VJHemOnc Podcast

Advancing treatment for BPDCN: current therapies, a deep dive into tagraxofusp, & emerging novel agents

Blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN) is a rare and aggressive hematologic malignancy characterized by involvement of the skin, bone marrow, and lymph nodes, often associated with a poor prognosis. In this podcast episode, Naveen Pemmaraju, MD, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, provides an in-depth exploration of BPDCN. Dr Pemmaraju discusses the challenges in treating this disease and reviews current therapeutic options such as chemotherapy, tagraxofusp, and transplantation. He takes a deep dive into the CD123-targeted agent tagraxofusp, addressing patient eligibility, the role of tagraxofusp in bridging to transplantation, and real-world data on its use. Additionally, Dr Pemmaraju shares insights into ongoing clinical trials and emerging treatments for BPDCN, including novel CD123-targeted therapies, combination strategies, BCL2 inhibitors, and immunotherapeutic approaches.

Improving care for patients with SCD: pain management, ongoing projects & unmet needs

This week's podcast focuses on strategies to improve care for patients with sickle cell disease (SCD), featuring expert insights from the 19th Annual Scientific Conference on Sickle Cell and Thalassemia (ASCAT 2024), which was held in London, UK. You will hear from Natasha Archer, MD, MPH, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, Subarna Chakravorty, MBBS, MRCPCH, FRCPath, PhD, King’s College Hospital NHS Trust, London, UK, Christiana Dinah, BSc, MBBS, MRes, London North West Healthcare NHS Trust, Harrow, UK, Leon Tshilolo, MD, PhD, Centre Hospitalier Monkole, Kinshasa, DR Congo, and Marsha Treadwell, PhD, University Of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA. They speak about pain management in SCD, ongoing projects including the Universal Care Plan Project and the Sickle Eye Project, and unmet needs in Sub-Saharan Africa and from a psychosocial perspective. 

Understanding BPDCN: dermatology and hematology perspectives on presentation, diagnosis, treatment, & multidisciplinary care

In this podcast, experts Marlise Luskin, MD, MSCE, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, Nicole LeBoeuf, MD, MPH, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, and Shai Shimony, MD, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, share insights into the clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN), a rare hematological malignancy. Dr Luskin and Dr Shimony provide insights from a hematology standpoint, while Dr LeBoeuf explores the diagnosis and pathogenesis of this rare disease through a dermatology perspective. The discussion covers pathology, patient demographics, the use of tagraxofusp and venetoclax, and the importance of collaboration within multidisciplinary teams.

Managing complications associated with WM: Bing-Neel syndrome, acquired von Willebrand disease, & more!

Today's podcast episode focuses on the management of complications associated with Waldenström's macroglobulinemia (WM), featuring expert insights from the 12th International Workshop on Waldenström's Macroglobulinemia (IWWM-12) held in Prague, Czech Republic. You will hear from Shirley D’Sa, MD, FRCP, FRCPath, University College London, London, UK, Monique Minnema, MD, PhD, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands, and Jithma Abeykoon, MD, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, who share advice on managing IgM demyelinating neuropathy, Bing-Neel syndrome, and acquired von Willebrand disease, respectively. Finally, Adam Sperling, MD, PhD, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, speaks about clonal hematopoiesis in WM, giving advice on how to detect it and how it may impact treatment strategies. 

CAR-T therapies and bispecific antibodies in the treatment of high-risk multiple myeloma: updates from iwHRMM 2024

This week's podcast features discussions on the use of immunotherapy in the treatment of high-risk multiple myeloma (HRMM) from the 1st International Workshop on High-Risk Multiple Myeloma (iwHRMM), which took place Charleston, SC. You will hear from experts Ajai Chari, MD, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, and Krina Patel, MD, MSc, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, who discuss the use of CAR T-cells in the treatment of HRMM. They highlight clinical trial findings, the use of CAR-Ts in specific high-risk subgroups, and the potential for allogeneic CAR T-cell products. Additionally, Thomas Martin, MD, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, Ajai Chari, MD, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, Niels Van de Donk, MD, PhD, VU Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and Saad Usmani, MD, MBA, FACP, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, speak about bispecific antibodies in HRMM. They discuss strategies to optimize treatment, potential resistance mechanisms, and combination strategies. 

The treatment landscape and challenges in rare diseases: BPDCN, CMML, MPN-AP/BP, and VEXAS

This podcast features a discussion from the 6th International Workshop on Acute Leukemias (iwAL) 2024, which took place in Phoenix, AZ. You will hear from Anand Patel, MD, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL, Marina Konopleva, MD, PhD, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York City, NY, Guillermo Montalban-Bravo, MD, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, and Emma Groarke, MD, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, who discuss several rare myeloid diseases, including accelerated- and blast-phase myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN-AP/BP), blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN), chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML), and VEXAS syndrome. The experts provide valuable insight into the treatment of these diseases and the unique challenges associated with each one.

Exploring the role of BTK inhibitors in mantle cell lymphoma: sequencing & managing adverse events

Today's podcast focuses on the role of BTK inhibitors (BTKis) in the treatment of mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). You will hear from experts Krish Patel, MD, Providence Swedish Cancer Institute, Seattle, WA, Marek Trněný, MD, PhD, Charles University Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic, Michael Wang, MD, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, and Craig Portell, MD, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA. They share updates on trials investigating BTKis in the frontline treatment of MCL, including the ECHO (NCT02972840), SHINE (NCT01776840), and TRIANGLE (NCT02858258) studies. They then go on to discuss how these agents are optimally sequenced and give advice for managing cardiac toxicities associated with BTKis.

An update on menin inhibition in AML from iwAL 2024: current data, mechanisms of resistance, & more!

Menin inhibitors are emerging as a promising therapeutic approach in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), particularly in patients with specific genetic mutations such as KMT2A-rearranged and NPM1-mutated AML. These inhibitors disrupt the leukemogenic signaling pathways that drive leukemia cell proliferation by blocking the actions of menin. They can help restore regular gene expression and halt the progression of AML.

In this podcast episode, you will hear updates on menin inhibitors in AML from the 6th International Workshop on Acute Leukemias (iwAL), which took place in Phoenix, AZ. Experts Joshua Zeidner, MD, UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chapel Hill, NC, and Eunice Wang, MD, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, delve into current data on the four menin inhibitors being investigated in AML. They then go on to discuss the development of resistance to this drug class and the potential value of these agents in the post-transplant setting. 

CAR T-cells and bispecific antibodies in the treatment of NHL: updates from iwNHL 2024

Today's podcast features discussions from the 21st International Workshop on Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (iwNHL) which took place in Nice, France. You will hear updates on the use of CAR T-cell therapy in non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) from experts Catherine Bollard, MBChB, MD, FRACP, FRCPA, Children’s National Health System, Washington, DC, Stephen Schuster, MD, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, and Jason Westin, MD, FACP, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX. They discuss where CAR-T fits into the treatment landscape, managing toxicities, and the potential of allogeneic CAR-T products. 

You will also hear from Stephen Ansell, MD, PhD, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, Marion Subklewe, MD, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Munich, Germany, Martin Hutchings, MD, PhD, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark, and Krish Patel, MD, Swedish Cancer Institute, Seattle, WA, who share insights into the use of bispecific antibodies in the treatment of NHL. Their discussion focuses on comparisons between CAR-T and bispecifics and the unique challenges of using bispecific antibodies, including mitigating toxicities. They also mention exciting combination approaches with antibody-drug conjugates and co-stimulatory agents.

Prolonging remission in AML: current approaches & future outlooks

Today's podcast features a discussion with leading experts Harry Erba, MD, PhD, Duke University, Durham, NC, Farhad Ravandi, MD, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, and Thomas Cluzeau, MD, PhD, Central University Hospital of Nice, Nice, France, on strategies to prolong remission in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). They focus on the roles of intensive chemotherapy, allogeneic stem cell transplantation, and maintenance therapies. Key topics include optimizing initial therapy to achieve deeper remissions, the benefits of using measurable residual disease (MRD) assays to tailor post-remission treatments, and exploring new maintenance options such as targeted agents.