VJHemOnc Podcast

MDS Session: Women in Science

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a heterogenous group of myeloid disorders characterized by the accumulation of dysplastic cells within the bone marrow, resulting in ineffective hematopoiesis and cytopenia. Around 30% of patients with MDS will progress to acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) currently represents the only curative option for MDS; however, novel strategies and therapies are under investigation, including personalized medicine approaches and immunotherapies.

In this VJSession, chaired by Amer Zeidan, MBBS, MHS, of the Yale University School of Medicine and Yale Cancer Center in New Haven, CT, Valeria Santini, MD, of the University of Florence in Italy and Eva Hellström-Lindberg of the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, discuss their experiences of breaking into the MDS field, share advice for women in science, and talk on the current state of the MDS space.

Key updates on CAR-T & cellular therapy for AML

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is the most common type of leukemia in adults and is highly heterogenous. AML is typically treated with chemotherapy and allogeneic stem cell transplantation, however not all patients are eligible or able to tolerate these regimens, and many patients will experience relapse. Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy has demonstrated promising results in the treatment of B-cell lymphomas and is now being explored in AML, alongside other cellular therapies.

In this podcast, Saar Gill of the Perelman School of Medicines, PA, Richard Aplenc of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, PA, Marion Subklewe of the LMU Hospital Munich in Germany, and Rizwan Romee of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, MA, discuss the latest data from clinical trials, comparing CAR-T therapy to other immunotherapeutic approaches, and outlining the potential role of CAR-NK cells in AML treatment.

The MDS Sessions: highlights from ASH 2020

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a heterogeneous group of myeloid disorders characterized by the accumulation of dysplastic cells within the bone marrow, resulting in ineffective hematopoiesis and cytopenia. Patients typically have a median survival of 0.8 to 8.8 years. Around 30% of patients with MDS will progress to acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) currently represents the only curative option for MDS; however, novel strategies and therapies are under investigation, including personalized medicine approaches and immunotherapies.

In 2020, the 62nd American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition (ASH 2020) was presented as an all-virtual event due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this, the quality of data and presentations remained exceptionally high and it was not an event to be missed.

In this roundtable discussion, Amer Zeidan, MBBS, MHS, Yale University School of Medicine and Yale Cancer Center in New Haven, CT, Uwe Platzbecker, MD, of the University of Leipzig in Leipzig, Germany, Andrew Brunner, MD, Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, MA, and Jacqueline Garcia, MD, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, MA, review the hottest topics in the treatment and management of MDS  presented at the ASH 2020 Virtual Meeting.

 

 

The Transplant Sessions: ASH 2020 highlights

The management of post-transplantation relapse and immune attack is an ongoing battle in patients undergoing bone marrow transplants. The efficacy and safety of therapy options for graft-versus-host disease is part of a larger conversation aimed at improving the outcomes of patients after transplantation. Ongoing research has seen interesting directions with the advent of antigen escape targeted therapies and combination of gamma-secretase inhibitors. Cellular therapy such as CAR-T is on the rise in this field with a collective aim for durability in response.

The 62^nd American Society of Hematology (ASH) 2020 Annual Meeting and Exposition (ASH 2020) was held virtually this year due to the COVID pandemic – but this did not affect the quality and quantity of data presented, where research was presented from around the globe for improved patient care.

In this roundtable discussion, leading experts Bruce Levine, PhD, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA and Christian Chabannon MD, PhD, Paoli-Calmettes Institute, Marseille, France, present the latest in the management of graft failure, graft-versus-host disease, post-transplant relapse and cellular therapies from the ASH 2020 virtual Annual Meeting and share how the new research and clinical updates can induce durability in patient management strategies in clinical practice.

 

The Lymphoma Sessions: ASH 2020 highlights

The treatment of aggressive lymphomas such as diffuse large B-cell has seen dramatic changes, and with the advent of bispecific monoclonal antibodies, there is hope for a wider demographic of patients.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 62nd American Society of Hematology (ASH) 2020 Annual Meeting and Exposition (ASH 2020) was held virtually – and it didn’t disappoint in the quality and breadth of data presented.

In this exclusive discussion leading experts Graham Collins, MA, MBBS, MRCP, FRCPath, DPhil, of Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK, and Wendy Osborne, MBBS (Hons), MRCP, FRCPath, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle, UK debate the latest in the treatment of lymphoma from the ASH 2020 virtual Annual Meeting and share how the new research and clinical updates can help improve patient management strategies in UK clinical practice.

Latest updates in Hodgkin lymphoma from ISHL HL 2021

The International Symposium on Hodgkin Lymphoma (ISHL) 2021 Hodgkin Lymphoma (HL) update gathered an international panel to discuss the most recent developments in HL, and provided a comprehensive update on current and emerging concepts. In this podcast, we spoke to Sven Borchmann, MD, of the University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany, Paul Jan Bröckelmann, MD of the University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany, and Alison Moskowitz, MD, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York City, NY, as they outline the latest thinking in HL, touching on the use of biomarkers in HL, first-line approaches as well as updates in relapsed/refractory disease.

The Myeloma Sessions: Post-ASH 2020 UK Discussion

The development of immunomodulatory agents and proteasome inhibitors alongside stem cell transplantation and chemotherapy has significantly improved the treatment options for patients with myeloma. Recently, B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) has emerged as a promising target for myeloma treatment due to its selective expression in malignant plasma cells. Current work in this area focuses on determining the optimal combination of therapies, treatment strategies to overcome relapse, and clinical trials to aid the development of novel BCMA-targeted treatment modalities.

VJHemOnc is joined by Rakesh Popat, MBBS, MRCP, FRCPath, PhD, of University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK, and Karthik Ramasamy, MD, MBBS, MRCP, FRCPath, PhD, of the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK, to discuss the latest research in myeloma presented at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) 2020 virtual annual meeting. These leading experts share their insights into emerging data on newly diagnosed myeloma, combination therapies in the relapsed setting, and novel BCMA-targeted myeloma therapies currently undergoing clinical trials such as CAR-T, BiTEs, and antibody-drug conjugates.

The Post-EBMT for Trainees VJSessions

The European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) Trainee Committee was established in 2021 to address the needs of trainees in the field of bone marrow transplant and cellular therapy and provide advice and support for trainees. The group, composed of trainees, young investigators, and students, wants to encourage trainees to establish themselves within the EBMT community to help build a collaborative working relationship with other EBMT Committees and other associations and groups.

In this podcast, Nico Gagelmann, MD, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany, Claire Horgan, Paediatric Haematology Trainee, UK, and Yasmina Serroukh, MD, PhD, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada, discuss the recent EBMT Trainee Committee, highlighting its goals and upcoming activities. Additionally, the speakers review the first ever special session, 'The EBMT for Trainees', that took place during the EBMT Annual Meeting 2021.

Post-ASH Amyloidosis Session from VJHemOnc

The most common form of amyloidosis, light-chain (AL) amyloidosis, results from abnormalities in plasma cells causing them to produce abnormal amyloid fibrils made up of immunoglobulin light chains. These insoluble fibrils deposit extracellularly and accumulate within organs such as the heart, kidneys, liver, spleen, nervous system, and digestive tract, disrupting their structure and impairing their function. Historically, successful treatments for amyloidosis have been anti-plasma cell chemotherapies that reduce the production of amyloidogenic light chains. More recently, monoclonal antibody treatments such as daratumumab, evaluated in the ANDROMEDA trial, have demonstrated efficacy against malignant plasma cells. Current investigations are also exploring the ability of monoclonal antibodies to target and eliminate amyloid from organs.

In this exclusive podcast, we are joined by Morie Gertz, MD, MACP, of the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, Vaishali Sanchorawala, MD, of the Boston University Medical Center, Ashutosh Wechalekar, MBBS, MD, FRPC, FRCPath, DM, of the National Amyloidosis Centre, London, UK, and Raymond Comenzo, MD, of the Tufts New England Medical Center, Boston, MA. These experts discuss highlights from this year’s virtual American Society of Hematology (ASH) meeting and exposition, such as results from the ANDROMEDA study, the use of monoclonal antibodies, and unmet needs in AL amyloidosis diagnosis and awareness.

The Post EBMT VJSessions from VJHemOnc

The 47^th Annual Meeting of the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) was held virtually this year and showcased the latest advances in the field of transplantation and cellular therapies.

VJHemOnc is joined by Christian Chabannon, MD, PhD, Institut Paoli Calmettes, Marseille, France, who chaired an insightful discussion on the main takeaways from the EBMT 2021 meeting, including trial updates in conditioning, novel approaches to managing graft-versus-host disease, the role of transplantation in rarer hematological malignancies and the latest news in immune effector cell therapies.

In this roundtable discussion, Prof. Chabannon is joined by Nico Gagelmann, MD, of the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany, Zinaida Perić, MD, PhD, of the University Hospital Centre Zagreb, School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia and Eolia Brissot, MD, of Saint-Antoine Hospital, Paris, France.