Hematologic Oncology | Specialty

The OncLive Hematology Oncology condition center page is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and expert insights on various hematologic malignancies, including leukemias, lymphomas, myeloproliferative neoplasms, multiple myeloma, and much more. This section features news articles, interviews in written and video format, and podcasts that focus on unmet needs, treatment advances, and ongoing research in hematologic cancers.

FDA Halts Several Trials of Vadastuximab Talirine in AML

December 28th 2016

The FDA has placed clinical holds on several phase I trials of vadastuximab talirine (SGN-CD33A) in acute myeloid leukemia, according to Seattle Genetics, the manufacturer of the antibody-drug conjugate.

Palbociclib Enhances Ibrutinib's Impact in MCL

December 27th 2016

Palbociclib can help patients with mantle cell lymphoma overcome resistance to ibrutinib, according to phase I results presented at the 2016 ASH Annual Meeting.

Dr. Ansell on Promise With Immunotherapy in Hodgkin Lymphoma

December 23rd 2016

Stephen M. Ansell, MD, PhD, of Mayo Clinic, discusses studies exploring PD-1 inhibitors in Hodgkin lymphoma, specifically the CheckMate-039 trial.

Lenalidomide Shows Activity in Low-Risk MDS

December 22nd 2016

Results from the randomized phase II HOVON89 trial showed that nearly 40% of patients with low intermediate-1 risk myelodysplastic syndrome who were refractory to erythropoietin and granulocyte-colony stimulating factor experienced hematologic improvement with erythroid response after being treated with lenalidomide monotherapy.

Dr. Perales on the PROGRESS II Trial in Hematologic Malignancies

December 22nd 2016

Miguel-Angel Perales, MD, deputy chief, Adult Bone Marrow Transplant Service, director, Adult Bone Marrow Transplantation Fellowship Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, provides an overview of the PROGRESS II trial, which was conducted for patients with hematologic malignancies.

Dr. Takahashi on Biomarker That Predicts Development of Therapy-Related Leukemia

December 21st 2016

Koichi Takahashi, MD, assistant professor, Department of Leukemia, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses a study exploring a potential biomarker for patients likely to develop therapy-related leukemia.

Dr. Goy on Rituximab Maintenance Therapy for Patients With MCL

December 21st 2016

Andre Goy, MD, MS, chairman and director, chief of Lymphoma, and director of Clinical and Translational Cancer Research at John Theurer Cancer Center, discusses phase III results of a study exploring rituximab as maintenance therapy after autologous stem cell transplantation in younger patients with mantle cell lymphoma.

FDA Grants JCAR017 Breakthrough Designation for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

December 21st 2016

JCAR017 has received an FDA breakthrough therapy designation for the treatment of patients with relapsed/refractory, aggressive large B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

High Rates of Symptoms, Impairment, With Myeloproliferative Neoplasms

December 20th 2016

Patients with myeloproliferative disorders have a high symptom burden that significantly affects emotional status, quality of life, and functional ability.

Expert Expresses Need for More Effective Treatments for Aggressive Lymphomas

December 14th 2016

Treatment for patients with aggressive lymphomas needs to be intensified with more effective strategies, potentially including an infusion, dose-adjusted regimen of etoposide phosphate, prednisone, vincristine sulfate, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin hydrochloride, and rituximab.

Nivolumab-Brentuximab Vedotin Combo Active and Safe in Relapsed Hodgkin Lymphoma

December 8th 2016

Early data from a phase I/II study suggest that the combination of brentuximab vedotin (Adcetris) and nivolumab (Opdivo) may be an active and well-tolerated outpatient regimen in patients with relapsed/refractory classical Hodgkin lymphoma after failure of standard frontline chemotherapy.

High Response Rate With Venetoclax in Relapsed/Refractory CLL

December 8th 2016

Two thirds of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) that progressed on B-cell receptor pathway inhibitors had objective responses to treatment with venetoclax, results of a small open-label trial showed.

Dr. Jackson on Lenalidomide as a Highly-Effective Maintenance Therapy in Myeloma

December 7th 2016

Graham Jackson, MD, PhD, Northern Institute for Cancer Research, Newcastle University, discusses results of a study that determined lenalidomide (Revlimid) is a highly-effective maintenance therapy in myeloma patients of all ages.

KTE-C19 Leads to High Response Rates in Refractory NHL

December 7th 2016

Almost 80% of patients with treatment-refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma had objective responses following treatment with KTE-C19, a chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy targeting CD19.

Dr. Woyach on a Study Combining MOR208 With Lenalidomide for the Treatment of CLL

December 7th 2016

Jennifer Woyach, MD, associate professor, Ohio State University, discusses a study examining the use of MOR208 combined with lenalidomide (Revlimid) for the treatment of chronic lymphotic leukemia (CLL) during the American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting.

Dr. Gisslinger on a Study Comparing Ropeginterferon Alfa-2b to Hydroxyurea in PV

December 6th 2016

Heinz Gisslinger, MD, Medical University of Vienna, discusses the phase III PROUD-PV study, which evaluated ropeginterferon alfa-2b (P1101) for the treatment of polycythemia vera (PV) during the American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting.

KTE-C19 Response Rates Spark FDA Submission for Aggressive Lymphomas

December 6th 2016

Treatment with the CD19-directed CAR T-cell therapy KTE-C19 showed a complete remission rate of 73% for patients with aggressive, chemorefractory primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma and transformed follicular lymphoma.

Dr. Burke on a Study Investigating Obinutuzumab in Large B-Cell Lymphoma

December 5th 2016

John M. Burke, MD, discusses the GOYA study, a phase III study investigating obinutuzumab plus CHOP in patients with previously untreated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Burke discussed the study during the American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting.

Lirilumab/Azacytidine Combo Safe, Active in AML

December 5th 2016

The combination of the killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptors inhibitor lirilumab with the hypomethylating agent azacytidine was well tolerated and showed early signals of activity in heavily pretreated patients with acute myeloid leukemia.

Enasidenib Shows Promising Activity for IDH2-Mutant MDS

December 5th 2016

Treatment with enasidenib was active and was well tolerated in pretreated patients with IDH2-mutated myelodysplastic syndrome, including those who failed hypomethylating agents.