CONGRESS NEWS

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)

Recent advances in the treatment of acute leukemia

SUMMARY

The treatment modalities in the field of acute leukemia have seen spectacular changes in recent years. The introduction of chimeric antigen receptor T-cells (CAR T-cells) and bispecific T-cell engagers (BiTEs) dramatically improved the outcome of heavily pretreated patients with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). For the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), immunotherapy is more difficult to design, but also in this setting progress has been made. This text will describe recent advances in the field of acute leukemia presented at the latest EHA meeting.

(BELG J HEMATOL 2018;9(4):148–51)

Highlights in aggressive lymphoma

SUMMARY

EHA 2018 featured several eagerly awaited presentations on Hodgkin lymphoma. This included subgroup data of the ECHELON-1 trial in patients with high-risk features and data of a PET-based treatment de-escalation study. In non-Hodgkin lymphoma, the RELEVANCE study assessed the chemotherapy-free lenalidomide-rituximab combination as 1^st line treatment for follicular lymphoma. In diffuse-large-B-cell lymphoma, updates were presented of the key studies evaluating CAR T-cell therapy and polatuzumab vedotin was found to improve the survival in relapsed/refractory patients.

(BELG J HEMATOL 2018;9(4):152–6)

Highlights in myelodysplastic syndromes and myeloproliferative neoplasms

SUMMARY

Novel therapeutic options for patients suffering from myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) have not managed to climb the stage in recent years. However, clinical trials with new agents were ongoing under the radar. During the 2018 annual EHA meeting, new results were presented that may be inspiring for new clinical trials leading to drug approvals and the expansion of our therapeutic arsenal in this difficult-to-treat patient population. In addition to MDS, this overview will also address the key data on myeloproliferative diseases presented at EHA 2018.

(BELG J HEMATOL 2018;9(4):157–60)

Highlights in the field of red blood cell disorders

SUMMARY

Red blood cell pathologies were highlighted during the congress. In particular, the Topics-in-Focus program put the spotlight on haemoglobinopathies. As in oncology, these heterogeneous (very) rare diseases also benefit from new tools for their diagnosis and from new or evolving therapies. Gene therapy is probably the most exciting one as it represents a curative approach.

(BELG J HEMATOL 2018;9(4):161–3)