Characterization of FGFR Alterations and Activation in Patients with High-Risk Non-Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer.

Purpose: The Genomic Analysis of High-Risk Non-Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer (GARNER) study investigated FGFR alteration (ALT) frequency and the clinical outcome relationship with Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) treatment in high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (HR-NMIBC). An FGFR predictive response signature (FGFR-PRS) was discovered that identifies patients with an activated FGFR pathway who could potentially benefit from FGFR-targeted therapy beyond those who are FGFR ALT (+).

Experimental Design: Pretreatment tumor samples and clinical data were analyzed from 582 BCG-treated patients with HR-NMIBC.

Effect of Erdafitinib on the Pharmacokinetics of Midazolam and Metformin in Patients With Advanced Solid Tumors Harboring FGFR Gene Alterations.

Erdafitinib, an oral pan-FGFR inhibitor, is used in locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma for adults with FGFR3 genetic alterations and whose disease progressed following prior systemic therapy. This drug-drug interaction substudy evaluated the effect of erdafitinib on the pharmacokinetics of midazolam (cytochrome P450 3A4 substrate), and metformin (organic cation transporter 2 substrate). Twenty-five patients with advanced solid tumors harboring FGFR gene alterations received pretreatment with single doses of midazolam and metformin, followed by a daily dose of erdafitinib.

Prognostic and Predictive Value of Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor Alterations in High-grade Non-muscle-invasive Bladder Cancer Treated with and Without Bacillus Calmette-Guérin Immunotherapy.

Background: Limited data are available on the prognostic and predictive value of fibroblast growth factor receptor alterations (FGFRa) relative to clinical outcomes in patients with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC).

Objective: To determine whether FGFRa may be clinically useful in stratifying for treatment response in a real-world cohort of patients with pT1 NMIBC treated and untreated with bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) instillation therapy.

Design, Setting, And Participants: A pooled dataset of matched clinical and genomic data (1992-2015) for pT1 NMIBC patients was assessed by the Bladder Cancer Research Initiative for Drug Targets in Germany consortium.

Prolonged duration of response in lenvatinib responders with thyroid cancer.

We present an updated analysis of lenvatinib in radioiodine-refractory differentiated thyroid cancer (RR-DTC) with new duration of response (DOR) data unavailable for the primary analysis. In this randomized, double-blind, multicenter, placebo-controlled phase 3 study, patients ≥18 years old with measurable, pathologically confirmed RR-DTC with independent radiologic confirmation of disease progression within the previous 13 months were randomized 2:1 to oral lenvatinib 24 mg/day or placebo. The main outcome measures for this analysis are DOR and progression-free survival (PFS).

The evolution of Clostridium difficile infection in cancer patients: epidemiology, pathophysiology, and guidelines for prevention and management.

Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) has emerged as a significant challenge to the healthcare system. The availability of anti-cancer chemotherapeutic regimens has contemporaneously resulted in a larger population of patients who are susceptible to CDI. The outbreak of a novel, hypervirulent, resistant strain, NAP-1/027 as well as resistance to antibiotic therapy have further contributed to an increase in prevalence as well as in disease severity.

Warfarin: implementing its safe use in hospitalized patients from nursing homes and community through a performance improvement initiative.

Introduction: Warfarin is increasingly used to prevent thromboembolism but adverse drug events (ADEs) are common. The National Safety Goals (3E) 2008 recommend that institutions develop processes to monitor the safe use of warfarin. Despite these guidelines, adverse events (bleeding) are common.

Emerging therapies in the treatment of locally advanced squamous cell cancers of head and neck.

Head and neck squamous cell cancers (HNSCCs) represent 4 to 5% of all solid malignancies. Despite improvements in diagnostic techniques, 60% of patients will present with locally advanced HNSCCs with a median survival of about 12 months and 5-year overall survival of approximately 10-40%. Recent clinical trials have altered the treatment landscape by refining existing forms of radiation, incorporation of IMRT, choice of chemotherapeutic agents, introduction of biological and targeted therapy, immunotherapy and gene therapy.

Novel management of pruritus in patients treated with IL-2 for metastatic renal cell carcinoma and malignant melanoma.

Pruritus has been a side effect, associated with several biologic response modifiers, most commonly interferons and interleukins. Reports of pruritus are anecdotal and have not been a focus of attention. Itch fibers are essentially pain fibers, and gabapentin is used for neuropathic pain.

Clostridium difficile infection following chemotherapy.

Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is a major concern for health care system and clinicians. Interest in C. difficile infection has increased recently due to an ongoing C.