The 4th Oxford Myeloma Workshop on 19/20 October 2023, took place at the Saïd Business School in Oxford, and the programme highlighted the vision of the recently launched Oxford Translational Myeloma Centre (OTMC). OTMC implements an integration of three pillars - clinical care, the research laboratory, and a translational integration (reflecting the OTMC directorship of NDORMS Professors Karthik Ramasamy, Udo Oppermann and Anjan Thakurta) with a mission to improve patient health and care.
The annual event shares the OTMC's goal to alter the course of myeloma treatment and improve the diagnosis and outcomes for myeloma patients globally. It brought together more than one hundred national and international participants, including clinicians, patient advocates and charities, as well as industry, and academic myeloma researchers aiming to achieve significant progress in patient care and implementing a roadmap to cure.
Day 1 focused on the personalisation of myeloma care. Hearing from a range of experts in the field, the audience was challenged to think about the use of genomic analysis to better understand a patient's individual needs so they could receive more personalised treatment. Real world issues were raised such as finding less toxic treatments, and tangible solutions were tabled and discussed. Dedicated sessions also explored novel immunotherapies in myeloma and mechanisms of resistance to these therapies.
Day 2 started with a focus on pre-myeloma conditions and the complexities of diagnosing the disease so treatment could be started earlier for patients who need it. Sessions explored the impact of genomics and questions around screening trials in the UK. Panellists were asked whether myeloma screening had changed in the last twenty-four months, and whether there would be a benefit to combining a myeloma screening programme with routine clinical encounters in the NHS.
Ahead of the meeting, OTMC organised a separate, focused workshop on "Emerging technologies and their translation in Myeloma" inviting a select group of 30 scientists and clinicians from academia and industry. The workshop identified areas of translational priorities for OTMC. Future meetings will expand on other themes to help guide OTMC's translational programme.
These events left attendees energised and refreshed, with new collaborations, ideas, and relationships strengthened to move forward with invigorated efforts to improve patients' lives affected by myeloma.