CANCER:

Until recently, there were very few options for the treatment of advanced prostate cancer.  Now, there are many new agents available including:

1.  Firmagon (degarelix) - It decreases the level of testosterone (the 
    hormone which fuels prostate cancer).


2.  Zytiga (abiraterone) - inhibits the enzyme CYP17, which ultimately 
    causes less testosterone production.


3.  Jevtana (cabazitaxel) - a chemotherapy agent used in combination
     with prednisone for patients who have had progression of disease
     after using anti-testosterone treatment and Taxotere (docetaxel), a
     related chemotherapy drug. 

4.  Xtandi (enzalutimide) -oral drug which inhibits the receptor for 
     testosterone on prostate cancer cells for patients with metastatic
     disease (spread outside the prostate) that have failed treatment with 
     other anti-testosterone treatments and Taxotere. 

5.  Provenge (sipuleucel-T) - a vaccine made from each prostate cancer 
     patient's specific cancer tissue and then injected into the patient.  

Ask your oncologist for further details.

GOOD NEWS for some women with breast cancer!

If you:

1.  are postmenopausal
2.  have estrogen positive, HER 2 negative breast cancer 
3.  have had a recurrence or progression of disease while taking Femara (letrozole) or Arimidex (anastrozole)

you should know that the FDA recently approved a NEW TREATMENT REGIMEN using a drug called Afinitor (everolimus) in combination with Aromasin (exemestane).

This represents the first major advance for patients with advanced estrogen sensitive breast cancer since aromatase inhibitors (Femara, Arimidex, Aromasin) were introduced more than 15 years ago!  

Afinitor is a drug which affects the mTOR pathway and has been used for other cancers, but now has been shown to be effective in breast cancer.
The mTOR pathway is just one of hundreds of pathways in cells that lead to reproduction.  Afinitor inhibits this pathway, thus causing destruction of the cancer cell. 

Aromasin is an aromatase inhibitor.  Aromatase is an enzyme that promotes the conversion of testosterone to estrogen in women (and men).  Inhibitors of aromatase, therefore, result in less production of estrogen. If there is less estrogen, then there is less chance for estrogen sensitive breast cancer cells to grow. 

If you or someone you know fits the above criteria, ask your oncologist about this new treatment. 

http://www.chemotherapyadvisor.com/everolimus-exemestane-approved-for-recurrent-hrher2-breast-cancer/article/251298/