Author: Editor

Pharmacists play a valuable role in oncology practice. Here, R. Donald Harvey, PharmD, BCOP, FCCP, FHOPA, from the Winship Cancer Institute, Atlanta, GA, discusses how important it is for pharmacists to stay up to date with literature, to be able to interpret data and to implement this into their practise. Dr Harvey goes on to share the ways in which pharmacists can keep themselves well informed through online resources and groups like the Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association (HOPA). This interview was recorded at the 2018 HOPA Annual Conference, held in Denver, CO.

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R. Donald Harvey, PharmD, BCOP, FCCP, FHOPA, from the Winship Cancer Institute, Atlanta, GA, gives a pharmacists perspective on the challenges of using biomarkers in immunotherapy. Using PD-1 and PD-L1 as examples, Dr Harvey discusses the challenge in interpreting biomarker results to make clinical decisions and identify which patients will benefit from a given therapy., Dr Harvey shares insights from the audience discussions on the subject at the 2018 Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association (HOPA) Annual Conference, held in Denver, CO.

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R. Donald Harvey, PharmD, BCOP, FCCP, FHOPA, from the Winship Cancer Institute, Atlanta, GA, discusses the importance of biomarkers in immunotherapy to improve the identification of good and poor responders. Focusing on the use of PD-1 and PD-L1 as biomarkers in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer, Dr Harvey shares insights from conversations and debates had during the 2018 Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association (HOPA) Annual Conference, held in Denver, CO. Dr Harvey goes on to discuss microsatellite instability and its role in the treatment of colorectal cancer, suggesting how biomarkers can be better included in clinical trials moving forward.

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Year after year, the number of healthcare professionals that join the Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association (HOPA) continues to increase. Speaking from the 2018 Annual HOPA Conference, held in Denver, CO, Susannah Koontz Webb, PharmD, BCOP, FHOPA, of the Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association, shares an overview of the positive feedback received by HOPA members and the many benefits of HOPA membership.

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What can be expected from the Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association (HOPA) in 2018/19? Here, Susannah Koontz Webb, PharmD, BCOP, FHOPA, 2017/18 President of HOPA, discusses exciting new developments that are expected to begin in the upcoming year for HOPA. From forming an oral oncolytic institute to talks on establishing HOPAs very own journal, Dr Koontz Webb provides an exciting insight into the initiatives and tools being explored to improve care for cancer patients and support Hematology/Oncology Pharmacists. This interview was recorded at the 2018 HOPA Annual Conference, held in Denver, CO.

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It was a very productive year for the 2017/18 governance of the Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association (HOPA). Here, Susannah Koontz Webb, PharmD, BCOP, FHOPA, President of HOPA, discusses the exciting areas of their strategic plan, including professional development, roles and responsibility of the Hematology/Oncology Pharmacist, current research and advocacy. Dr Koontz Webb also announces an exciting collaboration, with high hopes of offering medical education to both members of HOPA and non-members. More information about the strategic plan can be found here: http://www.hoparx.org/about/strategic-plan. This interview was recorded at the 2018 HOPA Annual Conference, held in Denver, CO.

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This year the Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association (HOPA) held its 14th Annual Conference in Denver, CO, with a record-breaking number of attendees. Welcoming the delegates was the President of HOPA, Susannah Koontz Webb, PharmD, BCOP, FHOPA. Here, Dr Koontz Webb provides an interesting insight into the key themes of the 2018 conference, which included thought-provoking panel discussions and sessions. She also discusses future opportunities for HOPA members to become leaders in their profession and expresses her excitement for the expansion of HOPA and the engagement brought from newly introduced initiatives.

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Cutaneous graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) can be a long-term complication of stem cell transplantation that requires careful management. Speaking from the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) 2018 Annual Meeting, held in Lisbon, Portugal, Jacqui Stringer, PhD, BSc, RGN, MIFPA, Chairperson of the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) Nurses Group Research Committee, of the Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK, passionately discusses the importance of the nurse in managing this condition.

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The European Cancer Patient Coalition (ECPC) is a large European cancer patients organization, comprising hundreds of patient groups from many different countries. Here, Jacqui Stringer, PhD, BSc, RGN, MIFPA, Chairperson of the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) Nurses Group Research Committee, of the Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK, discusses this dynamic group and explains the importance of patient input in clinical research. This video was recorded at the EBMT 2018 Annual Meeting, held in Lisbon, Portugal.

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Specialist organizations, such as the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT), can provide a range of useful tools to support their members. In this interview, Jacqui Stringer, PhD, BSc, RGN, MIFPA, Chairperson of the EBMT Nurses Group Research Committee, of the Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK, discusses the ways in which the EBMT Nurses Group can support its members. Dr Stringer highlights guidance and networking, alongside a range of other aspects, to support members in their careers and research. This video was recorded at the EBMT 2018 Annual Meeting, held in Lisbon, Portugal.

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The European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation Nurses Group (EBMT NG) is committed to improving medical education worldwide, to advance healthcare knowledge and patient care internationally, not just in Europe. In this interview, John Murray, RGN, MSc, President of the EBMT NG, of the Christie Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK, discusses the importance of these efforts. He highlights the study day talks hosted at the EBMT Annual Meeting, which can be easily utilized by healthcare professionals to share knowledge with others in their medical practices. He references the talks given this year, under the theme from junior to…

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The European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation Nurses Group (EBMT NG) is a rich resource for nurses and allied healthcare professionals who work in transplantation and hematology. In this interview, John Murray, RGN, MSc, President of the EBMT NG, of the Christie Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK, discusses the numerous resources that the EBMT NG offer. With a new website launched, which contains posters, presentations, e-learning, GVHD and VOD apps, and more, this provides a central resource for nurses across Europe. He highlights how this can aid positive changes in clinical practice and patient care. This video was…

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The European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) held its 44th Annual Meeting in 2018, with delegates once again expressing the multitude of reasons that they attend each year. Speaking from the meeting, held in Lisbon, Portugal, John Murray, RGN, MSc, President of the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation Nurses Group (EBMT NG), of the Christie Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK, highlights the benefits of the EBMT meeting. Among the many reasons for attendance, he highlights the sharing of knowledge and chance to network with international colleagues, which will ultimately improve practice and patient care.

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Veno-occlusive disease (VOD) is a serious complication that can occur following stem cell transplantation, for which the appropriate management is essential. Here, John Murray, RGN, MSc, President of the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation Nurses Group (EBMT NG), of the Christie Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK, discusses the VOD e-learning programme developed by the EBMT NG. Emphasizing the importance of managing VOD, he gives an overview of the tool, and explains how it provides CME credits and essential knowledge on the condition. The programme can be found here: www.ebmt.org/veno-occlusive-disease-vod-learning-programme. This video was recorded at the EBMT 2018…

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The European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation Nurses Group (EBMT NG), founded in 1985, is a well-established coalition that aims to promote excellence in the delivery of transplantation and hematology services by nurses and allied healthcare professionals. In this interview, John Murray, RGN, MSc, President of the EBMT NG, of the Christie Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK, discusses the EBMT NG awards and their expansion. He highlights the importance of recognizing nurses work, encouraging original ideas and the sharing of information. This video was recorded at the EBMT 2018 Annual Meeting, held in Lisbon, Portugal.

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The European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) is committed to developing and advancing the care of patients. In this interview, Jacqui Stringer, PhD, BSc, RGN, MIFPA, Chairperson of the EBMT Nurses Group (NG) Research Committee, of the Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK, eloquently discusses the importance of EBMT and the EBMT NG in improving patient care. This video was recorded at the EBMT 2018 Annual Meeting, held in Lisbon, Portugal.

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Dr. Karen Reckamp, MD, MS, Co-Director of the Lung Cancer and Thoracic Oncology Program, Medical Director – Clinical Research Operations, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center in Duarte, California joined GRACE to discuss updates to our Lung Cancer Video Library. In this video, Dr. Reckamp discusses immunotherapy for previously treated patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

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Dr. Luis Raez, MD FACP FCCP, Chief of Hematology/Oncology and Medical Director at Memorial Cancer Institute, and Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at Florida International University again joined GRACE to discuss updates to the basics of lung cancer. In this (audio only, Spanish language) webcast for the Spanish lung cancer video library, Dr. Raez discusses PDL1 as a biomarker for second-line treatment.

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Dr. Luis Raez, MD FACP FCCP, Chief of Hematology/Oncology and Medical Director at Memorial Cancer Institute, and Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at Florida International University again joined GRACE to discuss updates to the basics of lung cancer. In this (audio only, Spanish language) webcast for the Spanish lung cancer video library, Dr. Raez discusses PDL1 as a biomarker for first line treatment.

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Presented by Dr. Luis E. Raez, MD, FACP, FCCP Chief of Hematology/Oncology and Medical Director of Memorial Cancer Institute (Miami, FL) Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University http://cancerGRACE.org/

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Presented by Aziz Nazha, MD. Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is generally a hematologic malignancy of older adults, with approximately 60% of newly diagnosed AML patients being 60 or older. Older patients pose unique therapeutic challenges that have been largely unmet to date. This activity will review and discuss decision-making strategies outlining when and how to treat this patient population in your practice. In addition, Dr. Nazha will provide an overview of the current treatment paradigms available, as well as agents currently approved or under investigation which may have a potential role in the outcome of the older patient with AML.…

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Presented by Ehab Atallah, MD. There is a significant unmet need in existing treatment paradigms for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) due to poor survival and intolerability to cytotoxic chemotherapy, especially for a generally older patient population. Hypomethylating agents (HMAs) have demonstrated a benefit in patients with AML, especially those who require less aggressive therapy, but there is a need for improved efficacy and survival outcomes. In this activity, participants will learn about HMAs in existing treatment paradigms, as well as the investigational landscape of novel therapies in combination with HMAs, and their potential impact on treatment outcomes for…

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Immunotherapy has the potential to provide long-term benefits to certain lung cancer patients; however, certain patients may not respond, while others who initially respond may develop resistance. In this interview, Alastair Greystoke, PhD, of the University of Newcastle & Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle, UK, discusses how we can overcome this issue. Dr Greystoke highlights the use of additional drugs in combination regimens and predicts what approach this may take in future. This video was recorded at the British Thoracic Oncology Group (BTOG) Annual Conference 2018, held in Dublin, Ireland.

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Informal carers play an essential role in the care of many lung cancer patients. Here, Morag Farquhar, PhD, of the University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK, discusses the importance of supporting these carers, explaining how patients and carers are an important unit that must both be supported. Dr Farquhar also highlights the unmet need in this area and how it can be addressed. This video was recorded at the British Thoracic Oncology Group (BTOG) Annual Conference 2018, held in Dublin, Ireland.

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Breathlessness is a frightening and disabling symptom of lung cancer; therefore, it is vital that patients, carers, family and healthcare professionals are aware of and have strategies to tackle it. Here, Morag Farquhar, PhD, of the University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK, discusses the importance of increasing awareness around breathlessness and highlights the unmet need in this area. This video was recorded at the British Thoracic Oncology Group (BTOG) Annual Conference 2018, held in Dublin, Ireland.

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Breathlessness is a scary symptom for lung cancer patients and their family, who often act as informal carers. Speaking from the British Thoracic Oncology Group (BTOG) Annual Conference 2018, held in Dublin, Ireland, Morag Farquhar, PhD, of the University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK, discusses her work that was presented at the meeting on an educational intervention on breathlessness for the carers of patients with lung cancer. Dr Farquhar discusses the aims, design and results of the study, highlighting the importance of this work. She also discusses further plans, emphasizing the aim of taking this work to a national level…

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Patient advocacy, by individuals and organizations, serves an imperative role in healthcare, giving a voice to those who are most affected by the disease. In this interview, Catherine Bouvier, RGN, Director of Patient Support at the NET Patient Foundation, Leamington Spa, UK, passionately discusses the significance of patient advocacy and the importance of medical establishments, such as the British Thoracic Oncology Group (BTOG), including patient advocates. This video was recorded at the BTOG Annual Conference 2018, held in Dublin, Ireland.

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The neuroendocrine tumor (NET) Patient Foundation is a valuable resource for patients with NETs, as well as their carers. Here, Catherine Bouvier, RGN, Director of Patient Support at the NET Patient Foundation, Leamington Spa, UK, tells us about the foundation, including the resources it offers and the importance of these to the NET community. Find out more about the foundation here: www.netpatientfoundation.org/. This video was recorded at the British Thoracic Oncology Group (BTOG) Annual Conference 2018, held in Dublin, Ireland.

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CAR T-cells are an exciting therapeutic area, which although promising are still in the early stages of development for solid malignancies. Speaking from the British Thoracic Oncology Group (BTOG) Annual Conference 2018, held in Dublin, Ireland, Alastair Greystoke, PhD, of the University of Newcastle & Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle, UK, discusses this area. Dr Greystoke highlights the need to improve targeting, giving examples of target antigens currently being investigated for lung cancer.

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There are numerous ongoing and planned clinical trials investigating immuno-oncology (IO) agents for lung cancer, particularly in combination with other classes of therapy moving forwards. Here, Alastair Greystoke, PhD, of the University of Newcastle & Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle, UK, discusses the key combinations being investigated. Dr Greystoke highlights investigations combining checkpoint inhibitors with an inhibitor of IDO, which may be involved in IO resistance. He also covers the challenges being faced in developing these combination regimens, highlighting the struggle with prioritization and toxicity. This video was recorded at the British Thoracic Oncology Group (BTOG) Annual…

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For lung cancer, early diagnosis and staging is crucial to survival. However, the length of the lung cancer pathway differs between regions in the UK due to a variety of reasons. As explained here by Robert Rintoul, PhD, FRCP, of the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Cambridge, UK, the National Optimal Lung Cancer Pathway (NOLCP) was developed to combat this, giving patients across the UK access to rapid diagnosis, staging and treatment. Dr Rintoul discusses how this can highlight the different aspects that can be limiting the speed of a center through the care pathway. This video was recorded at…

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Exciting clinical trial updates were presented at the British Thoracic Oncology Group (BTOG) Annual Conference 2018, held in Dublin, Ireland. Speaking from the meeting, Robert Rintoul, PhD, FRCP, of the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Cambridge, UK, discusses the updates that he presented on the MARS2 (NCT02040272) and MesoTRAP (NCT03412357) studies for mesothelioma. MARS2 is investigating whether pleurectomy/decortication confers a survival advantage, whereas MesoTRAP is a feasibility study comparing pleurectomy/decortication vs. indwelling pleural catheter treatment for trapped lung. Dr Rintoul gives an overview of the progress of the trials thus far, as well as the additional measurements being incorporated, including…

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In the coming era of lung cancer management, where the use of both targeted agents and new immunotherapies seems extremely promising, what challenges will remain? Speaking from the British Thoracic Oncology Group (BTOG) Annual Conference 2018, held in Dublin, Ireland, Keith Kerr, FRCPath, FRCPE, of the University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK, discusses his perspective on future considerations for the management on lung cancer. Dr Kerr points out an unmet need that he foresees in the era of immuno-oncology, which highlights the utility of developing predictive biomarkers for chemotherapy response. In addition, Dr Kerr emphasizes the need for KRAS-specific therapy.

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A key subject on everyones mind at the British Thoracic Oncology Group (BTOG) Annual Conference 2018, held in Dublin, Ireland, was immuno-oncology (IO): predictive testing, combinations, trials, new targets; the list goes on. Speaking from the meeting, Keith Kerr, FRCPath, FRCPE, from the University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK, gave us his thoughts on this exciting topic. Dr Kerr highlighted a number of interesting questions, including whether IO is for all patients or not, the affordability of regimens, and if clinicians should use all agents in the first-line setting.

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The British Thoracic Oncology Group (BTOG) Annual Conference 2018, held in Dublin, Ireland, hosted sessions covering a diverse range of topics, inciting thought-provoking conversation. Here, speaking from the meeting, Keith Kerr, FRCPath, FRCPE, from the University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK, discusses an interesting talk on statistical analysis, which the raised questions including whether past trial data should be reanalyzed and regarding the design of future clinical trials.

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This is an exciting time for research into the early diagnosis of lung cancer, with a number of promising options on the horizon. Here, Robert Rintoul, PhD, FRCP, of the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Cambridge, UK, discusses the intriguing work that his group is involved in, investigating the identification of lung cancer via circulating tumor (ct)DNA. Dr Rintoul gives us an overview the study exploring this, which is taking blood samples from patients at multiple timepoints pre- and post-treatment, and emphasizes the important role that a test such as this could serve. This video was recorded at the British…

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There is a growing need to improve the early diagnosis of lung cancer; non-invasive, quick and accessible assays would greatly aid in this. In this interesting interview, Robert Rintoul, PhD, FRCP, of the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Cambridge, UK, discusses the exciting work that he is involved with, investigating volatile organic compounds in the breath in order to identify exhaled breath signatures for lung cancer. This work is being undertaken in the Lung Cancer Indicator Detection (LuCID; NCT02612532) study, a multi-centre prospective trial for lung cancer screening. Dr Rintoul gives an overview of the promising trial, which has recruited…

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A non-invasive biomarker assay to detect lung cancer would be ideal; avoiding needless biopsies and providing another step of diagnostic validation. However, finding the optimal control group to identify these signatures is not easy, as explained here by Robert Rintoul, PhD, FRCP, of the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Cambridge, UK. This video was recorded at the British Thoracic Oncology Group (BTOG) Annual Conference 2018, held in Dublin, Ireland.

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One issue with lung cancer screening is that nodules, which may or may not be malignant, can be detected, leading to unnecessary biopsies and stress for patients who do not have lung cancer. In this interview, Robert Rintoul, PhD, FRCP, of the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Cambridge, UK, discusses the issue. Dr Rintoul highlights the need for non-invasive assays to determine the probability of nodules being cancerous, referencing his groups work investigating exhaled breath signatures, as well as blood samples to detect ctDNA. This video was recorded at the British Thoracic Oncology Group (BTOG) Annual Conference 2018, held in…

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With rapid advancements in the management of lung cancer, new questions and challenges undoubtedly arise. Here, James Spicer, PhD, FRCP, of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK, discusses these challenges. Prof. Spicer emphasizes that while previously a distant thought, the long-term control of lung cancer may now be an emerging reality, which clinicians will need to address. In addition, he highlights the increasing complexity of trials containing many agents with an exponential number of combination possibilities, meaning selectivity and optimal trial design is essential. This video was recorded at the British Thoracic Oncology Group (BTOG) Annual Conference…

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As explained here by James Spicer, PhD, FRCP, of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK, the field of lung cancer research is currently dominated by immunotherapy. Prof. Spicer highlights the need for predictive biomarkers, such as tumor mutational burden (TMB), to determine response to these agents and how this is more complex than it seems. This video was recorded at the British Thoracic Oncology Group (BTOG) Annual Conference 2018, held in Dublin, Ireland.

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As our understanding of the different oncogenes that serve a role in the pathogenesis of lung cancer increases, so does the array of targets for the development of novel targeted therapies. In this exciting interview, James Spicer, PhD, FRCP, of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK, discusses emerging targets in development for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Prof. Spicer and covers AXL, including its potential for combating drug resistance, as well as previously poorly thought of targets, referencing HER2 and its targeting with the antibody-drug conjugate T-DM1. Prof. Spicer highlights the utility of the Stratified Medicine Programme…

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Lung cancer screening is an exciting and greatly debated topic in the UK; on one hand it could greatly improve patient survival, while on the other there are many considerations, including cost-effectiveness. In this interview, David Baldwin, MD, FRCP, of the University of Nottingham Medical School, Nottingham, UK, gives his thoughts on the topic, offering an insightful perspective on this debated area. This video was recorded at the British Thoracic Oncology Group (BTOG) Annual Conference 2018, held in Dublin, Ireland.

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Lung cancer management in the UK is on the pinnacle of great change, with the current implementation of the National Optimal Lung Cancer Pathway (NOLCP). However, additional complementary changes could be made to improve lung cancer care, as explained here by David Baldwin, MD, FRCP, of the University of Nottingham Medical School, Nottingham, UK. Just some of the issues highlighted by Prof. Baldwin include more definitive guidelines and tools for GPs, and equal access to a high level of expertise independent of geographic location. This video was recorded at the British Thoracic Oncology Group (BTOG) Annual Conference 2018, held in…

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The National Optimal Lung Cancer Pathway (NOLCP), a hugely accelerated new lung cancer care pathway in the UK, was a central topic at the British Thoracic Oncology Group (BTOG) Annual Conference 2018, held in Dublin, Ireland. Speaking from the meeting, David Baldwin, MD, FRCP, of the University of Nottingham Medical School, Nottingham, UK, and Chair of the Clinical Expert Group (CEG) for Lung Cancer of NHS England, gives us an overview of the NOLCP. Prof. Baldwin discusses how the NOLCP was developed and its implementation, highlighting the exciting benefits that are already being seen and emphasizing the need for enthusiastic…

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Tobacco use is a major determinant of lung cancer risk; therefore, it is vital that a patients smoking status and history is recorded, and that active smokers are referred to improve smoking cessation rates. Speaking from the British Thoracic Oncology Group (BTOG) Annual Conference 2018, held in Dublin, Ireland, Sanjay Agrawal, MBBS, of the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Leicester, UK, discusses the importance of this issue.

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The National Optimal Lung Cancer Pathway (NOLCP), a streamlined care pathway to improve the speed of lung cancer diagnosis, staging and treatment in the UK, was a central topic of the British Thoracic Oncology Group (BTOG) Annual Conference 2018, held in Dublin, Ireland. Speaking from the meeting, Sanjay Agrawal, MBBS, of the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Leicester, UK, discusses the session that he chaired on the topic: Implementing the NOLCP across the UK: all hospitals vs. diagnostic centers? Dr Agrawal highlights the pros and cons of each option.

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The past several years have been extremely exciting in the field of bladder cancer, with checkpoint inhibitors emerging as efficacious therapies for otherwise refractory cancer. In this interview, Andrea Apolo, MD, of the National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, discusses this success and how we can continue to drive this improvement forwards, with a focus on predictive biomarkers. This video was recorded at the 2018 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium, held in San Francisco, CA.

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The 2018 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium, held in San Francisco, CA, hosted an exciting Best of Journals session, highlighting key research over the past year. Speaking from the meeting, Andrea Apolo, MD, of the National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, who presented for urothelial carcinoma in this session, discusses her selection for best papers. Dr Apolo highlights the difficulty in choosing, due to many high impact bladder cancer publications being released.

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There was exciting news in the field of bladder cancer treatment at the 2018 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium, held in San Francisco, CA. Speaking from the meeting, Alison Birtle, MRCP, FRCR, MD, of Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Preston, UK, discusses the findings from the POUT trial (NCT01993979), a Phase III randomized study that determined the efficacy and the safety of adjuvant chemotherapy following radical nephroureterectomy, as well as its effect on the quality of life, for patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC). With such promising data from the POUT trial, Dr Birtle expresses her hopes of adjuvant chemotherapy…

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Whether or not patients with prostate cancer with adverse pathological features (APF) following radical prostatectomy should be offered radiotherapy immediately or wait for a high PSA reading has been a topic of controversy. Here, Adam Dicker, MD, PhD, FASTRO, of Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, presents the arguments for each side of the debate. This video was recorded at the 2018 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium, held in San Francisco, CA.

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Patients with oligometastatic prostate cancer can be identified using highly advanced detection tools, such as positron emission tomography (PET) and full body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The question is, what is the next step? Should these patients be kept under observation or should they be offered treatment? Is there a benefit to protocol-based treatment or should treatment be within a clinical trial? In this interesting interview, Adam Dicker, MD, PhD, FASTRO, of Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, provides an insight into the arguments raised for both sides in a case-based debate on this topic at the 2018 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium,…

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Bladder preservation remains a viable option for certain patients with bladder cancer; with previous studies showing that patients up to the age of 84 can be safely treated with bladder preserving protocols, such as chemoradiation. Here, Alison Birtle, MRCP, FRCR, MD, of Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Preston, UK, shares her thoughts on a case study involving the treatment of a patent with node-positive bladder cancer. She also provides evidence supporting the use of bladder preservation in patients with bladder cancer and shares her personal stance on the topic.

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The ProtecT trial (NCT02044172) was a study conducted between 1999 and 2009 that compared active monitoring, radical prostatectomy and radiotherapy for the management of clinically localized prostate cancer. Following the 10-year median follow-up, Freddie Hamdy, MBChB, LRCSPEd, LRCSEd, LRCPSGlasg, FRCSEd, MD, FRCSEd(Urol), FRCS, FMedSci, of the University of Oxford, Oxford, UK. discusses the questions that the team involved with the trial have tried to address. What were the characteristics of the patients who progressed during the trial and does low-risk disease require any treatment? This interview was recorded at the 2017 National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) Conference in Liverpool, UK.

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An interesting update on the ProtecT trial (NCT02044172) was given by Freddie Hamdy, MBChB, LRCSPEd, LRCSEd, LRCPSGlasg, FRCSEd, MD, FRCSEd(Urol), FRCS, FMedSci, of the University of Oxford, Oxford, UK, at the 2017 National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) Conference in Liverpool, UK. The ProtecT trial was a randomized Phase III trial that compared three interventions for patients with localized prostate cancer: radical prostatectomy, radiation therapy or active monitoring. Dr Hamdy discusses the study design and presents the findings from the 10-year median follow-up.

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Patient reported outcomes (PROs) are reports that can provide insightful information from patients, including how they feel about their condition and the therapies that are being used for treatment. Here, Freddie Hamdy, MBChB, LRCSPEd, LRCSEd, LRCPSGlasg, FRCSEd, MD, FRCSEd(Urol), FRCS, FMedSci, of the University of Oxford, Oxford, UK, presents the PROs from the ProtecT trial (NCT02044172), a study that compared the effectiveness of active monitoring, radical prostatectomy and radiotherapy in patients with localized prostate cancer. Dr Hamdy emphasizes the importance of utilizing PROs when counselling patients on treatment options. This interview was recorded at the 2017 National Cancer Research Institute…

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Active monitoring, radical prostatectomy or radiotherapy? For men with clinically localized prostate cancer, which intervention has a disease-specific mortality advantage? Here, Freddie Hamdy, MBChB, LRCSPEd, LRCSEd, LRCPSGlasg, FRCSEd, MD, FRCSEd(Urol), FRCS, FMedSci, of the University of Oxford, Oxford, UK, discusses the importance of a 15-year and 20-year median follow-up for the ProtecT trial (NCT02044172), which compared the effectiveness of these three treatments. This interview was recorded at the 2017 National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) Conference in Liverpool, UK.

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The nurses role in talking about trials was an interesting session run by the UK Oncology Nursing Society (UKONS) symposium at the 2017 National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) Conference in Liverpool, UK. Here, Verna Lavender, PhD, PGCHTE, RGN, UKONS Board Member, of Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK, shares her insight into the session, which focused on a research study of young patients with primary bone cancer who were eligible for clinical trials and the healthcare professionals involved in their care. Dr Lavender discusses the methodology used and the primary findings of the study, highlighting the strategies used to talk to…

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The National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) invited the UK Oncology Nursing Society (UKONS) to host a session at the 2017 National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) Conference in Liverpool, UK. Here, Verna Lavender, PhD, PGCHTE, RGN, UKONS Board Member, of Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK, shares her experience of attending the annual conference.

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Discussing clinical trials with young cancer patients can be tricky; are there certain strategies that can be implemented to help clinicians engage with younger patients more easily? In this interview, Verna Lavender, PhD, PGCHTE, RGN, of Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK, discusses tactics that could be used to help build rapport and dialogue with young patients. This interview was recorded at the 2017 National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) Conference in Liverpool, UK.

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It has been found that the Clinical Nurse Specialist has a central role working alongside research nurses and doctors to help facilitate access to conversations for young cancer patients about clinical trial participation. Despite this, there are still some areas that healthcare professionals must focus on to ensure that young cancer patients are more aware about trial participation. In this insightful interview, Verna Lavender, PhD, PGCHTE, RGN, of Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK, discusses certain questions on the topic raised by patient representatives during the 2017 National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) Conference in Liverpool, UK. Whilst offering her own thoughts,…

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There was exciting news at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) 2017 Annual Meeting and Exposition in Atlanta, GA, with data from the Hokusai venous thromboembolism (VTE)-Cancer Study (NCT02073682) presented as a late-breaking abstract. Here, Harry Buller, MD, PhD, of the Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam, Netherlands, discusses whether oral edoxoban could become the new standard of care for cancer-associated VTE. Prof. Buller also shares his predictions on the future of VTE treatment following the success of the Hokusai VTE-Cancer Study.

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To date, stem cell transplantation has been the best curative treatment method for acute leukemia, for which T-cells are the faciliatators of the graft versus leukemia response. As explained here by Marion Subklewe, MD, of LMU-University Hospital Munich, Munich, Germany, it is thus very exciting that new T-cell engager constructs can now be used to independently and specifically harness these benefits. Dr Subklewe then gives us an overview of a Phase I US/EU trial investigating an anti-CD3/CD33 bispecific T-cell engaging antibody for relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML). This video was recorded at the 1st International Workshop on Acute Leukemias (iwAL),…

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Acute leukemias can exhibit resistance to T-cell engaging antibodies through immune evasion, via both innate and adaptive mechanisms. In this interview, Marion Subklewe, MD, of LMU-University Hospital Munich, Munich, Germany, discusses how this resistance can be combated. Dr Subklewe highlights novel combinations with T-cell engagers, including those with immune checkpoint or tyrosine kinase inhibitors. She then highlights the patients that this therapy would be ideal for, before giving her perspective on what the future of this treatment could look like. This video was recorded at the 1st International Workshop on Acute Leukemias (iwAL), held in St. Pete Beach, FL.

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T-cell engaging antibodies are more straightforward to deisgn and use in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) compared with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and have thus had more success. Here, Marion Subklewe, MD, of LMU-University Hospital Munich, Munich, Germany, explains the reasons for this difference and how we can improve response rates to this type of therapy in AML. This video was recorded at the 1st International Workshop on Acute Leukemias (iwAL), held in St. Pete Beach, FL.

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What were the objectives of the Hokusai venous thromboembolism (VTE)-Cancer Study? In this interview, Harry Buller, MD, PhD, of the Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam, Netherlands, highlights the major components, objectives and findings of the trial (NCT02073682), which compared two regimens, subcutaneous injection of low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) and oral administration of edoxaban. Prof. Buller discusses various elements of the trial, including focusing on the composite of first recurrence or the first major bleed from VTE and continuing treatment beyond 6 months. Describing the LMWH treatment as noninferior to oral edoxaban, Prof. Buller explains the advantages of edoxaban for patients with cancer-associated…

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Venous thromboembolism (VTE) remains a major risk for patients with cancer. The current standard of care for VTE includes subcutaneously injecting low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH), which has shown to be effective; however, patients are required to use this treatment for prolonged periods. In this interview, recorded at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) 2017 Annual Meeting and Exposition in Atlanta, GA, Harry Buller, MD, PhD, of the Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam, Netherlands, discusses the issues surrounding VTE. Prof. Buller also explains the reasoning behind the Hokusai VTE-Cancer Study (NCT02073682), which compared subcutaneous injection of LMWH vs. oral edoxaban for the treatment…

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Our knowledge of early T-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ETP-ALL) is advancing, as highlighted by an excellent talk on the topic at the 1st International Workshop on Acute Leukemias (iwAL), held in St. Pete Beach, FL. Speaking from the meeting, Bijal Shah, MD, of the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL, discusses his thoughts on the diagnosis of ETP-ALL. He highlights the fact that immunophenotypical methods may be insufficient alone in this diagnosis, discussing recent study data investigating the molecular biology of the disease.

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Dr. Karen Reckamp, MD, MS, Co-Director of the Lung Cancer and Thoracic Oncology Program, Medical Director – Clinical Research Operations, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center in Duarte, California joined GRACE to discuss updates to our Lung Cancer Video Library. In this video, Dr. Reckamp discusses immunotherapy for previously treated patients with non-small cell lung cancer. Please visit our forums at http://cancergrace.org/forum/q-and-a-…, and scroll to the bottom of the page to ask a question! http://cancerGRACE.org/

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We are continually learning new facts about the molecular basis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and how it is evolving. In this insightful interview, Bijal Shah, MD, of the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL, explains his thoughts on the topic. Dr Shah gives his perspective on the molecular subtypes of ALL, and the struggle of defining and detecting these, particularly without proprietary molecular profiling methods. He highlights the need to reach a consensus on definitions, terminology and detectiong, explaining how this would improve treatment. This video was recorded at the 1st International Workshop on Acute…

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CAR T-cells for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) treatment are promising, with a number of different agents in development. Here, Bijal Shah, MD, of the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL, discusses the status of the Phase I/II ZUMA-3 trial of KTE-C19 for relapsed/refractory ALL. He also highlights his hopes for the study and the use of approaches such as minimal residual disease (MRD) measurement to guide therapy such as this. This video was recorded at the 1st International Workshop on Acute Leukemias (iwAL), held in St. Pete Beach, FL.

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It is now widely agreed that minimal residual disease (MRD) is a clinically relevant measure, so how can we now move forward to achieve the widespread utilization of MRD measurement in a meaningful way? This question is explored here, in an interesting discussion with Bijal Shah, MD, of the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL. Dr Shah raises the topic of what we should now define as complete and partial response rates, and whether we should still be using these terms. He also discusses the subjects of what weight should be given to different mutations, standardization,…

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Certain molecular lesions are inherently targetable in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL); patients with these changes should be given access to therapy that specifically targets these lesions. Speaking from the 1st International Workshop on Acute Leukemias (iwAL), held in St. Pete Beach, FL, Bijal Shah, MD, of the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL, discusses how clinicians should be utilizing molecular data to improve treatment, giving a case-based example to poignantly highlight his point.

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Now that our techniques to measure minimal residual disease (MRD) are highlighly sensitive, the utility of MRD to guide and measure response to treatment can be brought into effective action. In this interview, Bijal Shah, MD, of the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL, gives an interesting perspective on the role of MRD in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Dr Shah highlights the changing views and guidelines that are needed to exploit the full potential of MRD measurement, including consensus on what MRD result indicates a complete response. This video was recorded at the 1st International Workshop…

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Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is experiencing a therapy boom, with increasing numbers of novel treatments being approved and more in the pipeline, for both frontline and salvage therapy. Here, Naval Daver, MD, of the MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, explains his viewpoint on the five main therapy pillars being focused on for AML, discussing the current situation for each type, including the successes and concerns to consider. The interview is rounded up by Dr Daver giving an insightful perspective into this new frontier, where there are many possible combinations and clinical trials will need to be designed to reflect…

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Elderly patients with secondary acute myeloid leukemia (AML) typically had poor outcomes following standard chemotherapy treatment. However, this changed in August 2017 with the approval of CPX-351 following results from the Phase III trial (NCT01696084), which indicated that it should become the standard of care for therapy-related AML and AML with myelodysplasia-related changes, which are typically hard to treat. Here, Jeffrey Lancet, MD, of the Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, gives us an overview of this treatment, which comprises the liposomal delivery of a combination of cytarabine (ara-C) and daunorubicin at a specific molar ratio. Dr Lancet explains the benefits…

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CPX-351, a combination of cytarabine (ara-C) and daunorubicin within a liposomal delivery system, was approved in August 2017 for two types of secondary acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Speaking from the 1st International Workshop on Acute Leukemias (iwAL), held in St. Pete Beach, FL, Jeffrey Lancet, MD, of the Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, discusses the safety profile of this exciting drug.

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The liposomal delivery of chemotherapy is a promising therapeutic area, which was highlighted by the approval of CPX-351 for two types of typically hard-to-treat secondary acute myeloid leukemia (AML). In this interview, Jeffrey Lancet, MD, of the Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, discusses the diverse next steps in this field. Dr Lancet covers identifying responders, investigating the drugs effect on transplant success and potential combinations with targeted therapy. This video was recorded at the 1st International Workshop on Acute Leukemias (iwAL), held in St. Pete Beach, FL.

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Hear about exciting advancements in acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) with Prof. David Marks, MBBS, PhD, FRACP, FRCPath, of University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, Bristol, UK, who discusses the new developments in ALL therapy that could improve cure rates over the next few years. Here, Prof. Marks focuses on the beneficial use of rituximab, blinatumomab and inotuzumab. He also discusses IMPACT, the UKs first large-scale clinical trials programme for patients who receive stem cell transplants, and future plans regarding the first IMPACT trials. Describing T-cell ALL as neglected, Prof. Marks offers his thoughts on this topic, including the issues surrounding…

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In this exciting interview, Irene Higginson, OBE, BMBS, PhD, FMedSci, FRCP, of Kings College London, London, UK, introduces the palliative care/patient care outcome scale (POS), which has been developed to identify the patients who will benefit from receiving palliative care earlier. This interview was held at the 2017 National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) Conference in Liverpool, UK.

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Nelarabine has shown to be effective in treating relapsed/refractory T-cell acute lymphocytic leukemia (T-ALL) in children and adults; however, there are known concerns about its upfront use for T-ALL. Speaking from the 2017 National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) Conference in Liverpool, UK, Prof. David Marks, MBBS, PhD, FRACP, FRCPath, of University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, Bristol, UK, explains the importance of investigating the outcome of nelarabine treatment in T-ALL patients and the issues surrounding funding of the drug, as well as the lack of patients for clinical trials.

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Can patients with B-cell acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) benefit more from using rituximab as part of their treatment compared to using standard chemotherapy alone? This is one question that Prof. David Marks, MBBS, PhD, FRACP, FRCPath, of University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, Bristol, UK, has investigated during the UKALL14 trial (NCT01085617). Speaking at the 2017 National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) Conference in Liverpool, UK, Prof. Marks briefly talks about the primary endpoints of the trial and expresses his interest in finding out the results gathered.

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In recent years, there has been a lot of debate surrounding how palliative care should be integrated into the cancer care pathway; one question is how early should palliative care be offered? In this interview, Irene Higginson, OBE, BMBS, PhD, FMedSci, FRCP, of Kings College London, London, UK, discusses the evidence showing that patients with progressive cancer, as well as their families, benefit more from receiving palliative care in the early stages of cancer. Prof. Higginson also explains her findings on the economics of offering early palliative care. This interview was held at the 2017 National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI)…

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Palliative care can offer patients with progressive cancer a better quality of life, but how can this type of care be integrated into the care of these patients earlier? Speaking at the 2017 National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) Conference in Liverpool, UK, Irene Higginson, OBE, BMBS, PhD, FMedSci, FRCP, of Kings College London, London, UK, discusses strategies that can be implemented to identify the patients most at risk of having progressive cancer, so that palliative can be offered earlier. Prof. Higginson also explains what the palliative care healthcare team do to support cancer patients and offers her personal thoughts on…

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Sumanta (Monty) Kumar Pal, M.D. Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research Co-director, Kidney Cancer Program, Medical Oncologist, provides an in-depth look at the Advances in Immunotherapy for GU Cancers: Focus on Renal Cell Carcinoma in the 2018 Oncology Summit in Huntington Beach, CA Go to: http://www.moasc.org for more information

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Immune checkpoint inhibitors are a promising area of therapy, with our understanding of their mechanism of action and the ways in which we can tailor this to better utilize them improving rapidly. In this particularly insightful interview, Naval Daver, MD, of the MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, explains the mechanism of action of this therapy and the rationale for its use in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Dr Daver also highlights the exciting strategy of upregulating PD-1/PD-L1 expression using hypomethylating agents to improve checkpoint inhibitor therapy response. This video was recorded at the 1st International Workshop on Acute Leukemias (iwAL),…

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As our knowledge of immunotherapy increases, so has our understanding of its side effects. In this interview, Naval Daver, MD, of the MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, discusses the types of immune-related toxicities which are seen in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who have received immune checkpoint inhibitors. Importantly, Dr Daver highlights the necessity of treating the disease while simultaneously managing any toxicities. This video was recorded at the 1st International Workshop on Acute Leukemias (iwAL), held in St. Pete Beach, FL.

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The use of immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has progressed drastically over the past several years. Speaking from the 1st International Workshop on Acute Leukemias (iwAL), held in St. Pete Beach, FL, Naval Daver, MD, of the MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, updates us on the current landscape of this therapy for AML. Dr Daver highlights key data from the study of nivolumab plus azacitidine as a salvage therapy, which provided insights into the impact of T-cell numbers prior to therapy on response rates. He then moves on to discuss exciting data from more recent…

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Aberrations in sonic hedgehog (shh) signaling are known to be associated with certain types of cancer, including acute myeloid leukemia (AML). In this interview, Jorge Cortes, MD, of the MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, discusses his presentation on the therapeutic targeting of this pathway at the 1st International Workshop on Acute Leukemias (iwAL), held in St. Pete Beach, FL. Prof. Cortes provides a background on the normal functioning of the hedgehog signaling pathway and the alterations seen in AML. He highlights the progress in targeting this pathway in skin cancer, moving on to the situation in AML, for which…

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Low-dose cytarabine (ara-C) is not generally perceived as a good therapy for AML, particularly in the US, whereas hypomethylating agents are a more standard approach. However, is the potential of cytarabine as part of combination regimens being overlooked in clinical trials? Here, Jorge Cortes, MD, of the MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, discusses the issues surrounding this, including whether we can predict which patients could benefit from combinations containing cytarabine. This video was recorded at the 1st International Workshop on Acute Leukemias (iwAL), held in St. Pete Beach, FL.

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Therapeutically targeting the sonic hedgehog (shh) signaling pathway for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an exciting area, with Smoothened (SMO) inhibitors already used successfully in the treatment of skin cancer. Here, Jorge Cortes, MD, of the MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, discusses the data from his presentation on the SMO inhibitor glasdegib for AML at the 1st International Workshop on Acute Leukemias (iwAL), held in St. Pete Beach, FL. Prof. Cortes discusses the more recent and very promising data from combination regimens of glasdegib, including BRIGHT AML1019 (NCT03416179). He then gives his perspective on potential combinations…

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A plethora of novel treatments for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are emerging, providing an increasing choice of therapies and bringing up important questions for further study. These intriguing topics were discussed in a fascinating session at the 1st International Workshop on Acute Leukemias (iwAL), held in St. Pete Beach, FL. In this exciting panel discussion, Richard Stone, MD, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, chair of the session, talks to Andrew Wei, MBBS, PhD, FRACP, FRCPA, of Monash University, Victoria, Australia, Mark Levis, MD, PhD, from Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baltimore, MD, and Stephane de Botton, MD, PhD, of the…

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A stimulating session on the implications of genomic data for the management of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients was hosted at the 1st International Workshop on Acute Leukemias (iwAL), held in St. Pete Beach, FL. Here, the session speakers discuss the intriguing presentations from the session. Mark Levis, MD, PhD, of the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baltimore, MD, is joined by Ari Melnick, MD, of Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, Klaus Metzeler, MD, of LMU-University Hospital Munich, Munich, Germany, and Torsten Haferlach, MD, of the MLL Munich Leukemia Laboratory, Munich, Germany. Firstly, the…

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An interesting session on the impact of genomic data on the management of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) was held at the 1st International Workshop on Acute Leukemias (iwAL), in St. Pete Beach, FL. In this panel discussion, filmed at the meeting, Mark Levis, MD, PhD, of the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baltimore, MD, is joined by Ari Melnick, MD, of Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, Klaus Metzeler, MD, of LMU-University Hospital Munich, Munich, Germany, and Torsten Haferlach, MD, of the MLL Munich Leukemia Laboratory, Munich, Germany. The use of artificial intelligence in the…

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Interesting results were produced in the PROUD-PV Study (NCT01949805), which compared the treatment of ropeginterferon alpha-2b with hydroxyurea in patients with polycythemia vera (PV). Here, Jean-Jacques Kiladjian, MD, PhD, of Saint-Louis Hospital & Paris Diderot University, Paris , France, presents the findings over 2 years from the follow-up Phase III CONTI-PV study (NCT02218047) and discusses the use of mutant JAK2 allelic burden as a molecular marker for the disease. This interview was held at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) 2017 Annual Meeting and Exposition, in Atlanta, GA.

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An exciting update on the 4-year follow-up of the RESPONSE Trial (NCT01243944) was given by Jean-Jacques Kiladjian, MD, PhD, of Saint-Louis Hospital & Paris Diderot University, Paris, France, at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) 2017 Annual Meeting and Exposition, held in Atlanta, GA. The RESPONSE trial compared the efficacy and safety of ruxolitinib vs. the best available therapy in patients with hydroxyurea-intolerant/resistant polycythemia vera (PV). Now, after conducting a 4-year follow-up on the study, Prof. Kiladijan discusses the results and the next steps.

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Treating patients who suffer from myelofibrosis with interferon used to be considered inappropriate due to the drug being poorly tolerated. Now, speaking from the American Society of Hematology (ASH) 2017 Annual Meeting and Exposition, held in Atlanta, GA, Jean-Jacques Kiladjian, MD, PhD, of Saint-Louis Hospital & Paris Diderot University, Paris, France, explains the promising long-term outcomes of this treatment. Prof. Kiladjian highlights the results observed in patients with myelofibrosis being treated with pegylated interferon alpha-2a, which were acquired from the French Intergroup of myeloproliferative neoplasms (FIM) study.

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Recent insights from the genomic analysis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) were presented at the 1st International Workshop on Acute Leukemias (iwAL), held in St. Pete Beach, FL. Filmed at the meeting, the speakers from the session come together to discuss the data presented. Charles Mullighan, MD, MBBS, and Kathryn Roberts, PhD, both from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, are joined by Anjali Advani, MD, of Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, for this insightful discussion. The experts first discuss a new subtype of ALL; Ph-like ALL, which although similar to classical BCR-ABL positive cases, is molecularly distinct,…

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The genomic analysis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is providing novel insights into the disease, which will inform and direct treatment decisions and research. The 1st International Workshop on Acute Leukemias (iwAL), held in St. Pete Beach, FL, hosted a session focusing on the genomic landscape of ALL, which is ever-changing. In this panel discussion, Charles Mullighan, MD, MBBS, and Kathryn Roberts, PhD, both from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, are joined by Anjali Advani, MD, of Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH. The experts discuss the main points from Dr Mullighans talk on the genomic landscape of…

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With the excitement surrounding novel therapeutics, reliable conventional treatments can often be overlooked. The optimization of standard treatments is a promising area of research, which was discussed in reference to entire spectrum of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) at the 1st International Workshop on Acute Leukemias (iwAL), held in St. Pete Beach, FL. Following this interesting session, the experts got together to discuss the presentation, with Wolfgang Hiddemann, MD, PhD, of Ludwig-Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany, chairing the group in their discussion. He was joined by Laura Cicconi, MD, of the University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy, Klaus Metzeler,…

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Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is typically a disease affecting older people, and there are increasing numbers of elderly AML patients due to ageing populations; however, this group is often discounted from participating in clinical trials and receiving intensive, potentially curative therapy. Elderly AML patients were discussed by Alan Burnett, MD, FRCP, of Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK, within the optimization of standard treatments for AML session at the 1st International Workshop on Acute Leukemias (iwAL), held in St. Pete Beach, FL. Here, Prof. Burnett discusses his presentation with Wolfgang Hiddemann, MD, PhD, of Ludwig-Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany, Laura Cicconi,…

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The 1st International Workshop on Acute Leukemias (iwAL), held in St. Pete Beach, FL, was a great success, with the experts in attendance expressing their surprise that this was the first such meeting. In this panel discussion, filmed at iwAL 2018, Alan Burnett, MD, FRCP, of Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK, is joined by Wolfgang Hiddemann, MD, PhD, from Ludwig-Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany, Mark Levis, MD, PhD, of the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baltimore, MD, and Richard Stone, MD, of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA. The panel cover the advances presented at the meeting, focusing on the…

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CAR T-cells are a very promising therapeutic for hematological malignancies, with more in development for B-cell compared with T-cell malignancies. At the 1st International Workshop on Acute Leukemias (iwAL), held in St. Pete Beach, FL, John DiPersio, MD, PhD, of Washington University School of Medicine, Washington, WA, presented exciting pre-clinical data for an off-the-shelf anti-CD7 CAR T-cell product for T-cell malignancies. In this panel discussion, recorded during the meeting, Richard Stone, MD, of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, is joined by session speakers Naval Daver, MD, from MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, Prof. John DiPersio and Noelle Frey,…

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Immunotherapy is an exciting area, with advocates, sceptics and those who remain undecided without further research. The 1st International Workshop on Acute Leukemias (iwAL), held in St. Pete Beach, FL, hosted a captivating session on the topic of immunotherapy for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). In this panel discussion, recorded during the meeting, the chair of the session, Richard Stone, MD, of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, is joined by session speakers Naval Daver, MD, from MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, John DiPersio, MD, PhD, of Washington University School of Medicine, Washington, WA, and…

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Our understanding of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has made great strides in recent years, informing the direction of therapeutic strategies. In this session, filmed at the 1st International Workshop on Acute Leukemias (iwAL), held in St. Pete Beach, FL, advances presented at the meeting in the field of AML are discussed. Alan Burnett, MD, FRCP, of Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK, is joined by Wolfgang Hiddemann, MD, PhD, from Ludwig-Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany, Mark Levis, MD, PhD, of the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baltimore, MD, and Richard Stone, MD, of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA. The current…

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The 1st International Workshop on Acute Leukemias (iwAL), held in St. Pete Beach, FL, hosted though-provoking discussion on the topic of minimal residual disease (MRD). In this panel discussion, experts from the meeting deliberate the topic, recognizing differing views between the two sides of the Atlantic. Alan Burnett, MD, FRCP, of Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK, is joined by Wolfgang Hiddemann, MD, PhD, from Ludwig-Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany, Mark Levis, MD, PhD, of the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baltimore, MD, and Richard Stone, MD, of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA. The panel cover key questions: the role…

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The 1st International Workshop on Acute Leukemias (iwAL), held in St. Pete Beach, FL, hosted an exciting session on treatment strategies in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). In this panel discussion, filmed following the session, Richard Larson, MD, of the University of Chicago Medicine, Chicago, IL, is joined by Charles Mullighan, MD, MBBS, of St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, and Daniel DeAngelo, MD, PhD, of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA. Dr Mullighans talk focused on childhood and adolescent ALL, for which the group discuss the intriguing Total Therapy XVII trial (NCT03117751), which aims to utilize novel precision medicine…

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

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Minimal residual disease (MRD) has become a major tool in the monitoring of hematological malignancies; however, its utility can be hampered by limitations in the methodology of its measurement. In this interview, Irene Ghobrial, MD, from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA explains the primary methods of determining MRD and offers her thoughts on the future use of MRD in multiple myeloma (MM). This interview was recorded at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) 2017 Annual Meeting and Exposition in Atlanta, GA.

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Minimal residual disease (MRD) is a hot topic in the world of oncology and many talks on the topic were made at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) 2017 Annual Meeting and Exposition in Atlanta, GA. Speaking from the meeting, Irene Ghobrial, MD, from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, discusses MRD, which she describes as the new standard to be used in the management multiple myeloma (MM). Dr Ghobrial highlights how MRD negative disease is surpassing complete remission as an indicator of response; she then explores whether MRD status should change the treatment given to patients. Studies have shown…

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Could the progression of smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM) be better predicted? In this interview, Irene Ghobrial, MD, from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, offers her expertise on this topic; explaining that there are genomic alterations, such as translocations or amplifications, that can better predict which patients will progress to high-risk SMM. With this development, the hope is to identify and treat those who will progress much earlier. Dr Ghobrial also discusses the importance of the MAP kinase signaling pathway and KRAS mutations in predicting progression. This video was recorded at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) 2017 Annual Meeting…

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The primary focus is often on treatment within the United States or Europe, but what about treatment on a global scale? Here, Irene Ghobrial, MD, of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, offers her thoughts on extending the understanding of how diseases are treated across the globe. Dr Ghobrial discusses an initiative that she will be involved in whilst in Egypt, with hopes to expand across Africa and the Middle East. She also considers the possible complications with the idea, but emphasizes that all patients, worldwide, need to benefit from treatment equally. This video was recorded at the American Society…

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As high-risk patients with multiple myeloma (MM) continue to die from the disease, novel treatments are needed. In this interview, Irene Ghobrial, MD, from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, discusses future options for therapy, aimed at improving the rate of survival. One treatment discussed was CAR T-cell therapy, particularly that directed against BCMA. Dr Ghobrial emphasizes that this treatment could come in very strong in the future and offers her opinions on the current treatment used for high-risk patients. This video was recorded at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) 2017 Annual Meeting and Exposition in Atlanta, GA.

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Although genetics and epigenetics serve an important role in the efficacy of novel agents such as ibrutinib, other factors must also be considered. Here, Francesco Forconi, MD, DM, PhD, FRCPath, of the University of Southampton, Southampton, UK, explains the importance of investigating the environment in which chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cells thrive. In this interview, he highlights the importance of studying the lymph nodes and environmental stimuli that can affect BCL-2 signaling, CLL cell survival and cell death. This interview was recorded at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) 2017 Annual Meeting and Exposition in Atlanta, GA.

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With new developments in the treatment of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), is there a possibility of eradicating the disease? In this interview, Francesco Forconi, MD, DM, PhD, FRCPath, of the University of Southampton, Southampton, UK discusses the two primary mechanisms of CLL pathogenesis, which include antigen simulation through the B-cell receptor and pro-survival mechanisms that are constitutively active. Dr Forconi explains how ibrutinib, a BTK inhibitor, has been shown to be effective but not sufficient in eradicating the disease, whilst venetoclax, a BH3 mimetic that selectively inhibits BCL-2, has proven to be effective, but has several limitations. Dr…

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As lung cancer screening is a relatively new area, particularly to non-healthcare professionals, understanding of the procedure and risks involved are generally not well understood. Here, Mamta Ruparel, of University College London, London, UK, gives us an overview of her project, funded by the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation, which investigated the impact of an information film to promote informed decision-making in individuals taking part in a lung cancer screening demonstration pilot. Dr Ruparel covers the aims, methods and promising results of the study, in addition to plans for further study. The information film can be found here: https://www.roycastle.org/lungcancerscreeningguide. This…

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Following cancer treatment, it is important to support and enable an increasing number of cancer survivors to live as healthy a life as possible for as long as possible. In this interview, Pamela Rose, Macmillan Lung Cancer Clinical Nurse Specialist, of NHS Lanarkshire, East Kilbride, UK, discusses the Transforming Care After Treatment (TCAT) project work that she presented at the British Thoracic Oncology Group (BTOG) Annual Conference 2018, held in Dublin, Ireland. This work investigated the use of technology in the delivery of supportive care to lung cancer patients. Pamela describes this exciting work, including the tool and methodology used,…

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Following the promising results of initial investigations into the use of an electronic healthcare assessment tool in the delivery of supportive care to lung cancer patients, the tool is going to continue to be trialed in NHS Lanarkshire. Here, Pamela Rose, Macmillan Lung Cancer Clinical Nurse Specialist, of NHS Lanarkshire, East Kilbride, UK, discusses the plans for this exciting further study, including testing in the care of patients with other types of cancer. This video was recorded at the British Thoracic Oncology Group (BTOG) Annual Conference 2018, held in Dublin, Ireland.

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Integrating technology into healthcare service delivery can improve patient experience whilst improving efficiency. In this interview, Pamela Rose, Macmillan Lung Cancer Clinical Nurse Specialist, of NHS Lanarkshire, East Kilbride, UK, discusses her work investigating the use of technology in the delivery of supportive care to lung cancer patient. She highlights the results observed in terms of patient preference for telephone vs. face-to-face consultation, and how this impacted time efficiency and patient care. This video was recorded at the British Thoracic Oncology Group (BTOG) Annual Conference 2018, held in Dublin, Ireland.

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Disease monitoring is important to determine what is happening with patients outside of the clinical setting. Speaking from the American Society of Hematology (ASH) 2017 Annual Meeting and Exposition in Atlanta, GA, Francesco Lo-Coco, MD, of University Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy, proposes new initiatives that aim to create a better photograph of whats happening in real life in patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). He explains his idea of a common European case report form (CRF), which would capture the events that occur between the first symptoms of APL to death.

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Exciting advancements in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) research were discussed during the American Society of Hematology (ASH) 2017 Annual Meeting and Exposition, held in Atlanta, GA. There has recently been a revolution in targeted treatments for AML, according to Francesco Lo-Coco, MD, of University Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy. In this interview, Dr Lo-Coco discusses the latest developments in targeted treatments, which include anti-CD33 monoclonal antibodies, the Bcl-2 inhibitor venetoclax in combination with low-dose cytarabine (investigated in a Phase Ib/II open-label study; NCT02287233) and IDH2 inhibitors. Dr Lo-Coco also highlights the importance of minimal residual disease (MRD) in future trials.

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Despite the remarkable progress being made in the treatment of patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), a high rate of early death remains a major obstacle worldwide, particularly in developing countries. In this interview, Francesco Lo-Coco, MD, of University Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy, discusses the promising future of APL treatment for patients. Currently, intravenous arsenic trioxide (ATO) plus all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) is the standard of care for APL, with low-risk patients being cured without chemotherapy. Although more studies are needed, Dr Lo-Coco explains the future of replacing intravenous ATO with oral ATO. He also discusses the lessons learnt about…

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CAR T-cells are a universally exciting area in hematological oncology. Speaking from the American Society of Hematology (ASH) 2017 Annual Meeting and Exposition in Atlanta, GA, Elias Jabbour, MD, of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, discusses the landscape of CAR T-cell therapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). He covers the approval of the CAR T-cell product tisagenlecleucel for pediatric and adolescent ALL based on data from the Phase II ELIANA trial (NCT02435849). Dr Jabbour also discusses the landscape of this field moving forwards, including the potentially game-changing use of off-the-shelf allogeneic CAR T-cell therapy.

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Over the past year, several exciting new agents for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) have been approved. In this interview, Elias Jabbour, MD, of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, discusses one such agent, inotuzumab ozogamicin. Dr Jabbour highlights key data from the trial which led to the drug receiving breakthrough therapy designation (INO-VATE; NCT01564784), including response rates and MRD status. He emphasizes exciting ongoing studies of the drug in other settings, including in combination with low-dose chemotherapy and blinatumomab. This video was recorded at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) 2017 Annual Meeting…

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There have recently been a number of major drug approvals for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). One such approval was that of blinatumomab based on data from pivotal studies, including the Phase III TOWER study (NCT02013167) and the Phase II ALCANTARA trial (NCT02000427). Here, Elias Jabbour, MD, of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, discusses key data on this drug, highlighting MRD status, in addition to what we know about the setting and type of patient where the drug is most beneficial. This video was recorded at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) 2017…

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We need to understand the mechanisms of drug resistance in order to prevent it, in addition to informing subsequent treatment decisions. In this interview, Constantine Tam, MD, FRACP, FRCPA, of Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia, discusses our current knowledge of the mechanisms of resistance to venetoclax and ibrutinib. He highlights how, interestingly, the usual mutation of the primary therapeutic target has not been found in venetoclax resistant patients thus far. This video was recorded at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) 2017 Annual Meeting and Exposition in Atlanta, GA.

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The binding of E-selectin to leukemic cells has been shown to promote cell survival and chemotherapy resistance in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). In this interview, Daniel DeAngelo, MD, PhD, of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, discusses a novel therapeutic that is antagonistic towards E-selectin, GMI-1271. Dr DeAngelo discusses the rationale behind the mechanism of action of this drug and the results of the trial investigating this agent (NCT02306291), which he presented at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) 2017 Annual Meeting and Exposition in Atlanta, GA.

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The majority of patients with advanced systemic mastocytosis (AdvSM) exhibit D816V mutations of the KIT gene, which presents a promising therapeutic target. Here, Daniel DeAngelo, MD, PhD, of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, discusses the clinical trial of avapritinib (previously BLU-285; NCT02561988), a potent and highly selective inhibitor of D816V mutant KIT. Dr DeAngelo highlights the dosing, toxicity, response and complete remission rates observed. This video was recorded at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) 2017 Annual Meeting and Exposition in Atlanta, GA.

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The anti-CD22 antibody-drug conjugate inotuzumab ozogamicin was approved for the treatment of B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the most common form of ALL, based on data from the INO-VATE study (NCT01564784). Here, Daniel DeAngelo, MD, PhD, of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, discusses further testing of the drug, highlighting its use in the upfront setting and in combination regimens. This video was recorded at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) 2017 Annual Meeting and Exposition in Atlanta, GA.

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Next-generation antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are demonstrating improved safety and tolerability compared with their predecessors. Speaking from the American Society of Hematology (ASH) 2017 Annual Meeting and Exposition in Atlanta, GA, Daniel DeAngelo, MD, PhD, of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, discusses the first-in-human trial of IMGN779 (NCT02674763), a novel monoclonal ADC directed against CD33, for relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Dr DeAngelo covers the data collected thus far and plans for the future, including exciting combination strategies.

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With the increasing complexity of clinical trials, the role of the Clinical Research Nurse (CRN) and the Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) continues to evolve. In this interview, recorded at the 2017 National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) Conference, held in Liverpool, UK, Anne Croudass, Lead Research Nurse at Cancer Research UK, London, UK, discusses the shift from the CRN and CNS focusing solely on specific roles, to focusing on the importance of the patients needs and how their experience can be improved.

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Staff within the NHS are very busy and work pressures can result in less time for communication between nurses. In this interview, Anne Croudass, Lead Research Nurse at Cancer Research UK (CRUK), London, UK, discusses the points raised in a UK Roundtable event organized by CRUK and the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) in January 2017 for Clinical Research Nurses and Clinical Nurse Specialists. Anne explains how recognizing each others stresses and work pressures could aid in the support of one another in their roles. This interview was recorded at the 2017 NCRI Conference, held in Liverpool, UK.

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What can be done to improve the experience of clinical trials for patients who participate? In this interview, recorded at the 2017 National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) Conference, held in Liverpool, UK, Anne Croudass, Lead Research Nurse at Cancer Research UK (CRUK), London, UK , discusses the UK Roundtable event organized by CRUK and the NCRI back in January 2017. Attended by Clinical Research Nurses and Clinical Nurse Specialists, the aim of the event was to see how the experience for patients participating in clinical trials could be improved and what happens when they finish with their participation. Here, Anne…

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Different NHS trusts work in different ways; what could be considered the best practice in one trust may not be practical in another. In this interview, recorded at the 2017 National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) Conference, held in Liverpool, UK, Anne Croudass, Lead Research Nurse at Cancer Research UK, London, UK, introduces the concept of Meeting in the Box, which enables different trusts or regions to run meetings for nurses to establish the best practice, for both them and their patients.

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The identification of novel therapeutic targets is essential for the improved treatment of hematological cancer, particularly due to the development of drug resistance. Here, Constantine Tam, MD, FRACP, FRCPA, of Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia, discusses a new therapeutic target in the field of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL): ROR1. Dr Tam highlights the promising results of an early phase study of an ROR1-directed monoclonal antibody, as well as what the results of this study can tell us about this target and future therapy development.

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We know that CAR T-cell therapy is effective in the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL); however, a current limitation is the collection of high quality originator T-cells from patients. Speaking from the American Society of Hematology (ASH) 2017 Annual Meeting and Exposition in Atlanta, GA, Constantine Tam, MD, FRACP, FRCPA, of Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia, discusses this issue, refering the results of a study investigating whether ibrutinib pre-treatment could improve the production process and outcomes. Dr Tam also gives his predictions on the future of CAR T-cell therapy for CLL, including whether it could replace autologous stem…

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