VJHemOnc Podcast

Updates in the treatment of CLL from EHA 2024: BTK and BCL2 inhibitor combinations, BTK degraders, and more

In today's VJHemOnc podcast, we will be sharing key updates in the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and Richter’s transformation (RT) from the 29th Congress of the European Hematology Association (EHA) in Madrid, Spain.

 

You will hear from experts Toby Eyre, MBChB (Hons), DipMedEd, MRCP (UK), FRCPath (UK), MD, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK, and Lydia Scarfò, MD, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University & IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy, who will discuss combinations of BTK and BCL2 inhibitors, the efficacy of BTK degraders in CLL, and the role of epcoritamab in the treatment of RT. 

Highlights from ISA 2024: the importance of early diagnosis in AL amyloidosis, trials in progress & patient selection for SCT

Welcome to today's VJHemOnc podcast episode, where we will be sharing key highlights from the 2024 International Symposium on Amyloidosis (ISA), which was held in Rochester, MN. This podcast covers a variety of unmet needs in light chain (AL) amyloidosis, as well as emerging trials in the field.

Join leading experts Mario Nuvolone, MD, PhD, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy, Vaishali Sanchorawala, MD, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, Patrick Hagen, MD, Loyola University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, and Efstathios Kastritis, MD, University of Athens School of Medicine, Athens, Greece, as they discuss the critical importance of early diagnosis in AL amyloidosis, exciting clinical trials in progress, patient selection for stem cell transplantation (SCT), and more.

Treating LR-MDS beyond ESA failure: currently approved agents, novel approaches & future outlooks

While there have been advances in the treatment of lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (LR-MDS) in recent years, one major challenge that remains is the treatment of patients following the failure of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs).

In this podcast, experts Amer Zeidan, MBBS, Yale Cancer Center, New Haven, CT, Valeria Santini, MD, University of Florence, Florence, Italy, and Courtney DiNardo, MD, MSCE, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, delve into the historical context of treatment developments, sharing insights on the emergence of novel agents like luspatercept and imetelstat. They explore the current paradigm for managing LR-MDS, including the strategic use of hypomethylating agents (HMAs) and other innovative therapies. The experts also touch on the future of clinical trials and the importance of early intervention in improving quality of life (QoL) and survival for patients.

BPDCN treatment and management: CD123-targeting agents, CNS involvement & approaching pediatric/AYA patients

Blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN) is an aggressive hematologic malignancy originating from plasmacytoid dendritic cells, characterized by skin lesions and frequent involvement of bone marrow and lymphoid tissues. Patients have a poor prognosis, making early diagnosis and advanced treatments, including targeted therapies, crucial for improving outcomes.

In this podcast, Naveen Pemmaraju, MD, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, Marina Konopleva, MD, PhD, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York City, NY, and Emanuele Angelucci, MD, Armando Businco Oncology Hospital, Sardegna, Italy, discuss the treatment and monitoring of BPDCN. They highlight the role of CD123-targeting agents, including tagraxofusp, the involvement of the central nervous system (CNS), and share strategies for treating adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with this aggressive disease.

The future of CAR-T therapy in lymphoma, addressing the risk of secondary malignancy & the optimal sequencing of these agents with bispecific antibodies

Immunotherapeutic approaches, including CAR T-cells and bispecific antibodies, have become well-established in later lines of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) treatment. CAR T-cells are engineered to target specific antigens expressed on lymphoma cells, and bispecific antibodies simultaneously bind to both tumor cells and immune cells, enhancing the immune response against NHL.

This podcast features experts Anna Sureda, MD, PhD, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Duran I Reynals Hospital, Barcelona, Spain, who discusses the future of CAR-T therapy and the risk of secondary malignancies, and Manali Kamdar, MD, University of Colorado Cancer Center, Denver, CO, who gives an overview of the currently approved CAR-T products and bispecific antibodies in large B-cell lymphoma, and the optimal sequencing of these agents. 

 

iwMyeloma 2024 Session I: approaching bone disease, clinical trial updates & the value of MRD as an endpoint in trials

The 17th International Workshop on Multiple Myeloma (iwMyeloma 2024) was held recently in Miami, FL, and brought together experts from around the world to discuss the latest updates, challenges, and research in the field.

In this episode, Ola Landgren, MD, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, Miami, FL, Suzanne Lentzsch, MD, PhD, Columbia University, New York, NY, Thomas Martin, MD, UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, San Francisco, CA, and Suzanne Trudel, MSc, MD, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Canada, discuss the use of various agents in myeloma, including the suitability of bisphosphonates to treat bone disease, and updates with the use of isatuximab and belantamab mafodotin. The experts also share their thoughts on the benefits of using measurable residual disease (MRD) as a surrogate endpoint in clinical trials.

Managing anemia in MF, key emerging trials in the UK, and approaching young patients with MPNs

Myelofibrosis (MF) is a hematologic malignancy that causes progressive bone marrow fibrosis and presents with other clinical manifestations, including anemia and splenomegaly. MF-related anemia can be challenging to manage, and strategies are being explored to improve outcomes for patients.

Today's VJHemOnc podcast features experts Mary Frances McMullin, MD, Queen’s University, Belfast, UK, who discusses strategies to manage anemia in MF, and Claire Harrison, MD, FRCP, FRCPath, Guy’s & St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK, who gives a comprehensive overview of promising MPN clinical trials in the UK, and further discusses how to approach young patients with MPNs.

Highlights from EBMT 2024: treating & managing GvHD & understanding the role of the gut microbiome

Graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) is a common complication following allogeneic stem cell transplantation (alloSCT), which is typically classified as acute or chronic. In this week's VJHemOnc podcast, we'll be sharing key highlights from the 50th Annual Meeting of the EBMT, drawing focus on the biology and treatment of GvHD.

Tune in as experts Mohamad Mohty, MD, PhD, Saint-Antoine Hospital, Paris, France, Ernst Holler, MD, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany, and Florent Malard, MD, PhD, Saint-Antoine Hospital and Sorbonne University, Paris, France, provide insights into current and emerging treatment approaches for acute and chronic GvHD, discussing the advent of new therapies. Following this, you'll learn about the importance of the gut microbiome in the severity of GvHD and how this can be manipulated to improve patient outcomes.

The importance of cardio-oncology: awareness around the ESC 2022 guidelines & the value of building MDTs

In recent years, there has been great emphasis placed on the importance of cardio-oncology, with both cardiologists and hematologists highlighting the value of collaboration between specialists when treating patients with hematological malignancies. Furthermore, the 2022 European Society of Cardiology (ESC) cardio-oncology guidelines aim to help healthcare professionals with the treatment and management of cancer therapy-related cardiovascular toxicities (CTR-CVT).

In this podcast, Daniel Lenihan, MD, FACC, Saint Francis Healthcare System, Cape Girardeau, MO, Raul Cordoba, MD, PhD, University Hospital Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Madrid, Spain, and Iskra Pusic, MD, MSCI, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, unravel the critical relevance of cardio-oncology, stressing the significance of multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) and the application of the ESC 2022 guidelines. Discussing their experiences from different healthcare institutions across the globe, the experts underscore the importance of cooperation between cardiologists and hematologists as they navigate difficult medical decisions for patients with specific complications.

Exploring the possibility of early interception in smoldering myeloma: novel agents, challenges & advances in risk stratification

Smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM) and monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) are two well-known precursor conditions to multiple myeloma, and the possibility of early interception is a growing area of interest in the field.

In this week's podcast, you will hear from Shaji Kumar, MD, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, Elena Zamagni, MD, PhD, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy, and Bruno Paiva, PhD, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain, who discuss novel technologies being explored to risk stratify individuals with SMM and MGUS. Following this, Irene Ghobrial, MD, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, Kwee Yong, PhD, FRCP, FRCPath, University College London, London, UK, and Omar Nadeem, MD, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, discuss the possibility of early interception in SMM, highlighting ongoing trials in the field. This episode is part of our podcast series from the 2024 Intercepting Blood Cancers (IBC) Workshop, which was held in Lisbon, Portugal.