A mentor with expertise in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and his own passion for research led Dr. Jonathan Feld to a career-long study of acute and chronic leukemias and other blood cancers.
“There have been few major developments in the treatment of MDS, and no significant advancements for higher-risk MDS in 20 years,” said Dr. Feld. “One of the goals of the Moffitt/Memorial partnership is to become a magnet for MDS and other leukemia clinical trials, which would provide our patients treatment options not available elsewhere in the local community.”
While current options for MDS remain limited and stem cell transplant remains the only potential cure, Dr. Feld sees potential in CAR T-cell therapy. Genetically re-engineering a patient’s T-cells in the lab to recognize and attack specific blood cancer cells after reinfusion has been successful battling acute lymphoblastic leukemia, certain lymphomas and multiple myeloma, with Dr. Feld hopeful it may also be effective for MDS and other myeloid leukemias.
