Editor's Note: From July 5th to 7th, 2024, the Annual Progress Seminar in Clinical Oncology in China (BOC) and Best of ASCO® 2024 China (BOC/BOA) were grandly held in Guangzhou. In the wake of ASCO's profound impact, BOC/BOA gathered cutting-edge advancements from home and abroad, showcasing China's innovative capabilities. With a special focus on hematologic malignancies and oncology innovation, the event resonated with global progress. "Oncology Frontier - Hematology Frontier" interviewed one of CSCO's founders, Professor Jun Ma, Director of the Harbin Institute of Hematology and Oncology, to highlight the significance of BOC/BOA.Overview of Hematologic Malignancies Session: Reflecting on a Century of Development and Embracing a New Era in Anti-Cancer Efforts
Professor Jun Ma: The treatment of hematologic malignancies in China has a history spanning over a century. From foundational chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery to contemporary targeted therapies, precision treatments, monoclonal and bispecific antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), immune checkpoint inhibitors, CAR-T, and CAR-NK therapies, new drugs continuously emerge, significantly advancing the field of oncology.
The 2024 BOC/BOA hematologic malignancies session covered a wide range of common and high-risk hematologic malignancies, including TP53-mutant mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), relapsed/refractory follicular lymphoma (R/R FL), heavily pretreated Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL), acute myeloid leukemia (AML)/myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), high-risk multiple myeloma (MM), and relapsed/refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (R/R B-ALL). In terms of treatment strategies, the session delved into targeted drug combinations, bispecific antibodies, dual immune checkpoint inhibitors, cellular immunotherapies, and optimized treatment regimens, all of which hold significant clinical reference value and practical significance. Let us join hands to witness the development history of hematologic malignancies in China!
Keynote on Oncology Innovation Session: Showcasing Diverse Perspectives and Uniting the Anti-Cancer Front
Professor Jun Ma: Oncology treatment has entered a new era, driven by precision medicine, personalized treatment, the advent of big data in smart healthcare, and various other factors that have greatly enhanced the level of oncology diagnosis and treatment in China.
At the 2024 BOC/BOA oncology innovation session, a formidable academic lineup comprising top experts such as Academician Xu Binghe and Academician Zhang Zemin guided the direction of China’s oncology innovation and development. The experts clearly outlined the unmet needs in current oncology diagnosis and treatment and envisioned the future development of oncology in China from multiple dimensions, including tumor mechanisms, drug development, clinical research, smart healthcare, and comprehensive patient management.
The innovative development of oncology requires the combined efforts of the nation, society, enterprises, and hospitals. Clinical doctors will also work hand in hand with colleagues in biopharmaceuticals to witness the past, present, and future development of oncology innovation together!
Theme of BOC/BOA: Resonating with Global Progress and Innovating for the Future
Professor Jun Ma: As is well known, the 2024 BOC/BOA conference aims to introduce advanced experiences and evidence-based medicine from both domestic and international sources to our oncology and hematology practitioners. Held after ASCO and the European Hematology Association (EHA) conferences, this meeting selected over a hundred top articles and studies from around the world to present to domestic scholars. It also invited leading experts in related fields in China to provide commentary and interpretation, offering domestic scholars the most advanced international oncology treatment advancements and experiences, thereby promoting domestic anti-cancer efforts to align with global frontiers.
Only innovation can achieve a better future. The continuous emergence of innovative oncology drugs and methods is crucial to securing longer survival periods and higher cure rates for cancer patients. As doctors specializing in hematologic malignancies, our goal is to be patient-centered, prioritizing the lives of our patients. To achieve the “Healthy China 2030” goal of increasing the overall 5-year survival rate of cancer patients by 15% by 2030, we have a long way to go. We must work together—doctors and patients, medical professionals and pharmaceutical companies, and healthcare and government sectors—to tackle challenges as a unified front. By managing cancer like a chronic disease, we aim to extend patients’ lives, improve their quality of life, and achieve higher cure rates. These goals require our collective efforts and determination!
Professor Jun Ma
- Director of Harbin Institute of Hematologic Oncology
- Director of the Second Hematology Ward (Lymphatic System Diseases)
- Deputy Secretary-General of the Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO)
- Deputy Secretary-General of the CSCO Lymphoma Expert Committee
- Deputy Leader of the Lymphocyte Disease Society of the Hematology Branch of the Chinese Medical Association
- Member of the Oncology Expert Committee for Capacity Building and Continuing Education, National Health Commission
- Member of the Hematologic Oncology Professional Committee of the Chinese Anti-Cancer Association
- Member of the Tumor Hematology Professional Committee of the Chinese Anti-Cancer Association
- Member of the Youth Expert Committee of CSCO
- Youth Member of the Hematologic Oncology Professional Committee of the Chinese Anti-Cancer Association
- Member of the Malignant Lymphoma Group of the Hematology Branch of the Chinese Geriatrics Society
- Member of the Lymphoma Group of the Hematology Branch of the Chinese Medical Association
- Member of the Lymphoma Subcommittee of the Heilongjiang Medical Association
- Member of the Hematology Committee of the Heilongjiang Medical Association
- Standing Committee Member of the Lymphoma and Myeloma Committee of the Heilongjiang Medical Association
- Member of the Hematology Professional Committee of the Heilongjiang Medical Association
