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Because of the global coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 annual scientific meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology took place virtually, 29-30 May. At the meeting, results from key studies about the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (cll) were disseminated. Studies examined the efficacy and safety of ibrutinib, acalabrutinib, zanubrutinib, and venetoclax as monotherapy or in combination with novel agents for patients with treatment-naïve and relapsed or refractory cll. Our meeting report describes the foregoing studies and presents interviews with investigators and commentaries by Canadian hematologists about potential effects on Canadian practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2019 annual meetings of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the European Hematology Association took place, respectively, in Chicago, Illinois, 31 May–4 June, and in Amsterdam, Netherlands, 13–16 June. At the meetings, results from key studies on the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma with high-risk cytogenetics were presented. Our meeting report describes those studies and includes interviews with investigators and commentaries by Canadian hematologists about the potential impact on Canadian practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2017 annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology took place 9-12 December in Atlanta, Georgia. At the meeting, results from key studies in the treatment of relapsed and refractory mantle cell lymphoma were presented. Of those studies, oral presentations focused on the efficacy and safety of therapy with Bruton tyrosine kinase (btk) inhibitors. One study presented pooled data from three trials using ibrutinib, with a median follow-up of 3.5 years. A second phase ii study presented data on the efficacy and safety of acalabrutinib, a highly selective btk inhibitor with minimal off-target activity. The final study presented early phase ib data on the efficacy and safety of zanubrutinib, a novel, highly selective btk inhibitor, in patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Our meeting report describes the foregoing studies and presents interviews with investigators and commentaries by Canadian hematologists about potential effects on Canadian practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With no treatment standard having been established for relapsed and refractory follicular lymphoma, a number of therapeutic approaches are used in Canada. In patients who relapse early or who eventually become resistant to subsequent treatment, prognosis is poor, and new approaches are needed. A number of novel therapies are being examined in this setting, including monoclonal antibodies, immunoconjugates, immunomodulatory agents, and signal transduction inhibitors. With the body of evidence for those emerging therapies accumulating and the standard upfront treatment changing from rituximab and chop (cyclophosphamide-doxorubicin-vincristine-prednisone) or rituximab and CVP (cyclophosphamide-vincristine-prednisone) to bendamustine and rituximab, treatment decisions in the relapsed and refractory setting have become more complex. The choice of subsequent treatment must consider type of upfront treatment; duration of remission; and patient-related factors such as age, comorbidities, and treatment preferences. This paper summarizes the evidence for novel therapies and proposes recommendations for subsequent treatment options by remission duration after induction and maintenance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]