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| Reports on Overseas' Conferences and Meetings |
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A Society Participation Report on
the 15th European Hematology Association Congress |
| Yasushi Miyazaki, Department of Hematology |
The 15th European Hematology Association Congress was held from June 10th to 13th in Barcelona, Spain. Many clinical and basic researchers in Hematology field came to this meeting from not only Europe but American and Asian countries.
In the area for treatment, some data of clinical trials for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), treatment for myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) were shown.
For CML, new molecular targeting drugs, that are called second generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors, were used for de novo CML as first-line treatment. Clinical trial data comparing new drugs, dasatinib and nilotinib, in randomized phase III trials were presented. Both were superior to imatinib, current standard drug for de novo CML, in their primary endpoints. Because of the short observation period, we still do not know if overall survival is better in the second-generation drugs. However, imatinib, the first line treatment for de novo CML, could be replaced by these drugs. Another tyrosine kinase inhibitor is also under clinical trial, and we will have wider choice for CML treatment.
For MDS, demethylating agent, 5-azacitidine (5-Aza), was shown to be superior to conventional care (supportive care, low dose and intensive chemotherapy) regimens in a randomized phase III trial. Before this agent was available, allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation was the only treatment that could prolong survival of MDS patients. Wider use of 5-Aza is expected. In Japan, 5-Aza was filed to PMDA (Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Agency) for the approval. We expect to use 5-Aza for MDS patients in Japan soon.
In meetings with American Society of Hematology (ASH) and European Hematology Association (EHA), as a member of Japanese Society of Hematology, we could further strengthen the cooperation among these groups. For example, ASH and EHA will nominate symposiasts for the International meeting in Nagasaki (by Japanese Society of Hematology).
It is clear that new treatments have been developing for myeloid malignancies that radiation induces. |
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