Oncology Vol 30 No 10

For some time, genetic testing has been predictive and prognostic. It is now assuming a therapeutic role as well. An example is the targeting of breast cancer patients with BRCA mutations for treatment with PARP inhibitors.

Due to the delicate hemostatic balance in cancer patients, an understanding of both the clotting and bleeding risks in this population is crucial to effectively manage hematologic complications.

Brain metastasis remains a relatively common and particularly devastating complication of breast cancer and has proven a particularly challenging area for therapeutic innovation.

Ultimately, the management goal is not for patients with relapsed/refractory disease to live with chronic Hodgkin lymphoma while receiving immune checkpoint blockade therapy, but rather to cure more patients with first- or second-line therapy.

Ironically, the patients who can benefit the most from CLND in terms of regional nodal basin disease control are the patients who are least likely to experience a survival benefit.

CLND as standard of care for patients with SLN-positive metastatic melanoma is supported by a wealth of compelling prospective data.

In this interview we discuss the CRISPR technology currently being used to “edit” genes and when we might see the technology in mainstream practice.

Identification of effective lymphodepletion strategies, optimization of patient selection, and management of novel toxicities remain challenges in the growing field of cellular immunotherapy.