Lisa A. Raedler, PhD, RPh, Medical Writer
Medical Writer
Authored Items
2019 Fourth Annual Oncology Guide to New FDA Approvals
Melanoma is the most dangerous form of skin cancer.1 The 5-year relative survival rate for Americans with distant melanoma is only 23%. The National Cancer Institute estimated that there were 91,270 new cases of skin melanoma and more than 9300 deaths from this disease in 2018. This deadly disease is also costly; in the United States, expenditures for the treatment of melanoma exceeded $3 billion in 2018. Read More ›
2019 Fourth Annual Oncology Guide to New FDA Approvals
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a cancer of B-cell lymphocytes and is the most common type of leukemia in adults. More than 20,000 Americans were diagnosed with CLL in 2018. Read More ›
2019 Fourth Annual Oncology Guide to New FDA Approvals
Gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs), also known as carcinoids and islet-cell tumors, are tumors of the neuroendocrine cells that occur in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. GEP-NETs are heterogeneous and complex. Although relatively rare, GEP-NETs are more common than other tumors of the GI tract, including stomach and pancreatic carcinomas combined. Read More ›
2019 Fourth Annual Oncology Guide to New FDA Approvals
Hairy-cell leukemia (HCL) is a rare and indolent hematologic cancer. HCL, which is 4 to 5 times more frequent in men than in women, accounts for 2% of all leukemias. Approximately 1000 new cases of HCL are diagnosed in the United States annually. Read More ›
2019 Fourth Annual Oncology Guide to New FDA Approvals
In 1944, Jan G. Waldenström, MD, published his observations about a series of patients who presented with anemia, hepatosplenomegaly, hyperviscosity, bleeding, lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate in the bone marrow, and a large serum protein or “macroglobulin.”1 Today, Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia, also known as lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma, a type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, is classified as a rare, indolent, and heterogeneous type of lymphoma of the lymphatic system. Read More ›
2019 Fourth Annual Oncology Guide to New FDA Approvals
Conventional cytotoxic chemotherapy works primarily by interfering with the division and growth of cells, including cancer cells and normal tissue. However, because it is nonselective, cytotoxic chemotherapy can damage healthy cells and can cause severe side effects. Recognizing this challenge, drug developers have been looking for new ways to deliver chemotherapy to address clinical and pharmacologic challenges in the administration of intravenous (IV) cytotoxic drugs, and selectively target cancer cells to improve clinical outcomes and reduce severe adverse events. Read More ›
2019 Fourth Annual Oncology Guide to New FDA Approvals
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a rare but deadly cancer. In 2018, approximately 19,500 new cases of AML were estimated to be diagnosed in the United States and more than 10,600 people to die from the disease. Clinical trials data show that up to 70% of adults with AML have disease that completely responds to initial treatment with cytotoxic chemotherapy. However, the 3-year survival rate for patients with AML remains poor, at approximately 25%. Read More ›
2019 Fourth Annual Oncology Guide to New FDA Approvals
Two human genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2 (BRCA1/2), produce proteins that block the growth of cancer, such as breast or ovarian cancer. These proteins ensure the stability of each cell’s genetic material and help to repair damaged DNA. A mutation in either BRCA results in these proteins not functioning correctly. Specifically, DNA damage may not be repaired effectively, which can lead to cancer. Read More ›
2019 Fourth Annual Oncology Guide to New FDA Approvals
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a rare but deadly hematologic cancer. In 2018, approximately 19,500 new cases of AML were diagnosed, and more than 10,600 people died from the disease in the United States. Although up to 70% of adults with AML have a complete response to initial treatment with cytotoxic chemotherapy, the responses are not durable. The 5-year survival rate for people with AML is only 24%. Read More ›
2019 Fourth Annual Oncology Guide to New FDA Approvals
Gene mutations or rearrangements in the tropomyosin receptor kinase (TRK) family of receptor tyrosine kinases are emerging as an important driver of cancer-cell growth in a wide range of cancers. Research has shown that neurotrophic receptor tyrosine kinase (NTRK) genes, which encode for TRK proteins, can fuse abnormally to other genes and enhance cell signals that support tumor growth. NTRK gene fusions are found in a variety of tumor types, including soft-tissue sarcoma, salivary gland cancer, infantile fibrosarcoma, thyroid cancer, and lung cancer. Read More ›
2019 Fourth Annual Oncology Guide to New FDA Approvals
Febrile neutropenia is a serious complication of cancer chemotherapy that can require treatment delays and chemotherapy dose reductions, which compromise the efficacy of treatment. Among patients with cancer who are receiving chemotherapy, approximately 1% have febrile neutropenia. This condition affects patient morbidity and mortality and its clinical management requires significant healthcare resources. Read More ›
2018 Third Annual Oncology Guide to New FDA Approvals
The FDA accelerated the approval of brigatinib (Alunbrig), a new generation of oral ALK inhibitor, for the treatment of patients with ALK-positive metastatic NSCLC who do not tolerate or have had an inadequate response to crizotinib..
Read More ›2018 Third Annual Oncology Guide to New FDA Approvals
Mantle-cell lymphoma is a rare and fast-growing type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), comprising approximately ≥4% of NHL cases in the United States. Mantle-cell lymphoma most often affects men aged ≥60 years, and the key factors affecting prognosis include the patient’s age, performance status, lactate dehydrogenase levels, and white blood cell count. Read More ›
2018 Third Annual Oncology Guide to New FDA Approvals
Marginal-zone lymphoma (MZL) arises from B-lymphocytes in the marginal zone of lymphoid tissue. This slow-growing indolent B-cell lymphoma represents approximately 12% of all cases of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in adults. MZL is divided into 3 subtypes, including mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT), nodal MZL, and splenic MZL. MALT lymphoma is the most common of these subtypes and occurs in the stomach, intestines, salivary glands, thyroid, eyes, and lungs. In MALT lymphoma, autoimmune processes or chronic infection cause B-cells to accumulate. Helicobacter pylori is 1 of at least 6 microbial species associated with lymphoproliferation in gastric MALT lymphoma. Read More ›
2018 Third Annual Oncology Guide to New FDA Approvals
Urothelial carcinoma is the primary subtype of bladder cancer, which is the sixth most common cancer in the United States. More than 79,000 cases of bladder cancer were estimated to be diagnosed, and nearly 17,000 people to die from this disease in 2017. Read More ›
2018 Third Annual Oncology Guide to New FDA Approvals
Breast cancer is one of the most common cancer diagnoses in the United States. The National Cancer Institute estimates that 252,710 American women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and 40,610 will die from the disease in 2017. For the majority (62%) of women with breast cancer, the disease is confined to the breast, and the 5-year survival approaches 100%. However, for women with metastatic disease, the likelihood of survival at 5 years drops to 27%. Read More ›
2018 Third Annual Oncology Guide to New FDA Approvals
Multiple myeloma is a cancer of plasma cells in the bone marrow that often leads to bone destruction and bone marrow failure. According to the American Cancer Society, more than 30,280 new cases of multiple myeloma will be diagnosed in 2017, and 12,590 deaths will be attributed to the disease. In the past 20 years, mortality rates associated with multiple myeloma have declined. Novel therapies, as well as improvements in autologous hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT) procedures and supportive care, have contributed to extended survival for patients with this malignancy. Read More ›
2018 Third Annual Oncology Guide to New FDA Approvals
Urothelial carcinoma is the most common subtype of bladder cancer, accounting for more than 90% of bladder cancer diagnoses in the United States. In 2017, more than 79,000 bladder cancer cases were diagnosed in the United States, and more than 16,000 people died from this disease. The prognosis is favorable for patients with localized disease, with a 5-year relative survival rate of 78% for all stages of bladder cancer, which decreases to 5% for patients with distant disease. Read More ›
2018 Third Annual Oncology Guide to New FDA Approvals
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a rare but deadly cancer. Approximately 21,400 new cases of AML were diagnosed in 2017 in the United States, and nearly 10,600 people died from the disease. Approximately 60% to 70% of adults with AML respond to initial treatment with cytotoxic chemotherapy. However, the 5-year survival rate for patients with AML remains poor at approximately 27%. Read More ›
2018 Third Annual Oncology Guide to New FDA Approvals
In ovarian epithelial cancer, fallopian tube cancer, and primary peritoneal cancer, malignant cells form in the tissue covering the ovary or lining the fallopian tube or peritoneum. According to the American Cancer Society, in 2017 more than 22,000 women in the United States were estimated to be diagnosed with these cancers and more than 14,000 to die from them. Read More ›
TOP - November 2017, Vol 10, No 4
Marginal-zone lymphoma (MZL) is a malignancy that arises from B-lymphocytes in the marginal zone of lymphoid tissue. This slow-growing indolent B-cell lymphoma represents approximately 12% of all cases of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in adults. Read More ›
2017 Second Annual Oncology Guide to New FDA Approvals
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), the most common type of leukemia in adults, is a cancer of B-cell lymphocytes. More than 20,000 Americans will be diagnosed with CLL in 2017, and 4660 patients with die from the disease. Read More ›
2017 Second Annual Oncology Guide to New FDA Approvals
According to the American Cancer Society, more than 30,280 new cases of multiple myeloma will be diagnosed in 2017, and 12,590 deaths will be attributed to the disease. Read More ›
2017 Second Annual Oncology Guide to New FDA Approvals
Epithelial carcinoma of the ovary is one of the most common gynecologic malignancies. The National Cancer Institute estimates that 22,280 women were diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2016 and 14,240 women died from the disease. Read More ›
2017 Second Annual Oncology Guide to New FDA Approvals
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), a cancer of B-cell lymphocytes, is the most common type of leukemia in adults. According to the American Cancer Society, more than 18,900 Americans will be diagnosed with CLL in 2016. Read More ›
Patient Assistance Profiler December 2016
As the costs associated with cancer care continue to escalate, all key stakeholders—healthcare providers, private and government payers, and patients—strive to balance high-quality cancer care with cost efficiency. As insurance benefit designs continue to shift the cost burden of treatment, more patients with cancer and their families are both psychologically and financially invested in treatment decisions. Read More ›
Web Exclusives
In April 2016, venetoclax (Venclexta; Janssen) became the first BCL-2 inhibitor to be approved by the FDA for relapsed, high-risk chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
Read More ›
TOP - August 2016, Vol 9, No 3
There is an urgent unmet need for more effective therapies in pancreatic cancer. Read More ›
2016 First Annual Oncology Guide to New FDA Approvals
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality in the United States among men and women. The most common type of the disease, non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for approximately 85% of all lung cancer cases. NSCLC comprises several disease histologies, including adenocarcinoma, squamous-cell carcinoma, nonsquamous carcinoma, large-cell anaplastic carcinoma, and adenosquamous carcinoma. Read More ›
2016 First Annual Oncology Guide to New FDA Approvals
Colony-stimulating factors (CSFs) are endogenous glycoproteins that regulate the production and the functioning of infection-protective granulocytes and macrophages. Overall, 2 types of recombinant CSF drugs—granulocyte CSF (filgrastim, pegfilgrastim) and granulocyte-macrophage CSF (sargramostim)—have been prescribed for more than 20 years to stimulate neutrophils and macrophages, primarily in patients with cancer who are undergoing treatment with cytotoxic chemotherapy. Read More ›
2016 First Annual Oncology Guide to New FDA Approvals
A critical part of care planning for patients with cancer is the prevention and management of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV), one of the most feared side effects of chemotherapy. Overall, 70% to 80% of patients with cancer experience CINV in the absence of appropriate CINV prophylaxis. Read More ›
2016 First Annual Oncology Guide to New FDA Approvals
Multiple myeloma is a cancer of plasma cells in the bone marrow that often leads to bone destruction and bone marrow failure. According to the American Cancer Society, more than 26,800 new cases of multiple myeloma were diagnosed in 2015, and 11,240 deaths were attributed to multiple myeloma in the same year. Read More ›
2016 First Annual Oncology Guide to New FDA Approvals
Multiple myeloma is a cancer of plasma cells in the bone marrow that often leads to bone destruction and bone marrow failure. According to the American Cancer Society, more than 26,800 new cases of multiple myeloma were diagnosed in 2015, and 11,240 deaths were attributed to the disease. Read More ›
2016 First Annual Oncology Guide to New FDA Approvals
Multiple myeloma is a cancer of plasma cells in the bone marrow that often leads to bone destruction and bone marrow failure. According to the American Cancer Society, more than 26,800 new cases of multiple myeloma were diagnosed in 2015, and 11,240 deaths were attributed to the disease. Read More ›
2016 First Annual Oncology Guide to New FDA Approvals
Considering its high financial and personal costs, colorectal cancer continues to be a major public health problem in the United States and around the world. Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States when data are combined for men and women. Read More ›
2016 First Annual Oncology Guide to New FDA Approvals
Melanoma represents the most dangerous form of skin cancer. According to recent data, the 5-year relative survival rate for Americans with distant melanoma is only 17%. The National Cancer Institute estimated that in 2015 there were 73,870 new cases of skin melanoma and more than 9900 patients died from this disease. In the United States, the total estimated national expenditures for the treatment of melanoma reached $2.8 billion in 2015. Read More ›
2016 First Annual Oncology Guide to New FDA Approvals
Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia (WM), also known as lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma, is an indolent subtype of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma. WM is characterized by malignant B-cells that overproduce the abnormal monoclonal protein known as immunoglobulin (Ig) M or macroglobulin. Read More ›
2016 First Annual Oncology Guide to New FDA Approvals
Multiple myeloma is a cancer of plasma cells in the bone marrow that often leads to bone destruction and bone marrow failure. According to the American Cancer Society, more than 26,800 new cases of multiple myeloma were diagnosed in 2015, and 11,240 deaths were attributed to the disease. Read More ›
2016 First Annual Oncology Guide to New FDA Approvals
Multiple myeloma is a cancer of plasma cells in the bone marrow that often leads to bone destruction and bone marrow failure. According to the American Cancer Society, more than 26,800 new cases of multiple myeloma were diagnosed in 2015, and 11,240 deaths were attributed to the disease. Read More ›
2016 First Annual Oncology Guide to New FDA Approvals
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) are common hematologic malignancies that represent a significant burden to patients and to the healthcare system. In light of the morbidity, mortality, and quality-of-life challenges associated with CLL and NHL, there is a marked need for additional therapeutic options for patients with these malignancies. Read More ›
TOP - February 2016, Vol 9, No 1
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality in the United States among men and women. The most common type of the disease, non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for approximately 85% of all lung cancer cases. Read More ›
TOP November 2015 Vol 8 No 4
Breast cancer is one of the most common cancer diagnoses in the United States. The National Cancer Institute estimates that 231,840 American women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, and nearly 40,300 women will die from the disease in 2015. Read More ›
TOP-Resident Reporter-September 2013
Efficacy outcomes in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are poorer with advanced age and the presence of FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 internal tandem duplication (FLT3-ITD). Read More ›
Resident Reporter-September 2013
Efficacy outcomes in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are poorer with advanced age and the presence of FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 internal tandem duplication (FLT3-ITD). Read More ›