Curtis Lachowiez, MD, of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses data that show combining venetoclax with FLAG-IDA chemotherapy to treat patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia led to minimal residual disease negativity in more than 90% of those achieving a composite complete response (Abstract AML-024).
Luis E. Aguirre, MD, of the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, discusses the subset of patients with chronic myelomonocytic leukemia who have a more indolent disease course. Features at diagnosis may include higher hemoglobin and platelet counts or JAK2, SF3B1, and IDH2 mutations; features associated with earlier initiation of treatment may include an elevated white blood cell count or a higher number of marrow blasts. Identifying the changes that occur between diagnosis and treatment are among future research goals (Abstract MDS-229).
Saad Z. Usmani, MBA, MD, of the Levine Cancer Institute, discusses new data on the CAR T-cell therapy ciltacabtagene autoleucel, a single infusion of which yielded early, deep, and durable responses in heavily pretreated patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (Oral Abstract MM-119).
Kieron M. Dunleavy, MD, of Georgetown University, offers insights into the latest data on treating patients with primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma: the optimal regimen; whether radiotherapy or stem cell transplants are needed; new information on the biology of the disease; novel agents such as CAR T-cell therapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors, and incorporating them into upfront treatment.
