A total of 28,000 participants were present (counted), mainly specialist physicians, but also fundamental researchers and representatives of the pharmaceutical industry. Among the countless international experts a strong Austrian participation with numerous oral and poster presentations has been noted. Representatives of the Ludwig Boltzmann Cluster Oncology (LBC ONC) and the Medical University of Vienna (MUV) were also able to present their data during this important meeting, highlighting two register studies in the area of ​​myeloid neoplasms (chronic myelomonocytic leukemia, CMML and mastocytosis).

In the field of mastocytosis it is the world’s largest register ever established and presented – the coordinator of this study is Professor Wolfgang R. Sperr (MUV / LBC ONC).

Other important topics were the New WHO classification of the various hematological neoplasms, the introduction of immunotherapies into hemato-oncology, and the premalignant neoplastic phases of the bone marrow diseases, which can now be diagnosed via molecular biology methods. Overall, the rapid development and improvement of the therapies continues in the various hematological disorders, and in many cases, the therapies lead to a permanent cure. The detection and destruction of neoplastic stem cells plays a very important role and the LBC ONC continues to regard itself as a significant component and catalyst in this research area. Several contributions to this topic confirm this vision. In addition, the head of the LBC ONC, Professor Peter Valent, has held a highly regarded overview on this topic at the local Post-ASH Meeting (La Jolla, California).