Expert Interviews

Reducing the manufacturing time of CAR T-cell therapy may have a big impact on the treatment of patients with mantle cell lymphoma.

Sally Werner, RN, BSN, MSHA, discusses the crucial role of psycho-social oncology in cancer care, including how clinicians and administrators can advocate for these vital services.

Experts discuss how positive ctDNA results after chemotherapy can guide timely, metastasis-directed interventions in colorectal cancer, highlighting the shift from reliance on CEA to more sensitive molecular testing—and emphasizing the need for high-quality imaging to capitalize on ctDNA’s potential for enabling curative surgical outcomes.

Panelists discuss how dermatologic adverse events with EGFR inhibitors are more severe than previously seen with third-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors, requiring reactive management strategies including topical steroids, antibiotics, and dermatologic consultations that are often difficult to obtain.

Experts discuss how durable ctDNA negativity following colorectal cancer surgery is associated with exceptionally low recurrence risk—particularly beyond 2 years—supporting more relaxed surveillance strategies, improved quality of life, and evidence-based reassurance for patients entering long-term survivorship.

Panelists discuss how patients with EGFR-mutated non–small cell lung cancer develop dermatologic adverse events with amivantamab treatment, presenting as papules, pustules, and paronychia that significantly impact quality of life.

Ongoing studies in kidney cancer aim to explore determinants of immune-related adverse effects and strategies for mitigating them.

Machine learning-based approaches may play a role in further understanding of how somatic alterations influence responses or resistance to therapy.

Several ongoing trials are evaluating the efficacy of ziftomenib treatment combinations in this acute myeloid leukemia population.

Panelists discuss how treatment selection for a typical intermediate-risk patient with clear cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC) involves choosing between ipilimumab plus nivolumab for long-term durable responses in nonsymptomatic patients and immunotherapy-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (IO-TKI) combinations for those requiring rapid disease control or cytoreduction.

Panelists discuss how the CLEAR trial showed pembrolizumab plus lenvatinib achieved the highest objective response rate (71%) and progression-free survival (23.3 months) among frontline regimens, though requiring careful patient selection due to lenvatinib's challenging toxicity profile at the full 20 mg dose.

Data from a first-in-disease trial assessing a personalized cancer vaccine in RCC require validation at a larger level, according to David Braun, MD, PhD.

Single-agent ziftomenib achieved an ORR of 35% in patients with relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia harboring an NPM1 mutation.

New targeted therapies are needed to improve outcomes for patients with NPM1-mutant relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia.

All 4 FDA-approved JAK inhibitors for myelofibrosis have unique toxicity profiles that all patients and physicians should know, said Prithviraj Bose, MD.

Panelists discuss how non–clear cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC) represents a challenging, heterogeneous collection of rare tumors comprising 25% to 30% of all RCC cases, requiring careful histological review and individualized risk stratification based on tumor biology, disease tempo, and burden rather than traditional treatment algorithms used for clear cell RCC.

Panelists discuss how they will review the KEYNOTE-B61 phase 2 study examining pembrolizumab plus lenvatinib for previously untreated advanced non–clear cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC), including an overview of non–clear cell RCC and integration of the 3-year follow-up data into clinical practice.

Panelists discuss the challenges of treating non–clear cell renal cell carcinoma (nccRCC) after first-line progression, emphasizing the limited second-line options, the emerging use of immunotherapy (IO) and combination regimens, the need for subtype-specific strategies, and the critical role of clinical trial enrollment to advance care in this heterogeneous disease.

Non-driver mutations can be informative for clinicians in the treatment of patients with myelofibrosis, as they may help guide transplantation decisions.

Panelists discuss recent advances in non–clear cell renal cell carcinoma (nccRCC) treatment, highlighting the emerging role of immunotherapy plus tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) combinations—particularly lenvatinib and pembrolizumab—in improving response rates, progression-free survival, and overall survival across diverse subtypes, while emphasizing individualized care and proactive management.