touchROUNDTABLE Improving outcomes in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia
Watch leading experts Nicola Gökbuget, Carmelo Rizzari and Stephen Hunger discuss the importance of minimal residual disease in adults and children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), currently available treatment options, and factors affecting treatment decisions and sequencing.
Dr Nicola Gökbuget
Goethe University Hospital, Germany
CHAIR
Panelists:
Treatment goals and consolidation therapy options in MRD+ ALL
Dr Gökbuget and Prof. Rizzari present current treatment approaches in both adult and paediatric patients with ALL, and the expert faculty discuss MRD treatment goals and how new therapies may help to achieve them.
1/4 Next ChapterTreatment options for relapsed/refractory ALL
Prof. Rizzari and Prof Hunger present current treatment approaches in r/r ALL, including targeted therapy options and their supporting clinical evidence, before the expert faculty discuss the role of immunotherapies in the r/r setting.
2/4 Next ChapterChallenges of treating life-threatening infections during ALL therapy
Prof. Hunger presents a case of invasive aspergillus infection during ALL induction treatment, and the experts discuss the challenges and balances involved in treating infection while receiving immunosuppressant therapy for ALL.
3/4 Next ChapterTreatment sequencing for novel ALL therapies
Prof. Rizzari presents an overview of the treatment sequencing considerations in ALL, and the expert faculty discuss personal experiences and best practice.
4/4 Leave FeedbackOverview & Learning Objectives
Overview
Recent developments in the diagnosis, monitoring and treatment of acute lymphoblastic lymphoma have changed the treatment landscape, with minimal residual disease becoming a key part of treatment decision making and new targeted, immune-based and cellular therapies providing effective alternatives to conventional chemotherapy.1,2 In this activity, watch leading experts Dr Nicola Gökbuget, Prof. Carmelo Rizzari and Prof. Stephen Hunger discuss the importance of minimal residual disease in adults and children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), currently available treatment options, and factors affecting treatment decisions and sequencing.
Learning Objectives
After watching this activity, participants should be better able to understand the:
- Treatment goals and consolidation therapy options available for children/adolescents and adults with MRD+ ALL
- Therapy options available and factors influencing treatment decisions for children/adolescents and adults with relapsed/refractory ALL
- Challenges associated with life-threatening infections in ALL and alternative approaches to cytotoxic therapies
- Evidence supporting treatment sequencing for novel therapies in relapsed/refractory ALL
Faculty & Disclosures
Dr Nicola Gökbuget
Goethe University Hospital, Germany
Nicola Gökbuget is Doctor of Haematology/Oncology at the Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University Medical Department II in Frankfurt, Germany. She is also Head of the Study Centre and Scientific Task Force Director at the University Cancer Centre in Frankfurt, Germany. For over 20 years she has served as the coordinator of the German Multicentre Study Group for Adult Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (GMALL), which includes over 140 participating hospitals across Germany, and helped found a national registry for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. She has also served as the co-ordinating or Principal Investigator of numerous academic or industry-sponsored clinical trials in adult acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and related diseases, such as lymphoblastic lymphoma or Burkitt’s lymphoma.
Dr Gökbuget has received speaker honoraria, travel support or advisory board honoraria from Amgen, Celgene, Cellestia, Erytech, Gilead, Incyte, Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Morphosys, Novartis, and Pfizer. She has also received research support from Amgen, Incyte, Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Novartis, Pfizer, and Shire/Servier.
Prof. Carmelo Rizzari
University of Milano-Bicocca, Italy
Carmelo Rizzari is Professor of Paediatrics and head of the Paediatric Oncology Unit at the University of Milano-Bicocca, Italy, and President elect of SIOP Europe (the European Society for Paediatric Oncology).
He is a member of the AIEOP National Board (Italian Association for Paediatric Haematology and Oncology), Chairman of the AIEOP Clinical Pharmacology Committee, and a member of the AEIOP committee for first line and relapsed trials for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. He has also served as the Principal or co-Principal Investigator for numerous academic or industry-sponsored clinical trials of innovative drugs for resistant/relapsed leukaemias and lymphomas, is author of a large number of scientific publications, and is actively involved in international scientific meetings and disease-specific working groups.
Prof. Rizzari has been a consultant for Jazz Pharmaceutcials, Amgen, Servier and Clinigen. He has received grant and research support from: SERB, Jazz Pharmaceutcials, Amgen, Servier and Clinigen. He has received honoraria/honorarium from: Jazz Pharmaceutcials, Amgen, Servier, Clinigen. He has been a speaker’s bureau participant with: Jazz Pharmaceutcials, Amgen, Servier and Clinigen.
Prof. Stephen Hunger
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, USA
Stephen Hunger is Professor of Paediatrics, Chief of the Division of Paediatric Oncology and Director of the Centre for Childhood Cancer Research at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.
He is an internationally recognised expert in the molecular genetics and treatment of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) and was Chair of the Children’s Oncology Group (COG) ALL Disease Committee from 2008–15 and leads the COG ALL TARGET project, which has led to major new insights into the genetics of ALL and identified important new therapeutic targets.
Prof. Hunger owns common stock in Amgen and has received honoraria from Amgen, Jazz Pharmaceuticals, and Servier.
References
- Gavralidis A, Brunner AM. Novel therapies in the treatment of adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Curr Hematol Malig Rep 2020;15;294–304
- NCCN Guidelines for Patients 2021: Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia. Available at https://www.nccn.org/patients/guidelines/content/PDF/all-patient.pdf