Jessica Altman, MD

Panelists expressed cautious optimism about high-risk acute myeloid leukemia (AML) treatment, emphasizing the need for ongoing research, personalized therapy based on molecular profiling, and strengthened collaboration between community and academic centers to improve patient outcomes, while recognizing that education and sharing best practices are key to advancing targeted therapies and achieving long-term cures.

Panelists highlight that patient advocacy is crucial in improving high-risk acute myeloid leukemia (AML) outcomes by providing emotional support, funding research, influencing clinical guidelines, promoting patient engagement, facilitating collaboration between community and academic care, addressing systemic access barriers, and implementing innovative programs like medication recycling to enhance treatment availability.

Panelists advocate for a streamlined approach to diagnosing KMT2A-rearranged acute myeloid leukemia (AML) that includes standardized testing protocols (cytogenetics, fluorescence in situ hybridization [FISH], and next-generation sequencing) at diagnosis, close collaboration with laboratories to clarify complex reports, adoption of rapid testing methods, and flexible sample collection strategies to ensure timely, accurate identification and optimized patient care.

Panelists highlight that despite established guidelines, delays and gaps in molecular profiling—especially for KMT2A rearrangements—persist due to report complexity, misinterpretation, and misconceptions about patient eligibility, underscoring the urgent need for improved provider education, expert collaboration, and comprehensive testing to ensure accurate diagnosis, optimal treatment selection, and better patient outcomes in acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

Panelists stress that timely and accurate diagnosis of KMT2A-rearranged acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is essential for personalized treatment planning, highlighting the need to overcome systemic delays in molecular testing, foster academic-community collaboration, and educate both clinicians and patients on the safety and importance of waiting for complete genetic data before initiating therapy.

Panelists emphasize that effective use of menin inhibitors for KMT2A-rearranged acute myeloid leukemia (AML) requires dispelling common misconceptions about oral targeted therapy, ensuring close monitoring for adverse effects, clarifying treatment goals—especially the role of transplant—and supporting patients through comprehensive education and multidisciplinary care.

Panelists highlight that the emergence of menin inhibitors is reshaping the treatment paradigm for KMT2A-rearranged acute myeloid leukemia (AML), with ongoing research focused on optimizing their use, overcoming resistance, expanding access, and integrating these targeted therapies into personalized and potentially curative treatment strategies across diverse patient populations.

Panelists emphasize that the approval of menin inhibitors has transformed the treatment landscape for KMT2A-rearranged acute myeloid leukemia (AML) by replacing historically limited and toxic chemotherapy-based strategies with a targeted, guideline-endorsed option that aligns with disease biology—offering renewed hope for both adult and pediatric patients, especially in the relapsed/refractory setting.

Panelists report that the AUGMENT-101 trial demonstrated meaningful clinical benefits of menin inhibitors in relapsed/refractory KMT2A-rearranged acute myeloid leukemia (AML)—with a 23% complete remission rate and manageable safety profile including differentiation syndrome—highlighting the importance of early recognition, patient education, and supportive care to optimize outcomes as these agents move toward becoming a new standard of care.

Panelists highlight that menin inhibitors represent a breakthrough in the treatment of KMT2A-rearranged AML by targeting the disease’s core epigenetic drivers, with early clinical trials like AUGMENT-101 showing promising results in heavily pretreated, high-risk patients and supporting the potential for a new therapeutic standard in this aggressive leukemia subtype.

Panelists explain that KMT2A-rearranged acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a biologically aggressive and diagnostically complex leukemia subtype—especially prevalent in pediatric and therapy-related cases—with variable prognostic implications depending on fusion partners, underscoring the need for early molecular identification, personalized treatment strategies, and expanded access to targeted therapies and advanced diagnostics.

Panelists emphasize that patients with KMT2A-rearranged acute myeloid leukemia (AML) often face steep educational challenges at diagnosis, requiring clear communication about the subtype’s adverse-risk classification, biological complexity, and treatment implications—highlighting the need for accessible education, academic-community collaboration, and early referral to specialized care for optimal outcomes.

Panelists explain that KMT2A-rearranged acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive, molecularly distinct leukemia subtype marked by menin-dependent transcriptional dysregulation, poor response to standard therapy, diagnostic challenges, and high relapse risk—underscoring the urgency of RNA-based diagnostics, early transplant consideration, and emerging menin-targeted treatments to improve outcomes.