Adult T-cell Leukemia / Lymphoma: First case report from Qatar

In what appears to be the first case of Adult T-cell Leukemia/Lymphoma [ATLL] reported in Qatar and Middle Eastern Arab countries, a 39-year-old lady presented first with pneumocystis carinii pneumonia and hypercalcaemia and later showed the full picture of ATLL, splenomegaly leukocytosis, skin rash, and bone marrow infiltrations. She responded well to chemotherapy, with complete remission after four cycles of combination chemotherapy but the prognosis of patients with ATLL is poor. Although patients may respond initially to treatment with combination chemotherapy regimens devised for advanced, aggressive Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma [NHL], relapses are common with a median survival of eight months and a four-year survival of 12 percent

Good pasture's syndrome: case report and discussion

A 39-year old lady, admitted with a 15-day history of generalized fatigability, 7-day history of progressive shortness of breath associated with intermittent coughing up streaks of blood. Examination revealed a healthy looking female, she was pale, and mildly distressed. Chest examination showed bilateral lower crackles. CBC showed microcytic hypo chromic anemia with high erythrocyte sedimentation rate [ESR] 105 mm/hr. The initial chest X-ray showed bilateral lower infiltrates sparing the costophrenic angles. Although her initial serum creatinine was normal, she developed mild renal impairment during her hospital course. Renal biopsy was consistent with anti-glomerular basement membrane antibody-mediated disease [Goodpasture syndrome]. The hospital course was complicated by severe hypoxia, intensive care unit admission and intubation. The patient received the treatment of choice for Good pasture's syndrome i.e. plsmapharesis combined with prednisolone and cyclophsphamide, with excellent response. She was discharged home with a clear chest X-ray and a normal serum creatinine