A diagnosis of chronic lymphocytic (LIM-foh-SIH-tik) leukemia (C-L-L) can be overwhelming, but advances in cancer research, including targeted therapies, have paved the way for more precise treatments. C-L-L is one of the most common blood cancers in adults, and because its progression varies from person to person, choosing a tailored treatment plan is crucial.
Today, we’re joined by Lynne who will share her personal journey with C-L-L, and Dr. Nakhle Saba [Knack-Leigh Sah-bah], director of lymphoid malignancy and CAR T-cell (Car-tee cell )therapy at Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Institute, who will provide insight into the latest treatment approaches and why informed decision-making is so essential for those facing this disease.
BIO’s
Dr. Saba
Dr. Saba earned his medical degree from the Lebanese University in Beirut 2005. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, TN and Tulane University in New Orleans, LA, and his fellowship in Hematology and Medical Oncology at Tulane University. After fellowship completion in 2011, Dr. Saba joined the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health (NIH) for an additional fellowship in lymphoid malignancies. His research at the NIH was focused on tumor biology and developing new therapeutic approaches for leukemia and lymphoma. He returned to Tulane in 2014 as Assistant Professor of Medicine, promoted to Associate Professor in 2018, then to Professor in 2024 following a successful career in research, teaching, and treating blood cancers. Dr. Saba’s research focuses on lymphoid malignancies and cell therapy, to identify therapeutic targets and novel drugs for these diseases.
Dr. Saba’s leadership skills are evident by the roles he played at Tulane as chair of the “immune effector cell therapy – IECT”, co-chair of Sarah-Cannon Lymphoma Committee, and President of Louisiana Oncology Society (LOS). Under his direction as president, the LOS passed four bills that were signed into law in Louisiana and are expected to positively impact cancer care in our state. Those bills include the Bone Marrow Donation, Fertility Preservation For Cancer Patients, Right To Prompt Coverage, and Expansion Of Biomarker Testing.
Dr. Saba authored and/or co-authored more than 120 published manuscripts and research abstracts, he presented at regional, national, and international meetings as a researcher and invited speaker. His articles appear in journals like Blood, Leukemia, Cancer Research, The Lancet Haematology, Haematologica, Science Advances, Bone Marrow Transplant and others. Click to access Dr. Saba’s Bibliography on PubMed or Dr. Saba’s Articles, Abstracts, and Citations
Dr. Saba was recruited at the Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Institute as Professor of Medicine at LSU Health Sciences Center, and Director of Lymphoma, CLL, and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T. He will be diligently working to expand the lymphoma and CLL research portfolio and bring cutting edge therapies to the region such as CAR-T, the next generation CARs, and be the first to bring the tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) for solid tumors to Louisiana.
About Lynne
I am a very active, “young” senior citizen whose priorities are my grown children and their partners, my 3-year-old grandson, 20-month-old granddaughter, and my longtime partner. I have a huge passion for all animals, and love doing Pilates, aerobics, Zumba Gold, and weight training. I became a pescetarian about 10 years ago. I was diagnosed with a very specific high-risk subtype of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) in April 2019, three weeks after the tragic passing of my third child, my 26-year-old daughter. I was so devastated by her death, and now facing an unknown diagnosis, I turned to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) for support. Fast-forwarding to now, I have been on the “Light The Night” Executive Leadership Committee for the Westchester/Fairfield LLS for four years, and my team “Lynne’s Hope” has raised almost $200,000 for the cause, for which I am extremely proud. I am blessed to be under the care of a world-renowned CLL specialist. I want cancer survivors to know there is hope for us to live a long life because of all the constant new medical treatments that are being discovered every day. I have been in treatment for two years for CLL and am doing great! My mantra is, “I will not let Leukemia define me; I will define it!”
