Jerald P. Radich, MD, on CML: Predicting Deep Molecular Response to Treatment
2019 ASH Annual Meeting & Exposition
Jerald P. Radich, MD, of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, discusses a gene-expression model that distinguishes patients with chronic myeloid leukemia who achieved a deep molecular response from those with a poor response to treatment. This work could yield new therapeutic targets that could potentially turn a poor responder into a good responder who might even achieve treatment-free remission (Abstract 665).
Edward A. Stadtmauer, MD, of the University of Pennsylvania Abramson Cancer Center, discusses phase I results of immune cells, modified with CRISPR/Cas9 technology, and infused in three patients (two with multiple myeloma and one with sarcoma). Researchers observed the cells expand and bind to their tumor targets with no serious side effects (Abstract 49).
C. Ola Landgren, MD, PhD, of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses phase II study findings that showed an 83% negative rate of minimal residual disease in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma treated weekly with 8 cycles of the quadruplet regimen of carfilzomib/lenalidomide/dexamethasone/daratumumab, without autologous stem cell transplant (Abstract 862).
Jeff P. Sharman, MD, of the Willamette Valley Cancer Institute and US Oncology Research, discusses phase III findings from the ELEVATE TN study, which showed that acalabrutinib plus obinutuzumab and acalabrutinib monotherapy improved progression-free survival in patients with treatment-naive chronic lymphocytic leukemia (Abstract 31).
Nitin Jain, MD, of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses findings from two studies showing that the combination of ibrutinib and venetoclax is an effective chemotherapy-free oral regimen for patients with high-risk, previously untreated chronic lymphocytic leukemia (Abstract 34).
Loretta J. Nastoupil, MD, of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses phase II study findings that showed obinutuzumab in combination with lenalidomide for patients with previously untreated, high tumor burden follicular lymphoma was associated with improved outcomes (Abstract 125).