MASCC Neutropenia, Infection & Myelosuppression Study Group

Leadership

Chair: Bernardo Rapoport, MD - South Africa
Vice-Chair: Tim Cooksley, MBChB (Hons), MRCP - UK

Subgroup: Immuno-Oncology  (View details)

Leadership
Chair: Bernardo Rapoport, MD, MMED - South Africa
Vice Chair: Mario Lacouture, MD - USA

For more information or to contact Study Group Leaders, see our contact page.

2020 Pre-Conference Workshop

Managing Immuno-Oncology Toxicities: Models of Care
Chair: Bernardo Rapoport, MD
Immuno-oncology is a rapidly evolving field, and immune checkpoint inhibitors are becoming a standard of care for a variety of tumors. However, their clinical success is associated with substantial toxicities, which differ from those associated with conventional chemotherapy and require rapid and appropriate recognition and treatment. This workshop is designed to keep healthcare professionals up to date on the assessment and management of adverse events associated with these new therapies. Through case studies and discussion, speakers will address the basic mechanism of action of immune checkpoint inhibitors (anti-CTL4, anti PD1/PDL1 antibodies, and others) and their interactions with chemotherapy, radiotherapy, targeted therapies, and anti-angiogenic agents. The workshop will also provide an overview of the current and potential uses of these agents, a summary of the main immune-related adverse events, and recommendations for management and optimization of patient outcomes. New clinical tools will also be considered.
This workshop is presented by the Immuno-Oncology Subgroup. It will take place on Thursday, June 25, from 8:00 to 11:00 am. Workshop attendance requires registration in addition to registration for the Annual Meeting. Register at the official 2020 Annual Meeting website.

Past Workshops

Research Highlights

Identifying Patients at Low Risk for FN Complications: Development and Validation of the MASCC Risk Index Score
Febrile neutropenia (FN) is a life-threatening complication of cancer chemotherapy and is considered a medical emergency. The classic treatment strategy has been broad-spectrum antibiotics administered intravenously in a hospital setting, and most patients respond promptly with no complications. For more than 20 years, Jean Klastersky and colleagues have worked on the development and testing of a reliable tool for identifying patients at low risk for complications of FN. The resulting MASCC Risk Index Score makes it possible to identify patients who can safely be treated at home. This work began with a 1994 survey to identify independent predictive factors that could be assessed at fever onset in adult febrile neutropenic cancer patients being treated with chemotherapy. The resulting Risk Index Score has now seen more than 10 years of use and has proven to be a reliable and valuable tool to identify low risk patients. Read More >>

Subgroup on Immuno-Oncology

The emergence of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) that target the cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4) and programmed cell death protein-1/ ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) pathway has significantly improved outcomes for patients with a variety of malignancies. By blocking the inhibitory signaling pathway of T-cells, ICIs are associated with a diverse spectrum of immune-related adverse events (irAEs) involving multiple organ systems. This new Subgroup on Immuno-Oncology (IO) comprises Study Group members interested in organ systems from disciplines related to immunotherapy-related events, including, but not limited to, gastroenterology, dermatology, neurology, hematology, rheumatology, endocrinology, nephrology, and emergency medicine.
The goal of the Subgroup is to create a multidisciplinary team that brings together the best information and ideas about this new and growing field. Aims are to develop educational sessions at MASCC Annual Meetings and research projects involving MASCC members. The Subgroup will also serve as a resource for information and contacts with companies involved in immunotherapies that might help fund MASCC projects. The IO Subgroup will meet every year at the MASCC Annual Meeting, beginning in 2019. The first project of the Subgroup is to develop position papers for the management of corticosteroid resistant or refractory adverse events. Future projects will be developed on the basis of members’ interests.

Subgroup Leaders

Chair: Bernardo Rapoport, MD, MMED, is a medical oncologist and Director of the Medical Oncology Centre of Rosebank, Johannesburg, South Africa. He also holds the title of Extraordinary Professor, Department of Immunology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, South Africa.

Vice Chair: Mario Lacouture, MD, is currently Director of the Oncodermatology Program and Attending Physician, Dermatology Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

How to Join
To join this Subgroup, a MASCC member must also be a member of the Neutropenia, Infection, and Myelosuppression Study Group. Join the Immuno-Oncology Subgroup by editing your Profile in your Account settings. (Log in at the MASCC website, go to My Account, and then Edit Profile, click to check-mark the Immuno-oncology subgroup and click save.)

For more information or to contact the Subgroup Leaders, please send an email to Leslie Johnson.

Guidelines MASCC-Endorsed Practice Guidelines

International Pediatric Fever and Neutropenia Guideline  From The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids.ca)
Fever and neutropenia (FN) is a common complication in children who receive chemotherapy for cancer. The Study Group convened a panel of pediatric cancer and infectious diseases experts to develop an evidence-based guideline for the empiric management of pediatric FN. This guideline focuses on children and adolescents with cancer, or who are undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, and who have FN. The guideline is designed for healthcare professionals who care for these patients. Implementation requires adaptation to the local context and consideration of organizational barriers, such as the availability of a local infrastructure, to support different models of care.

Recent Member Publications

Recent Study Group member publications related to neutropenia, infection, and myelosuppression in patients with cancer.

For more information or to contact Study Group Leaders, see our contact page.