Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are capable of migrating and homing to brain tumors in vivo and therefore is a promising targeted-delivery vehicle in cancer gene therapy. MSCs are transfected or transducted with the therapeutic genes and achieve stable expression in vitro, then are delivered to the host to exert their therapeutic effects. The Ex Vivo gene transfer of MSCs has been studied in several types of tumors including gliomas, and results were postive. The safety of MSC-based gene delivery remains to be controversial. The interactions between MSCs and host tumor cells need to be investigated.

Lenalidomide is an oral immunomodulator with multiple functions including immune regulation, anti-tumor, and regulation of tumor microenvironment. Since the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved lenalidomide for the treatment of mantle cell lymphoma, recent studies have indicated that lenalidomide monotherapy or lenalidomide combinations in other types of lymphoma also has broad prospects. The treatment progress of lenalidomide in lymphoma will be summarized in this paper based on the new reports in the 57th American Society of Hematology (ASH) annual meeting.

With the recent success of the Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor, ibrutinib, and the phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor idelalisib in the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), a number of new agents targeting the B cell receptor (BCR) pathway are in clinical development. In the 57th American Society of Hematology (ASH) annual meeting, great interests are still focused on these two drugs, either monotherapy or combination in the treatment of CLL. On the other hand, SYK inhibitors, new BTK and PI3K antagonists are also coming to the forefront, casting a new light on the treatment of ibrutinib/idelalisb-resistant patients. The progresses of BCR pathway inhibitors in CLL will be summarized in this paper based on the reports in the 57th ASH annual meeting.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a kind of malignant B-cell chronic lymphoproliferative disorder with highly heterogeneous clinical courses. Due to the recent advances in immunology, cellular genetics and molecular biology, several prognostic markers based on genetic, phenotypic, and molecular biology characteristics of CLL cells have emerged in the past decade. This article reviews the reports from the 57th American Society of Hematology (ASH) annual meeting on the progress of the prognosis of CLL.

Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia (WM) is a malignant B-cell lymphoproliferative disorder, which still remains incurable. Reports on the latest research progress of WM were presented in the 58th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting, covering the theoretical and clinical researches of this disease. In basic research, mechanism of ibrutinib resistance has been further explored. The application of modern technologies, such as next-generation sequencing, has promoted the pathogenesis and prognosis of WM. In clinical research, retrospective analyses of traditional treatment provide new theoretical foundation in the choice of regimen, while clinical trials on new drugs including BGB-3111 and oprozomib may improve the therapy. The research advances in WM will be summarized in this paper.

Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is a highly curable malignancy for most patients. Frontline treatment is generally ABVD alone or combination with other chemotherapy regimens or radiation. However, the treatment of relapsed refractory HL (RR HL) remains a major challenge for clinicians. High dose chemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell transplantation is the preferred treatment for chemoresistant patients. In addition, the combination of brentuximab vedotin (BV) with programmed cell death receptor 1 monoclonal antibody nivolumab, BV combined with ICE (ifosfamide, carboplatin, etoposide), panobinotast in combination with ICE and many other new drugs are in clinical trials and research. The latest progress in treatment of HL is reported in depth in the 58th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a chronic B-cell lymphoproliferative clonal disease with a highly heterogeneous clinical course. In recent years, with the emerging of immunochemotherapy, bcl-2 inhibitor, B-cell receptor signal transduction kinase inhibitors and the chimeric antigen receptor-T cell (CAR-T), more and more improvements were made in CLL therapy and remission. This report addressed the progress of CLL therapy in the 57th American Society of Hematology annual meeting.

Early stage Hodgkin' s lymphoma (HL) is highly curable with abbreviated chemotherapy plus involved-filed radiotherapy or chemotherapy alone,but the role of radiation remains the subject of debate and disagreement.The management of recurrent or refractory HL remains challenging with limited effective treatments except high dose therapy with autologous stem cell transplantation.Emerging new safe and effective drugs such as brentuximab vedotin might promisingly improve the outcome of these patients in the future.The interim positron emission tomography (PET-i) scan has important prognostic value in patients with early and advanced stage HL,especially PET scan after 2 cycles.However,the PET-i guided treatment decisions are not currently recommended outside clinical trials.

Follicular lymphoma (FL) is a kind of indolent Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL),which stems from follicle germinal center.A lot of research reported the latest development about treatment of FL in the 56th American Society of Hematology (ASH) annual meeting.Effect of radiotherapy for patients at low stage was determined,while the outcomes of clinical trials in which monoclonal antibody (GA101) in combination with chemotherapy for the advanced stage FL were exciting.In rituximab era,relapsed/refractory FL patients who receive stem cell transplantation could acquire preferable remissions.Several novel drugs (inhibitor of BTK or PI3K) for relapsed/refractory FL played a role of guidepost with the progression of corresponding trials.