Expert Interviews

Panelists discuss how despite the significant progress with bispecifics in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (R/R MM), major unanswered questions remain including optimal sequencing strategies (which represent the biggest challenge), how to implement bispecifics earlier in the treatment paradigm, and how to integrate them with other existing therapies in the evolving treatment landscape.

Panelists discuss the importance of patient-centered communication in metastatic melanoma care, emphasizing how clinicians convey the trade-offs between rapid responses from targeted therapies and the durable, immune-driven benefits of immunotherapy, while guiding patients through realistic expectations, personalized goals, and the long-term potential of treatment.

Panelists discuss how optimal sequencing strategies suggest using chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy first when eligible, followed by switching targets (from B-cell maturation antigen [BCMA] to GPRC5D) upon relapse rather than staying with the same target, while acknowledging that sequential bispecific use may be challenging due to T-cell exhaustion and recommending “sandwiching” T-cell sparing agents like cereblon E3 ligase modulators (CELMoDs) between bispecifics to allow T-cell recovery. However, they note that monthly dosing schedules and treatment holidays may change these dynamics in the future.

Osimertinib/chemotherapy and amivantamab/lazertinib have exhibited an efficacy advantage vs osimertinib in patients with EGFR-mutant NSCLC.

Panelists discuss how the durability of response and long-term minimal residual disease (MRD) negativity in a subset of patients supports redefining treatment end points and cure in multiple myeloma.

Panelists discuss how they perform comprehensive molecular testing using immunohistochemistry, FISH, and next-generation sequencing to identify IDH mutations and other critical markers like CDKN2A/2B loss that guide treatment decisions and tumor classification.

Panelists discuss how the unprecedented 5-year progression-free survival benefit (60% vs 8%) demonstrated in the CROWN trial supports starting with the most effective treatment (lorlatinib) upfront rather than sequential therapy approaches.

One of the largest obstacles to tackle in the kidney cancer landscape will be translating the research on rare kidney cancer subtypes into clinical trials.

Manojkumar Bupathi, MD, MS, and Benjamin Garmezy, MD, focus on treatment options for patients with urothelial carcinoma.

Long-term toxicities like infections and secondary primary malignancies remain a concern when sequencing novel agents for those with multiple myeloma.

Zanzalitinib exhibited favorable data when evaluated alone or in combination with anti-PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibition in phase 1 RCC trials.

The investigational agent exhibited superior efficacy vs pembrolizumab in patients with lung cancer, suggesting potential efficacy in kidney cancer.

Management of adverse effects and access to cellular therapies among community oncologists represented key points of discussion in multiple myeloma.

Panelists discuss how a patient with multiple myeloma initially experienced severe fatigue, hair loss, swelling from kidney dysfunction, and overwhelming pain before being misdiagnosed with lupus, ultimately requiring emergency care where blood work and bone marrow biopsy confirmed both multiple myeloma and amyloidosis, leading to successful treatment with chemotherapy followed by stem cell transplant that achieved 5.5 years of remission monitored through regular blood draws tracking  light chain levels.

Panelists discuss how multiple myeloma is a rare blood cancer affecting plasma cells that have gone rogue, causing symptoms like fatigue, kidney dysfunction, and bone pain, with approximately 36,000 new cases diagnosed annually in the US, primarily affecting older patients around 60 to 65 years of age. Although multiple myeloma is highly treatable with great therapy options available, the disease often relapses and requires aggressive early treatment approaches, including emerging immunotherapies that may help cure a larger fraction of patients in the future.

Panelists discuss how bispecific antibodies like talquetamab work through dual targeting mechanisms that bring T-cells and cancer cells together for tumor destruction, with patient Karen sharing her decision-making process based on treatment convenience, manageable adverse effects like taste loss and nail changes, and the therapy's effectiveness after initial severe reactions during step-up dosing.

Panelists discuss how multiple myeloma patients navigate complex treatment journeys through multiple relapses, clinical trials, and the transformative potential of bispecific antibody therapies like talquetamab, with patient Karen Kehl sharing her 15-year experience from initial diagnosis through 19 treatment cycles including three transplants and various clinical trials.

“As a community, if we’re looking to help enroll and advocate for patients with rare [kidney cancers], we need to be aware of what is out there,” said A. Ari Hakimi, MD.

Treatment with the dual inhibitor displayed a short half-life and a manageable toxicity profile in patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

The annual Kidney Cancer Research Summit was born from congressional funding for kidney cancer research, according to KidneyCAN president Bryan Lewis.

Combining renal vaccines with immune therapy may better target tumor cells while limiting harm to healthy tissue, according to David A. Braun, MD, PhD.

Improving data collection and biomarker development across institutions may represent areas of expansion in kidney cancer research.

KIM-1 is a biomarker in the blood that may help noninvasively detect kidney cancer, according to Wenxin (Vincent) Xu, MD.

Panelists discuss the growing importance of early integration and collaboration between community oncologists and specialized centers in the evolving chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy landscape for multiple myeloma, emphasizing timely referrals, coordinated care, and strategic sequencing with other immunotherapies to optimize patient outcomes.

Panelists discuss the essential role of supportive care following chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy in multiple myeloma, emphasizing infection prevention through prophylaxis, immunoglobulin replacement, and vaccination strategies, along with the importance of coordinated long-term management between CAR T centers and community oncologists to ensure sustained survivorship care.

A phase 0 trial is seeking to assess the feasibility of aiding anticancer cells with cytokines to restore their function.

Although pembrolizumab addressed a long-standing need in adjuvant kidney cancer treatment, combinations with the agent may further bolster efficacy.

“The trial will be successful, or [we’ll] declare it a success if we see at least 3 of 24 responses overall,” stated Praful Ravi, MB, BChir, MRCP, on the phase 2 LASER trial in RCC.

Success with the 177Lu-PSMA-617 radioligand therapy would be transformative for the clear cell renal cell carcinoma treatment landscape.

Panelists discuss how the extended follow-up data from MonumenTAL-1 show consistent safety outcomes for talquetamab with manageable discontinuation rates due to skin changes and weight loss, while acknowledging that GPRC5D targeting creates unique toxicities including nail and skin changes that require proactive management strategies, particularly as treatment transitions from academic centers to community practice where quality-of-life considerations become increasingly important.