The meeting, featuring 20 top-level speakers, presented the latest protocols on ALL, active and proposed clinical trials, registry studies, and ongoing scientific work. The meeting was coordinated by Dr. Josep Maria Ribera, Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia group leader at the Josep Carreras Leukemia Research Institute and head of clinical hematology of the Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO) at the Germans Trias i Pujol Hospital in Badalona, ​​among other positions.

One of the fastest growing fields in clinical diagnosis is genetic analysis, especially that derived from new genomic methodologies such as Next Generation Sequencing (NGS), which allows a better genetic characterization of these patients and apply their results to diagnosis and the development of new treatment strategies. Thus, the workshop featured talks by Dr. Eulàlia Genescà and Dr. Jordi Ribera, both researchers from the Josep Carreras Institute, specialists in T-type lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL-T) and precursor B leukemia (ALL- B), respectively.

The symposium gathered 225 professionals online and allowed for a very active debate in most of the communications from the various researchers. The most important points included the update of the first-line treatment protocol for adult patients with ALL, with important contributions from the biological studies associated with it, and the implementation of a clinical guide for the study and treatment of patients who relapse. Also, the presentation of the current status of some of the active clinical trials in Spain.

According to Dr. Genescà, “in this workshop we have seen for the first time a boost in clinical trials. ALL, being a minority leukemia, has historically been disadvantaged in relation to the number of clinical trials and, therefore, in the possible therapeutic alternatives to offer these patients when their disease relapses."

Today, CAR-T technology trials are also available in adult patients with B-ALL and there is a leading trial underway on a specific NOTCH1 inhibitor, a key gene in the development of T-ALL, to patients with this disease. With these perspectives, Genescà has it very clear: "together with the incorporation of genomics in diagnosis, there is no doubt that these new advances will mark the evolution of these patients in the near future."

PETHEMA is a cooperative group of medical specialists and other health professionals of various kinds, who work in coordination for the development of treatment protocols, clinical trials and research of the highest scientific quality in Medicine in the field of Hematology (a specialty that focuses on the study of diseases of the blood, bone marrow and lymphatic organs).