® magazine, has been with the team since October 2020 and has covered health care in other specialties before joining MJH Life Sciences. She graduated from Emerson College with a Master’s degree in print and multimedia journalism. In her free time, she enjoys buying stuff she doesn’t need from flea markets, taking her dog everywhere and scoffing at decaf.

Darlene Dobkowski, MA

Our longtime editor-in-chief offers advice to his successor while discussing the news and education CURE magazine provides for patients with cancer, families and caregivers.

Discussing the Mission of CURE With Our Former and New Editors-In-Chief

The new editor-in-chief of CURE, Dr. Joshua K. Sabari, recently sat down for a wide-reaching conversation with his predecessor, Dr. Debu Tripathy, to discuss their vision for CURE, how cancer care has evolved over the years and much more.

Tripathy has retired after 18 years as the 

. The staff of CURE is incredibly grateful for the insight, guidance and inspiration offered by Tripathy, formerly a professor and chairman of the Department of Breast Medical Oncology in the Division of Cancer Medicine at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

Sabari is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and Director of High Reliability Organization Initiatives at NYU Langone’s Perlmutter Cancer Center.

Watch the full conversation with Tripathy and Sabari on 

 Dr. Tripathy, asking for myself, what advice [do you have] for me moving forward into this role that you so eloquently led for the last 18 years? What do you charge me and with patients, our readership moving forward into hopefully the coming 18 years?

 Well, one thing that I have really enjoyed about my tenure as the editor-in-chief is that I have learned more about other cancers through CURE itself and through my patients. And of course, we do have to study for the board, so I do learn it that way.

 really took the lead when the molecular revolution came around. It was one of the transformers. And boy, did it make a difference. Look at the statistics now in terms of how much better individuals with lung cancer are surviving, and it has really made a big difference.

So, communicating all of this and having patients aware of their options and what lies behind it is so important. So the one piece of advice is, is to make this understandable, be out in front of where the patient needs to be. I think that when a patient reads an issue of CURE magazine — let's say they've been recently diagnosed, or they're moving on to a different line of therapy, I think that what we can provide them can complement what they're hearing from their care team.

It is very involved and very sophisticated material that we are expecting them to know, but I know they're up for the challenge. And if they're able to read an article that coincides with what they have, or if they can even go back to 

 online or in print, I think it will help them ask the right questions and understand a little bit better what they're hearing from the physicians.

So, I think that that is an important thing to keep in mind. Again, this is a patient-driven effort we're living with and we're contributing to. And I think that those really are our guiding principles. I look at CURE magazine sort of as the third rail, and to really help provide that information and perspective that is unique, that uniquely can come from this particular venue, and the way we state it and communicate it.

Transcript has been edited for clarity and conciseness.

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don’t forget to subscribe to CURE®’s newsletters here.

Videos

 Discussing the Mission of CURE With Our Former and New Editors-In-Chief

Early detection, personalized treatment and strong support systems are key to improving outcomes for multiple myeloma patients, Dr. Joseph Mikhael explains.

Early detection of multiple myeloma, marked by fatigue, bone pain, and anemia, coupled with modern, patient-centered treatments like targeted therapies and supportive care, significantly improves outcomes and quality of life, an expert said.

CURE spoke with Dr. Joseph Mikhael, a professor in the Applied Cancer Research and Drug Discovery Division at the Translational Genomics Research Institute, an affiliate of City of Hope Cancer Center, and Chief Medical Officer of the International Myeloma Foundation. In the interview, he spoke about the importance of recognizing the symptoms of myeloma, making informed treatment decisions and the role of supportive care in managing the disease.

CURE: What are some early warning signs of multiple myeloma that patients should be aware of, and when should they seek medical evaluation?

: Typically, the signs and symptoms that patients have are that they experience fatigue, and not just the regular fatigue you and I might face on a regular basis, but when it really is beyond what is normal, an ongoing weakness that is not typical.

No. 2 is bone pain, or pain in the distribution of our bones. This is often in our backs, where we have obviously a lot of bones, because myeloma attacks the bone. And so often our patients — over half of our patients — present with bone pain.

And the third most common reason is what we call anemia, or a low hemoglobin. If that blood test has been done, a lot of times, family doctors and primary care will measure hemoglobin level in terms of what we call a CBC, or complete blood count. And about three quarters of the time, our patients have a low hemoglobin.

Now, of course, there's lots of causes for fatigue, there's lots of causes for bone pain, there are lots of causes for anemia. And myeloma is not the one that comes to the top of mind with these very common things. But when those are going on, and there really isn't a clear explanation, we want people to start to think about the potential of multiple myeloma. This is particularly important in patients who are at higher risk. Myeloma is more common as we get older, in particular, as patients get into their 60s and 70s, those of us of African descent are at twice the risk, and individuals of Latino American background also are diagnosed at a younger age.

What are the current standard treatments for myeloma? And how can patients work with their care teams to make informed treatment decisions?

Myeloma has gone through a revolution over the last several years. When I started in myeloma, over 20 years ago, we maybe had one or two drugs to treat it. Now we have 20 drugs to treat myeloma in a very different approach. I would start by the concept of saying, … “I don't treat myeloma. I treat people.” And so, it's important that patients realize and their care partners that they are the center of the attention; not the doctor or the provider, but the patient is at the center. And with all of these options that we have, the concept of shared decision making is so important, that patients feel a part of that decision making process.

What should patients know about these treatment options, whether that be immunotherapy or targeted therapy, and how might these new approaches impact their prognosis?

These are exciting times in cancer therapy, in general and in particular in multiple myeloma, where historically, we had to use the sorts of treatments that were really tough on the patient, not just tough on their myeloma. But now we have come to an era where we can be much more targeted. That is to say, we can try and hit the myeloma cell, but not the rest of the patient, as it were. And these are through novel treatments, things like monoclonal antibodies and antibody drug conjugates, different approaches where we can actually hone in on the specific myeloma cell, target it for destruction and not the cells around it. And this is clearly improving not only the quantity of patients’ lives, but the quality of patients’ lives.

Furthermore, the next huge wave is what we often call immunotherapy, which is basically the concept of employing a patient's own immune system — because it's there, it's trained to fight. It's the patient's own immune system, so they're not going to reject it, as it were, but engaging their own immune system to take down their own multiple myeloma. We do this now in myeloma, two primary ways. First is called CAR-T cell therapy, or chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy. I know it's a lot of words, but the key word there is receptor.

And so what we do is we take T cells out of a patient. T cells are just some of the cells that live in our body. They're kind of like soldier cells. They've been trained to fight. We take them out of the patient, and we essentially train them to fight against their myeloma. We put a receptor on the outside of them that is specific to that patient's myeloma, multiply them and give them back to the patient. So now these amped up soldier cells are just aching to find myeloma. They go find myeloma and they destroy it. I mean, this almost sounds like a futuristic movie, but it is actually what we're doing right now. And we have seen unprecedented response rates with CAR-T cell therapy, and it gives people a period of time off treatment.

What supportive care strategies can help improve daily life for patients living with myeloma.

No. 1, open, honest, clear communication with your healthcare team. Sharing the side effects that you're experiencing, what you're going through, both emotionally and physiologically, as it were, that becomes so important, because we want to 

 through this. We can pick up side effects early on and make adjustments, or provide other supportive care medications that may overcome that. And that approach is so important. We have actually learned in oncology, when you have a strong relationship with your healthcare team, it actually improves your survival.

No. 2, make sure you have your own support. That support can be from your family, from your friends and, indeed, from support groups. The 

 has over 150 support groups across the country. And we've also demonstrated that when patients have support around them, they actually have better outcomes because they're better informed and they're better empowered to face the future.

And No. 3, I always talk about empowerment through education. Not everybody wants to learn every last detail about every aspect of their disease, but knowledge is power.

Transcript was edited for clarity and conciseness.

For more news on cancer updates, research and education, don’t forget to 

subscribe to CURE®’s newsletters here.

Articles

Early detection of multiple myeloma, characterized by symptoms such as fatigue, bone pain, and anemia, is crucial for improving patient outcomes. Modern treatments, including targeted therapies and immunotherapy, have revolutionized management, enhancing both survival and quality of life. Patient-centered care, emphasizing shared decision-making, is vital. Supportive care strategies, such as open communication with healthcare teams and strong personal support networks, further improve patient experiences and outcomes. Education empowers patients, enabling them to make informed decisions about their treatment and manage their condition effectively.

Dr. Joseph Mikhael discusses early signs, treatments and supportive care for multiple myeloma in an interview with CURE. 

Expert Explains Early Signs, Treatment Advances and Care in Multiple Myeloma

FDA approves Stoboclo and Osenvelt biosimilars for bone health during cancer treatment.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Stoboclo (CT-P41, denosumab-bmwo) and Osenvelt (CT-P41, denosumab-bmwo), biosimilars referencing Prolia (denosumab) and Xgeva (denosumab), to protect bone health in patients undergoing cancer treatment.

The approval was announced in a news release from biopharmaceutical company Celltrion. According to the news release, Stoboclo and Osenvelt are expected to be available in the United States in June 2025.

Biosimilar drugs, according to the National Cancer Institute, are very much like another biological drug, referred to as the reference drug, that has already been approved by the FDA. Additionally, these drugs must be shown to be as safe as, work as well as and work in a similar way as the reference drug.

Among patients with cancer, Xgeva is approved to treat giant cell tumors of the bone that cannot be removed by surgery and hypercalcemia of malignancy that got worse after treatment with bisphosphonates, according to the National Cancer Institute. It is also approved to prevent broken bones or other bone problems caused by multiple myeloma, or by solid tumors that have spread to the bone, according to the National Cancer Institute.

 to increase bone mass among adults with a high risk of breaking bones and is used among patients with breast cancer receiving aromatase inhibitor therapy and patients with prostate cancer receiving androgen deprivation therapy, the National Cancer Institute noted.

The drug is also being studied in the treatment of other conditions and types of cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Hypercalcemia: High levels of calcium in the blood.

Bisphosphonates: Medications used to treat bone conditions.

Aromatase inhibitor therapy: Treatments that lower estrogen levels in the body.

Androgen deprivation therapy: Treatment to lower the level of androgens in the body.

Pharmacodynamics: The study of the biochemical and physiological effects of drugs and the mechanisms of their actions.

Pharmacokinetics: The activity of drugs in the body over a period of time.

Immunogenicity: The ability of a substance that contains antigens to cause the body to make an immune response against that substance.

“[Prolia and Xgeva are] used to improve or protect 

 in patients with osteoporosis or those undergoing various cancer treatments and as a therapy for a lifetime for postmenopausal [patients with osteoporosis],” said Jean-Yves Reginster, Professor of Medicine, Protein Research Chair, Biochemistry Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Director WHO Collaborating Centre for Epidemiology of Musculoskeletal Health and Aging, Liège, Belgium. "Biosimilars have expanded into new therapeutic areas such as immunology, oncology and ophthalmology, as they continue to offer significant cost-saving potential while expanding patient access. Having a [Prolia and Xgeva] product with a clinically proven track record in quality and safety is a valuable addition for my patients."

The approval, according to the news release, is based on data including results of phase 3 clinical trials among postmenopausal women with osteoporosis intended to evaluate the effectiveness, pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, safety and immunogenicity of Stoboclo and Osenvelt in reference to Prolia and Xgeva, with study results demonstrating that the former had equivalent effectiveness and pharmacodynamics to the latter, with similar pharmacokinetics and comparable safety and immunogenicity.

"The approval of Stoboclo and Osenvelt is another step forward in our efforts to deliver cost-effective and high-quality treatments that address critical unmet needs in osteoporosis-related fracture as well as cancer-related skeletal events," said Thomas Nusbickel, Chief Commercial Officer at Celltrion USA, in the news release. "Patients deserve therapeutic options that have the potential to make real impacts on their care and their lives."

The FDA has approved Stoboclo and Osenvelt, biosimilars of Prolia and Xgeva, for bone health in cancer patients. These biosimilars, expected in the U.S. by June 2025, offer similar safety and efficacy as their reference drugs. Xgeva treats bone-related issues in cancer patients, while Prolia increases bone mass in high-risk adults. The approval is based on phase 3 trials showing equivalent effectiveness and safety. Biosimilars like these expand therapeutic options, offering cost savings and increased access in oncology and other fields.

The FDA has approved Stoboclo and Osenvelt to address skeletal issues faced by patients with cancer.

FDA Approves Biosimilars for Cancer-Related Skeletal Events 

Improved survival seen with Imfinzi and chemo for early gastric cancers

Among patients with resectable early-stage gastric and gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) cancers, the treatment regimen of Imfinzi (durvalumab) plus chemotherapy has reportedly been found to significantly improve event-free survival.

 were shared in a news release issued by AstraZeneca, the manufacturer of Imfinzi.

“Despite receiving curative-intent chemotherapy and surgery, patients with gastric cancer commonly face disease recurrence and have a poor prognosis. These exciting data from MATTERHORN show that an [Imfinzi]-based perioperative regimen resulted in a clinically meaningful improvement in patient outcomes, including decreasing the risk of the cancer coming back,” said Dr. Yelena Y. Janjigian, Chief Attending Physician of the Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City and principal investigator in the trial, in the news release.

Results from the MATTERHORN trial demonstrated that perioperative treatment with Imfinzi plus standard-of-care chemotherapy fluorouracil, leucovorin, oxaliplatin and docetaxel (FLOT) resulted in what AstraZeneca described in the news release as “a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in the primary endpoint of event-free survival.”

Patients in the study received Imfinzi with chemotherapy before surgery, then received Imfinzi monotherapy after surgery in order to evaluate the regimen versus perioperative chemotherapy among patients with resectable, early-stage and locally advanced stages 2, 3 and 4A gastric and GEJ cancers.

Furthermore, regarding overall survival, the company reported that a strong trend was observed in favor of the Imfinzi regimen.

Event-free survival: The length of time after primary treatment ends that the patient remains free of certain complications or events that the treatment was intended to prevent or delay, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Perioperative: Treatment administered before and after surgery.

Primary endpoint: The main result measured in a study.

Overall survival: The time that a patient lives, regardless of disease status.

Pathologic complete response: The lack of all signs of cancer in tissue samples removed during surgery or biopsy after treatment, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Imfinzi, according to the National Cancer Institute, is a type of treatment known as a monoclonal antibody that binds to the cell surface antigen B7H1 and may active the immune system to respond against B7H1-expressing tumor cells.

With an enrollment of 957 patients, MATTERHORN is currently active, according to its listing on clinicaltrials.gov. The trial has an estimated primary completion date of Oct. 31, 2025, and a study completion date of Sept. 27, 2027, according to the listing.

“MATTERHORN is the first phase 3 trial of an immunotherapy to show a statistically significant improvement in event-free survival in patients with resectable gastric and gastroesophageal junction cancers,” said Cristian Massacesi, Chief Medical Officer and Oncology Chief Development Officer, AstraZeneca, in the news release.”

Concerning safety, the news release stated that the safety profiles of Imfinzi and the FLOT chemotherapy combination were consistent with their known profiles, with no new safety findings.

AstraZeneca stated that data from the MATTERHORN trial will be presented at an upcoming medical meeting and shared with global regulatory authorities.

 from the MATTERHORN trial presented at the 2023 ESMO Congress showed that patients in the Imfinzi arm experienced a pathologic complete response rate of 19% versus 7% among patients in the trial’s placebo arm.

The MATTERHORN phase 3 clinical trial has shown that the combination of Imfinzi (durvalumab) and chemotherapy significantly improves event-free survival in patients with resectable early-stage gastric and gastroesophageal junction cancers. The trial, involving 957 patients, demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in the primary endpoint of event-free survival with the Imfinzi regimen. The safety profile was consistent with known data, and a strong trend in favor of overall survival was observed. Results will be presented at an upcoming medical meeting and shared with regulatory authorities.

Preliminary trial results demonstrated that Imfinzi plus chemo improved event-free survival in resectable early-stage gastric and gastroesophageal junction cancers.

Darlene Dobkowski, MA

Discussing the Mission of CURE With Our Former and New Editors-In-Chief

Expert Explains Early Signs, Treatment Advances and Care in Multiple Myeloma

FDA Approves Biosimilars for Cancer-Related Skeletal Events

Imfinzi Plus Chemo May Improve Event-Free Survival in Gastric, GEJ Cancers

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