VJHemOnc Podcast

iwAL 2019: looking to the future of acute leukemia therapy

The treatment landscape of acute myeloid and lymphoblastic leukemia continues to evolve with the addition of novel therapies and methods to monitor disease. One such example is the use of measurable residual disease (MRD) status to plan treatment, determine disease prognosis, and compare treatment efficacy. In terms of novel treatments, CAR T-cell therapy has proven promising for treating acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and will continue to be a key focus of research in the near future. In this podcast, Alan Burnett, MD, PhD, of Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK; Andrew Wei, MBBS, PhD, FRACP, FRCPA, of Monash University, Victoria, Australia; and Mark Levis, MD, PhD, of Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baltimore, MD, discuss the future of acute leukemia therapy at the International Workshop on Acute Leukemias (iwAL) 2019 meeting held in Barcelona, Spain.

CAR T-cell therapy and precision medicine in non-Hodgkin lymphoma

Precision medicine provides an array of benefits for the treatment of non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients, but it also has its challenges. Here, John Gribben, MD, DSc, FRCP, FRCPath, FMed Sci, of Barts Cancer Institute, London, UK, chairs a discussion with world-class lymphoma experts: Anas Younes, MD, of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York City, NY, and Caron Jacobson, MD, from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, on key updates from the International Workshop on Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (iwNHL) 2018 meeting, held in Nice, France. The group explores the use of CAR T-cell therapy, considering the hurdles and benefits, and discusses the realm of precision medicine in this field.

MRD testing in multiple myeloma: new technology with promising clinical applications

Determining measurable residual disease (MRD) status is undoubtedly proving to be an effective method of prognostication and measurement of response to novel therapies, hence justifying the mass of attention MRD testing is receiving in multiple myeloma (MM). From the Myeloma 2018 meeting, held in San Diego, CA, Gareth Morgan, MD, PhD, FRCP, FRCPath, of the UAMS Myeloma Institute, Little Rock, AR, chairs an insightful discussion with Jens Lohr, MD, PhD, of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, Angela Dispenzieri, MD, of the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, and Ola Landgren, MD, PhD, of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, on the promising prospects of emerging, highly sensitive techniques for MRD testing. This podcast covers the enthralling discussion between the trio as they also tackle the question of how far away MRD testing is from prime time and routine clinical use in MM.

CAR T-cells in myeloma: exploratory targets, payment models & treatment sequence

CAR T-cell therapy presents the opportunity to completely revolutionize the treatment of multiple myeloma, with research currently exploring the optimal targets and efficacy of these new agents. In this podcast, recorded at the Myeloma 2018 meeting in San Diego, CA, David Siegel, MD, PhD, of the John Theurer Cancer Center, Hackensac, NJ, chairs a discussion with Andrew Spencer, MBBS, FRACP, FRCPA, DM, of Alfred Hospital, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia, and Ravi Vij, MD, MBA, of Washington University Medical School, St. Louis, MO. They discuss the current landscape of CAR T-cell therapy, including exploratory targets, the cost vs. value of this treatment, and consider the question of where CAR T-cells will be best placed in the treatment sequence.

Patient discussion at EHA 2018: CAR T-cells and MRD in CLL

CAR T-cells have demonstrated impressive efficacy in a variety of hematological malignancies, but their use in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is still relatively new. In this podcast, Deborah Sims, CLL patient and advocate, and Brian Koffman, MD, CLL patient, and founder and medical director of the CLL society, discuss their experiences with the disease, and Brian’s recent treatment with CAR T-cells. They speak about their respective treatment routes, CAR T-cell toxicity and efficacy, the use of measurable residual disease (MRD) as an indicator of treatment success, and the future of CLL treatment. This discussion took place at the 23rd Congress of the European Hematology Association (EHA) 2018.

CLL therapies today: novel agents, combinations & the future of the field

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is experiencing a revolution in its treatment approaches. New therapies are constantly in development, and the past few years have seen an influx of highly effective novel therapies. In this podcast, Jennifer Woyach from the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chris Fegan of Cardiff University, Anthony Mato from the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Michael Hallek from CECAD of Cologne, Peter Hillmen from Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust, and William Wierda of the MD Anderson Cancer Center, discuss the current treatment landscape, as well as what the future holds for CLL therapies.

This podcast explores current challenges in CLL treatment, including the use of CAR T-cells, the variety of novel therapies on the market, and the huge potential benefits of novel agent combinations. The interviews included were recorded at the British Society for Hematology (BSH) 2018 Annual Meeting, the American Society of Oncology (ASCO) 2018 Annual Meeting, and the 23rd Congress of the European Hematology Association (EHA) 2018.

CAR T-cell therapy: where are we now and what’s in store for the future?

Over the last several years, CAR T-cell therapy has emerged as a revolution in immunotherapy, with incredible results to date. In this podcast, we look at the results of recent trials, the challenges being faced with the use of this novel therapy and advancements that we will be seeing in the future. This podcast features Tanya Siddiqi of the City of Hope National Medical Center, Faith Davies of UAMS Myeloma Institute, Rose Ellard from King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Marion Subklewe of LMU Hospital Munich, Noelle Frey from the University of Pennsylvania, Stephen Robinson of University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, and Yi Lin from the Mayo Clinic.

The experts were speaking from the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2018, the American Society for Hematology (ASH) 2017, the 2018 European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) Annual Meeting, the British Society of Haematology (BSH) 2018 Annual Scientific Meeting and the European School of Hematology (ESH) Clinical Updates on Acute Leukemias 2018.

Focus on MRD: current landscape and future questions in hemonc

Measurable residual disease (MRD) has been a hot topic of interest due to its potential applications in the clinical setting. MRD measurement can help determine treatment efficacy, disease prognosis and guide disease management. In this podcast, Bijal Shah of the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute in Tampa, Richard Dillon from King’s College London, Todd Druley of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and Ola Landgren of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center explore the exciting realm of MRD.

The role of MRD as a prognostic factor, the novel technologies that can be used to detect MRD, the next steps in utilizing this measure and MRD measurement as a strategy for treatment-free survival are among the stimulating areas considered. This footage was recorded at the International Workshop on Acute Leukemias (iwAL) 2018, the British Society for Haematology (BSH) 2018 Annual Meeting, the American Society for Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition 2016 and 2017, and the European Hematology Association (EHA) Congress 2018.

Acute leukemias discussion: what does genomics and epigenomics tell us about patient management?

A stimulating session on the implications of genomic data for the management of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients was hosted at the 1st International Workshop on Acute Leukemias (iwAL 2018), held in St. Pete Beach, FL. Here, the session speakers discuss the intriguing presentations from the session. Mark Levis, MD, PhD, of the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baltimore, MD, is joined by Ari Melnick, MD, of Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, Klaus Metzeler, MD, of LMU-University Hospital Munich, Munich, Germany, and Torsten Haferlach, MD, of the MLL Munich Leukemia Laboratory, Munich, Germany. Firstly, the epigenome is discussed, with the fascinating topic of epigenetic alleles covered. The clinical implications of the genetic and molecular characterization of acute leukemia are then considered. The use of artificial intelligence in the analysis of the massive amounts of data that come from genetic and epigenetic sequencing is discussed by the experts. The intriguing nature of pre-leukemic clones, which are distinct from minimal residual disease, is also explored by the panel.

Acute leukemias: is MRD already a surrogate for survival?

The use of minimal residual disease (MRD) in the management of acute leukemias is a hotly debated topic. Despite the potential of MRD status as a prognostic marker and measure of disease, there are a number of controversies surrounding its use. These were discussed in a thought-provoking session at the 1st International Workshop on Acute Leukemias (iwAL), held in St. Pete Beach, FL. Chairing the discussion, Farhad Ravandi, MD, of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, is joined by Marion Subklewe, MD, of LMU-University Hospital Munich, Munich, Germany, and Adriano Venditti, MD, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy. Dr Subklewe covers the use of MRD in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), which is lagging behind that in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

A pioneer in the early use of flow cytometry for MRD measurement, Dr Venditti gives us his thoughts on the use of flow cytometry vs. other techniques for MRD assessment. The panel also discuss the preferred techniques for MRD measurement in the US and Europe in both AML and ALL. The possibility of combining flow cytometry and next-generation sequencing for MRD assessment is then explored by the experts, with strong points made for both techniques in terms of limitations and strengths. The group finally turn to the question of eradicating MRD; how useful is its measurement if we cannot combat what we discover? This podcast was recorded at the iwAL 2018.