Medical Oncology
Physician insights on cancer treatment protocols, immunotherapy, targeted therapies, and clinical trial updates.
Recent Discussions
What screening tools or signs do you use to predict if a cancer patient is near end-of-life?
For most of us, long-time practicing oncologists, all we have to do to determine that one of our patients is at the end of their life is to be in the same room with them. No special computer programs or calculators are needed. Just look closely at the patient's current weight, their level of conscio...
What screening tools or signs do you use to predict if a cancer patient is near end-of-life?
For most of us, long-time practicing oncologists, all we have to do to determine that one of our patients is at the end of their life is to be in the same room with them. No special computer programs or calculators are needed. Just look closely at the patient's current weight, their level of conscio...
What disease characteristics will guide your choice of alpelisib plus fulvestrant (per SOLAR-1) versus capivasertib plus fulvestrant (per CAPItello-291) in PIK3CA mutated advanced ER+/HER2- breast cancer after progression on 1L ET regimen, given both are now approved in this population?
In the absence of head-to-head comparison, I would use cross-trial comparison to compare the efficacy and safety of alpelisib vs capivasertib. mPFS are similar for both: HR 0.65 (11 vs 5.7 months) for alpelisib (SOLAR-1); and mPFS HR 0.6 (7.2 vs 3.6 months) for capivasertib (CAPItello-291). Therefor...
What are the current official guidelines regarding managing patients during COVID-19?
Here are some guidelines and FAQ from professional societies: NCCN: https://www.nccn.org/covid-19/default.aspx ASTRO FAQ: https://www.astro.org/Daily-Practice/COVID-19-Recommendations-and-Information/COVID-19-FAQs ASCO Coronavirus Resources: https://www.asco.org/asco-coronavirus-information
What is the drug of choice in order of preference for neuropathy associated with different agents used for breast cancer treatment?
Unfortunately, many of the large trials have not identified a strategy that is effective for CIPN. It is important to tell patients to avoid some supplements. Studies have shown that acetyl-l-carnitine can make the symptoms worse. There is some evidence that exercise may result in decreased symptoms...
How do you approach an otherwise healthy patient with an incidental 1 mm GIST involving the serosal surface in terms of staging workup, EGD, and surveillance?
These incidental "micro-GISTs" are not likely to become a clinical problem. Interestingly, you describe a "serosal" lesion which would not get picked up on endoscopy anyway, but not unreasonable to check again in a year with a CT AP and EGD. I don't think we have any evidence to support continued lo...
How do you approach a patient with recurrent VTE who develops VTE again after reduction of apixaban to 2.5 mg bid?
Several factors play into this decision for me. Is the patient obese? Obese patients tend to give me pause for dose-reduction of DOACs. As such, half-dose apixaban may have been relatively underdosed for an obese patient and I would not call it DOAC failure, rather I would increase the dose to usua...
Do you recommend MSI testing to any tumor that is not already eligible for immunotherapy?
The accelerated approval of pembrolizumab in MSI-H tumors was based on data from 149 pateints with MSI-H or dMMR cancers from five different single arm studies. Ninety of those patients were colorectal, the remaining 59 were a mix of 14 different types. The ORR for the entire group was almost 40% wi...
How do you approach adjuvant therapy for resected Stage I Ewing sarcoma of the kidney?
Since the intent is cure, treat it with "adjuvant" systemic therapy like a standard Ewing sarcoma, until maximum tolerance.
How well does a negative non-contrast MRI of the brain exclude metastasis in a patient with squamous cell carcinoma of the lung?
I don't think the question has enough information to give a good answer. For example, if it was a T3, N2 NSCLC, or a small cell, then "yes" I'd repeat the MRI with contrast. On the other hand, if it was a T1, N0 NSCLC, then "no", I wouldn't. In other words, if I thought there was a real risk of havi...