Mhairi Copland, PhD, MB BChir, of the University of Glasgow, discusses results of a study on the combination of ponatinib and fludarabine, cytarabine, idarubicin, and G-CSF for patients with blast phase chronic myeloid leukemia, a rare complication with a poor outcome (Abstract 497).
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).
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).
Andrew H. Wei, MBBS, PhD, of The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, discusses phase III findings on oral azacitidine (CC-486), the first treatment used in the maintenance setting shown to improve both overall and disease-free survival in patients with acute myeloid leukemia that is in remission following induction chemotherapy (Abstract LBA-3).
Mikkael A. Sekeres, MD, of the Cleveland Clinic, discusses results of a phase Ib study of glasdegib in combination with azacitidine, which showed activity in patients with untreated myelodysplastic syndromes, acute myeloid leukemia, and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia who are ineligible for intensive chemotherapy (Abstract 177).
Patrick A. Brown, MD, of Johns Hopkins University, discusses phase III findings from a Children’s Oncology Group Study showing that blinatumomab was superior to chemotherapy in terms of efficacy and tolerability for young patients as a post-reinduction therapy in the setting of high- and intermediate-risk first relapse of B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Abstract LBA-1).
