On September 29, the International Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Foundation held a webinar focused on the care of patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Opening the event, leading researcher of the Oncology and Hematology Research Department of Almazov Centre, hematologist Elza Lomaia welcomed the participants and presented the modern vision of CML treatment and the changes in the latest recommendations for 2020. Dr. Lomaia paid special attention to the choice of treatment tactics in CML patients resistant to tyrosine kinase inhibitors as well as allo-HSCT for CML therapy and novel therapeutic approaches, including «Remission without therapy» with a deep molecular response.
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Head of Department of Chemotherapy and Bone Marrow Transplantation for Oncohematological Malignancies Yuri Osipov spoke about the latest strategies for prevention and management of COVID-19 patients. He presented the successful experience of management of COVID-19 patients with hematologic malignancies and after allo-BMT.
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Concluding the discussion, Leading Researcher of Scientific and Consultative Department of Chemotherapy for Myeloproliferative Disorders, National Research Centre for Hematology (Moscow) Ekaterina Chelysheva presented an algorithm for managing patients with CML and COVID-19 both in outpatient and inpatient settings. Particular attention was paid to the choice of treatment tactics for CML, discontinuation or continuation of therapy with tyrosine kinase inhibitors, depending on the severity of the coronavirus infection. A generalized experience of managing patients with COVID-19 and CML throughout Russia was presented (31 cases).
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The long-term programme of the International Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Foundation is aimed at spreading knowledge on the diagnosis and treatment of CML around the world, including increasing the experience of doctors in managing patients with this disease during the pandemic.
In her closing remarks, Elza Lomaia thanked Ekaterina Chelysheva and Yuri Osipov for their interesting presentations, as well as all the attendees of the webinar for their interest in this topic. She expressed particular gratitude to Chief Executive Nicola Evans, Communications Director of the iCMLf Stefanie Bockwinkel and Programme Coordinator Arlene Harris-Buchan for organizing the webinar and long-term fruitful cooperation.