S12 Ep31: Oncology Experts Discuss the Long-Term Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic: With Ramez N. Eskander, MD; Rachel N. Grisham, MD; Benjamin Herzberg, MD; Kelly McCann, MD, PhD; and Gregory Roloff, MD

In this week's episode of MedNews Week's Oncology Unplugged, host Chandler Park, MD, a medical oncologist at Norton Cancer Institute in Louisville, Kentucky, sat down with Vadim Koshkin, MD, an associate professor of medicine in the Division of Hematology and Oncology in the Department of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine, as well as a genitourinary medical oncologist at the UCSF Helen Diller Comprehensive Cancer Center. Drs Park and Koshkin discussed recent developments in bladder cancer management, including the significant benefits of enfortumab vedotin-ejfv (Padcev) plus pembrolizumab (Keytruda) compared with platinum-based chemotherapy in the metastatic setting, key outcomes from the phase 3 NIAGARA trial (NCT03732677) of perioperative durvalumab (Imfinzi) plus chemotherapy in muscle-invasive bladder cancer, the potential for disitamab vedotin (RC48-ADC) to join the advanced urothelial cancer treatment paradigm, and what the future may look like for HER2-targeted therapies in this disease.

In today’s episode, we invited experts from across oncology specialties to discuss the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic—the onset of which occurred 5 years ago. Our guests shared how the pandemic's lingering effects continue to shape patient care. We heard from:  Ramez N. Eskander, MD, a gynecologic oncologist and assistant professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences at the University of California San Diego Health Rachel N. Grisham, MD, an associate attending physician at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, New York Benjamin Herzberg, MD, an assistant professor of medicine at Columbia University Medical Center and an oncologist at Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center in New York, New York  Kelly McCann, MD, PhD, an assistant professor and breast medical oncologist at UCLA Health’s David Geffen School of Medicine in Los Angeles, California Gregory Roloff, MD, a hematologist/oncologist at the University of Chicago Medicine in Illinois

In today’s episode, OncLive teamed up with CURE to present a discussion with David A. Braun, MD, PhD, about his research on determinants of response to immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) in patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Dr Braun is an assistant professor of medicine (medical oncology), the Louis Goodman and Alfred Gilman Yale Scholar, and a member of the Center of Molecular and Cellular Oncology at Yale Cancer Center in New Haven, Connecticut. In this exclusive interview, Dr Braun discussed the rationale for investigating molecular factors that contribute to exceptional ICI responses among patients with RCC, as well as the key findings from this study. He also shared how these findings may affect cancer care and influence shared decision-making strategies for patients receiving immunotherapy.

In this week's episode of MedNews Week's Oncology Unplugged, host Chandler Park, MD, a medical oncologist at Norton Cancer Institute in Louisville, Kentucky, spoke with Ann S. LaCasce, MD, MMSc, an associate professor of medicine and a lymphoma specialist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Massachusetts and Director of the Dana-Farber/Mass General Brigham Fellowship in Hematology/Oncology. LaCasce shares her journey into hematologic oncology, shaped by early mentors—including her father—and how a passion for art history sparked her interest in pattern recognition and morphology, which are skills central to lymphoma diagnosis. Their discussion explores key advancements in Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma management, including efforts to reduce long-term toxicity by minimizing radiation in early-stage Hodgkin lymphoma. LaCasce also highlights the incorporation of novel agents, such as brentuximab vedotin (Adcetris) and checkpoint inhibitors, into frontline regimens aimed at improving outcomes without increasing treatment burden. Park and LaCasce also discuss the importance of education and mentorship. She describes her work directing one of the country’s largest hematology/oncology fellowship programs and her leadership in founding the international Women in Lymphoma network to foster collaboration and gender equity in the field. From clinical innovation to workforce development, LaCasce provides a comprehensive look into the role of multidisciplinary research, mentorship, and global engagement in advancing the future of lymphoma management.

In today’s episode, supported by Summit Therapeutics, we had the pleasure of speaking with Xiuning Le, MD, PhD, about the use of ivonescimab (SMT112) in patients with PD-L1–positive non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Dr Le is an associate professor in the Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology in the Division of Internal Medicine at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. The phase 3 HARMONi-2 trial (NCT05499390) investigated ivonescimab vs pembrolizumab (Keytruda) in patients with locally advanced or metastatic, PD-L1–positive NSCLC without sensitizing EGFR mutations or ALK translocations. At the preplanned interim analysis, at a median follow-up of 8.7 months (IQR, 7.1-10.3), the median progression-free survival was significantly longer in the ivonescimab arm (n = 198) vs the pembrolizumab arm (n = 200), at 11.1 months (95% CI, 7.3-not estimable) vs 5.8 months (95% CI, 5.0-8.2), respectively (stratified HR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.38-0.69; 1-sided P < .0001). The objective response rates were 50% (95% CI, 43%-57%) and 39% (95% CI, 32%-46%) in these respective arms. In our exclusive interview, Dr Le discussed the rationale for the HARMONi-2 trial, key findings from the study, and where these findings position the potential role of ivonescimab in the PD-L1–positive NSCLC treatment paradigm.

In today’s episode, supported by Takeda, we had the pleasure of speaking with Ibrahim T. Aldoss, MD, and Elias Jabbour, MD, about the use of ponatinib (Iclusig) monotherapy after combination chemotherapy in patients with newly diagnosed Philadelphia chromosome–positive (Ph)–positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Dr Aldoss is an associate professor in the Division of Leukemia in the Department of Hematology & Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation at City of Hope in Duarte, California. Jabbour is a professor in the Department of Leukemia in the Division of Cancer Medicine at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. In our exclusive interview, Drs Aldoss and Jabbour discussed findings from a post hoc subgroup analysis of the phase 3 PhALLCON trial (NCT03589326) that support the use of ponatinib monotherapy following combination treatment with a TKI plus chemotherapy in patients with newly diagnosed Ph-positive ALL, safety considerations when using ponatinib in this patient population, and how findings from this subgroup analysis may affect transplantation rates in this disease.

Dr Emadi discussed how the combination of venetoclax (Venclexta) plus pegcrisantaspase induced complete remissions in heavily pretreated patients with relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia, including in those with prior exposure to venetoclax. He detailed data on the combination from a phase 1 study published in Blood, the significance of the findings, and more. 

In our exclusive interview, Dr Uboha discussed the significance of this approval, key efficacy and safety data from the pivotal phase 3 RATIONALE-306 trial (NCT03783442), and considerations for integrating this agent into the ESCC treatment paradigm. 

In this episode of MedNews Week's Oncology Unplugged, host Chandler Park, MD, a medical oncologist at Norton Cancer Institute in Louisville, Kentucky, spoke with Petros Grivas, MD, PhD, clinical director of the Genitourinary Cancers Program at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and a professor of medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine, about key updates from the 2025 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium and the evolving treatment paradigm for muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC).

This featured podcast includes a discussion with 3 experts on best practices in the care of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), the most common hematologic leukemia diagnosed among adults worldwide. Treatment for CLL continues to evolve rapidly. Expert Interpretations of the Latest Data in CLL Management – Understanding the Impact of Optimal Treatment Selection on Patient Outcomes is designed to share new clinically relevant data with appropriate context so clinicians can better care for patients with CLL.