Therapy for Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Without Driver Alterations: ASCO Living Guideline, Version 2023.3.

PURPOSE: To provide evidence-based recommendations for patients with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) without driver alterations. METHODS: This ASCO living guideline offers continually updated recommendations based on an ongoing systematic review of randomized clinical trials (RCTs), with the latest time frame spanning February to October 2023. An Expert Panel of medical oncology, pulmonary, community oncology, research methodology, and advocacy experts were convened. The literature search included systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and randomized controlled trials. Outcomes of interest include efficacy and safety. Expert Panel members used available evidence and informal consensus to develop evidence-based guideline recommendations. RESULTS: This guideline consolidates all previous updates and reflects the body of evidence informing this guideline topic. Ten new RCTs were identified in the latest search of the literature to date. RECOMMENDATIONS: Evidence-based recommendations were updated to address first, second, and subsequent treatment options for patients without driver alterations.Additional information is available at www.asco.org/living-guidelines.

Therapy for Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer With Driver Alterations: ASCO Living Guideline, Version 2023.3.

PURPOSE: To provide evidence-based recommendations for patients with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer with driver alterations. METHODS: This ASCO living guideline offers continually updated recommendations based on an ongoing systematic review of randomized clinical trials (RCTs), with the latest time frame spanning February to October 2023. An Expert Panel of medical oncology, pulmonary, community oncology, research methodology, and advocacy experts were convened. The literature search included systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and randomized controlled trials. Outcomes of interest include efficacy and safety. Expert Panel members used available evidence and informal consensus to develop evidence-based guideline recommendations. RESULTS: This guideline consolidates all previous updates and reflects the body of evidence informing this guideline topic. Eight new RCTs were identified in the latest search of the literature to date. RECOMMENDATIONS: Evidence-based recommendations were updated to address first, second, and subsequent treatment options for patients based on targetable driver alterations.Additional information is available at www.asco.org/living-guidelines.

Therapy for Stage IV Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer With Driver Alterations: ASCO Living Guideline, Version 2023.2.

Living guidelines are developed for selected topic areas with rapidly evolving evidence that drives frequent change in clinical practice. Living guidelines are updated on a regular schedule by a standing expert panel that systematically reviews the health literature on a continuous basis; as described in the ASCO Guidelines Methodology Manual. ASCO Living Guidelines follow the ASCO Conflict of Interest Policy Implementation for Clinical Practice Guidelines. Living Guidelines and updates are not intended to substitute for independent professional judgment of the treating provider and do not account for individual variation among patients. See appendix for disclaimers and other important information (Appendix 1 and Appendix 2). Updates are published regularly and can be found at https://ascopubs.org/nsclc-da-living-guideline.

Therapy for Stage IV Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer With Driver Alterations: ASCO Living Guideline, Version 2023.1.

Living guidelines are developed for selected topic areas with rapidly evolving evidence that drives frequent change in recommended clinical practice. Living guidelines are updated on a regular schedule by a standing expert panel that systematically reviews the health literature on a continuous basis; as described in the ASCO Guidelines Methodology Manual. ASCO Living Guidelines follow the ASCO Conflict of Interest Policy Implementation for Clinical Practice Guidelines. Living Guidelines and updates are not intended to substitute for independent professional judgment of the treating provider and do not account for individual variation among patients. See appendix for disclaimers and other important information (Appendix 1 and Appendix 2). Updates are published regularly and can be found at https://ascopubs.org/nsclc-da-living-guideline.

Therapy for Stage IV Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Without Driver Alterations: ASCO Living Guideline, Version 2023.1.

Living guidelines are developed for selected topic areas with rapidly evolving evidence that drives frequent change in recommended clinical practice. Living guidelines are updated on a regular schedule by a standing expert panel that systematically reviews the health literature on a continuous basis; as described in the ASCO Guidelines Methodology Manual. ASCO Living Guidelines follow the ASCO Conflict of Interest Policy Implementation for Clinical Practice Guidelines. Living Guidelines and updates are not intended to substitute for independent professional judgment of the treating provider and do not account for individual variation among patients. See appendix for disclaimers and other important information (Appendix 1 and Appendix 2). Updates are published regularly and can be found at https://ascopubs.org/nsclc-non-da-living-guideline.

Therapy for Stage IV Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer With Driver Alterations: ASCO Living Guideline, Version 2022.3.

Living guidelines are developed for selected topic areas with rapidly evolving evidence that drives frequent change in clinical practice. Living guidelines are updated on a regular schedule by a standing expert panel that systematically reviews the health literature on a continuous basis; as described in the ASCO Guidelines Methodology Manual. ASCO Living Guidelines follow the ASCO Conflict of Interest Policy Implementation for Clinical Practice Guidelines. Living Guidelines and updates are not intended to substitute for independent professional judgment of the treating provider and do not account for individual variation among patients. See appendix for disclaimers and other important information (Appendix 1 and Appendix 2). Updates are published regularly and can be found at https://ascopubs.org/nsclc-da-living-guideline.

Therapy for Stage IV Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Without Driver Alterations: ASCO Living Guideline, Version 2022.3.

Living guidelines are developed for selected topic areas with rapidly evolving evidence that drives frequent change in recommended clinical practice. Living guidelines are updated on a regular schedule by a standing expert panel that systematically reviews the health literature on a continuous basis, as described in the ASCO Guidelines Methodology Manual. ASCO Living Guidelines follow the ASCO Conflict of Interest Policy Implementation for Clinical Practice Guidelines. Living Guidelines and updates are not intended to substitute for independent professional judgment of the treating provider and do not account for individual variation among patients. See appendix for disclaimers and other important information (Appendix 1 and Appendix 2). Updates are published regularly and can be found at https://ascopubs.org/nsclc-non-da-living-guideline.

Therapy for Stage IV Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Without Driver Alterations: ASCO Living Guideline, Version 2022.2.

Living guidelines are developed for selected topic areas with rapidly evolving evidence that drives frequent change in recommended clinical practice. Living guidelines are updated on a regular schedule by a standing expert panel that systematically reviews the health literature on a continuous basis, as described in the ASCO Guidelines Methodology Manual. ASCO Living Guidelines follow the ASCO Conflict of Interest Policy Implementation for Clinical Practice Guidelines. Living Guidelines and updates are not intended to substitute for independent professional judgment of the treating provider and do not account for individual variation among patients. See Appendix 1 (online only) for disclaimers and other important information. Updates are published regularly and can be found at https://ascopubs.org/nsclc-non-da-living-guideline.

Therapy for Stage IV Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer With Driver Alterations: ASCO Living Guideline, Version 2022.2.

Living guidelines are developed for selected topic areas with rapidly evolving evidence that drives frequent change in recommended clinical practice. Living guidelines are updated on a regular schedule by a standing expert panel that systematically reviews the health literature on a continuous basis, as described in the ASCO Guidelines Methodology Manual. ASCO Living Guidelines follow the ASCO Conflict of Interest Policy Implementation for Clinical Practice Guidelines. Living Guidelines and updates are not intended to substitute for independent professional judgment of the treating provider and do not account for individual variation among patients. See Appendix 1 (online only) for disclaimers and other important information. Updates are published regularly and can be found at https://ascopubs.org/nsclc-da-living-guideline.

Therapy for Stage IV Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer With Driver Alterations: ASCO Living Guideline.

PURPOSE: To provide evidence-based recommendations updating the 2021 ASCO and Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario) guideline on systemic therapy for patients with stage IV non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with driver alterations. METHODS: ASCO updated recommendations on the basis of an ongoing systematic review of randomized control trials from 2020 to 2021. RESULTS: This guideline update reflects changes in evidence since the previous update. Two studies provide the evidence base. Outcomes of interest include efficacy and safety. RECOMMENDATIONS: For patients with an anaplastic lymphoma kinase rearrangement, a performance status (PS) of 0-2, and previously untreated NSCLC, clinicians should offer alectinib or brigatinib or lorlatinib. For patients with an anaplastic lymphoma kinase rearrangement, a PS of 0-2, and previously untreated NSCLC, if alectinib, brigatinib, or lorlatinib are not available, clinicians should offer ceritinib or crizotinib. For patients with a RET rearrangement, a PS of 0-2, and previously untreated NSCLC, clinicians may offer selpercatinib or pralsetinib. In second line, for patients with a RET rearrangement who have not received RET-targeted therapy, clinicians may offer selpercatinib or pralsetinib.Additional information is available at www.asco.org/thoracic-cancer-guidelines.

Therapy for Stage IV Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Without Driver Alterations: ASCO Living Guideline.

PURPOSE: To provide evidence-based recommendations updating the 2020 ASCO and Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario) guideline on systemic therapy for patients with stage IV non-small-cell lung cancer without driver alterations. METHODS: ASCO updated recommendations on the basis of an ongoing systematic review of randomized clinical trials from 2018 to 2021. RESULTS: This guideline update reflects changes in evidence since the previous update. Five randomized clinical trials provide the evidence base. Outcomes of interest include efficacy and safety. RECOMMENDATIONS: In addition to 2020 options for patients with high programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) expression (tumor proportion score [TPS] ≥ 50%), nonsquamous cell carcinoma (non-SCC), and performance status (PS) 0-1, clinicians may offer single-agent atezolizumab. With high PD-L1 expression (TPS ≥ 50%), non-SCC, and PS 0-1, clinicians may offer nivolumab and ipilumumab alone or nivolumab and ipilimumab plus chemotherapy. With negative (0%) and low positive PD-L1 expression (TPS 1%-49%), non-SCC, and PS 0-1, clinicians may offer nivolumab and ipilimumab alone or nivolumab and ipilimumab plus chemotherapy. With high PD-L1 expression, SCC, and PS 0-1, clinicians may offer single-agent atezolizumab. With high PD-L1 expression, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and PS 0-1, clinicians may offer nivolumab and ipilimumab alone or in combination with two cycles of platinum-based chemotherapy. With negative and low positive PD-L1 expression, SCC, and PS 0-1, clinicians may offer nivolumab and ipilimumab alone or in combination with two cycles of platinum-based chemotherapy. With non-SCC who received an immune checkpoint inhibitor and chemotherapy as first-line therapy, clinicians may offer second-line paclitaxel plus bevacizumab. With non-SCC, who received chemotherapy with or without bevacizumab and immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy, clinicians should offer the options of third-line single-agent pemetrexed, docetaxel, or paclitaxel plus bevacizumab.Additional information is available at www.asco.org/thoracic-cancer-guidelines.

Fungal infections in hematopoietic stem-cell transplant patients: a review of epidemiology, diagnosis, and management.

The advent of bone marrow transplant has opened doors to a different approach and offered a new treatment modality for various hematopoietic stem-cell-related disorders. Since the first bone marrow transplant in 1957, there has been significant progress in managing patients who undergo bone marrow transplants. Plasma-cell disorders, lymphoproliferative disorders, and myelodysplastic syndrome are the most common indications for hematopoietic stem-cell transplant. Despite the advances, invasive fungal infections remain a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in this high-risk population. The overall incidence of invasive fungal infection in patients with hematopoietic stem-cell transplant is around 4%, but the mortality in patients with allogeneic stem-cell transplant is as high as 13% in one study. Type of stem-cell transplant, conditioning regimen, and development of graft-versus-host disease are some of the risk factors that impact the risk and outcomes in patients with invasive fungal infections. Aspergillus and candida remain the two most common organisms causing invasive fungal infections. Molecular diagnostic methods have replaced some traditional methods due to their simplicity of use and rapid turnaround time. Primary prophylaxis has undoubtedly shown to improve outcomes even though breakthrough infection rates remain high. The directed treatment has seen a significant shift from amphotericin B to itraconazole, voriconazole, and echinocandins, which have shown better efficacy and fewer adverse effects. In this comprehensive review, we aim to detail epidemiology, risk factors, diagnosis, and management, including prophylaxis, empiric and directed management of invasive fungal infections in patients with hematopoietic stem-cell transplant.

Current Perspectives on Diagnostic Assays and Anti-PF4 Antibodies for the Diagnosis of Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia.

Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is a recognized clinical entity in patients receiving unfractionated heparin and low-molecular weight heparin. Currently, diagnosing HIT includes the combination of a physician's clinical suspicion based on a clinical scoring system and a series of laboratory tests. In the present article, we discuss challenges in suspecting and diagnosing HIT in consideration of the turnaround time of available tests and recent advances in techniques and methodologies of newer immunoassays and functional assays.

Pathological complete response induced by neoadjuvant treatment using BRAF and MEK inhibitors in a patient with unresectable BRAF V600E-mutant malignant melanoma of the gallbladder.

Historically, patients with locally advanced or metastatic melanoma have an extremely poor prognosis. In recent years, major breakthroughs in cutaneous melanoma treatment have led to remarkable improvements in patient outcomes. However, there are limited published data on the efficacy of these novel therapies in the treatment of mucosal melanoma due to rarity of the disease. We report a case of successful neoadjuvant targeted therapy with BRAF and MEK inhibitors followed by radical surgical excision in a patient with advanced malignant melanoma of the gallbladder.

Peripheral T-cell lymphoma in a patient with Crohn's disease.

A 46-year-old man with a long-standing history of Crohn's disease who was treated with multiple therapies over a period of 9 years presented with oral lesions which on biopsy demonstrated peripheral T-cell lymphoma. Initially, the development of T-cell lymphoma was presumed to be secondary to prolonged immunosuppression but it did not respond to withholding immunosuppressive therapy. On treatment with CHOP (cyclophosphamide, hydroxydaunorubicin, oncovin and prednisone) chemotherapy, complete remission was achieved. Although development of malignancies in the immune-suppressed patient with Crohn's disease has been previously described but we present a rare case of T-cell lymphoma in a similar patient, which has not been reported before.

Aggressive plasmablastic multiple myeloma in a 42-year-old: is inflammatory bowel disease or infliximab treatment to be blamed?

A man in his early 40s with a history of ulcerative colitis, treated with infliximab, was diagnosed with plasmablastic multiple myeloma. He was treated with chemotherapy and stem cell transplant but developed recurrence and ultimately died from metastatic disease. Could inflammatory bowel disease or infliximab therapy have any role in development of myeloma in this young patient? The role of inflammatory bowel disease and infliximab therapy in the development of multiple myeloma is controversial but interesting and worth considering.

Phase I study of conformal radiotherapy and concurrent full-dose gemcitabine with erlotinib for unresected pancreatic cancer.

PURPOSE: To determine the recommended dose of radiotherapy when combined with full-dose gemcitabine and erlotinib for unresected pancreas cancer. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Patients with unresected pancreatic cancer (Zubrod performance status 0-2) were eligible for the present study. Gemcitabine was given weekly for 7 weeks (1,000 mg/m(2)) with erlotinib daily for 8 weeks (100 mg). A final toxicity assessment was performed in Week 9. Radiotherapy (starting at 30 Gy in 2-Gy fractions, 5 d/wk) was given to the gross tumor plus a 1-cm margin starting with the first dose of gemcitabine. A standard 3 plus 3 dose escalation (an additional 4 Gy within 2 days for each dose level) was used, except for the starting dose level, which was scheduled to contain 6 patients. In general, Grade 3 or greater gastrointestinal toxicity was considered a dose-limiting toxicity, except for Grade 3 anorexia or Grade 3 fatigue alone. RESULTS: A total of 20 patients were treated (10 men and 10 women). Nausea, vomiting, and infection were significantly associated with the radiation dose (p = .01, p = .03, and p = .03, respectively). Of the 20 patients, 5 did not complete treatment and were not evaluable for dose-escalation purposes (3 who developed progressive disease during treatment and 2 who electively discontinued it). Dose-limiting toxicity occurred in none of 6 patients at 30 Gy, 2 of 6 at 34 Gy, and 1 of 3 patients at 38 Gy. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study have indicated that the recommended Phase II dose is 30 Gy in 15 fractions.