Ryan Haumschild, PharmD, MS, MBA

Five experts share their key takeaways from Patient-Centered Oncology Care® (PCOC) 2025, highlighting AI integration and collaboration to improve care.

Panelists discuss their final thoughts on the evolving landscape of alopecia areata (AA) treatment, summarizing key takeaways from the discussion and reflecting on future directions for patient care and therapy advancements.

Panelists discuss how the introduction of Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor therapies will likely change treatment algorithms for alopecia areata (AA), with insights on how payers should plan for coverage in the coming years and explore the biggest unmet needs for patients with AA and potential improvements in care.

Panelists discuss how the Bayesian network meta-analysis showed which Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors were most effective in reducing Severity of Alopecia Tool (SALT) scores in alopecia areata (AA), highlighting which therapies achieved 50% and 75% improvement, and whether SALT scores are an effective measure of treatment success.

Panelists discuss how the Bayesian network meta-analysis showed which Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors were most effective in reducing Severity of Alopecia Tool (SALT) scores in alopecia areata (AA), highlighting which therapies achieved 50% and 75% improvement, and whether SALT scores are an effective measure of treatment success.

Panelists discuss the key safety data observed with each of the three Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors for alopecia areata (AA), highlighting potential adverse effects and how these impact clinical decision-making.

Panelists discuss how ritlecitinib, approved by the FDA in 2023 as the first Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor for adolescents with severe alopecia areata (AA), offers distinct properties that make it suitable for younger patients, and how its introduction influences treatment decisions and integration into the AA treatment algorithm, while addressing concerns around drug-to-drug interactions.

Panelists discuss how deuruxolitinib, evaluated in the THRIVE-AA1 and THRIVE-AA2 phase 3 trials, differs from previous Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors in its formulation and efficacy, and why ensuring long-term patient adherence through 24 weeks is crucial for treatment durability and success.

Panelists discuss how the data from the BRAVE-AA1 and BRAVE-AA2 phase 3 trials demonstrated the safety and efficacy of baricitinib, leading to its FDA approval in 2022 as the first systemic treatment for severe alopecia areata (AA).

Panelists discuss the critical role of effective follow-up and multidisciplinary care in managing hidradenitis suppurativa, emphasizing ongoing patient education, coordinated referrals, and personalized treatment plans to improve adherence and long-term outcomes.

Panelists discuss the importance of clear communication, financial support, and leveraging telehealth and peer networks to improve equitable access and adherence to specialized care and treatment for underserved patients with hidradenitis suppurativa.

Panelists discuss how switching therapies in patients with alopecia areata (AA) is often necessary when initial treatments fail, though it can create a cost burden, and how beyond updated guidelines, there are unmet needs such as improved long-term treatments and better psychological support for patients.

Panelists discuss how the high failure rate of conventional treatments for long-standing, extensive alopecia areata (AA) may be due to factors such as disease chronicity and inadequate response to available therapies, and the need for key updates in AA management guidelines, which have not been revised since 2003.

Panelists discuss the challenges of biologic access in hidradenitis suppurativa due to utilization management policies like step therapy, emphasizing the need for patient education, strategic planning, and leveraging resources—including clinical trials—to improve timely treatment and outcomes.

Panelists discuss the anticipated 2026 updates to the American Academy of Dermatology guidelines for hidradenitis suppurativa, highlighting efforts to unify treatment protocols, support biologic access, and accommodate emerging therapies within a rapidly evolving therapeutic landscape.

Panelists discuss how adverse events associated with conventional therapies for alopecia areata (AA) are monitored through regular patient assessments, and how these events are managed by adjusting treatment or providing supportive care as needed.

Panelists discuss how adherence to conventional therapies for alopecia areata (AA) can be challenging, with adverse effects often impacting patient compliance, and how the most common cause of nonadherence is the lack of visible improvement or perceived efficacy.

Panelists discuss the critical importance of early biologic therapy initiation in hidradenitis suppurativa to prevent irreversible tissue damage, reduce disease burden, and overcome socioeconomic and systemic barriers that delay timely treatment and worsen patient outcomes.

Panelists discuss the challenges and evolving landscape of step therapy protocols in hidradenitis suppurativa treatment, emphasizing the impact on patient adherence, the potential benefits of earlier biologic use, and the need for advocacy to improve access and outcomes.

Panelists discuss how key factors such as disease severity, patient preference, and payer requirements influence the choice of initial therapy for alopecia areata (AA), highlighting which drug classes have the highest and lowest success rates.

Panelists discuss how the decision to treat vs observe alopecia areata (AA) depends on factors such as disease severity, patient symptoms, and the use of scoring systems to guide treatment decisions.

Panelists discuss how upcoming ASCO presentations will focus on long-term CAR T-cell therapy outcomes showing potential cure plateaus, minimal residual disease (MRD)–guided treatment escalation/de-escalation strategies, tri-specific antibodies, and the economic value of using MRD negativity to guide maintenance therapy discontinuation decisions.

Panelists discuss key factors influencing biologic selection for hidradenitis suppurativa, including efficacy, safety, comorbidities, and insurance challenges, highlighting the importance of a holistic, multidisciplinary approach to optimize treatment and navigate practical barriers.

Panelists discuss the timely initiation of biologic therapy in moderate to severe hidradenitis suppurativa, emphasizing individualized treatment decisions based on disease impact and quality of life, alongside the potential for improved outcomes and cost-effectiveness through early, aggressive management.

Panelists discuss how managing alopecia areata (AA) involves multiple health care specialties, including dermatology and mental health, and how multidisciplinary care can be optimized, while also addressing strategies to alleviate financial barriers that patients may face in accessing treatment.

Panelists discuss how alopecia areata (AA) is included in the differential diagnosis for hair loss conditions and how a definitive diagnosis is made through clinical evaluation and, when necessary, additional diagnostic tests.

Panelists discuss how recent updates from the phase 3 IsKia trial demonstrate that isatuximab combined with carfilzomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone improves minimal residual disease negativity rates by approximately 10% at both the 10–5 and 10–6 levels, particularly benefiting high-risk patients.

Panelists discuss how the PERSEUS trial’s subgroup analysis reinforced that sustained minimal residual disease negativity predicts better long-term outcomes and demonstrated the potential for treatment de-escalation at the 2-year mark, while other trials like Advance showed dramatic increases in MRD negativity rates with quadruplet therapy.

Panelists discuss the importance of coordinated, personalized treatment strategies for hidradenitis suppurativa, highlighting early use of pharmacologic therapies—including biologics—and ongoing assessment to balance clinical effectiveness, patient quality of life, and financial considerations.

Panelists discuss the future of NF1-associated plexiform neurofibromas management, highlighting the potential for advances in targeted therapies, gene therapies, and personalized medicine to offer more effective, tailored treatments, while emphasizing early detection, improved imaging, and a greater focus on quality of life through psychosocial support, pain management, and functional rehabilitation.