Welcome to the latest edition of Oncology & Hematology Review, whose wide-ranging articles reflect the scope of this field. We begin with one of our popular expert interviews, in which I was pleased to participate. In this interview, I discuss the risk factors for the progression of smoldering myeloma to multiple myeloma and the importance of […]

Smoldering myeloma is an asymptomatic clonal plasma cell disorder that is characterized by the presence of ≥3 g/dl serum M-protein and/or 10–59% bone marrow plasma cell infiltration, and is a precursor stage to multiple myeloma.1 Historically, patients with smoldering myeloma have not received treatment until symptomatic disease has developed because many of them have a low […]

Breast cancer and its treatment may have a negative effect on bone health. Some cancer therapies may lead to accelerated bone loss. Since breast cancer is a common condition that is often cured, the effects on bone health are a major concern for survivors as it can put them at risk of fractures that can […]

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the USA. In 2018 an estimated 154,050 Americans were predicted to die from lung cancer, accounting for approximately 25% of all cancer deaths.1 However, recent advances have transformed early diagnosis and the treatment landscape for patients with lung cancer. 2018 was an important year; the […]

Gynecological malignancies can be difficult to treat. Ovarian cancer carries with it the worst prognosis of all gynecological cancers. Approximately 75% of patients with epithelial ovarian cancer are diagnosed with advanced disease which is curable only in a minority of cases, resulting in a 5-year overall survival rate of only 20–30%. However, survival at all […]

Over the last decade, genomics has become an increasingly important part of cancer care. In some tumor types, such as lung cancer and melanoma, genetic profiling for actionable mutations has become standard clinical practice.1,2 The development of novel targeted molecular therapies together with the increased availability of next-generation genomic sequencing has led to an interest […]

Pancreatic cancer is estimated to become the second most common cause of cancer-related death by 2030, and most common by 2050 in the USA.1,2 Pancreatic cancer results in approximately 331,000 deaths annually worldwide, making it the seventh most common cause of cancer-related mortality.3 More than 90% of all pancreatic cancers are pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).4 […]

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer worldwide and the second most common cause of cancer-related death,1 with its incidence predicted to continue to rise significantly in the future.2 With the evolution of personalized medicine, genomic profiling is crucial for treatment and monitoring of individuals’ cancer. The increasing availability of novel molecular-targeted therapy […]

Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM) is an indolent lymphoma characterized by the presence of a circulating monoclonal immunoglobulin M (IgM) protein of any size and lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate in the bone marrow.1 It lies within a continuous spectrum of disorders associated with a monoclonal IgM protein in the serum, with the precursor disease, IgM monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined […]