Rutgers Cancer Institute and RWJBarnabas Health to Showcase Practice-Changing Blood Cancer Research at the 67th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exposition

New data offers impactful clinical insights across Hodgkin lymphoma, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and real-world disparities analyses

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J., Dec. 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Physician-scientists from Rutgers Cancer Institute and RWJBarnabas Health will share new discoveries from their basic science and clinical research programs to advance the understanding of blood cancers, such as lymphoma, leukemia and multiple myeloma, as well as classical hematology disorders at the 67th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition, taking place December 6–9, 2025, in Orlando, Florida (and online). Rutgers Cancer Institute, New Jersey's only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center together with RWJBarnabas Health, will be featured prominently at this year's meeting with a total of 93 accepted peer-reviewed scientific abstracts, including 32 oral presentations, 60 poster presentations and 1 satellite symposium.

"ASH is a vital platform to present critical breakthroughs that are transforming the science and clinical care in blood diseases, and our prominent involvement reflects our commitment to deliver meaningful progress for patients and the exceptional scientific leadership of our research teams," said Andrew Evens, DO, MBA, MSc, Deputy Director for Clinical Services and Chief Physician Officer, Rutgers Cancer Institute and Jack & Sheryl Morris Cancer Center and System Director of Medical Oncology, RWJBarnabas Health. "Our faculty's remarkable work highlights the innovation and ground-breaking discoveries that define Rutgers Cancer Institute and RWJBarnabas Health. With the Jack & Sheryl Morris Cancer Center, New Jersey's only freestanding cancer hospital, now open, we are entering a new era of care and research that brings world-class inpatient and outpatient treatment together with leading science to accelerate discoveries and improve outcomes for patients and families across our state and beyond."

Key scientific contributions from Rutgers Cancer Institute and RWJBarnabas Health at ASH 2025:

• Abs25-2080: Data from a comparative study evaluated PET-adaptive BEACOPP- versus ABVD-based therapies for advanced-stage classic Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL). Researchers compared outcomes from escBEACOPP and ABVD across 2,381 adults using data from four clinical trials and adjusting for baseline risk with the A-HIPI prognostic score. escBEACOPP was associated with significantly better progression-free survival, and multistate modeling showed a lower likelihood of treatment failure both before and after achieving one-year remission. These findings suggest that escBEACOPP offers stronger disease control in PET-adaptive strategies, while the A-HIPI score remains a powerful predictor of risk throughout the treatment course.
• Abs25-2547: A study assessed the performance of the advanced-stage Hodgkin lymphoma international prognostic index (A-HIPI) in the SWOG S1826 randomized trial of nivolumab-AVD versus brentuximab-AVD. Using locked model parameters and Cox regression analyses, the A-HIPI demonstrated strong prognostic capability, with clear separation of 3-year progression-free survival across predicted risk quartiles and superior discrimination compared with the historic IPS-7. The A-HIPI performed similarly across treatment arms and remained superior in multivariable modeling, confirming it as a more precise, treatment-agnostic tool for risk stratification in newly diagnosed advanced-stage classical Hodgkin lymphoma.
• Abs25-12859: Researchers conducted a large multicenter real-world analysis evaluating the use and safety of peripheral intravenous catheters (PIV) versus central venous catheters (CVC) for frontline anthracycline-based chemotherapy in lymphoma. Among 1,414 patients treated with CHOP- or ABVD-based regimens across eight U.S. centers, extravasation was rare in both groups, with only one documented case in the CVC cohort and two suspected cases in the PIV cohort. No significant differences were observed in induration, phlebitis/cellulitis, venous thromboembolism, or erythema. While PIV use was associated with higher rates of local pain/tenderness and infiltration, events were uncommon and self-limited. Overall, PIV access was found to be safe with a low rate of serious complications over more than 9,000 treatments, supporting its selective use despite the common default to CVC placement.
• Abs25-8890: A first report from Part 1 of the Phase 3 OLYMPIA-3 study examined odronextamab plus chemotherapy in previously untreated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). The Part 1A analysis assessed two dose levels in 22 patients, with primary endpoints focused on dose-limiting toxicities and treatment-emergent adverse events. No dose-limiting toxicities occurred, and the safety profile was manageable, with neutropenia, cytokine release syndrome, anemia, and infections as the most common adverse events. All patients experienced Grade ≥3 TEAEs, though CRS events were limited to Grade 1–2 and no tumor lysis syndrome was observed. Preliminary efficacy was encouraging, with ORR of 77.8% and CR rate of 66.7% at DL1 and both ORR and CR of 100% at DL2, with median duration of response not reached. These early results suggest rituximab may not be required to achieve depth of response in this frontline setting.
• Abs25-7103: A retrospective real-world evidence study investigated racial and ethnic inequities in access to guideline-preferred first-line therapies for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Using data from 4,452 patients in the Flatiron Health Research Database linked with neighborhood-level social determinants of health, researchers found that Black and Hispanic patients were more likely to live in high-deprivation areas and were less likely than White patients to receive NCCN-preferred novel therapies. Structural factors—including residential segregation, socioeconomic status, limited internet access, vehicle ownership, and health insurance—were associated with lower use of preferred first-line treatments. Findings underscore the role of neighborhood-level barriers in limiting equitable access to novel therapies.

The full list of presentations at this year's American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition can be found here.

About RWJBarnabas Health
RWJBarnabas Health is New Jersey's largest and most comprehensive academic health system, caring for more than five million people annually. Nationally renowned for quality and safety, the system includes 14 hospitals and 9,000 affiliated physicians integrated to provide care at more than 700 patient care locations.

RWJBarnabas Health partners with its communities to build and sustain a healthier New Jersey. It provides patient-centered care in a compassionate manner and is the state's largest safety-net provider and leader in addressing the social determinants of health. RWJBarnabas Health provides food to the hungry, housing for the homeless and economic opportunities to those most vulnerable. 

RWJBarnabas Health's commitment to enhancing access to care includes a transformative partnership with Rutgers University, including the Rutgers Cancer Institute — the state's only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

RWJBarnabas Health is among New Jersey's largest private employers, with more than 44,000 employees, contributing more than $7 billion to the state economy every year. For more information, visit www.RWJBH.org

About Rutgers Cancer Institute
As New Jersey's only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, Rutgers Cancer Institute, together with RWJBarnabas Health, provides patients access to the most advanced treatment options including clinical trials close to home at our facilities throughout the state. Our groundbreaking cancer research is the engine that drives access to the most advanced cancer treatments, where our discoveries become your care. This has been enhanced with the opening of the state's first and only freestanding cancer hospital, the Jack & Sheryl Morris Cancer Center. Visit: www.cinj.org.

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SOURCE Rutgers Cancer Institute and RWJBarnabas Health