Francesco Maura, MD, on Genomic Determinants of Resistance in Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma Treated With Targeted Immunotherapy
2022 ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition
Francesco Maura, MD, of the University of Miami, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, discusses his team’s findings in which they defined a comprehensive catalogue of genomic determinants of response to DKRd (carfilzomib, lenalidomide, dexamethasone) in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. The researchers have identified a number of new genomic alterations that explain resistance to the agents currently used in combination regimens (Abstract 470).
Transcript
Disclaimer: This video transcript has not been proofread or edited and may contain errors.
The study was, the purpose was to identify mechanism or resistance to a combination of drugs called quadruplets with daratumumab, carfilzomib, Revlimid and dexamethasone for newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. The study was published two years ago by Ola Landgren [inaudible 00:00:21] Oncology as a clinical trial. This study is the correlative based on the genomics, so we sequence for genome sequencing of all the available samples. The main result is that we discover several known and new genomic features associated with poor or worse outcome and failure to achieve sustainable negativity. These features tend to cocoon together.
So what we identify is a complex network that require more cases to be really deciphered. But that's an important step because it highlights how the technology we use that is whole genome sequencing is probably the way to go to re-understand the DNA based mechanism of resistance for multiple myeloma. But the next steps are in expanding the sample size, working with the community with additional trials where the quadruplets combination with daratumumab plus bortezomib inhibitor plus immunomodulatory agent and corticosteroids were used for newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients. Try to see also if the same mechanism are involved in a relapse settings because patients get also these drugs in a relapse setting where the disease transform or evolve after previous therapy. And using all this information, once we have a large number of cases, we can of course develop prediction to identify patients that can benefit and patients where they cannot benefit from these regimens. And so for the one that don't, we can identify alternative strategies.
The ASCO Post Staff
Eva Hoster, PhD, of Munich University, discusses results from the European MCL Elderly Trial, which confirmed the strong efficacy of rituximab maintenance in minimal residual disease (MRD)-negative patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) after induction. Omitting maintenance based on MRD-negativity is thus discouraged. Considering the short time to progression, more effective treatment strategies should be explored in MRD-positive patients to improve long-term prognosis (Abstract 544).
The ASCO Post Staff
Anand P. Jillella, MD, of Georgia Cancer Center at Augusta University, discusses results from the ECOG-ACRIN EA9131 Trial, which showed that using a simplified treatment algorithm and management recommendations made by a group of specialists, resulted in a dramatic improvement in 1-year survival of patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (Abstract 421).
The ASCO Post Staff
Tomohiro Aoki, MD, PhD, of the University of British Columbia and the Centre for Lymphoid Cancer at BC Cancer, discusses a novel prognostic model applicable to patients with relapsed or refractory classical Hodgkin lymphoma who were treated with autologous stem cell transplantation. The model has shown the interaction between the biomarker CXCR5 on HRS cells (Hodgkin and Reed/Sternberg cells, hallmarks of Hodgkin lymphoma) with specific follicular T helper cells and macrophages, a prominent crosstalk axis in relapsed disease. This insight opens new avenues to developing predictive biomarkers (Abstract 71).
The ASCO Post Staff
Tycel J. Phillips, MD, of the City of Hope National Medical Center, discusses data that showed fixed-duration glofitamab monotherapy induced high and durable complete response rates in patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) who received obinutuzumab pretreatment. This is one of the largest data sets and longest follow-ups reported with a CD20/CD3 bispecific monoclonal antibody for patients with relapsed or refractory MCL (Abstract 74).
The ASCO Post Staff
Andrew Matthews, MD, of the Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, discusses findings from a large, multicenter study that showed superior outcomes with 7 + 3 chemotherapy (cytarabine continuously for 7 days, along with short infusions of an anthracycline on each of the first 3 days) vs venetoclax in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). In this real-world data set, the 7 + 3 cohort outperformed historical benchmarks in overall survival and early mortality, perhaps reflecting improved later lines of therapy and patient selection. Prospective studies (such as NCT04801797) must confirm the superiority of intensive chemotherapy (Abstract 426).