VJHemOnc Podcast

Extramedullary disease in multiple myeloma: biology, management strategies, & the RedirecTT-1 trial

In this episode of the VJHemOnc Podcast, we dive into one of the more aggressive and challenging manifestations of multiple myeloma, extramedullary disease (EMD). We are joined by experts Meral Beksac, MD, Istinye University Ankara Liv Hospital, Ankara, Turkey, Mehmet Samur, PhD, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, Saurabh Zanwar, MD, MBBS, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, and Shaji Kumar, MD, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN. They discuss the latest insights on how EMD presents, how it’s managed, and what we’re learning about its complex biology. Plus, we’ll explore emerging treatment strategies and clinical trials, including the RedirecTT-1 trial (NCT04586426).

iwMPN 2025 highlights: novel approaches to the upfront management of myelofibrosis, cardiovascular health in MPNs, & more

In this week’s VJHemOnc podcast, we’ll be sharing highlights in myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) from the recent 3rd International Workshop on Myelodysplastic Syndromes & Myeloproliferative Neoplasms (iwMDS & iwMPN) 2025. First, you will hear a roundtable discussion, in which Prithviraj Bose, MD, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, Donal McLornan, MB, BCh, MRCP, PhD, FRCPath, University College London Hospitals, London, UK, and Haifa Kathrin Al-Ali, MD, Krukenberg Cancer Center, Halle, Germany, provide insight into novel approaches for the upfront management of myelofibrosis. The experts discuss the need to define a suboptimal response to therapy and outline some of the agents being investigated for myelofibrosis in the frontline setting.

Following this, Alexander Lyon, MA, BM, BCh, PhD, FRCP, FHFA, Royal Brompton Hospital, London, UK, discusses cardiovascular health in patients with MPNs, and Adrián Mosquera Orgueira, MD, PhD, Santiago Clinic Hospital CHUS, Santiago, Spain, provides insight into the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in the MDS/MPN setting.

Managing CNS lymphoma: expert insights and updates from ICML 2025

In this episode of the VJHemOnc podcast, we are joined by experts Kathryn Tringale, MD, UC San Diego Health, San Diego, CA, and Nikita Dave, MD, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, who share their perspectives on the management of patients with central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma from the 18th International Conference on Malignant Lymphoma (ICML 2025). The discussion covers both primary and secondary CNS lymphoma, providing practical recommendations and guidelines for oncologists, as well as highlighting emerging therapies currently under investigation.

iwMDS wrap-up: translating research into practice to optimize patient care

VJHemOnc recently attended the 3rd International Workshop on Myelodysplastic Syndromes & Myeloproliferative Neoplasms (iwMDS & iwMPN) 2025, held in Lisbon, Portugal. This episode features experts Amer Zeidan, MBBS, MHS, Yale University and Yale Cancer Center, New Haven, CT, Elizabeth Griffiths, MD, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, Lisa Pleyer, MD, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria, Andrew Brunner, MD, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, and Yasushi Miyazaki, MD, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan. They begin by summarizing the key themes from their presentations, which cover a wide range of hot topics, including the role of allotransplant in Japan, communicating about drug efficacy in clinical trials, validating response criteria, and optimizing the use of hypomethylating agents. They then have an insightful discussion on how we can enhance clinical trial design and ultimately improve outcomes for patients with MDS.

Targeting mutant CALR in MPNs with antibodies & cellular therapy: the potential for disease modification

Today’s episode of the VJHemOnc podcast focuses on the targeting of mutant calreticulin (mutCALR) in myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) – a trending topic in the field! You will hear leading experts Lucia Masarova, MD, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, and Jean-Jacques Kiladjian, MD, PhD, Saint-Louis Hospital & Paris Diderot University, Paris, France, discuss what makes mutCALR an attractive therapeutic target in MPNs. Following this, John Mascarenhas, MD, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, and Claire Harrison, MD, FRCP, FRCPath, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK, outline the early results of the clinical trial investigating a mutant CALR-targeted antibody, INCA33989, which were presented as a late breaking abstract at the recent 30th Congress of the European Hematology Association (EHA). Additionally, Prof. Harrison comments on other targeted therapies being evaluated in MPNs. Finally, Alex Rampotas, MBBS, MRCP, University College London, London, UK, and Zoë Wong, BSc, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK, provide insight into the development and evaluation of a novel CAR T-cell therapy targeting mutCALR in myelofibrosis (MF).

Treating elderly or unfit patients with AML: current approach and future directions

This episode of the VJHemOnc podcast focuses on the treatment of elderly or unfit patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Featuring experts Farhad Ravandi, MD, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, Gail Roboz, MD, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York City, NY, Marina Konopleva, MD, PhD, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York City, NY, Joshua Zeidner, MD, UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chapel Hill, NC, Nelli Bejanyan, MD, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, Parastoo Dahi, MD, MS, Memorial Sloan Kettering, New York City, NY, and Andrius Žučenka, MD, Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos, Vilnius, Lithuania. They discuss the current standard of care in the frontline setting, considerations for transplant eligibility, and future approaches being explored, such as triplet combinations including targeted agents.

Key HemOnc updates from ASCO 2025: myeloma, lymphoma, MPNs, & more!

VJHemOnc recently attended the 2025 ASCO Annual Meeting in Chicago, IL, where we gained insights into the latest advancements in hematologic oncology. In this episode, leading experts Claudio Cerchione, MD, PhD, Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, Meldola, Italy, Andrew Kuykendall, MD, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, Manali Kamdar, MD, University of Colorado Cancer Center, Denver, CO, Constantine Tam, MBBS (Hons), MD, FRACP, FRCPA, Alfred Hospital and Monash University, Melbourne, Australia, and Naveen Pemmaraju, MD, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, share key updates across multiple disease areas. Topics include recent developments in multiple myeloma, myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), non-Hodgkin lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN).

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.