Research Round Up NEWS FOR PATIENTS FROM THE 2015 ASCO ANNUAL MEETING BLOOD CANCERS Obinutuzumab Controls Growth of Slow-Growing CONTENTS Blood Cancers .................................. 1 Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma A Word From The President............. 2 In an ongoing study, types of NHL received Brain Metastases ............................. 5 researchers found that adding either bendamustine only a new targeted therapy to or bendamustine plus Breast Cancer ................................... 6 chemotherapy controls non- obinutuzumab followed Childhood Cancer ............................ 8 Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) by obinutuzumab given by growth for more than twice as itself. Researchers found that Head and Neck Cancers .................10 long as only chemotherapy. The obinutuzumab controlled NHL patients who participated in this growth for more than twice as Liver Cancer ....................................12 study had indolent, or slow- long as bendamustine (about Lung Cancer ....................................13 growing, NHL. The standard 29 months compared with 14 first treatment for this common months). Melanoma .......................................14 type of NHL is a combination Prostate Cancer ...............................16 of bendamustine (Treanda) and What this means for patients rituximab (Rituxan). For most “The overall goal of treatment Sarcoma ..........................................18 patients, rituximab eventually for indolent lymphoma is to stops working to control NHL increase the amount of time Skin Cancer Prevention ..................18 growth. patients remain symptom-free Tumor Genetics .............................. 20 Like rituximab, and in remission. The fact that obinutuzumab (Gazyva) is this new approach doubled The ideas and opinions expressed in Research a type of targeted therapy. average remission time marks Round Up do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the American Society of Clinical Oncology Targeted therapy is a treatment a major step forward for our (ASCO). The information in Research Round Up that targets the cancer’s specific patients,” said lead study author is not intended as medical or legal advice, or as a substitute for consultation with a physician genes, proteins, or the tissue Laurie Helen Sehn, MD, MPH, or other licensed health care provider. Patients environment that contributes a medical oncologist at the BC with health care-related questions should call or see their physician or other health care provider to cancer growth and survival. Cancer Agency in Vancouver, promptly and should not disregard professional Specifically, obinutuzumab Canada. “Obinutuzumab may medical advice, or delay seeking it, because of information encountered on the website. The targets a protein on lymphoma offer patients the chance to mention of any product, service, or treatment in cells that causes some cells to die stay well for a significantly Research Round Up should not be construed as an ASCO endorsement. ASCO is not responsible and makes others more sensitive longer period of time, putting for any injury or damage to persons or property to chemotherapy. off the need for additional arising out of or related to any use of ASCO’s patient education materials, or to any errors or As part of this study, chemotherapy.” omissions. 396 patients with different Continued on page 2 ASCO is the world’s leading professional organization representing physicians who treat people with cancer. A WORD FROM THE PRESIDENT Dear Friends, New Treatment, Welcome to the 2015 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting. Pacritinib, Helps The research presented at this year’s meeting highlights innovative and technological advances Ease Myelofibrosis that can improve every aspect of cancer care– from prevention, to diagnosis, to treatment, to survivorship. This year’s theme, Illumination and Innovation, reflects Symptoms ASCO’s role in taking the knowledge gained through research to A recent study showed that the improve cancer care. drug pacritinib works better To help you, the patient, learn about the latest advances in cancer for myelofibrosis than current care and what they mean for you, ASCO provides summaries of the treatments. Myelofibrosis is a research highlighted at the 2015 ASCO Annual Meeting in Chicago, rare blood cancer that develops Illinois, from May 29 through June 2, 2015. when the bone marrow is unable I am optimistic about the progress described here. Cancer involves to make enough blood cells. As an entire community of health professionals and caregivers working a result, the spleen takes over the together on all aspects of treatment. Together, we are making a world role of making blood cells but of difference in cancer care. For more information about cancer, please becomes quite enlarged. Patients visit Cancer.Net, ASCO’s patient information website. also often experience tiredness, weakness, shortness of breath, Sincerely, fever, and weight loss because of an enlarged spleen. In addition, myelofibrosis turns into acute leukemia in about a third of patients with this disease. Peter Paul Yu, MD, FACP, FASCO There is currently no cure ASCO President for myelofibrosis. Treatment usually involves a range of treatments that are not specific for this disease. Examples include BLOOD CANCERS thalidomide (Synovir, Thalomid) and lenalidomide (Revlimid), Obinutuzumab Controls with your doctor for more epoetin (Epogen, Eprex, Procrit) information. n and darbepoetin (Aranesp), Growth of Slow-Growing and hydroxyurea (Droxia, Questions to Ask Your Doctor Hydrea). The only treatment Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma approved by the U.S. Food and Continued from page 1 What type of NHL do I have? Drug Administration (FDA) is In this study, the most What does this mean? ruxolitinib (Jakafi), which is not common side effects What are my treatment an option for patients who have of bendamustine and options? Will rituximab be a a low level of platelets. Platelets obinutuzumab included low treatment option? are the cells that help the blood white blood cell levels and What are my options if to clot. reactions where the drug rituximab stops working? As part of this study, 327 was given. Obinutuzumab is What clinical trials are open patients received either pacritinib currently approved along with to me? How do I find out or other treatments listed above, chemotherapy to treat chronic more about them? except for ruxolitinib. Because lymphocytic leukemia. Talk this study included patients 2 RESEARCH ROUND UP with very low platelet levels, What this means for patients receiving other treatments as part ruxolitinib was not considered “There is a huge unmet need of this study were switched to a safe option for those patients. for patients with myelofibrosis. pacritinib because of the benefits Researchers found that after six Only one drug is currently FDA- of the drug. The most common months, about 19% of patients approved for the disease, and it side effects of pacritinib were receiving pacritinib had a is not safe for patients with low diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. reduction in the size of their platelet counts,” said lead study The symptoms typically lasted spleens, compared with almost author Ruben A. Mesa, MD, less than one week and few 5% receiving other treatments. Deputy Director of the Mayo patients needed to stop treatment This was considered a success Clinic Cancer Center in Scottsdale, because of the side effects. of treatment. For the patients AZ. “We were encouraged to Pacritinib is currently not who had the lowest levels of see that pacritinib was safe and approved by the FDA and may platelets, 33% had their spleens effective, even in patients with be available only in clinical trials. shrink compared with none severely low blood counts.” Talk with your doctor for more of the patients receiving other Most patients who were information. n treatments. In addition, patients receiving Questions to Ask Your Doctor pacritinib had less weight loss, night sweats, fever, and bone What are my treatment options for myelofibrosis? pain. Pacritinib also increased red What are the risks and benefits of each treatment option? blood cell levels, helping about Do I have very low platelet levels? What does this mean? 26% of patients avoid regular red What clinical trials are open to me? How do I find out more about them? blood cell transfusions. either ibrutinib and BR or a Adding Ibrutinib to Standard Treatment Lowers the placebo and BR. A placebo is an inactive treatment. After about Risk of Dying from Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia a year and a half, the patients receiving ibrutinib were 80% In a large, ongoing study, new targeted therapy, ibrutinib, less likely to have the disease researchers found that a approved by the U.S. Food and worsen or die from the disease. combination of ibrutinib Drug Administration (FDA) In addition, patients receiving (Imbruvica) and standard in 2014, has helped control the ibrutinib experienced less fatigue treatment slows the growth of growth of CLL for patients related to the CLL. chronic lymphocytic leukemia when other treatments have (CLL) and lowers patients’ risk stopped working. Targeted What this means for patients of dying from the disease. The therapy is a treatment that “This was one of the most standard treatment for CLL targets the cancer’s specific rigorous clinical trials ever is usually a combination of genes, proteins, or the tissue conducted in CLL and it bendamustine (Treanda) and environment that contributes truly validates ibrutinib as an rituximab