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Know ALL webinar | Q&A session
Jaymz Goodman
October 27, 2025
Know ALL hosted a webinar for patients and healthcare professionals (HCPs) on September 22, 2025, titled ‘Immunotherapy for the treatment of ALL: What you need to know’, in which a panel of patients with experience of ALL and healthcare professionals, including Jaymz Goodman, Charles Mullighan, Wendy Stock, and Jess Olson, discussed immunotherapy for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).
Following the webinar presentations, Jaymz Goodman chaired a Q&A session with the panelists, during which they addressed questions submitted by the audience.
Quick summary
Why should or shouldn’t patients choose immunotherapy?
- Immunotherapy is an effective option for patients with ALL, particularly those with relapsed or refractory disease; it can produce high response rates with relatively manageable toxicity.
- In the relapsed setting, immunotherapy can lead to remission and allow patients to proceed to a potentially curative stem cell transplant.
- In newly diagnosed ALL, clinical trials are exploring combinations of immunotherapy with chemotherapy in frontline treatment; blinatumomab is already approved in this setting.
How effective is immunotherapy if a patient has 70–80% blasts?
- Even in the case of relapse, immunotherapy can achieve strong responses.
- Blinatumomab works best when the disease burden is lower but still achieves about a 40% response rate, even when bone marrow blasts are as high as 70–80%.
Is blinatumomab a gene therapy, and are there gene therapy trials ongoing?
- Blinatumomab is not considered a gene therapy, it is a bispecific T-cell engaging antibody that helps the immune system recognize and destroy leukemia cells.
- Gene therapy involves introducing or repairing specific genes, which is different from the mechanism of immunotherapy.
- Currently, there are no gene therapy trials for leukemia, but many immunotherapy trials are underway in both relapse and frontline settings.
How can patients better advocate for themselves?
- Patients should research, ask questions, and consider second opinions to ensure their care aligns with their needs.
- Being an active participant in your treatment can improve communication, comfort, and outcomes.
- Patients should use their time with healthcare providers effectively, knowing that their questions and concerns deserve attention.
- Alternative contact options, such as telephone or email, can be valuable for obtaining information or clarifications.
- Trusted sources, such as legitimate websites, can help patients find accurate and up-to-date information.
How can healthcare providers best support patient advocacy and engagement?
- Building a trusting, open relationship between patients and the care team is essential throughout treatment.
- There are no “silly” or “wrong” questions; every concern deserves to be discussed.
- Care is most effective when patients and providers work together to make decisions and address challenges as a team.
- Participation in clinical trials is another way for patients to take an active role, gaining access to new therapies while helping advance scientific progress.
