Transformative insights and innovations from UChicago Medicine blood cancer experts at ASH 2024

The American Society for Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting is the world’s largest and most comprehensive hematology event, offering an invaluable educational experience. Each year, thousands of scientific abstracts highlight the latest updates in the hottest topics in hematology while providing numerous opportunities for physicians and scientists to form professional collaborations that generate new knowledge, ultimately benefiting patients.

The 66th ASH Annual Meeting brought together over 30,000 attendees, both virtually and in person in San Diego, California, December 7-10, 2024.

At ASH 2024, a record-breaking number of more than 7,950 abstracts were discussed. The meeting’s theme was the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in hematology, resonating with AI advancements in global healthcare. Blood cancer experts from UChicago Medicine, including faculty, trainees and affiliates, presented more than 30 abstracts during the meeting.

December 6 (Pre-meeting programs and highlights)

Before the official meeting, educational programs and training sessions were held highlighting groundbreaking advancements in blood cancers, including leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma and monoclonal gammopathy.

Sonali Smith, MD, Elwood V. Jensen Professor and Chief of Section of Hematology/Oncology at UChicago Medicine, chaired a Satellite Symposium titled “A Game the Changer for Follicular Lymphoma: Mastering Use of Precision Therapies as Part of a Chemo-free Treatment Paradigm.”  The session provided in-depth review of the latest advancements in relapsed/refractory follicular lymphoma management and featured interactive case-based challenges, patient survey insights, and expert panel discussions, delivering a comprehensive overview of treatment strategies and precision therapies.

ASH-a-Palooza is a premier event tailored for undergraduates, medical and graduate students, residents, and fellows, offered a variety of opportunities for trainees attending the ASH Annual Meeting.
The Blood Drop sessions at ASH-a-Palooza delivers concise, high-impact learning through engaging five- to 10-minute presentations. Sonali Smith, MD, presented in the “Malignant Hematology” Blood Drop session.

The Blood Buddies program provided trainees with invaluable 10-minute mentoring sessions with expert faculty members. Olatoyosi Odenike, MD, Professor of Medicine and Director of the Leukemia Program at UChicago Medicine, served as a panelist for a Blood Buddies session on “Adult Clinical Malignant Hematology.”

Justin Kline, MD, Professor of Medicine and Director of the Lymphoma Program at UChicago Medicine, presented in an interactive scientific workshop session focused on understanding the lymphoma microenvironment and its impact on CAR T-cell therapies. His data suggests that the genetic alterations in lymphoma cells shape the diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) immune microenvironment, and the targeted therapies may change “inflame” cold DLBCLs.

December 7 (Day 1)

Peter Riedell, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine at UChicago Medicine, presented interim results from an ongoing phase 2 clinical trial in an oral abstract session titled “Aggressive Lymphomas - Cellular Therapies - Novel Strategies for Cell Therapies in Aggressive Lymphomas.” The data highlights promising outcomes of rapcabtagene autoleucel, a next-generation CD19-directed CAR T-cell therapy, demonstrating durable responses and favorable survival outcomes in heavily pretreated relapsed/refractory DLBCL patients.

Jennifer Cooperrider, MD, Assistant Professor at UChicago Medicine presented findings from a phase 2 clinical trial on clonal evolution after treatment cessation in multiple myeloma (MM) patients. The study reports high prevalence of clonal hematopoiesis after induction therapy and autologous stem cell transplantation, but stable mutant clones after discontinuation of the maintenance therapy.

Caner Saygin, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine at UChicago Medicine, moderated a session on “Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemias: Biomarkers, Molecular Markers, and Minimal Residual Disease in Diagnosis and Prognosis: Genomic Determinants of Outcomes In ALL.” Anand Ashwin Patel, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Director of Inpatient Leukemia Service at UChicago Medicine, moderated another session titled “Acute Myeloid Leukemias: Clinical and Epidemiological: Treatments and Outcomes in AML in Specific Age Groups, and in Blastic Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cell Neoplasms.”

Trainees from Saygin’s lab, Habib El-Khoury, MD, Ethan Harris, MD, and Kathryn Shimamoto received ASH Abstract Achievement Awards.

Habib El-Khoury, MD, presented data highlighting the significant association between treatment-related clonal hematopoiesis and potential hematological and health complications in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients.

Ethan Harris, MD, presented a study that highlights the significant impact of TP53 mutations on prognosis, particularly in older patients, emphasizing the need for tailored treatment strategies for aggressive ALL.

Kathryn Shimamoto, BS, presented data suggesting menin and the MEF2C pathway as a potential therapeutic targets for T-ALL patients.

Benjamin Derman, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine at UChicago Medicine, presented a study that highlights the potential of clonotypic peptide mass spectrometry as a highly sensitive and predictive tool for guiding disease status and therapeutic decision-making in patients with multiple myeloma.

Anand Ashwin Patel, MD, presented a poster that highlights the promising efficacy of dasatinib and inotuzumab ozogamicin (InO) in newly diagnosed Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+) acute ALL patients. Leah Goldberg, MD, from Patel’s lab, presented data from a multicenter, retrospective study characterizing clinical features and treatment outcomes of isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) 1/2-mutated accelerated/blast-Phase myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), suggesting IDH inhibitors may offer a viable therapeutic option in IDH-mutated MPNs. 

Alexandra Rojek, MD, shared insights on PI3K-γ/δ inhibition with Duvelisib, enhancing CAR-T cell persistence and efficacy in relapsed/refractory DLBCL.

December 8 (Day 2)

Michael Bishop, MD, Professor of Medicine and Director of the Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Program at UChicago Medicine, led an education session on “How I treat: Adult Outpatient CAR T Therapy.”  

Samuel Yates, MD, Hematology/Oncology Fellow at UChicago Medicine, presented data from an ongoing clinical trial evaluating the impact of time from diagnosis to treatment (TDT) on outcomes in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients treated with hypomethylating agents (HMA) and venetoclax (VEN). The study suggests that AML patients treated with HMA and VEN benefit from a thorough biological evaluation before treatment initiation and TDT does not negatively impact treatment outcomes, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing detailed biological assessment over rushed therapy.

Andrew Palmer, BS, Abstract Achievement Award recipient from Patel’s lab, presented a study identifying the potential drivers of disparities on treatment outcomes in a Chicagoland cohort of patients with myelofibrosis, with focus on the disease characteristics and access to therapy such as allogenic transplant and JAK inhibitors.

Bei Wang, MS, 5th year graduate student in the Department of Public Health Sciences, presented a poster highlighting a machine learning approach using 5hmC signatures in circulating DNA as a non-invasive tool to guide treatment decisions.

December 9 (Day 3)

Michael Bishop, MD, shared insights on secondary malignancies and late neurological toxicities associated with CAR T-cell therapy in an education session titled “Adult CAR-T Outcomes - Beyond the Acronyms (OS, PFS, CRS, ICANS).” In a poster session, he presented data from a phase 1 study evaluating the efficacy and safety of a novel CAR-T therapy, Anitocabtagene autoleucel (Anito-cel) in heavily pre-treated relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) patients, highlighting Anito-cel as a promising next-generation CAR-T therapy for patients with high-risk RRMM.

Ben Derman, MD, presented a study highlighting improved care for RRMM patients using electronic patient-reported outcome (ePRO) systems that enhance symptom monitoring and management in real-world community settings.

Alexandra Rojek, MD, presented data on the effectiveness and safety of recently approved anti-CD19 CAR-T therapies in early relapsed/refractory large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL).
The 66th ASH Annual Meeting served as a platform for groundbreaking discoveries in blood cancers, highlighting UChicago Medicine’s leadership in advancing precision therapies, AI applications, and CAR-T innovations. The next ASH Annual Meeting & Exposition will take place December 6-9, 2025, in Orlando, FL, and virtually.