Anita T. Shaffer

Associate Director of Editorial, Print
Anita T. Shaffer is your lead editorial contact for OncologyLive®, a twice monthly clinical news publication. A 10-year veteran of MJH Life Sciences™, she has been at the helm of the publication since shortly after joining the company in 2010. Before becoming an oncology journalist, she held a variety of editorial positions at The Times of Trenton, including metro editor. Email: anitashaffer@onclive.com

Articles

PARP Inhibitor BMN 673 Advances in Breast Cancer Study

February 18th 2014

As PARP inhibitors continue to emerge as a novel class of anticancer agents, BMN 673 has entered late-stage clinical development as a treatment for patients with locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer whose tumors test positive for germline BRCA1/2 mutations.

FDA Rules Hamper Novel Ovarian Cancer Drugs

January 7th 2014

The FDA's rules for approving new drugs for the treatment of women with ovarian cancer pose frustrating problems for researchers developing novel agents and for clinicians seeking to improve outcomes for their patients

Anticancer Antibodies Pose Complex Challenges for Drugmakers: An Interview With Martin Van Trieste

December 18th 2013

As anticancer antibody therapies have evolved into ever more highly engineered and complex structures, so have the manufacturing processes that pave the way for their widespread clinical use.

New Adjuvant Regimens and Molecular Targets Emerge as Prime Research Focus

November 14th 2013

Adjuvant therapy for patients with advanced melanoma and the optimal use of molecular testing are among the most pressing issues facing oncologists who treat patients diagnosed with the disease.

New Indication Solidifies Nab-Paclitaxel Pancreatic Regimen

October 28th 2013

The ability of clinicians to improve treatment outcomes that gemcitabine offers for patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer is expected to move forward now that the FDA has approved a new indication for nab-paclitaxel (Abraxane) as part of a combination regimen, according to researchers.

Expanding TKI Therapy in Advanced Lung Cancer

October 9th 2013

Amid rapid progress in the treatment of advanced lung cancer, several leading organizations have joined in developing new guidelines for the optimal use of molecular testing to help select patients for therapy with tyrosine kinase inhibitors

Gynecologic Cancers Symposium Puts Emphasis on Unsettled Questions

September 27th 2013

Hot topics, emerging therapies, and tough cases from the front lines of patient care will be featured during the 9th Annual International Symposium on Ovarian Cancer and Gynecologic Malignancies, scheduled for October 5 in Philadelphia.

Chemotherapy Questions Linger in Early NSCLC

September 23rd 2013

The optimal use of adjuvant chemotherapy for patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer remains unresolved, with several clinical trials under way in Europe aimed at identifying ways to better select patients for treatment

Top Oncologists Honored in New Awards Program

September 18th 2013

In the mid-1970s, more than half of the patients diagnosed with cancer in the United States failed to survive five years. Today, that picture has changed dramatically.

Nivolumab Benefits Durable in Three Tumor Types

August 19th 2013

Nivolumab, the most advanced agent in the rapidly developing field of PD-1-targeting cancer immunotherapy, delivered durable clinical benefits across multiple solid tumor types.

Immunotherapy Hits New Peak: ASCO Data Stir Excitement, Investment

August 14th 2013

Any lingering skepticism about immunotherapy as an anticancer strategy appears to have been banished by research presented at the 2013 ASCO Annual Meeting.

T-VEC Delivers Durable Responses in Unresectable Melanoma

July 31st 2013

T-VEC manifested significant gains in durable response rate and other key clinical indicators in patients with advanced melanoma in what researchers described as the first phase III trial demonstrating the efficacy of an oncolytic virus immunotherapy.

GA101 Shows Gains in Pivotal CLL Trial

July 26th 2013

Obinutuzumab (GA101), a novel antibody that targets CD20, demonstrated a dramatic advantage in response rates when added to chlorambucil compared with the chemotherapy agent alone in elderly patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Leading Oncologists Analyze Impact of New HER2 Research on Clinical Practice

June 11th 2013

Although recent findings suggest some patients with HER2-negative breast cancer would benefit from therapies directed against overexpression of the protein, two leading oncologists do not see an immediate impact on clinical practice as further validation is needed.

Axillary Radiotherapy Equal to Surgery in Early Breast Cancer

June 6th 2013

Women with early sentinel lymph node-positive breast cancer achieve as much of a disease-free and survival benefit from axillary radiotherapy as they do from axillary lymph node dissection with significantly less risk of lymphedema.

More Evidence for 10-Years of Tamoxifen in ER+ Breast Cancer

June 3rd 2013

A British study has confirmed that 10 years of adjuvant tamoxifen substantially reduces late breast cancer recurrence and mortality among women with estrogen receptor-positive disease.

Nivolumab Delivers Enduring Benefits in Advanced Melanoma

June 2nd 2013

Nivolumab has demonstrated an overall objective response rate of 31% with a median duration of two years in patients with advanced melanoma.

Sledge Expects "Big Data" to Generate Big Changes

May 15th 2013

The technological advances in analyzing the human genome have spawned a new era in breast cancer as well as other types of malignancies that will affect oncology practice and will necessitate dramatic changes in the clinical trials system.

Early Results Robust for New PD-L1 Immunotherapy Agent

May 15th 2013

An antibody that targets PD-L1 to unleash the body's immune system has demonstrated a 21% response rate in a phase I study of patients with multiple solid tumors, setting the stage for an advance in immunotherapy with broad implications for treatment.

Tumor Biology Is Critical to Making Chemotherapy Choices

April 23rd 2013

The key to advancements in chemotherapy treatment for patients with metastatic breast cancer most likely will come through a better understanding of their underlying tumor biology.