HealthTree Podcast for Multiple Myeloma

AL Amyloidosis is a secondary condition that can occur in patients with multiple myeloma and can cause protein buildup in organs like the heart, kidneys, liver and nerves. Join HealthTree Podcast for Multiple Myeloma by HealthTree to hear from Sascha Tuchman, MD of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as he shares amyloidosis symptoms, treatments and open clinical trials.  Thanks to our episode sponsor, Takeda Oncology

CAR T therapy has been in development for over 20 years. The first CAR T therapy is now available for the treatment of multiple myeloma. The ide-cel treatment (now called Abecma) is now FDA approved for multiple myeloma relapsed or refractory patients. In this show, Dr. Noopur Raje of Mass General Hospital will share how the CAR T cell therapy works, outcome data from clinical trials, a review of patients who are eligible to join and when patients should consider the therapy in context of other therapies. Ide-cel (Abecma) is a product developed by Bristol Myers Squibb and blubird bio.  Thanks to our episode sponsor, Oncopeptides

Dr. Robert Z. Orlowski joins HealthTree Podcast for Multiple Myeloma to share a study to share the new innovations myeloma patients can expect in 2021. He will review the recent findings from the American Society of Hematology meeting and share what we can expect from new combination therapies, best options for newly diagnosed myeloma patients, expected FDA approvals in 2021, CAR T advances, bispecific and trispecific antibodies, antibody drug conjugates, targeted inhibitors and new approaches for MGUS and smoldering myeloma. We invite you to join us for this well loved annual show.  Dr. Orlowski is Chairman, Ad Interim, Director of Myeloma, and Professor of Medicine in the Departments of Lymphoma/Myeloma and Experimental Therapeutics, Division of Cancer Medicine at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Dr. Orlowski serves as Chair of the Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG) and is a member of the NCI Steering Committee, the Multiple Myeloma Tissue Bank Steering Committee, the Computerized Provider Order Entry Steering Committee, BMT Committee, and American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Dr. Orlowski is on the Editorial Board of Hematology and the Journal of Clinical Oncology. Dr. Orlowski has received many awards over a number of years including the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Scholar in Clinical Research, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Man of the Year Award, Emil Frei III Award for Excellence in Translational Research from MD Anderson and is the recipient of an ongoing SPORE grant from the NIH. Find news and information from his daily newspaper, Myeloma Daily or find him on Twitter at @myeloma_doc. Thanks to our episode sponsor, Karyopharm Therapeutics

Dr. Irene Ghobrial joins HealthTree Podcast for Multiple Myeloma to share a study to identify discoveries that could potentially inform COVID-19 treatment decisions and prevention policies in the IMPACT study. Myeloma patients are known to be immunocompromised and may be at higher risk for poor outcomes.  IMPACT is a study to identify the prevalence and unique characteristics of COVID-19 in individuals with precursor conditions to hematologic malignancies and in healthy populations. It is enrolling individuals nationwide who are enrolled in the PCROWD and PROMISE studies. All participants enrolled in IMPACT are screened using a blood test for active SARS-CoV-2 and/or antibodies. Participants are then followed and undergo additional blood collection and testing over a one-year period. The overall goal of IMPACT is to understand the short- and long-term impact of COVID-19 on the immune system of healthy individuals and individuals with underlying immune dysregulation. Thanks to our episode sponsor, Bristol Myers Squibb

The coronavirus continues to be a global concern for all citizens and especially for cancer patients. Where are we at now with our learning over the last seven months? Dr. Joshua Richter re-joins HealthTree Podcast for Multiple Myeloma for an update on how myeloma patients are and should be navigating during the coronavirus pandemic.  Thanks to our episode sponsor, Takeda Oncology

Venetoclax (Venclexta) is being studied in myeloma clinical trials and particular benefit has been seen in 11;14 myeloma patients. It is the first time a true precision medicine drug has been identified in myeloma. Which clinical trial combinations are using venetoclax, which are proving to be the most effective and is it getting closer to approval? Learn about the experiences of its use in 11;14 multiple myeloma patients and clinical trial results outside of this specific patient group. The innovation happening in myeloma is astounding and this is the first time that a personalized therapy has been identified to be effective for myeloma patients with a particular genetic feature.  Jonathan Kaufman, MD of Emory University's Winship Cancer Institute has been involved in early and later trials for venetoclax in multiple myeloma. Dr. Kaufman is Associate Professor, and serves as Associate Vice-Chair, and as Director of the Division of Hematology in the Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology at Emory University School of Medicine. Board certified in hematology and medical oncology, Dr. Kaufman's practice includes treating multiple myeloma and amyloidosis patients at Emory University Hospital. As a network physician, he started practicing with Emory Healthcare in 2005. He is also an active clinical and translational researcher in the fields of multiple myeloma, amyloidosis, and bone marrow transplant. Dr. Kaufman is a member of the Discovery and Developmental Therapeutics Research Program at Winship Cancer Institute. He also holds memberships with American Society of Clinical Oncology and American Society of Hematology. Thanks to our episode sponsor, Karyopharm Therapeutics

Dr. Ali is the primary investigator on a clinical trial to use a vaccine to extend remissions following successful myeloma treatment. The GVAX study is open for patients who are MRD positive but don't yet have a measurable m-protein. Dr. Ali explains how the vaccine works and why patients may want to use it to lengthen theri remission times.   Thanks to our episode sponsor, Bristol Myers Squibb.

Since HealthTree for Multiple Myeloma started our advocacy work in myeloma, the most common question we get is “What supplements, diet or other alternative treatments will help my myeloma?” Whether it's yoga, supplements, massage therapy, Tai Chi, music therapy, IV vitamins or guidance therapy, Dr. Krisstina Gowin and Dr. Onytemaechi Okolo of the University of Arizona will discuss how integrative and alternative therapies can be used in myeloma care. They are also performing a study inside of HealthTree to learn what integrative therapies myeloma patients are using in addition to traditional myeloma therapy.  Thanks to our episode sponsor, Karyopharm       Whether you are using yoga, exercise, acupuncture, art therapy, vitamin D supplements, curcumin or other alternative treatments, Dr. Krisstina Gowin of the University of Arizona and the Mayo Clinic is performing research to better understand how widespread the use is for myeloma patients of these alternative therapies and how well they help patients.

Myeloma specialists and myeloma patients alike want to know which treatment will work best before they are taken. Dr. Keith Stewart and colleagues from the Mayo Clinic Scottsdale have developed a new test using a "direct-to-drug" screening that helps determine how certain myeloma cells (with specific biomarkers and pretreatment histories) will react to different myeloma therapies. The new test is flexible enough to accommodate new drugs as they become FDA approved and is a way to avoid using drugs that won't provide much impact. This flexibility is required with the rapidly changing environment in myeloma.  Personalized care in myeloma is especially tricky because of the differences in each myeloma patients' cells. A single patient can have an average of 5 different "types" of myeloma at diagnosis and those types can evolve over time. This is called heterogeneity. Add to that the large number of potential treatment combinations, and it becomes an art and a science to treat myeloma patients. This new test will help provide much needed guidance. Learn more about this fascinating topic with Dr. Stewart.  Thanks to our episode sponsor, GlaxoSmithKline

Isatuxiab (Sarclisa) by Sanofi Genzyme is a new CD38-targeting monoclonal antibody that is now FDA approved to be combined with pomalidomide and dexamethasone. In the same drug class as daratumumab, isatuximab is different in its mechanism and is now being used in additional clinical trials in combinations such as isatuximab/carfilzomib/dex and isatuximab/bortezomib/dex. The growing number of potential therapies is a big win for myeloma patients. Learn from myeloma specialist Thomas Martin, MD of the University of California at San Francisco about how the drug works, how it is being applied in the myeloma clinic and open clinical trials using it in new combinations. Dr. Martin will also cover the recent clinical trial results presented at the recent ASCO 2020 meeting.    Thanks to our episode sponsor, Takeda Oncology