Community Practice Connections™: Leveraging T-Cell Engaging Immunotherapy for the Treatment of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Release Date: December 23, 2020
Expiration Date: December 23, 2021

Activity Overview

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a heterogeneous hematologic malignancy; the American Cancer Society estimates that 6150 new diagnoses and 1520 deaths will occur in 2020. Progress is being made in terms of increased understanding of disease pathophysiology as related to identification of new cytogenetic and molecular abnormalities, as well as development of novel targeted agents for the treatment of ALL. The addition of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), monoclonal antibodies, novel immune therapies, and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells to the treatment landscape has resulted in improved clinical outcomes. These new developments have shifted clinical management from a “one-size-fits-all” approach to a more individualized treatment approach based on immunophenotypic, cytogenetic, and molecular features.

This Community Practice Connection™ program provides an in-depth review of some of the key highlights from the Medical Crossfire^®: Leveraging T-Cell Engaging Immunotherapy for the Treatment of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, held as a live interactive webcast in November 2020. This unique and engaging multi-media activity is ideal for the community-based clinician and focuses on the practical aspects of managing patients with ALL, putting recent clinical trial data into clinical context. The program is designed for those who did not attend the live meeting and to help reinforce learning for those who did.

Acknowledgement of Commercial Support

This activity is supported by an educational grant from Amgen, Inc.
 

Target Audience

Learning Objectives

Upon successful completion of this activity, you should be better prepared to:

• Describe the biology of ALL in terms of biomarkers, testing strategies, and methods to stratify risk for patients with this hematologic malignancy
• Outline the role of T-cell–engaging immunotherapy in measurable residual disease status in treatment decisions for patients with ALL
• Incorporate key findings from recent clinical trials concerning the use of T-cell–engaging immunotherapy treatment strategies for patients with ALL in the frontline and relapsed/refractory settings into practice

Faculty, Staff, and Planners’ Disclosures

In accordance with ACCME Guidelines, PER^® has identified and resolved all COI for faculty, staff, and planners prior to the start of this activity by using a multistep process.

Faculty

Elias Jabbour, MD
Professor of Medicine
Department of Leukemia
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Houston, TX

Disclosures: Grant Research Support: AbbVie, Adaptive Biotechnologies, Amgen, Bristol Myers Squibb, Pfizer, Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, Takeda

Prasanth Ganesan, MD, DM
Additional Professor
Department of Medical Oncology
Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER)
Puducherry, India

Disclosures: No relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose.

Hagop M. Kantarjian, MD
Professor and Chairman, Department of Leukemia
Samsung Distinguished University Chair in Cancer Medicine
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Houston, TX

Disclosures: No relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose.

Nikita Mehra, MD, DM
Associate Professor of Medical Oncology
Researcher, Molecular Oncology
Cancer Institute (WIA)
Chennai, India

Disclosures: No relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose.

The staff of Physicians' Education Resource^®, LLC (PER^®) have no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose.

Off-Label Disclosure and Disclaimer

This activity may or may not discuss investigational, unapproved, or off-label use of drugs. Learners are advised to consult prescribing information for any products discussed. The information provided in this accredited activity is for continuing education purposes only and is not meant to substitute for the independent clinical judgment of a healthcare professional relative to diagnostic, treatment, or management options for a specific patient’s medical condition. The opinions expressed in the content are solely those of the individual faculty members and do not reflect those of PER^® or any company that provided commercial support for this activity.