Immunotherapy Could 'Provide A Whole New Realm' For Patients with Myeloma

Patients with myeloma can look forward to advances in research around immunotherapy as they get closer to frontline settings, says Jenny Ahlstrom of the HealthTree Foundation & Myeloma Crowd.

In an interview with CURE®, Ahlstrom discussed her excitement around research on these treatments that use the body’s own immume system to fight cancer, and her hope that patients can access these new treatments soon.

“It's my opinion that immunotherapies, once they start moving up and maybe being used in combination, will provide a whole new realm,” Ahlstrom said.

Transcription:

So, at the recent ASH meeting last December, which is the American Society of Hematology meeting, there's so much excitement around immunotherapies. And the feeling that I got was (that research is) moving these therapies closer to frontline settings.

Because right now these bi-specific antibodies and CAR T-cell therapy and vaccines and things like that are being used kind of later, which is how clinical trials work, right? You start with people who are relapsed and you kind of move things up.

It's my opinion that immunotherapies, once they start moving up and maybe being used in combination, will provide a whole new realm. I mean, we have some new exciting CAR T things coming out in the coming months. And that will hopefully be FDA approved for myeloma, and I think we will start seeing different patterns of care. It's really revolutionary what's happening in myeloma care. It's really impressive.

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