Preface – ASH 2022

© Lebens.Med Zentrum Bad Erlach – Stefan Vogt, MD, Lebens.Med Zentrum Bad Erlach, Department of Oncological Rehabilitation, Austria

Dear Colleagues,

The 64^th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) took place as a hybrid event that hosted participants both online and on-site in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. Among the multitude of updates and new insights presented from December 10^th to 13^th, 2022, attendees had access to thousands of scientific abstracts highlighting cutting-edge research in hematology. Thus, this issue of memo inHaematology summarizes results obtained for targeted ­therapies in B-cell malignancies including chronic lymphocytic leukemia, mantle cell lymphoma, Waldenström’s macro­globulinemia, follicular lymphoma, and diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL), as well as acute myeloid leukemia.

The initial treatment in various types of hematologic malignancies is continuously evolving due to the introduction of new targeted agents, either as monotherapy or in combination with other agents, allowing for response-adapted adjustment of treatment intensity to minimize toxicity. While in the relapsed/refractory setting, the therapeutic options following chemoimmunotherapy and covalent BTK inhibitor therapy are often limited, new potential strategies such as non-covalent BTK inhibitors or checkpoint inhibition are on the horizon.

In CLL patients, the second-generation BTK inhibitor zanubrutinib and the combination of ibrutinib and venetoclax are gaining ground, as well as a triplet consisting of BTK- and Bcl-2-inhibition and CD20-targeted therapy. Another class of drugs showing synergistic effects with venetoclax is PI3K-δ/γ inhibitors which are also highlighted in this report. Potential advances are further described in the setting of DLBCL.

The need for novel, efficacious and well tolerated agents is especially high for advanced-stage follicular lymphoma. This report outlines data from promising bispecific antibody, oral PI3Kδ and BTK inhibitor regimens alone or in combination with other agents. Moreover, results for monotherapies and combinations in patients with mantle cell lymphoma are reported.

Last but not least, this issue looks closely at the efficacy and safety of new agents for the treatment of patients with acute myeloid leukemia whose standard therapy has long consisted of intensive chemotherapy followed by allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant.

Once again, the ASH meeting facilitated the exchange of scientific information and clinical results related to the field of hematology while assisting physicians and scientists in developing and maintaining academic collaborations to generate new knowledge, ultimately benefiting patients.

More posts