Precision Medicine in Oncology® | Specialty

The OncLive Precision Medicine in Oncology® condition center page is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and expert insights on precision-focused approaches in patients with cancer, with gene-targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitors and antibody-drug conjugates, checkpoint inhibitors, tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte therapy, and other tailored treatments. This page features news articles, interviews in written and video format, and podcasts that focus on updates and ongoing research with personalized therapies across solid and hematologic tumors.

USPSTF, ASCO Issue More Guidance on Genetic Testing Based on Family History

June 11th 2014

Oncology practitioners now have several resources to consult for advice on genetic testing for their patients following the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) December 2013 update of its 2005 BRCA recommendations.

Continuing Afatinib Beyond Progression Improves PFS in Metastatic NSCLC

June 10th 2014

Continuing EGFR inhibition beyond progression with afatinib plus paclitaxel significantly improved PFS and ORR compared with chemotherapy alone in patients with heavily pretreated metastatic NSCLC.

Dr. Prat on the Differences Between EndoPredict and Prosigna

June 9th 2014

Aleix Prat, MD, PhD, medical oncologist, Vall D'Hebron Institute of Oncology, Barcelona, Spain, discusses the differences between EndoPredict and Prosigna.

Dr. Curran on the Effect of Clinical Trial Enrollment on NSCLC Patients

June 4th 2014

Walter J. Curran, Jr, MD, discusses a report that examined the effect of institutional clinical trial enrollment volume on survival of patients with stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with chemoradiation.

Dr. Rizvi on Nivolumab Plus Erlotinib in Patients with EGFR MT NSCLC

June 1st 2014

Naiyer A. Rizvi, MD, an associate attending physician, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses the safety and response with plus erlotinib in patients with epidermal growth factor receptor mutant (EGFR MT) advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Dr. Hussain on ETS Gene Fusions as a Predictive Biomarker in Prostate Cancer

May 31st 2014

Maha Hussain, MD, from the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, discusses the possibility of ETS gene fusions acting as a predictive biomarker for prostate cancer.

WellPoint's Enhanced Payment Plan Encourages Following Treatment Protocols

May 28th 2014

A new reimbursement program initiated by WellPoint, Inc., looks to pay oncologists an additional $350 a month for each patient who is enrolled in and follows one of the insurer's recommended cancer treatment regimens

CO-1686 Receives Breakthrough Designation for EGFR T790M-Positive NSCLC

May 20th 2014

CO-1686 has received a breakthrough therapy designation from the FDA for its potential as a treatment for patients with metastatic T790M mutation-positive NSCLC who have received at least one prior line of EGFR-targeted therapy.

Cell-Cycle Gene Test Shows Early Promise in Clear Cell RCC

May 20th 2014

A cell-cycle gene array test demonstrated independent value for predicting metastatic progression after surgery for organ-confined renal cell carcinoma (RCC) of clear cell histology, a retrospective study of patient data showed.

AZD9291 Shows Robust Activity in Resistant EGFR-positive NSCLC

May 14th 2014

The highly selective EGFR inhibitor AZD9291 demonstrated an overall response rate of 64% without inducing dose-limiting toxicities in patients with metastatic NSCLC who harbor an acquired EGFR T790M resistance mutation.

Targeting CD19 May Yield Paradigm-Altering Technology

May 9th 2014

For the past two decades, researchers have been exploring B-cell specific antigens in hopes of developing a new anticancer target that would mirror the success of the CD20-targeting rituximab (Rituxan). Now, strategies aimed at CD19 are proving particularly promising.

Dr. Salerno on Donations to Breast Cancer Research

May 7th 2014

Judith A. Salerno, MD, MS, president, CEO, Susan G. Komen, comments on donations to breast cancer research.

New Options for Low-Risk, HER2-Positive Tumors Featured in Research Overview

May 7th 2014

Fresh insights into outcomes for patients with low-risk, HER2-positive breast cancer suggest that adjuvant chemotherapy regimens with or without trastuzumab (Herceptin) should be considered as options for managing this growing population

Dr. Younes Discusses the Future of Treating Lymphoid Malignancies

May 6th 2014

Anas Younes, MD, chief, Lymphoma Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses the future of treating lymphoid malignancies.

New PER Conference Debuts With Format Aimed at Pressing Clinical Issues

May 1st 2014

Leading experts in the rapidly evolving field of lung cancer treatment assembled to offer their perspectives on the latest research and provide clinical insights for practitioners dealing with challenging cases.

Tackling Tumor Sampling: Technical Advances May Help Optimize Molecularly Targeted Treatment Strategies

April 29th 2014

It seems that rarely a month goes by these days without the publication of a major study demonstrating the impact of fresh knowledge regarding molecular abnormalities in a particular tumor type.

Dr. Halmos on the Impact of EGFR Inhibitors on the Treatment of Lung Cancer

April 28th 2014

Balazs Halmos, MD, section chief of Thoracic Oncology at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center, discusses the impact of EGFR inhibitors on the treatment of lung cancer.

Docs Hesitant to Embrace Genomic Tests

April 28th 2014

A physician's confidence level in his genomic knowledge plays a significant role in attitudes towards genomic tests, especially in tests that look for changes in DNA that are taken from patients' tumor samples

Researchers Focus on Optimizing Radiotherapy for Locally Advanced NSCLC

April 24th 2014

Locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains a challenging disease to treat, with a 5-year survival rate for patients with unresectable stage III disease of approximately 20%, even after definitive radiation therapy and concurrent chemotherapy.

Dr. Kunz on Identifying Gastric Cancer Subtypes

April 23rd 2014

Pamela L. Kunz, MD, assistant professor of medicine, Oncology, Stanford University Medical Center, discusses the effort to identify molecular subtypes of gastric cancer.