Multiple Myeloma at ASCO 2018
Dr. Haffizulla: So, we’re here again in Chicago, ASCO 2018 Annual Meeting. Can you highlight for us some of the most important studies in the multiple myeloma arena this year?
Dr. Fonseca: Sure, well it’s no surprise of course, we’re getting updates with regards to the CAR T-cell work and those are very, very important studies that continue to show the benefit of this approach for patients with relapsed and refractory myeloma, particularly for those who have exhausted all therapies. There were some practical studies like this, administration of carfilzomib once versus twice per week, and also an important study looking at the combination of pomalidomide, bortezomib, dexameth; so that versus bortezomib and dexamethasone, and this just builds on the body of knowledge that we have that truly allows us to engage in better treatment for our patients.
Dr. Haffizulla: Are any of these studies yet practice changing or ready to translate into clinical practice?
Dr. Fonseca: I think the most pressing one is the one related to the CAR T-cell therapy. The CAR T-cell results that were presented here from the Bluebird clinical trial were really impressive, is a word that should be used because of the patients who are responders, pretty much they all attained an MRD negativity, which is absolutely something that we have not seen in the past. These treatments are moving from the fairly advanced patient, but the question now would be at what point are we going to start thinking about this type of interventions?
Earlier, perhaps, even as frontline therapy for someone who might have high-risk disease. I tell my patients that we’re treating now that we diagnose, you know we want to get the time right now with the treatments that we have available so we “iron the wrinkles” of CAR T-cell therapy, the management of CRS, etc. But I think this is something that has already changed practice when it comes down to other B-cell neoplasms, but myeloma is knocking on that door.
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