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On October 18, 2024, the FDA approved zolbetuximab plus fluoropyrimidine- and platinum-containing chemotherapy for the frontline treatment of adult patients with locally advanced unresectable or metastatic, HER2-negative, CLDN18.2-positive gastric or GEJ adenocarcinoma. This regulatory decision was backed by findings from the phase 3 SPOTLIGHT (NCT03504397) and GLOW (NCT03653507) trials. In SPOTLIGHT, In SPOTLIGHT, patients who received zolbetuximab plus mFOLFOX6 (5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin) achieved a median progression-free survival (PFS) of 10.6 months (95% CI, 8.9-12.5) vs 8.7 months (95% CI, 8.2-10.3) in those who received placebo plus chemotherapy (HR, 0.750; 95% CI, 0.601-0.936; 1-sided P = .0053). In GLOW, zolbetuximab plus CAPOX (capecitabine and oxaliplatin) generated a median PFS of 8.2 months (95% CI, 7.5-8.8) vs 6.8 months (95% CI, 6.1-8.1) with placebo plus CAPOX (HR, 0.771; 95% CI, 0.615-0.965; 1-sided P = .0118). In our exclusive interview, Dr Ajani discussed key considerations for the clinical use of zolbetuximab, including its anticipated adverse effect profile and the introduction of CLDN18.2 as a biomarker for assessment prior to treatment initiation.

In today’s episode, supported by Corcept Therapeutics, we had the pleasure of speaking with Premal Thaker, MD, MS, about the use of the selective glucocorticoid receptor modulator relacorilant (CORT125134) in patients with ovarian cancer. Dr Thaker is the David G. and Lynn Mutch Distinguished Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, as well as the director of Gynecologic Oncology Clinical Research and the interim chief of the Division of Gynecologic Oncology at the School of Medicine at the Washington University in St. Louis and the Siteman Cancer Center in Missouri. In our exclusive interview, Dr Thaker discussed the rationale for combining relacorilant with nab-paclitaxel (Abraxane) in patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer, striking phase 2 data (NCT03776812) with this combination in this population, and what the future has in store regarding the phase 3 ROSELLA trial (NCT05257408).

In our exclusive interview, Dr Kalinsky discussed his top takeaways from the 2024 ASCO Annual Meeting and 2024 ESMO Congress, as well as where he sees the field of breast cancer headed in the future.

In Oncology Unplugged, a podcast series from MedNews Week, host Chandler Park, MD, a medical oncologist at the Norton Cancer Institute in Louisville, Kentucky, talks through key updates in genitourinary cancer research from the 2024 ESMO Congress. In this episode, Dr Park highlights potentially practice-changing data in prostate, kidney, and bladder cancer; spotlights the potential clinical implications of findings with the intravesical therapy TAR-200 in patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC); and zooms in on data from the phase 3 NIAGARA trial (NCT03732677) of durvalumab (Imfinzi) plus gemcitabine and cisplatin in patients with MIBC.

In today’s episode, supported by Coherus Biosciences, we had the pleasure of speaking with Tarek Mekhail, MD, MSC, FRCSI, FRCSEd, about the use of toripalimab-tpzi (Loqtorz) in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Dr Mekhail is the medical director of the Thoracic Cancer Program and the Associate Executive Director at the AdventHealth Cancer Institute in Orlando, Florida.  In our exclusive interview, Dr Mekhail discussed the rationale for combining chemotherapy with the PD-1 inhibitor toripalimab in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma, clinical successes with toripalimab in the first- and second-line nasopharyngeal carcinoma settings, and what the future looks like regarding immunotherapy in this disease.

In today’s episode, supported by Taiho Pharmaceutical, we had the pleasure of speaking with Joleen Hubbard, MD, about practice-changing updates to the colorectal cancer (CRC) treatment paradigm. Dr Hubbard is a medical oncologist at Allina Health Cancer Institute in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In our exclusive interview, Dr Hubbard discussed key efficacy and safety findings from the phase 3 SUNLIGHT trial (NCT04737187) of trifluridine-tipiracil (Lonsurf) plus bevacizumab (Avastin) in patients with refractory metastatic CRC; quality of life outcomes from this trial; and the most practice-changing updates to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines for CRC.

In this episode of the Oncology Unplugged series, Chandler Park, MD, a genitourinary medical oncologist at Norton Cancer Institute in Louisville, Kentucky, hosted a conversation with Vivek Subbiah, MD, a medical oncologist and chief of Early-Phase Drug Development at Sarah Cannon Research Institute in Nashville, Tennessee. Dr Subbiah, an internationally recognized expert, discussed advancements in precision oncology, emphasizing the effects of next-generation sequencing and tissue-agnostic therapies on personalized cancer treatment. Dr Subbiah highlighted the transformation in genome sequencing that has taken place since the Human Genome Project, noting the reduction in sequencing costs from $3.3 billion to potentially $1 per genome. He explained how this evolution supports the expansion of precision oncology by making genomic testing accessible across diverse health care settings.

In today’s episode, we had the pleasure of speaking with David R. Gandara, MD, about biomarker testing in lung cancer. Dr Gandara is the chief medical officer of the International Society of Liquid Biopsy, the co-director of the Center for Experimental Therapeutics in Cancer, and the senior advisor to the director at the University of California Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center in Sacramento, and an adjunct clinical professor in the Translational and Clinical Research Program at the University of Hawaii Cancer Center in Honolulu.  In our exclusive interview, Dr Gandara discussed the optimal use of liquid biopsy for patients with non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the ins and outs of testing for KRAS mutations, and available treatment options for patients with KRAS-mutant NSCLC.

In today’s episode, we had the pleasure of speaking with Alan P. Venook, MD, about recent updates to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Clinical Practice Guidelines for gastrointestinal (GI) cancers. Dr Venook holds the Madden Family Distinguished Professorship in Medical Oncology and Translational Research and is a professor in the Department of Medicine (Hematology/Oncology) at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF). He is also the Shorenstein Associate Director for Program Development at the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center.

In today’s episode, we had the pleasure of speaking with Samuel A. Kareff, MD, MPH, about the intersections between early-phase clinical research and meaningful mentorship experiences during oncology/hematology fellowship. Dr Kareff is a medical oncologist and hematologist at the Eugene M. and Christine E. Lynn Cancer Institute, part of Baptist Health, in Boca Raton, Florida. He formerly served as chief fellow during his hematology/medical oncology fellowship at the University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center in Florida. In our exclusive interview, Dr Kareff discussed the rationale for and design of a proposed phase 1 clinical trial investigating the oncolytic virus SVV-001 in combination with nivolumab (Opdivo) and ipilimumab (Yervoy) in patients with neuroendocrine carcinoma or neuroendocrine tumors. He also shared advice from his fellowship experience and emphasized how seeking out effective mentors can prepare fellows for the next steps in their careers.