The 59th Annual American Society of Hematology (#ASH17) meeting is quickly approaching, from December 8–12th, 2017. This year, it will be held in Atlanta, Georgia, at the Georgia World Congress Center. I am honored to again attend the meeting with the International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) as a support group leader and Nurse Leadership Board (NLB) nurse liaison. It is a wonderful opportunity to meet new people, connect with friends and colleagues, and learn the latest advances in multiple myeloma and the specialty of hematology.
There is always something new to learn at ASH, such as a better understanding of the disease process to new therapies and combinations to treat the disease. This year, my particular interest is in the area of Adoptive Cellular and Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell therapy (ACT/CAR-T). CAR-T was approved August 30, 2017 by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in pediatric patients with B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. By the time the annual ASH meeting will occur, FDA-approval for use in in B-Cell non-Hodgkin Lymphoma may already be in place. FDA-approval for the use of CAR-T cell therapy for multiple myeloma is anticipated in the next couple of years. This novel treatment approach along with new combinations of existing therapies continue to move us closer to a cure.
The horizon continues to be hopeful in the area of multiple myeloma. Attending the ASH annual meeting, hearing from the researchers and clinicians working in the field, is an opportunity to feel the energy that pulses through the multiple myeloma community. I am very thankful to share this experience with other SGLs and honored to have been invited by the IMF to participate in this educational program.
