Presentations for Where Do We Go From Here?

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.

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.

Danny van Leeuwen, RN, MPH, 2018 Ed Forum
Presents advice regarding how to approach living with a serious illness and how to enhance the patient experience through quality improvement.

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

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

Lee Greenberger, PhD - The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, 2015 Ed Forum
Covers who is LLS, what are their interests in WM, what have they funded, what is the road ahead, and how will we fund the future

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.”

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