As the 66th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition came to a close, IMF Support Groups and the myeloma community at large gleaned new and significant insights from the latest research in the field of myeloma.
It’s a given—the ASH Annual Meeting is the biggest and busiest event of the year for the International Myeloma Foundation. The ASH Annual Meeting is the largest gathering of myeloma researchers, support group leaders, patients, and healthcare professionals—with 35,000 attendees this year.
As expected, the three-day conference was bustling with activity. While presentations were ongoing, IMF Support Group leaders were in full force (both in-person and virtually), live blogging and sharing their perspectives in real time.
Here are some excerpts from their blogs. (Please note that these patients are not medical professionals. Their blogs only provide personal insights on myeloma research from ASH 2024.)
Jessie Daw: Smoldering Myeloma at ASH 2024 — What We’ve Learned So Far
“The transition from smoldering myeloma (SMM) to active myeloma is complex, and decisions about treatment are critical. In one of Friday’s Satellite Symposiums, Dr. Shaji Kumar, MD, presented on ‘Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma: Many Choices and More Questions,’ and this content has some relevance for those with SMM. As a reminder, the standard of care for low and intermediate-risk SMM is active surveillance, while for high-risk, it is either active surveillance or possible treatment, preferably within a clinical trial."
"One of the key messages is that the first treatment can set the stage for long-term outcomes. Indeed, the goals of initial treatment were highlighted.”
IMF Support Group Leader Jessie Daw is the co-founder and lead of Smolder Bolder and the Eastern South Dakota Multiple Myeloma Support Group. This was her 4th time attending ASH, where she stays up to date on the latest advancements in smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM).
Read Jessie Daw’s full blog here.
Linda Huguelet: More Questions Than Answers
“There was a lot of discussion about the use of Tecvayli (teclistamab). This bispecific antibody is currently used only in later lines of therapy, but trials are now looking at it as part of induction and maintenance therapy.”
“This constant review of combinations may lead to even deeper initial responses, which is certainly the goal, so it’s certainly worth exploring. But the current induction standard of care quadruplet of Darzalex (daratumumab), Revlimid (lenalidomide), Velcade (bortezomib), and dexamethasone seems so effective for most patients that I continue to question whether you would not save bispecifics for later use in your myeloma treatment arsenal.”
IMF Support Group Leader Linda Huguelet has been co-leading the Chattanooga Multiple Myeloma Networking group with her husband since February 2011. Excited to learn of the latest developments in myeloma care, Linda attended ASH for the 12th time with the IMF, focusing on treatment options for relapsed/refractory patients, with a concentration on bispecifics and real-world data.
Read Linda Huguelet’s full blog here.
Barbara Davis: Clinical Trials Galore!
“The MajesTEC trials are being reported quite a bit it seems. These are studies with Tecvayli, or teclistamab (that’s the TEC). I watched/listened to MajesTEC 5, 4, and 2. Each looked at different dosing and combos, and each study showed that teclistamab comes with neutropenia, so most all needed IVIG during their treatment.”
“There were more studies with teclistamab, including a retrospective study of real-world data comparing fit versus frail older people. Interesting that TEC showed similar outcomes.”
IMF Support Group Leader Barbara Davis leads the Stillwater MM Support Group and is a strong advocate of education for patients, even when the topic seems too advanced for those who are not doctors. This is Barbara’s 2nd time at ASH, and she focused on relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma, as well as monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS).
Read Barbara Davis's full blog here.
Facebook LIVE with Dr. Joe and IMF Support Group Leaders
In the midst of the ASH annual meeting, IMF Chief Medical Officer Dr. Joseph Mikhael ("Dr. Joe"), along with IMF Vice President of Patient Support Robin Tuohy, IMF Support Group Leader Michael Tuohy, and IMF Director of Support Groups Jenn Wieworka DNP, went live on Facebook on December 9, to discuss key myeloma research takeaways from ASH 2024.
In case you missed it, you can still watch the replay of this Facebook LIVE event.
The IMWG Conference Series: Making Sense of Treatment ASH 2024
On Wednesday, December 18, leading myeloma experts discussed the latest drug therapy news from the December 2024 American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting. IMF Chief Medical Officer Joseph Mikhael, MD, moderated the discussion, with Beth Faiman, PhD, MSN, APN-BC, AOCN®, BMTCN®, FAAN, FAPO (IMF Nurse Leadership Board Member, Cleveland Clinic, Taussig Cancer Center—Cleveland, OH), Nikhil Munshi, MD (Dana-Farber Cancer Institute—Boston, MA), and S. Vincent Rajkumar, MD (IMF Chairperson of the Board, Mayo Clinic – Rochester, MN) serving as panelists. In case you missed it, you can still watch the replay of the IMWG Conference Series from ASH 2024 here.
Upcoming IMF Event: Latest Myeloma Updates from ASH 2024
For more myeloma updates from ASH 2024, with easy-to-understand insights for patients and care partners, the IMF is inviting you to register and participate in this upcoming event:
Latest Myeloma Updates from ASH 2024: Easy-to-Understand Insights For Patients and Care Partners
Wednesday, January 8, 2025
3:00 PM PST / 4:00 PM MDT
5:00 PM CT / 6:00 PM ET
In this webinar, IMF Chief Medical Officer Dr. Joseph Mikhael will host a panel discussion highlighting the patient perspective with IMF Support Group Leaders, patient advocates and members of The IMF 2024 Myeloma Voices at ASH Team, including Sheri Baker (Treasure Valley Multiple Myeloma Support Group), Terry Glassman (Long Island Multiple Myeloma Informational Support Group), and Rob Salmon (SF Bay Area MM Support Group).
Join the ASH 2024 conversation by following the IMF on social media:
Twitter: @IMFmyeloma
Instagram: @imfmyeloma
Facebook: @myeloma
LinkedIn: International Myeloma Foundation
