The 50th annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) is set to kickoff this Saturday, December 6, in San Francisco.

Each year, the ASH annual meeting is a showcase for critical research and issues related to multiple myeloma and other hematological conditions.  Results of important clinical trials are regularly announced at the meeting, as well as other valuable information on treatments under development.

This year’s four-day event is expected to attract more than 21,000 attendees.  The meeting agenda includes more than 500 oral presentations and nearly 2,500 poster summaries of recent research.

In honor of the meeting’s 50th anniversary, ASH also is hosting a “Pioneers in Hematology” seminar series, which will focus on the life’s work of several renowned hematology scientists.  In addition, video vignettes reviewing the contributions of other influential figures in the field will be featured throughout the meeting.

The ASH meeting will include many presentations and seminars focused on multiple myeloma.  The Myeloma Beacon will be covering the meeting closely, and Beacon readers can expect several news articles and NewsFlashes related to the meeting.  Some of the key myeloma-related seminars happening at the meeting are summarized below.

On Sunday, December 7, Prof. Raymond Powles of the UK will chair a session of the Scientific Committee on Plasma Cell Biology.  During the session, speakers will discuss the genetic origins of myeloma, molecular indicators of high-risk myeloma, and the influence of targeted therapy in redefining the disease.

Also on December 7, the special “Pioneers in Hematology” seminars will take place.  Each session will include a one-hour talk by a renowned hematology expert, followed by 30 minutes of questions from the audience.  The session “Pioneers in Hematologic Malignancies” will feature Dr. Robert Kyle, a leader in myeloma research with more than 1,850 scientific papers. Dr. Kyle is a professor at the Mayo Medical School and chairman of the International Myeloma Foundation’s scientific advisory board.

For a Meet-the-Experts session on Saturday, December 6, Dr. Jean-Luc Harousseau of the University of Nantes in France will lead an informal discussion with interested attendees on frontline therapy for multiple myeloma.

The Education Program, taking place on Saturday, December 6, and again on Sunday, December 7, will include a seminar titled “Plasma Cell Disorders.”  Speakers during the seminar will discuss a variety of myeloma-related topics, including: recent advances in the understanding of myeloma at the molecular level; induction regimens prior to autologous stem cell transplantation; and advances in laboratory diagnosis techniques and measurement of the response to myeloma therapy.

On Friday, December 5, before the start of the ASH meeting, the International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) will also host a special seminar titled “Multiple Myeloma: Finding Your Way Through the Treatment Maze - Selecting the Best Treatment in the Era of Novel Agents.” The seminar will focus on distinct patient case studies and how to select the best treatment option.

Further information about the ASH meeting, including registration forms, meeting abstracts, and symposia information, can be found at the ASH website.  Those interested in the “Pioneers in Hematology” and “Meet-the-Experts” sessions should be aware that they are only open to medical professionals; these sessions will be recorded, however, and the recordings will be available as webcasts and on DVD.