Articles

Results of EMILIA, the first randomized, open-label, phase 3 study comparing trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) alone with lapatinib in combination with capecitabine, showed that patients with HER2+ metastatic breast cancer (mBC) who received trastuzumab emtansine lived significantly longer with progression-free survival. The study involved 991 patients with HER2+ mBC whose disease had progressed after initial treatment with Herceptin and a taxane-based chemotherapy.

The HER2-based peptide vaccine AE37 administered to patients with breast cancer produced immunologic responses compared with a control group, according to 24-month results.

According to data presented at this year’s AACR Annual Meeting, vitamin D impacts prostate cancer growth rates and may also decelerate the growth of prostate cancer cells.

Dr Hansen provides a thorough review of adherence in cancer therapy and the growing use of oral therapies. These agents may provide patient convenience, but they also present significant adherence issues. As Dr Hansen reported, it cannot be assumed that a patient will adhere to the prescribed medication doses and schedules simply because he or she is facing a potentially life-threatening illness.

Dr Hansen provides a thorough review of adherence in cancer therapy and the growing use of oral therapies. These agents may provide patient convenience, but they also present significant adherence issues. As Dr Hansen reported, it cannot be assumed that a patient will adhere to the prescribed medication doses and schedules simply because he or she is facing a potentially life-threatening illness.

In laboratory experiments, we can nearly guarantee that the intervention being tested is received, short of human error. We cannot control whether the patient arrives at the clinic, but when we prescribe medications that are given intravenously, we can very accurately record whether the medication was administered. With oral medications, however, there are many black holes both in research and clinical settings, and despite the best efforts to measure adherence, the impact of nonadherence is largely unknown.

In laboratory experiments, we can nearly guarantee that the intervention being tested is received, short of human error. We cannot control whether the patient arrives at the clinic, but when we prescribe medications that are given intravenously, we can very accurately record whether the medication was administered. With oral medications, however, there are many black holes both in research and clinical settings, and despite the best efforts to measure adherence, the impact of nonadherence is largely unknown.

In an era when oral drugs are increasingly becoming a part of our approach to care for patients with cancer, adherence to prescribed therapy is essential. Yet the statistics cited by Dr Hansen are a stark reminder that despite our best intentions, cancer patients do not and will not always take oral medications the way in which they are directed. For the clinician, this poses a challenge as to how best to confront this troublesome issue in order to improve outcomes for the patients entrusted to our care. The details of such an effort may vary from cancer center to cancer center.

In an era when oral drugs are increasingly becoming a part of our approach to care for patients with cancer, adherence to prescribed therapy is essential. Yet the statistics cited by Dr Hansen are a stark reminder that despite our best intentions, cancer patients do not and will not always take oral medications the way in which they are directed. For the clinician, this poses a challenge as to how best to confront this troublesome issue in order to improve outcomes for the patients entrusted to our care. The details of such an effort may vary from cancer center to cancer center.