Lung cancer is divided into 2 main categories that require different therapies. Most of the new therapies are for the common type, but recently, immunotherapy has shown promise for this less common lung cancer type.

Although most of the drugs being developed for lung cancer these days are for non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), there may be a shift on the horizon as new treatment options emerge for patients with small-cell lung cancer.

It has become increasingly clear that lung cancer can be caused by different factors, including some environmental chemicals. Lung cancer in never smokers under the microscope.

Two experts discuss the advances made in lung cancer with the introduction of new immunotherapies, which have extended life for patients, and why testing for biomarkers is crucial.

Short answer: Yes. According to ESMO, the current evidence shows that mRNA vaccines against COVID-19 are safe for patients with cancer who are receiving immunosuppressive therapy.

At the October 2020 conference of the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO), researchers presented information on new or recently approved targeted therapies and immunotherapies for lung cancer.

Not sure what immunotherapy is and how it works? Read about the cellular mechanism and the various types of immunotherapies, including those that use your own immune system to destroy cancer cells. This article also addresses the side effects of immunotherapy.

Results of a recent study show that the use of Imbruvica plus Venclexta in patients with CLL who had not received any previous therapy for CLL had long-term remissions of the disease.

The FDA approved a new Bruton tyrosine kinase (or BTK), Calquence, for first-line treatment of patients with CLL.

Breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women, but it is important to remember that men can also have breast cancer. Recent advances in therapy have led to the discovery of specific biologic markers (biomarkers) in cancer cells, which has further led to the development of drugs known as targeted therapies.

Calquence, a new-generation targeted therapy recently approved for the treatment of CLL, has shown good results in a 3-drug combination therapy.

A new study using a combination of the 2 oral drugs, Copiktra and Venclexta, showed promising results for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma.

Brukinsa, which was approved for use in patients with mantle-cell leukemia in late 2019, has also showed promising results in 2 recent clinical trials of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL), including patients with high-risk genetic abnormalities.

Among Americans diagnosed with multiple myeloma, black and Hispanic patients receive their first treatment about 3 months later than white patients. Delays in treatment means unnecessary complications. Closing this racial gap is therefore paramount.

A new study makes clear that limited access to health insurance or insufficient insurance coverage accounts for much of the disparity in outcomes seen between black and white patients with cancer in the United States.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most common type of leukemia in adults. Recently, several new drug combinations without chemotherapy have been approved by the FDA for patients with CLL, providing patients new options when their cancer stops responding to current treatment.

Results of a recent study showed that using the targeted therapy Imbruvica (ibrutinib) as the first treatment in older adults with CLL was better than the combination of chemotherapy plus immunotherapy in slowing the progression of the disease.

Triple-negative breast cancer has few treatment options. Promising results from recent clinical trials of immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy in patients with metastatic disease may soon change the way this aggressive cancer is treated. Just after this article was written, the FDA approved this combination for patients with triple-negative breast cancer.

New findings show that starting with a targeted therapy regimen instead of chemotherapy improves outcomes for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, particularly for those under age 70.

After many years in development, the newest type of immunotherapy known as CAR T-cell therapy (or gene therapy) is becoming a mainstream treatment in some types of blood cancer, specifically in leukemia and lymphoma.

Immunotherapy brings new hope for patients with Merkel-cell carcinoma, a rare type of skin cancer with few treatment options.

Read about important advancements in tumor biomarkers and their role in guiding treatment in some types of cancer.

This first-ever direct-to-consumer genetic test can provide information on potential risks to individuals who may not have access to genetic screening, but the information may be misleading without feedback from experts.

Patients who are receiving immunotherapy should consult with their doctor immediately if and when any side effects occur, because immune-related adverse events may occur during therapy or even after discontinuation of therapy.

CAR T-cell therapy is a new type of immunotherapy that uses the patient’s genetically modified immune T-cells to attack cancer cells. In 2017, the FDA approved the first 2 CAR T-cell therapies for several types of blood cancer.

Significant developments in the treatment of lung cancer were reported at the 2017 annual meeting of the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) in Madrid, Spain.

Depression among cancer survivors is associated with an increased risk for suicide, poor quality of life, increased mortality risk, delayed return to work, and more frequent use of healthcare resources, which increases their medical costs.

Paying for cancer treatment can be challenging even for patients who have insurance. This article lists the national organizations and foundations that provide direct financial assistance for patients with cancer who are having difficulties paying for their cancer care.

The cost of cancer care continues to climb. With the cost of newer cancer therapies reaching $10,000 to $60,000 or more a month, many patients are facing serious financial difficulties.

The year 2015 will go down in medical history as an exceptional moment in the progress made in multiple myeloma, with 4 new drugs having been approved by the FDA and 1 drug already in use for patients with advanced disease being approved for use in all patients, including those who were just diagnosed with the disease. Although no cure is available yet, these new drugs bring significant progress to the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma.

In September 2015, the biannual International Myeloma Workshop was held in Rome, Italy, to provide physicians and nurses up-to-date information on new therapies for patients with multiple myeloma.

In the first 3 months of 2015, new developments in myeloma drugs could have important implications for the survival and quality of life of patients with multiple myeloma.

Keep yourself protected from the sun at all times, even on cloudy days.

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a blood cancer that results from a genetic abnormality that causes the production of too many white blood cells in the bone marrow. However, CML is not a genetic disease that runs in families.