This spring the Lymphoma Research Foundation will convene a scientific workshop focused on the treatment and care of adolescent and young adults (AYA) diagnosed with lymphoma. The Paul Foundation is the proud founding sponsor of the LRF’s national AYA initiative, #EraseLymphoma. This first of its kind scientific meeting will include participants from LRF’s prestigious Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) as well as expert clinicians and scientists from the pediatric and adult cancer disciplines from around the country.

The information gap is significant for AYA lymphomas, where therapy recommendations can vary widely across communities, treating physician, and treatment location for similar types of lymphoma. In addition, details about cancer biology, care delivery, and effectiveness of therapy for AYA lymphoma have been systematically understudied. Further study of AYA lymphoma in regard to biology and molecular factors that indicate treatment effectiveness and outcomes, novel therapeutics, acute and long-term toxicities of treatment, and psychosocial outcomes are critically needed. In addition, education for patients, caregivers, and community healthcare providers about the unique needs of individuals who receive a lymphoma diagnosis will help AYA patients navigate their diagnosis, plan for treatment, and transition to long-term survivorship.

In October 2015, as part of the #EraseLymphoma initiative, LRF held an AYA Symposium with clinicians and basic scientists from pediatric and adult disciplines to examine the state of the science for AYA lymphoma and review the gaps in research for this age group. A summary of the symposium proceedings that compared the pediatric and adult approaches to lymphoma management for Hodgkin lymphoma, mature B-cell lymphomas, and anaplastic large cell lymphoma was published in Blood Advances in October 2017. Today, the culmination of those efforts and all programs under the umbrella of #EraseLymphoma has led LRF to convene the AYA Scientific Workshop, creating a unique collaboration instituted to advance the study of AYA lymphomas and improve treatments and care for this patient population from the point of diagnosis through long-term survival. LRF fosters consensus and data-driven research to increase efficiency, safety, and speed in developing new therapies, and this work can only be done by facilitating partnerships among academic scientists, clinicians, government and regulatory agencies, patient advocates, and the pharmaceutical/biotechnology industry.

“We are grateful for the support and partnership of The Paul Foundation,” said Meghan Gutierrez, LRF Chief Executive Officer. “Together, we are poised to launch a platform that can address the unmet medical needs for adolescent and young adults with lymphoma, and improve their outcomes by convening the world’s experts and key stakeholders who share this goal.”

The scientific workshop is planned for May 14-15, 2019 and will be held in Chicago, IL, with 50 stakeholder groups committed to participate. The program will focus on reviewing the current state of AYA lymphoma as a follow-up to the AYA Symposium held in 2015, gaps in research and understanding of the disease, and developing a roadmap for subsequent AYA lymphoma research and national action plan.

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