Alex F. Herrera, MD, on Previously Untreated DLBCL: Circulation Tumor DNA and Risk Profiling
2022 ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition
Alex F. Herrera, MD, of the City of Hope National Medical Center, discusses results from the POLARIX study, which showed that circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) analysis has prognostic value for patients with previously untreated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Patients who did not achieve 2.5 or greater log-fold change and/or did not have ctDNA clearance following one cycle of polatuzumab vedotin along with rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and prednisone had inferior outcomes than those who did. Early changes in ctDNA levels may be of use in risk-adapted trial designs to identify patients in need of alternative treatment. (Abstract 542).
The ASCO Post Staff
Abdul Rahman Al Armashi, MD, of Seidman Cancer Center, Case Western University, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, discusses a retrospective analysis, using a CDC database, in one of the largest subgroup-based racial population studies analyzing mortality trends in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Between 2000 and 2019, AML mortality was the highest in Whites and the lowest in American Indians or Alaska Natives. The highest rate of increase in mortality was seen in Asians or Pacific Islanders. Dr. Al Armashi talks about the many variables that might contribute to these inequalities (Abstract 600).
The ASCO Post Staff
Jorge E. Cortes, MD, of Georgia Cancer Center at Augusta University, discusses new findings on vodobatinib, which was administered to patients with chronic-phase Philadelphia chromosome–positive chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and appeared to be efficacious and safe in people who had received therapy with two or three prior tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). Vodobatinib remains a potential option for these highly refractory patients. A phase II study (NCT02629692) of vodobatinib is ongoing in CML patients whose disease has failed to respond to three or more TKIs, including ponatinib (Abstract 84).
The ASCO Post Staff
Jia Ruan, MD, PhD, of Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, discusses trial results demonstrating that the triple chemotherapy-free combination of acalabrutinib, lenalidomide, and rituximab is well tolerated, highly effective, and produces high rates of minimal residual disease (MRD)-negative complete response as an initial treatment for patients with mantle cell lymphoma, including those with TP53 mutations. Real-time MRD analysis may enable treatment de-escalation during maintenance to minimize toxicity, which warrants further evaluation. An expansion cohort of acalabrutinib/lenalidomide/obinutuzumab is being launched (Abstract 73).
The ASCO Post Staff
Eileen M. Boyle, MD, PhD, of the Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, discusses Fc-mediated antibody effector function, inflammation resolution, and oligoclonality and their role in predicting sustained measurable residual disease negativity in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma who were treated with immunotherapy regimens. For the first time, an analysis of T-cell receptors shows that oligoclonal profiles seen on treatment may influence the fitness of the immune response (Abstract 100).
The ASCO Post Staff
Kathryn R. Tringale, MD, of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses an assessment of 559 patients with primary central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma and the factors associated with consolidation therapy selection, outcomes after consolidation therapy accounting for patient factors, and patterns of disease failure. The initial treatment response was prognostic and predictive of relapse patterns (Abstract 557).
