Avapritinib Provided Greater Benefit Than Other Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors for Mutated Gastr...
Dec 19, 2023
Data from a new study by researchers at Fox Chase Cancer show that avapritinib, a platelet-derived growth factor receptor A (PDGFRA) inhibitor, has a “clinically meaningful benefit” for the treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) with PDGFRA D842V mutations. According to lead author Margaret von Mehren, MD, chief of the Division of Sarcoma Medical Oncology and professor in the Department of Hematology/Oncology at Fox Chase, PDGFRA mutations occur in about 10% to 15% of GISTs and D842V is the most common PDGFRA mutation. “Until the Food and Drug Administration approval of avapritinib, we did not have a drug that was effective against this mutation,” von Mehren said. “If these patients had their disease return, we had no real therapeutic options apart from attempting surgery or enrolling in a clinical trial.”
Radiation Oncologists Met With Congressional Leaders to Reverse CMS Cuts and Provide Equal Access to Care
Radiation oncologists met with Congress to urge leaders to consider how the Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) proposal to make significant cuts to radiation oncology facilities could be detrimental to the survival of patients with Read more…
FDA Approves Neoadjuvant Pembrolizumab Combination for Early TNBC Indication
The FDA granted approval to the supplemental biologics license application (sBLA) for pembrolizumab (Keytruda) as neoadjuvant therapy for patients with high-risk early-stage triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) when given in combination with chemotherapy followed by single-agent Read more…
Recommended TVUS Screening Thresholds May Miss Endometrial Cancer in Black Women
Adherence to current clinical guidelines for the evaluation of postmenopausal bleeding may result in systematic underdiagnosis of endometrial cancer (EC) in Black women, according to a study published online July 15 in JAMA Oncology. Kemi M. Read more…