Current Treatment Options in Oncology 
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This is an RSS file. You can use it to subscribe to this data in your favourite RSS reader or to display this data on your own website or blog.The Future of Natural Killer Cell Immunotherapy for B Cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (B Cell NHL)
Opinion statementNatural killer (NK) cells have played a critical —if largely unrecognized or ignored—role in the treatment of B cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) since the introduction of CD20-directed immunotherapy with rituximab as a cornerstone of therapy over 25 years ago. Engagement with NK cells leading to lysis of NHL targets through antibody-dependent c ellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) is a critical component of rituximab’s mechanism of action. Despite this important role, the only aspect of B cell NHL therapy that has been adopted as standard therapy that even indirectly augments or restores NK cell function is th...
Source: Current Treatment Options in Oncology - March 8, 2022 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research
Role of Virus-Directed Therapy in Soft Tissue Sarcoma
Opinion statementBone and soft tissue sarcoma are rare cancers of mesenchymal origin with the characteristics of heterogeneity and diversity that account for less than 1% of solid malignant cancers. Conventional chemotherapy remains standard of care with response rates of 10 –15% that are usually dependent on histologic subtype as some subtypes are chemotherapy resistant. There remains a large unmet clinical need for new and novel options promoting the development of promising therapeutic options such as immunotherapy. With more than 80 different subtypes, the heterog eneity of sarcoma requires thoughtful clinical trial ...
Source: Current Treatment Options in Oncology - March 8, 2022 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research
The Microbiome: the Link to Colorectal Cancer and Research Opportunities
Opinion statementIn recent years, we have seen an increase in the study and interest of the role of the microbiome in the development of malignancies, their progression, and evasion of therapies. This has been particularly fruitful in the case of colorectal cancer; multiple investigators have described correlative observations as well as hypotheses strengthened in preclinical studies that have begun to elucidate the critical role the gut and tumoral microbiome plays in carcinogenesis. Furthermore, these landmark studies lay the groundwork in describing the microbiome ’s role in carcinogenesis and provide a rich field of ...
Source: Current Treatment Options in Oncology - March 7, 2022 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research
Depression and Long-Term Prescription Opioid Use and Opioid Use Disorder: Implications for Pain Management in Cancer
Opinion statementPreventing depression in cancer patients on long-term opioid therapy should begin with depression screening before opioid initiation and repeated screening during treatment. In weighing the high morbidity of depression and opioid use disorder in patients with chronic cancer pain against a dearth of evidence-based therapies studied in this population, patients and clinicians are left to choose among imperfect but necessary treatment options. When possible, we advise engaging psychiatric and pain/palliative specialists through collaborative care models and recommending mindfulness and psychotherapy to all pa...
Source: Current Treatment Options in Oncology - March 7, 2022 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research
HPV as a Carcinomic Driver in Head and Neck Cancer: a De-escalated Future?
Opinion statementPatients with HPV-associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma have improved prognosis relatively to those with tumors not driven by HPV. Both definitive radiotherapy (typically with concurrent chemotherapy) and transoral robotic surgery (with adjuvant therapies based on pathologic risk factors) are both acceptable treatment options for patients. The decision on which treatment is optimal depends on individual patient factors and should be made in a multi-disciplinary setting with input from a radiation oncologist, head and neck surgeon, and medical oncologist. Where appropriate, patients in this setti...
Source: Current Treatment Options in Oncology - March 4, 2022 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research
Cancer Therapies and Vascular Toxicities
Opinion statementVascular events have become an important issue in the overall management of cancer patients. They usually result from a combination of (i) direct or indirect toxicity of anticancer treatments, (ii) a higher prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in cancer patients, and (iii) prolonged exposure to treatments due to an increasing patient survival rate. In addition to conventional chemotherapies and radiotherapy, targeted therapies and immunotherapies have been developed which improve the prognosis of cancer patients but sometimes at the cost of vascular toxicity, which can lead to systemic or pulmonary hy...
Source: Current Treatment Options in Oncology - March 4, 2022 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research
Pathogenesis and Amelioration of Radiation-Induced Oral Mucositis
Opinion statementOral mucositis (OM) causes significant detriment to patient quality of life. Despite advances in RT, chemotherapy, and surgery for HNC which have led to improved local control and survival, management of certain toxicities such as OM have not kept pace. Numerous strategies have emerged with demonstrable benefit in preventing severe OM. However, ones which are not only effective, but practical and affordable to implement are rare. For example, infusion of growth factors or free radical scavengers, and daily treatment of intra-oral sites with lasers are supported by high-quality evidence but have not become ...
Source: Current Treatment Options in Oncology - March 4, 2022 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research
Correction to: Cancer-Related Fatigue: Causes and Current Treatment Options
(Source: Current Treatment Options in Oncology)
Source: Current Treatment Options in Oncology - March 1, 2022 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research
Immunotherapy in Small Cell Lung Cancer Treatment: a Promising Headway for Future Perspective
Opinion statementDespite advancements in clinical research, both prognosis and treatment for SCLC patients are still in the nascent stage. SCLC is a fatal disease with high tumor mutational burden and is strongly associated with exposure to tobacco. This leads to the development of potential neo-antigens, inhibition of immune responses, and development of paraneoplastic disorders. Surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy are widely accepted treatments for cancer globally, and most recently, immunotherapy has now become the “fourth pillar” of SCLC treatment. Various immune checkpoint pathways regulate the activation of T ce...
Source: Current Treatment Options in Oncology - February 28, 2022 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research
Reirradiation of Recurrent and Second Primary Cancers of the Head and Neck: a Review of the Contemporary Evidence
Opinion statementRecurrent and second primary head and neck cancers represent a clinical challenge due to frequently unresectable and/or locally advanced disease. Given that many of these patients have received definitive doses of radiation previously, reirradiation is associated with significant morbidity. Use of modern approaches such as conformal photon-based planning and charged particle therapy using protons or carbon ions allows for greater sparing of normal tissues while maintaining or escalating doses to tumor volumes. While the reirradiation data has consistently shown benefits to local control and even survival f...
Source: Current Treatment Options in Oncology - February 28, 2022 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research
Allogeneic Chimeric Antigen Receptor Therapy in Lymphoma
Opinion statementThe therapeutic armamentarium has significantly expanded since the approval of various CD19-targeting chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapies in non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). These CAR-Ts are patient-specific and require a complex, resource, and time-consuming process. While this appears promising, autologous CAR-Ts are limited due to the lack of accessibility, manufacturing delays, and variable product quality. To overcome these, allogeneic (allo) CARs from healthy donors appear appealing. These can be immediately available as “off the shelf” ready-to-use products of standardized and superior...
Source: Current Treatment Options in Oncology - February 25, 2022 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research
Current Trends in Precision Medicine and Next-Generation Sequencing in Head and Neck Cancer
Opinion statementAs the field of oncology enters the era of precision medicine and targeted therapies, we have come to realize that there may be no single “magic bullet” for patients with head and neck cancer. While immune check point inhibitors and some targeted therapeutics have shown great promise in improving oncologic outcomes, the current standard of care in most patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remains a combinati on of surgery, radiation, and/or cytotoxic chemotherapy. Nevertheless, advances in precision medicine, next-generation sequencing (NGS), and targeted therapies have a potenti...
Source: Current Treatment Options in Oncology - February 23, 2022 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research
Radical Hysterectomy After the LACC Trial: Back to Radical Vaginal Surgery
Opinion statementClassical radical vaginal hysterectomy first performed by Anton Pawlik in Prague in 1888 and popularized by Frederic Schauta is now a historical technique virtually abandoned due to painful perineal incision, a high rate of urinary dysfunction, and the inability to perform lymph node assessment. However, the heritage of this approach has been still used and taught in a few centers outside their Austrian birthplace. A combined vaginal and laparoscopic approach was developed in the 1990s by French and German surgeons who designed diverse surgical techniques for which a novel classification is proposed. All t...
Source: Current Treatment Options in Oncology - February 23, 2022 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research
Natural Killer Cells: the Missing Link in Effective Treatment for High-Grade Serous Ovarian Carcinoma
Opinion statementOvarian cancer (OC), especially high-grade serous cancer (HGSC), is a highly heterogeneous malignancy with limited options for curative treatment and a high frequency of relapse. Interactions between OC and the immune system may permit immunoediting and immune escape, and current standard of care therapies can influence immune cell infiltration and function within the tumor microenvironment. Natural killer (NK) cells are involved in cancer immunosurveillance and immunoediting and can be activated by therapy, but deliberate approaches to maximize NK cell reactivity for treatment of HGSC are in their infancy...
Source: Current Treatment Options in Oncology - February 22, 2022 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research
Cardiotoxicity of Systemic Melanoma Treatments
Opinion statementMelanoma is the least common but most dangerous skin cancer, accounting for 75% of all deaths from a primary cutaneous malignancy, with incidence rates rising significantly over the last decade. Traditional treatments for melanoma including interferon and cytotoxic chemotherapy had marginal efficacy. With the advent of targeted and immunotherapies, the prognosis for patients with advanced melanoma has significantly improved including those with metastatic disease to the heart. BRAF and MEK inhibitors as well as immune checkpoint inhibitors have become front line therapy for eligible patients with metastati...
Source: Current Treatment Options in Oncology - February 22, 2022 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research
