On March 30, 2016, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Defitelio® (defibrotide sodium, Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients with hepatic veno-occlusive disease, also known as sinusoidal obstructive syndrome, with renal or pulmonary dysfunction following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

On March 11, 2016, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved crizotinib capsules (Xalkori®, Pfizer, Inc.) for the treatment of patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors are ROS1-positive. Crizotinib was first approved in 2011 for the treatment of patients whose tumors are anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive.

On February 26, 2016, the U. S. Food and Drug Administration approved everolimus (Afinitor® , Novartis) for the treatment of adult patients with progressive, well-differentiated non-functional, neuroendocrine tumors (NET) of gastrointestinal (GI) or lung origin with unresectable, locally advanced or metastatic disease.

On February 26, 2016, the U. S. Food and Drug Administration approved obinutuzumab (Gazyva® Injection, Genentech, Inc.) for use in combination with bendamustine followed by obinutuzumab monotherapy for the treatment of patients with follicular lymphoma (FL) who relapsed after, or are refractory to, a rituximab-containing regimen. Obinutuzumab was previously approved for use in combination with chlorambucil for the treatment of patients with previously untreated chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

On February 19, 2016, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved palbociclib (Ibrance® capsules, Pfizer, Inc.) in combination with fulvestrant for the treatment of women with hormone receptor- (HR-) positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2- (HER2-) negative advanced or metastatic breast cancer with disease progression following endocrine therapy.

On January 28, 2016, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved eribulin (Halaven® injection, Eisai Co., Ltd.) for the treatment of patients with unresectable or metastatic liposarcoma who have received a prior anthracycline-containing regimen.

On January 19, 2016, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved ofatumumab (Arzerra® Injection, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation) for extended treatment of patients who are in complete or partial response after at least two lines of therapy for recurrent or progressive chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Ofatumumab was previously approved for the treatment of previously untreated patients with CLL for whom fludarabine-based therapy was considered inappropriate and also for patients with CLL refractory to fludarabine and alemtuzumab.

More than half of new cancer treatment regimens involve an oral route of administration because oral drugs are more manageable and convenient for patients. However, oral medications pose challenges with regard to patient adherence.

I think it's helpful to be able to educate your patients on the reasons for receiving each individual drug in a combination regimen. Although leucovorin is not a chemotherapy agent or generally used as a stand-alone drug, it certainly is important. Leucovorin has a specific function, and you should be able to explain its purpose.

5-Fluorouracil, or more commonly referred to as simply 5-FU, is a cytotoxic chemotherapy drug that is classified as an antimetabolite and, within that class, belongs to the pyrimidine analogue family.

I saw something recently that made my alarms go off screaming "Med error! Med error!" I was about to get medication for my patient when a nurse jumped in front of me. I didn't mind; I had enough time and figured that he must be in a hurry. I saw him get medication out for his patient. Then, I saw him get medication out for a second patient.

Since 2005, seven new targeted therapies have been approved for renal cell carcinoma