A single-tube flow cytometric procedure for enhancing the diagnosis and prognostic classification of patients with myelodysplastic syndromes.

INTRODUCTION: We created a simple and effective flow cytometry scoring system (FCSS) for suspected Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) samples and evaluated its diagnostic and prognostic potential. METHODS: Besides evaluating the four parameters suggested by Ogata, we investigated erythroid precursors and mast cells. We evaluated the six-parameter FCSS in a four-color setting (test cohort: 51 patients; 25 controls), then we implemented it into an eight-color setting and tested it on a validation cohort of patients with MDS (n=31). RESULTS: When we compared MDS cases to non-MDS samples in the test cohort, we detected significant differences regarding not only the four major parameters but also two additional ones, namely CD71 rCV% of erythroid precursors (P=.004) and mast cell percentage (MC%) (P=.001). The utilization of the modified six-parameter FCSS provided high sensitivity and specificity both in the four color (84% and 80%, respectively) and in the eight color (81% and 100%, respectively) setting, with an excellent discriminative power between MDS and non-MDS samples. Furthermore, we found significant difference in event-free survival between the risk groups based on the modified six-parameter FCSS (P=.001). CONCLUSION: We evaluated and validated a single-tube flow cytometric procedure for a simple six-parameter FCSS which has not only high diagnostic but also prognostic power.

Combined prognostic value of absolute lymphocyte/monocyte ratio in peripheral blood and interim PET/CT results in Hodgkin lymphoma.

Decreased absolute lymphocyte/monocyte ratio (LMR) in peripheral blood has been reported as an unfavorable prognostic marker in Hodgkin lymphoma. We aimed to investigate whether combining LMR and interim PET/CT scan result (PET2) confers stronger prognostic value than PET2 alone. 121 HL patients were investigated. LMR was calculated from a blood sample taken at the time of diagnosis. PET2 was carried out after the second chemotherapy cycle. Survival was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method and significance was determined by log-rank test. Effect of variants on survival results was examined using univariate and multivariate analyses. Best LMR cut-off value was determined by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Best LMR cut-off value was 2.11 in the case of our patients (LMR > 2.11: favorable, LMR ≤ 2.11: unfavorable). Overall and progression-free survivals (OS/PFS) were significantly worse both in lower LMR (≤ 2.11) (OS: P = 0.041, PFS: P = 0.044) and PET2 positive groups (OS: P < 0.001, PFS: P < 0.001). In PET2 positive patient group (n = 32) the low LMR result meant a significantly worse OS (0.030) and PFS (0.001). Both LMR and PET2 proved to be independent prognostic factors on multivariate analysis, and strengthened each other's effect.

[Current data on familial occurrence of malignant hematologic diseases in the County of Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg in Hungary]. / Ujabb adatok a malignus haematologiai kórképek familiáris elöfordulásához Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg megyében.

So far the authors have observed 27 cases of accumulation of malignant haematologic diseases within a family in their county. They published the first ten cases in Orvosi Hetilap in 1992. Most often the co-existence of the diseases with the highest incidence (non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, acute leukaemia) was observed, in terms of relationship mostly the parent--child combination was observed. Analyzing the data of parent--child combinations (17 cases) they can notice two remarkable trends: 1. The "malignity degree" of the disease appearing in the second generation is either the same or greater than that of the disease of the first generation (the opposite of this was not experienced in any of the cases!). 2. The disease of the second generation appears mostly at a much younger age than that of the parent. Consequently, they can observe a "double acceleration": the disease tends to be more malignant nearly in the half of the second generation patients, and the disease appears in the children at a much younger age.

[Association between malignant hematologic diseases and cancer]. / Malignus haematologiai kórképek és carcinoma társulása.

Between January 1 1983 and December 31 1993, 56 cases of association between malignant haematologic diseases and cancers were registered by authors. In their 15 cases there was the first tumour the cancer, in 20 cases the haematologic malignancy, and simultaneous occurrences were found in 21 cases. With the exception of eleven patients the second malignancy was diagnosed (and as far as possible treated) in the life of patients. With the exception of three cases authors experienced the associations of one haematologic malignancy and one cancer. In their seven cases they suggest causal association between the treatment of the first disease and the development of the subsequent malignancy.

[Cases of familial leukemia-lymphoma in Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County]. / Familiáris leukaemia/lymphoma-esetek Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg megyében.

Nine cases of familial malignant haematologic diseases were found by authors. Demonstrating the clinical pictures and the developments of nine pairs of cases (Hodgkin's disease--non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease--chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma--acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, hairy cell leukaemia--acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, chronic lymphocytic leukaemia--acute myelogenous leukaemia, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma--chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, and three times chronic lymphocytic leukaemia--chronic lymphocytic leukaemia) authors want to give data about occurrences of familial leukaemia/lymphoma in their county.