General Hematology

Improving Black Representation in Oncology: ‘Be the Change’

Only 3% of medical oncologists in the United States are Black.

Outcomes of Treatment With Convalescent Plasma vs Standard Care in Patients With COVID-19

By

Jessica Nye, PhD

Investigators conducted a study that compared the risk for intubation or death with convalescent plasma vs standard care for the treatment of patients hospitalized with COVID-19.

Assessing Priorities in End-of-Life Care for Children With Cancer

By

Vicki Moore, PhD

In a study of end-of-life care for children with cancer, healthcare resource use measures were seen as less important than were patient-reported outcomes.

Gene Therapy Candidate Designated Orphan Drug for Buerger Disease

By

Brian Park, PharmD

Buerger disease typically affects young or middle aged male cigarette smokers.

Blood-Based Test May Establish a ‘New Paradigm’ for Cancer Screening

By

Leah Lawrence

The test can accurately detect cancer and predict where it is located, according to researchers.

USPSTF: Starting Aspirin in Patients 60 or Older for Primary CVD Prevention Not Recommended

By

Brian Park, PharmD

Starting aspirin in patients 60 years or older to prevent a first heart attack or stroke is not recommended.

Research Assessment Seeks Evidence to Guide Treatment of MPN With COVID-19

By

Jennifer Larson

Investigators assessed studies for evidence to guide the management of MPN in patients with COVID-19.

HMGB1 in Platelet-Rich Plasma May Improve Wound Healing

By

Jonathan Goodman, MPhil

Researchers sought to determine whether HMGB1 in platelet-rich plasma would help promote tendon wound healing.

Factors Linked to Fatigue With Chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease

By

Vicki Moore, PhD

Researchers identified multiple characteristics associated with fatigue in patients with chronic GVHD.

Factors Associated With Low Palliative Care Consultation in Hospitalized Patients at the End of Life

By

Lauren Dembeck, PhD

Researchers sought to determine whether palliative care was different for patients with hematological malignancies than for those with other malignancies.

Genetic Variation Associated With Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Gut Graft Vs Host Disease

By

Lauren Dembeck, PhD

Researchers sought to determine whether a genetic variant in the GCKR gene associated with IBD would also be associated with risk of moderate to severe gut GVHD.

BRCA1 and BRCA2 May Play Underappreciated Role in Patients With Familial Myeloproliferative Neoplasms

By

Jonathan Goodman, MPhil

Researchers sought to determine the role of BRCA1/2 mutations in patients with MPNs.

FDA Clinical Hold Lifted on Clinical Trials Involving Rusfertide

By

Vicki Moore, PhD

The US Food and Drug Administration has lifted a clinical hold on trials involving the hepcidin mimetic agent rusfertide.

Incidence of Cardiac Toxicities With GVHD Prophylaxis After AlloHCT

By

Jennifer Larson

An analysis determined the potential for posttransplant cyclophosphamide prophylaxis for GVHD in patients who underwent alloHCT.

Patterns of Hematologic Malignancies and Cytopenias in Older Individuals

By

Vicki Moore, PhD

Researchers sought to determine the patterns of cytopenia and hematologic malignancies in older individuals.

Review of the Prognostic Role of Cytogenetics in Philadelphia-Negative Myeloproliferative Neoplasms

By

Lauren Dembeck, PhD

Researchers sought to determine the prognostic role of cytogenetics in Philadelphia-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms.

Posoleucel Gets Orphan Drug Status for Virus-Associated Hemorrhagic Cystitis

By

Brian Park, PharmD

Posoleucel is being investigated for the treatment and prevention of serious diseases caused by 6 viral pathogens.

Extracorporeal Photopheresis in Pediatric Chronic Graft vs Host Disease

By

Vicki Moore, PhD

Researchers sought to determine whether extracorporeal photopheresis would be a safe treatment approach for children who have steroid-refractory cGVHD.

Tavneos Approved for ANCA-Associated Vasculitis

By

Brian Park, PharmD

The approval was based on data from the phase 3 ADVOCATE trial, which evaluated Tavneos in 330 adults with newly diagnosed or relapsed ANCA-associated vasculitis.

Busulfan Clearance Model for Pediatric Patients Undergoing Transplantation

By

Vicki Moore, PhD

Researchers sought to develop a model for busulfan dosing in pediatric patients receiving HSCT.

Cell-Free DNA Blood Test Shows Promise as Assessment to Screen for Lung Cancer

By

Patricia Chaney

Researchers sought to determine whether peripheral blood tests of cfDNA would be a noninvasive option for lung cancer detection.

Parsaclisib Improved Myelofibrosis Symptoms in Patients With Suboptimal Response to Ruxolitinib

By

Sucharita Mistry, PhD

At 12 weeks, most patients had a reduction in spleen volume.

Management of COVID-19 in Transplant Recipients Evolved During Pandemic

By

Jody A. Charnow

Therapies used to treat COVID-19 in solid organ transplant recipients shifted since the pandemic began,

Tool May Predict Risk of Subsequent Malignancies in Childhood Cancer Survivors

By

Sucharita Mistry, PhD

The tool proved most effective in survivors of solid tumors or central nervous system tumors and in patients not exposed to radiation during treatment of their primary malignancy.

An Analysis of Survival Trends With Allogeneic Blood and Marrow Transplantation

By

Vicki Moore, PhD

Researchers identified areas of improved outcomes for patients receiving allogeneic blood or marrow transplantation as well as some areas of concern.

Rivaroxaban and Aspirin Dual Therapy for Peripheral Artery Disease

By

Jessica Nye, PhD

A meta-analysis of COMPASS and VOYAGER compared low-dose rivaroxaban and aspirin vs aspirin alone across a broad spectrum of patients with PAD.

Umbilical Cord Blood Transplantation: Omidubicel Improves Time to Engraftment

By

Jonathan Goodman, MPhil

Researchers sought to determine whether omidubicel may improve neutrophil and platelet recovery in patients receiving standard myeloablative umbilical cord blood transplantation.

Vazalore Liquid-Filled Aspirin Capsules Now Available Over the Counter

By

Steve Duffy

Vazalore is supplied as 81mg strength in 12- and 30 count packets and in 325mg strength in 30 count packets.

Recommendations for Nurse Management of Immunotherapy-Induced Cytokine Release Syndrome in Pediatric Patients

By

Vicki Moore, PhD

A systematic review identified nursing tips for the care of pediatric patients at risk of cytokine release syndrome after blinatumomab or CAR-T therapy.

Abatacept Gets Priority Review for Moderate to Severe Acute Graft vs Host Disease

By

Brian Park, PharmD

The supplemental Biologics License Application is supported by data from the phase 2 ABA2 trial (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01743131) and real world evidence from a registry trial.

COVID-19: What Do We Know About Outcomes in Hematologic Malignancies?

By

Steve Fiorillo

Patients with hematologic malignancies are at an advanced risk when they also have COVID-19. What have some recent studies suggested about outcomes in patients who have both?

ACE2-Lowering Antineoplastics May Reduce Risk of SARS-CoV-2 in Cancer Patients

By

Leah Lawrence

Researchers identified 91 ACE2-lowering antineoplastic compounds.

Model More Accurately Predicts Outcomes of Radiotherapy in Cancer Patients

By

Andrea S. Blevins Primeau, PhD, MBA

The genomic-adjusted radiation dose (GARD) model predicts outcomes of radiotherapy.

Vitamin K Inversely Linked to Risk for Atherosclerotic CVD

Participants with diets high in vitamin K₁ and vitamin K₂ have reduced risk for atherosclerotic CVD in adjusted analyses

Panobinostat Promising for Graft vs Host Disease Prevention

By

Patricia Chaney

Researchers sought to determine whether panobinostat may help to prevent GVHD in patients who receive stem cell transplant with matched donors.

High Mortality Rate Seen in Patients With Cancer Hospitalized for COVID-19

By

Lauren Dembeck, PhD

Researchers sought to determine whether patients with cancer who were hospitalized with COVID-19 would have a higher mortality rate.

Racial/Ethnic Minorities Have Higher Risk of Familial-Associated Early-Onset Cancer

By

Jon Kelvey

The study showed differences by cancer type and race/ethnicity.

Outcome Improvements With Ixazomib and Dexamethasone in Relapsed or Refractory Systemic Light Chain Amyloidosis

By

Lauren Dembeck, PhD

Researchers sought to determine whether ixazomib and dexamethasone would be more effective vs physician’s choice of treatment in relapsed or refractory AL amyloidosis.

Letermovir May Delay Cytomegalovirus-Specific Cellular Reconstitution Post-Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

By

Jonathan Goodman, MPhil

Researchers sought to determine whether letermovir may delay cytomegalovirus-specific cellular reconstitution for patients undergoing HCT.

Single-Dose Regimen Effective as Acute GVHD Prophylaxis After HSCT With Matched-Unrelated Donors

By

Vicki Moore, PhD

Researchers sought to determine if a single dose of posttransplant cyclophosphamide is as effective as a 2-dose regimen in patients undergoing hematopoietic cell transplantation with matched-unrelated donors.

Long-Term Aspirin Use Before Diagnosis May Reduce Risk of Death From Colorectal Cancer

By

Sucharita Mistry, PhD

Aspirin may prevent distant metastases, according to researchers.

Closing the Gap Between Cancer Patients and Researchers: A Patient Advocate’s Perspective on GRASP

By

Tori Rodriguez, MA, LPC, AHC

Patient advocate Marlena Murphy provides a patient’s perspective on GRASP.

Clopidogrel Monotherapy Associated With Better Vascular Function and Hemostatic Measurements Than Aspirin in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease

By

Lauren Dembeck, PhD

Researchers sought to determine whether clopidogrel would be more effective than aspirin monotherapy for patients with CAD.

Stem Cell Therapy Gets Fast Track Status for Parkinson Disease

By

Brian Park, PharmD

DA01 is an investigational pluripotent stem cell-derived dopaminergic neuron therapy designed to replace the midbrian dopaminergic neurons lost in Parkinson disease.

The Past, Present, and Future of GRASP: Connecting Cancer Researchers, Clinicians, and Patient Advocates

By

Tori Rodriguez, MA, LPC, AHC

GRASP co-founder Julia Maués explains how the initiative came about and reveals plans for the future.

Bullous Pemphigoid Linked to Preexisting Stroke, Malignancies

By

Colby Stong

A novel study asks: Does a correlation exist between preexisting comorbidities and serum titers of anti-BP180 and 230 antibodies in patients with bullous pemphigoid (BP)?

Posttransplant Cyclophosphamide Effective in Graft Vs Host Disease Prophylaxis

By

Vicki Moore, PhD

Researchers sought to determine whether posttransplant cyclophosphamide would be effective in GVHD prophylaxis for patients who underwent mismatched unrelated donor HCT.

Clopidogrel Preferred to Reduce Heart Disease Risk in Patients With HIV

By

Patricia Chaney

Researchers sought to determine whether clopidogrel would be preferred over aspirin to reduce cardiovascular risk in patients with HIV.

Cholesterol Management Supplement Found to Contain Undeclared Rx Ingredient

By

Diana Ernst, RPh

Cholestene, a dietary supplement marketed for cholesterol management, has been found to contain a hidden drug ingredient.

Highlights of Virtual Congressional Briefing: Understanding the Immune Response to COVID-19

By

Francis Akenami, PhD

Panelists at a virtual congressional briefing, including James Kublin, MD, addressed critical questions about new diagnostic technologies, vaccine and treatment development, and the long-term impact of COVID-19 on patients who have recovered from the disease.

Rezurock Approved for Chronic Graft-vs-Host Disease

By

Brian Park, PharmD

The approval was based on data from a phase 2 trial that evaluated Rezurock in 65 patients with chronic GVHD who received 2 to 5 prior lines of systemic therapy.