Key points from today’s guests:
Robert Norris, first patient in the U.S. to receive new cancer drug
- Robert was going through his cancer journey just as this drug (Mosunetuzumab-axgb) was approved by the FDA in late 2022.
- Robert was very ill and had significant progression of non-Hodgkin lymphoma when the doctors at the Cancer Center saw him.
- His doctors thought he would be a good candidate for this new drug, so he was one of the first people in the U.S. to receive this treatment.
- He is now feeling better and not letting this slow him down.
Dr. Marc Hoffman, medical oncologist, medical director of lymphoma & myeloma, The University of Kansas Cancer Center
- This is a new concept of drugs where the drug not only binds to the cancer cell, but also binds to the immune cell.
- This is the first drug that has been FDA approved specifically for lymphoma.
- We need to make sure that patients have access to these specialized programs.
- We also want to see if they can be treated at home or closer to home. We have a large network of providers throughout Kansas, throughout western Missouri, and then extending into northwest Arkansas, with some areas in Nebraska that we are in contact with about how to do what’s best for patients.
Dr. Nausheen Ahmed, medical oncologist, associate director of cellular therapeutics, The University of Kansas Cancer Center
- These drugs work by making the immune system fight against the cancer, so it's not a traditional chemotherapy. It’s like an evolution of the class of immunotherapies that have been developing over the years, with others being like Car T cell therapies and other therapies.
- Robert is a very good patient. He comes for his treatments every three weeks, which involves an IV infusion.
- None of this would be possible without clinical trials. We participate in all the lead clinical trials for immune effector cell therapy or cellular therapy trials, which are Car T trials, non-Car T trials as well as a whole slew of small molecules for lymphoma.
- Always be on the lookout for clinical trials. As a patient, ask your doctor if there's a novel therapy Car T trial or immune or cell therapy trial.
Wednesday, September 6 at 8 a.m. CT is the next Open Mics with Dr. Stites. Fatigue is common among older adults and finding the cause is important. We explain the medical meaning of fatigue and when it's worth seeing a doctor.
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