Preventing Myeloma Before it Gets Started with Dr. Irene Ghobrial, MD, Dana Farber Cancer Institue image

Preventing Myeloma Before it Gets Started with Dr. Irene Ghobrial, MD, Dana Farber Cancer Institue

Posted on: Mar 17, 2016
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Description

Dr. Irene Ghobrial, MD Dana Farber Cancer Institute / Harvard School of Medicine Interview Date: March 17, 2016 

Can we prevent smoldering myeloma or MGUS from progressing to active myeloma? Dr. Irene Ghobrial, MD wonders why we are waiting until progression to treat when we have newer non-toxic therapies to use. Dr. Ghobrial shares her Prevention of Progression Clinic's efforts to keep myeloma at bay. In this show, she shares her open (observational) study that includes all MGUS and smoldering myeloma patients. It's easy to join - just mail her blood and marrow samples when you have your regular testing done and they will keep track of how progression happens and why. The goal of the project called "PCrowd" is to enlist the help of patients in determining why myeloma progresses in some patients and not in others with the ultimate goal of preventing myeloma from progressing in the first place. The treatment options are ever expanding for those with smoldering myeloma, particularly with the flood of immunotherapies coming and now available. This study aims to help thousands of patients with pre-cursor conditions avoid needing myeloma treatment in the future.

multiple myeloma

Thanks to our episode sponsor

Overview

Dr. Irene Ghobrial, MD Dana Farber Cancer Institute / Harvard School of Medicine Interview Date: March 17, 2016 

Can we prevent smoldering myeloma or MGUS from progressing to active myeloma? Dr. Irene Ghobrial, MD wonders why we are waiting until progression to treat when we have newer non-toxic therapies to use. Dr. Ghobrial shares her Prevention of Progression Clinic's efforts to keep myeloma at bay. In this show, she shares her open (observational) study that includes all MGUS and smoldering myeloma patients. It's easy to join - just mail her blood and marrow samples when you have your regular testing done and they will keep track of how progression happens and why. The goal of the project called "PCrowd" is to enlist the help of patients in determining why myeloma progresses in some patients and not in others with the ultimate goal of preventing myeloma from progressing in the first place. The treatment options are ever expanding for those with smoldering myeloma, particularly with the flood of immunotherapies coming and now available. This study aims to help thousands of patients with pre-cursor conditions avoid needing myeloma treatment in the future.

multiple myeloma

Thanks to our episode sponsor

On this episode
Healthtree contact Irene Ghobrial, MD

Irene Ghobrial, MD

Irene Ghobrial, MD, is a Professor at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI), Harvard Medical School and an associate member of the Broad Institute. She is Director of the Michele & Stephen Kirsch Laboratory and co-director of the Center for Prevention of Progression (CPOP) at DFCI. Additionally, she is the co-leader of the Blood Cancer Research Partnership (BCRP), a consortium for innovative clinical trials of community oncology sites coordinated by DFCI. Dr. Ghobrial’s research focuses on understanding mechanisms of tumor progression from early precursor conditions such as monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) and smoldering disease to symptomatic multiple myeloma and Waldenström Macroglobulinemia. She specifically focuses on the role of malignant bone marrow niche in regulating disease progression. She is interested in the development of new molecular/genomic markers that predict progression in precursor conditions which can identify patients who should be eligible for therapeutic interventions to prevent progression or potentially cure the disease at the early stages before clonal evolution occurs. She has authored or co-authored more than 250 publications and book chapters. She has received multiple awards including membership in the American Society of Clinical Investigation, the Robert A. Kyle Award for Research in Waldenström Macroglobulinemia, and the Mentor of the Year Award at DFCI in 2014. Dr. Ghobrial completed her hematology/oncology subspecialty training at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in Rochester, MN and internal medicine training at Wayne State University in Detroit, MI. She earned her medical degree from the Cairo School of Medicine in Egypt.
Healthtree contact Jennifer Ahlstrom

Jennifer Ahlstrom

Myeloma survivor, patient advocate, wife, mom of 6. Believer that patients can help accelerate a cure by weighing in and participating in clinical research. Founder of the HealthTree Foundation.
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