The authors of a related commentary highlight a few key limitations, such as the relatively short follow-up period, which “limits evaluation of longer-term benefit or toxicity,” and the potential challenge for clinicians to translate the primary outcome into daily practice.

They provide guidance on assessment and treatment algorithms according to the grade of toxicity.

DESTINY-Lung02 trial findings indicate that reducing the dose of trastuzumab deruxtecan can improve the antibody–drug conjugate’s toxicity profile without loss of activity in patients with previously treated, metastatic HER2 -positive non-small-cell lung cancer.

We performed a systematic review to describe the incidence, severity, and management of T-DXd-induced interstitial lung disease (ILD) or pneumonitis.

Find out more about the recommendations on exercise, diet, and weight management here

Seven patients continued to take acitretin until discontinuation of multikinase inhibitor therapy or death; just one person had to stop acitretin due to toxicity, namely worsened pre-existing mucosal xerosis/epistaxis.

Schmid noted that trial management guidelines have been updated and prophylactic measures introduced “to reduce the incidence and severity of stomatitis.”

Incorporating geriatric assessment-guided management into the care of older patients receiving anticancer therapy could reduce the risk for treatment toxicity and falls as well as polypharmacy, suggests a cluster randomized controlled trial.

Socinski et al note, however, that the study protocol has now been amended to encourage proactive use of antidiarrheal agents and oral steroids for rash management, which they hope will mitigate toxicity and allow patients to remain on poziotinib for maximum clinical benefit.

Participants who were randomly assigned to the RSM group completed the Daily Chemotherapy Toxicity Self-Assessment Questionnaire on an ASyMS handset, which automatically generated alerts for clinicians if actions were required; patients also received evidence-based information for self-management.

“These data support the use of dual HER2-blockade with pertuzumab–trastuzumab-based regimens, including in combination with dose-dense, anthracycline-based chemotherapy, across the neoadjuvant and adjuvant treatment settings for the complete management of HER2-positive [early breast cancer],” concluded the presenting author.

Marika Rasschaert (Antwerp University Hospital) and colleagues also used data from the BAPIC and AMTRA toxicity registration and (self-)management systems to show that, between 13 March and 15 May 2020, clinical cancer care was maintained at their institution, with a significant decrease in waiting time at the clinic relative to the same period in 2019.

They continue: “Thus, carvedilol may have the most beneficial effect in patients with heightened anxiety, both to slow cancer progression and for anxiety management.

Treatment with cabozantinib gives patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma significantly more time without disease progression and toxicity relative to treatment with sunitinib, CABOSUN trial data show.

Postel-Vinay et al also stress the importance of toxicity causality assessments, especially during the dose-escalation phase of trials, as inadequate assessments “could lead to wrongly halting the drug’s dose-escalation, which may have deleterious and irreversible consequences for subsequent drug development.”

medwireNews : A multidisciplinary panel has issued recommendations for the diagnosis and management of immune-related pneumonitis in cancer patients during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Sarcopenia in cancer patients taking nivolumab is associated with an increased risk for immune-related acute limiting toxicity, independent of plasma nivolumab concentrations, study results suggest.

They also emphasize that “any toxicity developing after BE 500 Px1 has to be balanced against the greater risk of toxicity with the higher doses that would be given to the 50% of patients expected to relapse on a surveillance programme.”