The Hematology Podcast

Send us Fan Mail Lymphomas represent the most common group of haematological malignancies, encompassing a broad spectrum of biologically and clinically distinct entities. Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), follicular lymphoma (FL), and mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) together account for the majority of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas encountered in clinical practice. The therapeutic landscape across...

Send us Fan Mail Immune thrombocytopenia , the ITP is increasingly recognized as a complex immune‑mediated disease rather than just a disorder of low platelets. This episode, explores new developments in ITP, focusing on the complex immune disorder as the underlying mechanism of ITP and how immunological mechanisms translate into the diverse clinical manifestations seen in clinical practice. Exper...

Send us Fan Mail Gaucher disease is a rare lysosomal storage disorder that presents with varying prevalence and management approaches across Nordic countries. Despite geographical proximity, these countries show notable differences in disease presentation, diagnostic approaches, and patient care pathways. This episode explores these unique challenges and opportunities while identifying potential a...

Send us Fan Mail Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is a crucial part of the treatment of many hematological malignancies. One important effect is alteration of the immune system. To overcome this, vaccinations after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation are a vital part of post-transplant care. The timing, and effectiveness of vaccines in this setting remain complex, as immune reconstituti...

Send us Fan Mail The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into routine clinical practice is poised to revolutionize the diagnosis and treatment of hematologic diseases. AI-based models are already capable of automatically identifying cell populations including malignant cells, and facilitating early disease detection and prognosis. However, the efficacy of these tools depends on their corre...

Send us Fan Mail Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by a low platelet count, which can lead to increased bleeding and bruising. In this episode, we will discuss the pathophysiology, clinical implications, and advancements in ITP. Our guest today, Professor Waleed Ghanima, is a renowned hematologist at Østfold Hospital and the University of Oslo in Norway. Prof. G...

Send us Fan Mail A new genomic definition of high-risk multiple myeloma (HR-MM) has been recently proposed by IMS/IMWG. The associated peer-reviewed publication is planned to be released in Spring 2025. Expert guest in this episode is Professor Monique Minnema, haematologist at the University Hospital in Utrecht in The Netherlands. She is an international expert with focus on diagnosis and treatme...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Hematology Podcast, we will delve into the complex world of thrombotic microangiopathy, or TMA. This condition encompasses a group of disorders characterized by small blood clots forming in the smallest blood vessels, leading to various complications. Diagnosing TMA can be particularly challenging due to its overlapping symptoms with other conditions and the...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we dive into the fascinating world of liquid biopsy-derived DNA as a revolutionary tool for comprehensive mutation profiling in multiple myeloma. This innovative approach offers a non-invasive way to analyse genetic alterations, potentially transforming how we diagnose and monitor this complex hematological cancer. Join us as we explore the promises and challenges...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we focus on Thalassemia major, a severe form of the disease. In a previous episode, we discussed Thalassemia minor and intermedia with Professor Dr. Bart Biemond from Amsterdam UMC. Now, we will delve deeper into the challenges and treatments associated with Thalassemia major. Prof. Biemond is still with us to share his expertise. Professor Bart Biemond is a hemat...

Send us Fan Mail Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a hematopoietic stem cell-derived myeloid malignancy characterized by manifold genetic aberrations and poor overall survival. Standard treatment for newly diagnosed fit AML patients is intensive chemotherapy. Relapse is, however, a challenge in more than 40% of AML patients. AML is also a disease with a large degree of individual heterogeneity, whic...

Send us Fan Mail Smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM) is an intermediate condition that lies between Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) and active multiple myeloma along the spectrum of clonal plasma cell proliferative disorders. Smoldering multiple myeloma may take years to become active multiple myeloma. In some cases, people who have this condition never develop active multi...

Send us Fan Mail Thalassemia is a hereditary blood disorder, in which the synthesis of hemoglobin chains is impaired.  Consequently, people with thalassemia minor may have slight to severe anemia which usually does not cause any problems. Thalassemia major in contrast is a severe disorder with need of transfusion and complications with iron overload. In this episode we will mainly discuss thalasse...

Send us Fan Mail Today we will discuss a rare, inherited metabolic disorder known as ASMD, acid sphingomyelinase deficiency (or historically known as Niemann-Pick types A, A/B, and B). This genetic condition is very rare. It can be diagnosed, after suspicion, by different screening test. But symptoms may vary greatly, and has overlap with several other disorders, and the road to an accurate diagno...

Send us Fan Mail Monoclonal gammopathy of renal significance (MGRS) is a hemato-nephrological term referring to a heterogeneous group of kidney disorders characterized by direct or indirect kidney injury caused by a monoclonal immunoglobulin (MIg) produced by a B cell or plasma cell clone that does not meet current hematologic criteria for therapy. MGRS-associated kidney diseases are diverse and c...

Send us Fan Mail Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a hereditary blood disorder, where red blood cells have the shape of a C or sickle - hence the name. Sickle cells have a shorter lifespan than normal red blood cells, which causes anemia. Additionally, sickle cells may block blood vessels, especially during infections, dehydration, stress or fatigue, causing complications for the patients.   Our guest...

Send us Fan Mail Extramedullary disease (EMD) represents an aggressive form of multiple myeloma, characterized by the ability of myeloma cells to form tumors outside the bone marrow independently.  Scientific research is continuously evolving, leading to discoveries of new treatments and improvements to current options. However, EMD in myeloma remains challenging from a therapeutic and biological...

Send us Fan Mail Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance, called MGUS, is a blood condition which indicates occurrence of clonal cells that secrete monoclonal immunoglobulins. MGUS as such, is not a harmful disease, and usually doesn’t require treatment. However, every year 1 percent of MGUS patients go on to develop myeloma or lymphoma.  In this episode we have the pleasure of having t...

Send us Fan Mail Waldenström Macroglobulinemia is a rare type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma affecting B-cells. Waldenström Macroglobulinemia is characterised by high levels of circulating antibodies, immunoglobulin M, which is made and secreted by the cells involved in the disease. It is usually an indolent disease with no or limited symptoms. Therefore, patients with Waldenström Macroglobulinemia are o...

Send us Fan Mail Mental health includes our emotional, psychological and social well-being. A physical illness can have a severe impact on mental health. As health care professionals we often focus primarily on treatment and how to handle side effects and complications. The mental aspect of a disease is taking the back seat. How is mental health affected by a cancer diagnosis and treatment. And wh...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we will discuss rare, inherited metabolic disorders in general, as well diseases such as Gaucher and other diseases. These genetic conditions are very rare. They can be diagnosed, after suspicion, by different screening test. But symptoms may vary greatly within these disorders and the road to an accurate diagnosis can therefore be challenging. Guest in this episod...

Send us Fan Mail Hemoglobinopathies have previously been rare in the Nordic population but with increasing migration we now meet many patients with different types of thalassemias and hemoglobin variants. It is important to recognize these conditions and diagnosis can sometimes be challenging. In this episode  we will meet an expert in hemoglobin disorders who will discuss classification and diagn...

Send us Fan Mail Minimal residual disease (MRD) can today be evaluated in individual patient after treatment using various methods with high sensitivity. MRD indicates remaining malignant cells that could be a source of relapse of the disease. Could MRD also be used as an efficient endpoint in the design of new clinical studies?  With help from Professor Ola Landgren, we will look into the crystal...

Send us Fan Mail Detection of Minimal Residual Disease (MRD) is  becoming more important in different fields of hematology including Multiple Myeloma. Over the past decades we’ve been able to improve the sensitivity of detecting minimal levels of MRD through innovations in molecular biology. But should MRD always be treated?  Will it give a better outcome for the patient? And do the benefits outwe...

Send us Fan Mail One drop of blood, two sheets of glass, 40x objective. Hematological diagnostics demands a keen eye and sound reasoning. At the same time, artificial intelligence is entering the field in a big way. We ask: are the days of Giemsa coloring past us? What will machines be able to do for us, and is there a new role for humans in hematological diagnostics?​  Host for the podcast is the...