Articles related to Hematology/Oncology

In this article from Blood Advances highlighted by helpful visual abstracts, two key points are discussed. First, patient-specific next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based measurable residual disease (MRD) monitoring using non-DTA mutations after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (alloHCT) is independently prognostic for relapse and survival. Second, the kinetics rather than a single time point should be further evaluated when DTA mutations are used for MRD monitoring after alloHCT.

In this interview with Dr. Richard Furman, Professor of Medicine at New York-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medicine, the importance of the CLL14 study is highlighted. In addition, Dr. Furman discusses the best use of venetoclax and whether anti-CD20 agents really add to the benefit of venetoclax treatment and whether a policy of watch and wait is still beneficial for all patients. 

In this Original Report from the Journal of Clinical Oncology, the authors conducted a phase I trial of autologous CD19 CAR T cells in children and young adults (CAYAs) with relapsed or refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) to discover whether the role for allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplant (alloHSCT) following CD19-CAR T-cell therapy can improve long-term outcomes.

Published in Blood, this article presents initial findings from a proof-of-concept study led by Martin Wermke, MD, from the Technical University of Dresden in Germany. The UniCAR platform uses targeting molecule TM123 and a single-chain variable fragment that is directed against the CD123 antigen, offering a potential new treatment option for patients with relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

From the pages of Clinical Advances in Hematology & Oncology comes this review of selected presentations from the 2021 TCT Meetings Digital Experience, which took place February 8-12, 2021. Expert commentary is provided by Dr. Yi-Bin Chen, Director of the Hematopoietic Cell Transplant & Cellular Therapy Program at Massachusetts General Hospital.

In this Q&A with Dr. Jorge Cortes, the Director of the Georgia Cancer Center, the drug asciminib is discussed based on its utility as a third-generation TKI as well as its favorable, unique characteristics. Early data has shown promising results with few adverse events, possibly illuminating the drug as a potential first-in-class agent.