John Theurer Cancer Center investigators report new findings at American Society of Clinical Oncology 2021 Annual Meeting

Researchers from Hackensack University Medical Center’s John Theurer Cancer Center, a part of Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, are presenting data from 25 studies at the Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the largest gathering of cancer professionals in the country. This year’s meeting is being held virtually June 4-8, 2021. Abstracts of the studies can be viewed at abstracts.asco.org.

At John Theurer Cancer Center patients have access to the latest cancer treatments and technologies, including those being evaluated in clinical trials. People with all types and stages of cancer are treated by world-renown experts. The cancer center is especially well-known for its research that drives treatment guidelines, and expertise in the management of hematologic cancers, having pioneered more effective therapies for leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma. John Theurer Cancer Center was the first center in New Jersey to offer CAR T-cell therapy, a revolutionary immunotherapy for patients with select leukemias and lymphomas. The center is home to one of the nation’s largest bone marrow transplant programs, with more than 7,500 completed.

Many of the studies being presented at ASCO report on novel treatments for patients with recurrent or persistent multiple myeloma or non-Hodgkin lymphomas (including mantle cell lymphoma, an especially challenging type), as well as acute myeloid leukemia and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. John Theurer Cancer Center investigators are also leaders in the development of immunotherapy regimens, and several of the studies being presented at ASCO evaluated its effectiveness and side effects, including real-world data in unique patient populations. Other studies report provocative findings on targeted therapies and other treatments for kidney and bladder cancers, brain cancer, and other solid tumors. Data from the following studies by John Theurer Cancer Center researchers are being presented at ASCO’s 2021 virtual meeting:

Blood Cancers and Stem Cell Transplantation

• Efficacy and safety of aspacytarabine (BST-236) as a single-agent, first-line therapy for patients with acute myeloid leukemia unfit for standard chemotherapy. (Oral abstract)
• Characteristics of neurotoxicity associated with idecabtagene vicleucel (ide-cel, bb2121) in patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) in the pivotal phase II KarMMa study.
• Idecabtagene vicleucel (ide-cel, bb2121), a BCMA-directed CAR T cell therapy, in relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma: Updated KarMMa results.
• The results of multicenter phase II, double-blind placebo-controlled trial of maintenance ixazomib after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (alloHCT) for high-risk multiple myeloma (MM) from the Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinical Trials Network (BMT CTN 1302). (Oral abstract)
• Once weekly selinexor, carfilzomib, and dexamethasone (XKd) in carfilzomib non refractory multiple myeloma (MM) patients.
• MASS-FIX versus standard methods to predict for PFS and OS among multiple myeloma patients participating on the STAMINA trial.
• OPTIC primary analysis: A dose-optimization study of 3 starting doses of ponatinib (PON). (Oral abstract)
• Outcomes in ZUMA-5 with axicabtagene ciloleucel (axi-cel) in patients (pts) with relapsed/refractory (R/R) indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma (iNHL) who had the high-risk feature of progression within 24 months from initiation of first
  anti-CD20–containing chemoimmunotherapy (POD24).
• Oral selinexor, pomalidomide, and dexamethasone (XPd) at recommended phase 2 dose in relapsed refractory multiple myeloma (MM).
• Outcomes with KTE-X19 in patients (pts) with relapsed/refractory (R/R) mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) in ZUMA-2 who had progression of disease within 24 months of diagnosis (POD24).
• Phase 1/2 study of cirmtuzumab and ibrutinib in mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) or chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).
• Selinexor containing regimens in patients with multiple myeloma (MM) previously treated with anti-CD38 monoclonal antibodies (αCD38 mAbs).
• Clinical and economic burden among patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)/small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) receiving first-line (1L) chemoimmunotherapy (CIT) by risk status: A chart-linked claims analysis.

Developmental Therapeutics and Immunotherapy

• Real-world outcomes of treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors in unique patient cohorts: Elderly, non-Caucasian race, poor performance status, obese, chronic viral infections, and autoimmune diseases.
• Late immune-related adverse events with immune checkpoint inhibitors.
• Adverse effects of COVID-19 vaccination among cancer patients: Results from an Internet-based survey.
• Trials in progress: A phase 1, open-label, dose-escalation, pharmacokinetic, safety and tolerability study of the selective TAM kinase inhibitor PF-07265807 in patients with advanced or metastatic solid tumors.
• A phase 1/2, open-label, dose-escalation, safety and tolerability study of NC410 in subjects with advanced or metastatic solid tumors

Targeted Therapies and Tumor Biology

• Phase 1/2 first-in-human (FIH) study of CPI-0209, a novel small molecule inhibitor of enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) in patients with advanced tumors.
• Blood-based tumor mutational burden from circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) across advanced solid malignancies using a commercially available liquid biopsy assay.
• First-in-human phase I/II study of CYT-0851, a first-in-class inhibitor of RAD51- mediated homologous recombination in patients with advanced solid and hematologic cancers. (Oral abstract)
• Trial in progress: Phase 1a/b study of PF-07284890 (brain-penetrant BRAF inhibitor) with/without binimetinib in patients with BRAF V600-mutant solid tumors. Kidney and Bladder Cancers
• A phase 2 study of cabozantinib in combination with atezolizumab as neoadjuvant treatment for muscle-invasive bladder cancer (HCRN GU18-343) ABATE study.
• Phase II study of nivolumab and salvage nivolumab + ipilimumab in treatment-naïve patients (pts) with advanced non-clear cell renal cell carcinoma (nccRCC) (HCRN GU16-260-Cohort B).

Central Nervous System Tumors

• A phase 1/2 study of selinexor in combination with standard of care therapy for newly diagnosed or recurrent glioblastoma.

“‘The COVID-19’ pandemic challenged health care in ways we have never been challenged before. Despite the obstacles it presented, however, investigators at John Theurer Cancer Center continued to expand our understanding of cancer, refine its treatment, and develop innovative approaches to improve patient outcomes,” asserted Andre Goy, M.D., M.S., chairman and executive director of John Theurer Cancer Center.

ABOUT JOHN THEURER CANCER CENTER HACKENSACK UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER

John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center is New Jersey’s best cancer center, as recognized by U.S. News & World Report. As a premier cancer center in the State we are also the largest and most comprehensive center dedicated to diagnosis, treatment, management, research, screening, and preventive care as well as survivorship of patients with all types of cancers. The 16 specialized divisions covering the complete spectrum of cancer care have developed a close-knit team of medical, research, nursing, and support staff with specialized expertise that translates into more advanced, focused care for all patients. Each year, more people in the New Jersey/New York metropolitan area turn to John Theurer Cancer Center for cancer care than to any other facility in New Jersey.

John Theurer Cancer Center is part of the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, an NCI designated comprehensive cancer center. Housed within a 775-bed not-for-profit teaching, tertiary care, and research hospital, John Theurer Cancer Center provides state-of-the-art technological advances, compassionate care, research innovations, medical expertise, and a full range of aftercare services that distinguish John Theurer Cancer Center from other facilities.

For additional information, please visit www.jtcancercenter.org.