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Achieving Minimal Residual Disease with Myeloma Vaccines with Dr. David Avigan, MD Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center image

Achieving Minimal Residual Disease with Myeloma Vaccines with Dr. David Avigan, MD Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Posted on: Mar 11, 2016
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Description

Dr. David Avigan, MD Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Interview Date: March 11, 2016 

"Minimal Residual Disease" is the trace amount of myeloma that can be left even after treatment is over. Dr. David Avigan of the Beth Israel Medical Center is intent on eliminating the rest of any remaining myeloma using a dendritic cell vaccine after autologous stem cell transplant. Myeloma cells can tell the immune system to shut down and dendritic cells are powerful immune system stimulants so they are a good target for practical use in boosting one's own system to go after the myeloma. To make the personalized vaccine, a patient's white blood cells are removed during a standard bone marrow biopsy and are taking these "teacher" dendritic cells and fusing them to tumor cells that it can then show to the immune system. An autologous stem cell transplant is performed and the vaccine is given to the patient with the hope that the T-Cells or fighter cells will now be turned back on to target the myeloma cells. The hope is also that the vaccine provides memory, so that if additional myeloma cells are generated, they are killed via with T cell surveillance. Dr. Avigan tells us that stem cell transplant can do more than just kill the myeloma cells. One of the goals of transplant is to debulk the tumor because vaccines don't work well when there is high tumor burden. But additionally, the stem cell transplant can help resent the immune system to get it working properly again to go after myeloma cells on its own. 

multiple myeloma

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Overview

Dr. David Avigan, MD Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Interview Date: March 11, 2016 

 "Minimal Residual Disease" is the trace amount of myeloma that can be left even after treatment is over. Dr. David Avigan of the Beth Israel Medical Center is intent on eliminating the rest of any remaining myeloma using a dendritic cell vaccine after autologous stem cell transplant. Myeloma cells can tell the immune system to shut down and dendritic cells are powerful immune system stimulants so they are a good target for practical use in boosting one's own system to go after the myeloma. To make the personalized vaccine, a patient's white blood cells are removed during a standard bone marrow biopsy and are taking these "teacher" dendritic cells and fusing them to tumor cells that it can then show to the immune system. An autologous stem cell transplant is performed and the vaccine is given to the patient with the hope that the T-Cells or fighter cells will now be turned back on to target the myeloma cells. The hope is also that the vaccine provides memory, so that if additional myeloma cells are generated, they are killed via with T cell surveillance. Dr. Avigan tells us that stem cell transplant can do more than just kill the myeloma cells. One of the goals of transplant is to debulk the tumor because vaccines don't work well when there is high tumor burden. But additionally, the stem cell transplant can help resent the immune system to get it working properly again to go after myeloma cells on its own. 

multiple myeloma

Thanks to our episode sponsor

On this episode
Healthtree contact David E. Avigan, MD

David E. Avigan, MD

David Avigan, MD is Chief of Division of Hematology and Hematologic Malignancies at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts, and is a Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Avigan's clinical interests include multiple myeloma, lymphoma, leukemia, cellular therapy, CAR T-cell therapy, immunotherapy, and all bone marrow transplant services. His board certifications include the American Board of Internal Medicine, the American Board of Internal Medicine (Hematology), and the American Board of Internal Medicine (Medical Oncology). Dr. Avigan graduated from the Yale University School of Medicine, completed his residency at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, and a fellowship at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Dr. Avigan is fluent in English, Hebrew and Spanish.
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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