Video Series

Panelists discuss how currently available ALK inhibitors compare in terms of efficacy, durability of response, and central nervous system (CNS) penetration for metastatic non–small cell lung cancer treatment.

Panelists discuss how NF1-associated plexiform neurofibromas can cause significant morbidity, including disfigurement, pain, and neurologic impairment, with the risk of malignant transformation, and emphasize the impact of these tumors on quality of life, daily functioning, and prognosis based on tumor characteristics and access to care.

A panelist discusses how CD4 counts serve as measures of immune system status that typically increase by about 200 in the first year of antiretroviral therapy. Although there can be laboratory variability, these counts remain important for patient monitoring and identifying those at risk for complications.

A panelist discusses how the injectable combination of cabotegravir and rilpivirine performed well in the real-world OPERA cohort, with over 95% of patients maintaining virologic suppression. However, adherence to injection schedules remains a challenge, with only 62% receiving injections on time.

Panelists discuss how plexiform neurofibromas in NF1 often emerge in early childhood with progressive growth and symptoms such as disfigurement, pain, and neurologic deficits, noting that rapid enlargement may indicate malignant transformation, and that presentation and complications differ between pediatric and adult patients.

Panelists discuss how the needs of older patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) differ from infants, focusing on independence, education, career goals, fatigue management, and quality of life rather than just motor milestones.

Panelists discuss how spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) progresses over time, affecting motor function differently in older patients vs infants, with experts noting the shift from traditional classification (types 1 to 4) to functional categories (nonsitters, sitters, walkers).

Panelists discuss how biosimilar manufacturers offer both high-wholesale acquisition cost (WAC) and low-WAC product versions to navigate complex reimbursement landscapes, sharing their experiences with low-WAC options on formularies, defining private label agreements as strategies to improve biosimilar access across different patient populations, and examining the rationale behind PBMs' (pharmacy benefit managers) implementation of these agreements, including their specific components and benefits.

Panelists discuss how the significant price increases in reference biologics over the past decade have created market opportunities for biosimilars while exploring barriers to their adoption, potential solutions for enhancing uptake, and successful institutional strategies for increasing biosimilar utilization.

Panelists discuss how evaluating potential causes of bronchiectasis is important despite many cases being idiopathic, as identifying treatable traits can lead to specific interventions, such as CFTR modulators for those with CF mutations or IgG supplementation.

A panelist discusses how novel targeted therapies such as antibody-drug conjugates are rapidly evolving in gynecologic oncology, with multiple agents targeting different biomarkers in development, though optimal sequencing strategies remain to be determined.

A panelist discusses how antibody-drug conjugates like mirvetuximab should be sequenced in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer, recommending it as first-line therapy for folate receptor alpha–high tumors due to higher response rates when used earlier.

Experts share their final thoughts on the discussion, offering key takeaways and reflections on the importance of lipoprotein(a) (Lp[a]) testing and its role in improving cardiovascular risk management

Panelists discuss how treatment sequencing in immunoglobulin A (IgA) nephropathy will likely evolve toward a risk-stratified approach, beginning with optimized supportive care and renin-angiotensin system blockade, then incorporating targeted therapies based on specific disease mechanisms and biomarker profiles before resorting to broader immunosuppression.

Experts discuss lessons learned from implementing lipid-lowering therapy recommendations and explore the role value-based care models may play in successfully adopting the National Lipid Association’s (NLA) recommendation for lipoprotein(a) (Lp[a]) testing.

A panelist discusses how guidelines from organizations like the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) can improve clinician awareness and adoption of molecular testing in community oncology settings while acknowledging that some effective treatments work across patient populations without requiring biomarker stratification.

Panelists discuss how clinical trial outcomes like CROWN and eXalt3 reflect real-world patient experiences and how these collective data have changed perspectives on frontline therapies for ALK+ non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Panelists discuss how emerging targeted therapies for immunoglobulin A (IgA) nephropathy address critical gaps in the current treatment landscape by offering disease-modifying potential, improved efficacy for resistant cases, and better safety profiles compared with traditional immunosuppression.

A panelist discusses how tumor heterogeneity (both spatial and temporal) affects molecular testing reliability in ovarian cancer, highlighting that although most biomarkers show little heterogeneity, newer approaches like liquid biopsies can provide a more comprehensive genetic profile of the entire tumor burden.

Panelists discuss how matching-adjusted indirect comparisons (MAIC) of ALK inhibitors and the FDA approval of ensartinib in December 2024 influence frontline treatment selection for ALK+ non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Experts discuss lessons learned from implementing lipoprotein(a) (Lp[a]) testing in health care systems, how health systems can prioritize patients for testing based on the National Lipid Association’s (NLA) recommendation, the role of integrated delivery networks in helping providers identify priority patients, and strategies for adding electronic health record alerts for Lp(a) testing.

Panelists discuss how neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is typically diagnosed in early childhood using National Institutes of Health (NIH) clinical criteria, with genetic testing supporting unclear cases, and highlight the global prevalence of NF1 and the high incidence of plexiform neurofibromas, which affect up to 50% of patients regardless of racial or geographic background.

Panelists discuss how mutations in the NF1 gene lead to loss of neurofibromin function, resulting in hyperactivation of the RAS/MAPK and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathways, and how this molecular dysregulation drives abnormal cell proliferation and tumor development in NF1.

A panelist discusses how the new doravirine and islatravir combination offers an alternative to integrase inhibitor-based therapies, particularly useful for patients with integrase inhibitor resistance or adverse reactions, although clinicians may struggle with determining the ideal patient population.

A panelist discusses how a new drug combination of doravirine and islatravir was compared to a standard bictegravir-based therapy in patients with HIV, showing noninferiority with over 90% of patients maintaining viral suppression without excess toxicity.

Panelists discuss how the current Alzheimer disease treatment landscape represents both significant progress with novel amyloid-targeting therapies and ongoing challenges, while expressing hope for future advances including more potent disease-modifying treatments, combination therapies, earlier intervention capabilities, improved biomarkers, greater health care equity, and comprehensive care models that address both medical and psychosocial aspects of the disease.

Panelists discuss how managing bronchiectasis exacerbations involves targeted antibiotics based on sputum cultures, augmenting mucus clearance with devices, and considering surgical intervention when medical management fails.

Panelists discuss how bacterial infections, environmental triggers, and microbiome imbalances cause bronchiectasis exacerbations, leading to increased cough, phlegm, fatigue, and hemoptysis.