Photo by Darren Baker
By agreeing upon—and addressing—the aspects of lymphoma research that need the most improvement, the research community could advance the treatment of these diseases, according to a report published in Blood.
The report’s authors said limitations in research infrastructure, funding, and collaborative approaches across research centers present potential challenges on the road to developing better treatments.
And they outlined several “priority areas” that, they believe, require particular attention.
“[Our report] draws focus to our most pressing needs, which, if unaddressed, will prevent transformative changes to how we study and treat these diseases,” said David M. Weinstock, MD, of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Massachusetts.
“Directing our collaborative efforts toward the most high-impact areas will enable us to more rapidly bring life-saving treatments to our patients.”
The report lists the following priority areas:
- Infrastructure
- Develop an adequate number of disease models for each lymphoma subtype
- Establish a central repository of biospecimens, cell lines, and in vivo models with open access
- Organize patient advocacy to support research.
- Research
- Catalogue how lymphoma cells differ across disease subtypes
- Better define and identify mutations and other abnormalities associated with the disease
- Develop strategies to identify high-risk patients who may benefit most from clinical trials
- Enhance efforts to use immune therapies to cure lymphoma
- Better understand how lymphoma cells communicate with normal cells.
“[W]e invite clinicians, scientists, advocates, and patients to weigh in on this strategic roadmap so that it reflects the input of everyone in the community,” Dr Weinstock said. “We will share these priorities with funding agencies, advocacy groups, and others who can help us address the challenges we have identified, and thereby accelerate the development of new approaches to understand and eradicate lymphoma.”
To weigh in, visit: http://www.hematology.org/lymphoma-roadmap.
This report was developed after a review of the state of the science in lymphoma that took place at a special ASH Meeting on Lymphoma Biology in August 2014. A second ASH Meeting on Lymphoma Biology is planned for the summer of 2016.
