VJHemOnc Podcast

CHIP & CCUS: advances in understanding and should we treat these precursor conditions?

In this episode of the VJHemOnc podcast, we explore clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP) and clonal cytopenia of unknown significance (CCUS) - conditions increasingly recognized as early indicators of myelodysplastic syndromes and acute myeloid leukemia.

Joining the discussion are leading experts George Vassiliou, MBBS, PhD, The University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK, Sanam Loghavi, MD, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, Mrinal Patnaik, MBBS, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, Susan Slager, PhD, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, and Anton Langerak, PhD, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Together, they delve into recent advances in our understanding of CHIP and CCUS, touch on monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis as another precursor condition, and share their insights on the potential value of early intervention in these pre-malignant states.

Diagnosing amyloidosis: identifying early signs, appropriate diagnostic tests, and challenges that remain

In this episode of the VJHemOnc podcast, we are joined by Morie Gertz, MD, MACP, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, a leading expert in the field, to discuss the complexities surrounding the diagnosis of amyloidosis, including both the light chain and ATTR subtypes.

The conversation covers early clinical signs that clinicians often overlook, key differences in presentation between subtypes, recommendations for initial diagnostic work-up, and the barriers that often delay timely diagnosis.

IPIG 2025 Highlights: challenging situations in PNH, updates from the COMMODORE trials, and more

VJHemOnc was the official media partner for the recent 2nd International PNH Interest Group (IPIG) Conference held in Paris, France. In today’s podcast episode, you will hear some highlights from the event from leading experts in the field of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH).

First, Jens Panse, MD, Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany, Richard Kelly, MBChB, PhD, St James’s University Hospital, Leeds, UK, and Benjamin Chin-Yee, MD, MA, FRCPC, Western University, London, Canada, provide insight into challenging situations in the current era of PNH treatment, including switching from anti-C5 to proximal complement inhibition, discontinuing anticoagulation, and the management of pregnant patients with PNH. Following this, Austin Kulasekararaj, MBBS, MD, MRCP, FRCPath, King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK, discusses the role of ravulizumab in this disease, and Dr Kelly and Catherine Flynn, MD, St James’s Hospital, Dublin, Ireland, outline findings from the COMMODORE 1 and 2 trials. Finally, Jeff Szer, MBBS, FRACP, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia, comments on the clinical problem of thrombosis in patients with PNH, highlighting how this complication can be prevented.

Recent advances in Hodgkin lymphoma treatment: novel regimens, ongoing trials & treating R/R disease

In this episode of the VJHemOnc podcast, join us for an insightful conversation with Dr Graham Collins, MA, MBBS, MRCP, FRCPath, DPhil, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK.

Dr Collins discusses the significant shifts in treatment approaches for patients with advanced-stage classical Hodgkin lymphoma over the past decade. He also explores the excitement around newer regimens, including nivolumab-AVD, BV-AVD, and more. To conclude, Dr Collins shares his approach to treating patients with relapsed disease, drawing focus on the role of autologous stem cell transplantation. 

Gene therapy in sickle cell disease: patient selection, potential complications, & more

In this episode of the VJHemOnc podcast you will hear from Akshay Sharma, MBBS, MSc, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, who takes a deep dive into gene therapy for the treatment of sickle cell disease (SCD). Dr Sharma begins by discussing the status of gene therapy in SCD, outlining considerations for clinicians when selecting patients for these therapies, and commenting on the risk of infection. He then touches on the role of palliative care in patients with SCD undergoing gene therapy or transplantation, and provides his view on the benefits and challenges of gene therapy in this non-malignant hematological disorder. Finally, you will hear Dr Sharma's valuable insight into the risk of leukemia after lentiviral gene therapy.

Highlights from iwCAR-T 2025: improving the efficacy and safety of CAR T-cells & access in the community

Today's VJHemOnc podcast features discussions from the 7th International Workshop on CAR-T and bispecifics (iwCAR-T) 2025, which was held recently in Miami, FL. First you will hear from Elizabeth Budde, MD, PhD, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, Mohammad Rashidian, PhD, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, Michael Jain, MD, PhD, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL, and Marco Ruella, MD, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, who explore outcomes of treatment with CAR T-cells and potential strategies to enhance their efficacy and minimize toxicities.

Michael Hudecek, MD, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany, then provides insight into his keynote talk on accelerating CAR T-cell therapeutics with small molecules and CRISPR 2.0 gene editing. This is followed by Krish Patel, MD, Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Nashville, TN, Tara Graff, DO, MS, Mission Cancer and Blood, Des Moines, IA, and Caron Jacobson, MD, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, who share their perspectives on how to improve access and delivery of T-cell engaging therapies in the community.

Updates to the ESMO CLL clinical practice guidelines and implications for relapsed therapy

This episode features leading experts Paolo Ghia, MD, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy, and Arnon Kater, MD, PhD, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands, who provide key insights into the management of relapsed/refractory (R/R) chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), guided by the latest ESMO clinical practice recommendations. They explore treatment strategies at first relapse and for double-refractory patients, including fixed-duration combinations and the emerging role of the non-covalent BTK inhibitor, pirtobrutinib. Additionally, the experts share their perspectives on the role of allogeneic stem cell transplantation and CAR T-cell therapy, and offer a glimpse into promising therapies on the horizon, such as BTK degraders and bispecific antibodies.

Highlights from iwMyeloma 2025: trial updates and practical considerations

VJHemOnc was delighted to be media partners for the 18th International Workshop on Multiple Myeloma (iwMyeloma), held in Miami, FL. This podcast episode features highlights from the meeting.

First, you will hear from Rafael Fonseca, MD, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, AZ, Ola Landgren, MD, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, Miami, FL, Thomas Martin, MD, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, and Adriana Rossi, MD, Mount Sinai, New York City, NY, who share updates with the use of several agents in multiple myeloma. Damian Green, MD, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, Miami, FL, and Rachid Baz, MD, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, will then discuss practical considerations when using T-cell therapies, including managing adverse events and improving access.

Updates to the ESMO CLL clinical practice guidelines: implications for frontline treatment

In this VJHemOnc podcast, experts Barbara Eichhorst, MD, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany, Lydia Scarfò, MD, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University and IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy, and Anna Schuh, MD, PhD, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK, provide insights into the latest updates to the ESMO clinical practice guidelines for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). They cover key topics such as diagnostic advancements, frontline treatment strategies based on IGHV mutational status, the role of double oral combinations, the importance of measurable residual disease (MRD)-guided treatment, and the debate between time-limited and continuous regimens.

Highlights from EBMT 2025: preventing and managing GvHD, harnessing AI in transplant, & more

In this week’s VJHemOnc podcast, we’ll be sharing highlights from the 51st Annual Meeting of the EBMT, with a focus on the prevention and management of graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) and infections associated with stem cell transplantation (SCT). You will also hear about the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in hematology and transplantation.

Tune in as experts Mohamad Mohty, MD, PhD, Saint-Antoine Hospital, Paris, France, and Arnon Nagler, MD, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Aviv, Israel, provide insights into current treatment approaches for acute and chronic GvHD, discussing the advent of new therapies. Following this, you’ll hear about cytomegalovirus (CMV) management from Per Ljungman, MD, PhD, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden, and human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) diagnosis from Eleftheria Kampouri, MD, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland, and Raffaella Greco, MD, PhD, San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy.

Finally, Manuela Spadea, MD, University of Turin, Turin, Italy, comments on ushering in the era of the hematologist-AI alliance, and Adrián Mosquera-Orgueira, MD, PhD, Santiago Clinic Hospital CHUS, Santiago, Spain, highlights the potential for harnessing machine learning to predict post-SCT outcomes in patients with myelofibrosis (MF).