Erin Gourley Reid, MD
2010-12-04
Lymphoma gets top billing today with two educational sessions. With updates on pathogenesis and therapeutics, these sessions highlight current advances and hope on the horizon.
Recent epiphanies regarding the role and targeting of multiple signal transduction pathways in lymphoma will headline the discussion in today’s education session, “Lymphoma: Translating Basic Science into Therapy,” chaired by Dr. Thomas Witzig. Dr. Witzig will review PI3K, BCR, and PKC pathways along with novel agents that seek to overcome them. Dr. Sandeep Dave will explore the role of host factors — genetic, behavioral, and environmental — involved in lymphomagenesis, disease progression, and prognosis. He will also review emerging technologies such as microarrays that have the potential to more precisely define the nexus that exists between the host factors and tumor. Finally, with advances in basic science leading to a plethora of novel agents targeting lymphomas, Dr. John Leonard will review the pipeline of promising agents for follicular lymphoma and explore challenges in effective drug development strategies. The insights presented in this session promise to be relevant for both practicing clinicians and translational researchers alike. Plan to attend this session today at 9:30 a.m. or 4:00 p.m. in Hall D.
Participants of all generations will appreciate the epic perspective also featured today in the education session on “Clinical Advances in Hodgkin Lymphoma,” which is scheduled for 7:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. in Valencia D. Dr. Peter Borchamann will set the scene with an historical perspective on the key, randomized clinical trials from this millennium that have influenced Hodgkin lymphoma management. As session chair, Dr. Nancy Bartlett will bring us to the present day where minimizing toxicity and preserving efficacy is of primary focus, requiring careful consideration of prognostics related to patient and disease factors as well as monitoring modalities such as PET imaging. Looking to the future, Dr. Kristie Blum will share results of early-phase trials of novel agents including immunotherapeutics and epigenetic modulators.
Common to both sessions are discussions regarding a notable challenge of scientific success: how to optimally test, develop, and incorporate the numerous novel therapies arising from the advances presented here, particularly given the heterogeneity characteristic of lymphomas. Nevertheless, the progress outlined in these sessions promises to inspire clinicians and investigators with hope for a brighter future.
Dr. Reid receives research funding from Millennium for an investigator-initiated study and is a PI for pharma-sponsored trials from BMS, Millennium, and Novartis.
