Dear Colleague:

Welcome to Highlights of the 1^st Annual NCCN Hematologic Malignancies Congress, a new publication of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN). NCCN is pleased to provide you with this synopsis of the debut of a new educational program, which highlights the continued growth of the NCCN Regional Symposia program. The NCCN Regional Symposia provide opportunities for more than 1,700 participants nationwide to gain in-depth understanding of specific NCCN clinical practice guidelines. The Hematologic Malignancies Congress, held on September 8, 2006 in New York City, attracted more than 300 oncology medical professionals. Our objective for this report is to communicate the most pertinent and significant information on what is new in blood cancers, as presented by internationally recognized authorities in cancer treatment and therapeutic innovations.

Dr. McGivney

The growth and success of the NCCN Regional Symposia remain matched by the equally expansive breadth of our work and burgeoning influence of our other scientific products. The NCCN Annual Conference in March attracts more than 1,100 physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and other oncology medical professionals from around the country and around the world. The NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology™ continue to serve as the recognized standard for clinical policy in oncology in both the community and the academic practice settings. NCCN Guidelines were named as the centerpiece of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Quality in Cancer Care Demonstration Program for 2006. The NCCN Drugs & Biologics Compendium™, derived directly from the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines, contains authoritative, scientifically derived information designed to support decision-making about the appropriate use of drug and biologic therapy for patients with cancer. Our Treatment Guidelines for Patients, developed and distributed in partnership with the American Cancer Society, continue to provide patients and their family members with a better foundation for understanding treatment options.

The Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (JNCCN), preparing for its fifth successful year, has been ranked by readers as one of the top 10 oncology journals. The NCCN Oncology Outcomes Database and its ancillary products continue to expand while setting standards for quality, and the NCCN Oncology Research Program, which provides a range of services to facilitate the identification of sites and the initiation of industry-sponsored oncology clinical trials, is experiencing a period of growth. The Leukemia Resource Line and the Multiple Myeloma Resource Line help physicians integrate sophisticated advances in basic, translational, and clinical research into the day-to-day care of patients with these cancers.

Thanks to the interest and support of individuals and organizations, NCCN continues to grow rapidly in our efforts to improve cancer care. We encourage all the readers of this publication to participate in the NCCN Regional Symposia, Annual Conference, and other NCCN activities and programs. Please visit www.nccn.org for more information and to access the NCCN Guidelines, NCCN Compendium, and Treatment Guidelines for Patients. Please also contact us with any questions at 215-690-0300. Your interest and support are what help drive NCCN programmatic development in a collaborative effort to improve the effectiveness and quality of care available to the patients whom we serve.

Thank you, and I look forward to seeing you in Florida on March 14–18, 2007, for our 12^th NCCN Annual Conference.

Sincerely,

William T. McGivney, PhD
Chief Executive Officer
National Comprehensive Cancer Network

From Highlights of the 1^st Annual NCCN Hematologic Malignancies Congress, published as a supplement to The Oncology Report by Elsevier Oncology. © 2006 NCCN. All rights reserved.