Research

Area 5

Hematological oncology.

Team leader

Strategic objectives

The main strategic objectives of our team are clinical, applied and basic research in hematological oncology. The team is structured into three study groups of three major disease categories.

Main lines of research

  1. Study of lymphoid neoplasms.

  2. Multiple myeloma and other monoclonal gammapathies.

  3. Study of myeloid neoplasms.

Grups

Lymphoid neoplasms study group (Associated)

LOPEZ, ARMANDO

(ICMHO)

  • Lymphomas
    • Investigation of the progression mechanisms of the disease.
    • Study of minimum residual disease and its clinical significance.
    • Genomic profiles of the different types of lymphoma and their clinical significance (in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute (USA) and the Leukemia Lymphoma Molecular Profiling Project (LLMPP)).
    • New prognostic models in T cell lymphomas (collaboration in international studies, particularly the International T-cell Lymphomas Project. University of Nebraska) and follicular lymphoma.
    • Utility of PET in evaluating the response of lymphomas and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).
    • Genic profile of Hodgkin lymphoma.
    • Phase I-II clinical trials with new drugs (bevacizumab, bortezomib, anti-CD40, aplidin, GA101, etc.), and international phase III trials to establish new indications in lymphomas (PRIMA and ZAR studies)

  • Chronic lymphocytic leukemia
    • Mechanisms of progression of the disease.
    • Biology of ZAP-70 in relation to BCR
    • Analysis of transforming CLL.
    • Influence of the cellular microenvironment upon the disease.
    • Study of the immunological alterations and immune reconstitution in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL Global Research Foundation project).
    • Evaluation of cellular proliferation in CLL.
    • Study of autoimmune phenomena.
    • Multiparametric analysis of prognostic factors in CLL.
    • Phase I/II and III clinical trials.

Myeloma and other monoclonal gammapathies study group (Associated)

BLADE, JOAN

(ICMHO)

  • Studies on the role of angiogenesis inhibitors in the treatment of multiple myeloma.
  • Clinico-biological studies on the progression mechanisms of monoclonal gammapathy of uncertain significance and quiescent myeloma.
  • Phase I, II and III clinical trials with new drugs (thalidomide, bortezomib, lenalidomide, deacetylase histone inhibitors, aplidin, anti-IL-6 antibodies and anti-CD40 antibodies, heat shock protein-90 inhibitors).
  • Clinical trials in the treatment of primary amyloidosis (transplantation, therapy with lenalidomide).

Myeloid neoplasms study group (Associated)

CERVANTES, FRANCISCO

(ICMHO)

  1. Myeloproliferative neoplasms
    • Analysis and final evaluation of the Spanish protocol for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia with scaled doses of imatinib versus imatinib in combination with interferon(CML/PETHEMA).
    • Treatment of CML with new tyrosine kinase inhibitors.
    • Role of the polymorphisms of the genes encoding for the imatinib transporter proteins in resistance to therapy with imatinib in CML.
    • Thrombotic mechanisms in chronic myeloproliferative syndromes.
    • Primary myelofibrosis prognostic studies.
    • Analysis of the relationship between the mutational status and allelic load of JAK2 and MPL, haplotype 46/1 of the JAK2 gene, and the initial characteristics, evolutive pattern and prognosis of myelofibrosis.

  2. Acute leukemias
    • Biological prognostic factors in intermediate cytogenetic risk AML: genetic mutations, genic expression profile, microRNA expression pattern.
    • Analysis of the microRNA expression pattern in AML with translocation (8;16)/rearrangement MYST3-CREBBP.
    • Biological and clinical characterization of acute leukemia with multiline dysplasia.
    • Analysis of the prognostic value of molecular markers in AML in relation to the outcome of hematopoietic progenitor cell transplantation.
    • Phase II and III clinical trials of drugs for the treatment of AML (midostaurin, Mylotarg, amonafide, AC220, azacytidine).
    • Sequential allogenic hematopoietic precursor transplantation strategy for the treatment of refractory or relapsing AML.

  3. Myeloproliferative syndromes
    • Natural history and prognosis of myelodysplastic syndromes
      • transfusional sensitization
      • prognostic importance of transfusion requirements
    • Cytogenetic and molecular alterations in myelodysplastic syndromes
      • Prognostic implications of cytogenetic alterations
      • translocations and myelodysplastic syndromes
      • microRNA in myelodysplastic syndromes
    • Treatment of myelodysplastic syndromes