Prague – Prague hosted an international scientific meeting and symposia on paediatric leukaemia attended by Professor Hansjörg Riehm who had gained worldwide recognition for his decisive efforts for the improvement of leukaemia therapy in the early 1970s.
Childhood leukaemia is the most common cancer in children and teens, accounting for almost 1 out of 3 cancers. While the survival rate was less than 10% in the 1960s, today almost 90 % of the children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia can be cured. The progress in the treatment of childhood leukaemia can be accredited, among others, to Hansjörg Riehm.
Professor Riehm has gained worldwide recognition for his decisive efforts in the improvement of leukaemia therapy. In the early 1970s, he developed a revolutionary treatment concept, based on a very intensive chemotherapeutic approach employing eight different drugs. Since that time, treatment intensification has become an essential part of the leukaemia treatment both in children and adults.
Professor Riehm also co-founded the International BFM Working Group I-BFM SG, the aim of which is to discuss in detail the progress in research, diagnostics and treatment of childhood leukaemia and lymphomas. The International BFM Annual Meeting took place in Prague from the 26th to 27th of April. The Meeting was also followed by the 9th Symposium on Paediatric Leukaemia, taking place from the 28th to 29th of April.
Professor Jan Starý, chief of the Department of Paediatric Haematology and Oncology of the University Hospital Motol, acted as the Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee. In his position, he replaced the famous Professor Josef Koutecký, founder of the branch of paediatric oncology in the Czech Republic.
The Annual I-BFM Meetings always have a unique atmosphere and stimulate scientific discussions on paediatric leukaemia and lymphomas as well as international cooperation extending beyond the limits of national borders and across continents. It has become one of the best forums in the world for collaborative clinical and scientific research in childhood leukaemia and lymphoma.
The I-BFM Study Group entrusted the organisation of the Conference to C-IN for the second time in a row. The last year’s Annual Meeting took place in Kiel in Germany.
“We have received very positive feedback not only on the Scientific Programme, but the whole Meeting in general. This success was due to commitment of all organisation parts,“ says Monika Fialová, senior project manager from C-IN, adding: „the 24th Annual Meeting hosted up to 470 delegates from 47 countries. This year we welcomed no less than 5 hundred participants.”
