Author: Editor

David Peereboom, M.D., Cleveland Clinic Discusses The Future Of Treating Glioblastoma. At ESMO Oncology Conference – Munich, Germany On October 19, 2018.

Dra. Cristina Gutierrez talks about selecting the best doctor and communicating with the physician in treating prostate cancer

SpaceOAR gel and other preventive protocols to minimize side effects for radiation therapy for prostate cancer as detailed by Dra. Cristina Gutierrez

The benefits of hormonal therapy in conjunction with radiation treatment as discussed by Dra. Cristina Gutierrez

Dr. Cristina Gutierrez discusses treatment option decisions for prostate cancer

Pascal Besman Chief Operating Officer at PharmaMar discusses Emerging New Agents In SCLC. At ESMO Oncology Conference – Munich, Germany On October 19, 2018.

Hope Rugo, M.D., University Of California San Francisco discusses EMBRACA Trial, Sensoring Process, QOL. At ESMO Oncology Conference – Munich, Germany On October 19, 2018.

Hope Rugo, M.D., University Of California San Francisco discusses Talazoparib First Line Treatment. At ESMO Oncology Conference – Munich, Germany On October 19, 2018.

Hope Rugo, M.D., University Of California San Francisco discusses IMpassion130, Solar-1 Trial Data. At ESMO Oncology Conference – Munich, Germany On October 19, 2018.

Hope Rugo, M.D., University Of California San Francisco discusses EMBRACA Trial, FDA Approval Of Talazoparib. At ESMO Oncology Conference – Munich, Germany On October 19, 2018.

Hope Rugo, M.D., University Of California San Francisco discusses Data On Neoadjuvant Talazoparib. At ESMO Oncology Conference – Munich, Germany On October 19, 2018.

Josep Piulats, M.D., PhD, Catalan Cancer Institute discusses TRITON3 Randomized Study. At ESMO Oncology Conference – Munich, Germany On October 19, 2018.

Josep Piulats, M.D., PhD, Catalan Cancer Institute discusses TRITON2 Trial, Rucaparib PARP Inhibitor Data. At ESMO Oncology Conference – Munich, Germany On October 19, 2018.

Josep Piulats, M.D., PhD, Catalan Cancer Institute discusses TRITON2 Trial Results. At ESMO Oncology Conference – Munich, Germany On October 19, 2018.

David Peereboom, M.D., Cleveland Clinic Discusses SL-701 Availability. At ESMO Oncology Conference – Munich, Germany On October 19, 2018.

David Peereboom, M.D., Cleveland Clinic Discusses New Plans With SL-701 Drug. At ESMO Oncology Conference – Munich, Germany On October 19, 2018.

David Peereboom, M.D., Cleveland Clinic Discusses How SL-701 Was Generated. At ESMO Oncology Conference – Munich, Germany On October 19, 2018.

Pascal Besman Chief Operating Officer at PharmaMar discusses Whats On Deck For Lurbinectedin. At ESMO Oncology Conference – Munich, Germany On October 19, 2018.

Pascal Besman Chief Operating Officer at PharmaMar discusses Upcoming SCLC Data. At ESMO Oncology Conference – Munich, Germany On October 19, 2018.

Pascal Besman Chief Operating Officer at PharmaMar discusses Progress In SCLC Vs. NSCLC. At ESMO Oncology Conference – Munich, Germany On October 19, 2018.

Pascal Besman Chief Operating Officer at PharmaMar discusses Lurbinectedin Data Presented This Year. At ESMO Oncology Conference – Munich, Germany On October 19, 2018.

Pascal Besman Chief Operating Officer at PharmaMar discusses IO Likely In 1st Line SCLC. At ESMO Oncology Conference – Munich, Germany On October 19, 2018.

Pascal Besman Chief Operating Officer at PharmaMar discusses Current Standard Of Care In SCLC. At ESMO Oncology Conference – Munich, Germany On October 19, 2018.

Byoung Chul Cho, M.D., Yonsei Cancer Center discusses Efficacy & Safety Of M7824. At ESMO Oncology Conference – Munich, Germany On October 19, 2018.

Byoung Chul Cho, M.D., Yonsei Cancer Center discusses NSCLC With M7824 Second Line Therapy. At ESMO Oncology Conference – Munich, Germany On October 19, 2018.

Byoung Chul Cho, M.D., Yonsei Cancer Center discusses What To Expect In NSCLC & HN Cancer For 2019. At ESMO Oncology Conference – Munich, Germany On October 19, 2018.

Michael Davidson, M.D., Royal Marsden Hospital, discusses Gastric & Esophageal Cancer: Treating Female Patients. At ESMO Oncology Conference – Munich, Germany On October 19, 2018.

Michael Davidson, M.D., Royal Marsden Hospital, discusses Gender Differences: Gastric & Esophageal Cancer Treatment. At ESMO Oncology Conference – Munich, Germany On October 19, 2018.

Scott Fields, SVP Head Pharmaceutical Development Oncology at Bayer Pharmaceuticals discusses Larotrectinib, Xofigo, Copanlisib, & Regorafenib Research. At ESMO Oncology Conference – Munich, Germany On October 19, 2018.

Scott Fields, SVP Head Pharmaceutical Development Oncology at Bayer Pharmaceuticals discusses Treatment With Xofigo, Abiraterone, & Copanlisib. At ESMO Oncology Conference – Munich, Germany On October 19, 2018.

Thomas Helleday, Phd, Helleday Laboratory, Discusses Using Mutational Signatures To Tailor New Treatments. At ESMO Oncology Conference – Munich, Germany On October 19, 2018.

Dr. Jeffrey Bradley, Radiation Oncologist at Washington University in St. Louis, provides trial evidence showing that patients may not benefit from high dose chest radiation therapy vs. standard dose therapy.

Dr. Jeffrey Bradley, Radiation Oncologist at Washington University in St. Louis, defines the V20 standard for lung radiation and outlines the advantages of limiting dose and field size in lung radiation therapy.

Dr. Mark Socinski, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, describes the different types of stage III (locally advanced) NSCLC, and states which of these types tend to be resectable.

David Peereboom, MD, Cleveland Clinic Discusses SL-701 Phase Two Trial Study Results. At ESMO Oncology Conference – Munich, Germany On October 19, 2018.

Diana Roettger, PhD, Head of Scientific and Medical Affairs and Imaging Clinical Research Expert at IAG Discusses Radiological Phenotyping For Glioma Study Outcomes. At ESMO Oncology Conference – Munich, Germany On October 19, 2018. www.ia-grp.com

Diana Roettger, PhD, Head of Scientific and Medical Affairs and Imaging Clinical Research Expert at IAG Discusses Next Steps In Image Analysis Research. At ESMO Oncology Conference – Munich, Germany On October 19, 2018. www.ia-grp.com

Diana Roettger, PhD, Head of Scientific and Medical Affairs and Imaging Clinical Research Expert at IAG Discusses Machine Learning & AI Contributions To Research. At ESMO Oncology Conference – Munich, Germany On October 19, 2018. www.ia-grp.com

Diana Roettger, PhD, Head of Scientific and Medical Affairs and Imaging Clinical Research Expert at IAG Discusses Advanced Imaging & AI In Clinical Trials. At ESMO Oncology Conference – Munich, Germany On October 19, 2018. www.ia-grp.com

Robert Motzer MD, board-certified medical oncologist of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses Progress In Advanced Kidney Cancer Treatment At ESMO Oncology Conference – Munich, Germany On October 19, 2018

Pascal Besman Chief Operating Officer at PharmaMar Discusses Differences Between NSCLC & SCLC. At ESMO Oncology Conference – Munich, Germany On October 19, 2018

Dr. Mark Socinski, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, defines the three compartments in stage III (locally advanced) NSCLC, each of which must be treated.

Dr. Mark Socinski, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, describes the primary treatment options for stage IIIA NSCLC, including chemoradiation and surgery, and discusses trial evidence for each approach.

Dr. Mark Socinski, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, compares the use of chemotherapy to chemo/radiation in the preoperative setting in stage IIIA lung cancer.

Ricky Newton, CPA Director of Financial Services & Operations for Community Oncology Alliance describes the COAnalyzer Tool.

Philippe E. Spiess, M.D., MS, FRCS(C), FACS Senior Member, Department of GU Oncology Senior Member, Department of Tumor Biology Assistant Chief of Surgery Moffitt Cancer Center Professor of Urology, University of South Florida Discusses When Kidney Cancer Spreads Whats Next? At Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL on September 22, 2018.

Philippe E. Spiess, M.D., MS, FRCS(C), FACS Senior Member, Department of GU Oncology Senior Member, Department of Tumor Biology Assistant Chief of Surgery Moffitt Cancer Center Professor of Urology, University of South Florida Discusses Imaging Modalities In Kidney Cancer. At Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL on September 22, 2018.

Philippe E. Spiess, M.D., MS, FRCS(C), FACS Senior Member, Department of GU Oncology Senior Member, Department of Tumor Biology Assistant Chief of Surgery Moffitt Cancer Center Professor of Urology, University of South Florida Discusses Challenges In Kidney Cancer. At Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL on September 22, 2018.

Amishi Y. Shah, MD Assistant Professor Genitourinary Medical Oncology MD Anderson Cancer Center Discusses Integrative Medicine & Herbal Supplements. At Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL on September 22, 2018.

Amishi Y. Shah, MD Assistant Professor Genitourinary Medical Oncology MD Anderson Cancer Center Discusses Immunotherapy Moving To Frontline. At Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL on September 22, 2018.

Amishi Y. Shah, MD Assistant Professor Genitourinary Medical Oncology MD Anderson Cancer Center Discusses Gut Microbiome Upcoming Research. At Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL on September 22, 2018.

Dr. Mark Socinski, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, discusses the factors to consider in defining resectability in stage IIIa lung cancer.

Dr. Mark Socinski, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, discusses the benefits of giving two additional cycles of chemotherapy in combination with radiotherapy for stage III NSCLC.

Dr. Nathan Pennell, Cleveland Clinic, reviews the available trial evidence for the use of targeted therapies in the post-operative/adjuvant setting.

Dr. Nathan Pennell, Cleveland Clinic, describes other options for treatment of acquired resistance, including chemotherapy, ablation with SBRT and a combination of Gilotrif and Erbitux.

Charles Craddock, CBE, FRCP(UK), FRCPath, DPhil, of the University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK, talks about the collective organizational efforts to improve stem cell transplant therapies for the treatment of hematological cancers through a trials acceleration model. Prof. Craddock outlines prospective trials, including a randomized donor leukocyte infusion (DLI) trial in patients who have undergone transplant, allogeneic/ autologous stem cell transplant trials, and trials looking into optimizing supportive patient care. This interview was recorded at the British Oncology Pharmacy Association (BOPA) Annual Symposium 2018, held in Birmingham, UK. Content on www.vjoncology.com from BOPA 2018 is supported by Napp Pharmaceuticals Ltd

In this video, Dharmisha Chauhan, MPharm, of the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK, discusses the aims of her pharmacist and nurse-led clinic for patients with melanoma that are receiving immunotherapy. At the British Oncology Pharmacy Association (BOPA) Annual Symposium 2018, held in Birmingham, UK, Ms Chauhan highlights the importance for pharmacists to increase their skill set, in order to create a culture of advanced pharmacy practitioners in the future, and describes her experiences and roles that she plays within the clinic, to showcase the many opportunities for pharmacists.

Healthcare technologies and apps are important in supporting patients in their care, and can greatly benefit them in their treatment journey. Jonathan Moshinsky, from uMotif, London, UK, describes the advantages for both patients and healthcare professionals in using patient experience and symptoms trackers. Data collected from these activities can also act as useful resources in clinical research. This interview was recorded at the British Oncology Pharmacy Association (BOPA) Annual Symposium 2018, held in Birmingham, UK. Content on www.vjoncology.com from BOPA 2018 is supported by Napp Pharmaceuticals Ltd

Kelly Baillie, of the NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde, Glasgow, UK, presents the key findings from the Cancer Medicines Outcome Programme, a collaboration between NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and the University of Strathclyde with the aim of investigating whether medicines are as effective in real world populations, as they are in clinical trials. Looking specifically at men who received abiraterone and enzalutamide for the treatment of metastatic, castration-resistant prostate cancer, this initiative used electronic record linkage to combine the chemotherapy prescribing system with other useful patient information. At the British Oncology Pharmacy Association (BOPA) Annual Symposium 2018, held in…

At the 2018 British Oncology Pharmacy Association (BOPA) Annual Symposium, Simon Cheesman, MRPharmS, of University College London, London, UK, presented the experiences at University College Hospital London of making the switch to biosimilar rituximab for the treatment of selected patients receiving treatment for follicular lymphoma. One year on, we are joined by Mr Cheesman at the 2018 BOPA Annual Symposium in Birmingham, UK, to hear how this switch has impacted patients responses and treatment costs over the past 12 months. Content on www.vjoncology.com and www.vjhemonc.com from BOPA 2018 is supported by Napp Pharmaceuticals Ltd

From the British Oncology Pharmacy Association (BOPA) Annual Symposium 2018, held in Birmingham, UK, Simon Cheesman, MRPharmS, from University College London, London, UK, describes the key outcomes from the Phase III trial (NCT01696084) looking at CPX-351, a liposomal formulation of daunorubicin and cytarabine (DA), in a patient group aged between 60-75 years old. Compared with conventional DA chemotherapy, CPX-351 showed superior efficacy in terms of overall survival, with a comparable toxicity profile. Mr Cheeseman emphasizes the fact that dose administration is simpler and more convenient for both HCPs and patients. Content on www.vjoncology.com and www.vjhemonc.com from BOPA 2018 is supported…

Oncology Pharmacists play an important role in the treatment and management of patients, but how visible are they to their patients? When Oncology Pharmacist, Shereen Nabhani-Gebara, PharmD, BCOP, from Kingston University, London, UK, found herself on the other side of the table, it became clear to her that while patients and their carers receive an overwhelming amount of information regarding treatments, they have limited interaction with Oncology Pharmacists. Following this experience, Dr Nabhani-Gebara developed two surveys, one for parents of children receiving cancer treatment, and the other for Oncology Pharmacists, in order to learn more about this relationship. Content on…

Managing side effects can be an overwhelming experience for oncology patients, they may be unsure of the severity of their symptoms and could be reluctant to contact their healthcare team. Shereen Nabhani-Gebara, PharmD, BCOP, from Kingston University, London, UK, and her team have developed an app which aims to target this issue. Using this app, patients can look up their symptoms and receive useful information on how to management their symptom and, where necessary, are advised to seek medical attention. Dr Nabhani-Gebara tells us about the positive effect using this app has had on the breast cancer patients so far…

More than half of patients that undergo cancer treatment are estimated to have had at least one potential drug-drug interaction. Here, Jasmine Martin, MSc, of the University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK, talks about the purpose of the Cancer Drug Interactions website as a tool to assist healthcare professionals in treating patients, while ensuring significant interactions are avoided. Speaking at the British Oncology Pharmacy Association (BOPA) Annual Symposium 2018, held in Birmingham, UK, Ms Martin outlines the importance of smart apps in the healthcare setting. Content on www.vjoncology.com from BOPA 2018 is supported by Napp Pharmaceuticals Ltd

The increased use of targeted therapies in oncology has introduced a range of new side effects. Emma Foreman, BPharma (Hons) of The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK, discusses how these side effects, for example cardiological, neurological or rheumatoid side effects, have introduced the need for Oncology Pharmacists to become more knowledgeable on other specialities. Ms Foreman thinks that there is a role for groups like the British Oncology Pharmacy Association (BOPA) to produce training and educational materials to help Oncology Pharmacists bridge these knowledge gaps. This interview was recorded at BOPA Annual Symposium 2018, held in Birmingham, UK.…

A specialist workshop on non-medical prescribing was hosted at the British Oncology Pharmacy Association (BOPA) Annual Symposium 2018, Birmingham, UK. The aim of this session was to encourage open discussion around the issues and challenges faced by Oncology Pharmacists. Emma Foreman, BPharma (Hons), from the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK, shares insights from the workshop which were of help to those new to non-medical prescribing. These included finding your area of expertise, what to consider when setting up a practise and working within a multidisciplinary team. Ms Foreman also highlights the importance of networking, especially through organisations like…

The British Oncology Pharmacy Association (BOPA) has a number of exciting educational initiatives in the pipeline for 2019. BOPA committee member, Bryn Thomas, MPharm, from The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK, tells us about the ongoing work at BOPA and their plans to organise for more networking events in the future to encourage engagement within the Oncology Pharmacist community. This video was recorded at the BOPA Annual Symposium 2018, held in Birmingham, UK. Content on www.vjoncology.com from BOPA 2018 is supported by Napp Pharmaceuticals Ltd

Advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) are a novel class of medicines offering treatment options for diseases that currently lack effective therapies. Here, Anne Black, BPharm, of the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle, UK, talks about three types of ATMPs, including gene therapy, somatic cell and tissue-engineered medicinal products. This interview was recorded at the British Oncology Pharmacy Association (BOPA) Annual Symposium 2018, held in Birmingham, UK. Content on www.vjoncology.com from BOPA 2018 is supported by Napp Pharmaceuticals Ltd

Catherine Oakley, PhD, of Guy’s and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK, highlights the benefits of the nurse and pharmacy-led clinics currently being run at Guys Cancer Centre. Ms Oakley explains how the clinics are a great model for collaboration between oncology nurses and pharmacists, as nurses ensure patients receive better psychological and emotional support, while pharmacists ensure toxicity is closely managed. This interview was recorded at the British Oncology Pharmacy Association (BOPA) Annual Symposium 2018, held in Birmingham, UK. Content on www.vjoncology.com from BOPA 2018 is supported by Napp Pharmaceuticals Ltd.

One of the topics discussed at the British Oncology Pharmacy Association (BOPA) Annual Symposium 2018, held in Birmingham, UK, was the question of what should a good, or even outstanding, clinical pharmacy service look like and how can this be achieved. Calum Polwart, MRPharmS, SPres, IPres, MSc, from the County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust, Darlington, UK, shares insights from this open discussion which saw the audience share their opinions and experiences. What resources and structures are needed in place to make these higher standards of practice achievable were addressed and, promisingly, by the end of this session 17…

Non-medical prescribing is one of the important tasks undertaken by Oncology Pharmacists. Bryn Thomas, MPharm, from The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK, shares insights from the non-medical prescribing workshop which took place during the British Oncology Pharmacy Association (BOPA) Annual Symposium 2018, held in Birmingham, UK. Mr Thomas discusses ways in which to ensure that non-prescribing is carried out efficiently and the role of the Pharmacist in its management. Content on www.vjoncology.com from BOPA 2018 is supported by Napp Pharmaceuticals Ltd

While artificial intelligence (AI) has revolutionized healthcare by minimizing the element of human error, thus improving efficiency, limitations do still exist. In this video, Bruce Burnett, MMedSci, of the University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK, discusses the limitations of utilizing AI programs for prescription screening. This interview was recorded at the British Oncology Pharmacy Association (BOPA) Annual Symposium 2018, held in Birmingham, UK. Content on www.vjoncology.com from BOPA 2018 is supported by Napp Pharmaceuticals Ltd

As chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies are patient-specific, this novel treatment type poses unique challenges. From the British Oncology Pharmacy Association (BOPA) Annual Symposium 2018, held in Birmingham, UK, Anne Black, BPharm, of the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle, UK, outlines the importance of the role pharmacists can play in ensuring governance and patient safety. Content on www.vjoncology.com from BOPA 2018 is supported by Napp Pharmaceuticals Ltd

Substitutable Medical Apps, Reusable Technologies (SMART) apps have been developed to meet the need for responsiveness in healthcare IT. In this video, Stefanie Krens, MSc, of Radboud University Medical Center, Radboud, Netherlands, talks about the Cancer Drug Interactions website and SMART app developed to minimize significant drug-drug interaction complications. This interview was recorded at the British Oncology Pharmacy Association (BOPA) Annual Symposium 2018, held in Birmingham, UK. Content on www.vjoncology.com from BOPA 2018 is supported by Napp Pharmaceuticals Ltd

Following the unfortunate IT failures at the Barts Health NHS Trust in 2017, which led to major issues in their electronic prescribing system, it became clear that it was necessary to review processes and devise a new, effective business continuity plan. Christopher Watson, MPharm, from St Bartholomews Hospital, London, UK, presents his experience in the development and rolling out of a new electronic prescribing system, highlighting key changes in practises which should help avoid future issues. Mr Watson hopes that through sharing his trust’s experiences, other centres can learn and will be encouraged to review their current prescribing systems. Content…

Dr. Nathan Pennell, Cleveland Clinic, discusses acquired resistance to Xalkori in ALK-positive patients, and second generation inhibitors designed to overcome that resistance, such as Zykadia and alectinib.

Pavlos Msaouel, MD, PhD Assistant Professor Genitourinary Medical Oncology The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center discusses Analyzing Biological Data From The Genome Atlas. At Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL on September 22, 2018.

Pavlos Msaouel, MD, PhD Assistant Professor Genitourinary Medical Oncology The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center discusses Kidney Cancer Histology Variables. At Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL on September 22, 2018.

Pavlos Msaouel, MD, PhD Assistant Professor Genitourinary Medical Oncology The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center discusses Rare Kidney Cancer Treatments. At Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL on September 22, 2018.

Brian Shuch, MD Associate Professor of Urology at UCLA Discusses the Optimal Approach To Small Renal Mass. At Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL on September 22, 2018.

Dr. Nathan Pennell, Cleveland Clinic, describes treatment of NSCLC patients with HER2 mutations using agents such as Gilotrif or Herceptin.

Pavlos Msaouel, MD, PhD Assistant Professor Genitourinary Medical Oncology The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center discusses Renal Medullary Carcinoma. At Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL on September 22, 2018.

Pavlos Msaouel, MD, PhD Assistant Professor Genitourinary Medical Oncology The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center discusses Immunotherapy In Chromophobe RCC. At Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL on September 22, 2018.

Dr. Nathan Pennell, Cleveland Clinic, evaluates chemotherapy sensitivity assays, describing the difficulties inherent in predicting response to chemotherapy agents.

Dr. Gerard Silvestri, Medical University of South Carolina, describes some of the typical presenting symptoms of lung cancer.

GRACE – Global Resource for Advancing Cancer Education Published on Feb 24, 2016 Dr. Gerard Silvestri, Medical University of South Carolina, discusses the benefits and drawbacks of lung cancer screenings.

VITALY MARGULIS MD ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR UROLOGIC ONCOLOGY discusses Why Use Systemic Therapy Before Surgery?. At Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL on September 22, 2018.

VITALY MARGULIS MD ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR UROLOGIC ONCOLOGY discusses Radiotherapy In Kidney Cancer. At Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL on September 22, 2018.

VITALY MARGULIS MD ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR UROLOGIC ONCOLOGY discusses EA8143 PROSPER RCC: Adjuvant Therapy with a Twist. At Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL on September 22, 2018.

Chung-Han Lee, MD/PhD Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Discusses Objective Response Rate, Best Indicator? At Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL on September 22, 2018.

Chung-Han Lee, MD/PhD Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Discusses Combinations in Kidney Cancer, Who Benefits? At Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL on September 22, 2018.

Chung-Han Lee, MD/PhD Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Discusses Combination, TKI, Immunotherapy Efficacy. At Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL on September 22, 2018.

Jose A. Karam, MD, FACS Associate Professor Departments of Urology and Translational Molecular Pathology Discusses Von Hippel-Lindau Disease. At Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL on September 22, 2018.

Jose A. Karam, MD, FACS Associate Professor Departments of Urology and Translational Molecular Pathology Discusses Localized Recurrence Is Rare In An Isolated Fashion. At Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL on September 22, 2018.

Steven Treon, MD, PhD, of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, outlines the current outlook of Waldenströms macroglobulinemia (WM), from hand-me-down to targeted approaches. The discovery of key growth and survival mutations, such as MYD88, has allowed the development of BTK inhibitors at the core of WM treatment. This video was recorded at the European School of Haematology (ESH) International Conference on Multiple Myeloma 2018, held in Mandelieu, France.

Saad Usmani, MD, of the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, updates us at the European School of Haematology (ESH) International Conference on Multiple Myeloma 2018, held in Mandelieu, France, on the results from the POLLUX trial (NCT02076009). Dr Usmani describes the overall median survival, median progression-free survival, and measurable residual disease data in early relapsed myeloma patients receiving daratumumab, lenalidomide and dexamethasone treatment.

Saad Usmani, MD, of the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, presents exciting results from clinical trials for bispecific antibodies targeting BCMA at the European School of Haematology (ESH) International Conference on Multiple Myeloma 2018, held in Mandelieu, France. Dr Usmani, explores the high efficacy and response rates observed in trials, where in a significant number of cases complete remission was also seen. As we expect more data on BCMA-targeting bispecfic antibody therapies at ASH 2018, Dr Usmani is excited at the prospects of this therapy in the relapsed/refractory setting.

Approved monoclonal antibodies for multiple myeloma (MM) are currently available, yet there are still gaps to explore in this therapeutic area for MM. At the European School of Haematology (ESH) International Conference on MM 2018, held in Mandelieu, France, Saad Usmani, MD, of the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, discusses up-to-date clinical evidence for monoclonal antibody therapies, as well as the potential of bispecific antibodies and antibody-drug conjugates in MM.

What is the current treatment landscape for plasma cell leukemia and extramedullary disease in multiple myeloma (MM)? We spoke to Niels van de Donk, MD, PhD, of VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands, about this at the European School of Haematology (ESH) International Conference on MM 2018, held in Mandelieu, France.

The results of clinical trials are open to interpretation and are dependent upon a vast array of factors, including cohort size, the endpoints chosen and the statistics used to analyze the resulting date. Here, Robert Hills from the University of Oxford, Oxford, UK, discusses the most important considerations when judging the value of a clinical trial. This video was recorded at the European School of Haematology (ESH) International Conference on MM 2018, held in Mandelieu, France.

Maria-Victoria Mateos, MD, PhD, of the University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain, discusses the updated analysis of the CASTOR trial (NCT02136134) with us at the European School of Haematology (ESH) International Conference on Multiple Myeloma 2018, held in Mandelieu, France. This trial investigated daratumumab plus bortezomib/dexamethasone for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma, and this follow-up showed excellent response rates and survival benefit, in addition to indicating the group that will receive the maximum benefit from this regimen.

Multiple myeloma (MM) therapy has evolved rapidly in recent years, and is showing no sign of slowing. Here, Kenneth Anderson, MD, from Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, discusses interesting future treatment combinations from the European School of Haematology (ESH) International Conference on MM 2018. Dr Anderson highlights a number of approaches and devlopments, including the upcoming MMRF MyDRUG trial that will utilize genomic profiling and combination treatments.

Speaking from the European School of Haematology (ESH) International Conference on Multiple Myeloma 2018, held in Mandelieu, France, Jesús San Miguel, MD, PhD, of the University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain, discusses continuous and fixed duration therapy.

Heinz Ludwig, MD, PhD, from Wilhelminen Cancer Research Institute, Vienna, Austria, discusses treatment sequencing in multiple myeloma (MM). Dr Ludwig covers the many options available to treat MM, particularly when options are restricted in cases of drug resistance and relapse. This interview took place at the European School of Haematology (ESH) International Conference on MM 2018, held in Mandelieu, France.

Speaking from the European School of Haematology (ESH) International Conference on Multiple Myeloma 2018, held in Mandelieu, France, Evangelos Terpos, MD, PhD, of the University of Athens, Athens, Greece, discusses the evoling field of imaging in multiple myeloma, including PET/CT, full body MRI and diffusion weighted imaging. Dr Terpos also highlights the new standard of imaging for measurable residual disease.

Functional imaging techniques serve an essential role in diagnostics. Here, Elena Zamagni, MD, PhD, of the University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy, highlights the important applications of PET/CT in multiple myeloma (MM) management at the European School of Haematology (ESH) International Conference on MM 2018, held in Mandelieu, France. Dr Zamagni identifies the importance of PET/CT in MM mapping, prognosis, diagnose and management, while reflecting on the progress in standardizing the use of the technique in evaluating the response to therapy outside of the bone marrow.

Annemiek Broyl, MD, PhD, from Erasmus Medical Center and University, Rotterdam, Netherlands, discusses how to treat high-risk multiple myeloma (MM). Dr Broyl highlights trials such as MUK Nine (NCT03188172)., and emphasizes the importance of reaching for measurable residual disease negativity in this group of patients. This interview was recorded at the European School of Haematology (ESH) International Conference on MM 2018, held in Mandelieu, France.

Alessandra Larocca, MD, PhD, of the University Hospital Città della Salute e della Scienza, Torino, Italy, discusses the importance of geriatric assessment in multiple myeloma (MM). In addition, Dr Larocca highlights the challenges related to elderly MM and what clinicians can do to manage these. This video was recorded at the European School of Haematology (ESH) International Conference on Multiple Myeloma 2018, held in Mandelieu, France.

GRACE – Global Resource for Advancing Cancer Education Published on Feb 25, 2016 Dr. Gerard Silvestri, Medical University of South Carolina, describes several procedures used to obtain biopsy tissue in order to diagnose lung cancer.

Dr. Gerard Silvestri, Medical University of South Carolina, discusses the use of PET scans in lung cancer workup.

Michael R. Harrison, MD Associate Professor of Medicine Duke University Medical Center Duke Cancer Institute discusses Sequencing Immunotherapies In Kidney Cancer. At Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL on September 22, 2018.

Michael R. Harrison, MD Associate Professor of Medicine Duke University Medical Center Duke Cancer Institute discusses Ipilimumab & Nivolumab Combo. At Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL on September 22, 2018.

Michael R. Harrison, MD Associate Professor of Medicine Duke University Medical Center Duke Cancer Institute discusses First Line Therapy In cMRCC. At Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL on September 22, 2018.

Michael R. Harrison, MD Associate Professor of Medicine Duke University Medical Center Duke Cancer Institute discusses Combo Avelumab & Axitinib. At Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL on September 22, 2018.

Michael R. Harrison, MD Associate Professor of Medicine Duke University Medical Center Duke Cancer Institute discusses Combinations In Anti VEGF Kidney Cancer. At Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL on September 22, 2018.

Naomi B Haas MD Director of Kidney and Prostate Cancer Clinical Programs Abramson Cancer Center discusses VEGF Inhibitors In Adjuvant Kidney Cancer. At Kidney Cancer Association National Patient September 22, 2018.

Naomi B Haas MD Director of Kidney and Prostate Cancer Clinical Programs Abramson Cancer Center discusses The Allure To The Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors. At Kidney Cancer Association National Patient September 22, 2018.

Naomi B Haas MD Director of Kidney and Prostate Cancer Clinical Programs Abramson Cancer Center discusses ASSURE, S-TRAC, ATLAS, & PROTECT Trials. At Kidney Cancer Association National Patient September 22, 2018

Susan Demo, Ph.D Calithera Biosciences discusses Only 3% Of Cancer Patients Participate In Clinical Trials at Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL on September 22, 2018

Mayer Fishman, MD PhD Dept. of GU Oncology Moffitt Cancer Center Dept. of Oncologic Sciences, USF Morsani College of Medicine discusses Kidney Cancer First Line Treatment at Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL on September 22, 2018.

Susan Demo, Ph.D Calithera Biosciences Discusses the Best Way For A Patient To Find A Clinical Trial. At Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL on September 22, 2018.

Matt Campbell MD, MS Assistant Professor Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology UT MD Anderson Cancer Center Discusses What Does PDL Positivity Mean On Biopsy? At Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL on September 22, 2018.

Matt Campbell MD, MS Assistant Professor Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology UT MD Anderson Cancer Center Discusses When Should A Patient Receive Immunotherapy? At Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL on September 22, 2018.

The utilization of interim positron emission tomography (PET) imaging to guide therapeutic decisions has the potential to further individualize therapy, avoid unnecessary treatment and associated toxicity, and optimize outcomes for patients with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). In this activity, participants will learn about the different PET-adapted strategies being investigated in HL, with a focus on the interpretation of data for the practical use of interim PET, to help providers evaluate the current clinical evidence and applicability to their practice.

Philippe E. Spiess, M.D., MS, FRCS(C), FACS Senior Member, Department of GU Oncology Senior Member, Department of Tumor Biology Assistant Chief of Surgery Moffitt Cancer Center Professor of Urology, University of South Florida Discusses Where Does Kidney Cancer Spread? At Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL on September 22, 2018.

Eric A. Singer, MD, MA, FACS Assistant Professor of Surgery and Radiology Director, Kidney Cancer Program Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey discusses What Is Cytoreductive Nephrectomy? At Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL on September 22, 2018.

Eric A. Singer, MD, MA, FACS Assistant Professor of Surgery and Radiology Director, Kidney Cancer Program Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey discusses the Role of Cytoreductive Nephrectomy in Metastatic RCC at Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL on September 22, 2018.

Eric A. Singer, MD, MA, FACS Assistant Professor of Surgery and Radiology Director, Kidney Cancer Program Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey discusses Cytoreductive Nephrectomy Viable Today at Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL on September 22, 2018.

Eric A. Singer, MD, MA, FACS Assistant Professor of Surgery and Radiology Director, Kidney Cancer Program Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey discusses Carmena Trial Results In Kidney Cancer at Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL on September 22, 2018.

Brian Shuch, MD Associate Professor of Urology at UCLA Discusses the Risk Of New Tumor Developing at Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL on September 22, 2018.

Brian Shuch, MD Associate Professor of Urology at UCLA Discusses the Treatment Of The Incidental Renal Mass at Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL on September 22, 2018.

E Jason Abel, MD FACS University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health discusses Surgery in kidney cancer at Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL on September 22, 2018.

E Jason Abel, MD FACS University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health Discusses the Higher Risk Of Occurrence In Non-Metastatic RCC at Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL on September 22, 2018.

E Jason Abel, MD FACS University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health discusses the Complex Surgery Locally Advanced Kidney Cancer at Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL September 22, 2018.

Steven Rosen, MD, from the City of Hope, Duarte, CA, discusses the remarkable quantity and quality of information on blood cancer therapeutics that has been collected and presented at the International Workshop on Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (iwNHL) 2018 meeting, held in Nice, France. Dr Rosen expresses how it seems that we are very nearly approaching a cure for certain hematological malignancies, with the introduction of CAR T-cell therapy, bispecific antibodies and targeted therapies; all of which are producing promising results in clinical trials.

The field of blood cancer therapeutics has seen enormous progression. Here, Steven Rosen, MD, from the City of Hope, Duarte, CA, gives an overview of the exciting trials and research being conducted in the field of hematological malignancies at the City of Hope. The center is home to facilities where CAR T-cell and stem cell trials are underway, and targeted small molecules are being produced and trialed, eliminating the need for support from pharmaceutical companies. At the International Workshop on Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (iwNHL) 2018 meeting, held in Nice, France, Dr Rosen reflects upon the success of the studies that have…

Speaking from the International Workshop on Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (iwNHL) 2018 meeting, held in Nice, France, Bianca Santomasso, MD, PhD, of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, NY, discusses how some of the nuances that pertain to systemic lymphoma also have implications for CNS lymphoma, such as the use of interferon-? to treat certain lymphoproliferative situations. Dr Santomasso comments on the interesting observations in patients with systemic lymphoma, in which there are patients who develop neurologic toxicity from therapies and those who have CNS metastasis.

Pablo Ortiz, MD, PhD, of the University Hospital 12 of October, Madrid, Spain, speaks at the European Organisation for the Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Cutaneous Lymphoma Task Force (CLTF) 2018 Congress, held in St. Gallen, Switzerland, highlighting the current treatment in Spain for early-stage cutaneous T-cell lymphoma patients. Prof. Ortiz reflects on the importance of exposure to sun for mycosis fungoides patients.

Pablo Ortiz, MD, PhD, of the University Hospital 12 of October, Madrid, Spain, speaks at the European Organisation for the Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Cutaneous Lymphoma Task Force (CLTF) 2018 Congress, held in St. Gallen, Switzerland, on the quality of life of patients with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. Prof. Ortiz expresses his concerns about clinical outcomes and patient expectations as a doctor, and highlights the need to gather more information on patient-reported outcomes to support the decision-making process of doctors.

Michael Khodadoust, MD, PhD, of the Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, discusses the future of checkpoint inhibitors in cutaneous lymphoma. He highlights the follow-up trial to CITN-10, CITN-13, which investigated pembrolizumab plus interferon-gamma 1b in relapsed/ refractory mycosis fungoides or Sézary syndrome (NCT03063632). He calls for the development of predictive markers of pembrolizumab response for cutaneous lymphoma, as well as research into synergist agents to improve response rates. This video was recorded at the European Organisation for the Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Cutaneous Lymphoma Task Force (CLTF) 2018 Congress, held in St. Gallen, Switzerland

Michael Khodadoust, MD, PhD, of the Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, speaks at the European Organisation for the Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Cutaneous Lymphoma Task Force (CLTF) 2018 Congress, held in St. Gallen, Switzerland. Dr Khodadoust discusses the CITN-10 trial (NCT02243579), which investigated the use of pembrolizumab in relapsed/refractory mycosis fungoides or Sézary syndrome. He highlights the patient response rates and a uniquesideeffect that was observed in the Sézary population.

Topical alkylating agents have proven beneficial in treating patients with mycosis fungoides (MF). Here, Martine Bagot, MD, PhD, of Saint Louis Hospital, Paris, France, discusses this topic at the European Organisation for the Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Cutaneous Lymphoma Task Force (CLTF) 2018 Congress, held in St. Gallen, Switzerland. Prof. Baggot covers the access to chlormethine gel in France, and describes its potential in the treatment of early-stage MF as a stand-alone therapy, and in late-stage MF when used as an adjunct treatment.

Martine Bagot, MD, PhD, of Saint Louis Hospital, Paris, France, discusses the exciting new approval of the antibody mogumulizumab for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. Speaking at the European Organisation for the Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Cutaneous Lymphoma Task Force (CLTF) 2018 Congress, held in St. Gallen, Switzerland, she presents two case studies of patients who developed autoimmunity, where they entered complete remission for a significant period of time after receiving injections of this antibody. Prof. Bagot is excited about the therapy and accounts the antibodies successful response to its potential mechanism of regulatory T-cell depletion.

Martine Bagot, MD, PhD, of Saint Louis Hospital, Paris, France, speaks at the European Organisation for the Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Cutaneous Lymphoma Task Force (CLTF) 2018 Congress, held in St. Gallen, Switzerland, on the progress of a new monoclonal antibody, IPH4102, being trialed for the first time in humans (NCT02593045). Prof. Bagot describes the results of the KIR3DL2-targeting antibody currently in Phase I of development, highlighting the plan to conduct the drug’s Phase II clinical trial in 2019 on patients of Sézary syndrome, mycosis fungoides and nodal peripheral T-cell lymphoma.

Maintenance therapy options for cutaneous T-cell lymphomas could be improved. Here, Rudolf Stadler, MD, PhD, of the University Medical Center Minden, Minden, Germany, discusses the RESMAIN study (NCT02953301), investigating resminostat as a maintenance therapy for advanced mycosis fungoides or Sézary syndrome. This video was recorded at the European Organisation for the Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Cutaneous Lymphoma Task Force (CLTF) 2018 Congress, held in St. Gallen, Switzerland.

An accurate and optimized clinical scoring system is essential for the staging and management of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. Here, Pietro Quaglino, MD, of the University of Turin, Turin, Italy, discusses his group’s retrospective study with a proposal for a scoring system for Sézary syndrome, in which particular features correlated with tumor burden and prognosis. This interview was recorded at the European Organisation for the Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Cutaneous Lymphoma Task Force (CLTF) 2018 Congress, held in St. Gallen, Switzerland.

Establishing a registry and prognostic index for mycosis fungoides, the most common type of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL), and Sézary syndrome, a rare type of CTCL, is important to improve the management of these conditions. In this interview, Julia Scarisbrick, MBChB, FRCP, MD, of the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK, discusses the Prospective Cutaneous Lymphoma International Prognostic Indices (PROCLIPI), which is transforming this very area, and shares some of the results found. This video was recorded at the European Organisation for the Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Cutaneous Lymphoma Task Force (CLTF) 2018 Congress, held in…

CD47 has been found to be present on leukemic stem cells, but not on normal hematopoietic stem cells, offering an opportunity to target the source of the disease. Here, Irving Weissman, MD, of the Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, discusses the use of an anti-CD47 antibody, which has shown promising results in combination with rituximab for follicular lymphoma and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (NCT02953509). This interview was recorded at the European Organisation for the Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Cutaneous Lymphoma Task Force (CLTF) 2018 Congress, held in St. Gallen, Switzerland.

Our understanding of stem cells has improved exponentially since their discovery, transforming our treatment of hematological malignancies and other diseases. Here, Irving Weissman, MD, of the Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, discusses the use of stem cell transplantation and gives his perspective on their usage thus far. This interview was recorded at the European Organisation for the Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Cutaneous Lymphoma Task Force (CLTF) 2018 Congress, held in St. Gallen, Switzerland.

A novel CD47-blocking checkpoint inhibitor has shown promising interim results in a multicenter Phase I trail for relapsed/refractory mycosis fungoides and S̩zary syndrome, the most common types of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. Christiane Querfeld, MD, PhD, from City of Hope, Duarte, CA, discusses this agent Рthe fusion protein TTI-621 (SIRPaFc), which is injected intralesionally Рhere, and explores potential future avenues of study for this therapy. This interview was recorded at the European Organisation for the Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Cutaneous Lymphoma Task Force (CLTF) 2018 Congress, held in St. Gallen, Switzerland.

From the International Workshop on Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (iwNHL) 2018 meeting held in Nice, France, Francine Foss, MD, of Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, discusses the pathology and genetics of T-cell lymphoma with Jürgen Ruland, PhD, of Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany. Prof. Foss and Prof. Ruland also expand on the nature of signalling pathways including TCR signalling and PD-1 expression in the disease, and how this impacts immunotherapies clinically investigated.

Precision medicine is improving outcomes, toxicity and disease management in trials and routine clinical practice. Anas Younes, MD, from the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York City, NY, chaired a discussion at the International Workshop on Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (iwNHL) 2018 meeting held in Nice, France, on how precision medicine is being used to improve lymphoma treatment. Dr Younes was joined by Thomas Witzig, MD, of Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MI, and Davide Rossi, MD, from the Institute of Oncology Research, Bellinzona, Switzerland. Topics covered included: current precision medicine clinical trials, using ctDNA to guide therapy, precision medicine across histologic subtypes,…

Cell-based therapies are an exciting area across the board in oncology. Here, our experts discuss the use of cellular therapy for viral lymphomas, in a discussion chaired by Catherine Bollard, MBChB, MD, FRACP, FRCPA, of the Children’s National Health System, Washington, DC. Joining the discussion are Ruth Jarrett, MD, PhD, from the University of Glasgow Center for Virus Research, Glasgow, UK, Mark Roschewski, MD, of the National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, and Richard Little, MD, of the National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD. The need for improved drug access in developing countries is highlighted by the experts, as well as the…

Viruses such Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and HIV have been aetiologically linked to a significant number of lymphoproliferative diseases. In this roundtable discussion, lead by Catherine Bollard, MBChB, MD, FRACP, FRCPA, of the Children’s National Health System, Washington, DC, Dr Bollard covers the risk factors for viral lymphomas, as well as the current landscape for therapy and trial participation. She is joined by Ruth Jarrett, MD, PhD, from the University of Glasgow Center for Virus Research, Glasgow, UK, Mark Roschewski, MD, of the National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, and Richard Little, MD, of the National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, at the…

While novel FLT3 inhibitors have been, or will be, approved for use as single agents in the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Here, Alexander Perl, MD, of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, discusses the increased efficacy of these drugs when combined with chemotherapy. Dr Perl states how newer generation FLT3 inhibitors in combination with chemotherapy may improve response rates and survival benefits in the frontline setting. He mentions that the future of FLT3 inhibitors as a combination therapy is continuously improving, which is exciting to witness. This interview was recorded at the 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO)…

Speaking from the 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) Annual Meeting, held in Houston, TX, Alexander Perl, MD, of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, describes how IDH inhibitors have significantly acute myeloid leukemia (AML) therapy. Dr Perl discusses how these treatments have increased survival rates in AML patients who have previously been unresponsive to therapy and those who were not candidates for intensive chemotherapy. He stresses the importance of personalized, precision medicines.

Venetoclax in combination with low intensity chemotherapy for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in the frontline setting, which although currently under evaluation by the FDA, has shown impressive results. Speaking at the 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) Annual Meeting, held in Houston, TX, Alexander Perl, MD, of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, is excited to share updates on the use of venetoclax as a frontline therapy for AML patients who are not candidates for intensive chemotherapy. Dr Perl, who is in support of the treatment, states that high risk patient groups, such as those with kidney impairment or the…

Stephen Ansell, MD, PhD, of Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, discusses clinical trials testing new drugs on patients with relapsed Hodgkin lymphoma. These agents include brentuximab vedotin and PD-1 blocking antibodies, which have been administered in combination and showed a high response rate of more than 80%, with a complete response rate of 62%. Prof. Ansell notes that these findings could possibly be better than some combination chemotherapy approaches used in the past. From the 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) in Houston, TX, Prof. Ansell also highlights the importance of genetics as a useful prognostic factor; however, he stresses that…

With the the field of molecular diagnostics rapidly advancing, the demand for prognostic and diagnostic molecular information on myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is also increasing. Here, Torsten Haferlach, MD, PhD, of the Munich Leukaemia laboratory, Munich, Germany, speaks from the 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) in Houston, TX, highlighting this issue. Prof. Haferlach uses examples of cases to stress the necessity for carrying out in-depth molecular background studies on patients with MDS using sequencing techniques such as next-generation sequencing (NGS), as opposed to the traditional chromosome banding method of diagnosis, to find the best treatment option for an MDS patient.…

Torsten Haferlach, MD, PhD, of the Munich Leukaemia laboratory, Munich, Germany, highlights the rapidly expanding field of molecular diagnostics, moving us towards personalized medicine for patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Haferlach reflects on the success of existing demethylating drugs being used in MDS patients exhibiting the DNMT3A and TET2 gene mutations and explains the potential to uncover target approaches for further MDS-associated genes, specifically, splicing factor 3b subunit 1 (SF3B1) and tumor protein 53 (TP53) gene mutations. From 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) in Houston, TX, Prof. Haferlach further discusses the future of MDS treatment, where the advancements in…

Knowledge of the molecular background of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) has been greatly advanced by developments in techniques such as next-generation sequencing (NGS) and ChIP-sequencing. Professor Torsten Haferlach, MD, PhD, of the Munich Leukaemia laboratory, Munich, Germany, highlights the discovery of several genes in MDS from his recent study using ChIP. Prof. Haferlachs findings bring significant prognostic, diagnostic and therapeutic value. From the 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) in Houston, TX, Prof. Haferlach reports his finding of the splicing factor 3b subunit 1 (SF3B1) genetic mutation, paving way to a more specific diagnosis of MDS that so far was only…

The mechanism for the previously unknown occurrence of thrombocytopenia and neutropenia in patients with myeloma treated with immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs) has finally been understood from clinical trials by Suzanne Lentzsch, MD, PhD, of Columbia University, New York City, NY. Dr Lentzsch explains that IMiDs such as revlimid and pomalidomide act by downregulating critical transcription factors, including IKZF1, pushing stem cells into one lineage and stopping maturation of progenitor cells and platelets. This mechanism provides a basis for hematopoietic malignancies as indicated by low white blood cell counts and platelets in patients taking IMiDs. This interview was recorded from the 2018…

Dr Suzanne Lentzsch, MD, PhD, of Columbia University, New York, NY, presents data from the latest clinical trials testing drugs for amyloidosis. Lentzsch reports on an ongoing study that compares the efficacy of CyBorD vs CyBorD combined with daratumumab, results of which could greatly influence treatment approaches for Amyloidosis in the near future. From the 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) in Houston, TX, Dr Lentzsch emphasizes the need for more research on anti-amyloid antibodies, highlighting the recent success of FDA-approved drug tafamidis, which significantly increased overall survival in patients with amyloidosis.

From the 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) in Houston, TX, Stephen Ansell, MD, PhD, of Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, discusses ways in which measuring measurable residual disease (MRD) may be useful. One way in which using MRD may be advantageous is when early intervention for a disease such as diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, is needed, and data is required to differentiate which patients are not cured and who are at risk of relapse. Prof. Ansell reports on findings from clinical trials using MRD to enable earlier intervention for lymphoma, and expresses hope for the future development of tools to…

Stephen Ansell, MD, PhD, of Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, discusses the dramatic and exciting approach of using CAR T-cells to treat patients with B-cell malignancies, particularly diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. From the 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) in Houston, TX, Prof. Ansell reports on-going trials looking at other targets in Hodgkin Lymphoma, including CD30 and even the microenvironment of CD30, with a goal to work against macrophages that support growth of the malignant cell. Prof. Ansell also notes the challenges in developing treatments for T-cell lymphomas, such as targeting malignant cells and not non-malignant cells. A need for more…

From the 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) in Houston, TX, Stephen Ansell, MD, PhD, of Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, discusses encouraging data on patients with Hodgkin lymphoma who received brentuximab vedotin who have shown complete response rates for more than five years now. These patients have not yet relapsed and are still off treatment, and Prof. Ansell suggests that these patients could potentially be cured. Prof. Ansell also stresses the need for more research into how long patients need brentuximab vedotin treatment for, as well as additional biological prognostic factors that can be targets for therapy. Despite genetic prognostic…

Pierluigi Porcu, MD, from the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA, discusses recent clinical developments that have provided healthcare professionals with a clear landscape of the disease. Dr Porcu highlights how the creation of international registries, filled with an abundance of patient data sets, has enhanced the level of understanding of the disease. He also states that knowledge regarding the pathology and genetic profile of CTCL has significantly developed, hence the rise of precision medicine for the disease. He excitedly speaks about the success pre-clinical models of disease have had in practice. This was recorded at the 2018 Society of…

While mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) can be an aggressive disease, there is a subgroup of patients whose disease poses low risk, thus treatment may not be required. Here, Simon Rule, MD, from Plymouth University, Plymouth, UK, discusses this indolent patient group at the 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) Annual Meeting in Houston, TX. Prof. Rule explains the difficulties associated with defining this particular patient group, since there are no known baseline biological characteristics of indolent MCL. Prof. Rule also speaks about a large UK-based trial which aims to identify such baseline characteristics by closely monitoring newly diagnosed patients with…

With new targets identified over the past few years, the development of precision medicine has expanded significantly. Speaking from the 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) Annual Meeting in Houston, TX, Pierluigi Porcu, MD, from, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA, explores the many new drugs that are currently being trialed. Dr Porcu discusses monoclocnal antibody IPH4102, which has shown promising results in Phase I trials as well as oligonucleotide miR-155 and immunotherapies including pembrolizumab.

With cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) being a rare disease with an incredibly high prevalence, Pierluigi Porcu, MD, from Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA, describes the challenges of CTCL at the 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) Annual Meeting in Houston, TX. Dr Porcu explains how treatment for CTCL patients is subject to the opinion of physicians, for example, dermatologists and medical oncologists may not agree in treatment choices. Dr Porcu also discusses the need for methods that can determine whether an individuals disease will progress or remain in the early stages.

At the 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) Annual Meeting in Houston, TX, Pierluigi Porcu from Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA, describes the MAVORIC trial (NCT01728805) investigating the efficacy of vorinostat with the novel monoclonal antibody mogamulizumab in patients with refractory or relapsed cutaneous T-cell lyphoma (CTCL). Dr Pierluigi shares the trial design and highlights that further research is needed in order to tackle the unmet needs of CTCL.

Despite benefits of targeted therapies for genetic mutations in AML, a limitation with this approach is that the mutation may only be present in a subset of cells or the mutation may not even be the driver of the disease. Dr Harry Erba of Duke University, Durham, NC, suggests that more general treatments such as chemotherapy or drugs inducing apoptosis in leukemia cells may be more effective. One such drug is Vadastuximab talirine, which targets the CD33 antibody, a cell surface molecule in AML. Dr Erba also discusses findings from clinical trials testing such antibody-based drugs in patients with AML.…

Speaking from the 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) Annual Meeting in Houston, TX, Harry Erba of Duke University, Durham, NC, brings light upon the tendency of the healthcare community to favour an immediate diagnosis for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), despite this doing more harm than good to patients. Waiting for genetic results can be a lengthy process, yet Dr Erba presents a compelling argument using evidence from a recent trial held in France in which patients with FLT3 mutations in AML showed increased chance of survival when taking targeted therapy. Dr Erba highlights the benefits of gene…

From the 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) Annual Meeting in Houston, TX, Harry Erba of Duke University, Durham, NC, discusses the recently approved enasidenib and ivosidenib, which target IDH2 and IDH1 mutations in relapsed or refractory patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Dr Erba outlines the outcomes of the CASCADE trial, and suggests that the use of an older, unfit sample and the administration of the highly immunosuppressive vadastuximab talirine with azacitidine may explain the outcome. Despite such challenges that may lead physicians to switch to chemotherapy instead, Dr Erba presents data to convince the healthcare community that gene-targeted…

From the 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) in Houston, TX, Srdan Verstovsek, MD, PhD, from the MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, highlights the need to distinguish between high- and low-risk patients with essential thrombocythemia (ET). Prof. Verstovsek discusses management of ET, including the identification of differentiating prognostic factors that could inform physicians of the most effective treatment for patients. For instance, while ET patients at high-risk of thrombosis may benefit from cytoreductive therapy involving hydroxyurea and aspirin, low-risk patients do not need thi type of treatment, and may be prone to unnecessary risks. Prognostic assessment of patients have…

In this interview, Prof. Srdan Verstovsek, MD, PhD, from the MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, suggests that various parameters should be considered when monitoring patients before they progress to acute myeloid leukemia (AML), such as anemia and fibrosis. From the 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) in Houston, TX, Prof. Verstovsek emphasises that genetic abnormalities can be detected in healthy people without the disease, so various other factors such as the bone marrow environment should be considered when making informed diagnostic and therapeutic decisions of myeloproliferative disorders.

From the 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) in Houston, TX, Srdan Verstovsek, MD, PhD, from the MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, notes the key biological and clinical characteristics that enable the earlier detection of AML. Monitoring symptoms of patients with characteristics such as anemia, low platelet count, and splenomegaly, would allow the early therapeutic intervention that could prevent the surprise of the more debilitating blastic phase in AML. Prof. Verstovsek strongly recommends following patients every 3-6 months for any changes in pattern of platelets and blasts to allow for the most effective treatment and improve chances of survival…

Myeloproliferative neoplasms, a group of blood disorders, have debilitating effects on patients, including shortening life expectancy and lowering the quality of life. From the 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) in Houston, TX, Srdan Verstovsek, MD, PhD, from the MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, brings light upon a subgroup of patients that undergo an accelerated phase whereby they transition from chronic to acute myeloid leukemia. Prof. Verstovsek stresses a vital need to intervene in this transition phase, suggesting prognostic factors such as a low percentage of blasts and platelets that can be observed. Treatments are also discussed in this…

Matt Campbell MD, MS Assistant Professor Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology UT MD Anderson Cancer Center asks the question why does immunotherapy not work for everyone? What are the predictors of success? Can patients be cured with these agents?? at the Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL September 22, 2018

Mayer Fishman, MD PhD Dept. of GU Oncology Moffitt Cancer Center Dept. of Oncologic Sciences, USF Morsani College of Medicine discusses novel therapies are on the horizon for metastatic renal cell carcinoma? 2019 and beyond at the Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL September 22, 2018

Chung-Han (Joe) Lee, MD/PhD Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center discusses Novel combinational therapies: Is the increased toxicity worth the possibility of increased benefit? at the Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL September 22, 2018

Pavlos Msaouel, MD, PhD Assistant Professor Genitourinary Medical Oncology The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center discusses Systemic treatment options for patients with metastatic non-clear cell renal cell carcinoma at the Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL September 22, 2018

Amishi Y. Shah, MD Assistant Professor Genitourinary Medical Oncology MD Anderson Cancer Center discusses the best agents for second line and beyond in the treatment of metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma at the Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL September 22, 2018

Michael R. Harrison, MD Associate Professor of Medicine Duke University Medical Center Duke Cancer Institute discusses What is the best front line treatment for metastatic ?clear cell RCC in 2018? at the Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL September 22, 2018

VITALY MARGULIS MD ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR UROLOGIC ONCOLOGY of UT Southwestern discusses NEOADJUVANT THERAPY PRIOR TO SURGERY at the Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL September 22, 2018

Eric A. Singer, MD, MA, FACS Assistant Professor of Surgery and Radiology Director, Kidney Cancer Program Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey discusses The Role of Cytoreductive Nephrectomy in the Treatment of Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma at the Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL September 22, 2018

Susan Demo, Ph.D of Calithera discusses Why should I participate in a clinical trial?? Whats in it for me? at the Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL

Currently, out of all FLT3 inhibitors, only midostaurin is FDA-approved for use in patients with acute myeloid lymphoma (AML). From the Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) Annual Meeting, held in Houston, TX, Amir Fathi, MD, MPH, of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, emphasises that although midostaurin is a good FLT3 inhibitor, it lacks in selectivity and potency. In the RATIFY clinical trial (NCT00651261), however, Dr Fathi reports that midostaurin can enhance survival in AML patients when combined with 7+3 chemotherapy. Other FLT3 inhibitors such as crenolanib, gilteritinib, and quizartinib are not yet FDA- approved, but are undergoing testing in an…

The IDH1 and IDH2 metabolic enzymes are mutated in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), prompting the pharmaceutical development of specific mutant IDH enzyme inhibitors; ivosidenib and enasidenib, respectively. From the 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO 2018) Annual Meeting in Houston, TX, Amir Fathi, MD, MPH, of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, highlights findings from clinical trials that used ivosidenib and enasidenib in a relapsed and refractory setting involving patients with AML. Dr Fathi reports a good overall median survival in Phase I and Phase II data, with these drugs providing a twenty percent rate of complete remission, even…

In the last 15 years, there has been a revolution in our understanding of the pathogenesis of acute myeloid lymphoma (AML), as new genetic mutations have been discovered. Amir Fathi, MD, MPH, of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, stresses the significance of such mutations as targets for treatment, with some mutations even having prognostic implications. Dr Fathi gives the example of FLT3 mutations, which lead to worse prognosis in patients with AML because of their propensity for relapse. In the 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) Annual Meeting, held in Houston, TX, Dr Fathi discusses the potential applications of other…

Achieving measurable residual disease (MRD) negativity after completing therapy is an early indicator of overall survival. Presently, MRD testing is only permitted in clinical trials, however, Barbara Eichhorst from the University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany, states that there is beneficial use for MRD in routine testing. Discussing recent findings from a clinical trial with a longer follow-up, Prof. Eichhorst reports data showing that MRD-negative patients who come out of treatment continue to remain MRD negative. from the 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) Annual Meeting, held in Houston, TX, Prof. Eichhorst highlights the importance of using MRD testing routinely to…

From the 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) in Houston, TX, Barbara Eichhorst from the University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany, discusses ongoing trials investigating CAR T-cell therapy in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Due to a defect in the patients’ T-cells, there was less success for in the beginning of CAR T-cell treatment. Recent results from trials however, show that when administering the BTK inhibitor ibrutinib beforehand, CAR T-cell retransfusion becomes more successful. Results of better tolerance of neurotoxicity and cytokine release syndrome show promising potential for CAR T-cells. Prof. Eichhorst talks about the future of treatment of CLL,…

Triple combination therapy is the administration of obinutuzumab, ibrutinib, and venetoclax in a sequential order. Barbara Eichhorst from the University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany, discusses an interesting Phase I trial in which the triple combination therapy was delivered to patients who have relapsed from chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). From the 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) Annual Meeting in Houston, TX, Prof. Eichhorst also reports her latest randomised trial using triple combination therapy in high-risk patients with CLL that have TP53 mutation or deletion, comparing the efficacy of this treatment to chemoimmunotherapy.

Barbara Eichhorst from the University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany, presents results from clinical trials testing an intensive fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, rituximab (FCR) regime on young patients with CLL, 50% of who are still in remission. Despite promising progress from the study, it is still not known whether these patients will relapse in the future. Venetoclax is often prescribed after chemoimmunotherapy and ibrutinib fail as earlier treatments. However, Prof. Eichhorst reports clinical trials where abandoning chemoimmunotherapy prolongs the sequence of treatment in patients. Other challenges for medication over chemoimmunotherapy are the higher costs in studies, as well as patients stopping treatment due…

Jose A. Karam, MD, FACS Associate Professor Departments of Urology and Translational Molecular Pathology at MD Anderson discusses What are my options if my cancer comes back in my kidney, where the kidney was, or in the lymph nodes near the kidney? How good are the treatments? at the Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL September 22, 2018

Philippe E. Spiess, M.D., MS, FRCS(C), FACS Senior Member, Department of GU Oncology Senior Member, Department of Tumor Biology Assistant Chief of Surgery Moffitt Cancer Center Professor of Urology, University of South Florida discusses The Role of Metastasectomy in the Treatment of Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma at the Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL September 22, 2018

Naomi B Haas MD, Director of Kidney and Prostate Cancer Clinical Programs Abramson Cancer Center September 22, 2018 at the Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL discusses Adjuvant Therapy for Locally Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma: Status in 2018

E Jason Abel, MD FACS University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health discusses the Management and Outcomes in the treatment of Locally Advanced Renal Tumors at the Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL September 22, 2018

Brian Shuch, MD Associate Professor of Urology Director, Kidney Cancer Program Alvin & Carrie Meinhardt Endowed Chair in Kidney Cancer Research discusses the Treatment of the Incidental Renal Mass: What are my options and which one is best? at the Kidney Cancer Association National Patient and Caregiver Conference Chicago, IL September 22, 2018

In this session, Thomas Habermann, MD, of the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MI, chairs a discussion with Bjoern Chapuy, PhD, MD, from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, and Nicolas Ortonne, MD, PhD, of Henri Mondor University Hospital, Créteil, France. The group explore actionable genetic signatures for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, and biomarkers for the diagnosis and treatment of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. This discussion was recorded at the International Workshop on Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (iwNHL) 2018 meeting, held in Nice, France.

Immunotherapy is at the forefront of research into novel treatments for lymphoma. Here, John Gribben, MD, DSc, FRCP, FRCPath, FMed Sci, of Barts Cancer Institute, London, UK, Stephen Ansell, MD, PhD, of the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MI, and Robert Chen, MD, from the Toni Stephenson Lymphoma Center, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, discuss this exciting topic. The experts explore the use, limitations and future of immune checkpoint regulators in NHL. In addition, important differences between the use of immunotherapies in solid vs. hematological malignancies are covered. This video was recorded at the International Workshop on Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (iwNHL) 2018 meeting,…

The International Workshop on Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (iwNHL) 2018 meeting held in Nice, France, presented an array of exciting new data in NHL. Here, John Gribben, MD, DSc, FRCP, FRCPath, FMed Sci, of Barts Cancer Institute, London, UK, discusses the highlights of day 1 of the meeting with Stephen Ansell, MD, PhD, of the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MI, and Catherine Bollard, MBChB, MD, FRACP, FRCPA, from the Children’s National Health System, Washington, DC. Some of the topics explored by the experts include enhancing T-cell response, expediting our knowledge of biomarkers, and the development of new combination regimens to target different populations…

Here, John Gribben, MD, DSc, FRCP, FRCPath, FMed Sci, of Barts Cancer Institute, London, UK, chairs a discussion with 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 the key news from day 2 of the International Workshop on Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (iwNHL) 2018 meeting, held in Nice, France. The experts explore precision medicine and bridging treatment to CAR T-cell therapy; exciting strategies include combinations with polatuzumab vedotin or ibrutinib pre-treatment. A highlighted consideration is how prior treatment with common drugs affect later T-cell collection…

CAR T-cells are a hot topic right now, with huge potential for transforming the treatment of various hematological malignancies, including lymphoma. Here, David Maloney, MD, PhD, of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, chairs a discussion on the current landscape of CAR T-cell therapy in lymphoma at the International Workshop on Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (iwNHL) 2018 meeting, held in Nice, France. They are joined by Jim Kochenderfer, MD, from the National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, Steve Schuster, MD, from the University of Pensylvania, Philadelphia, PA, and William Go, MD, PhD, from Kite Pharma Inc., Santa Monica, CA. Along with…

Dr. Gerard Silvestri, Medical University of South Carolina, discusses the use of PET scans in lung cancer workup.

Lymphoma treatment is focusing increasingly on novel agents with specific targets. At the International Workshop on Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (iwNHL) 2018 meeting, held in Nice, France, Laurie Sehn, MD, of the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada, chaired a panel discussion on novel targets and agents in lymphoma. Targets discussed included Syk-JAK, BTK, MCL-1, BCL2, and XPO1. Demethylating agents, polatuzumab combinations, umbralisib combinations, and the optimal therapies for double-and triple-hit diffuse large B-cell lymphoma were also explored. The speakers in this discussion were John Kuruvilla, MD, FRCPC, from the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Canada, and Kieron Dunleavy, MD, from George…

Somatic mutations can be used to inform diagnosis and prognosis, but they are also useful targets for novel therapies. Valeria Santini, MD, of the University of Florence, Florence, Italy, explains which mutations are receiving the most focus as therapeutic targets in myelodysplastic syndromes in this interview from the 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) Annual Meeting in Houston, TX. She discusses the potential for transforming outpatient treatment with oral therapies targeting IDH1, IDH2, and spliceosome genes. She also points to JAK inhibitors as useful therapies for patients with JAK1 or JAK2 mutations.

While myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) represent a heterogeneous set of pathologies, a large proportion of MDS show similarity in somatic mutations. In this interview, which took place at the 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) Annual Meeting in Houston, TX, Valeria Santini, MD, of the University of Florence, Florence, Italy, discusses how these mutations can be used to inform diagnosis and prognosis. She speaks about a collaborative project working to show correlations between different somatic mutations and disease progression, and uses TP53 mutations as an example of mutations associated with poor prognoses in MDS. Improved understanding of how somatic mutations affect…

If resistance occurs to second generation TKIs in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients, what is the next best option? Here, Giuseppe Saglio, MD, of the University of Turin, Turin, Italy, explores this important question. He highlights what data from the ENESTnd (NCT00471497) and ENEST1st (NCT01061177) trials have shown in terms of resistance occurence, before discussing the issue of intolerance. This interview was recorded at the 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) Annual Meeting held in Houston, TX.

Venetoclax monotherapy has yielded disappointing results in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) because resistance develops along with the propagation of MCL1-expressing clones. Here, Marina Konopleva, MD, PhD, of the MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, discusses different ways to inhibit MCL1 expression and overcome venetoclax resistance. These include direct MCL1 inhibition, MAPK inhibition, MDM2 inhibition, and CDK9 inhibition. Prof. Konopleva evaluates and compares these approaches. This video was recorded at the 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) Annual Meeting in Houston, TX.

Alexander Perl, MD, of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, discusses the effectiveness of drugs currently on the market to treat acute myeloid leukemia (AML) at the 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) Annual Meeting, held in Houston, TX. Dr Perl explains how the FLT3 inhibitors midostaurin and quizartinib have improved the overall survival of AML patients, and protect against relapse better than standard therapy. With tolerable side effects, he excitedly disccusses the the future of AML treatments which do not affect the patient’s day to day life.

FCR chemoimmunotherapy is most effective in the IGVH mutated, non-17p deletion chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patient subgroup. With the advent of novel drugs in the field however, Nitin Jain, MD, from the MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, believes that this therapy could be improved upon. In this interview, recorded at the 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) Annual Meeting in Houston, TX, he discusses the rationale behind, and results from, his trial (NCT02629809) investigating the effect of iFCG, a combination therapy including ibrutinib, fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, and obinutuzumab. Boasting minimal residual disease negativity rates of over 90%, this treatment option…

While CAR T-cells are an approved therapy option in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), the research in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is somewhat behind. In this video, recorded at the 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) Annual Meeting in Houston, TX, William Wierda, MD, PhD, of the MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, gives an overview of the current data, explaining how CAR T-cell therapy appears to be less effective in CLL than in other diseases. He discusses how their potency in this disease might be improved, potentially via the addition of ibrutinib, and highlights…

Speaking from the 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) Annual Meeting in Houston, TX, Valeria Santini, MD, of the University of Florence, Florence, Italy, discusses a new concept in the pathophysiology of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS): that inflammation can be an effective indicator for MDS and its progression. She explains how cytokine S100A9, involved in inflammatory processes, triggers paraptosis and ineffective erythropoiesis, and can be used as a marker for MDS diagnosis and progression. Dr Santini speaks about detection methods for this process, highlighting confocal microscopy of the bone marrow and flow cytometry to measure S100A9 directly, and finally suggests that…

The ENESTop trial (NCT01698905) investigated treatment-free remission (TFR) in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) after discontinuing nilotinib, following the acheivement of a deep molecular response. Here, Timothy Hughes, MD, FRACP, FRCPA, of the Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, Australia, gives us an update on the exciting results of the trial and their implications. In particular, Prof. Hughes highlights how many patients who fail to maintain TFR can restart treatment and regain a deep response once more. This video was recorded at the 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) Annual Meeting in Houston, TX.

Speaking from the 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) Annual Meeting in Houston, TX, Rob Pieters, MD, PhD, of Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands, discusses current research and drug developments to treat mixed lineage leukemia (MLL) rearranged acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Prof. Pieters states that numerous epigenetic abnormalities were discovered in MLL rearranged ALL, hence the market for drugs to modify these abnormalities has expanded. He highlights a few drugs that are currently being studied including demethylating agents such as azacitidine as well as monoclonal antibodies blinatumomab and inotuzumab.

Speaking from the 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) Annual Meeting in Houston, TX, Simon Rule, MD, from Plymouth University, Plymouth, UK, outlines the current standards of care for both young and elderly patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). He highlights some current trials which are attempting to bring drugs like ibrutinib to the frontline setting. He also discusses a particularly exciting area of the field: the potential to create a risk-adapted approach for MCL management by targeting patients with P53 mutations with an aggressive therapy of allogenic stem cell transplant. While this therapy can only be tolerated by young…

EZH2 mutations are associated with a poor prognosis in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). In this video, recorded at the 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) Annual Meeting in Houston, TX, Rashmi Kanagal-Shamanna, MD, of the MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, discusses her work investigating the role of EZH2 mutations in MDS pathology. She highlights genetic and clinical correlates of EZH2 mutations, including an increased likelihood of multilineage dysplasia and chromosome 7 alterations, concluding that EZH2 has a tumor suppressor role in MDS.

Providing us with insight into a trial not yet published, Pierluigi Porcu, MD, from Jefferson Hospital, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PN, discusses his teams investigation into potential molecular biomarkers of response in mice induced to overexpress cytokine IL-15. Dr Porcu uses tipifarnib, a farnesyltransferase inhibitor which targets the RAS pathway, to treat the induced cutaneous T-cell lymphoma developed in the mice. Currently, he is focusing on looking for biomarkers of response from these animal trials. This video was recorded at the 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) Annual Meeting in Houston, TX

First line therapies for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) have developed beyond the historic approach of giving all patients FCR chemoimmunotherapy. In this video, recorded at the 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) Annual Meeting in Houston, TX, Nitin Jain, MD, from the MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, discusses how drugs like ibrutinib have transformed the first line therapy landscape. He also explains how improved understanding of genetic links to disease progression has allowed doctors to target patients with specific therapies, using the example of IGVH mutated patients, who respond exceptionally well to FCR. Finally, he touches on how physicians…

While venetoclax is widely used in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) to good effect, previous studies have suggested that the drug does not yield such good results in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). In this video, recorded at the 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) Annual Meeting in Houston, TX, Marina Konopleva, MD, PhD, of the MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, discusses several recent trials (NCT02203773, NCT02287233) that explored the efficacy of venetoclax in combination with hypomethylating agents or low-dose cytarabine in elderly, untreated AML patients. The results were positive, and Prof. Konopleva finishes by suggesting future implications for these data.

Giuseppe Saglio, MD, of the University of Turin, Turin, Italy, discusses the benefits of second generation TKIs for the frontline treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). These more potent inhibitors have reduced the rate of disease progression, being able to suppress certain clones that are resistant to imatinib. Dr Saglio highlights how these TKIs induce fast and deep responses; a very important property, even in low-risk patients. This interview was recorded at the 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) Annual Meeting held in Houston, TX.

Speaking from the 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) Annual Meeting, held in Houston, TX, David Steensma, MD, of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, discusses the current treatment landscape for lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), as well as future directions for therapy. Dr Steensma highlights how the majority of low-risk MDS patients are treated with hematopoietic growth factors or lenalidomide, although certain patients will respond to immunosupressants and hypomethylating agents. He expresses his hopes for the potential of luspatercept, a recombinant fusion protein, as well as oral hypomethylating agents, the telomerase inhibitor imetelstat and splicing inhibitors.

At the 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) Annual Meeting, held in Houston, TX, Alexander Perl, MD, of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, gives us an update on the recent developments in FLT3 inhibitors for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Dr Perl explains how midostaurin, an older generation FLT3 inhibitor, has a relatively low potency. This has fueled the development of highly selective treatments, such as quizartinib and gilteritinib, which are highly potent and have increased selectivity to FLT3 mutations.

CAR T-cells have the potential to revolutionize the field of hematological oncology, however despite impressive efficacy data from CAR T products, some patients develop resistance, have poor outcomes, or high toxicity. As John Rossi, MS, from Kite Pharma Inc., Santa Monica, CA explains in this video, identifying the characteristics of these patients is crucial to informing treatment planning for specific patient groups. He discusses how identifying patients at risk of toxicity can mean high-risk patients are placed under surveillance, while low-risk individuals are able to receive therapy on an outpatient basis. He highlights how features of the tumor microenvironment and…

Axicabtagene ciloleucel, an anti-CD19 CAR T-cell product, has shown impressive efficacy in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma already. In this video, recorded at the 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) Annual Meeting held in Houston, TX, John Rossi, MS, from Kite Pharma Inc., Santa Monica, CA, highlights clinical trials in the ZUMA series which are targeting a variety of B-cell malignancies and leukemias with axicabtagene ciloleucel. He also discusses KITE 585, an anti-BCMA CAR T product which is being tested at Phase 1 (NCT03318861) in multiple myeloma.

Speaking from the 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) Annual Meeting held in Houston, TX, John Rossi, MS, from Kite Pharma Inc., Santa Monica, CA, presents updated data from the pivotal ZUMA-1 trial (NCT02348216), which used CAR T-cell therapy axicabtagene ciloleucel to treat diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and other B-cell lymphomas. The results from this trial are promising, with an overall response rate of 82%. The strong and durable response observed in a heavily pretreated patient group whose prognosis would otherwise be extremely poor is remarkable, and though significant neurological toxicities were experienced, early intervention meant that they were tolerated…

Christopher Gibson, MD, of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, discusses the multiple uses of next-generation sequencing (NGS) in the management of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Using NGS, clonal evolution can be monitored as the sequencing technique will be able to pick up on new mutations in response to treatment. Dr Gibson states a downfall of its use being time as follow-ups are needed in order to monitor leukemic mutations in patients. Dr Gibson also touches upon the importance of minimal residual disease (MRD) analysis in combination with genomic techniques when monitoring patients with leukemic mutations. This was recorded at the…

Nathan Fowler, MD, of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, discusses the use of minimal residual disease (MRD) as a biomarker for lymphoma. Speaking from the 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) Annual Meeting in Houston, TX, Dr Fowler gives an overview of current trials looking at circulating tumor DNA show promising results as circulating tumor DNA can monitor patients disease and predict the likelihood of relapse before it occurs. He emphasizes that MRD markers could largely impact a patients course of therapy whilst acting as an alternative to scans and reducing the risk of radiation…

Speaking from the 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) Annual Meeting, held in Houston, TX, Christopher Gibson, MD, of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, compares next-generation sequencing (NGS) to older methods such as sanger sequencing (SGS). Although SGS can still be used for more specific single gene testing, on a larger scale, Dr Gibson states that NGS is more cost effective.

Speaking from the 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) Annual Meeting in Houston, TX, Meletios Dimopoulos, MD, of the University of Athens School of Medicine, Athens, Greece, discusses two clinical trials whose results have huge implications for bringing daratumumab into everyday clinical practice for multiple myeloma (MM). The ALCYONE trial (NCT02195479) recently demonstrated the superiority of bortezomib-melphalan-prednisone (VMP) with daratumumab over VMP alone for newly diagnosed MM, making VMP with daratumumab a new standard of care. Depending on the results of another trial exploring whether daratumumab improves outcome with lenalidomide and dexamethasone, this drug may become a frontline standard in…

Speaking at the 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) Annual Meeting in Houston, TX, Nathan Fowler, MD, of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, discusses the increasing need for biomarkers to identify a patients stage of disease, thus determining whether they are more likely to be cured in the future. Dr Fowler highlights that routine scans, currently used to monitor patients, are associated with a risk of radiation, and so in order to successfully identify a patients cure rate and likelihood to relapse, biomarkers are in need of development.

Meletios Dimopoulos, MD, of the University of Athens School of Medicine, Athens, Greece, gives an overview of the OPTIMISMM trial (NCT01734928) at the 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) Annual Meeting in Houston, TX. This trial compared progression free survival (PFS) of dexamethasone/bortezomib and a triplet of dexamethasone, bortezomib and pomalidomide in patients with multiple myeloma (MM) that have previously been treated with lenalidomide. The positive PFS data from the triplet regimen, even in patients who have acquired resistance to lenalidomide, suggests a positive future for this therapy.

DNA sequencing approaches such as next-generation sequencing (NGS) have been found to be particularly useful when diagnosing cancers. These results can then be used to influence therapeutic decisions before the patient begins treatment. At the 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) Annual Meeting, held in Houston, TX, Christopher Gibson, MD, of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, discusses the strengths and limitations of NGS in practice. Dr Gibson highlights the fact that numerous factors such as the patient’s white blood cell count and age must be taken into consideration when using NGS.

Patients that relapse or are resistant to treatments are classified as high-risk in follicular lymphoma. Here, Nathan Fowler, MD, of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, discusses how best to identify high risk patients and how to improve their outcome in the long term. Dr Fowler states that currently, there is no biomarker to identify those at risk of relapse, however there are studies being conducted in order to detect one. He also explores the idea of novel targeted therapies such as PI3K inhibitors and CAR T-cell therapy, and how they could potentially improve survival rates…

In this interview, recorded at the 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) Annual Meeting in Houston, TX, Meletios Dimopoulos, MD, of the University of Athens School of Medicine, Athens, Greece, gives an update on multiple myeloma (MM) bone disease, and focuses on imaging techniques and new treatment approaches. Dr Dimopoulos highlights the best imaging modalities for disease identification and monitoring, including low-dose CT, PET-CT, and magnetic resonance imaging. In the field of treatment, he discusses the drawbacks of bisphosphonates and speaks about a trial (NCT01345019) comparing denosumab and zoledronic acid in treating skeletal-related events.

Christopher Gibson, MD, of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, discusses the reliability of next-generation sequencing (NGS) at the 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) Annual Meeting, held in Houston, TX. Dr Gibson explains that results from NGS have been reliable as the mutations seen are those that are present in Acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Dr Gibson also questions the relevance on the results and how this is entirely dependent on expert interpretation.

Recent approvals in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have increased the treatment options available for patients with this disease, leading to improved clinical outcomes. However, there is no single treatment strategy that can be applied to all patients with HCC. Hence, it creates an unmet educational need for establishing the best practice and standard of care for patients with HCC to provide the best chance of survival. In this webcast, Dr. Ghassan Abou-Alfa and a panel of HCC experts elucidate best practices for the incorporation of emerging agents and treatment strategies into your clinical practice. Earn CME for this activity: https://www.naccme.com/program/2018-a62801-2

BCMA is an exciting therapeutic target for multiple myeloma (MM). Here, Yi Lin, MD, PhD, of the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, discusses current trials of CAR T-cell products that are targeting BCMA, and their data so far. She highlights that the patient population who have received this therapy so far have been heavily pre-treated and have limited therapeutic options. Dr Lin also discusses future strategies to futher improve CAR T-cell therapy. This interview took place at the Myeloma 2018 meeting, held in San Diego, CA.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is at the forefront of immunotherapeutic developments, including T-cell therapies and bispecific antibodies. Here, our expert panel discuss BCMA and SLAMF7 targeting CAR T-cells, bispecific T-cell engaging antibodies, and recent clinical trials in these areas. From the Myeloma 2018 meeting in San Diego, CA, Andrzej Jakubowiak, MD, PhD, from the University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL chairs a discussion with James Kochenderfer, MD, of the National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, and Adam Cohen, MD, of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.

Understanding the mechanisms of drug resistance in multiple myeloma (MM) is vital in order to improve treatment. In this comprehensive discussion, the genomics, proteomics and signatures of therapy resistance in MM are covered, in addition to proteasome inhibitor, IMiD and CD38 resistance. Sagar Lonial, MD, of the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, Atlanta, GA, chairs a discussion with Brian Van Ness, PhD from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, Florian Bassermann, MD, PhD, from the Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany, and Anja Seckinger, MD, of the University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany. This video was recorded at the Myeloma…

Ivan Borrello, MD, of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, discusses the role of the microenvironment in multiple myeloma (MM) with Bruno Paiva, PhD, from the University of Navarra, Navarra, Spain, and Marta Chesi, PhD, of the Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, at the Myeloma 2018 meeting in San Diego, CA. They highlight the importance of developing treatments that work beyond the tumor and impact the microenvironment and more specifically the immune microenvironment.

Is measurable residual disease (MRD) ready for prime time in multiple myeloma (MM)? Gareth Morgan, MD, PhD, FRCP, FRCPath, of UAMS Myeloma Institute, Little Rock, AR, chairs a discussion with Jens Lohr, MD, PhD, of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, Angela Dispenzieri, MD, of the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, Ola Landgren, MD, PhD, of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY. Speaking from the Myeloma 2018 meeting, held in San Diego, CA, the experts discuss this exciting topic.

Keith Stewart, MB, ChB, of the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, rounds up the Myeloma 2018 meeting, held in San Diego, CA, with Thomas Martin, MD, from UCSF School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA, and Florian Bassermann, MD, PhD, from the Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany. Drug resistance was a key topic for the day, seeing presentations on resistance to proteasome inhibitors and IMiDs, and CD38 sensitivity. Immunotherapy, particularly CAR T-cell therapy, was another major focus for the days discussions, with mixed opinions on how this novel therapy should placed in therapy sequencing. All were in agreement though, that Myeloma…

The experts at the Myeloma 2018 meeting in San Diego, CA, discussed the successes, challenges and future outlook for CAR T-cells in multiple myeloma (MM), considering the question of where CAR T-cells will be best placed in therapy sequencing. Exploring this intriguing question, David Siegel, MD, PhD, of the John Theurer Cancer Center, Hackensac, NJ, chairs a dicussion 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.

From the Myeloma 2018 meeting, held in San Diego, CA, the experts discuss novel targets in multiple myeloma (MM), including BRD4, Pykfvye and MCL1, and induced protein degradation, such as that via PROTAC. Faith Davies, MD, MRCP, MRCPath, of UAMS Myeloma Institute, Little Rock, AR, chairs the discussion with Leif Bergsagel, MD, of the Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, AZ, Robert Orlowski, MD, PhD, of the MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, and Keith Stewart, MB, ChB, of the Mayo Clinic. Dr Bergsagel discussed the already known targets in MM which still do not have a drugs specific for them. Dr Stewart…