The oncologist
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On November 15, 2018, the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) recommended the extension of indication for blinatumomab to include the treatment of adults with minimal residual disease (MRD) positive B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Blinatumomab was authorized to treat relapsed or refractory B-precursor ALL, and the change concerned an extension of use. On March 29, 2018, the U. ⋯ V. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Immunotherapy with blinatumomab has excellent and sustainable results, offering new hope for patients with minimal residual disease-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a disease with poor prognosis. New recommendations and change of practice for treatment of this patient group are detailed.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Acupuncture for Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy in Breast Cancer Survivors: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial.
Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is one of the most debilitating long-term side effects in breast cancer survivors. We conducted a randomized controlled pilot trial to assess the feasibility, safety, and effects of an acupuncture intervention on CIPN in this population. ⋯ Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a toxicity that often persists for months to years after the completion of adjuvant chemotherapy for early breast cancer. In a randomized pilot trial of 40 breast cancer survivors with CIPN, an 8-week acupuncture intervention (vs. usual care) led to a statistically and clinically significant improvement in subjective sensory symptoms including neuropathic pain and paresthesia. Given the lack of effective therapies and established safety profile of acupuncture, clinicians may consider acupuncture as a treatment option for mild to moderate CIPN in practice.
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Direct comparisons between Guardant360 (G360) circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) and FoundationOne (F1) tumor biopsy genomic profiling in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) are limited. We aim to assess the concordance across overlapping genes tested in both F1 and G360 in patients with mCRC. ⋯ Genomic analysis of tissue biopsy is currently the optimal method for identifying DNA genomic alterations to help physicians target specific genes but has many disadvantages that may be mitigated by a circulating free tumor DNA (ctDNA) assay. This study showed a high concordance rate in certain gene mutations in patients who were treatment naive and treated with non-anti-EGFR therapy prior to ctDNA testing. This suggests that ctDNA genomic analysis may potentially be used as an alternative to tumor biopsy to identify appropriate patients for treatment selection in mCRC, but larger prospective studies are needed to further validate concordance among tissue and ctDNA tumor profiling.
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Review
Best Practices in the Management of Nonmedical Opioid Use in Patients with Cancer-Related Pain.
Nonmedical opioid use (NMOU) in patients with cancer is a term covering a spectrum of nonprescribed opioid use. The extent to which an individual uses opioids in a nonprescribed manner will influence propensity for adverse effects such as neurotoxicity, substance use disorder, overdose, and death. ⋯ Nonmedical opioid use (NMOU) in patients with cancer is a term covering a broad spectrum of nonprescribed opioid use. The extent to which an individual uses opioids in a nonprescribed manner will influence propensity for adverse effects such as neurotoxicity, substance use disorder, overdose, and death. This review evaluates the evidence for best practices in oncology and addresses limitations in the literature with supplemental evidence from noncancer chronic pain. Management recommendations for NMOU are provided, based on a combination of literature-based evidence and best clinical practice. Effective management of NMOU in oncology has the potential to improve quality of life, decrease health utilization, and improve survival.