NEW YORK, Aug. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The International Myeloma Foundation (IMF), in partnership with the National Medical Association (NMA), the W. Montague Cobb Institute, and the Student National Medical Association (SNMA), sent a delegation of twelve IMF Medical Student Scholars for Health Equity in Myeloma along with their mentors to the 2024 NMA Annual Convention and Scientific Assembly, which took place in New York City, NY from August 3-7, 2024.

The NMA Annual Convention and Scientific Assembly is recognized as one of the best national forums of African American health and medicine.

The twelve student-mentor pairs presented their research during a poster walk on Monday August 5, at the Sheraton in Times Square with the following posters:

1. Examining Disparities in Pharmacy Drug Adherence and Treatment Access Among Multiple Myeloma Patients – Saron Araya (Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine—Philadelphia, PA) and Cesar Rodriguez, MD (Tisch Cancer Institute Icahn School of Medicine, Mount Sinai—New York, NY)
2. Impact of Race on the Incidence of T-cell Malignancies in Patients with Multiple Myeloma — Bethelehem Gebre (Washington State University Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine—Spokane, WA) and Ajay K. Nooka, MD, MPH, FACP (Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University—Atlanta, GA)
3. Differences in Time to CAR T Therapy Based on Race/Ethnicity and ADI — Erneisha Brown, BS (Texas Tech University School of Medicine—Lubbock, TX) and Krina K. Patel, MD, MSc (UT MD Anderson Cancer Center—Houston, TX)
4. Association Between Brain-to-Vein Time, Disease Characteristics and Outcomes with Commercial CAR T-cell Therapy in Multiple Myeloma — Tyra Grischke (Indiana University School of Medicine—Indiana, IN) and Benjamin Derman, MD (University of Chicago—Chicago, IL)
5. Genetic Marker Screening to Prevent Drug-induced Peripheral Neuropathy in Multiple Myeloma — Diandra G. B. Adu-Kyei (Meharry Medical College—Nashville, TN) and Tondre Buck, MD (Gibbs Cancer Center and Research Institute—Spartanburg, SC)
6. Primary Therapy Outcomes in Relation to Primary Cytogenetic Subtypes in a Large Cohort of Black Patients with Multiple Myeloma at a Single Center — Semegne Hiruy (Wake Forest University School of Medicine—Salem, NC) and Manisha Bhutani, MD (Atrium Health Levine Cancer Institute—Charlotte, NC)
7. Real-World Characteristics, Treatment Patterns, and Safety Outcomes in Black Patients with Multiple Myeloma Treated with Teclistamab: A National Claims Database Study — Brittany Grossi (Howard University College of Medicine—Washington, DC) and Peter M. Voorhees, MD (Atrium Health Levine Cancer Institute—Charlotte, NC)
8. Social Determinants of Health Affecting Black versus White Patients Receiving Bispecifics for Treatment of Multiple Myeloma — Ferdinand Anokwuru (Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science—Los Angeles, CA) and Monique Hartley-Brown, MD MMSC (Jerome Lipper Multiple Myeloma Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute—Boston, MA)
9. Community Perspectives: Exploring Insights in Multiple Myeloma — Ingrid Adaeze Okonta, MS (University of Louisville School of Medicine—Louisville, KY) and Joselle Cook, MD (Mayo Clinic—Rochester, MN)
10. Survivorship Burden and Factors Affecting Choice of Treatment Among Multiple Myeloma (MM) Patients: Real-World Learnings and Disparities from a Prospective Study — Jayla Mondy (University of Mississippi Medical Center School of Medicine—Jackson, MS) and Sikander Ailwadhi, MD (Mayo Clinic—Jacksonville, FL)
11. Estimating the Racial Difference in Proportion of Myeloma Cases Attributable to Modifiable Risk Factors — Divya Rath (Howard University College of Medicine—Washington, DC) and Urvi Shah, MD (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center—New York, NY)
12. Outcomes of T-cell Redirecting Therapies for Multiple Myeloma by Race and Ethnicity — Yasmine Griffiths (Howard University College of Medicine—Washington, DC) and Saad Z. Usmani, MD, MBA, FACP (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center—New York, NY)

Participants are expected to complete the Post-Program Assessment by September 2024.
To know more, view the poster walk booklet. You may also read the full posters here.

Students and mentors also attended a networking reception which brought together members of the Student National Medical Association (SNMA), W. Montague Cobb /NMA Institute, and the NMA.

Some of this year’s IMF Medical Student Scholars shared their thoughts and takeaways from the 2024 NMA Annual Convention and Scientific Assembly:

“Participating in the Medical Student Scholars for Health Equity in Myeloma Program has been a privilege and a learning opportunity. Hearing the numbers about how black patients are affected disproportionately in different areas of medicine in a passing sentence during a lecture felt like the numbers were being minimized as if they were not real people. However, this program gave me a chance to do a deep dive into the impact multiple myeloma has in our community and be motivated to work towards learning and closing the disparities we face actively. I plan to carry the lessons I learned and the connections I made to a bigger platform, where we can make changes in the lives of our patients and community.” — Bethelehem Gebre (Washington State University Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine—Spokane, WA)

“I feel so honored to have been chosen for this program. Everyone involved was helpful and encouraging throughout the entire process. My mentor, Dr. Ben Derman, made the experience exciting and manageable; he did an amazing job not only teaching me about multiple myeloma, but also how to be a better researcher. Being surrounded by so many Black and Brown physicians at the NMA conference was so inspiring; speaking with them made me excited for the future of medicine. I never imagined I would be a part of such an important conference this early in my career, but I am grateful and excited to keep researching ways to improve the outcomes of minority patients throughout my medical journey!” — Tyra Grischke (Indiana University School of Medicine—Indiana, IN)

“My experience as an IMF Scholar has been nothing short of extraordinary, truly an 11/10 experience. While I had conducted research before, mostly in basic science and clinical research, I have never delved deeply into health disparities research until now. This journey has been incredibly enriching, largely due to my mentor, Dr. Joselle Cook, who pushed me to excel and instilled in me a profound passion for addressing health disparities and patient advocacy. This experience has strengthened my commitment to becoming a physician advocate and teaching health literacy to my future patients. Being an IMF scholar has reaffirmed my calling to become a physician leader and surgeon who pushes forward policy to advance health disparity research and patient care. I am deeply grateful to have gained lifelong mentors and a supportive community that will continue to guide me in my medical career. I am truly thankful to the International Myeloma Foundation and the W. Cobb Montague Institute for selecting me as a 2024 IMF Scholar.” — Ingrid Adaeze Okonta, MS (University of Louisville School of Medicine—Louisville, KY)

“The Medical Student Scholars for Health Equity in Myeloma program is a template for others to combine community engagement, health disparities research and research mentorship together to further the cause of health equity. The quality and depth of the disparities projects presented were simply outstanding. Furthermore, the camaraderie and synergy of the mentors and mentees together were beautiful to see. I am convinced that this program will help patients, students, mentors and the whole myeloma community,” remarked IMF Chief Medical Officer Dr. Joseph Mikhael who spearheads the IMF’s Medical Student Scholars for Health Equity in Myeloma and M-Power Project.

“Today, we celebrate not just the graduation of our scholars but a significant step towards a more equitable healthcare landscape. This program was born from the urgent need to address the disparities minority communities face in myeloma care. As these research posters demonstrate, African American patients face unique challenges in accessing and receiving care. Through their dedication and research, our IMF Medical Student Scholars will continue to bridge these gaps and pave the way for improved outcomes for all,” said IMF President & CEO and 28-year myeloma patient Yelak Biru.

The IMF is grateful to our program sponsor: Cobb/NMA Health Institute President & CEO Randall C. Morgan, Jr., MD, MBA.

The National Medical Association (NMA) is “the collective voice of African American physicians and the leading force for parity and justice in medicine and the elimination of disparities in health.”

The national professional and scientific organization represents the interests of more than 50,000 African American physicians and the patients they serve and is committed to improving the quality of health among minorities and disadvantaged people through its membership, professional development, community health education, advocacy, research, and partnerships with federal and private agencies. Visit the NMA’s website to find out more.

Launched in April 2023, the Medical Student Scholars for Health Equity in Myeloma mentoring program was created by the IMF, in partnership with the W. Montague Cobb/NMA Health Institute’s Cobb Scholars Program, as a novel mentorship initiative for African American medical students.

The IMF Medical Student Scholars for Health Equity in Myeloma mentoring program is made possible through financial support by Bristol Myers Squibb and Pfizer.

To learn more about the program, visit https://mpower.myeloma.org/medical-student-scholars-for-health-equity-in-myeloma-mentoring-program/

ABOUT THE M-POWER PROJECT
Partnering with cities across the U.S., the International Myeloma Foundation’s (IMF) M-Power Project aims to turn the core vision of the IMF Diversity Initiative into a reality: improving the short- and long-term outcomes of African American patients with multiple myeloma. By raising myeloma awareness and empowering healthcare professionals, community leaders, neighborhoods, and families, the M-Power Project aims to break down barriers for the African American myeloma community.

ABOUT MULTIPLE MYELOMA
Multiple myeloma is a cancer of the bone marrow plasma cells — white blood cells that make antibodies. A cancerous or malignant plasma cell is called a myeloma cell. Myeloma is called “multiple” because there are frequently multiple patches or areas in bone where it grows. It often involves damage to bone and kidneys. Multiple myeloma is still incurable, but great progress has been made in terms of survival over the last two decades. The disease is twice as common and is diagnosed at a younger age in African Americans than white Americans. The most common presenting symptoms include fatigue and bone pain.

ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL MYELOMA FOUNDATION
Founded in 1990, the International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) is the first and largest global foundation focusing specifically on multiple myeloma. The Foundation's reach extends to more than 525,000 members in 140 countries worldwide. The IMF is dedicated to improving the quality of life of myeloma patients while working toward prevention and a cure by focusing on four key areas: research, education, support, and advocacy. The IMF has conducted more than 250 educational seminars worldwide, maintains a world-renowned InfoLine, and in 2001, established the International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG), a collaborative research initiative focused on improving myeloma treatment options for patients. In 2012, the IMF launched the Black Swan Research Initiative^®, a groundbreaking research project aimed at curing myeloma. The IMF can be reached at (800) 452-CURE (2873). The global website is www.myeloma.org.

Follow the IMF on:
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Instagram: @imfmyeloma
Facebook: @myeloma
LinkedIn: International Myeloma Foundation

Media Contacts:

Peter Anton
Panton@myeloma.org

Jason London
Jlondon@myeloma.org