Hematology Frontier

The 50th European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) Annual Meeting was held in Glasgow, UK, from April 14th to 17th, 2024. The conference focused on the latest developments in stem cell transplantation and cell therapy, pushing forward better clinical outcomes for patients with hematologic diseases and blood cancers. At this meeting, Dr. Gao's team presented six research findings, covering innovative explorations and practices in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, as well as the combined application of CAR-T and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. They shared advanced concepts and research findings, contributing China's wisdom to the global stage and sharing innovative results with the world. This article includes a translation and compilation of two posters from Professor Tong Wu’s team for the enjoyment of our readers.

As spring blossoms and nature revives, the 15th Experimental Diagnostic Hematology Conference and the 1st Conference on Rare Blood Diseases, hosted by the Chinese Medical Association, were grandly held in the city of Gusu on March 23-24, 2024. The conference invited renowned experts and scholars from the field of hematology both domestically and internationally to deliver enlightening academic presentations and engage in thematic discussions. The aim was to foster academic exchange and cooperation in the fields of experimental diagnostic hematology and rare blood diseases, to share the latest research findings, discuss industry trends, and collectively promote the prosperity of hematology in China. At the conference, Professor Yujie Wu from Jiangsu Provincial People's Hospital (The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University) delivered an excellent presentation titled "Standardized Flow Cytometry Detection of CLL-MRD," which is specially compiled here for our readers' enjoyment.

Severe aplastic anemia (SAA) has a sudden onset, severe symptoms, and progresses rapidly. With deepening understanding and continuous breakthroughs in research, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) has been applied in this field, significantly improving clinical efficacy and prognosis for patients. At the recent 19th National Conference on Red Blood Cell Disorders (Anemia) held in China, Professor Shunqing Wang from The First People's Hospital of Guangzhou shared insights into the diagnosis and treatment challenges of SAA, advancements in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation therapy, and highlights from the conference.

Ocular lymphoma is the most common malignant tumor within the orbit in adults, and its pathological diagnosis and classification are complex, often leading to missed and misdiagnosed cases. Improving the diagnosis rate of ocular lymphoma to better protect patients' ocular and overall health is a significant challenge for ophthalmologists. On March 30, 2024, the inaugural academic forum of the Ocular Lymphoma Collaborative Group was successfully held in Beijing, hosted by the Beijing Tongren Hospital affiliated with Capital Medical University, the Chinese Association for the Promotion of Human Health Science and Technology, the Beijing Public Health Science Popularization Association, and the Beijing Chen Jumei Charity Foundation, and organized by the Cell Immunotherapy Committee of the Chinese Association for the Promotion of Human Health Science and Technology. Renowned experts and scholars from home and abroad actively exchanged and vigorously discussed the latest advances and hot issues in the diagnosis and treatment of ocular lymphoma. Professor Liang Wang, the group leader of the collaborative group from Beijing Tongren Hospital and chairman of the conference, was specially invited by the journal "Oncology Frontier - Hematology Frontier" for an interview to share the latest research developments and achievements in ocular lymphoma.

From March 2nd to 3rd, 2024, the "Seventh Beijing Thrombosis and Hemostasis Conference and the Fifth Beijing Hematology Oncology and Immunology Summit Forum" was successfully held in Beijing. The event was organized by the National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases - Peking University Institute of Hematology and the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Peking Union Medical College Hospital. Numerous domestic and international hematological experts shared the latest advancements in the treatment of coagulopathy and malignant hematologic diseases through keynote reports, paper exchanges, case displays, and panel discussions. During the conference, Oncology Frontier - Hematology Frontier had the privilege of interviewing Professor Hongyan Tong from the Hematology Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine. Professor Tong discussed the latest research developments, current challenges, and treatment strategies for Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS), which we summarize as follows.

Editor’s Note: Since 2008, the World Health Organization (WHO) has recognized t(6;9)(p22;q34)/DEK-NUP214 fusion gene-positive acute myeloid leukemia (AML) as a distinct subtype. This type of AML is characterized by a low incidence rate, high malignancy, a high risk of relapse after chemotherapy, and very poor prognosis. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation can significantly improve these poor outcomes, although the relapse rate after transplantation remains high. From April 14 to 17, 2024, the 50th European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) annual meeting took place in Glasgow, UK. At this conference, a study by Dr. He Hai from the team of Professor Ruijuan Sun at Hebei Yanda Lu Daopei Hospital in China was presented as a poster. The study revealed that strengthening the pre-treatment regimen in allo-HSCT for treating AML patients with t(6;9)/DEK-NUP214 could effectively reduce the post-transplant relapse rate. This journal has specially invited Dr. He Hai to share the research findings and their clinical significance with peers immediately.

The 50th Annual Meeting of the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) was held with great fanfare in Glasgow, UK, from April 14 to 17, 2024. The conference focused on the latest advancements in stem cell transplantation and cellular therapy, pushing forward better clinical outcomes for patients with blood diseases and hematological malignancies. At this year’s conference, a study by the team of Professor Ruijuan Sun from Hebei Yanda Lu Daopei Hospital in China was included for poster presentation. The study revealed that using CD7-CAR-T cell therapy as a bridge to stem cell transplantation showed similar efficacy and safety in treating pediatric acute T-cell lymphoblastic leukemia compared to those who received chemotherapy and then underwent transplantation. This publication has the privilege of inviting Professor Ruijuan Sun to share the research findings and their clinical implications with peers immediately.

From April 14 to 17, 2024, the 50th annual meeting of the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) was grandly held in Glasgow, UK. This year marks the 50th anniversary of EBMT, and the event brought together leaders in the field of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and over 6,000 hematology experts from around the world. Together, they reviewed the remarkable achievements in the field of blood and marrow transplantation over the past 50 years and explored future prospects for patient management. At the conference, our magazine's onsite reporters specially invited Professor Jun Ma, a leading figure in hematology from the Harbin Institute of Hematological Oncology, to recount the history of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and share his profound insights from attending the EBMT conferences for over four decades.

On March 30, 2024, the inaugural academic forum of the Ocular Lymphoma Collaboration Group was successfully held in Beijing, hosted by Peking University Health Science Center affiliated Beijing Tongren Hospital, the China Health Science and Technology Promotion Association, Beijing Public Health Science Popularization Association, and the Beijing Chen Jumei Public Welfare Foundation. The event, organized by the Cell Immunotherapy Professional Committee of the China Health Science and Technology Promotion Association, saw active exchanges and lively discussions among renowned domestic and international experts and scholars on the latest developments and hot topics in the diagnosis and treatment of ocular lymphoma. Professor Jianmin Ma, the head of the collaboration group and chairman of the conference from Peking University Health Science Center affiliated Beijing Tongren Hospital, was interviewed by "Oncology Frontier - Hematology Frontier" where he shared insights into the establishment of the Ocular Lymphoma Collaboration Group, research progress on ocular adnexal lymphoma, and treatment strategies.

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is a primary treatment for malignant blood diseases, with its numbers increasing annually. China is a region with moderate prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV), with approximately 5% to 6% of the population carrying hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), and an annual incidence rate of about 1%. Patients positive for HBsAg or with past HBV infection are at risk of HBV reactivation during immunosuppressive therapy, chemotherapy, or monoclonal antibody-targeted therapy, with a higher risk during allo-HSCT. However, there is currently a lack of standardized clinical consensus or guidelines for the prevention and treatment of HBV reactivation after allo-HSCT in China. To address this, the Hematopoietic Stem Cell Application Group of the Hematology Branch of the Chinese Medical Association formulated and released the "Chinese Expert Consensus on Prevention and Treatment of Hepatitis B Virus Reactivation after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (2023 Edition)." At the recently concluded 13th National Congress of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation of the Chinese Medical Association, Professor Yi Luo from the , as the principal expert of the consensus, provided an interpretation of the consensus, aiming to provide clinical guidance for hematologists, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation sub-specialists, and related physicians.