Issue Archive

Bohlius et al’s Clinical Guideline on erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) in patients with cancer reviews the evidence and revises previous recommendations. It is based on the findings of an expert panel convened by the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the American Society of Hematology. ESAs, including biosimilars, may be offered to patients with chemotherapy-associated anemia when this chemotherapy is being given with a noncurative intent. However, these same agents should not be offered to patients with chemotherapy-associated anemia whose cancer treatment is curative in intent. In addition, in the appropriate patients, adding iron to ESAs may improve anemia and reduce the need for blood transfusion, whether or not these patients have iron-deficiency anemia. These recommendations provide critical guidance for managing anemia, a common side effect for patients of cancer treatment.

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy directed against CD19 has proven to be a novel approach to the treatment of patients with B-cell malignancies. However, novel targets are clearly needed. Köksal and colleagues explored CAR T cells directed against CD37, another cell surface protein highly expressed on B-cell malignancies, in preclinical models.