Editor’s note:
From June 13-17, 2023, the 17th International Conference on Malignant Lymphoma (ICML) was held in Lugano, Switzerland. As the largest international conference on malignant lymphoma, the event gathered top lymphoma experts and scholars from around the world to share the latest research outcomes in lymphoma basics, clinicals, translational medicine, and drug development, collectively promoting the global development of lymphoma diagnosis and treatment. Delightfully, Chinese scholars are increasingly shining on this top-tier international lymphoma academic stage. Oncology Frontier had the privilege of inviting two leaders in Chinese lymphoma, Dr. Jun Ma from Harbin Hematology and Oncology Research Institute and Dr. Jun Zhu from Peking University Cancer Hospital, to discuss their impressions and takeaways from attending ICML 2023 event.
01. Confidence, Cooperation, Progress — UCLI-ICML Joint Session Lays Foundation for Collaboration
Dr. Ma: The UCLI-ICML joint session has been held four times to date. Ten years ago, we, including Dr. Jun Zhu and Dr. Zhixiang Shen, collaborated with Conference Chairman Dr. Franco Cavalli to initiate the first academic exchange between Chinese and international lymphoma. So far, we have invited over 50 internationally renowned lymphoma experts for exchanges, and over 40 domestic experts and young scholars have hosted or given academic reports. With the rise of the younger generation of Chinese lymphoma scholars, we sent representatives like Dr. Yuqin Song, Dr. Junning Cao, Dr. Donglu Zhao, and Dr. Weiping Liu to this year’s UCLI-ICML joint session to engage in academic exchanges with European and American experts. The main content of this UCLI-ICML joint session includes standardized treatment of lymphoma, the latest advances in targeted treatment, immunotherapy, including the application of emerging CAR-T cell therapy. It promises to be a brilliant event. It’s the largest academic session so far, and we hope the conference will be a great success.
Dr. Zhu: At this conference, our Chinese Clinical Oncology Society Anti-Lymphoma Alliance (UCLI) was invited to cooperate with ICML again to hold the “UCLI-ICML Joint Session” which attracted significant attention. This “UCLI-ICML Joint Session” was co-chaired by Conference Chairman Dr. Franco Cavalli and Dr. Jun Ma from Harbin Hematology and Oncology Research Institute. Scholars from China shared their work on the construction of lymphoma databases in China, the development of new lymphoma drugs, especially the first-line treatment experience of domestically developed PD-1 drugs in high-risk and advanced classical Hodgkin’s lymphoma patients, significantly enhancing the influence of China’s lymphoma research internationally. Furthermore, we will engage in in-depth exchanges and discussions with ICML led by Dr. Franco Cavalli on areas such as extranodal NK/T cell lymphoma, aiming to further strengthen cooperation between Chinese and European lymphoma peers and lay the foundation for collaboration in lymphoma translational research and new drug development. In summary, this ICML conference represents another proud moment for Chinese lymphoma research after three years of the pandemic. On the other hand, we are full of confidence and will further promote exchanges and cooperation between China and ICML in the field of lymphoma, thus better promoting the development of lymphoma in China. Lastly, we wish this ICML conference a great success.
02. Accumulating Over Time — Significant Progress in China’s Lymphoma Research
Dr. Zhu: I’m honored to attend the International Lymphoma Conference — ICML offline for the first time in three years. The content of this year’s conference is rich, and our Chinese scholars’ participation is particularly high. As introduced by Conference Chairman Dr. Franco Cavalli during the opening ceremony, Chinese scholars’ submissions ranked second for this event, accounting for 17%. This indicates that our Chinese scholars have remained steadfast in their ideals over these three years, resulting in fruitful outcomes. On the other hand, it also demonstrates the significant progress achieved in China’s lymphoma research due to the collective efforts of peers over the past two decades.
03. China’s Lymphoma Disease Burden is Increasing
Dr. Zhu: At this ICML conference, Dr. Weiping Liu from Peking University Cancer Hospital reported that based on the latest epidemiological data from the China Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), recent years have seen a significant increase in the disease burden of lymphoma in China, which is related to factors such as China’s population growth and aging. Moreover, the proportion of elderly lymphoma patients in China is rising, indicating some characteristics of lymphoma in China that differ from Western countries. Looking ahead, as China’s aging population intensifies and the population age structure changes, the disease burden of lymphoma in China will continue to increase.
04. Strategy Before Action — Launching Closer Academic Exchanges and Collaboration between China and International Lymphoma
Dr. Ma: During this ICML conference, Dr. Zhu, Dr. Song, Dr. Zhao, Dr. Wang and I, representing the Chinese Lymphoma Alliance, will hold a “closed-door meeting” with the current ICML Chairman Dr. Franco Cavalli and the incoming Chairman Dr. Emmanuelle Zucca. This meeting is of profound significance: firstly, we hope to actively participate in international lymphoma research projects. Approximately 10-20 domestic clinical centers will join international lymphoma clinical research projects, which not only provides research data from Chinese patients but can also accelerate new drug approvals domestically, allowing Chinese lymphoma patients quicker access to new treatments. Secondly, we will establish an international lymphoma collaboration group consisting of China, Europe, the U.S., and Asia and organize academic conferences under its banner. Lastly, we will actively participate in some sub-groups under ICML, such as extranodal NK/T cell lymphoma, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, immunotherapy, CAR-T cell therapy, etc., to achieve closer cooperation between the Chinese Lymphoma Alliance and ICML, bringing advanced lymphoma diagnosis and treatment technologies and experience to China for the benefit of Chinese lymphoma patients. We look forward to the success of this meeting. I believe that borderless academic exchanges and learning will be a new starting point for innovation in China’s lymphoma, and in the near future, we will usher in another spring for China’s lymphoma cause!
TAG: ICML 2023, Interview, Voice of China, Hematological Malignancy, Lymphoma
