Grand Rounds in Hematology: How the Experts Treat Hematologic Malignancies in 2012

Release date: December 30, 2012
Expiration date: December 29, 2013
Estimated time to complete activity: 9.0 Hours
Credit Expired

Target Audience

This activity has been planned and is intended for hematologists, hematology/oncologists, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, pathologists, palliative care specialists, oncology nurses and other allied health care professionals who will benefit from a review and update on the latest advances in the diagnosis and treatment of hematologic malignancies.

Statement of Need/Performance Gap Imperative

According to the American Cancer Society, it was estimated in 2011 there were 44,600 cases of leukemia, 66,360 cases of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, 8,830 cases of Hodgkin lymphoma, and 20,520 cases of myeloma diagnosed for the first time. An additional 957,900 people are living with or are in remission from those cancers. In addition, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society estimates that one person is diagnosed with a blood cancer approximately every four minutes in the U.S. Although the death rate for hematologic malignancies has decreased since 2007, approximately 54,000 people this year will die from leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma, which represents nearly 148 people each day, or more than six people every hour.

Treatment options for patients depend on the specific type of cancer, stage of the disease, the speed at which the cancer is growing, and the patient’s overall health. The outcome for patients with hematologic malignancies has dramatically changed with the use of novel therapies. Not only have these agents improved response rates but they have also improved overall survival. The addition of newer agents, however, has different risk implications. Much of what is currently understood about risks in treatment is derived from experience with conventional treatment modalities (e.g., chemotherapy) and may be less clinically relevant.

Heterogeneous in nature, the management of leukemia, lymphoma and multiple myeloma all present complex clinical problems requiring a multidisciplinary approach to diagnosis and treatment. Recognizing that patient quality of life and survival are significantly improved when these cancers are detected early and treated appropriately, there is a need for physicians to remain current on advances in the diagnosis and treatment of these hematologic malignancies.

Given the frequency of their occurrence and the complexities of their individual clinical presentations and courses, there is a need for primary care and specialty physicians to engage in an in-depth examination and discussions of the emerging data that underlie optimal management of these patient populations. Updates in improved curative and palliative treatments, new and improved systemic therapies, and ongoing clinical trials will be profiled and discussed in these series of nine modules.

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this educational initiative, participants should be able to:

• Identify potential new treatment options being studied for hematologic malignancies
• Evaluate the rationale for new targeted diagnostic and evolving therapeutic strategies used in the care of patients with lymphoma, myeloma, and acute and chronic leukemia
• Assess the role and timing of hematopoietic cell transplantation in the management of younger and older patients’ hematologic malignancies
• Differentiate the evolving therapeutic strategies for first-line, second-line, third-line, and salvage treatment of hematologic malignancies

Disclosure

The City of Hope adheres to ACCME Essential Areas, Standards for Commercial Support, and Policies regarding industry support of continuing medical education. Disclosure of the commercial relationships of everyone in a position to control content of an educational activity will be made at the activity. Speakers are also required to openly disclose discussion of any off-label, experimental, or investigational use of drugs or devices in their presentations.

The following City of Hope CME Committee members/planners have indicted they have nothing to disclose: Teresa Ball, Kathleen Blazer, MS, EdD,  Ina Ervin, Jonathan Espenschied, MD,  Karl Gaal, MD,  Abigail Wong Grigsby, JD, Jo Hanson, RN, Fouad Kandeel, MD, Patricia Kassab, RN, MS, CTHQ, Lucille Leong, MD, Paul Lin, MD, Mary Mendelsohn, RN, MSN,  Robert Morgan, Jr., MD, Anna Pawlowska, MD, I. Benjamin Paz, MD, Crystal Saavedra, BS, Sara Scorcia, Michael Sullivan, MD  &  Jeffrey Weitzel, MD.

The following CME Committee Members/planners have indicated a conflict with the following corporate organizations:

• Ravi Bhatia, MD, discloses that he is a consultant with Novartis and Bristol-Myers Squibb
• Martin Hogan, MD, discloses that he received grant/research support from Johnson & Johnson
• Laura Brown discloses that she is a stock shareholder with Proctor & Gamble and Johnson & Johnson
• Jean Kagan, BA, discloses that she is a stock shareholder with Amgen/Zimmer

Matthew Loscalzo, LSCW discloses that he is a consultant for Novartis and a member of the speakers bureau with Lilly Pharma

Any potential conflicts relative to the previous disclosure have been resolved.

CJP Medical Communications Disclosure

The employees of CJP Medical Communications have no financial relationships to disclose.

Faculty Disclosures

In accordance with the ACCME’s Standards for Commercial Support, all CME providers are required to disclose to the activity audience the relevant financial relationships of everyone in a position to control content of an educational activity.

A relevant financial relationship is a relationship in any amount occurring in the last 12 months with a commercial interest whose products or services are discussed in the CME activity content over which the individual has control. Relationship information appears below:

• Frederick R. Appelbaum, MD, discloses that he is a consultant for Celator, Abbott, Cephalon, Pfizer & Igenica
• James O. Armitage, MD, discloses that he is a consultant for Ziopharm, Allos, Seattle Genetics, GSK & Eisai
• Steven H. Bernstein, MD, does not have any relevant financial disclosures
• Steven E. Coutre, MD, does not have any relevant financial disclosures
• Stephen J. Forman, MD, does not have any relevant financial disclosures
• Amrita Y. Krishnan, MD, discloses she is a consultant for Celgene & Merck, a member of the speaker’s bureau with Celgene & Millennium, and a stock shareholder with Celgene
• Steven T. Rosen, MD, discloses he is a consultant for Teva Pharmaceuticals, Cell Therapeutics, Genzyme,Genentech, Merck, Seattle Genetics & Therakos; he received grant/research support from Amgen, and Avon Center for Excellence, Berlex Laboratories, Biogen Idec, Cytogen Corp, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Lynn Sage Cancer & Research Foundation, Millennium & ILEX Partners, NCI, Pharmacyclics Inc, The Coleman Foundation & Wyeth Amyerst Research; he has received honoraria from Plexius Communications, Celgene & Cephalon; he is a member of advisory boards with Abbott Laboratories, MedNet Solutions & Celgene
• Jasmine M. Zain, MD, discloses she is a member of the speaker’s bureau with Allos Therapeutics & Seattle Genetics

Commercial Support

This activity has been developed through independent educational grants received from Novartis Pharmaceuticals, Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Otsuka America Pharmaceutical Inc., and Seattle Genetics.

Disclaimer

Carden Jennings Publishing and the City of Hope present this resource for educational purposes only. Participants are expected to use their own expertise and judgment while engaged in the practice of medicine. Please consult full prescribing information for any drugs or procedures discussed within this activity. The views and opinions expressed in these presentations are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the co-sponsors, supporter, or publisher. Although great care has been taken in compiling and checking the information given in this publication to ensure accuracy, the authors, City of Hope and Carden Jennings Publishing and their servants or agents shall not be responsible or in any way liable for the continued currency of the information or for any errors, omissions, or inaccuracies in this publication, whether arising from negligence or otherwise howsoever or for any consequences arising therefrom.

Disclosure of Unlabeled Uses

This reference may contain discussion of published and/or investigational uses of agents that are not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. For additional information about approved uses, including approved indications, contraindications, and warnings, please refer to the prescribing information for each product, or consult the Physician’s Desk Reference.

Copyright

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