Immune System To The Rescue: Immunotherapies In Blood Cancer

John P. Leonard, MD

Please join us as we speak to Dr. John Leonard of Weill Cornell Medicine. In this episode, Dr. Leonard discusses the broad array of immunotherapy treatments, in which a patient’s own immune system is stimulated to fight cancer cells.

From CAR T-cell therapy to monoclonal antibodies to new bispecific therapies, Dr. Leonard shares how these immunotherapies are changing the landscape of cancer treatment and giving hope to more blood cancer patients.

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Support for this episode provided by Pharmacyclics LLC, an AbbVie Company & Janssen Biotech, Inc.

10 Comments

  1. Dr. Leonard became my physician when I was diagnosed (incorrectly) with Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma somewhere else. He changed my diagnosis to Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia after a biopsy, and we began my treatment not long after. I can’t state strongly enough how amazing he was! He actually listened to me and went against “normal” protocols by allowing me to stop chemotherapy when I wanted to rather than what the protocol called for. I was too afraid of the “full” regimen, and seeing that, he never made me feel ashamed or cowardly or pig-headed, all of which I might have deserved! Instead, with a smile, he said: “Well, it’s not as if we really know exactly how many rounds of chemo will work with any one person.” He treated me with respect, while making sure I was aware that my recovery might not be as effective or long-lasting. We did that twice — shortened a regimen. Later, when it was clear I was not doing so well, he referred me to a CLL specialist who was running a trial. It involved a trial drug plus 6 full rounds of the same chemo agent that I’d opted earlier to take fewer rounds of than I was “supposed to.” I believe that I responded as well as I did to the trial because i hadn’t taken 12 rounds previously of that drug – only 7, with Dr. Leonard’s blessing and oversight. As it is, I’m in my 19th year of complete remission. I think it was his scientific curiosity, plus his lack of that “G-d complex” some doctors suffer from, that allowed us to proceed as we did. All his patients are lucky to be with him!

  2. I am from Pittsburgh and consulted with Dr. Leonard in 2013 after my diagnosis. I try to follow EVERY LLS program he leads. He has the perfect combination of research and clinical “chops” and patient education talent. He is a true pioneer, leader, and patient advocate. I am so grateful he gives his valuable time to LLS and prospective patients, and would consult him in a heartbeat if my lymphoma recurs.

  3. Thank you so very much I found it too be very helpful and a comfort to know about all the different resources.the side effects are a bit scary but over all I enjoyed Dr.john leonard
    he’s informative im new here but will stay in tuned

  4. Thank you very much for your most informative podcast. It is great to hear about all these new therapies for blood cancers and hopefully more and more effective treatments and immunotherapies will be developed. So many reasons for hope.

    1. This was an informative podcast. Thank you for sharing. I look forward to hearing more programs like this in the future.

    1. Hi Vince,

      Thank you for the excellent suggestion! We will make a note and see if we can get it onto a future podcast. In the meantime, we encourage you to contact our Information Specialists at 1-800-955-4572 if would like more information about immune suppression therapy.

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