by Kavya Athipatla and Anushka Velala
On Wednesday (Sep 4th), Anushka and I had the pleasure of attending and presenting at the annual Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) conference in Houston! We had an amazing time, and here I will highlight our experiences throughout this journey!
In June, Anushka and I submitted abstracts on our respective projects (info below) to the SOHO conference. We both received letters of acceptance in July and soon created posters for presentation. We learned about our project’s specific disease and the patterns’ implications. This allowed us to have a better understanding of the hematology-oncology field and the steps needed for improvement. Our abstracts are posted in the journal Clinical Lymphoma, Myeloma, and Leukemia volume 24.
Our Projects
Anushka’s
Title: Outcomes of Patients with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Treated at a Safety-Net Hospital
Synopsis: We evaluated outcomes of 15 ALL patients at John Peter Smith Hospital. The survival data is promising considering the resource limitations and low insurance rate (13 patients were uninsured). To further improve outcomes, improved access to clinical trials and transplant services is needed.
Abstract publication link
Kavya’s
Title: Optimizing Outpatient Referral Pattern for Monoclonal Gammopathy at a Safety-Net Hospital
Synopsis: The current reference range for serum protein electrophoresis (SPEP) is narrow, creating a multitude of meaningless referrals to hematology-oncology. We found patterns in abnormal free light chains (FLC) for around 1,000 patients and compared with the revised definition of FLC presented by the IStopMM group.
Abstract publication link
Photo Slideshow
The poster hall was expansive, fitting hundreds of posters. 
We were able to listen to a few professionals’ speeches in the main auditorium, which was a remarkable and fun experience! 
Anushka presented with confidence and ease, drawing many people to her poster. 
The conference was organized very well, with even the doorways matching the SOHO colors. 
There were cute “Daily News” areas for us to pick up the newspapers and read all about the conference! 
The convention center was very professional with a friendly vibe! 
Carroll CARES 