Unraveling Key Hematologic Oncology Developments at ASCO 2026

In a live X Spaces discussion hosted by CancerNetwork® in collaboration with the American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy (ASTCT), Marc J. Braunstein, MD, PhD, and Sofia Zahid, MD, highlighted noteworthy presentations and abstracts in hematologic oncology at the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting. Together, they discussed the data that may shake up clinical practice across different multiple myeloma, leukemia, and lymphoma populations.

Braunstein is an associate professor in the Department of Medicine and course co-director of the Hematology/Oncology System at NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine, as well as the fellowship program director of Hematology/Oncology at NYU Langone Health. Zahid is a first-year fellow at NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine.

The discussion focused on the following abstracts:

·      Abstract 7512

o   Combining belantamab mafodotin-blmf (Blenrep) with daratumumab (Darzalex), lenalidomide (Revlimid), and dexamethasone produced rapid activity among patients with transplant-ineligible newly diagnosed multiple myeloma in the phase 1/2 BelaDRd study (EUCT-2024-515634-32).

o   The progression-free survival (PFS) benefits observed in the trial support further evaluation of the quadruplet in a phase 3 study compared with other novel combination regimens in NDMM.

·      Abstract 6505

o   Revumenib (Revuforj) maintenance therapy after allogeneic stem cell transplantation showed feasibility in a heavily pretreated cohort of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

o   Outcomes appeared favorable vs historical cohorts, supporting prospective assessment of maintenance menin inhibition among those with AML.

·      Abstract 1503

o   In a retrospective analysis of electronic medical records for 293 patients who received CAR T-cell therapy for lymphoma (n = 175), multiple myeloma (n = 106), or B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (n = 12), outpatient monitoring was associated with significantly fewer hospital days without increased emergency department visits or 30-day mortality.

o   These findings show the potential for lower healthcare utilization for patients who receive CAR T-cell therapy in the outpatient setting.

·      Abstract LBA7000

o   Adding tafasitamab (Monjuvi) and lenalidomide to rituximab (Rituxan), cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (R-CHOP) significantly improved PFS vs R-CHOP alone among those with newly diagnosed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in the phase 3 frontMIND trial (NCT04824092).

o   The data may support tafasitamab plus lenalidomide and R-CHOP as a potential new standard of care in the frontline treatment of patients with cell-of-origin subtypes of high-risk DLBCL.

References