IACH Focus on Leukemia 2020 | Improving the management of rare leukemias
Naveen Pemmaraju, MD, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, discusses the management of rare cancers in 2020 and the importance of raising awareness. In 2020, the increase in telecommunications has greatly benefited rare leukemias, such as blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN). Patients have greater access to experts all over the world via social media and online communications. However, the real challenge in rare leukemias is finding the correct diagnosis. Many patients can be misdiagnosed or grouped with general leukemias. To improve the diagnosis of rare leukemias, there needs to be an increase in education and awareness, as well as updating guidelines and diagnostics. This interview took place during the 2020 Annual Meeting of the International Academy for Clinical Hematology (IACH).
