What is the ASH Conference?

The American Society of Hematology (ASH) holds a yearly conference in December to allow researchers and doctors in the blood cancer community an opportunity to share their research related to the newest developments in treatments, technologies, and more for blood cancers like CLL. 

This year, the conference will be held from December 9th-12th in San Diego, California. We look forward to meeting with CLL specialists to cover the latest and greatest insights about CLL and its care options. Following the event, expect to see HealthTree News articles and HealthTree University videos sharing what we learned at ASH from CLL specialists. 

We have found that patients who educate themselves about the facets of their disease are able to be better advocates for themselves and receive improved care and quality of life. Stay tuned for upcoming ASH content to learn about the latest in CLL research. 

Parts of the Conference 

The conference features a variety of sessions, including:

• Research presentations: Here, doctors and researchers unveil their latest findings in CLL treatment and management. These presentations are often the culmination of extensive research and clinical trials. Research findings are presented in the following formats: 
  • Oral presentations: Researchers share their studies and data through formal speeches, often accompanied by visual aids like slideshows
  • Poster sessions: Researchers display their findings on posters, offering a more interactive format where attendees can engage directly with the presenters to discuss the research in depth
• Educational sessions: These sessions aim to update medical professionals on the current best practices and new approaches in the treatment of CLL
• Networking events: These events provide a platform for CLL specialists to connect, discuss, and potentially collaborate on future projects

Can Patients Come to ASH? 

While the ASH conference is mainly for medical professionals, CLL patients can also attend if they register. However, it's important to note that the technical nature of the presentations might be challenging for non-medical professionals to understand well. 

Distribution of Research

Much of the discussed research from the conference is available on ASH’s website. To help make this information easy to understand for patients, HealthTree will be writing about topics discussed at the conference and sharing it with the HealthTree community in the form of HealthTree News articles and HealthTree University videos. Stay tuned for upcoming ASH content. 

Conclusion

The American Society of Hematology's annual conference is a significant event for the blood cancer community, including those involved in CLL research. This conference facilitates the sharing of groundbreaking research and developments in CLL. While primarily aimed at medical professionals, CLL patients are also welcome to attend once registered, though the technical nature of the presentations may be difficult to understand for non-specialists. HealthTree will help communicate important insights from the conference to the CLL patient community to ensure they have the best opportunity to educate themselves about the latest in CLL research.