OVERVIEW

Multiple myeloma is a disease that remains incurable for most patients, many of whom become refractory to the majority of available treatments (Kumar et al, 2022). It is estimated that 35,730 new cases of multiple myeloma are diagnosed in the United States annually, and 12,590 people die of the disease (Siegel et al, 2023). Agents targeting B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA), including antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies, and bispecific T-cell engagers, represent a promising therapy class for patients in need of additional treatment options, including those with higher genetic risk and heterogeneity (Kumar et al, 2022). This lecture series for hematology/oncology fellows, led by Rahul Banerjee, MD, FACP, Assistant Professor in the Division of Medical Oncology at the University of Washington and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, will provide strategies for leveraging BCMA-directed therapies for improved patient outcomes in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma.

TARGET AUDIENCE

Hematology/oncology fellows, attending faculty, and other health care professionals involved in the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma (MM).

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Upon completion of this activity, participants should be able to:

• Evaluate the mechanisms of action, efficacy, and safety of BCMA-directed therapies in relapsed/refractory MM
• Assess guideline-recommended combination and sequential treatment strategies for relapsed/refractory MM
• Identify risk factors for the development of treatment-specific adverse events with different classes of BCMA-directed therapies 
• Describe mechanisms of drug resistance/loss of response to BCMA-directed therapies

REGISTRATION