VJHemOnc Podcast

Post-EBMT Highlights in Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is the most common type of adult leukemia, with over 19,500 new cases estimated to be diagnosed per year in the US alone. According to the NIH, 27.4% of people diagnosed with AML will survive for five years or more. AML is typically treated with a combination of cytarabine and anthracycline-based chemotherapy regimens, and allogeneic stem cell transplantation, in eligible patients. However, many patients will relapse after transplantation and many elderly patients cannot withstand intensive chemotherapy regimens. Thus, there remain unmet needs in the treatment of AML. The identification of mutations such as FLT3-ITD, NMP1 and CEBPA has improved risk-stratification and treatment optimization. Novel post-transplant maintenance therapies, as well as new approaches to transplantation are showing promise in improving outcomes for patients with AML.

In this podcast, Guillermo Sanz of the University Hospital La Fe, Valencia, Spain, Nico Gagelmann of the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany, Mohamad Mohty of Saint-Antoine Hospital, Paris, France, and Farhad Ravandi, of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, share updates on their research in the field of AML which they presented at the 47th Annual Meeting of the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) 2021.

The CLL Sessions: highlights from ASH 2020

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), also known as B-cell CLL (B-CLL) is the most common leukemia in Europe and North America. CLL progresses slowly and is generally incurable, with the majority of patients showing relapse and having short remissions. Over the past decade, there has been a dramatic increase in our understanding of the pathogenesis of CLL, which has led to the development of small molecule inhibitors and multiple molecular inhibitors treating CLL which target the B-cell receptor pathway and BCL2. Smaller studies of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies have also shown promising results, although longer-term follow-up and larger trials are required.

Although the 62nd American Society of Hematology (ASH) 2020 Annual Meeting and Exposition (ASH 2020) was held virtually, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the quality and reach of presentations remained truly spectacular.

In this roundtable discussion, John Gribben, MD, DSc, FRCP, FRCPath, FMedSci, Barts Cancer Institute, London, UK, Alessandra Tedeschi, MD, Niguarda Cancer Center, Milan, Italy, Meghan Thompson, MD, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, and Matthew Davids, MD, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, debate the key updates in the field of CLL presented at ASH 2020.

The Lymphoma Sessions: highlights from ASH 2020

Lymphoma is a collection of cancers which develop in the lymphatic system and

affect the lymphocytes. The risk factors for lymphoma are not yet well-

characterized and treatment depends on the type of lymphoma, it’s location and

stage. Recent developments in the treatment of lymphoma include research into

novel chemotherapy regimens, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies,

antibody-drug conjugates and checkpoint inhibitors, with some therapies already

approved and many being tested in clinical trials.

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, however this did not detract from the excellence and quality of data

and research presented.

In this roundtable discussion, Stephen Ansell, MD, PhD, Mayo Clinic, Rochester,

MI, and Graham Collins, MA, MBBS, MRCP, FRCPath, DPhil, of Oxford University

Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK, discuss the hottest topics in the

treatment of lymphoma presented at ASH 2020.

The MDS Sessions: Giants in MDS

The diagnosis and treatment of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) has moved on dramatically in the few three decades. From across the globe, pioneers in the recognition and understanding of MDS pulled together to collaborate and push forward this research laying the foundations of where we are today.

VJHemOnc were delighted to catch up with four of these pioneers to discuss their research – taking us from inception to future outlooks. Chaired by Amer Zeidan, MBBS, MHS, Yale University School of Medicine and Yale Cancer Center, New Haven, CT, this roundtable discussion included a prestigious panel in the world of MDS - Ghulam Mufti, OBE, DM, FRCP, FRCPath, King's College London, London, Peter Greenberg, MD, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, CA, Mario Cazzola, MD, University of Pavia, Italy and John M. Bennett, MD, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY.

Latest therapies in AML: IMGN632, magrolimab & gilteritinib

The armamentarium of therapeutic modalities in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has taken several strides in the last few years as a result of a greater understanding of the genomic landscape disease as well as how resistance to conventional therapies can develop.

At the virtual 62nd American Society of Hematology 2020 Annual Meeting and Exposition (ASH 2020), we spoke with key opinion leaders in AML who shared the novel classes of drugs currently investigated in this disease area, which provide the field new opportunities for effective combination strategies.  

In this podcast, Marina Konopleva, of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, David Sallman, of Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, and Naval Daver, of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discuss some of the latest updates in AML presented at this year’s virtual American Society of Hematology (ASH) meeting.

VJSession: EBMT/EHA CAR-T Nursing Session

The 3^rd European CAR T-cell Meeting, organized by the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT), and the European Haematology Association (EHA), and shed light on the current and future indications of CAR T-cell therapies in hematological oncology. The nursing program highlighted key questions in the management of patients treated with cellular therapies including communication within multidisciplinary teams, the use of immune effector cells in solid tumors, the importance of treatment settings as well as survivorship considerations following CAR T-cell therapy.

In this roundtable discussion, Erik Aerts of the Hematology Nurses and Healthcare Professionals Group, Winterthur, Switzerland, leads an exciting discussion on key learnings and takeaways from the 3^rd European CAR T-cell Meeting, and is joined by John Murray, of the Christie Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK, Michelle Kenyon, of King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK, and Rose Ellard, of the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.

The Myeloma Sessions: key updates from ASH 2020

Over the last decades, a deeper understanding of multiple myeloma's complex pathobiology has transformed the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment paradigm, resulting in significant improvements in patient outcomes. Despite advances in treatment and outcomes, multiple myeloma is still considered an incurable disease. The management of newly diagnosed transplant-eligible patients and treatment approaches for relapsed/refractory myeloma remain hotly debated topics among the experts. The development of targeted and immune agents represents an important therapeutic strategy that can potentially translate into myeloma's eventual cure.

In this exclusive podcast, María-Victoria Mateos, MD, PhD, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain, Thomas Martin, MD, UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, San Francisco, CA, and Nina Shah, MD, University of California-San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, discuss the critical data presented at the ASH 2020 virtual Annual Meeting and how they might influence the treatment paradigm in myeloma.

The MPN Sessions: Rapidly advancing genomic discoveries and treatment strategies in MPNs

Mechanistically, myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), comprising primary myelofibrosis (MF), polycythemia vera (PV) and essential thrombocythemia (ET), were a mystery for many decades. The breakthrough discovery of near-universal upregulation of the JAK-STAT signaling pathway as the driving force in MPNs triggered a wave of research that has drastically improved our understanding, and consequently broadened treatment options. Developing targeted therapies, particularly in settings of unmet need such as early-stage disease and second-line options, is an extensive area of investigation, with many novel classes in trials.

The annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) consistently highlights biological and clinical updates in the MPNs field. The virtual 2020 ASH meeting was no exception, with emphases on significant genomic advances and emerging therapies.

In this latest exclusive, MPNs Session, we welcome Ruben Mesa, MD, UT Health San Antonio MD Anderson Cancer Center, San Antonio, TX; Claire Harrison, MD, FRCP, FRCPath, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK; Srdan Verstovsek, MD, PhD, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX; and Naveen Pemmaraju, MD, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX. Our leading experts debate key updates in the treatment and management of MPNs following the ASH 2020 virtual meeting. In particular, they explore clonal evolution discoveries, as well as promising therapeutic strategies for PV, MF, ET and rarer MPNs.

Updates for the management of MDS from ASH 2020

During the 62nd American Society of Hematology (ASH) 2020 Annual Meeting and Exposition, several abstracts provided important updates for the management of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), including clinical trial data for emerging therapeutic options for MDS.

In this podcast, we hear from three leading experts in MDS, who discuss the key updates presented at this year’s virtual ASH Annual Meeting. Uwe Platzbecker, MD, University Hospital Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany, shares the results from the ongoing Phase II IMerge trial of imetelstat for transfusion-dependent patients with lower-risk MDS. We are also joined by Jacqueline Garcia, MD, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, who discusses the results of a Phase Ib study evaluating venetoclax in combination with azacitidine for patients with higher-risk MDS requiring treatment and not immediately undergoing transplantation at the time the study started. Additionally, Daniel DeAngelo, MD, PhD, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, outlines the results of a Phase I trial investigating whether decitabine, a hypomethylating agent, increased the efficacy of CTLA-4 blockade with ipilimumab in patients with relapsed/refractory MDS or acute myeloid leukemia with or without prior allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation.

The AML Sessions: highlights from ASH 2020

Improved understanding around the pathophysiology and heterogeneity of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has led to a rapidly evolving treatment paradigm for this disease. New therapies and drug approvals have improved outcomes for patients, and in those not eligible for standard induction chemotherapy followed by transplantation, lower-intensity therapies have allowed patients to achieve disease control.

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 roundtable discussion, Naval Daver, MD, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, David Sallman, MD, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, Eunice Wang, MD, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, and Amir Fathi, MD, MPH, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, MA discuss and debate the key updates in the management of patients with AML presented ASH 2020.