Immune Oncology Research Institute

📬Article of the Week📜 Suggested by the #BPDCN International Registry❗️-Astghik Voskanyan 🖍 #Tagraxofusp for blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm Blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN) is a rare and aggressive leukemia primarily affecting older men, with involvement often in the skin, bone marrow, lymph nodes, and #CNS. Due to its rarity and unique management needs, patients should ideally be referred to specialized cancer centers with clinical trials and expertise in BPDCN. Comprehensive staging and expert hematopathology review are essential. BPDCN universally expresses #CD123, the IL-3 receptor, a key therapeutic target. Treatment options include tagraxofusp, a CD123-targeting IL3-diphtheria toxin conjugate, or conventional chemotherapy. Allogeneic #HSCT in first remission (CR1) is recommended if feasible. Treatment choice depends on disease features, patient health, goals, and available center expertise. Close monitoring for toxicities, especially capillary leak syndrome (CLS), is crucial when using tagraxofusp, particularly in the first cycle. 🔖Authors:Marlise Luskin ,Andrew Lane, MD, PhD 📜 https://lnkd.in/dsjNx6X3 #Tagraxofusp, #cancer, #immuneoncology, #HSCT

🖍 Updates on the Breast Cancer Working Group❗️ 📋 In 2024, three multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings focused on breast cancer have taken place, with a fourth scheduled for December. During these sessions, seven new cases were reviewed, and updates on active clinical trials in breast cancer were shared. Led by Dr. Liana Safaryan from the Yeolyan Hematology and Oncology Center, Ministry of Health of Armenia Hematology and Oncology Center, the team examines challenging breast cancer cases. The discussions are supported by Dr. Nathaniel Boughanim, Dr. Sarkis Meterissian, and Dr. Tarek Hijal from McGill University University in Canada. In addition to real case reviews, the group explores case simulations and hypothetical scenarios, focusing on tumor histotypes and the latest advancements in the field.⬇️ https://lnkd.in/dVTx4vSt #BreastCancer, #oncology, #Immuneoncology, #histotype

📬Article of the Week📜 Suggested by the #BPDCN International Registry❗️-Astghik Voskanyan 🔖 Blastic Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cell Neoplasm: A Comprehensive Review of the Disease, Central Nervous System Presentations, and Treatment Strategies! 📜Authors:Shefali Mehra ,Justin Taylor 🔖 Despite advancements in the understanding and treatment of BPDCN, managing CNS involvement remains challenging due to its rare occurrence and evolving diagnostic strategies. Prophylactic lumbar punctures are not standard, complicating CNS monitoring. Studies on key therapies like #Tagraxofusp and #Venetoclax excluded patients with CNS presentations, limiting insights into treatment for this subset. Tracking CNS relapse after #HSCT is critical to understanding its curative potential. Although IT therapy is currently the only specific treatment for #CNS involvement in #BPDCN, this area remains a significant gap in drug development, and clinical trials are needed to address it.⬇️ https://lnkd.in/d6uCNxFN #BPDCN, #CNS, #Tagraxofusp, #internationalregistry, #ITtherapy

📰 Updates on the GI and Neuroendocrine Tumors working group❗️ 📜 During its first year, the GI and Neuroendocrine Tumors Working Group of the Immune Oncology Research Institute held 26 meetings, reviewing 98 cases. Led by Professor Philip Agop Philip, with Dr. Lilit Harutyunyan as co-chair and Mariam Sargsyan as coordinator, the group meets biweekly to discuss complex cases from Armenia’s major cancer centers: Mikaelyan Institute of Surgery, Yeolyan Hematology and Oncology Center, Ministry of Health of Armenia Hematology and Oncology Center, and the National Center of Oncology. These meetings improve treatment strategies and patient outcomes by fostering multidisciplinary collaboration and tailored care for gastrointestinal and neuroendocrine tumor cases. 📃For more information: https://lnkd.in/d8BgJaEb #Immonc, #GI, #Neuroendocrine, #cancer, #gastrointestinal, #collaboration

📮 Dr. Karl Balabanian's Visit to Armenia❗️-Karl Balabanian 🔖Dr. Karl Balabanian, a distinguished immunologist and Research Director at INSERM, visited Armenia on October 1st, invited by Santé Arménie. He presented his contributions to immuno-hematology at the Yeolyan Hematology and Oncology Center. During his visit, Dr. Balabanian met with teams at the Immune Oncology Research Institute and the Yeolyan Center to discuss establishing Armenia’s first immune-oncology translational research lab and planning an international congress on the subject for 2025.⬇️ https://lnkd.in/dtKM__cs 🔖#immuneoncology, #hematology, #WHIMsyndrome, #oncology, #congress

📬Article of the Week📜 Suggested by the #BPDCN International Registry❗️-Astghik Voskanyan 📋 Diagnosing and Treating Blastic Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cell Neoplasm in a Resource-Limited Setting 🖍 The Armenian #BPDCN (Blastic Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cell Neoplasm) Register likely refers to a specialized database or registry in Armenia focused on collecting, analyzing, and managing data related to BPDCN, a rare and aggressive form of blood cancer. This kind of registry would be crucial for gathering epidemiological data, understanding disease prevalence in the Armenian population, monitoring treatment outcomes, and potentially guiding research and clinical practice in managing BPDCN.  We are pleased to announce that the BPDCN team's original abstract has been published on the Cancer Network site, a specialized online platform that provides information, resources, and support related to cancer. The abstract presents a case of a patient diagnosed with #BPDCN, highlighting key challenges, treatment approaches, and diagnostic criteria associated with the disease. 🖍Authors:Nerses Ghahramanyan ,Elen Baloyan ,Gevorg Tamamyan , Fiza Khan ,Md Foorquan Hashmi ,Naveen Pemmaraju, MD ,Astghik Voskanyan , et al. ⬇️https://lnkd.in/dAvZ6bsG #BPDCN, #oncology, #Tagraxofusp, #Armenianregistry, #cancer.

📬Article of the Week📜 Suggested by the #BPDCN International Registry❗️-Astghik Voskanyan 🔖 Real world (RW) study of patients (pts) with relapsed or refractory (RR) blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN) treated with tagraxofusp (TAG). 🔖 #TAG showed rapid, durable responses and a high response rate in RR BPDCN patients, leading to extended survival in a population with poor prognosis, where previous treatments have been less effective. These real-world findings support TAG as a treatment option for RR #BPDCN patients. 🔖Authors:David Manteigas ,Mike Zuurman ,Eric DECONINCK , etc.⬇️ https://lnkd.in/dwsBPE5N #Tagraxofusp, #BPDCN, #article, #treatment,#cancer

📬Article of the Week📜 Suggested by the #BPDCN International Registry❗️-Astghik Voskanyan 📮 North American Blastic Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cell Neoplasm Consortium: position on standards of care and areas of need ❗️ The North American BPDCN Consortium (#NABC) is a collaborative group of multidisciplinary experts focused on advancing BPDCN care. Their main goals include increasing awareness, defining MRD testing, and exploring non-HSCT treatment approaches. They aim to develop combination therapies, understand BPDCN’s pathobiology, address pediatric cases, and improve quality of life measurements. Additionally, the consortium seeks to create risk stratification tools, expand clinical trial access, and secure funding to support future research and treatment innovations in BPDCN. 📜Authors:Naveen Pemmaraju, MD ,Kendra Sweet ,Jayastu Senapati ,Arthur Frankel , Maria Teresa Garcia Romero , Norma Ruth López Santiago , et al.⬇️ https://lnkd.in/dR_77NT8 #BPDCN, #internationalregistry, #NABC, #oncology, #hematology, #Tagraxofusp

🔖 ASSESSMENT OF THE SAFETY AND EFFICACY OF BALSTILIMAB IN COMBINATION WITH BOTENSILIMAB FOR THE TREATMENT OF NON-SMALL CELL LUNG CANCER (IMMONC0008) - NCT06322108 📰 #IMMONC, in collaboration with #Agenus, has launched a new trial, which will assess the safety and efficacy of the anti-CTLA-4 agent (#botensilimab in combination with anti-PD-1 antibody #balstilimab in the frontline treatment of metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). 🔖 The study will enroll participants with a histologically confirmed diagnosis of metastatic #NSCLC and without targetable EGFR mutation or ALK rearrangement, while excluding those with untreated brain #metastases or oligometastatic disease lacking targetable lesions. The total estimated maximum time of study participation for each patient is approximately 49 months across 3 periods. 📜The Principal Investigator of the trial is Dr. Samvel Bardakhchyan, the study team includes Prof. Gevorg Tamamyan Dr. Davit Zohrabyan , Dr. Liana Safaryan, and Dr. Amalya Sargsyan. Agenus #oncology, #balstilimab, #metastases,#NSCLC, #ClinicalTrial,#ImmuneOncology,#Chemotherapy, #Immunotherapy, #Agenus,#Botensilimab,#LungCancer.⬇️

📬Article of the Week📜 Suggested by the #BPDCN International Registry❗️-Astghik Voskanyan 🔖Treatment of patients with blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN): focus on the use of #tagraxofusp and clinical considerations❗️ 🔖Authors:Naveen Pemmaraju, MD ,David Rizzieri , Raajit Rampal ,Eunice S. Wang MD ,James Foran ,et al.⬇️ 📜 https://lnkd.in/dZfbN--3 #BPDCN, #Immuneoncology, #article,#Tagraxofusp,#neoplasm