By: Allen Wilbanks
Date: 09/27/2023
Sandeep Dave, MD, discussed the challenges of classifying and treating various blood cancers, including diffuse large cell lymphoma, follicular lymphoma, mantle cell lymphoma, and peripheral T cell lymphomas. He emphasized the importance of genomic profiling in understanding the heterogeneity of these diseases.
For diffuse large cell lymphoma, Dr. Dave highlighted the complexity of subgrouping patients based on genetic alterations, and the challenge of finding the most effective classification for treatment strategies.
In the context of follicular lymphoma, he discussed the need to identify patients who experience early progression, as they have worse outcomes. Genomic profiling may help stratify these patients for personalized therapies.
In mantle cell lymphoma, Dr. Dave mentioned the advancements in BTK inhibitors but emphasized the need for better selection strategies for patients who respond to these therapies.
Regarding peripheral T cell lymphomas, he discussed the rarity of these diseases and the challenges in conducting clinical trials. Genomic profiling could help identify potential treatment options.
Dr. Dave introduced the “Atlas of Blood Cancer Genomes” project, which aims to systematically profile over ten thousand blood cancer cases to better understand their biology and clinical needs. This global consortium collects rich metadata, pathology data, and genomic information to provide resources for pathologists and researchers.
In conclusion, Dr. Dave emphasized the importance of moving towards a parallel approach in treatment strategies, incorporating genomic data to stratify patients, and the need for collaboration in exploring targeted therapies for various blood cancers.