CONGRESS HIGHLIGHTS

How I treat in 2024: Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia and Acute Myeloid Leukaemia

Over the last decades, major advances in the molecular profiling of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) led to a deeper understanding of its pathophysiology and revealed potential therapeutic opportunities. As a result, the classification of AML subtypes has evolved from a morphological to a molecular and genetic basis. After years of stagnation, we recently witnessed a rapid expansion of the therapeutic armamentarium in this disease. Therefore, Professor Sébastien Anguille from Antwerp University Hospital gave an overview of the recent advances in this setting. On the other side, in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), about half of the adult patients who do not achieve a complete molecular response or who subsequently relapse cannot be cured with the current chemotherapy and targeted agents. In recent years, different immune-based therapies emerged, including monoclonal antibodies, bispecific antibodies, CAR-T cell therapy and antibody drug conjugates. These new treatment options were discussed by Professor Nicolas Boissel from the Saint-Louis Hospital in Paris, France.

Artificial intelligence: When algorithms meet medicine

In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) has woven itself into our daily lives for many applications. In order to get a better view on how AI enters medicine, Dr. Jan Moritz Middeke (University Hospital Dresden, Germany) and Prof. Gilles Louppe (University of Liège, Belgium) gave an overview on practical applications, promising results and potential pitfalls of the use of AI in daily clinical practice.

Pierre Stryckmans Lecture – Hodgkin Lymphoma

The 2024 annual Pierre Stryckmans Lecture at BHS-GAM was presented by Prof. Dr. Peter Borchmann (German Hodgkin Study Group, University Hospital Cologne, Germany). The lecture, entitled ‘Hodgkin lymphoma’, offered an insightful overview of the disease immunological landscape and factors influencing treatment decision-making. Subsequently, Prof. Dr. Peter Borchmann guided us through a historical journey from early trials to recent studies and advancements, targeting both the early and late stages of the disease.

Addressing burnout and well-being in haematology

Burnout significantly affects the mental and physical health of physicians worldwide, a burden accentuated after the COVID-19 pandemic. During the second Special Lecture, Dr. Fay J. Hlubocky (University of Chicago Medicine, USA) discussed the current situation and the measures that can be taken to prevent or treat this syndrome in our daily haematology and oncology clinical practice.

VEXAS Syndrome: Current knowledge and management strategies

Described for the first time in 2020, VEXAS, an adult-onset ‘haemato-inflammatory syndrome’, is still largely unexplored. At the 2024 General Annual Meeting of the Belgian Hematology Society, Dr. Jérome Hadjadj (Hôpital Saint-Antoine, Paris, France) discussed the current understanding of this disease, covering its clinical manifestations, prognosis and potential treatments based on the knowledge available to date.

Advances in Laboratory Technology

For the “Advances in Laboratory Technology” session, the BHS invited two excellent scientists to discuss novel laboratory techniques that are ready – or almost ready – to enter routine haematological clinical practice. First, Prof. Tiziana Lazzarotto (University Hospital of Bologna, Sant’Orsola – Microbiology unit, Italy) walked us through the new methods for cytomegalovirus diagnosis in haematopoietic stem cell transplantation recipients, particularly in light of the new antiviral therapies. Subsequently, Prof. Jonathan Edgeworth (The Centre for Clinical Infection & Diagnostics Research, United Kingdom) discussed the new applications, challenges and clinical usefulness of the novel Nanopore technique in the diagnosis of infectious diseases in haematological patients.

Highlights in indolent lymphomas and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia

SUMMARY

Several abstracts highlighted the efficacy of bispecific antibodies (BITEs) in the treatment of follicular lymphoma (FL), with interesting preliminary results in first line of treatment, both as monotherapy and combined with other agents. In the relapse/refractory (R/R) setting, robust and durable efficacy was shown for CAR-T particularly in the 3-year follow-up update of the ELARA trial. In first line CLL, an MRD-driven approach seems feasible and beneficial according to the results of the FLAIR trial. The update of the GLOW and the GAIA trials disclosed important information to identify the ideal molecular subgroup for each treatment combination. Finally, in the R/R setting, encouraging data from the use of non-covalent BTK inhibitor (ncBTKi) pirtobrutinib and CAR-T product lisocabtagene maraleucel (liso-cel) even in the poor prognosis group of patients exposed to both a covalent BTKi (cBTKi) and a BCL2 inhibitor (BCL2i).

(BELG J HEMATOL 2024;15(1):18–21)