Hematologic Oncology

The triplet combination of umbralisib, ublituximab, and pembrolizumab demonstrated durable responses with a tolerable safety profile in patients with relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia and Richter’s transformation.

Sikander Ailawadhi, MD, discusses the results of a first-in-human, early phase 1 study of lisaftoclax in patients with hematologic malignancies.

Expert hematologist/oncologists review the use of pacritinib for the treatment of myelofibrosis, as seen in the PERSIST-1 and PERSIST-2 trials.

Aaron Gerds, MD, MS; and Srdan Verstovsek, MD, PhD, share insights on the impact of pathways, including JAK-STAT, on myelofibrosis disease progression and discuss considerations for the use of JAK inhibitors.

Optical genome mapping was found to effectively detect most abnormalities defined by standard methods, such as chromosome banding analysis, chromosomal microarrays, and fluorescence in situ hybridization, as well as several additional abnormalities of unknown clinical significance, in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Hematology/oncology experts review their approach to monitoring treatment response in myelofibrosis (MF) and when they would consider switching therapies.

Aaron Gerds, MD, MS; and Srdan Verstovsek, MD, PhD, share insights on the importance of allele burden in myelofibrosis (MF) and how cytopenias can limit treatment options for patients with myelofibrosis.

The JAK1/JAK2 inhibitor ruxolitinib has several clinical uses in the treatment of patients with polycythemia vera and plays an especially important role in adult patients who have had an inadequate response to hydroxyurea.

Treatment with fixed-duration rituximab plus the chemotherapy bendamustine was associated with more favorable outcomes than the triplet of dexamethasone, rituximab, and cyclophosphamide, as well as bortezomib, dexamethasone, and rituximab in patients with treatment-naïve Waldenström macroglobulinemia.

Treating patients with accelerated phase myeloproliferative neoplasm is an ongoing therapeutic challenge, due to the lack of standard treatment approaches, according to an expert.

Historical prognostic markers for chemoimmunotherapy have largely lost their clinically relevance in the context of targeted therapies for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia; however, IGHV and TP53 mutational status remain important predictive markers of response, now for novel treatments.

Estimated 4-year mortality rates were greater than 10% in patients with polycythemia vera and vascular complications led to approximately one-third of these deaths, according to a retrospective analysis of the prospective REVEAL trial (NCT02252159) presented during the Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) 2021 Annual Meeting.

Various phase 2 and 3 studies are currently underway utilizing both new and existing treatments in an effort to improve outcomes for patients with myelofibrosis.

Future treatment approaches for patients with polycythemia vera (PV) should center around adapting therapy using the available criteria, and eventually finding new targets.

The addition of venetoclax to fludarabine, cytarabine, idarubicin and G-CSF resulted in high complete response rates and enables a high consolidative allogeneic transplantation rate in patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia.

Panelists conclude by reviewing possible advancements on the horizon in AML such as the potential emergence of Menin inhibitors and bispecific T-cell engagers as well as improved methods for predicting response and preventing relapse.  

Key opinion leaders in hematology oncology share insights into the challenges associated with treating patients with TP53-mutated AML and highlight the recent FDA breakthrough designation of eprenetapopt.

Yazan Madanat, MD, and Mikkael A. Sekeres, MD, discuss future directions and novel therapeutic agents for patients with MDS.

Drs Madanat and Sekeres comment on the importance of quality of life and patient perspective in the selection of MDS treatment.

The cure rate for patients with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia has improved dramatically over the past few decades, with outcomes becoming comparable to what is observed in those with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Jorge E. Cortes, MD, discusses emerging therapies in chronic myeloid leukemia.

In recent years, significant advances have been made regarding the treatment of patients with chronic graft-vs-host disease, with investigators developing an understanding of the pathophysiology of the disease, as well as how to integrate novel treatment modalities.

Experts in hematology/oncology comment on challenges in treating patients with myelofibrosis.

Srdan Verstovsek, MD, PhD, and Aaron Gerds, MD, MS, review key updates to NCCN guidelines for primary myelofibrosis and discuss treatment options for the disease.

The European Commission has granted an expanded approval to ravulizumab-cwvz to include children with a body weight of at least 10 kg, as well as adolescents, with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria.