Hematologic Oncology

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.

Alex Herrera, MD, discusses the utility of CAR T cells in patients with hematologic cancers.

Yazan Madanat, MD, and Mikkael A. Sekeres, MD, highlight unmet needs in the treatment of patients with high-risk MDS.

Experts in the treatment of MDS explore clinically meaningful treatment endpoints, including complete responses, bone marrow complete responses, and overall survival outcomes in MDS.

The combination of pevonedistat plus azacitidine as a frontline treatment for patients with higher-risk myelodysplastic syndromes, chronic myelomonocytic leukemia, and low-blast acute myeloid leukemia did not achieve predefined statistical significance for the primary end point of event-free survival in the phase 3 PANTHER trial.

Vinod Pullarkat, MD, leads a detailed discussion on evolving treatment approaches using MRD pretransplant, and panelists consider recent therapeutic advances for the post-transplant setting.

A panel of specialists in hematology oncology review the 5-year follow-up data on the use of CPX-351 for adults and pediatric patients with acute myeloid leukemia.

The FDA has approved zanubrutinib for the treatment of adult patients with Waldenström macroglobulinemia.

When George P. Canellos, MD, first joined the field of oncology in the 1960s, many of his peers thought he was making huge mistake.

Guru Subramanian Guru Murthy, MD, MS, discusses the potential benefits of treatment de-escalation in Philadelphia chromosome–positive B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Dr. Sekeres discusses the current unmet needs of patients with higher-risk myelodysplastic syndromes receiving hypomethylating agents, the potential utility of novel combinations in development, and the incorporation of other end points beyond overall survival in clinical trials.