Expert Interviews

Panelists debate the treatment of relapsed/recurrent acute myeloid leukemia, comparing the potential of menin inhibitors to standard-of-care therapies, including chemotherapy and BCL2 inhibitors, in improving patient outcomes.

Panelists discuss the evolving treatment landscape in advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC), highlighting recent notable trials and additional key developments in the field.

Panelists discuss how sequential B-cell maturation agent (BCMA)–targeting therapies can be effective despite potential resistance patterns, with experts evaluating factors like prior response duration, alternative targets like GPRC5D or FcRH5, and patient-specific characteristics when deciding treatment sequencing after CAR T progression.

Panelists discuss the process of selecting a treatment plan, including how shared decision-making was approached, the key factors considered in treatment options, how patients can advocate for their preferences, and the process of recommending pembrolizumab plus lenvatinib based on clinical presentation, with a discussion of other regimens that were considered.

Liquid biopsy tests may help determine the extent of activity among patients who receive a novel fourth-generation EGFR inhibitor for brain cancer.

Shwetal Mehta, PhD, highlights novel brain cancer drug development procedures in the clinical lab and pre-clinical arms of the Ivy Brain Tumor Center.

Panelists discuss Melinda's perspective on care coordination during her treatment, including the healthcare professionals involved, such as those providing wound care and integrative medicine, and how their collaborative efforts supported her care, ultimately enhancing her treatment experience and confidence in her overall care.

Panelists discuss the typical approach to coordinating care for lung cancer patients, highlighting the involvement of various healthcare professionals and the coordination efforts to optimize the patient journey from diagnosis through treatment and follow-up, with Julia explaining her role as a nurse in the multidisciplinary care of advanced breast cancer.

Panelists discuss Melinda's experience with her lung cancer diagnosis, including her symptoms, diagnostic tests (such as imaging and blood work), and the progression of her condition, as well as the concerns and questions she had when referred to Dr. Spira for treatment options, while also exploring the steps Dr. Spira took to confirm the diagnosis of EGFR-mutant NSCLC and evaluate the appropriate treatment approach.

Beth Faiman, PhD, CNP, discusses how to optimize treatment strategies for multiple myeloma patients by considering factors like transplant eligibility, risk stratification, and emerging clinical trial data from PERSEUS, MAIA, and CEPHEUS to guide decisions around initial therapy, maintenance approaches, and the use of novel drug combinations.

Panelists discuss evolving approaches to maintenance therapy in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma, focusing on balancing survival benefits with tolerability. They also review the latest data from the AURIGA trial evaluating daratumumab and lenalidomide maintenance.

Observing changes in the tumor microenvironment before and after a biopsy may elucidate how kidney cancer cells interact with immune cells.

Panelists discuss ongoing clinical trials and how the treatment landscape for HR positive (HR+)/ HER2 negative (HER2-) breast cancer is evolving with novel targeted therapies and combination strategies, with Dr Isaacs highlighting the most exciting aspects of these trials and their potential impact on the future of precision medicine in this patient population.

Panelists discuss how to optimize luspatercept dosing strategies by evaluating the benefits and risks of starting at maximum dose with downward titration vs initiating at lower doses with upward adjustments.

Panelists discuss practical insights and learning opportunities through interactive examination of a patient case.

Panelists discuss how the AURIGA trial demonstrates superior outcomes with daratumumab plus lenalidomide maintenance compared with lenalidomide alone after autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma while examining key subgroup analyses that inform treatment decisions regarding posttransplant maintenance therapy selection.

Panelists discuss how while daratumumab-based quadruplet regimens are increasingly becoming the standard of care for patients with transplant-eligible newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (TE NDMM) due to superior efficacy data, certain factors like frailty, comorbidities, and cost considerations may still warrant triplet therapy in select cases.

Various kidney cancer trials have combined agents such as A2a receptor inhibitors with immunotherapy backbones to potentially improve treatment outcomes.

Panelists discuss how, when considering earlier lines of CAR T-cell therapy for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma, key institutional factors include patient fitness/age, cytogenetic risk status, prior therapy response duration, and BCMA expression levels. Manufacturing timelines, financial considerations, and center-specific outcomes data also influence timing decisions. For patients receiving early-line CAR T therapy, subsequent treatment options typically focus on novel agent combinations or clinical trials exploring additional cellular therapies, with choices guided by response duration to CAR T and the patient’s individual disease characteristics and treatment goals.

Panelists discuss how, for second-line treatment of relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (R/R MM), patients suitable for CAR T-cell (cilta-cel vs ide-cel) therapy typically have a poor prognosis with limited response to prior therapies. Institutional guidelines focus on factors such as prior lines of therapy, organ function, and cytogenetics. Non-medical factors, such as geographic access and financial constraints, also influence CAR T-cell therapy referral eligibility.