Hematopoietic progenitor cell colony growth differentiates chronic myelomonocytic leukemia from reactive monocytosis.

In the absence of a cytogenetic abnormality or overt dysplasia, chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) may be difficult to be distinguished from reactive monocytosis. We have previously described a typical growth pattern in CMML patients, i.e.

Influenza-attributable mortality among the elderly in Switzerland.

Background: Influenza infections are considered responsible for a substantial burden of disease and mortality in the elderly, especially during winter time. However, death certificates indicating influenza as the cause of death might only partly reflect the mortality attributable to influenza.

Methods: We estimated influenza-attributable mortality for the Swiss resident population of age 60 and older from 1969 to 1999 by Poisson regression modelling of all cause and influenza mortality, and examined long-term trends by age and gender.

[Risk factors in papillary thyroid cancer].

270 patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma were retrospectively analyzed. The mean age at initial diagnosis was 43.5 years.

[Long-term course in differentiated thyroid gland carcinoma].

545 patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma were followed up for periods ranging up to 25 years after first treatment (mean 8.1 years, 65% for over 5 years). 72% of patients with papillary carcinoma (n = 270), but only 52% with follicular carcinoma (n = 275) remained tumor-free during the further course.