Revisit Every OncLive On Air Episode From September 2024

In case you missed any, below is a recap of every episode of OncLive On Air® that aired in September 2024. Check out our podcast page for a full episode lineup and to stay up to date with all the latest releases!

Salgia Summarizes the Benefits of Tepotinib in MET Exon 14–Mutated NSCLC

In this episode of OncLive On Air, Ravi Salgia, MD, PhD, of City of Hope in Duarte, California, highlighted updated data from the phase 2 VISION trial (NCT02864992) of tepotinib (Tepmetko) in patients with non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring MET exon 14 skipping mutations; detailed findings from a real-world analysis investigating tepotinib compared with capmatinib (Tabrecta) in patients with stage IV disease; and expanded on factors that inform his clinical decision-making regarding these 2 agents.

“MET receptor [TKIs] and therapeutic targeting of MET [mutations] are here to stay,” Salgia said in the interview. “At the same time, we have a long way to go still.”

Florez Focuses on Patient-Centered NSCLC Biomarker Testing Discussions

In this exclusive interview, Narjust Florez, MD, of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI) in Boston, Massachusetts, talked through ways to help patients with lung cancer understand the importance of biomarker testing, tips for explaining biomarker test findings with patients, and strategies to recognize and address patient concerns regarding the implications of their biomarker test results.

“In the area of precision oncology, biomarker testing is mandatory,” Florez emphasized. “Patients can live longer if [they] are identified to have a mutation and…are able to get a targeted therapy. Secondly, [patients can live] better…Targeted therapies tend to have [fewer] adverse effects than standard chemotherapy, and furthermore, patients [who receive targeted therapies] can [live their lives] away from the cancer center.”

Heme & Onc Fellow Board Review Tips 2024

In this episode, as part of OncLive On Air’s partnership with Two Onc Docs, cohosts Samantha A. Armstrong, MD, of Indiana University Health in Indianapolis, and Karine Tawagi, MD, of the University of Illinois in Chicago, discussed high-yield topics to focus on when studying for the hematology and oncology board exams, handy memorization tricks, and more exam preparation advice.

“New guidelines…probably won’t be seen on your boards today,” Armstrong said. “The boards are a little slow for updates.”

“There is no cramming for boards,” Tawagi told listeners. “The days leading up [to the exams, you should focus on] just reviewing, getting yourself in a good mindset, [and] not trying to cram too much. Remember that the pass rates are in your favor. You know more than you think."

Camidge and Wilfong on Making a Difference Through a Career in Continuing Medical Education

In this episode of How This Is Building Me, host D. Ross Camidge, MD, PhD, sat down with Kadrin Wilfong, MD, of PeerView Institute for Medical Education in New York, New York, to discuss the life events that led Wilfong to medical school, how she jumpstarted her career in oncology-focused education, and how continuing medical education (CME) resources can improve the care of patients with cancer.

“You’ve been very successful in the path you’ve done, and you’ve changed the world, maybe in a different way from the way you envisioned,” Camidge said of Wilfong.

“I have no regrets,” Wilfong shared. “I have loved being in the CME world. I have learned a lot…I have a strong streak of curiosity…I think that’s one of my main characteristics, and the desire to continuously learn myself is perfect for this environment because as I…do the research to be able to develop these programs, address the needs, stay up to date myself, I get to develop along with the audience that we aim to educate.”

FDA Approval Insights: Epcoritamab in Relapsed/Refractory Follicular Lymphoma

On June 26, 2024, epcoritamab-bysp (Epkinly) received accelerated approval from the FDA for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed/refractory follicular lymphoma (FL) who have received 2 or more prior lines of systemic therapy. This regulatory decision was based on data from the phase 1/2 EPCORE NHL-1 trial (NCT03625037), in which treatment with epcoritamab led to an overall response rate (ORR) of 82% (95% CI, 74.1%-88.2%) among patients in the primary efficacy cohort (n = 127), including a complete response (CR) rate of 60% (95% CI, 50.8%-68.4%).

In this episode, Jennifer Crombie, MD, of DFCI, highlighted the significance of this approval, top findings from EPCORE NHL-1, and her predictions for the future of FL management.

“This is an exciting approval,” Crombie noted in the interview. “This is the first bispecific antibody that has a dual approval for 2 different histologies.”

Thomas and Lukas Highlight Updates in Brain Cancer from the 2024 ASCO Annual Meeting

In this exclusive interview, Tarita Thomas, MD, PhD, MBA, and Rimas Lukas, MD, of the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, Illinois, shed light on findings from 4 studies presented at the 2024 ASCO Annual Meeting during a clinical science symposium on brain cancer that may influence the future treatment of patients with glioblastoma and high-grade glioma.

“These are very interesting and forward-thinking in terms of how we think about our patients and their disease,” Thomas emphasized.

“Part of the Clinical Trial Symposium was trying to hammer home the idea that this stuff does have value,” Lukas added. “It helps us when we take a look at these things earlier on in drug development.”

FDA Approval Insights: Afami-Cel for Pretreated, Unresectable or Metastatic Synovial Sarcoma

On August 2, 2024, the FDA granted accelerated approval to afamitresgene autoleucel (afami-cel; Tecelra) for the treatment of select adult patients with unresectable or metastatic synovial sarcoma who have received prior chemotherapy. This regulatory decision was supported by data from cohort 1 of the phase 2 SPEARHEAD-1 trial (NCT04044768), in which patients who received afami-cel (n = 44) achieved an ORR of 43%, including a CR rate of 4.5%.

In this episode, Allison Betof Warner, MD, PhD, of Stanford University in California, spotlighted the significance of this approval, top data from SPEARHEAD-1, and the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration in the broadening era of cell therapies.

“This is another landmark moment of 2 this year for the approval of a solid tumor cell therapy; that can’t be overstated,” Warner emphasized.

How Luspatercept Could Shake Up MDS Management—With Rory Shallis, MD

In this episode, Rory Shallis, MD, of Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut, shared the rationale for the phase 3 ELEMENT-MDS trial (NCT05949684) investigating luspatercept-aamt (Reblozyl) in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes and anemia who are not receiving blood transfusions; the potential benefits of administering luspatercept before patients become red blood cell transfusion dependent; and aspects of the trial to be aware of when considering patients for enrollment.

“Reach out to us and explore trial options…that are founded upon excellent science and a growing enthusiasm that this is the golden age for this disease,” Shallis noted. “We can’t move the field forward if patients are not getting on these trials, and this is largely an extension of providers not knowing these trials exist.”

Board Review Resources 2024

In this episode, part of OncLive On Air’s partnership with Two Onc Docs, hosts Samantha A. Armstrong, MD, and Karine Tawagi, MD, talked through their favorite study resources for the hematology and oncology board exams.

“Consistency, as in all of the stages of medicine, is key,” Tawagi emphasized to listeners. “Questions, because that makes you critically think and learn from the wrong answers, and making a board review plan a few months before studying. Plan for life because a lot of us, when we’re studying for boards, are [also] moving, starting our first attending jobs, there’s a lot of moving pieces. Make sure you take time for yourself also.”

“That’s why it’s important to give yourself so many months to study for boards, because there’s no such thing as cramming, and you physically cannot cram for these tests,” Armstrong added. “It’s just not possible, so you need to enjoy your life and have your studying plans as you go.”