VJHemOnc Podcast

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.

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.