
18 Nov 2024 Research
Leukaemia UK’s Patient Care Pioneer Award fuels innovative research to revolutionize ‘watch and wait’ approach
Leukaemia UK is excited to announce Professor Francesco Forconi from University Hospital Southampton (UHS) as the first recipient of its Patient Care Pioneer Award.
Through this new funding initiative, Professor Forconi’s research will develop a cutting-edge risk assessment tool for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia (CLL), aiming to better identify patients at low risk of disease progression and reduce unnecessary clinical interventions. By streamlining care, this project has the potential to significantly improve quality of life for CLL patients and reduce healthcare strain.
Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) is the most common blood cancer in adults, often managed with a “watch and wait” approach that involves frequent specialist monitoring; however, only around 25% of CLL require any disease specific treatments for considerable time following a clinical diagnosis. Prof. Forconi’s work aims to change this approach by predicting early on which patients fall into the remaining 75% of patients in the lower-risk category, thus reducing anxiety for patients and focusing medical resources where they are needed most.
His research focuses on the B-cell receptor (BCR), a protein complex crucial in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) and certain B-cell lymphomas. Normally, the BCR regulates B cell activation and growth, but in CLL, abnormal BCR signalling helps cancerous B cells survive and proliferate.
Recent studies have identified two CLL subtypes based on BCR characteristics:
- U-CLL (unmutated immunoglobulin genes), associated with shorter time to first treatment (TTFT) and poorer survival.
- M-CLL (mutated immunoglobulin genes), linked to longer TTFT and better survival.
The team is studying sIgM (surface immunoglobulin M), a component of the BCR that influences CLL cell growth and survival. In CLL, higher sIgM levels lead to stronger growth signals and a shorter TTFT. The researchers aim to understand sIgM’s role in U-CLL and M-CLL progression and to develop a BCR-based risk score, assessing sIgM levels, activity, and mutations. This score would help identify low-risk patients who could benefit from a patient-initiated follow-up (PIFU) model at University Hospital Southampton, allowing them to seek care as needed instead of on a fixed schedule, easing healthcare demands and giving patients more control.
Dr Simon Ridley, Director of Research and Advocacy at Leukaemia UK said: “Professor Forconi’s patient-centric research has the potential to demonstrate a significant impact on treatment efficiency and patient well-being, while also alleviating pressures on the NHS. Leukaemia UK is proud to support his work to deliver compassionate, tailored care to those facing CLL and we hope this project will inspire further advancements in leukaemia treatment and patient quality of life.”
Professor Forconi said: “I am honoured to receive the inaugural Patient Care Pioneer Award from Leukaemia UK. This innovative funding initiative supports our cutting-edge research at Southampton University Hospital, where we are developing an advanced computer-based risk assessment tool for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia (CLL). By precisely characterizing the B-cell receptor, the fundamental driver of the tumour, we aim to identify CLL patients at low risk of disease progression. This will significantly reduce unnecessary clinical interventions, enhance the quality of life for CLL patients, and alleviate strain on healthcare resources. Our work promises to revolutionize the ‘watch and wait’ approach, providing a more personalized and efficient care pathway that prioritizes patient well-being and optimizes medical resource allocation.”
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