Author: lymphomaprogram

Located on the Upper East Side of New York City, the Lymphoma Program at Weill Cornell Medical College/NewYork Presbyterian Hospital is internationally recognized for our efforts to enable patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, Hodgkin disease and related disorders to have the best possible clinical outcome, including cure when possible.

Pounding the Pavement for a Cause that Hits Home

As the Director of the Adolescent and Young Adults (AYA) Lymphoma Program, Dr. Lisa Roth has a unique ability to empathize with her patients. Three years ago, Dr. Roth herself was diagnosed with lymphoma. As an oncologist, she was used to confronting cancer every day, but never on such a deeply personal level. Not unlike many of her patients, she went from being young and healthy to facing a life-threatening illness with no warning.

After successfully undergoing chemotherapy, Dr. Roth’s lymphoma was in remission and she made running part of her recovery process. Six months after finishing cancer treatment, she ran her first race in the New York Road Runners Mini 10K.

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(L-R) Dr. Lisa Roth and her son Zachary with Mana and Sammy after the 2016 Mini 10K.

Last weekend Dr. Roth returned to run the 2016 Mini 10K, but this year she was running for one of her precocious pediatric patients.

For Sammy, a six-year-old who has been battling leukemia for almost two years, his days are filled with not only play dates, ninjas and superheroes, but also routine visits to Weill Cornell and NewYork Presbyterian Hospital for chemotherapy and other procedures related to his diagnosis.

“Sammy and his family are a true inspiration,” says Roth. As part of “Team Sammy” Dr. Roth, along with Sammy’s mom Mana and a team of 12 people, ran the 10K and raised nearly $18,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, proving you don’t need superpowers to make a difference in the fight against blood cancer.

For Dr. Roth, it’s also personal. “This was my first race as a new mom. I owe my life and opportunity to be a mom to research funded by groups like the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society,” says Roth.

Learn more about Dr. Roth and Team Sammy, as they were recently featured on the New York Road Runners website.

Dr. John Leonard Discusses Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-cell Therapy for Patients with Advanced B-Cell Lymphoma

In an article from Healio HemOnc Today, Lymphoma Program Director Dr. John Leonard commented on a study presented at the 2016 ASCO meeting, which reported that for patients with advanced B-cell lymphoma, remission could be induced through a combination of low-dose chemotherapy and genetically modified T-cells. These genetically modified T-cells are known as chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cells. They are modified to specifically target the CD-19 proteins found on the surface of B-cells. On the findings of the study he said,

“These represent additional data that show that this treatment regimen has potential in the treatment of patients with resistant, aggressive lymphoma. As far as follow-up is concerned, we need additional studies with larger groups of patients, with longer follow-up periods, to see if these responses are going to be durable.”

Look to this space for additional information on CAR T-cell therapy at Weill Cornell Medicine.

Venetoclax for the Treatment of CLL Patients who have Relapsed after or are Refractory to Ibrutinib/Idelalisib

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By Richard Furman, M.D.

CLL patients who relapse after or are refractory to ibrutinib or idelalisib often have few treatment options and poor outcomes. In an ongoing phase II study, presented at the 2016 annual ASCO meeting, researchers investigated the activity of venetoclax in patients with CLL who have relapsed or become refractory to ibrutinib or idelalisib. Venetoclax (Venclexta, ABT-199), is the first FDA-approves treatment that inhibits the BCL-2 (B-cell lymphoma 2) protein. The BCL-2 protein plays an important role in enabling CLL cells to survive. CLL cells and other lymphomas over express and are more dependent upon BCL-2 protein than normal cells. Therefore, when venetoclax inhibits the protein, the CLL cells die, while the normal cells continue unharmed.

54 patients were enrolled into the two arms of the trial based upon whether they were relapsed or refractory to ibrutinib (Arm A, 38 patients) or idelalisib (Arm B, 10 patients). 48 patients were evaluable for responses. The overall response rate for ibrutinib treated patients was 61% (CR=8%; PR=53%) and for idelalisib was 50% (CR=0%; PR=50%). Side effects were found in less than 20% of patients with the most common including neutropenia, diarrhea, nausea, anemia, fatigue, and hypophosphatemia. These results show that venetoclax displays promising activity for CLL patients who have relapsed or are refractory to both ibrutinib and idelalisib and can be safely administered.

Further research is required to demonstrate the depth and duration of response, but these initial results are positive.