Idelalisib the is first agent to target the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) pathway and the second oral agent approved by the FDA, in July 2014, for treatment of relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Idelalisib was also granted accelerated approval for the treatment of relapsed follicular B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (FL) and relapsed small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL). In this issue of The American Journal of Hematology/Oncology®, a peer-reviewed resource for oncology education and the official journal of Physicians’ Education Resource®, LLC, Hien C. Tang, PharmD, James YC Shen, MD, and Betty M. Chan, PharmD, BCOP, provide a brief review of the uses of this new targeted therapy, including dosing, side effects, mechanisms of action and resistance, and place in the treatment of CLL, FL, or SLL.

Choice of treatment for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) has become increasingly complex. Brian Lewis, MD, MPH, and Oliver Sartor, MD, review data leading to the FDA approval of 5 new agents for mCRPC since 2014, with a focus on optimizing the sequence of drugs and some of the questions and shortcomings associated with each agent. Clearly there is need for further and active investigation in this space.

Much progress has been made in the development of immunotherapeutic agents for various cancers. In the area of non-small cell lung cancer, Rebecca S. Heist, MD, MPH, describes recent and emerging data on the use of treatment strategies that combine immunotherapy with other regimens, including other immunomodulatory agents, targeted therapies, and chemotherapies.

Sarah A. McLaughlin, MD, reviews contemporary data regarding MRI screening for breast cancer. Limitations of MRI screening include reduced specificity compared with mammography and cost, and there is controversy over its use in some situations.

The management of breast cancer has changed dramatically over the last 30 years, and improvements in neoadjuvant therapy and surgical techniques have allowed more women to be candidates for breastconserving therapy, while on the other hand, detection of inherited susceptibility has increased the number of prophylactic mastectomies performed. Merisa L. Piper, MD, and Hani Sbitany, MD, FACS, review the current state of breast reconstruction, factors that influence the reconstructive algorithm, and the outcomes of various reconstructive techniques.

Finally, this month our CME article focuses on multiple myeloma, and Ola Landgren, MD, PhD, discusses advances recently presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting and future directions in treatment.

Please contact us with comments and suggestions. As always, we also invite you to submit original articles and commentaries.

Michael J. Hennessy, Sr
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer