The Roadmap for Discovery and Translation in Lymphoma identifies key priority areas in both infrastructure and research that will be critical for advancing treatments for people with lymphoma.
The roadmap was developed by a commitee of lymphoma experts after a review of the state of the science in lymphoma conducted at a special ASH Meeting on Lymphoma Biology held in August 2014.
Nearly half of all blood cancer cases are lymphomas, or cancers of the lymphatic system, of which there are numerous unique disease subtypes. While the disease can take many forms, recent advances have better characterized how lymphoma cells proliferate and interact with other cells and tissues, leading to the development of powerful, targeted therapies with fewer side effects than traditional approaches. Despite this advancement, the authors of the roadmap have identified limitations in research infrastructure, funding, and collaborative approaches across research centers that present potential challenges on the road to developing life-saving treatments for this disease. In order to overcome these bottlenecks, this strategic document outlines the following priorities for research and infrastructure to improve the understanding of lymphoma biology across its diverse subtypes:
- Infrastructure
- Develop an adequate number of disease models for each lymphoma subtype
- Establish a central repository of biospecimens, cell lines, and in vivo models with open access
- Organize patient advocacy to support research
- Research
- Catalogue how lymphoma cells differ across disease subtypes
- Better define and identify mutations and other abnormalities associated with the disease
- Develop strategies to identify high-risk patients who may benefit most from clinical trials
- Enhance efforts to use immune therapies to cure lymphoma
Comments on the lymphoma roadmap are welcome and can be submitted online.
