HemOnc Today Education Lab CME

Limited treatment options are available for metastatic sarcoma. This monograph will review inhibition of the mTOR pathway, a promising therapeutic rationale currently in development for the management of this devastating disease. Preliminary results of a recent clinical trial of an mTOR inhibitor will be presented, highlighting the efficacy and safety of this treatment approach.

Immunotherapy is emerging as a promising approach to the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which has had generally limited options with poor survival rates. Stimulating the patient’s own immune system to eliminate tumor cells through vaccines has suggested it may offer improved outcomes with limited adverse events. In this program, leading researchers will discuss the immunotherapy strategies being developed and the efficacy and safety data from clinical trials to date. In addition, approaches to discussing and implementing vaccination programs with patients will be discussed.

Advances in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer over the past several decades have achieved modest improvements in response and survival, but overall prognosis for patients with advanced disease is still limited. A new approach to disease management is immunotherapy, and several different strategies for activating the patient’s own immune system are undergoing clinical trials and have produced promising results. In this program, leading specialists will discuss the current approach for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer, provide updates on clinical research, and discuss how these trials are likely to impact patient care and outcomes in the future.

Immunotherapy is emerging as a promising approach to the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which has had generally limited treatment options with poor survival rates. Antibodies directed against key regulators of the immune system have shown promise in clinical trials. Stimulating the patient’s own immune system to eliminate tumor cells using vaccines may eventually offer improved outcomes with limited adverse events. In this monograph, leading researchers will discuss the immunotherapy strategies being developed and the efficacy and safety data from clinical trials to date.

Metastatic sarcoma describes a range of disease that have poor prognosis and limited options for treatment. For most patients, the available medications have significant toxicity, and even for patients who can tolerate treatment, disease progression usually occurs after 6 or 7 cycles of therapy. In this program, leading clinicians discuss how to balance drug toxicity with patient quality of life and maintaining survival, the role of surgery, and the impact on new medications that target the mTOR pathway and in clinical trials, including the SUCCEED trial, have demonstrated improved progression-free survival with a lower rate of adverse events than traditional chemotherapy.

Controversy regarding the appropriate dose and duration of adjuvant interferon (IFN) therapy for patients with high-risk melanoma persists due to conflicting results of clinical trials. This monograph will review recent data addressing the dose and duration of IFN therapy in the management of melanoma. Research recently presented on the efficacy and safety of pegylated interferon in the treatment of melanoma will also be discussed. Case studies will illustrate the incorporation of interferon therapy into the treatment regimens of various patients with melanoma.

Glioblastoma (GBM), the most common primary malignant brain tumor, historically has had an overall poor prognosis, despite surgical resection and external beam radiotherapy. The addition of temozolomide chemotherapy, both concurrent with radiation and as additional adjuvant treatment, improved overall survival. Methylguanine methyltransferase (MGMT) activity may impact response to temozolomide, and increasing dose intensity has been postulated to improve response in both MGMT-expressing (MGMT promoter unmethylated) and MGMT non-expressing (MGMT promoter methylated) tumors. This CME video highlights the findings from the recently released RTOG 0525 clinical trial, which compared the efficacy of standard vs. intensified dosing of temozolomide in the treatment of GBM. In addition, RTOG 0525 explored patient-reported outcomes (neurocognitive testing, quality of life metrics, and patient symptoms/toxicity). Study participants outline those key findings. Finally, faculty discuss the impact of molecular testing of tumor samples and its role in patient stratification for optimal therapy and improved prognosis.

Immunotherapy is emerging as a promising approach to the treatment of non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which has had generally limited options with poor survival rates. Stimulating the patient’s own immune system to eliminate tumor cells through vaccines has suggested it may eventually offer improved outcomes with limited adverse events. In this program, leading researchers will discuss the immunotherapy strategies being developed and the efficacy and safety data from clinical trials to date.

Melanoma, the fifth most common cancer and the deadliest form of skin cancer, is diagnosed in 68,130 patients and claims 8,700 individuals per year. Although it can be curable if caught early, treatment options are limited for patients with advanced disease, and prognosis is poor. Earlier detection, appropriate staging, individualized treatment, and the use of new therapies, when they become available, are the most promising options for improving patient prognosis and relieving the growing public health burden of melanoma. In this activity, leading clinicians will offer practical recommendations based on the state of the science and recent clinical trials that can be employed immediately to improve outcomes for patients with melanoma.

Melanoma, the fifth most common cancer and the deadliest form of skin cancer, is diagnosed in 68,130 patients and claims 8,700 individuals per year. Although it can be curable if caught early, treatment options are limited for patients with advanced disease, and prognosis is poor. Earlier detection, appropriate staging, individualized treatment, and the use of new therapies, when they become available, are the most promising options for improving patient prognosis and relieving the growing public health burden of melanoma. In this activity, leading clinicians will offer practical recommendations based on the state of the science and recent clinical trials that can be employed immediately to improve outcomes for patients with melanoma.