Your search for hematologic malignancies matches 237 pages
Showing 1 - 50
Deborah M. Stephens, DO, on CLL/SLL: NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology® Update
Deborah M. Stephens, DO, of the Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah, discusses NCCN’s updates to treatment recommendations for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma. Dr. Stephens details the key factors in selecting front-line and subsequent therapies, including IGHV status, del(17p)/TP53 mutation status, age, comorbidities, and resistance mutations.
Early Detection of Chronic Graft-vs-Host Disease
This is Part 1 of Clinical Considerations in Chronic Graft-vs-Host Disease, a two-part video roundtable series. In this video, Dr. Yi-Bin Chen and Dr. Mitchell E. Horwitz discuss the case of a 55-year-old man with FLT3-ITD–mutated acute myeloid leukemia in first complete remission who received a myeloablative peripheral blood stem cell transplantation from an unrelated donor. He receives myeloablative conditioning with busulfan plus fludarabine and graft-vs-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis with tacrolimus plus methotrexate, and maintenance gilteritinib is started on day 30. On day 40, he presents with a stage 3 skin acute GVHD, which resolves after treatment with prednisone at 1 mg/kg/d. Prednisone and tacrolimus are both tapered and discontinued. However, on day 300, he presents to the transplant clinic with dry and irritated eyes; dry, sensitive mouth; and a sharkskin-like rash with painful sores, consistent with chronic GVHD. In the conversation that ensues, the faculty discuss the identification of chronic graft-vs-host disease, the importance of early detection, and the tools that can be used to facilitate the diagnosis of chronic graft-vs-host disease.
Myelofibrosis-Related Anemia
This is Part 2 of Updates in Myeloproliferative Neoplasms, a three-part video roundtable series. In this video, Dr. Srden Verstovsek and Dr. Abdulraheem Yacoub discuss the management of patients with anemia as a presenting symptom of myelofibrosis. The patient is a 68-year-old woman who presents to the clinic complaining of shortness of breath, fatigue, night sweats, and weight loss. During the physical exam, she is found to have an enlarged spleen. Presenting blood counts include a hemoglobin of 8.7 g/dL, hematocrit of 26.1%, white blood cell count of 22 x 109/L, and platelets of 122 x 109/L. She has 2% blasts in the peripheral blood, LDH of 1,780 U/L, and elevated erythropoietin of 35 mU/mL. Bone marrow biopsy reveals clusters of dysplastic megakaryocites with marked reticulin fibrosis, and she is positive for JAK2 V617F mutation, leading to a diagnosis of myelofibrosis. However, the patient is not interested in transplant at this time. In the conversation that ensues, the faculty discuss the current treatment options for myelofibrosis and how they might impact a patient’s quality of life, highlighting the role of JAK inhibitors in the management of myelofibrosis-related anemia.
Smita Bhatia, MD, MPH: Some Clonal Mutations May Predict Therapy-Related Myeloid Neoplasms
Smita Bhatia, MD, MPH, of the Institute for Cancer Outcomes and Survivorship, University of Alabama at Birmingham, discusses study findings that showed key somatic mutations in the peripheral blood stem cell product increases the risk of developing therapy-related myeloid neoplasms (Abstract 119).
Joseph Schroers-Martin, MD, on Posttransplant Lymphoproliferative Disorders: Tumor Microenvironment Determinants of Immunotherapy Response
Joseph Schroers-Martin, MD, of Stanford University, discusses immunogenomic features reflecting divergent biology in posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLD). These include evidence of mismatch repair defects in Epstein-Barr virus–positive PTLD, tumor microenvironment depletion, and MYC pathway enrichment in certain patients (Abstract 72).
Managing the Risk of Thrombosis in Polycythemia Vera
This is Part 1 of Updates in Myeloproliferative Neoplasms, a three-part video roundtable series. Stay tuned for future installments in the coming months. In this video, Dr. Prithviraj Bose and Dr. Ruben Mesa discuss how best to manage the risk of thrombosis in patients with polycythemia vera. The patient is a 57-year-old man who presents to the clinic with frequent headaches and dizziness. A bone marrow biopsy is done and shows trilineage proliferation and pleomorphic megakaryocytes. Next-generation sequencing on the bone marrow reveals the JAK2 V617F mutation with allele burden of 65%. Presenting blood counts include a white blood cell count of 21,000/µL, hemoglobin of 22 g/dL, hematocrit of 66%, platelets of 650,000/µL, and a mean corpuscular volume of 72 fL. He is diagnosed with polycythemia vera and is prescribed aspirin at 81 mg/d with once-monthly phlebotomy for a goal hematocrit of < 45%. As they follow the case over 6 months, the faculty highlight the critical importance of maintaining strict hematocrit and white blood cell control to minimize the risk of thrombosis, and also discuss indications for cytoreductive therapy in patients both at high and low risk for thrombosis.
Leslie S. Kean, MD, PhD, on Bone Marrow Transplantation: Using Abatacept to Prevent Graft-vs-Host Disease
Leslie S. Kean, MD, PhD, of Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, discusses findings from her analysis of the International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research Database, which led to the recent FDA approval of abatacept for the prevention of acute graft-vs-host disease (GVHD) in adult and pediatric patients. The data suggest improved overall survival with the immunosuppressant abatacept in combination with a calcineurin inhibitor and methotrexate following 7/8 HLA–matched unrelated allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (Abstract 3912).
Ronald S. Go, MD, on Managing Histiocytic Neoplasms: New NCCN Guidelines
Ronald S. Go, MD, of Mayo Clinic Cancer Center, discusses the new NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology for the most common types of histiocytic neoplasms in adults—Erdheim-Chester disease, Langerhans cell histiocytosis, and Rosai-Dorfman disease, all considered rare among hematologic cancers.
Alexey V. Danilov, MD, PhD, on Lymphoid Malignancies: Novel Agents Targeting BTK Inhibitor–Resistant Disease
Alexey V. Danilov, MD, PhD, of City of Hope, discusses the uses and side effects of cellular and immune therapies, including venetoclax and obinutuzumab, which may prove to be effective in treating highly resistant lymphoid malignancies such as chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
Jared E. Matya, PharmD, BCOP, on Supportive Therapies for Side Effects Related to Novel Oral Treatments
Jared E. Matya, PharmD, BCOP, of Nebraska Medicine, discusses oral agents and their toxicity profiles, as well as newer-generation agents that are often more selective and better tolerated. He describes how toxicity monitoring and management help to ensure patients with cancer remain on treatment.
Peihua (Peggy) Lu, MD, on CAR T-Cell Therapy: Research in China
Peihua Lu, MD, of Lu Daopei Hospital, discusses the state of research in China on CAR T-cell therapy, placing it in the context of the global development pipeline and the progress being made.
Ruben A. Mesa, MD, on Myelofibrosis, Transfusion Independence, and Momelotinib
Ruben A. Mesa, MD, of UT Health San Antonio Cancer Center, discusses new findings on momelotinib, a potent JAK1, JAK2, and ACVR1 inhibitor with clinical activity against hallmark features of myelofibrosis such as anemia and splenomegaly. Results showed that transfusion independence was associated with improved overall survival in patients who had received momelotinib (Abstract S202).
Claire Harrison, MD, DM, on Myelofibrosis: Fedratinib as First-Line Therapy After Prior Ruxolitinib
Claire Harrison, MD, of Guy’s and St. Thomas’ Hospital, discusses survival results from the JAKARTA and JAKARTA2 trials, which showed that fedratinib, an oral JAK2 inhibitor, significantly improved progression-free survival vs placebo as a first-line treatment for patients with myelofibrosis (Abstract S203).
Efstathios Kastritis, MD, on Amyloidosis: Standard of Care Plus Daratumumab
Efstathios Kastritis, MD, of the University of Athens, discusses updated phase III results from the ANDROMEDA study of patients with newly diagnosed light chain amyloidosis. The trial further supports the use of daratumumab plus VCd (bortezomib, cyclophosphamide, and dexamethasone), which was shown to be clinically superior to VCd alone (Abstract S189).
Lena E. Winestone, MD, MSHP, on Health-Care Disparities in Hematologic Cancers: Real-World Data
Lena E. Winestone, MD, MSHP, of the University of California, San Francisco and Benioff Children’s Hospital, reviews different aspects of bias in treatment delivery, including patient selection for clinical trials; racial and ethnic disparities in survival for indolent non-Hodgkin diffuse large B-cell lymphomas; and end-of-life hospitalization of patients with multiple myeloma, as well as outcome disparities (Abstracts 207-212).
Jyoti Nangalia, MBBChir, on MPN: A New Paradigm for the Development of Blood Cancer?
Jyoti Nangalia, MBBChir, of Wellcome Sanger Institute and the University of Cambridge, discusses how her team used large-scale whole-genome sequencing to precisely time the origins of a blood cancer and measure how it grew. The information could provide opportunities for early diagnosis and intervention (Abstract LBA-1).
Radhika Gangaraju, MD, and Smita Bhatia, MD, MPH, on Coronary Heart Disease Risk in Blood or Marrow Transplant Survivors
Smita Bhatia, MD, MPH, and Radhika Gangaraju, MD, both of the Institute for Cancer Outcomes and Survivorship, University of Alabama at Birmingham, discuss findings that showed survivors of bone marrow transplants are at a 7- to 12-fold higher risk of coronary heart disease than a sibling comparison group. They recommend aggressive management of cardiovascular risk factors to prevent morbidity from heart disease in this patient population (Abstract 73).
Miguel-Angel Perales, MD, and Syed A. Abutalib, MD, on Bone Marrow Transplants During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Syed A. Abutalib, MD, of Cancer Treatment Centers of America, talks with Miguel-Angel Perales, MD, of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, about the challenges and concerns related to transplants for patients with hematologic malignancies who are particularly vulnerable to infection with the coronavirus. Recorded July 13, 2020.
Mehdi Hamadani, MD: In My Experience Question 4
How have the activities of the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic? Recorded April 21, 2020.
William A. Wood, MD, MPH, on the New ASH Research Collaborative Data Hub COVID-19 Registry for Hematologic Malignancy
William A. Wood, MD, MPH, of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Oversight Group Chair for the new COVID-19 registry, talks about why it was formed, how it can help patients and providers, and how it operates and could evolve in the future. Filmed April 3, 2020.
David P. Steensma, MD, on Myeloid Neoplasms: Results From a First-in-Human Trial of a Splicing Modulator
David P. Steensma, MD, of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, discusses early study findings on H3B-8800, which decreased the need for red blood cell or platelet transfusion in 14% of patients. This splicing modulator, used in the trial to treat patients with hematologic malignancies, also showed safety, dose-dependent target engagement, and a predictable pharmacokinetic profile (Abstract 673).
Andrew D. Zelenetz, MD, PhD, on The Era of Therapeutic Biosimilars: What You Need to Know
Andrew D. Zelenetz, MD, PhD, of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses the nature of biologic molecules and their importance in future therapeutic innovation.
FDA Approves Fedratinib for Myelofibrosis
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved fedratinib (Inrebic) for adults with intermediate-2 or high-risk primary or secondary (postpolycythemia vera or postessential thrombocythemia) myelofibrosis. “Prior to today, there was one FDA-approved drug to treat patients with...
First-Degree Familial Risk in Blood Cancer Development
New data suggest that people who have a parent, sibling, or child with blood cancer have a higher likelihood of being diagnosed with a hematologic malignancy themselves. A study by Sud et al published in Blood offers the first...
IMWG Consensus Recommendations on Imaging in Monoclonal Plasma Disorders
Just as newer drugs have significantly improved outcomes for patients with multiple myeloma in the past decade, newer imaging techniques are upgrading detection of the disease, leading to earlier treatment, but standards to help guide clinicians on the optimal use of advanced imaging have lagged...
Gait Speed Identifies Frailty, Could Help Predict Outcomes in Older Patients With Hematologic Cancers
The speed at which older individuals with blood cancers are able to walk 4 meters (about 13 feet) holds information about their overall health and may help to predict survival and unplanned hospital visits, according to study published by Liu et al in Blood. The association was...
Risk Model for Disease Progression in Asymptomatic Waldenström’s Macroglobulinemia
In a study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Bustoros et al developed a model for predicting risk of progression from asymptomatic Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia to symptomatic disease requiring treatment. The study involved 439 patients with asymptomatic...
ASH President Comments on Medicare Proposal for CAR T-Cell Therapy
Earlier this week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed to improve the reimbursement currently given to hospitals that provide chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy to patients with blood cancer as part of the Fiscal Year 2020 Inpatient Prospective Payment...
Racial Disparities in Matched Volunteer Stem Cell Donors
Although the pool of registered bone marrow donors has increased in recent years, a new study suggests that most patients of southern European and non-European descent are unlikely to have a suitable match if they need a bone marrow transplant. If an immediate registry search does not identify a...
Gary H. Lyman, MD, MPH, on Myeloid Growth Factors: New Biosimilar Approvals
Gary H. Lyman, MD, MPH, of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center/Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, discusses current strategies for the use of biosimilars to treat cancer-induced anemia and neutropenia, and the need to provide evidence for the efficacy of these agents to allay any concerns about their use.
FDA Pipeline: Updates on Treatments for Cervical Cancer, Myelofibrosis, Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting, and More
The FDA recently issued announcements on a Fast Track designation, a Priority Review, two supplemental new drug applications, an investigational new drug application, and a marketing clearance. The agency also released a safety communication on cancer-related surgery. Fast Track Designation for...
Letter to the Editor: Survey on DOACs in Cancer-Related Venous Thromboembolism
This letter is a follow-up to a report published previously in The ASCO Post. Recent trials report comparable or improved efficacy of direct-acting oral coagulants (DOACs) over low–molecular-weight heparins (LMWH) in the treatment of cancer-related VTE (cVTE) at the expense of increased...
Standard Site-Specific Therapy Based on Gene-Expression Profiling vs Empirical Chemotherapy for Cancer of Unknown Primary
In a Japanese phase II trial reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Hayashi et al found that standard site-specific treatment based on gene-expression profiling was not associated with better outcomes vs empirical paclitaxel and carboplatin in patients with cancer of unknown primary site....
FDA Pipeline: Designations for Treatments of Graft-vs-Host-Disease, Colorectal Cancer, Pancreatic Cancer, and More
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently issued the following new designations and clearances: Fast Track Designation for Itolizumab for the Treatment of Acute Graft-vs-Host Disease The FDA granted Fast Track designation to itolizumab for the treatment of acute graft-vs-host ...
FDA Approves Ravulizumab-cwvz for Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria
On December 21, 2018, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved ravulizumab-cwvz (Ultomiris) for adult patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH). PNH is a rare bone marrow failure disorder that manifests with hemolytic anemia, thrombosis, and peripheral blood cytopenias....
FDA Approves Tagraxofusp-ezrs for Blastic Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cell Neoplasm
On December 21, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved tagraxofusp-erzs (Elzonris) infusion for the treatment of blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN) in adults and in pediatric patients aged 2 years and older. “Prior to [this] approval, there had been no...
Alexander B. Pine, MD, PhD, on Practices and Preferences for Anticoagulant Therapy in Treating VTE
Alexander B. Pine, MD, PhD, of Yale School of Medicine, discusses a survey gathering data on health-care providers’ practices and preferences in using direct oral anticoagulant therapy to treat venous thromboembolism. Readers of The ASCO Post are invited to participate in this research by completing the survey, entitled: “Perspectives and Practices in Utilization of Direct Oral Anticoagulants in Patients With Cancer-Associated Venous Thromboembolism.” The survey takes approximately 3 to 4 minutes to complete and can be taken on a mobile device or a computer. The survey link is https://yalesurvey.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3l0HxrreWZhVtBz.
ASH 2018: Machine Learning–Based Model to Risk Stratify Patients With Myelodysplastic Syndromes
Researchers used machine learning to develop a new system to analyze genomic and clinical data to provide a personalized overall outcome that is patient-specific in myelodysplastic syndromes. In tests, the system outperformed the current standard prognostic tool, suggesting the new model may offer...
ASH 2018: MEDALIST: Luspatercept in Patients With Myelodysplastic Syndrome Requiring Red Blood Cell Transfusion
In the phase III MEDALIST clinical trial, luspatercept significantly reduced the need for frequent blood transfusions in just over half (53%) of patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) who were anemic, required regular red blood cell transfusions, and showed abnormal iron overload in red...
ASH 2018: Large Single-Arm Trial of Hydroxyurea for Sickle Cell Anemia in Sub-Saharan Africa
The largest prospective trial of hydroxyurea for sickle cell anemia (SCA) has shown that this treatment—long the standard of care for treating SCA in developed countries—is feasible, accepted, well tolerated, and safe for children living in sub-Saharan Africa. Tshilolo et al reported...
MRD-Guided Azacitidine Treatment in Myelodysplastic Syndrome and Acute Myeloid Leukemia
In a German phase II trial (RELAZA2) reported in The Lancet Oncology, Platzbecker et al found that minimal residual disease (MRD)–guided treatment with azacitidine was successful in preventing hematologic relapse in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia...
Effect of Donor Clonal Hematopoiesis of Indeterminate Potential in Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
In a study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Frick et al found that allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) from donors with clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP) appears safe and not associated with poorer survival when donors are older, related...
New Report Demonstrates Cost of Blood Cancer Care
The costs to treat blood cancer are higher than costs for other cancers, and the costs incurred by a patient diagnosed with a blood cancer do not return to precancer levels, according to a Milliman study commissioned by The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). The study—The...
Adoptive T-Cell Therapy for Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy
An emerging treatment known as adoptive T-cell therapy has proven effective in a phase II clinical trial for treating progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), a rare and often fatal brain infection sometimes observed in patients with cancer and other diseases in which the immune...
Genomic Classification of Myeloproliferative Neoplasms and Integration in Predictive Models
In a study reported in The New England Journal of Medicine, Grinfeld et al identified distinct genomic subgroups among patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms that, when combined with clinical variables, offered the potential for individualized predictions of clinical outcomes. Study Details...
Frederick L. Locke, MD, on CAR T-Cell Therapy: Major Milestones
Frederick L. Locke, MD, of Moffitt Cancer Center, discusses the key studies behind the development of CAR T cells, major adverse events and management strategies, and the potential of this revolutionary treatment.
Outcomes Associated With Mutation Persistence After HSCT for Myelodysplastic Syndrome
In a single-institution study reported in The New England Journal of Medicine, Duncavage et al found that mutation clearance after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) was associated with better outcomes in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome. Study Details The study...
FDA Accepts Biologics License Application, Grants Priority Review for Tagraxofusp in Rare Hematologic Malignancy
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted for filing a biologics license application (BLA) for tagraxofusp (Elzonris, formerly SL-401) for the treatment of patients with blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN), a rare hematologic malignancy. The FDA also granted Priority ...
FDA Warns of Increased Risk of Cancer Relapse With Long-Term Use of Azithromycin After Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplant
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning that the antibiotic azithromycin should not be given on a long-term basis to prevent the inflammatory lung condition bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome in patients with cancers of the blood or lymph nodes who undergo a donor stem cell...
