The American Society of Hematology (ASH), the world’s largest professional society concerned with the causes and treatment of blood disorders, hosted more than 25,000 attendees from around the world to highlight groundbreaking scientific research and the latest advances in patient care at its 59th annual meeting this December at the Georgia World Congress Center.
The 2017 ASH Annual Meeting featured nearly 5,000 scientific abstract presentations in malignant and non-malignant blood diseases – from cutting-edge advances in gene therapy to practice-changing discoveries in immunotherapies.
“The ASH Annual Meeting has always been the premier event for serving a global community of hematologists and health professionals,†said ASH President Kenneth C. Anderson, MD, of the Lebow Institute for Myeloma Therapeutics and Jerome Lipper Myeloma Center at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.
News that came out of the ASH Annual Meeting included:
Late-Breaking Clinical Trials Signal New Therapeutic Options for Many Patients in the Near Term
In four clinical trials, researchers report promising results suggesting patients with blood disorders and several types of cancer will soon have significantly expanded options for treatment.
Targeted Therapies Show Promise for Improving Outcomes Across a Spectrum of Hematologic Malignancies
Four studies highlight the multiple ways in which novel targeted cancer therapies are now being deployed to improve outcomes and quality of life for patients with rare, advanced, or difficult-to-treat blood malignancies.
People Aged 75 Years and Older Are Underrepresented in Blood Cancer Clinical Trials
In the first comprehensive analysis of clinical trial enrollment among older adults with blood cancers, researchers from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found significant gaps in participation among those aged 75 and older when considered against the incidence of these malignancies in this age group.
CAR T-Cell Therapies Drive Outcomes in Lymphoma, Myeloma
Three studies spotlight the emerging role played by chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies in helping individuals mount a clinical response and, in some cases, achieve durable remission.
New Therapies Improve Outlook for Bleeding and Clotting Disorders
Researchers report remarkable benefits from new, more easily administered therapies for bleeding and clotting disorders.
