ASH 2021
From 10th to 14th December 2021, the Acute Leukemia Advocates Network (ALAN) virtually attended 62nd ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition.
On Friday 10th December, ALAN Chair, Zack Pemberton-Whiteley and ALAN Network Manager Samantha Nier gave an update to ALAN Members and Supporters on the 2021 plans and on planned 2022 activities. The meeting was very well attended, based on a good exchange and we are very happy with what we have been able to accomplish so far and are looking forward to achieving more in 2022. We are happy to share the presentation – just let us know by email at samantha@acuteleuk.org.
Congress
Full program: https://www.hematology.org/meetings/annual-meeting/schedule-and-program
Posters submitted in the context of the HARMONY project in which ALAN is involved:
https://ash.confex.com/ash/2021/webprogram/Paper150766.html
https://ash.confex.com/ash/2021/webprogram/Paper149521.html
https://ash.confex.com/ash/2021/webprogram/Paper152215.html
Other sources:
https://aml-hub.com/medical-information/ash2021-abstracts-what-s-hot-in-aml
https://lymphoblastic-hub.com/medical-information/ash2021-abstracts-what-s-hot-in-all
For acute leukemia, see below a list of sessions we thought were interesting – if you would like to report on one of these, please let us know.
-Satellite symposiums
- Acute Myeloid Leukemia: Evidence-based guidance on current paradigms and new therapeutic approaches
- Seizing opportunity in AML: how to realize the potential of novel therapeutics in diverse patient populations
- The road to cures through immunotherapy and precision medicine
- Adopting MRD assessment for hematologic malignancies in real-world settings: technique, role and utilization to improve patient outcomes
- Asparaginase-based treatments in young and older adults with ALL: leveraging the pediatric experience
- What clinicians want to know: addressing current questions and controversies in the management of AML and MDS.
- Health Care Disparities in Blood and Marrow Transplantation: Issues and Potential Solutions
- Advances in CAR-T Cell Therapy Across Hematologic Malignancies: From Pipeline to Clinical Practice
- Unlocking the Benefits of CAR-T Therapy in Hematologic Malignancies: Latest Evidence and Practical Considerations for Delivering State-of-the-Art Care
–General sessions (Education / Scientific)
- The COVID Crash: Lessons Learned from a World on Pause
- Scientific Symposia on COVID-19 Vaccination in Immunocompromised Patients
- ALL: New Directions for Adult Patients
- AML: So Many Options, So Little Time
- It Takes a Village: Maximizing Supportive Care and Minimizing Toxicity During Childhood Leukemia Therapy
- ASH Clinical Practice Guidelines on AML in older adults
- How Important Are in-Person Clinic Visits during Maintenance Therapy for Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
- AML Hospitalizations: Racial Disparity in Outcomes of Patients with Comorbidities
- The ups and downs of therapy for children with Trisomy 21 and acute leukemia
- How Can We Ensure That Everyone Who Needs A Transplant Can Get One?
- Update in Graft vs Host Disease
-Other topics
- Challenges and potential solutions to accelerate research; Regulatory perspective on data sharing and RWD to generate RWE; Patients viewpoint on real world data sharing; Clinical viewpoints on real world data for research
- Novel Findings in CAR-T Cell Therapies for Hematologic Malignancies
- Approved, but should we use it ? are the new trial designs effective ?
- Pregnancy in Special Populations: Challenges and Solutions
- AI, Data Science, Computer Vision and the Hematology Laboratory of the Future
Some videos
During the 63rd ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition, Know AML and Know ALL spoke with physicians to share their views on the latest advances and what it means for patients.
Do patients enrolled in clinical trials really represent the AML population? with Mycal Casey, Augusta University, Augusta, US.
Casey begins by discussing underrepresentation of Hispanic and African American populations as well as women in clinical trials. He goes on to outline the impact of mortality on clinical trials that lead to drug approval and global disparities in trial populations. Finally, Casey makes 3 suggestions that could improve the applicability of data and representation in clinical trials.
Should COVID-19 vaccination be postponed after AML therapy? with Sabine Haggenburg, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, NL
Haggenburg begins by discussing COVID-19 risks to AML patients, and the responses to vaccinations that have been observed so far. However, she highlights that vaccination does not protect patients taking hypomethylating agents, such as azacitidine and decitabine.
How are advances in ALL genomics informing new treatment approaches? with Charles Mullighan, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, US.
Mullighan begins by highlighting the impact advances in genomics have had on ALL diagnosis and treatment, such as RNA sequencing. He goes into more detail about subtypes and the shortcomings of a gene panel approach for ALL. Mullighan discusses the benefits for patients, such as improved risk stratification, and optimization of novel and conventional therapies. Finally, he highlights the value in tracking clonal mutations and outlines the role of genomics in T-ALL.
Link to podast: https://play.acast.com/s/5ffc1fe6b303132625aa8d15/61c0f83da4677d0012a42de9
Why are novel TKIs needed for Philadelphia chromosome-positive ALL? What does this mean for patients? with Jorge Cortes, Augusta University, Augusta, US.
Cortes begins by explaining that despite a dramatic evolution in treatment, risks and outcomes for many patients can still improve. Cortes highlights hopes for better quality of life, higher cure rate, fewer toxicities, and reduced need for stem cell transplants. Finally, he discusses prospects for patients with Ph+ ALL.
Highlights
In collaboration with Leukaemia Care, we’ll be organising a series of webinars to reflect on ASH.
SAVE THE DATE !
-AML : 8th February 2022, 4.30 – 6 pm CET – Speaker: Steven Knapper (https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/people/view/126476-knapper-steven)
Registration link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_KTw6FtiJS462UXJjxa3VBA
-ALL/ CART: 8th of February 2022, 7.30 – 9 pm CET – Speaker: Tobias Menne
Registration link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_voADau9YRjaWQof0DN8D-Q
We hope to see you there !