August 2023 Snap Recap: Chemo Shortages, FDA Approvals in Multiple Myeloma

News
Video

The August CancerNetwork Snap Recap takes a look back at key FDA news updates, as well as expert perspectives on the chemotherapy shortage.

Looking back at August 2023, several news items proved to be the most poured over by CancerNetwork® readers. This included 2 FDA approvals for patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma, solutions for patients with breast cancer to conceive a child mid-treatment, details of the ongoing chemotherapy shortage, and a continuation of conversations from July’s Sarcoma Awareness Month.1-6

Full versions of the articles are referenced below in the order that they appear:

References

  1. U.S. FDA approved TALVEY (talquetamab-tgvs), a first-in-class bispecific therapy for the treatment of patients with heavily pretreated multiple myeloma. News release. The Janssen Pharmaceuticals. August 10, 2023. Accessed September 14, 2023. https://prn.to/3KwnjyD
  2. Pfizer’s Elrexfio receives U.S. FDA accelerated approval for relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. News release. Pfizer. August 14, 2023. Accessed September 14, 2023. https://bit.ly/3DTCRIY
  3. Partridge AH, Niman SM, Ruggeri M, et al. Interrupting endocrine therapy to attempt pregnancy after breast cancer. N Engl J Med. 2023;388(18):1645-1656. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2212856
  4. NCCN releases statement addressing ongoing chemotherapy shortages; shares survey results finding more than 90% of cancer centers are impacted. News release. National Comprehensive Cancer Network. June 7, 2023. Accessed September 14, 2023. https://shorturl.at/ERY27
  5. Ingham M, Blay JY, Baird J, et al. A phase II/III study evaluating the efficacy and safety of unesbulin in advanced leiomyosarcoma (SUNRISELMS). Ann Oncol. 2022;33(7):S1243-S1244. doi:10.1016/j.annonc.2022.07.1917
  6. Hong DS, Van Tine BA, Biswas S, et al. Autologous T cell therapy for MAGE-A4+ solid cancers in HLA-A*02+ patients: a phase 1 trial. Nat Med. 2023;29:104-114. doi:10.1038/s41591-022-02128-z
Recent Videos
Extended follow-up for individuals with H3 K27M-mutated diffuse midline glioma may help explain the duration of response across patient subgroups.
Geraldine O’Sullivan Coyne, MD, MRCPI, PhD, described the excitement of seeing novel molecules like antibody drug conjugates become more prominent.
Ronald Bleday, MD, credits a chronic pain clinic for consulting patients who may be at a greater risk for prolonged opioid use following surgery.
Ronald Bleday, MD, stated that before standardizing a stepwise approach to treating surgical pain, providers might have overtreated patients with opioids.
A third of patients had a response [to lifileucel], and of the patients who have a response, half of them were alive at the 4-year follow-up.
Conducting trials safely within a community setting lies at the heart of a successful collaboration between Northwell Health and START.
We are seeing that, in those patients who have relapsed/refractory melanoma with survival measured as a few weeks and no effective treatments, about a third of these patients will have a response.
We have the current CAR [T-cell therapies], which target CD19; however, we need others.
Related Content
Long-Term Cilta-Cel Follow-Up Shows Curative Potential in Pretreated Multiple Myeloma

Long-Term Cilta-Cel Follow-Up Shows Curative Potential in Pretreated Multiple Myeloma

ONCOLOGY Staff
August 18th 2025
Article

Cilta-cel shows promising long-term efficacy in treating relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma, with significant survival rates and manageable safety profiles.

A panel of clinical pharmacists discussed strategies for mitigating toxicities across different multiple myeloma, lymphoma, and leukemia populations.

Navigating AE Management for Cellular Therapy Across Hematologic Cancers

Tiba Al Sagheer, PharmD, BCOP, BCACP;Rebecca Gonzalez, PharmD, BCOP, FASTCT;Syeda Saba Kareem PharmD, BCOP
August 11th 2025
Podcast

A panel of clinical pharmacists discussed strategies for mitigating toxicities across different multiple myeloma, lymphoma, and leukemia populations.

Creating Space for Ide-Cel and Finding Sequencing Options in Multiple Myeloma

Creating Space for Ide-Cel and Finding Sequencing Options in Multiple Myeloma

ONCOLOGY Staff
August 16th 2025
Article

Experts debate cutting-edge multiple myeloma treatments, exploring pressing data, the most prominent news, and patient cases.

Leading experts in the breast cancer field highlight the use of CDK4/6 inhibitors, antibody-drug conjugates, and other treatment modalities.

Advancements and Evolving Strategies in Breast Cancer Treatment at IBC East

Heather McArthur, MD, MPH;Erika P. Hamilton, MD;Hope S. Rugo, MD;Paolo Tarantino, MD, PhD
July 21st 2025
Podcast

Leading experts in the breast cancer field highlight the use of CDK4/6 inhibitors, antibody-drug conjugates, and other treatment modalities.

FLEX study findings show that the MammaPrint Index was predictive of 5-year DRFI for endocrine therapy with or without chemotherapy in early breast cancer.

MammaPrint Displays Predictive Utility for Chemo in HR+/HER2– Breast Cancer

Roman Fabbricatore
August 13th 2025
Article

FLEX study findings show that the MammaPrint Index was predictive of 5-year DRFI for endocrine therapy with or without chemotherapy in early breast cancer.

Obesity and weight gain are associated with adverse outcomes following breast cancer diagnosis.

GLP-1 Receptor Agonist Use and Weight Change in Patients With Breast Cancer

Sherry Shen, MD;Bethina Liu, MD;Chad Fanti, MD;Maria Bromberg, MPH;Yuan Chen, PhD;Cassandra Chang;Neil M. Iyengar, MD
August 12th 2025
Article

Patients with breast cancer experience significant weight loss after using GLP-1 receptor agonists, highlighting potential benefits for obesity management in this population.