1,721,151 research outputs found
Second malignancy after treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia: experience of GIMEMA trials
Primary cutaneous follicle center cell lymphoma and limited stage follicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: A comparison of clinical and biological features
Primary cutaneous follicular lymphoma (PCFL) and nodal follicular lymphoma (NFL) are different entities, which, nevertheless, exhibit common features. The aim of this study was to compare the clinico-biological characteristics and the outcome of patients with PCFL and with limited stage NFL. A group of 22 consecutive patients with PCFL presenting with single or multiple cutaneous lesions was compared to a group of 21 patients with limited stage NFL. The median age was 56 and 55 years, respectively. The histologic features were compared, as well as treatment modalities and response. Treatment of PCFL consisted of restricted field radiotherapy (RT), chemotherapy (CHT) and combined modalities (CM) in 12, 5 and 5 cases, respectively. Among the 21 patients with NFL, RT was employed in 13, CHT in 7 and the CM in one patient. The response to treatment was: 17 complete responses, CR (12 RT, 2 CHT, 3 CM), 3 partial responses, PR (1 CHT, 2 CM) and 2 non-responses, NR (2 CHT) in the PCFL group, while in the NFL group 18 patients attained CR (13 RT, 4 CHT, 1 CM) and 3 PR (3 CHT). The relapse rate was 22.7 and 28.5% in PCFL and NFL, respectively (median follow up of 48 and 50 months). The estimated 4 years event free survival (EFS) in the PCFL and NFL patients were 68 and 70%, respectively, (P = 0.83). The estimated 4 years overall survival (OS) in the PCFL and NFL groups were 90% and 100% respectively, (P = 0.254). Among the 22 patients with PCFL, there was a higher incidence of large cells than in NFL, although the differences were not significant (P = 0.08). In conclusion, despite histologic (higher proportion of large cells) and biologic differences, cutaneous and limited stage NFL show similar responses to treatment, with similar relapse rates, EFS and OS
[Primary centrofollicular cutaneous cell lymphoma. Clinical description, treatment results, and follow up of 21 cases].
The goal of this study was to describe the clinical, biological, features and the outcome of 21 patients with primary cutaneous centro-follicular lymphoma (PCL-CF). A group of 21 consecutive patients with PCL-CF (median age 56 years) presenting with single (11/21) or multiple (10/21) cutaneous lesions observed between January 1980 and June 2000 were described. The histologic features, treatment modalities and outcome were shown. The patients mainly presented with cutaneous lesions on the head and trunk (19/21). Histological findings were grade I, II and III (REAL/WHO classification) in 4, 8 and 9 patients respectively. Pattern was follicular (12/21) and diffuse (9/21). Treatment of PCL-CF consisted in restricted field radiotherapy (RT), chemotherapy (CHT) and combined modalities (CM) in 11, 5 and 5 cases respectively. The response to treatment was: 17 complete responses, CR (13 RT, 2CHT, 2CM), 3 partial responses, PR (1 CHT, 2 CM) and 1 non response, NR (1CHT). The relapse rate was 23.8% with a median follow-up of 48 months; the estimated 4 years event free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) were 68% and 90% respectively. Our experience demonstrates that PCL-CF are lymphoproliferative disorders with a good prognosis after adequate therapy and that the histologic features did not influence significantly both response and survival
Infectious aetiology of marginal zone lymphoma and role of anti-infective therapy
Marginal zone lymphomas have been associated with several infectious agents covering both viral and bacterial pathogens and in some cases a clear aetiological role has been established. Pathogenetic mechanisms are currently not completely understood. However, the role of chronic stimulation of the host immune response with persistent lymphocyte activation represents the most convincing explanation for lymphoproliferation. Gastric MALT lymphoma is strictly associated with Helicobacter pylori infection and various eradicating protocols, developed due to increasing antibiotic resistance, represent the first line therapy for gastric MALT. The response rate to eradication is good with 80% of response at 1 year; this finding is also noteworthy because it recapitulates cancer cured only by the antibacterial approach and it satisfies the Koch postulates of causation, establishing a causative relationship between Hp and gastric MALT lymphoma. Patients with chronic HCV infection have 5 times higher risk to develop MZL, in particular, an association with splenic and nodal MZL has been shown in several studies. Moreover, there is evidence of lymphoma regression after antiviral therapy with interferon+ribavirin, thus raising hope that newly available drugs, extremely efficient against HCV replication, could improve outcome also in HCV-driven lymphomas. Another case-study are represented by those rare cases of MZL localized to orbital fat and eye conjunctivas that have been associated with Chlamydophila psittaci infection carried by birds. Efficacy of antibacterial therapy against C. psittaci are conflicting and generally poorer than gastric MALT. Finally, some case reports will cover the relationship between primary cutaneous B-cell Lymphomas and Borrelia Burgdorferi
Cell to cell contact enhances the proliferation of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells in vitro without an apparent role of adhesion glycoproteins LFA1, MAC1 and P150-95.
Acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML) cells were cultured under conditions facilitating or preventing cell to cell contact. Proliferation of AML blasts of 24 patients was assessed in semisolid (containing 0.9% methylcellulose) and in liquid cultures, in which identical concentrations of colony stimulating factors (CSFs) had been provided. In all but one of the cases, significant DNA synthesis (evaluated by 3H-thymidine uptake) was observed when the cells were incubated in the liquid system, whereas in only 14 cases (58%), the cells were able to form clusters or colonies in the semisolid system. These findings suggest that AML cells from a large proportion of patients can proliferate only after stimulation with CSFs in a liquid system, i.e. when cultured under conditions permitting reciprocal contact between the cells. To establish further the importance of cell to cell contact for AML cell proliferation, cells from 19 patients were cultured in liguid medium concurrently in flat bottom microwells (in which a majority of the cells lie separate) and in round bottom microwells (in which cells show a tendency to aggregate). A significantly higher 3H-thymidine (TdR) incorporation in the round bottom cultures was observed in 15 out of 19 cases. The role of the leukocyte function antigens (LFA) LFA1, Mac1, P150-95 in this phenomenon was then analyzed, as these structurally related glycoproteins are involved in reactions requiring contact between hematopoietic cells. Membrane expression of the three antigens was first examined in 16 patients. LFA1, Mac1 and P150-95 were expressed on the AML cells of 15, 6 and 8 patients, respectively. Expression of these antigens did not change following short term incubation of the AML cells in the presence of CSFs. AML cells cultured in presence of saturating concentrations of monoclonal antibodies reacting with structures of these 3 antigens in order to abrogate their function did not suppress 3H-TdR uptake. Thus, no direct role for LFA1 and/or Mac1 and/or P150-95 antigens in mediating contact-induced AML proliferation could be demonstrated. It remains to be established which components are involved in the cell-cell contact-mediated upregulation of AML cell proliferation
Clinical and epidemiological features of acute lymphoblastic leukemia following a previous malignancy.
Secondary malignancies represent a relevant complication of chemotherapy employed for a previous cancer. Acute leukemias represent the most frequent secondary malignancy in the first decade following primary neoplasms; secondary leukemias are generally myeloid and can be preceeded by a myelodysplastic syndrome. The biological and epidemiological characteristics of secondary acute myeloid are well known and have been the subject of numerous reports and reviews in the last few years. The observation of a secondary acute lymphoblastic leukemia is considered rare, and the correlation with antecedent therapies is not definitive. Most of reported cases are single reports, and no large study has been performed to investigate the real importance of this problem. In this review we report data of the current literature on secondary acute lymphoblastic leukemia, both in adults and children, in order to analyze its incidence and clinical and laboratory features
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