Experts from the National Medical Research Center for Hematology of the Russian Ministry of Health — hematologists V.V. Troitskaya, A.I. Kashlakova, and O.A. Aleshina — took part in the annual congress of the European Hematology Association (EHA2026 Congress), which was held from the 11th
to the 14th of June in Sweden.
For our delegation, this trip to the largest international forum was not just an observational visit, but a rich bilateral professional school. In addition to mastering advanced global trends, the Center's specialists actively engaged in dialogue with foreign colleagues, presenting their own developments and discussing complex clinical cases. This format of informal communication made it possible not only to strengthen international cooperation, but also to compare treatment approaches with leading European centers.
The focus of our delegation's scientific interest remained, as always, on acute leukemias — lymphoblastic and myeloid. Although chemotherapy retains its status as the main method, it was at the congress that the experts received first-hand, up-to-date information on the breakthrough capabilities of molecular genetic diagnostics. This knowledge opens up new prognostic horizons and mechanisms of disease development, directly leading to the creation of innovative drugs.
Particular interest was sparked by the sessions dedicated to two classes of targeted drugs — menin inhibitors (used in patients with KMT2A gene rearrangements and NPM1 gene mutations) and IDH1 enzyme inhibitors. Our doctors not only absorbed the nuances of using these drugs but also shared their own observations, actively participating in dialogue with the speakers.
A landmark event was the exchange of experience on CAR T-cell therapy. For the NMRC of Hematology, where the first Russian domestic CAR-T cell product “Utzhefra” (designed to treat patients with relapsed and refractory B-cell blood malignancies) was created, this section of the program was critically important. Discussing the latest international protocols with foreign developers allowed our experts to align their development vectors and enrich their own strategy for applying cellular technologies.
The outcome of the business trip was not merely familiarization with current global trends, but a full transfer of knowledge: our specialists brought back specific clinical insights, discussed joint research projects, and laid the groundwork for new professional connections. The exchange of experience between Russian and foreign experts over many years helps to introduce innovative approaches into the Center's daily practice, strengthening the position of Russian hematology on the world stage.
The EHA Congress is the largest international platform for practicing physicians, researchers, and specialists in the field of blood system diseases.
