CONGRESS NEWS

BHS Patient Network Meeting

SUMMARY

On Saturday, May 25^th 2019, the Belgian Hematology Society (BHS) organised the first BHS patient network meeting in Brussels. Patients with lymphoma, chronic and acute leukaemia, myeloma, sickle cell disease and myeloproliferative neoplasms, their family members and friends were all welcome. The goal of this symposium was to discuss the role of patient organisations, summarise the latest advances in treatment of the different haematological malignancies and address the affordability of health care and the role of the government. Professor Rik Schots, head of the clinical haematology department at Brussels University Hospital, introduced the patients to haematology and the work of the BHS.

(BELG J HEMATOL 2019;10(6):255–7)

Highlights in myelodysplastic syndromes and myeloproliferative neoplasms

SUMMARY

At the EHA annual meeting of 2019, interesting new data with regard to myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) were presented. For patients with high-risk myelofibrosis (MF) who have failed or are intolerant to ruxolitinib (rux) as well as for patients with higher risk MDS, the prognosis is poor and treatment options are few. There is still a large unmet medical need for these patient groups and new therapies are eagerly awaited. The same holds true for patients with advanced systemic mastocytosis (AdvSM). For this patient group very promising data about a new inhibitor of KIT D816V were presented. In contrast, most chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients have a much brighter outlook with the currently available tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) treatments and some can even stop their TKI and have a durable treatment-free remission (TFR). A short update of the DASFREE and ENESTfreedom data will be discussed below. Some CML patients however do not reach their treatment goals and are waiting for new treatment options. Also data on pregnancy outcomes in CML patients were discussed.

(BELG J HEMATOL 2019;10(5):188–94)

Highlights in acute leukemia

(BELG J HEMATOL 2019;10(5):195–200)

Highlights in multiple myeloma

SUMMARY

Over the last few years, the treatment landscape for patients with multiple myeloma (MM) changed dramatically. Also the 2019 annual meeting of the European Hematology Association featured several interesting MM abstracts. In this article we will discuss 6 highlights from the meeting. For a more complete overview of MM news at EHA 2019 we would like to refer to the congress website (https://ehaweb.org/congress/previous-congresses/eha24/abstracts-online-2/).

(BELG J HEMATOL 2019;10(5):203–7)

Highlights in aggressive lymphoma

SUMMARY

EHA 2019 featured several eagerly awaited presentations on Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). This included 3-year follow-up data of the ECHELON-1 trial in patients with high-risk features and longer follow-up data of CheckMate 2015 evaluating nivolumab plus doxorubicin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine in newly diagnosed advanced HL. In a third interesting HL abstract it was shown that foregoing radiotherapy in PET-negative patients with early-stage HL increases the risk of disease progression. In non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), data were presented indicating that there is no benefit of rituximab maintenance beyond two years in patients with relapsed or refractory indolent NHL. In addition to this, interesting data were presented on the use of an obinutuzumab + DHAP combination in patients with untreated mantle cell lymphoma, with polatuzumab vedotin + obinutuzumab + lenalidomide in relapsed/refractory follicular lymphoma (FL) and with the anti-CD47 antibody Hu5F9-G4 in patients with refractory lymphoma.

(BELG J HEMATOL 2019;10(5):208–13)

Highlights in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia

SUMMARY

During the last years several phase III studies comparing targeted agents (alone or in combination) to conventional chemo immunotherapy (CIT) have been published in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) and small lymphocytic leukaemia (SLL). EHA 2019 featured several presentations on the most recent progress in this field. A selection of abstracts, as well as their impact on clinical practice, are discussed below.

(BELG J HEMATOL 2019;10(5):214–9)

Highlights in benign haematology

SUMMARY

In addition to the long list of abstracts dedicated to malignant haematology, EHA 2019 also featured several sessions dedicated to benign haematological abnormalities. Results from the Northstar clinical trial program highlighted the efficacy of LentiGlobin gene therapy in transfusion-dependant β-thalassaemia. The BELIEVE study showed that Luspatercept treatment was associated with increased HbF in patients with red blood cell (RBC) transfusion dependent (TD) β-thalassaemia in both responders and non-responders. With respect to paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria, ravulizumab (a novel C5 complement inhibitor) and ACH-4471 (an inhibitor of factorD, a highly specific serine protease that cleaves factor B) proved to be promising new drugs. Finally, long term inhibition of complement C1s with the humanized monoclonal antibody sutimlimab can be a new strategy in treating patients with cold agglutinin disease.

(BELG J HEMATOL 2019;10(5):220–3)