A Review of the Current FDA-Approved Antibody-Drug Conjugates: Landmark Clinical Trials and Indications.

Despite considerable treatment progress, cancer remains among the leading causes of death worldwide. Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), a rapidly growing class of systemic therapy, show promise by combining the properties of conventional chemotherapy and targeted therapy. Antibody-drug conjugates have been shown to be more efficacious than traditional chemotherapy. To date, there are 13 ADCs approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treating various hematological and solid organ cancers. There are several new promising ADCs that are being developed and are in clinical trials. This review provides an overview of the current FDA-approved ADCs, the landmark clinical trials that led to their approval, the common toxicities seen in the landmark trials, the challenges associated with ADCs, and the potential future directions.

Severe Refractory Hypocalcemia Caused by Denosumab.

Denosumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody that binds to the receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-Β ligand, an essential cytokine factor in bone resorption, which reduces bone resorption and has been shown to decrease the incidence of skeletal-related events in patients with malignancy and bone metastasis. Severe hypocalcemia is a rare and life-threatening adverse effect of denosumab therapy. Here, we discuss the case of a patient with stage 4 estrogen receptor-positive, progesterone receptor-negative, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative breast cancer who was on treatment with denosumab for bony metastases and presented with severe refractory hypocalcemia.

Use of Anakinra in steroid dependent recurrent pericarditis: a case report and review of literature.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and colchicine are the cornerstone treatment for recurrent pericarditis. Corticosteroids are frequently used in patients with recurrent episodes of pericarditis. In patients with corticosteroid dependent and corticosteroid-resistant pericarditis, several steroid-sparing options like azathioprine, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), and anakinra are being recently tried. In this article, we present the case of a 44-year-old male with recurrent pericarditis, who was successfully treated with anakinra. Abbreviations: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, NSAIDS; Aspirin, ASA; Erythrocyte sedimentation rate, ESR; Serum Protein Electrophoresis, SPEP; Magnetic Resonance Imaging, MRI; C-Reactive Protein, CRP; Aspartate Aminotransferase, AST; Alanine Aminotransferase, ALT; Idiopathic recurrent pericarditis, IRP; Intravenous Immunoglobulin, IVIG.