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The IMPACT of COVID-19 on MGUS, Smoldering Myeloma, African Americans and Myeloma Patient Family Members

Posted on: Dec 16, 2020

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Description

Irene Ghobrial, MD
Dana Farber Cancer Institute
Interview Date: December 16, 2020

How will COVID-19 affect multiple myeloma precursor condition patients compared to black Americans or myeloma patient family members? Dr. Irene Ghobrial of the Dana Farber Cancer Institute is expanding her study of precursor conditions to address the IMPACT of COVID-19 on precursor condition patients vs. "control" groups. How will MGUS and smoldering myeloma patients respond to the COVID-19 vaccine? Will the responses be durable? Are the genetic changes that happen at earlier myeloma stages affecting a patient's immune system so they have a better or worse outcome to COVID? These important studies are being asked in the IMPACT study. Please consider joining this study if you are:

An MGUS or smoldering myeloma patient
African American
A family member of an MGUS, SMM or myeloma patient

Thanks to our episode sponsor

Takeda Oncology

Overview

Irene Ghobrial, MD
Dana Farber Cancer Institute
Interview Date: December 16, 2020

An MGUS or smoldering myeloma patient
African American
A family member of an MGUS, SMM or myeloma patient

Thanks to our episode sponsor

Takeda Oncology

On this episode

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.

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.

Transcript

The IMPACT of COVID-19 on MGUS, Smoldering Myeloma, African Americans and Myeloma Patient Family Members

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