Chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) is a type of bone marrow cancer characterised by uncontrolled production of certain blood cells. It accounts for between 15 and 20% of leukaemia cases in adults. Thanks to recent research advances and the introduction of tyrosine kinase inhibitor-based treatments, the disease’s prognosis has improved considerably. Most CML patients are diagnosed during the chronic phase of the disease, and their current life expectancy is very similar to that of the general population.

AELEMIC, the Spanish Association of Patients with Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia, is a support network for CML patients, dedicated to improving their quality of life. On Saturday, 20 September, the association held its annual meeting at the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute. AELEMIC President Mari Carmen Cano explains that this conference ‘brought together patients, family members, healthcare professionals and researchers to share knowledge, answer questions and discuss advances that improve our quality of life.” She adds that ‘for AELEMIC, it was a great pleasure to hold this conference at the Josep Carreras Institute, an international reference in research into chronic myeloid leukaemia and haematological diseases. Research is the foundation on which we build hope, and having the involvement and support of the Josep Carreras Institute in this conference was a guarantee of rigour, innovation and commitment to patients.”

Dr Ari Melnick, Director of the Josep Carreras Institute, opened the day with a presentation on the Institute and its scientific project under his leadership, reminding everyone that it is the patients who inspire and give meaning to the institution. Dr Blanca Xicoy, head of the Myeloid neoplasms group at the Josep Carreras Institute and attending physician in the Clinical Haematology Department of the Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO) – Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, took part in presenting the latest updates in therapeutic approaches to CML. Together with Dr Marta Gómez, also a attending physician at ICO and Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, they reviewed the clinical and treatment aspects of CML, as well as current research lines. They also offered patients the opportunity to raise questions or concerns regarding the disease.

According to Dr Xicoy, these meetings are not only important for patients but also essential for haematologists: “They allow us to listen to and respond to the needs of patients and their families, which are often unnoticed during hospital visits. It is crucial for them to receive first-hand information from professionals who understand their disease, in a more relaxed environment where they are the focus. Furthermore, patients are the reason our research exists, and associations like AELEMIC help us to disseminate it.”

The event also covered other topics of great relevance to patients, such as the management of bone marrow donations in Spain, presented by Dr Alejandra Martínez, Deputy Director of REDMO, Josep Carreras Foundation; the role of nursing in patient quality of life; cardiovascular health; and nutrition. In addition, the programme included a roundtable discussion on patient empowerment and active participation in health-related decision-making.