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We invite you to read issue 6, 2024 of the Belgian Journal of Hematology.
For REVIEW HEMATOLOGY, the editorial board has chosen “Systemic mastocytosis (SM): Overview of recent updates and novel therapies” by P. Sriskandarajah et al. (Department of Haematology, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London). SM is a rare, clinically heterogeneous haematological disorder with a serious impairment of quality of life and reduced overall survival in some patients. This review will give an overview of the diagnostic work-up as well as therapeutic management, including updates from recent clinical trials.
In PRACTICE GUIDELINES, we can again read “two very important papers” for daily clinical practice of haematologists in Belgium. The Multiple Myeloma committee of the Belgian Hematology Society (BHS) provides the first updated guideline. “Practical recommendations for the management of relapsed and refractory (R/R) multiple myeloma (MM) in 2024” by N. Kint et al. (Department of Haematology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent), which focus on novel combinations, T-cell redirection therapies, and novel modalities for R/R MM. The second guideline is a position statement offered by the Belgian Cytogenomic group for Hemato-Oncology. K. Rack et al. (Center for Human Genetics, Leuven University Hospital, Leuven) summarise “Current advances in cytogenomics – Implementation of Optical Genome Mapping into diagnostic workflows for haematological neoplasms”.
In HEMATOCASE, two interesting case reports were also selected. E. De Backer et al. (Department of Haematology, University Hospital Antwerp, Antwerp) present “Concurrent chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) and myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative neoplasm (MDS/MPN) with SF3B1 mutation and fulminant thrombocytosis”. Although co-existence of JAK2 V617F mutation and BCR::ABL1 fusion gene have been described, the concomitant diagnosis of CML and MDS/MPN overlap syndrome with SF3B1 mutation and thrombocytosis (MDS/MPN-SF3B1-T) has not been reported before. T. Van Weyenbergh et al. (Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Leuven, Leuven) discuss “Drug-induced agranulocytosis in mixed connective tissue disease”. They conclude the necessity of a thorough drug history in every agranulocytosis work-up while also considering infectious, malignant and autoimmune aetiologies.
In HEMATOTHESIS, H. Lismont (Department of Haematology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven) presents the results of her master thesis “Understanding hairy cell leukaemia after analysing the University Hospitals Leuven database retrospectively”. The good and long outcome after purine analogues as first-line and at relapse are confirmed. Neutropenic fever seems to be a frequent complication and the use of myeloid growth factors stays controversial. Awareness for second cancers is crucial identical to other indolent lymphomas.
Enjoy reading,
A. Janssens, MD, PhD
Editor-in-Chief
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