WHO/ICC Classification for Myelodysplastic Neoplasms/Syndromes Performs Better for Subtype Cytomorphological Diagnosis?

The International Consensus Classification of Myeloid Neoplasms and Acute Leukemias (ICC) and the 5th edition of the WHO classification (WHO 2022) have refined the diagnosis of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). Both classifications segregate MDS subtypes based on molecular or cytogenetic findings but rely on the subjective assessment of blast cell percentage and dysplasia in hematopoietic cell lineages. This study aimed to evaluate interobserver concordance among 13 cytomorphologists from eight hospitals in assessing blast percentages and dysplastic features in 44 MDS patients. The study found fair interobserver agreement for the PB blast percentage and moderate agreement for the BM blast percentage, with the best concordance in cases with <5% BM blasts and >10% BM blasts. Monocyte count agreement was fair, and dysplasia assessment showed moderate concordance for megakaryocytic lineage but lower concordance for erythroid and granulocytic lineages. Overall, interobserver concordance for MDS subtypes was moderate across all classifications, with slightly better results for WHO 2022. These findings highlight the ongoing need for morphological evaluation in MDS diagnosis despite advances in genetic and molecular techniques. The study supports the blast percentage ranges established by the ICC but suggests refining BM blast cutoffs. Given the moderate interobserver concordance, a unified classification approach for MDS is recommended.

Geriatric assessment in hematology scale predicts treatment tolerability in older patients diagnosed with hematological malignancies: The RETROGAH study.

INTRODUCTION: The GAH (Geriatric Assessment in Hematology) scale is a psychometrically valid tool aimed at identifying older patients with hematological malignancies at higher risk of treatment-related toxicity. Our objective in this study was to determine the weights for each dimension of the GAH scale and the cut-off point to reliably predict treatment tolerability in this population, estimated by a weighted receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis and quantified by the area under the curve (AUC). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The RETROGAH was a retrospective cohort study including 126 patients who had previously participated in the GAH study. Patients were ≥ 65 years old with newly diagnosed myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS)/acute myeloid leukemia (AML), multiple myeloma (MM), or chronic lymphoid leukemia (CLL) and treated with standard front-line therapy within three months after having completed the GAH scale. RESULTS: The optimal cut-off value of the GAH total score to discriminate patients at higher risk of treatment toxicity was 42, with 68.5% sensitivity and 55.8% specificity. Using this value, 66.1% of patients evaluated were found to develop some type of toxicity. The AUC was 0.6259 (95% CI: 0.512-0.739; p = 0.035). DISCUSSION: The GAH scale not only would enable clinicians to individualize therapy based on individual risk of toxicity but also discriminate patients that will benefit most from intensive treatments from those requiring an adapted approach. While futures studies in clinical practice may improve the model and overcome its limitations, the GAH scale should not be used alone when making treatment decisions.

Fatal strongyloides hyperinfection complicating a gram-negative sepsis after allogeneic stem cell transplantation: a case report and review of the literature.

Strongyloides stercoralis is an intestinal nematode that causes strongyloidiasis, which affects 30 to 100 million people worldwide. Risk factors for hyperinfection and disseminated disease include immunosuppressive drug therapy, human T-lymphotropic virus-1 (HTLV-1) infection, solid organ and bone marrow transplantation, hematologic malignant diseases, hypogammaglobulinemia, and severe malnutrition and associated conditions. The diagnosis can be difficult because a single stool examination fails to detect larvae in up to 70% of the cases, and the symptoms are nonspecific. Although eosinophilia is a common finding in patients with chronic Strongyloides infection, it is an unreliable predictor of hyperinfection. Furthermore, the lack of eosinophilia while receiving immunosuppressive therapy cannot reliably exclude the underlying chronic Strongyloides infection. We report here a fatal Strongyloides hyperinfection in a patient receiving allogeneic stem cell transplantation; risk factors and outcome in this clinical setting are discussed.

Manejo de la amiloidosis traqueobronquial mediante técnicas broncoscópicas terapéuticas / Management of Tracheobronchial Amyloidosis With Therapeutic Bronchoscopic Techniques

La amiloidosis es una enfermedad sistémica producida por el depósito anómalo de material amiloide; tiene la peculiaridad de detectarse con la tinción rojo Congo y es de difícil diagnóstico. La afectación del árbol traqueobronquial es muy poco frecuente y constituye un reto para el neumólogo debido al amplio diagnóstico diferencial de esta enfermedad. Se presentan 2 casos en los que se ha objetivado la afectación traqueobronquial: en uno de ellos como enfermedad primaria y en otro como afectación secundaria. El uso de técnicas broncoscópicas es primordial para el diagnóstico de la afectación traqueobronquial. En ausencia de un tratamiento médico eficaz, el manejo local de esta enfermedad con técnicas endoscópicas de repermeabilización bronquial consigue una mejoría clínica y amplía las opciones terapéuticas y pronósticas en esta enfermedad (AU)

Amyloidosis is a systemic disease caused by abnormal deposition of amyloid material that is detected with Congo red staining and is difficult to diagnose. Involvement of the tracheobronchial tree is rare and is a challenge for pulmonologists because of the wide differential diagnosis of this disease. We present two cases where tracheobronchial affectation has been observed: in one of them as a primary disease, and in another as secondary affectation. The use of bronchoscopic techniques is essential for the diagnosis of tracheobronchial involvement. In the absence of an effective drug therapy, local management of this disease with endoscopic techniques for bronchial repermeabilization is able to provide clinical improvement and expand the treatment options and prognosis in this disease (AU)

Management of tracheobronchial amyloidosis with therapeutic bronchoscopic techniques.

Amyloidosis is a systemic disease caused by abnormal deposition of amyloid material that is detected with Congo red staining and is difficult to diagnose. Involvement of the tracheobronchial tree is rare and is a challenge for pulmonologists because of the wide differential diagnosis of this disease. We present two cases where tracheobronchial affectation has been observed: in one of them as a primary disease, and in another as secondary affectation. The use of bronchoscopic techniques is essential for the diagnosis of tracheobronchial involvement. In the absence of an effective drug therapy, local management of this disease with endoscopic techniques for bronchial repermeabilization is able to provide clinical improvement and expand the treatment options and prognosis in this disease.