Moderated by Tom Hoffmann, MD – IWMF Trustee, 2019 Ed Forum
Researchers and clinicians answer, and sometimes debate, questions from the audience

Morie Gertz, MD, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, 2019 Ed Forum
Teaches us about the incidence rates of WM, prevalence of IgM MGUS and smoldering WM, how MYD88 and CXCR4 impact outcomes in WM, MYD88 and transformation risk, hyperviscosity and when therapy is required, how WM affects the kidney (including amyloidosis), chemotherapy treatment of WM, how long responses last until new therapy is required, and strategies to monitor and manage adverse events associated with novel therapies for WM

Moderated by Carl Harrington- IWMF President
Rituxan Maintenance vs. No Maintenance
Morton Coleman MD – Weill Cornell Medical College vs. Stephen Ansell MD, PhD – Mayo Clinic, 2019 Ed Forum
Limited Treatment Duration vs. Continuous Pill
Edward Stadtmauer, MD – University of Pennsylvania vs. Jorge Castillo, MD – Dana Farber Cancer Institute, 2019 Ed Forum
The experts debate hot topics in long term treatment decisions for WM

Steven Treon, MD, PhD – Dana Farber Cancer Institute, 2019 Ed Forum
Explains why complete responses are so uncommon in WM, even with targeted therapy, what are the WM-centric toxicities with commonly used therapies, how pro-survival signaling of WM cells is driven by mutated MYD88 in WM, how CXCR4 mutations permit ongoing pro-survival signaling of Wm cells by CXCL12 and makes CXCR4 resistant to ibrutinib and the impact of CXCR4 on WM response and progression free survival (PFS). Reviews studies with ibrutinib, venetoclax, a combination of both drugs, zanubrutinib, acalabrutinib, and incorporating other novel treatments to eradicate residual or resistant disease. Also explains what the knowledge gaps are for developing more effective treatments for patients with WM without MYD88 mutations, the knowledge gaps for treating Bing Neel Syndrome, and treatment outcomes of WM-related peripheral neuropathy.

Susan McInnes, MD – Cleveland Clinic, Taussig Cancer Center, 2019 Ed Forum
Helps us understand how palliative care can be an added layer of support to address symptoms, quality of life, psychosocial issues, and advance care planning and how this care is available and appropriate at all stages of WM

Stephen Ansell MD, PhD, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, 2019 Ed Forum
Explains how immunotherapy activates T-cells into killer T-cells and prevents them from being switched off, so that the T-cell has increased ability to target cancer cells. Over time, T-cells can become “exhausted” and switched off with loss of function.  Strategies to block these “switched off” signals with PD1 blockade and CTLA-4 blockade are presented. T-cells in WM are not activated, strategies are presented to activate the T-cell by “waking’ them up by giving them a “poke.” T-cells in WM also do not “lock on” to their targets. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy may give the T-cell a new way to “dock” onto WM cells.

Jorge Castillo, MD – Dana Farber Cancer Institute, 2019 Ed Forum
Teaches us about the treatments that are on the horizon, including proteasome inhibitors: ixazomib with dexamethasone and rituximab as primary therapy,  BTK inhibitors:, acalabrutinib, zanubrutinib, BGB-3111, vecabrutinib, venetoclax, combination ibrutinib and venetoclax as frontline therapy, CXCR4 inhibitors: ulocuplumab, ulixertinib, combination of ibrutinib and ulocuplumab for CXCR4^WHIM, and anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody: daratumumab.

Edward Stadtmauer, MD – University of Pennsylvania, 2019 Ed Forum
Reviews the diagnostic criteria, manifestations of the disease, International Staging System for prognosis for WM, diagnoses that can be confused with WM, why everyone is not treated at diagnosis, guidelines for initiation of therapy, and therapeutic landscape of WM, including the multiple treatment options for WM, plus new treatments on the horizon, and challenges in providing treatment.

Stephen Ansell MD, PhD - Mayo Clinic Rochester, 2018 Ed Forum
Provides the IWMF-LLS Strategic Research Roadmap and addresses the uniqueness of WM, its genomics, epigenomics, MYD88 L265P and CXCR4 mutations, and treatment options

Zachary Hunter, PhD – Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 2020 WM Foundation Canada (WMFC) Seminar with Patients
The WMFC (the Canadian affiliate of the IWMF) was proud to have Dr. Zachary Hunter of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute join the Atlantic Canada WM Support Group for a recent virtual meeting. Dr Hunter described the latest research into Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia. After his talk, he took questions from the participants and described the most recent research project he is taking on with the financiaZachary Hunter, PhD, Guang Yang, PhD, Steve Treon, MD, PhD – Dana Farber Cancer Institute, 2018 Ed Forum
Three researchers discuss how MYD88 and CXCR4 mutations are common in WM with MYD88 activating BTK and HCK in WM cells, both targets of ibrutinib. Ibrutinib produces high response rates and durable responses in relapsed and refractory WM. No complete responses. Mutated CXCR4, aberrant IRAK and BCL2 signaling contribute to intrinsic resistance against ibrutinib. Multiple BTK mutations are common with acquired ibrutinib resistance and trigger ERK1/2 survival signaling. Novel strategies to overcome intrinsic and acquired resistance to ibrutinib, including targeting CXCR4, ERK, IRAK, and BCL2 signaling.backing of the WMFC, IWMF, LLS and the Leukemia Foundation of Australia.

Shuo MA, MD, PhD – Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 2018 Ed Forum
Provides an overview of WM and IgM related complications, as well as an overview of treatment criteria and currently available active agents for WM

Guy Sherwood, MD, IWMF Vice President for Research, Moderator 2017 Ed Forum
Researchers and clinicians answer, and sometimes debate, questions from the audience

Morie Gertz, MD, FACP – Mayo Clinic Rochester, 2017 Ed Forum
Raises questions and answers about WM, such as, “Are my kids going to get this? How long will I live? What can I do to live longer?” just to name a few

Ron Ternoway, Support Group Leader from Nova Scotia, 2017 Ed Forum
Provides the patient’s perspective about living with cancer and participating in clinical trials for WM

Edward Libby, MD, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, 2017 Ed Forum
Discusses current and soon to be open clinical trials for WM

Brenda Hawkes, Diplomat Pharmacy, 2017 Ed Forum

Steven Treon, MD, PhD – Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 2017 Ed Forum
Discusses manifestations of WM, side effects, genomics, treatment options, upfront treatment and relapsed/refractory treatment approaches

Madhav Dhodapkar, MD – Yale University, 2017 Ed Forum
Reviews basic immunology, what makes cancer immunotherapy special, what are the some of the current approaches and existing challenges/emerging approaches

Zachary Hunter, PhD – Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 2017 Ed Forum
Reviews the genetics, epigenetics, genomics of WM (MYD88 L265P and CXCR4 mutations), and the genomic response to treatment options

Craig Reeder, MD – Mayo Clinic Arizona, 2017 Ed Forum
Reviews indications for therapy, differences in drug classes, side effects of therapy, treatment options for newly diagnosed and relapsed/refractory patients, and discusses the role of stem cell transplant

Craig Reeder, MD – Mayo Clinic Arizona, 2017 Ed Forum
Reviews indications for therapy, differences in drug classes, side effects of therapy, treatment options for newly diagnosed and relapsed/refractory patients, and discusses the role of stem cell transplant

Morton Coleman, MD – Weill Cornell Medical College, 2016 Ed Forum
Discusses the frequency of various lymphoma subtypes in adults, with emphasis on WM and cancer drug development and reviews the signaling pathways in WM, drugs that inhibit WM cell survival and discusses the challenges of combining drugs and limiting side effects

Zachary Hunter, PhD – Dana Farber Cancer Institute, 2016 Ed Forum
Reviews genetics, epigenetics and the epigenome, including the genomics of WM

Edward Stadtmauer, MD, University of Pennsylvania, 2016 Ed Forum
Covers the manifestations of WM, immunologic approaches to overcome self-tolerance in lymphoma, rationale for cellular immunotherapy in lymphoma, adoptive T-cell therapy, second generation of CAR for B-cell malignancies, overview of activated/engineered T-cell therapy, CD19-targeted CAR T-cells for B-cell malignancies, phase I trial for CLL, results with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, follicular lymphoma and adverse events, pilot study of CART19 in multiple myeloma, CART-BCMA cells for multiple myeloma, and potential strategies to improve CART therapy in lymphoma

Jeffrey Matous, MD – Colorado Blood Cancer Institute, 2016 Ed Forum
Discusses the definition of relapse and how to recognize it, approaches treatment from a doctor’s perspective, goals of retreatment, how aggressive can and should we be with treatment, and treatment choices for relapsed/refractory WM

Jorge Castillo, MD - Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 2016 Ed Forum
Reviews the manifestations of WM disease, NCCN guidelines for initiation of treatment for WM, single agent treatments, combination therapies, maintenance, and new directions, including frontier clinical trials at Dana Farber Cancer Institute

Stephen Ansell, MD, PhD - Mayo Clinic, Rochester, 2016 Ed Forum
Covers what is unique about WM, as well as, genomics, epigenomics, MYD88 L265P and CXCR4 mutations, survival, and treatment options

Robert Kyle, MD – Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Moderator, 2015 Ed Forum
Noted researchers and clinicians answer and sometimes debate questions from the audience

Steven Treon, MD, PhD - Dana Farber Cancer Institute, 2015 Ed Forum
Explains the WM-centric toxicities with commonly used therapies and new treatment directions in WM, including MYD88 L265P mutation and the MYD88 L265P signal pathway, Ibrutinib studies and its effect on side effects and survival, WHIM-like CXCR4 C-tail mutations in WM, unmutated MYD88 disease in WM, Idelalisib, clinical trial of ABT-199 (BCL2 inhibitor) in relapsed/refractory WM, resistance to Ibrutinib, and Ixazomib clinical trial

Larry Anderson, MD, PhD - University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 2015 Ed Forum
Covers diagnosis of WM (aka LPL) and treatment options

Joseph Mikhael, MD, MEd - Mayo Clinic, Arizona, 2015 Ed Forum
Reviews the basics of Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinemia and how it is distinguished from myeloma and lymphoma.
Discusses the importance of an accurate diagnosis in WM.
Highlights the critical features to establish the need to treat WM.
Outlines the overall approach to therapy of WM.
Empowers you for the rest of this conference and your disease “career.”

Robert Kyle, MD – Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Moderator, 2014 Ed Forum
Noted researchers and clinicians answer and sometimes debate questions from the audience

Morie Gertz, MD – Mayo Clinic, Rochester, 2014 Ed Forum
Raises questions and answers about WM, such as, “Are my kids going to get this? How long will I live? What can I do to live longer?” just to name a few.

Steven Treon, MD, PhD - Dana Farber Cancer Institute, 2014 Ed Forum
Discusses the NCCN options for treatment of WM, WM-centric toxicities with commonly used therapies, MYD88 L265P in WM /IgM MGUS, MYD88 L265P Signal Pathway and Ibrutinib (inhibitor of BTK), and Idelalisib (inhibitor of P13K-delta)

Robert Kyle, MD - Mayo Clinic, Rochester, 2014 Ed Forum
Provides insight into IgM MGUS and smoldering WM, expected progression rates, risk factors for progression, no treatment unless symptomatic or when significant anemia develops

Jeffrey Matous, MD - Colorado Blood Cancer Institute, 2014 Ed Forum
Raises questions about disease vs. treatment side effects, WM symptoms vs, manifestations, other problems that arise with the diagnosis of WM, treatments for WM, and common side effects

Bruce Cheson, MD – Georgetown University, 2014 Ed Forum
Reviews chemotherapy and where are we going in treatment strategies and clinical trials, problems in new drug development, and issues for the future

Peter Martin, MD - Weill Cornell Medical College, 2014 Ed Forum
Discusses the consensus recommendations of the 4th International WM meeting and then presents how drug development proceeds in WM with a discussion of new therapies and clinical trials

Christine Chen, MD - Princess Margaret Cancer Center, Toronto, 2014 Ed Forum
Reviews the treatment options for patients with WM and side effects of the therapies