Jorge E. Cortes, MD, on CML: Expert Perspective on Key ASH Abstracts
2020 ASH Annual Meeting & Exposition
Jorge E. Cortes, MD, of the Georgia Cancer Center at Augusta University, reviews four important studies of treatment advances in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML): nilotinib vs dasatinib in newly diagnosed disease; final 5-year results from the BFORE trial on bosutinib vs imatinib for chronic phase (CP) CML; data from the OPTIC trial on ponatinib for CP-CML; and a novel class of mutated cancer-related genes associated with the Philadelphia translocation (Abstracts 45, 46, 48, 49).
Paul G. Richardson, MD, of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, gives his expert perspective on three important studies in multiple myeloma: long-term results from the IFM 2009 trial on early vs late autologous stem cell transplant in patients with newly diagnosed disease; the effect of high-dose melphalan on mutational burden in relapsed disease; and daratumumab plus lenalidomide, bortezomib, and dexamethasone in transplant-eligible patients with newly diagnosed disease (Abstracts 143, 61, and 549).
The ASCO Post Staff
Corey Cutler, MD, MPH, of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, discusses results from a multicenter trial that compared reduced-intensity allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation to hypomethylating therapy or best supportive care in patients aged 50 to 75 with advanced myelodysplastic syndromes (Abstract 75).
The ASCO Post Staff
Hassan Awada, MD, of the Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, discusses the use of newer machine-learning techniques to help decipher a set of prognostic subgroups that could predict survival, thus potentially improving on traditional methods and moving acute myeloid leukemia into the era of personalized medicine (Abstract 34).
The ASCO Post Staff
Nitin Jain, MD, of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, reviews six important abstracts on CAR T-cell treatments for B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL): successful 24-hour manufacture of CAR T-cell therapy; ALLCAR19, a novel fast-off rate therapy; donor-derived CD19-targeted treatment; CAR 2.0 therapy to manage post-transplant relapse; UCART22, allogeneic engineered T cells expressing anti-CD22 chimeric antigen receptor; and inotuzumab ozogamicin in pediatric CD-22–positive disease (Session 614, Abstracts 159-164).
The ASCO Post Staff
Curtis Lachowiez, MD, of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses an interim analysis of a phase Ib/II study showing that venetoclax plus chemotherapy represents an effective regimen, particularly in patients with newly diagnosed and relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia. The regimen appears to be an effective bridge to hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (Abstract 332).