CONGRESS NEWS

Highlights in lymphoma

This article will summarize the key studies in the field of lymphoma presented at the 2018 annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH). The selected abstracts include updates in Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), follicular lymphoma (FL) and mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). We would like to thank Dr. Christophe Bonnet (CHU de Liège) for his help in selecting the most relevant lymphoma abstracts from the ASH program.

(BELG J HEMATOL 2019;10(1):41–8)

Highlights in myeloproliferative diseases

This article will summarize the key results presented at ASH 2018 in the field of essential thrombocytopenia, polycythemia vera, myelofibrosis and rare myeproliferative neoplasms. In addition to this several interesting abstracts in the field of chronic myeloid leukemia are addressed (a more complete overview of CML highlights is given in another article in this BJH special).

(BELG J HEMATOL 2019;10(1):49–56)

Highlights in red blood cell disorders

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is the most common monogenic autosomal-recessive disorder worldwide. In recent years, much progress has been achieved in the understanding of its physiopathology, which has allowed the development of new drugs and novel therapeutic approaches. As a chronic disease with acute exacerbations, the fields of research are broad and target the necessity of tackling multiple aspects, from curative gene modification to the treatment of acute and chronic pain. On top of these considerations, more than half of the patients with SCD live in countries with limited resources and exhibit a very high discrepancy in life-expectancy compared to Western countries. As an example, up to 3% of children born in Africa suffer from SCD (75% of children born with SCD worldwide) and the vast majority continues to die undiagnosed before the age of 5 years.¹ For all these reasons and because of the vast Afro-American population in the U.S. suffering from SCD, ASH made SCD a priority in 2018. As a result, many abstracts and sessions were dedicated to SCD this year and SCD will also be the main topic of this ASH summary on red blood cell disorders.

(BELG J HEMATOL 2019;10(1):57–60)

The 4th LYSA meeting

SUMMARY

The 4^th edition of the LYSA meeting was organised by Professor Steven Legouill’s team and held in Nantes from the 8^th to 10^th February, 2018. It was a real opportunity for the 500 participants to learn novelties on lymphoma and to be updated on ongoing clinical trials conducted by this cooperative group. All the presentations were outstanding and gave us new indications on how to better treat our patients in the near future.

(BELG J HEMATOL 2017;9(5):195–8)

Highlights of the WFH 2018 World Congress

SUMMARY

From the 20^th till the 24^th of May 2018, Glasgow formed the background for the annual meeting of the World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH), the largest international meeting for the bleeding disorders community. The therapeutic options for people with haemophilia (PWH) have rapidly evolved in the last five years. Moving on from conventional plasma-derived and recombinant clotting concentrates (CFC), there are now extended half-life CFCs as well as several novel haemostasis agents (e.g. emicizumab). In addition, gene transfer proved to be successful for both haemophilia A and B patients. It has been demonstrated that all these products provide better haemostasis and convenience than conventional CFCs. This summary will focus on new data presented with some of these novel therapeutic options during WFH 2018. For a complete overview of abstracts presented during the meeting we would like to refer to the official congress website (https://www.wfh.org/congress/en/home).

(BELG J HEMATOL 2017;9(5):199–201)

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: New stuff at EHA 2018?

(BELG J HEMATOL 2018;9(4):134–9)

Highlights in multiple myeloma

SUMMARY

In recent years, the treatment landscape of patients with relapsed refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) changed dramatically following a long list of positive phase III studies evaluating novel treatment combinations. During EHA 2018 several new positive studies were added to this list, further broadening the treatment armamentarium for RRMM. Following the successes in the RR setting, several of these novel agents are now also being explored in newly diagnosed MM (NDMM) patients. At EHA 2018, updated results were presented with the daratumumab-VMP combination in older NDMM patients. In addition, the role of VRD consolidation in NDMM was assessed and overall survival (OS) data of the GIMEMA-MMY-3006 study were presented. The key messages of these and other studies will be discussed in this summary.

(BELG J HEMATOL 2018;9(4):141–5)