ABSTRACT
Pyogranulomatous rhinitis associated with an algal infection was diagnosed in a 25-year-old gelding and a 23-year-old mare had necrotizing sinusitis with intralesional algae and pigmented fungi. Algae were identified immunohistochemically in both cases as Prototheca spp. In the gelding, further characterization by polymerase chain reaction and sequencing revealed that the organism was Prototheca zopfii genotype 2. Fungi from the mare were identified as Pithomyces chartarum by molecular analysis. Prototheca species are achlorophyllous algae and P. chartarum represents a dematiaceous fungus; they are saprophytes and facultative pathogens. Prototheca spp. and P. chartarum should be considered as rare respiratory pathogens of horses.
Subject(s)
Horse Diseases/microbiology , Rhinitis/microbiology , Rhinitis/veterinary , Sinusitis/microbiology , Sinusitis/veterinary , Animals , Female , Horses , Infections/microbiology , Male , Mycoses/microbiology , Mycoses/veterinary , ProtothecaABSTRACT
Determining accurate in vivo dosimetry in brachytherapy treatment with high dose gradients is challenging. Here we introduce, investigate, and characterize a novel in vivo dosimeter and readout technique with the potential to address this problem. A cylindrical (4 mm × 20 mm) tissue equivalent radiochromic dosimeter PRESAGE® in vivo (PRESAGE®-IV) is investigated. Two readout methods of the radiation induced change in optical density (OD) were investigated: (i) volume-averaged readout by spectrophotometer, and (ii) a line profile readout by 2D projection imaging utilizing a high-resolution (50 micron) telecentric optical system. Method (i) is considered the gold standard when applied to PRESAGE® in optical cuvettes. The feasibility of both methods was evaluated by comparison to standard measurements on PRESAGE® in optical cuvettes via spectrophotometer. An end-to-end feasibility study was performed by a side-by-side comparison with TLDs in an (192)Ir HDR delivery. 7 and 8 Gy was delivered to PRESAGE®-IV and TLDs attached to the surface of a vaginal cylinder. Known geometry enabled direct comparison of measured dose with a commissioned treatment planning system. A high-resolution readout study under a steep dose gradient region showed 98.9% (5%/1 mm) agreement between PRESAGE®-IV and Gafchromic® EBT2 Film. Spectrometer measurements exhibited a linear dose response between 0-15 Gy with sensitivity of 0.0133 ± 0.0007 ΔOD/(Gy â cm) at the 95% confidence interval. Method (ii) yielded a linear response with sensitivity of 0.0132 ± 0.0006 (ΔOD/Gy), within 2% of method (i). Method (i) has poor spatial resolution due to volume averaging. Method (ii) has higher resolution (â¼1 mm) without loss of sensitivity or increased noise. Both readout methods are shown to be feasible. The end-to-end comparison revealed a 2.5% agreement between PRESAGE®-IV and treatment plan in regions of uniform high dose. PRESAGE®-IV shows promise for in vivo dose verification, although improved sensitivity would be desirable. Advantages include high-resolution, convenience and fast, low-cost readout.
Subject(s)
Brachytherapy , Radiometry/methods , Feasibility Studies , Humans , Iridium Radioisotopes/therapeutic use , Tomography, X-Ray ComputedABSTRACT
AIM: Primary resistant acute myeloid leukemia has a very poor prognosis. We assessed pretreatment parameters for their significance as prognostic factors in the overall survival (OS) of 53 acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients who had failed to achieve complete remission (CR) after first-line standard-dose remission-induction therapy. RESULTS: During the period January 2005-December 2009, 53 with acute myeloid leukemia received two cycles of the 3+7 protocol as a first-line standard-dose remission-induction therapy (ARA-C, days 1-7 and daunorubicin, days 1-3). The HiDAC (5 patients), MiDAC (7 patients), and FLAG-IDA protocols (3 patients) were given as salvage therapy. None of these patients achieved CR. There were 27 (51%) males and 26 (49%) females (median age, 55 years, range 28-76). The median white blood cell count was 53 (range 0.9 -350)×10(9)/L, platelets 44 (range 3-856×10(9)/l) and bone marrow blasts 67%. HCT-IC comorbidity scores were 3 in two (3.8%) patients, 2 in 11 (20.8%), 1 in 12 (22.6%) and 0 in 16 (30.2%) patients. Median OS was 3.9 months (range 1 -20 months). The hepatomegaly, white blood cell count, ECOG PS, serum level of lactate dehydrogenase, dysplastic changes, coexpression of CD64, CD15, CD11b, comorbidities and disease cytogenetics influenced survival. CONCLUSION: This single-center study evaluated the significance of pretreatment factors, and found that patient age, comorbidities, ECOG performance status, leukocytosis, hepatomegaly, LDH, and the disease cytogenetics were factors which influenced the outcomes of primary resistant patients with acute myeloid leukemia. An understanding of these factors may help to predict OS in cases where CR has not been achieved and may help when making further treatment decisions.
Subject(s)
Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/therapeutic use , Biomarkers, Tumor/analysis , Drug Resistance, Neoplasm , Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/drug therapy , Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/mortality , Adult , Aged , Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/administration & dosage , Biomarkers, Tumor/biosynthesis , Blood Cell Count , Bone Marrow Cells/metabolism , Bone Marrow Cells/pathology , Comorbidity , Cytarabine/administration & dosage , Cytarabine/therapeutic use , Daunorubicin/administration & dosage , Daunorubicin/therapeutic use , Drug Administration Schedule , Etoposide/administration & dosage , Etoposide/therapeutic use , Female , Hemoglobins/analysis , Humans , Immunophenotyping , Kaplan-Meier Estimate , Karyotyping , Kidney Function Tests , Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/blood , Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/genetics , Liver Function Tests , Logistic Models , Male , Middle Aged , Prognosis , Remission Induction , Risk Factors , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
Primary cutaneous non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is a heterogeneous group of lymphoproliferative disorders characterized by indolent course, virtually exclusive skin involvement and the absence of systemic disease. We present two brothers, whose mother died of gastric diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, in whom in a period of 4 years primary cutaneous large B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma of the skin of the head was diagnosed. They were treated with immunochemotherapy according to R-CHOP protocol (rituximab and adriblastine, cyclophosphamide, oncovine and prednisone) achieving a complete remission. The possible etiological mechanism of this familial lymphoma occurrence is discussed.
Subject(s)
Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/therapeutic use , Family Health , Head and Neck Neoplasms/drug therapy , Lymphoma, Primary Cutaneous Anaplastic Large Cell/drug therapy , Scalp , Skin Neoplasms/drug therapy , Adult , Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived/therapeutic use , Cyclophosphamide/therapeutic use , Doxorubicin/therapeutic use , Humans , Male , Prednisone/therapeutic use , Remission Induction , Rituximab , Serbia , Siblings , Vincristine/therapeutic useABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: A 26-yr-old male patient with mixed phenotype acute leukemia of T/myeloid type with prominent leukemic cell heterogeneity, and the presence of a so far unreported karyotype aberration in this type of acute leukemia 45,XY, dic(11;17)(11qterâ11p11.2::17p11.2â17qter) is presented. METHODS: Flow immunocytometry was performed by direct multicolor immunofluorescent technique on bone marrow aspirates. Cytogenetic analyses were performed using G-banding method by direct preparation of unstimulated bone marrow cells and following 24 hours of culture in RPMI 1540 culture medium with 25% fetal calf serum at 37°C RESULTS: The flow immunocytometry of bone marrow nucleated cells revealed the existance of three distinct blast cell populations with overlapping immunophenotypes. Predominant blast cell population had an early myeloid phenotype and aberrant expression of CD7 antigen (HLA-DR(+), CD34(+), anti-MPO(+), CD117(+), CD33(+), CD13(+), CD7(+low), cyCD3(-), TdT(-)). The other two blast cell populations, smaller in cell diameter and less sizable in cell proportion, both shared the T-lymphoid features. The patient was treated with ADE protocol (etoposide, cytarabine and doxorubicine). A complete remission was achieved and lasted 5 months. CONCLUSION: A case of MPAL with complex biological features, 45,XY, dic(11;17)(11qterâ11p11.2::17p11.2â17qter) karyotype and an aggressive, therapy-resistant clinical course, is presented.
Subject(s)
Abnormal Karyotype , Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/genetics , Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma/genetics , Adult , Bone Marrow Cells/pathology , Bone Marrow Cells/ultrastructure , Humans , Immunophenotyping/methods , Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/pathology , Male , Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma/pathologyABSTRACT
Central nervous system (CNS) involvement in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is rare and tends to be seen mostly following treatment with all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA), due to prolonged patient survival and poor penetration of the drug in the CNS. At least 10% of extramedullary relapses in APL involve the CNS, and associated factors include an increased age, the BCR isoform, the development of differentiation syndrome, a high white cell count at presentation and hemorrhage into the CNS during induction therapy. We present the case of a patient with high-risk APL, CD56+, CD2+ in whom a CNS relapse was diagnosed through the presence of a PML/RARα rearrangement on PCR of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
Subject(s)
Central Nervous System Neoplasms/diagnosis , Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute/diagnosis , Oncogene Proteins, Fusion/cerebrospinal fluid , Adult , Antineoplastic Agents/therapeutic use , CD56 Antigen/genetics , CD56 Antigen/metabolism , Central Nervous System Neoplasms/cerebrospinal fluid , Central Nervous System Neoplasms/drug therapy , Fatal Outcome , Humans , Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute/cerebrospinal fluid , Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute/drug therapy , Male , Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/cerebrospinal fluid , Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/drug therapy , Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/pathology , Oncogene Proteins, Fusion/genetics , Polymerase Chain Reaction , Tretinoin , fms-Like Tyrosine Kinase 3/genetics , fms-Like Tyrosine Kinase 3/metabolismABSTRACT
Treatment options are limited in patients with chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) which has been unresponsive to corticosteroids and/or splenectomy. Mycophenolate mophetil (MMF) is effective in many autoimmune disorders including severe and refractory ITP through its targeting of T-cell and B-cell lymphocytes. We report on the efficacy of MMF (1.5-2 g/day) in 16 adults with severe steroid-resistant ITP. MMF was administered for at least 12 weeks (median 37 weeks, range 14-64 weeks). Patients comprised of 10 females and six males, with median pre-treatment platelet counts of 8 × 10(9)/L, median age of 55 years, median ITP duration of 58 months and a median of four prior treatments (range 3-8); nine had been previously splenectomized. Eleven patients (69%) responded after 12 weeks of MMF: 6 (55%) achieving complete remission (CR) and five (45%) achieved partial remission (PR). MMF therapeutic responses were better in those patients who had had fewer prior treatments (p<0.05), and were independent of patient age, sex, disease duration, and splenectomy status (p>0.05). Five of the 11 responders (45%; 3CR/2PR) had sustained remissions; however, six responders (55%; 3CR/3PR) relapsed after median of 14 weeks (range 9-20). Three of the six relapsing patients responded to MMF reinstitution achieving stabile PRs; three were left untreated as none had further bleeding and their platelets remained at "safe" levels (median 30 × 10(9)/L). The MMF treatment was well tolerated; one heavily pretreated patient developed a bronchopneumonia and a second had an episode of diarrhea. MMF used as a second-line agent can produce a sustained response in severe ITP which has been unresponsive to steroid and/or splenectomy without major toxicity.
Subject(s)
Immunosuppressive Agents/therapeutic use , Mycophenolic Acid/analogs & derivatives , Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic/drug therapy , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Anti-Inflammatory Agents/therapeutic use , Chronic Disease , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Mycophenolic Acid/therapeutic use , Prednisone/therapeutic use , Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic/surgery , Splenectomy , Treatment Outcome , Young AdultABSTRACT
The conflicting data are reported on the clinical significance of VEGF deregulation and intensity of angiogenesis in multiple myeloma. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence and prognostic significance of VEGF expression and microvessel density (MVD) in multiple myeloma, as well as the relationship of their expression with selected clinical data, histological features, and proliferative activity of myeloma cells. We analyzed bone marrow biopsy specimens obtained from 59 patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. Expression of VEGF and MVD was analyzed using standard immunohistochemical method (antibodies against VEGF and CD34, respectively) on B5-fixed and routinely processed paraffin-embedded bone marrow specimens. MVD was estimated by counting the number of microvessels in three "hot spots" at 400x magnification. VEGF immunoreactivity was estimated on the basis of intensity and percentage of positive plasma cells. VEGF was expressed in 47/59 (79.7%) specimens. There was no significant correlation between VEGF overexpression and age, clinical stage, the extent of osteolytic lesions, type of monoclonal protein, hemoglobin concentration, platelet count, serum concentration of creatinine, calcium, and albumins, the extent of bone marrow infiltration, histological grade, and proliferative activity index (measured with Ki-67 immunoreactivity). No significant difference was observed regarding the overall survival between VEGF-positive and VEGF-negative patients (29 vs. 34 months, P = 0.8). Median MVD was 15, ranging from 1 to 89 microvessels per three "hot spots". There was significant correlation between MVD and histological grade, the extent of bone marrow infiltration, and proliferative activity. Significant difference was observed regarding the overall survival between patients with low MVD (<15) and patients with high MVD (> or = 15) (46 vs. 22 months, P = 0.009; univariate analysis). The results of this study did not reveal clinical significance of VEGF overexpression in multiple myeloma. On the contrary, the extent of bone marrow angiogenesis is an indicator of biological potency of malignant clone and a predictor of poor survival in newly diagnosed myeloma.
Subject(s)
Bone Marrow/blood supply , Bone Marrow/pathology , Multiple Myeloma/pathology , Neovascularization, Pathologic/pathology , Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/biosynthesis , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Female , Hemoglobins/analysis , Humans , Immunohistochemistry , Kaplan-Meier Estimate , Ki-67 Antigen/metabolism , Male , Middle Aged , Multiple Myeloma/mortality , PrognosisABSTRACT
Triple A (four A; Allgrove syndrome) syndrome is a an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by alacrimia, achalasia, adrenocortical insufficiency, and various neurological abnormalities. We report a case of triple A syndrome in a 14-year-old female patient together with oral manifestations. The importance of this case report is to highlight the necessity of referring the young patients with xerostomia from dental to medical specialists.
Subject(s)
Xerostomia , Adolescent , Adrenal Insufficiency/complications , Esophageal Achalasia/complications , Female , Humans , Lacrimal Apparatus Diseases/complications , Syndrome , Tongue/pathology , Xerostomia/diagnosis , Xerostomia/etiology , Xerostomia/geneticsABSTRACT
T-cell-rich B-cell lymphoma (TCRBCL) is a recently recognized and ill-defined form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), with no generally accepted diagnostic criteria and with limited information regarding its incidence, cellular origin, morphologic spectrum and biologic behavior. The recent findings suggest that TCRBCL could be a biologically distinct disease characterized by male preponderance, advanced-stage disease initially and high incidence of extranodal localization, especially in the bone marrow. For the time being, proper diagnosis rests on the immunohistochemical identification of the scattered large malignant B-cells amid a sea of small reactive T-lymphocytes. In this study, the clinicopathologic features of 8 patients (pts) with TCRBCL are presented. The male to female ratio was 5/3, and the median age was 52 years (32-67). The disease was advanced in most patients: 5 pts with stage IV and 2 pts with stage III. The patients presented with generalized lymphadenopathy (5), splenomegaly and/or hepatomegaly (4) and bone marrow involvement (4). The diagnosis of TCRBCL was initially established in 6 pts, while the remaining 2 pts were initially diagnosed as having Hodgkin's disease (of mixed cellularity in 1 pt and lymphocytic predominance in another). Revision of the 2 samples comprising immunohistochemistry enabled diagnosis of TCRBCL. Immunohistomorphologically the present series can be differentiated from other types of lymphoma such as lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin's disease and peripheral T-cell lymphoma.
Subject(s)
Lymphoma, B-Cell/pathology , Lymphoma, B-Cell/physiopathology , T-Lymphocytes/pathology , Adult , Aged , Female , Humans , Immunohistochemistry , Male , Middle AgedABSTRACT
Patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) show other chromosome aberrations in addition to t(15;17) but their influence on the clinical outcome is still unclear. We have cytogeneticaly analyzed 43 APL patients with t(15;17)(q22;q21), treated with all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) according to the recommendations of the European APL 91 Group. Additional chromosome aberrations were observed in 14/43 patients (33%) studied at initial diagnosis. These patients were designed as 'complex' karyotype group and were compared to patients with t(15;17) asa sole cytogenetic abnormality ('simple' karyotype group). The 'complex' group had significantly lower platelet count and fibrinogen level and fewer cases without significant DIC at diagnosis than the 'simple' group. Comparison of 'simple' and 'complex' groups showed significant difference in complete remission rate (76% vs 35.7%, P = 0.0148) and early death rate (24% vs 64.3%, P = 0.0141). Survival analysis showed that the presence of additional chromosome abnormalities and significant DIC had an adverse effects on prognosis (P = 0.036 and P = 0.041, respectively), independent on other prognostic factors. These data indicate more aggressive biological nature of leukemic cells in patients with additional chromosome aberrations. Supplementary therapeutic strategies may be required for this subgroup of APL patients.
Subject(s)
Chromosomes, Human, Pair 15/genetics , Chromosomes, Human, Pair 17/genetics , Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute/drug therapy , Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute/genetics , Translocation, Genetic , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Antineoplastic Agents/therapeutic use , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Karyotyping , Male , Middle Aged , Prognosis , Survival Analysis , Tretinoin/therapeutic useABSTRACT
The authors present three patients, one female and two males, with special forms of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, the so called T-cell rich B-cell lymphoma (TCRBCL). This is a relatively new entity which has not yet been described in our literature. The first diagnosis in our female patient was Hodgkin's disease. However, the revision of old and new lymph node samples and use of immunohistochemical analysis helped the establishing of diagnosis--TCRBCL. In the other two patients the diagnosis of TCRBCL was established on the basis of immunohistochemical analysis of the lymph node which indicated the dominating T-lymphocytes, positive to pan-T antigen (CD45 RO+), with considerably lower count of B-lymphocyte elements positive to CD20+. The female patient survived 33 months from the time of diagnosis. The other two patients experienced complete remission lasting 10 and 12 months after the end of therapy.
Subject(s)
Lymphoma, B-Cell/pathology , T-Lymphocytes/pathology , Adult , Diagnosis, Differential , Female , Hodgkin Disease/diagnosis , Humans , Lymph Nodes/pathology , Lymphoma, B-Cell/diagnosis , Male , Middle AgedABSTRACT
We have shown earlier that the iron containing, ferric-sorbitol-citrate complex (FSC) inhibited proliferation of cultured mouse melanoma B16, GHC, KB, HeLa and CaCo2 cells and caused mouse melanoma regression in vivo. This drug did not affect the proliferation of the nonmalignant fibroblast L929 line, human bone marrow-HBS, VERO and HEF cell line. It is also known, that some metallocene derivatives posses antitumour properties resulting principally from their action on the metabolism of DNA, and subsequently, RNA and proteins. We synthesized in our laboratory some ferrocene analogs (F168 and F169) and tested their antiproliferative ability for malignant human carcinoma Hep2 and mouse melanoma F10 cell lines. As control cell lines, human HEF and mice L929 fibroblasts were used. The tested iron substances were very potent in inhibiting the growth of malignant cell lines, whereas they had no significant inhibitory effect on the viability of nonmalignant fibroblasts. The most pronounced growth inhibitory and cytotoxic effect was found in the malignant F10 cells and the most potent was ferrocene F169. Because of their selective effect on malignant cells, the ferric-sorbitol-citrate complex as well as tested ferrocenes will be further investigated and submitted as new antitumour substances.
Subject(s)
Antineoplastic Agents/pharmacology , Citrates/pharmacology , Ferric Compounds/pharmacology , Ferrous Compounds/pharmacology , Tumor Cells, Cultured/drug effects , Cell Division/drug effects , Cell Survival/drug effects , Child , Humans , MaleABSTRACT
A 71-year-old woman presented with malaise, skin bruising, epistaxis, and gingival bleeding of recent and prompt onset. There was no adenopathy. The liver and spleen were not enlarged. Bone marrow aspirate showed a polymorphous infiltration with lymphocytes (22%), typical Marschalko plasma cells (16%), plasmacytoid lymphocytes (29%), lymphoblasts (8%), and immunoblasts (13%). The immunoblasts morphologically resembled lymphosarcoma cells with a frequent "clover-leaf" appearance. An IgM paraprotein concentration in serum was 38.5 g/L. The bone marrow histopathology confirmed the presence of heterogenous cell infiltration, with 30% of the population being comprised of lymphoblasts and immunoblasts. In order to differentiate a polymorphous variant of Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM) from the more common small cell lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) in anaplastic metamorphosis, flow cytometric studies were performed on marrow specimens. A typically bright surface IgM (lambda) was demonstrated with a less bright CD38. Further immunophenotype was HLA-DR+, CD19+, CD20+ and CD10-, CD22-, T-Ag- and kappa light chain- expression. This corroborated the diagnosis of an extremely rare, polymorphous variant of WM. The marrow cytogenetics disclosed 50% (10/20) pathologic metaphases 48,X,dup(X)(p21p22),der(2), +5,del(6)(q11q21), +12,inv(16)(p13q22), del(17) (p12), and 50% normal metaphases. The patient was treated with a LOPP protocol. She failed to respond and died 5 months after the diagnosis with myocardial and renal insufficiency complicating a pronounced pancytopenia in the peripheral blood.
Subject(s)
Chromosome Aberrations , Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia/genetics , Aged , Female , Humans , Immunophenotyping , Karyotyping , Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia/immunology , Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia/pathologyABSTRACT
The relationship between the extent of bone marrow reticulin and collagen fibrosis and the concentration of granulocytic (CFU-GM), erythroid (BFU-E) and megakaryocyte (CFU-Mk) progenitor cells in the peripheral blood of patients with primary agnogenic myeloid metaplasia (AMM) and secondary myelofibrosis (sMF) has not been definitively correlated. We studied 23 patients with established diagnosis of AMM and 12 patients with sMF for the extent of reticulin and collagen bone marrow fibrosis and for the spontaneous colony (sCFU-GM, sBFU-E and sCFU-Mk) formation. The control group consisted of 11 healthy volunteers. Trephine biopsy of the posterior iliac crest was performed in all individuals studied to determine the type and degree of reticulin and collagen fibrosis. Gomori's silver impregnation technique was used. sCFU-GM, sBFU-E and sCFU-Mk colony formation was related positively to spleen size, the white blood cell counts and the degree of collagen fibrosis in AMM (p < 0.01). Stimulated CFU-GM were also significantly correlated with the degree of bone marrow reticulin and collagen fibrosis. There was no correlation between the extent of peripheral blood progenitor concentration and the degree of bone marrow reticulin or collagen fibrosis in sMF and in control individuals. In conclusion, the extent of bone marrow fibrosis is significantly correlated with the peripheral blood progenitor colony formation in AMM but not in sMF.
Subject(s)
Blood Cell Count , Bone Marrow/chemistry , Collagen/analysis , Hematopoietic Stem Cells , Primary Myelofibrosis/blood , Reticulin/analysis , Adult , Aged , Bone Marrow/pathology , Colony-Forming Units Assay , Female , Hematologic Neoplasms/complications , Hematopoietic Stem Cells/pathology , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Primary Myelofibrosis/etiology , Primary Myelofibrosis/pathology , Prospective Studies , Splenomegaly/blood , Splenomegaly/etiologyABSTRACT
Between February 1992 and November 1996 we treated 30 newly diagnosed acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APL) patients either with oral all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) alone (45 mg m-2) or with a simultaneous combination of ATRA (45 mg m-2), daunorubicin (DNR, 50 mg/m-2 for 3 days) and cytosine arabinoside (ARA-C, 200 mg m-2 for 7 days). There were 15 patients in each group. Patients with a white blood cell count < 5 x 10(9)/l at diagnosis received only ATRA as an induction therapy. Patients with initial white blood cell count > 5 x 10(9)/l received a combination of ATRA, DNR and ARA-C as an induction therapy. Within the first 20 days of induction, there were two early deaths in the group of patients receiving only ATRA, and six early deaths in the group of patients treated with a combination of ATRA and chemotherapy. Ten out of 13 patients (76.9%) receiving ATRA only achieved complete remission (CR) whereas seven out of nine patients (77.8%) receiving ATRA with chemotherapy achieved CR. Initial median peripheral white blood cell counts were significantly lower in the group of patients treated with ATRA alone (2.3 x 10(9)/l) than in the group of patients receiving ATRA and chemotherapy (14.0 x 10(9)/l). Morphological evidence of differentiation was noted in all patients entering CR. Patients in both groups who achieved CR received one course of standard '3 + 7' chemotherapy (DNR 45 mg m-2, 1-3 days, ARA-C 200 mg m-2, 1-7 days) followed by two courses of standard '2 + 5' chemotherapy (DNR 50 mg m-2 1-2 days, ARA-C 200 mg m-2 1-5 days) as a consolidation therapy. Patients not achieving remission (three out of 13 in the ATRA group and two out of nine in ATRA+chemotherapy group) did not respond to salvage chemotherapy and all died within 3 months of diagnosis. Only one out of 10 patients (10%) in CR, treated with ATRA is in relapse after 18 months. In patients treated with ATRA alone two out of 10 (20%) survived 58 months following diagnosis whereas in the ATRA+chemotherapy group one out of seven has already survived their 58th month since diagnosis. Four out of eight patients with an early death died of retinoic acid syndrome. Other toxicities due to ATRA were minimal (cheilitis, xerosis, dermatitis, diarrhoea, liver damage or pseudotumor cerebri).
Subject(s)
Antineoplastic Agents/therapeutic use , Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/therapeutic use , Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute/drug therapy , Tretinoin/therapeutic use , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Antineoplastic Agents/administration & dosage , Antineoplastic Agents/adverse effects , Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/adverse effects , Cytarabine/administration & dosage , Daunorubicin/administration & dosage , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute/pathology , Male , Middle Aged , Tretinoin/administration & dosage , Tretinoin/adverse effectsABSTRACT
We report a patient with agnogenic myeloid metaplasia (AM) and pathological karyotype: 46 xy/45 xy, -4 der(7), del(14) (q 13), der(16), der(18). One year after the diagnosis of marked eosinophilia, fibrosis of cardiac valves and dermal infiltration of eosinophils were recorded. The course of the disease was long. The patient was alive seven years after the diagnosis. This is a myeloproliferative variant of hypereos-inophilic syndrome.
Subject(s)
Eosinophilia/complications , Primary Myelofibrosis/complications , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Primary Myelofibrosis/diagnosis , Primary Myelofibrosis/geneticsABSTRACT
The discriminating ability of 15 parameters alone or in combinations, including results from analysis of plasma endotoxin, the Nycomed plasma D-Dimer test and phospholipase A2, were analyzed to predict morbidity and mortality in equine gastrointestinal colic. Endotoxaemia was a characteristic feature of the colic horses. The problem of adequately predicting nonsurvivors among colic horses required several parameters to be included in the logistic model: if the "classical parameters", (heart rate, respiratory rate, PCV, anion gap) were included in the model, addition of plasma D-dimer, phospholipase A2, and Cl- significantly improved the predictive value of the logistic model. Increasing heart rate and D-dimer together with decreasing chloride was a risk factor for nonsurvival. The sensitivity of this three-parameter logistic model to predict nonsurvival was 78% and specificity 77%. The Nycomed D-Dimer test is recommended as a horse-site test to predict disseminated intravascular coagulation and nonsurvival in equine colic.
Subject(s)
Colic/veterinary , Gastrointestinal Diseases/veterinary , Horse Diseases/diagnosis , Animals , Biomarkers , Colic/blood , Colic/diagnosis , Colic/mortality , Endotoxins/blood , Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products/analysis , Fibrinogen/analysis , Gastrointestinal Diseases/blood , Gastrointestinal Diseases/diagnosis , Gastrointestinal Diseases/mortality , Heart Rate , Horse Diseases/blood , Horse Diseases/mortality , Horses , Multivariate Analysis , Oxidoreductases/blood , Phospholipases A/blood , Phospholipases A2 , Prognosis , Respiration , Retrospective StudiesABSTRACT
Leukaemic phase of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is characterised by penetration of lymphoma cells from the originating tissues (lymph nodes, less commonly the spleen) into the peripheral blood and bone marrow. The diagnosis of leukaemic phase of Mantle zone lymphoma is established on the basis of histological findings of lymph node biopsy and, possibly, the spleen, peripheral blood smear, and characteristic membranous phenotype. A patient, aged 60, is reported with Mantle zone (intermediate lymphoma) in leukaemic phase. Physical examination revealed pallor of the skin, generalized lymphadenopathy, and hepatomegaly. WBC count in the peripheral blood was 22.5 x 109/l, and the smear revealed the presence of pleomorphic lymphoid cells, mainly medium sized, with irregular nucleus or nuclear notches. Immunophenotype studies of mononuclear cells of the peripheral blood showed characteristic membranous phenotype for Mantle zone lymphoma in leukaemic phase: Smlg+ (lambda light chain); HLA-DR+; CD19+; CD22+; CD5+; CD10-; CD25-. Pro-MACE-Cyta-bom protocol was applied resulting in a 13-month-lasting remission. The total survival was 20 months, suggesting poor prognosis of leukaemic phase of Mantle zone lymphoma.
Subject(s)
Lymphoma, Mantle-Cell/pathology , Humans , Lymphoma, Mantle-Cell/diagnosis , Male , Middle AgedABSTRACT
A patient with Ph1(Philadelphia chromosome) positive chronic granulocytic leukemia and extramedullary blast transformation (crisis) in lymph nodes of the neck and axillae which appeared after a 4-year treatment with busulfan, is presented. Biopsy of lymph node and histopathological examination showed lymphoblastic infiltration. The patient was treated with radiotherapy and chemotherapy with protocol COP. He survived 7 months and expired due to renal insufficiency.