Blood cancer awareness month draws attention to emerging new treatments, processes, and support

From Edward A. Faber, Jr., DO, MS, who is a medical oncologist/hematologist and blood and marrow transplant specialist with OHC

September 5, 2018

Edward A. Faber, Jr., DO, MS, medical oncologist, hematologist, and blood and marrow transplant specialist with OHC (Oncology Hematology Care)

This month organizations across the world will honor the patients, their families, researchers, doctors and all those immersed in the treatment of blood cancers through activities associated with Lymphoma Awareness Month, Leukemia Awareness Month, and Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Awareness Month. According to the Leukemia Research Foundation, approximately every three minutes one person in the United States is diagnosed with a blood cancer. That means that during September, more than 14,000 people will be informed that they have one of these diseases.

The past few years, especially 2017, have been historically significant in the advancement of treatments for blood cancers. Last year, a remarkable 18 treatments for patients with blood cancers received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). And this year, the pace has only quickened.

Leading the pack is the revolutionary CAR (chimeric antigen receptor) T-cell therapy.

CAR T-cell therapy is an emerging form of immunotherapy where doctors remove immune system cells from a patient, modify them in a lab so they will recognize and kill cancer, and then infuse them back into the patient. The cells that are injected back into the patient stay in the body, becoming what some researchers refer to as ‘living drugs’.

Success with CAR-T therapy has been seen with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Studies are ongoing to test CAR-T therapy for glioblastoma, myeloma, renal cell carcinoma and many other cancers. In addition, new CAR-Ts are being developed to link the cell therapy to more than one site on the cancer cell to avoid resistance.

OHC and The Jewish Hospital – Mercy Health will be one of the first in the region to offer this groundbreaking CAR T-cell therapy.

Another exciting advancement is the evolving approach of using a combination of treatments and the point during the process at which they are given. For example, a blood cancer patient may receive chemotherapy followed by a bone marrow transplant. With the increasing success of immunotherapy, treatment may eventually begin with immunotherapy treatment with chemotherapy administered intermittently to support the work of the immunotherapy treatment.

The most exciting aspect about these and other new therapies is that they are being developed to be less toxic and work better.

Finally, there is also a surge in the support and care patients and their families are provided. For example, at OHC, we have nurse navigators to help patients and their caregivers understand and coordinate everything that goes along with their treatment. This includes appointments, medications, side effect management, transportation and more. We also have financial navigators to help patients understand their coverage and identify other sources of coverage, such a grants to pay for medicines. OHC offers its patients a 24-hour call center, and same day and weekend urgent care visits to avoid unnecessary visit to the emergency room.

For more information about treatment for blood cancers, immunotherapy and supportive care, visit ohcare.com or call 1-888-649-4800. To support ongoing research for blood cancers, consider joining or supporting the OHC/Mercy Health Team at the 2018 Light The Night on Thursday, October 11. The event is presented by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, which provides patient support services, advocates for lifesaving treatments and pioneers the most promising cancer research. For details, please visit http://www.lightthenight.org/events/cincinnati-n-ky.

OHC (Oncology Hematology Care) has been fighting cancer on the front lines for more than three decades. We are the region’s leading experts in the treatment of nearly every form of adult cancer and complex blood disorder. OHC offers the latest medical, gynecologic and radiation therapy, and is always seeking better treatment options through participation in clinical trials. OHC is certified by the American Society for Clinical Oncology in the Quality Oncology Practice Initiative Certification Program, is an accredited Oncology Medical Home, and is one of only 179 practices nationally to be accepted into the Medicare Oncology Initiative. At its heart, our approach to cancer care is simple – to surround you with everything you need so you can focus on what matters most: beating cancer. For more information about services and careers at OHC, call 1-888-649-4800 or visit ohcare.com.