FDA AACR immunotherapeutics immunotherapy precision therapies ALK EGFR BRAF

Cancer experts point to new advances in research and treatment: A recent report by the American Association for Cancer Research highlights unprecedented successes as well as ongoing challenges in the cancer field

by Carrie Printz

Apr 1^st 2019
2 mins
CancerScope, Volume125, Issue8 April 15, 2019 Pages 1211-1213

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Summary

Within the last few years, cancer research has made significant strides, leading to the approval of 22 new cancer treatments by the FDA between August 1, 2017, and July 31, 2018. Among these, notable advancements include 14 anticancer therapeutics, such as CAR T-cell therapies for non-Hodgkin lymphoma and radiation-emitting therapeutics for neuroendocrine tumors, as well as new uses for previously approved drugs across various cancer types. Despite these achievements, challenges remain, as highlighted in the American Association for Cancer Research’s annual Cancer Progress Report, which also notes the five fold increase in immunotherapeutics and the tripling of cancer types treatable by these agents over the past decade.

Within the last few years, cancer researchers have rapidly gained ground in several key areas, and their progress is visible in a wave of new therapeutics. Twenty-two new treatments were approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for various types of cancer between August 1, 2017, and July 31, 2018, according to the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). The organization highlighted the advances in its annual Cancer Progress Report, released in September. It also acknowledged challenges in the field, noting, for example, that gains have not been uniform for all types or stages of cancer.

Among the new treatments approved by the FDA are 14 anticancer therapeutics; these include 2 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies for certain types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and 2 radiation-emitting therapeutics for certain types of neuroendocrine tumors. The agency also authorized 11 new uses for previously approved cancer drugs for the treatment of additional cancer types. For example, 4 immune checkpoint inhibitors were approved for specific types of lung, colorectal, liver, kidney, stomach, and cervical cancers and lymphoma...

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