Expert Interviews

Alexandra Dreyfuss, MD, MS, explains why CAR T and bispecific populations are her priority for prospective radiotherapy studies in multiple myeloma.

Dr. Andrew Pecora on leading the first IV oncolytic virus trial, building a top-50 cancer center, and using AI to fix the cost of cancer care.

Ralph V. Boccia, MD, FACP, explained how community practices can build the workflow and capacity to deliver bispecific step-up dosing in an outpatient setting.

The faculty define holding and bridging therapy, discuss how they coordinate it with the referring practice, and walk through the timeline.

A panelist describes how the treating center, local oncologist, patient, and caregivers share responsibility for monitoring after CAR T-cell therapy, including warning symptoms, immune monitoring, and infection prevention.

One panelist describes the consent conversation with patients and caregivers, including how the treatment works, what to expect from outcomes, the practical process, and side effects such as cytokine release syndrome, ICANS, cranial nerve palsy, colitis, and movement disorders.

The faculty discuss a recent exchange in Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology on the role of CAR T-cell therapy and where it fits in the treatment sequence, including concerns about toxicity and how recognition and management of these toxicities have evolved.

The moderator reviews a guideline recommendation on CAR T-cell therapy and T-cell engagers at first relapse, and one panelist describes how it compares with their practice, including the rationale for sequencing and the questions that remain open.

Panelists discuss which patients at first relapse make them think of CAR T-cell therapy and which make them pause, including disease burden and the role of holding and bridging therapy, age and fitness, kidney function, and caregiver availability.

The faculty consider how they would answer a patient who is 5 years out from a single infusion in sustained MRD-negative remission and asks whether they are cured.

Erik Bengtsen, MD, explained how antidepressants may improve quality of life and how he typically works with patients who decline favorable treatment.

Ralph V. Boccia, MD, FACP, compared MRD data with Tec-Dara and Tal-Dara and explained how sustained MRD negativity is reshaping myeloma care.

Alexandra Dreyfuss, MD, MS, weighs bridging vs consolidative radiotherapy strategies around CAR T-cell infusion in myeloma.

Erik Bengtsen, MD, shares a key depression screening question and explains when oncologists can start a low-dose antidepressant.

The faculty discuss the DREAMM-7 eligibility and exclusion criteria, including the exclusion of patients refractory to daratumumab or bortezomib. They consider how well the trial population reflects patients seen in practice, given limited prior anti-CD38 exposure. The conversation then turns to the enrolled population vs the approved indication of at least 2 prior lines, which was based on a subgroup. Finally, the faculty share their views on that restriction and discuss the survival benefit seen in the study.

Explore how menin inhibitors are managed in leukemia care, including key drug interactions, dosing adjustments, and realistic response timelines for patients.

Learn how clinicians recognize and manage drug-related differentiation syndrome, QTc prolongation, and dosing considerations when starting revimumab or ziftomainib in practice.

Al-Ola A. Abdallah, MD, highlights the data on etentamig, teclistamab/daratumumab, and iberdomide he found most impactful at IMS 2026.

Ralph V. Boccia, MD, FACP, discussed stopping therapy in patients with deep, sustained responses and the move toward fixed-duration multiple myeloma care.

Luis E. Raez, MD, of Miami Cancer Institute, summarizes the early COPERNICUS conclusions: enhanced prophylaxis with subcutaneous amivantamab plus lazertinib led to low rates of severe rash, thrombosis, and infusion reactions, though shorter follow-up limits inference.

Experts explain how myeloma regimens manage eye toxicity with baseline exams, dose holds, reductions, and longer belantamab dosing intervals to improve safety.

Practical guidance for starting belantamab: confirm eligibility, coordinate ophthalmology exams, manage reversible eye toxicity with dose holds, and educate patients for confident dosing.

Luis E. Raez, MD, of Miami Cancer Institute, and Wade T. Iams, MD, of Tennessee Oncology, consider how to interpret descriptive comparisons between COPERNICUS and MARIPOSA, given median follow-up of 4.9 vs 22 months and no formal statistical testing.

Ralph V. Boccia, MD, FACP, discussed how time since CAR T-cell therapy and toxicity profiles guide bispecific selection in relapsed multiple myeloma.

Al-Ola A. Abdallah, MD, explains a possible biological reason IMiD holding therapy benefited ide-cel but not cilta-cel recipients.

Ralph V. Boccia, MD, FACP, explained why CAR T-cell therapy followed by bispecific antibodies may be the preferred sequence at first relapse in multiple myeloma.

Estelamari Rodriguez, MD, MPH, of Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center describes COPERNICUS, a pragmatic study of first-line subcutaneous amivantamab plus lazertinib with protocol-directed supportive care in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutated advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which was open at her own site.

Matthew Gumbleton, MD, PhD, of Huntsman Cancer Institute rejects the idea that a TP53 co-mutation points toward chemotherapy in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutated advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Allen Khodab, MD discussed how patients with larger prostates had reduced IPSS scores that normalized to the same level as those with normal-sized glands.

Jeffrey V. Matous, MD, explains why ramantamig’s MRD negativity rates are clinically significant in relapsed/refractory myeloma.