In the annual Research Round Up series, Cancer.Net Editorial Board members answer the question, “What was the most exciting or practice-changing research in your field presented at the 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting?” In this episode, 3 Cancer.Net Associate Editors discuss new research presented at the meeting in gynecologic cancers, multiple myeloma, and head and neck cancer.
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Improvements in treating advanced gynecologic cancers
Dr. Lan Coffman, MD, PhD, the 2023 Cancer.Net Associate Editor for Gynecologic Cancers, discusses 3 studies in ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer, and cervical cancer. First, she discusses the phase 3 MIRASOL clinical trial, which studied whether the targeted therapy drug mirvetuximab soravtansine (Elahere) could delay cancer growth and help people with advanced ovarian cancer that was resistant to platinum-based chemotherapy and had high expression of a protein called folate receptor-alpha live longer. [2:51]
Next, Dr. Coffman discusses follow-up results from the phase 3 RUBY clinical trial, which was evaluating whether adding the immunotherapy drug dostarlimab (Jemperli) to chemotherapy could delay cancer growth and help people with advanced endometrial cancer live longer. [6:00] Finally, she discusses the phase 3 KEYNOTE-826 clinical trial, which was studying whether adding the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab (Keytruda) to chemotherapy, with or without the targeted therapy drug bevacizumab (Avastin), could help people with advanced cervical cancer live longer and delay cancer growth. [7:35]
New research in multiple myeloma
Dr. Sagar Lonial, MD, FACP, the 2023 Cancer.Net Associate Editor for Myeloma, highlights new research in multiple myeloma. First, he discusses the phase 3 CARTITUDE-4 clinical trial, which studied whether ciltacabtagene autoleucel (Carvykti), a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, could help slow or stop cancer growth in people with multiple myeloma that was no longer responding to treatment with lenalidomide (Revlimid). [9:52] Next, he provides an overview of new findings around a type of targeted therapy called bispecific T-cell engagers in treating people with multiple myeloma, including those who received previous treatment with a B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) targeting agent. [12:35] Finally, he discusses a study evaluating the combination of 3 targeted therapy drugs—carfilzomib (Kyprolis), pomalidomide (Pomalyst), and dexamethasone (multiple brand names)—as maintenance therapy for people with high-risk myeloma. [14:11]
Progress in treating head and neck cancer
Dr. Cristina P. Rodriguez, MD, the 2023 Cancer.Net Associate Editor for Head and Neck Cancers, discusses 4 studies in head and neck cancer. First, she discusses the phase II FRAIL-IMMUNE clinical trial, which studied whether the combination of the immunotherapy drug durvalumab (Imfinzi) with chemotherapy could be tolerated and help shrink the tumors of people with head and neck cancer who were considered frail. [17:16] Next, she discusses a phase 3 study evaluating whether a lower-cost chemotherapy combination in a low-resource area could help people with metastatic or recurrent head and neck cancer live longer. [18:22]
Dr. Rodriguez then discusses a study observing whether the combination of the targeted therapy drug BCA101 with pembrolizumab could help shrink the tumors of people with recurrent or metastatic head and neck cancer. [20:00] Finally, she discusses the phase 2 EV-202 clinical trial, which was studying whether the targeted therapy drug enfortumab vedotin (Padcev) could help shrink the tumors of people with advanced head and neck cancer. [21:30]
Disclosure information for this podcast’s speakers can be found in their individual biographies linked to above.
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