Breaking Down the Barriers to Effective T-Cell Lymphoma Treatment

Stefan Barta, MD, associate professor of clinical medicine, director, T-cell lymphoma program, University of Pennsylvania Department of Medicine, discusses the heterogeneity of T-cell lymphoma, highlighting that a one-size-fits-all approach is ineffective and emphasizing the need for tailored treatment approaches.

In an interview with Targeted Oncology^TM, Barta discusses the importance of collaboration among investigators in industry to identify and treat specific subtypes of T-cell lymphomas more effectively. Ongoing research and collaboration plays a critical role in advancing the treatment of T-cell lymphomas and by leveraging the latest scientific discoveries, researchers can develop innovative therapies that offer hope for this patient population.

He highlights the potential efficacy of epigenetic therapies in T follicular helper phenotype T-cell lymphomas, and explains that these might reduce the reliance on less effective cytotoxic agents. These therapies additionally could offer a more targeted and potentially less toxic approach compared with traditional cytotoxic agents.

Further, Barta concludes by acknowledging the aggressive nature and suboptimal outcomes of T cell lymphomas and explains the urgent need for targeted treatments and biomarker discovery to improve treatment outcomes.

Transcription:

0:09 | Certainly, one size does not fit all, and it is very important for investigators in industry to collaborate so that we can focus, for example, on very well-defined populations and kind of carve out specific subtypes that may particularly benefit from a treatment approach.

0:34 | For example, we feel that in T follicular helper phenotype T-cell lymphomas, epigenetic therapies are particularly efficacious. It may even help us get over our use of cytotoxic agents that probably have not as much efficacy in T-cell lymphomas. So, carving out these sub populations, finding biomarkers that are predictive of response, and pooling our resources so we can treat this rare and unfortunately very aggressive disease that has suboptimal outcomes compared [with] other lymphomas.