MRD in ALL and AML: from prognostic marker to clinical endpoint

This VJHemOnc podcast introduces the first edition of Myeloid Monthly, focusing on key developments in myeloid malignancies. Amer Zeidan, MD, Yale University, New Haven, CT, is joined by Robert Hasserjian, MD, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, and Sanam Loghavi, MD, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, to discuss breaking updates from the Classification Advancement Meeting (CAM), held in Chicago in March 2026. The panel explores the evolving classification of myeloid neoplasms, including the shift from morphology to molecular genetics, key differences between the WHO and ICC systems, and areas of ongoing debate such as MDS, AML, and overlap syndromes. They also discuss the process of harmonising these frameworks, the clinical implications for diagnosis, trial design, and patient care, and how CAM recommendations are expected to inform a future unified WHO classification.

This VJHemOnc podcast explores how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming hematologic oncology, from clinical research and diagnostics to risk prediction and therapy development. Aaron Gerds, MD, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, discusses AI-driven approaches to improving clinical trial enrollment, while Stephen Ansell, MD, PhD, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, highlights advances in AI-based pathology for lymphoma classification. Ciara Freeman, MD, PhD, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, examines multimodal AI for predicting CAR T-cell outcomes, while Zinaida Good, PhD, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, and Andrea Schmidts, MD, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany, explore AI applications in CAR T-cell design. Gianluca Asti, MSc, Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, IRCCS, Rozzano, Italy, discusses federated learning for data sharing, and Amin Turki, MD, PhD, Ruhr-University Hospital Bochum and University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany, highlights challenges in real-world AI implementation.

This VJHemOnc podcast explores the evolving role of measurable residual disease (MRD) in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), from prognostic marker to clinical endpoint. Harry Erba, MD, PhD, Duke University, Durham, NC, discusses the potential of MRD as a surrogate endpoint in AML, while Bruno Paiva, PhD, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain, presents supporting evidence from large registry analyses. Amin Turki, MD, PhD, Ruhr-University Hospital Bochum and University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany, highlights the integration of MRD into risk stratification, while Wendy Stock, MD, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL, reviews MRD detection methods, emerging technologies, and practical implementation in ALL.

This VJHemOnc podcast explores the evolving role of BTK inhibitors in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Constantine Tam, MBBS (Hons), MD, FRACP, FRCPA, Alfred Hospital and Monash University, Melbourne, Australia, discusses long-term SEQUOIA trial (NCT03336333) findings of zanubrutinib in treatment-naïve CLL and extended follow-up from the ALPINE study (NCT03734016) comparing zanubrutinib with ibrutinib in relapsed or refractory disease. Kerry Rogers, MD, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, reviews continuous BTK inhibitor therapy and resistance mechanisms, while Romain Guièze, MD, PhD, CHU Clermont Ferrand, Clermont Ferrand, France, discusses the STAIR trial (NCT04963946) evaluating acalabrutinib discontinuation in older, frail patients. Jennifer Woyach, MD, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, highlights a Phase I trial (NCT04775745) trial investigating rocbrutinib and Phase III BRUIN-CLL314 trial (NCT05254743) results comparing pirtobrutinib with ibrutinib.

Nurses play a key role in the CAR T-cell therapy process. In this podcast episode, you will hear insights into nursing in CAR-T and cellular therapy through exclusive interviews from the recent EBMT-EHA 8th European CAR T-cell Meeting.    First, Erik Aerts, RN, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland, will walk through the CAR T-cell process from a nursing perspective, and Mairéad Ní Chonghaile, RGN, BNS, MSc, St James’s Hospital, Dublin, Ireland, will emphasize the importance of a true collaborative approach to care in the CAR-T process and discuss how to appropriately address fears or misconceptions patients may have. You will then hear from Thomas Jezequel, MSc, Nantes University Hospital, Nantes, France, who will comment on the role of social media in a patient’s CAR T-cell therapy journey and share messages for young nurses in the cellular therapy space. Finally, Jemma Stewart, nurse educator, and Ella Weisser, clinical nurse specialist, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia, will provide insight into the recommended frequency of Immune Effector Cell-Associated Encephalopathy (ICE) assessment in patients receiving CAR-T.

Today’s episode of the VJHemOnc podcast features updates from a number of clinical trials exploring BTK inhibitors (BTKi) and BTKi-containing regimens in non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) that were presented at the 2025 ASH Annual Meeting.  First, you will hear updates in mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) trials from Michael Wang, MD, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, Austin Kim, MD, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, and Tycel Phillips, MD, City of Hope, Duarte, CA. Following this, Chan Cheah, MBBS, FRACP, FRCPA, DMSc, Linear Clinical Research and Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Perth, Australia, and Jorge Castillo, MD, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, share BTKi trial updates in Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia (WM). Finally, Lorenzo Falchi, MD, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, discusses the preliminary results of the MITHIC-FL2 trial (NCT05389293) investigating mosunetuzumab plus zanubrutinib in newly diagnosed high-burden follicular lymphoma (FL), and Jason Westin, MD, FACP, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, presents the primary analysis of the Smart Stop trial (NCT04978584), which evaluated a four-drug combination in newly diagnosed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL).

This VJHemOnc podcast highlights key AL amyloidosis updates from ASH 2025, spanning risk stratification, optimisation of frontline therapy, emerging immunotherapies, and MRD assessment. Jahanzaib Khwaja, MD, FRCPath, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK, discusses a newly validated staging system defining ultra-high-risk AL amyloidosis in the era of daratumumab-based therapy. Vaishali Sanchorawala, MD, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, presents Phase II AQUARIUS trial (NCT05250973) data evaluating daratumumab-VCd dosing in newly diagnosed disease and shares Phase I trail (NCT06158854) results of the BCMA x CD3 bispecific antibody etentamig in relapsed or refractory AL amyloidosis. Heather Landau, MD, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, reviews early results from the NEXICART-2 trial (NCT06097832) of the BCMA-directed CAR T-cell therapy NXC-201. Andrew Staron, MD, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, discusses the prognostic significance of sustained MRD negativity, while Matthew Rees, MD, St. Vincent’s Hospital, Melbourne, Australia, presents real-world data on BCMA-directed CAR T-cell and bispecific therapies in systemic AL amyloidosis.

This VJHemOnc podcast highlights key acute myeloid leukemia (AML) updates from ASH 2025, spanning frontline therapy, molecularly targeted approaches, venetoclax-based combinations, and emerging immunotherapies. Amir Fathi, MD, MPH, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, discusses the Phase II PARADIGM study (NCT04801797) comparing azacitidine plus venetoclax with intensive chemotherapy, alongside updated KOMET-007 trial (NCT05735184) results of ziftomenib plus azacitidine and venetoclax in NPM1-mutated or KMT2A-rearranged AML. Alexander Perl, MD, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, reviews the Phase I/II VICEROY study (NCT05520567) of venetoclax, azacitidine, and gilteritinib in newly diagnosed FLT3-mutated AML ineligible for intensive therapy. Naval Daver, MD, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, presents a Phase Ib/II trial (NCT04086264) of pivekimab sunirine plus azacitidine and venetoclax in unfit newly diagnosed AML. Wei-Ying Jen, MA, BM BCh, M Med, MRCP, FRCPath, shares results of the Phase II SAVE study (NCT05360160) exploring an all-oral revumenib, decitabine/cedazuridine, and venetoclax regimen, while Mohammad Maher Abdul-Hay, MD, NYU Langone Health, New York City, NY, discusses early data from the Phase I trial (NCT05143996) of the FLT3 x CD3 bispecific CLN-049 in relapsed or refractory AML.

In this episode of the VJHemOnc Podcast, we focus on the management and prevention of differentiation syndrome in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). We begin with a discussion with Yasmin Abaza, MD, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, on the biological basis of differentiation syndrome, the rationale and mechanism behind steroid prophylaxis, and how the supporting evidence has developed over time. Yannis Valtis, MD, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, then briefly comments on emerging therapeutic approaches and the need for prospective trials to better define their role. 

This podcast highlights key non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) updates from ASH 2025 across follicular lymphoma (FL), diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), and Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia. John Burke, MD, Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers, Denver, CO, presents the MorningSun study (NCT05207670) of subcutaneous mosunetuzumab in previously untreated FL, while Lorenzo Falchi, MD, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, discusses the MITHIC-FL2 trial (NCT05389293) of mosunetuzumab plus zanubrutinib in newly diagnosed FL, followed by results from EPCORE FL-1 (NCT05409066) comparing epcoritamab plus R2 versus R2 alone in relapsed or refractory disease. In DLBCL, Matthew Matasar, MD, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, reviews the Phase III OLYMPIA-3 trial (NCT06091865), Jason Westin, MD, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, discusses the Smart Stop study (NCT04978584), and Umberto Vitolo, MD, University of Turin, Italy, with Lorenzo Falchi, covers fixed-duration epcoritamab from the EPCORE DLBCL-3 (NCT05660967) and EPCORE NHL-2 (NCT04663347) trials. Saurabh Dahiya, MD, shares early CAR T-cell data with KITE-753 and KITE-363, Michael Wang, MD, presents Phase I/II sonrotoclax results in MCL (NCT05471843), and Nirav Shah, MD, reviews Phase Ia/b bexobrutideg data in Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia (NCT05131022).