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Top stories in hematology/oncology: FDA approves Tavalisse, Tagrisso, prescription opioids decrease
Among the top stories in hematology and oncology is approval by the FDA for fostamatinib disodium hexahydrate to treat adults with chronic immune thrombocytopenia. Prescription opioid volumes have declined significantly since their peak in 2011. Other stories include neoadjuvant pembrolizumab paired with curative-intent resection and adjuvant therapy conferred 1-year recurrence-free survival, osimertinib received FDA approval as the first-line treatment for metastatic non-small lung cancer, and nivolumab was granted priority review designation for the treatment of patients with small cell lung cancer.
FDA approves Tavalisse for chronic immune thrombocytopenia
The FDA approved fostamatinib disodium hexahydrate for the treatment of adults with chronic immune thrombocytopenia who had insufficient response to a previous treatment. Read More.
Prescription opioids decrease by almost 30%
Prescription opioid volumes declined by 29% from their peak in 2011, according to a report on medicine use in the United States by IQVIA. Read More.
Neoadjuvant pembrolizumab appears effective for resectable melanoma
Neoadjuvant pembrolizumab followed by curative-intent resection and adjuvant therapy conferred 1-year recurrence-free survival of 55% among patients with stage III or stage IV resectable melanoma, according to study results presented at American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting. Read More.
FDA approves frontline Tagrisso for EGFR- mutant non-small cell lung cancer
The FDA approved osimertinib for the first-line treatment of patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer whose tumors have EGFR exon 19 deletions or exon 21 L858R mutations. Read More.
FDA grants priority review to Opdivo for small cell lung cancer
The FDA granted priority review designation to nivolumab for the treatment of patients with small cell lung cancer whose disease progressed after two or more lines of therapy, according to the manufacturer. Read More.