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April
2, 2007 |
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you are unable to view these articles or access the links,
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Top
Stories |
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Legislation and Regulation |
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Clinical
Research |
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Pharmaceutical News |
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Association
News |
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Calendar |
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Job &
Fellowship Connections |
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Monthly Journal |
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eNews
Archives |
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BMT
Tandem Meetings
Feb. 13-17, 2008
San Diego, California |
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A 57-year-old man has stage IVA mantle cell lymphoma in first CR after
R-HyperCVAD. Bone marrow biopsy shows no evidence of disease by
morphology and PCR. He has an HLA-matched sibling. What’s your
recommended therapy?
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Last
Month's Poll Results |
Last month
readers were asked about returning the 2010 BMT
Tandem Meetings to Keystone, Colo.
The question: "Based on current projections,
registration for the BMT Tandem Meetings in 2010
will exceed 2,250. Do you think the BMT Tandem
Meetings should return to Keystone in 2010?" |
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29% said YES. |
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71% said NO. |
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Calendar |
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• April
Organ Transplantation: Ethical, Legal and Psychological
Aspects – Towards a Common European Policy
Dutch Transplant Foundation (DTF)
April 1-4
World Trade Center
Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Celebrating a Second Chance at Life
BMT InfoNet Survivorship Conference
April 14
McDonald’s Corporate Training Headquarters
Oak Brook, Illinois
American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)
98th Annual Meeting
April 14-18
Los Angeles Convention Center
Los Angeles, California
2nd Annual Wisconsin Stem Cell Symposium: Heart and Blood
University of Wisconsin-Madison
April 18
BioPharmacetuical Technology Center Institute
Madison, Wisconsin
American Society for Apheresis (ASFA)
28th Annual Meeting
April 18-21
Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center
Nashville, Tennessee
12th Annual Update in Hematologic Malignancies
Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins
April 20
David H. Koch Cancer Research Building
Baltimore, Maryland
• May
American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology (ASPH/O)
20th Annual Meeting
May 3-6
Metro Toronto Convention Centre
Toronto, Canada
American Transplant Congress
American Society of Transplantation (AST)
May 5-9
Moscone Conference Center West
San Francisco, California
5th Annual International Umbilical Cord Blood Transplantation
Symposium
California Blood Bank Society and Cord Blood Forum
May 11-12
Los Angeles Airport Marriott
Los Angeles, California
Short Course on Preservation of Cells, Tissues and Gametes
University of Minnesota
May 16-18
University of Minnesota Department of Mechanical Engineering
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Approaches to Complex Pathways in Molecular Epidemiology
American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)
May 30-June 2
Hyatt Regency Tamaya
Albuquerque, New Mexico
• June
American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)
43rd Annual Meeting
June 1-7
McCormick Place
Chicago, Illinois
European Hematology Association (EHA)
12th Congress
June 5-7
Neue Messe Vienna
Vienna, Austria
State of the Science Symposium
Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinical Trials Network (BMT CTN)
June 7-8
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Federation of Clinical Immunology Societies (FOCIS)
7th Annual Conference
June 7-11
Sheraton San Diego Hotel and Marina
San Diego, California
Pan Pacific Lymphoma Conference
University of Nebraska Medical Center
June 11-15
Grand Wailea Resort
Maui, Hawaii
International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR)
5th Annual Meeting
June 17-21
Cairns Convention Centre
Cairns, Queensland, Australia
Methods in Cancer Clinical Research
Federation of European Cancer Societies (FECS),
with American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)
and American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO)
June 23-29
Park Hotel Waldhaus
Flims, Switzerland
International Society for Cellular Therapy (ISCT)
13th Annual Meeting
June 24-27
Sydney Convention Center
Sydney, Australia
• September
36th Annual Scientific Meeting
International Society for Experimental Hematology (ISEH)
Sept. 28-30
Congress Center Hamburg
Hamburg, Germany
2008
BMT Tandem Meetings
(Combined ASBMT and CIBMTR annual meetings)
Feb. 13-17
Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel
San Diego, California
2009
BMT Tandem Meetings
(Combined ASBMT and CIBMTR annual meetings)
Feb. 11-15
Tampa Convention Center
Tampa, Florida
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Top
Stories |
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EU agrees to fund creation of European stem cell registry
The European Commission has agreed to fund the creation of a
European registry for human embryonic stem cell lines. Under the
project, a publicly accessible Internet site will contain data
about the cell lines and will provide information on new
developments and clinical trials.
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NIH chief calls for lifting ban on embryonic cell research
Both science and the nation would be better served if the
ban was lifted on taxpayer funding of research on new stem
cells, the chief of the National Institutes of Health told a
Senate panel in mid-March. During a hearing on the proposed 2008
budget for NIH, Dr. Elias A. Zerhouni said that the limited
number of cell lines available (21) are not sufficient to
perform needed research.
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Adult stem cell treatment helps heart patients
Patients suffering from a heart attack within the past 10
days who received intravenous stem cell treatment from Osiris
Therapeutics, Inc., recovered better with fewer symptoms.
According to a study presented at the American College of
Cardiology meeting, the hearts of patients who received these
adult stem cells gathered from bone marrow pumped 25 percent
more efficiently three and six months later.
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Study refutes claim of single source for breast cancer
Recent research challenges the hypothesis that cancer stem
cells are responsible for the progression and recurrence of
breast cancer. In a report published in the March issue of the
journal Cancer Cell, scientists from the Dana-Farber
Cancer Institute indicate they have identified two distinct
populations of cancer cells in human breast tumors.
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Molecular switch regulates production of
muscle stem cells
Scientists in Germany have demonstrated that a molecular
switch called RBP-J regulates the production of muscle
progenitor cells, which produce both muscle cells and muscle
stem cells, or satellite cells. According to a study published
in the March 13 issue of the journal Proceedings of the
National Academy of Sciences, if this switch is absent, the
satellite cells generate muscle cells in an uncontrolled way,
resulting in the depletion of the satellite cell reserves.
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Cancer patients expected to increase sharply by 2020
By 2020, the number of cancer patients and survivors will
increase by 55 percent to 18.2 million, compared to 11.7 million
in 2005. According to an analysis published in the March issue
of the Journal of Oncology Practice, the increase in
cancer over this time period parallels the growth in the number
of Americans over 65.
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Word from
President Robert Soiffer, MD
So tell me. What would you say is the …
• ideal regimen for GVH prophylaxis?
• right schedule to taper immune suppression?
• most effective treatment for chronic GVH?
• optimal reduced intensity conditioning regimen?
• safest single antigen HLA mismatch for unrelated
transplantation?
• appropriate time to transplant patients with CLL or
myeloma?
• correct scenario for cord blood rather than unrelated
donor transplantation?
• proper set of precautions to be taken by patients and
their caregivers?
Think you know? Well, the truth is that all of us do not
know the real answers to these and many more questions
like them. But, every day in our practices we are faced
with clinical scenarios that demand opinions on these
issues. We must provide responses to these kinds of
questions based on current knowledge and our clinical
judgment.
We’re painfully aware of the limits of our knowledge –
which I’m sure is why we eagerly grab with both hands
for new research findings and evidence-based information
in our field.
Fortunately, we continue to extend the boundaries of our
knowledge, thanks in part to good clinical trials. The
BMT Clinical Trials Network, the cooperative groups and
individual institutions are conducting solid randomized
studies that address the clinical choices we face on a
daily basis. They manage to overcome the difficulties of
relatively small numbers or samples of transplant
patients, which challenges the statistical power of the
studies they design. The biologic complexity of the
diseases we treat also makes it hard to stratify for
variables that might have an effect on treatment
outcomes.
To help fill the knowledge gaps, registries like the
CIBMTR provide extremely valuable outcomes data and
analyses to help guide our clinical decisions. But
despite all the registry and clinical trials
information, there exist practice variations from region
to region and center to center.
Dr. Stephanie Lee and her colleagues illustrated these
differences in presentations at the recent BMT Tandem
Meetings and previously at ASH. Their findings were
based on survey responses to clinical scenarios posed to
transplant physicians across the world. It is not clear
if and how these treatment variations influence a
patient’s clinical course. Sometimes there can be
multiple paths to a good outcome. On the other hand, a
path can be influenced by history or habit, rather than
by hard definitive data.
This month, Dr. Lee, as the editor of ASBMT eNews,
introduces a new feature that is focused on variations
in treatment. “Clinical Challenge” in the left-hand
column of this page presents a brief case history,
followed by a clinical question with multiple-choice
answers. You are invited to select the approach that you
would use. We eagerly anticipate lively debates about
many of the cases.
We will tally the responses, and next month an
expert in the field will discuss the case and your
responses and provide an opinion.
We hope that this feature will provide insight about how
we approach common clinical problems – especially in
areas where definitive data may not yet exist for firm
clinical guidelines. I’m looking forward to having some
of my opinions confirmed and also the possibility of
some eye-opening alternatives. It may even help
stimulate the development of new prospective trials to
answer some of these questions.
I hope you enjoy it.
– Rob |
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Clinical Research |
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 2nd
transplant from matched sibling improves myeloma survival
Younger patients with myeloma survive longer when they
receive an autologous stem cell transplant followed by a second
transplant from a matched sibling, rather than two autologous
transplants. According to a report in the March 15 issue of the
New England Journal of Medicine, stem cells from an
outside donor are better at recognizing the cancer cells as
foreign.
Scientists
discover new stem cells related to cancer development
Scientists have identified a new type of cells called
precancerous stem cells that can either remain benign or become
malignant, depending on environmental cues. According to a
report in the March 21 edition of the online journal PloS ONE,
these cells share some characteristics of full-fledged cancer
stem cells but respond to distinct cell signals that determine
their ultimate fate.
Process prompts elimination of dying stem cells
A process called autophagy prompts dying embryonic stem
cells to send out signals to ensure their elimination by healthy
cells. According to a study published in the March 9 edition of
the journal Cell, defects in this process might trigger
autoimmune diseases.
Large-scale trial will use stem cells for spinal cord injury
Scientists in Hong Kong, China and Taiwan are preparing for
a large clinical trial in 2008, seeking to use stem cells to
help 400 patients with spinal cord injuries. Stem cells from
umbilical cord blood will be injected into the spinal cords of
the participants, who will also be given lithium to help
stimulate cell regeneration.
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Pharmaceutical News |
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NE-180 receives FDA clearance for clinical trials
Neose Technologies, Inc., has received clearance from the
U.S. Food and Drug Administration to begin clinical trials for
NE-180. The compound is a long-acting, GlycoPEGylated
erythropoietin (EPO) being developed for treatment of anemia in
adult cancer patients with non-myeloid malignancies receiving
chemotherapy and for treatment of anemia associated with chronic
kidney disease.
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Association
News |
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Position statement issued for pediatric AML
An ASBMT position statement concludes that for many children
with acute myeloid leukemia, transplantation of blood or marrow
stem cells, combined with chemotherapy, offers improved survival
compared to chemotherapy alone. Allogeneic transplantation using
blood or marrow stem cells from donors related to the patient
offers better survival than autologous transplants. The
conclusions are based on a newly completed evidence-based
review.
Caution urged in licensing cord blood banks
“If licensing of umbilical cord blood banks is needed, it
should be implemented only in very carefully measured steps,”
according to ASBMT testimony at an FDA hearing on Friday last
week. Dr. Robert Soiffer, president, told the panelists that the
agency’s plan could have serious unintended consequences for
patients if licensing were to limit access to the current
international inventory of about 250,000 units of cord blood.
Also offering testimony were representatives of FACT, NMDP and
NetCord, the international association of cord blood banks.
Written comments on the FDA plan are being accepted through
April 17.
Measurement and reporting of treatment outcomes
Two sessions at the recent BMT Tandem Meetings addressed
details and ramifications of mandatory measurement and reporting
of treatment outcomes for related and unrelated allogeneic blood
transplants. The presentations are available online, free of
charge, for viewing or download.
Web site helps physicians respond to radiation incidents
A new Web site helps physicians and other health personnel
respond to a nuclear accident or other radiation incidents. BMT
representatives helped develop the content that includes
easy-to-follow procedures for diagnosis and
management of radiation contamination and exposure, guidance for
the use of radiation medical countermeasures, and other features
related to medical response.
Registration opens for State of the Science Symposium
The agenda and registration are available online for the BMT
CTN State of the Science Symposium, to be held June 7-8 at the
University of Michigan. Organized by the Blood and Marrow
Transplant Clinical Trials Network, the symposium will identify
the most compelling research opportunities in 12 separate areas.
151 transplant facilities now FACT accredited
During the first quarter of 2007, one blood and marrow
transplant program achieved first-time FACT accreditation and 16
others earned accreditation renewals, according to the
Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy. A total of
151 transplant centers are now FACT accredited.
BMT InfoNet begins series of survivor symposia
The patient support organization BMT InfoNet is conducting a
“Celebrating a Second Chance at Life” survivorship symposium
April 14 in Oak Brook, Ill. The event is the first in a series
to be held across the country.
BBMT now publishing ‘in press’ articles
A new “Articles in Press” feature has been introduced for
Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation. When a final
manuscript of an article is accepted for publication and the
authors have approved the proof, the corrected proof is posted
on the journal’s Web site.
Literature review evaluates role of transplants for CLL
Autologous or allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation
in high-risk chronic lymphocytic leukemia is a promising and
evolving treatment, according to a review published in the April
issue of Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation.
Experimental Medicine reprints classic T-cell, GVHD article
The March issue of the Journal of Experimental Medicine
has reprinted an article on T-cells and GVHD from 1978, calling
it a classic and the seventh most-cited article in the journal’s
111-year history.
Additional copies of ‘Education Book’ can be purchased
The Education Book for the 2007 BMT Tandem Meetings
has 24 articles written by the chairs of plenary and concurrent
scientific sessions. Additional copies are available.
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