We heard you! When we asked for your input for this webinar topic, follicular lymphoma (FL) progression and transformation emerged as one of the most requested subjects.
Thank you to everyone who joined us for this important session! If you missed it, you can now watch the full recording here:
In this informative webinar, expert clinicians and individuals living with FL came together to discuss:
Read more about when your FL changes (transforms) by following the link here. Â
Whether you are navigating FL yourself or supporting a loved one, this session offers vital knowledge, guidance, and inspiration.
Stay tuned for more webinars covering other highly requested topics in the coming months!Â
Dr Mitchell Smith – Chief Medical Officer, Follicular Lymphoma FoundationÂ
Dr Mitchell Smith has an extensive educational background, having earned his Medical Degree and PhD from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland, OH. He has also completed several residencies and fellowships, including a Fellowship in Medical Oncology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Centre in NY. Dr Smith’s career has also spanned many years and institutions, including serving as Director of the Lymphoma Program at Fox Chase Cancer Centre and Director of the Lymphoid Malignancy Program at the Cleveland Clinic. Join him as he shares his expert insights throughout our engaging webinar series. Â
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Dr Carla Casulo, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine, and Assistant Director of Cancer Research Training and Education at the Wilmot Cancer Institute – Rochester.
Dr. Casulo is an international expert and clinician-researcher in all forms of lymphoma, best known for her pivotal work in follicular lymphoma. She also has an expertise and passion for young adults with lymphoma and Hodgkin lymphoma. Dr. Casulo’s research focuses on identifying risk and individual prognosis to address patient’s treatment needs and sequence of therapy using a precision approach. Dr. Casulo uses real world, large patient datasets and clinical trials to discover patterns of therapy, new treatments, and ways to improve survival for patients with lymphoma.
Dr Casulo is a Steering Committee Member and Chair of the Women in Lymphoma Global Organization. She is a passionate mentor of students and trainees, and the recipient of numerous teaching and mentoring awards, including the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry Trainee Academic Mentoring Award in Clinical Programs.
Fiona McMullen, Follicular Lymphoma Patient
After being told by a doctor that a lump in her neck was ‘nothing to worry about’ 2 years before,
Fiona received the shock diagnosis of Follicular Lymphoma in 2015. One of the biopsy
procedures that followed left her without the use of her arm for 4 months due to a severed
nerve. Gradually things settled and she came to accept that ‘watch and wait’was a common
management approach to indolent cancer.
However, 2 years later, when a painful lump appeared and she was weighed down with fatigue,
Fiona knew something wasn’t right. It took some convincing for the haematologist to refer her
for scans, but they soon revealed that the FL has transformed to an aggressive blood cancer,
Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma. 6 months of R-CHOP treatment and 2 years of Rituximab
maintenance followed.
Fiona has since returned to ‘watch and wait’ and knows that further treatment is likely at some
stage. The lesson in taking notice of your body and advocating for your own health care hasn’t
been forgotten. In the meantime, she enjoys life and feels hopeful for the future.
This webinar series is supported by an educational grant from Genmab US, Inc and AbbVie and sponsorship from BeiGene USA, Inc., and Novartis. All of the above have had no influence on, control of, nor input into the development or performance of the webinar series.Â
