Publications by authors named "Aljurf M"

Acquired factor XIII (FXIII) deficiency is a rare disorder that could be associated with autoimmune and malignant disorders with a high risk of bleeding. In acute leukemias, acquired FXIII deficiency has been reported and replacement of FXIII helped to control significant bleeding. Here, we report four cases of myeloid neoplasms to have acquired FXIII deficiency with interesting concomitant RUNX1 mutation in the molecular background of two patients.

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Background: The role of fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FOB) in the management of patients presenting with pulmonary infiltrates after hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) remains unclear. We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic value and safety of FOB at our center.

Methods: This retrospective study included all patients with post-HSCT pulmonary infiltrates who underwent FOB between 2016 and 2019.

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The eighth workshop of the Worldwide Network for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (WBMT) was held in Islamabad, Pakistan, from September 22 to 23, 2022, aiming to foster hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) activity in the World Health Organization (WHO) Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMRO). Participating countries, including Pakistan, Oman, Iran, and Saudi Arabia, reported increased HSCT in the last few years, whereas others from the EMRO and beyond, including Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Nepal, and Bangladesh, started HSCT recently and have developed HSCT programs with excellent results. During educational sessions and open dialog, participating teams and international experts from the WBMT shared their experience and discussed minimum essential requirements for establishing and expanding HSCT in emerging countries, indications for HSCT training and dissemination of knowledge, stem cell donor selection and safety, quality assurance in transplant centers, and the value and importance of transplant outcome databases.

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Background And Objective: Rehabilitation therapy plays an important role in treating physical and functional impairments observed in individuals undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplants (HSCT). This study assessed the rehabilitation practices implemented in the HSCT population internationally.

Materials And Methods: A 48-question online survey comprising questions soliciting information regarding patient characteristics, therapy details (timing, indication, and administering providers), outcome measures, and precautions were developed by an international group of cancer rehabilitation physicians.

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H syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive genodermatosis that falls under the histiocytosis-lymphadenopathy plus syndrome. The term "H syndrome" includes manifestations such as hyperpigmentation, hypertrichosis, hepatosplenomegaly, heart anomalies, hearing loss, hypogonadism, low height, and occasionally hyperglycemia. The syndrome is associated with mutations in the SLC29A3 gene, which encodes the human equilibrative transporter 3 present in endosomes, lysosomes, and mitochondria.

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  • Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a severe type of cancer affecting white blood cells, necessitating prompt diagnosis for effective treatment.
  • The study introduces "CAE-ResVGG FusionNet," a computer-aided diagnostic system that uses advanced image processing techniques to accurately identify and classify immature white blood cells into four subtypes.
  • The framework includes stages for data preprocessing, feature extraction, classification using ensemble methods, and performance validation to ensure high accuracy and reliability in diagnosing AML.
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  • Autologous peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) transplantation is a common treatment for conditions like multiple myeloma and lymphomas, and it usually involves freezing the stem cells before transplant.* -
  • A recent systematic review of 19 transplant centers that performed non-cryopreserved PBSC transplants showed that the procedure is feasible and safe, with high stem cell viability and low rates of complications.* -
  • The study found that stem cell viability was over 90% for multiple myeloma and over 75% for lymphomas, with quick engraftment times, and only 1% transplant-related mortality within 100 days.*
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  • * A significant number of respondents (67.0%) felt that early diagnosis was challenging, but many (75.8%) found the new 2023 EBMT diagnostic criteria useful and easy to apply.
  • * Key risk factors for VOD/SOS included second allo-HCT, pre-existing liver disease, and prior use of antibody-drug conjugates, with varied preferences on when to start treatment.
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  • * A panel of experts made recommendations emphasizing the use of bone marrow as a graft source and preferred rabbit antithymocyte globulin over horse ATG for conditioning. They also support using fludarabine for high-risk patients and expanding HCT eligibility to fit older adults.
  • * The panel advocates prioritizing matched unrelated or haploidentical donor transplants over immunosuppressive therapy when a matched related donor isn't available and suggests specific GVHD prophylaxis options for donor
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Purpose Of Review: This review aims to detail the characteristics and outcomes of duodenal-type follicular lymphoma (DTFL), a rare lymphoma variant. It focuses on integrating recent reports in treatment modalities and highlights emerging insights into the unique biological features of the disease.

Recent Finding: Recent studies confirm the indolent nature of DTFL, with extended follow-up periods showing favorable outcomes under watchful waiting strategies and a notable proportion of patients experiencing spontaneous remission.

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Classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) is a common lymphoma that affects young patients. Fortunately, the disease is highly curable as it is susceptible to the currently available treatment modalities. Disease monitoring with Positron Emission Tomography and Computed Tomography (PET/ CT) is an integral part of managing these patients.

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Although broadly used, consolidative autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (auto-HCT) for relapsed/refractory (R/R) T-cell/histiocyte-rich large B-cell lymphoma (THRLBCL) has never been specifically investigated. Here, we have analyzed outcomes of auto-HCT for THRLBCL compared with diffuse large cell B-cell lymphoma not otherwise specified (DLBCL). Eligible for this retrospective registry study were adult patients with R/R THRLBCL and DLBCL, respectively, who underwent a first auto-HCT in a salvage-sensitive disease status as assessed by positron emission tomography-computed tomography between 2016 and 2021 and were registered with the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation database.

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  • A study analyzed outcomes of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) for favorable risk Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) patients in complete remission across three time periods, involving 1850 patients.
  • Over the years from 2015 to 2021, older patients (≥60 years) and those with NPM1FLT3 diagnoses increased, while Haploidentical transplants also grew significantly.
  • The study found a reduction in chronic graft-versus-host disease and improved GVHD-free, relapse-free survival for patients transplanted after 2010 compared to earlier periods, though other outcomes showed no significant changes during the study period.
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  • Autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (AHCT) is an effective treatment for multiple myeloma, with real-world data collected from 61,725 patients revealing median overall survival of 90.2 months and median progression-free survival of 36.5 months.* -
  • Cumulative relapse incidence and non-relapse mortality rates at 24 months were found to be 33% and 2.5% respectively, with better outcomes linked to factors like younger age, certain disease subtypes, and high performance status.* -
  • Global variations were observed in patient outcomes based on registry data, influenced by differences in patient characteristics, use of maintenance treatments, and macroeconomic factors, highlighting the safety and effectiveness of AH
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  • * Both types of HCT are risky and complicated, but global collaboration among medical professionals has established it as a standard treatment for many serious blood-related illnesses, resulting in improved patient outcomes.
  • * Over 1.5 million HCT procedures were performed from 1957 to 2019, and this number continues to rise globally, supported by registries and international medical societies.
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  • Core-binding factor acute myeloid leukemia (CBF-AML) accounts for 12-15% of AML cases, but despite a survival advantage for CBF positivity, overall survival rates are low.
  • Patients typically undergo chemotherapy with cytarabine and anthracycline, followed by allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) for relapse or high-risk cases, though its use in first complete remission (CR1) is debated.
  • A study involving 1,901 CBF-AML patients found that allo-SCT in CR1 is linked to worse outcomes compared to autologous transplantation (ASCT), particularly in terms of non-relapse mortality (NRM) and overall survival (OS).
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  • - VEXAS syndrome is a rare, inherited inflammatory disease that usually appears in adults around their 50s and requires treatments such as allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) for severe cases.
  • - A systematic review/meta-analysis of 88 studies was conducted, revealing that among 39 patients included, the overall survival rate after allo-HCT was 86%, while the event-free survival rate was 56%.
  • - While allo-HCT is shown to be an effective treatment, it also carries risks, with a 14% non-relapse mortality rate and rates of acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease at 42% and 13%, respectively.
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  • - The study investigates the survival outcomes of patients receiving umbilical cord blood transplants (UCBT) across different racial and ethnic groups, focusing on Black, Latinx, White, and Asian patients, as previous research indicated disparities in survival rates.
  • - A retrospective analysis of data from the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR) included 983 single and 1529 double UCBT recipients, measuring outcomes like overall survival (OS), disease-free survival, and transplant-related mortality over two years.
  • - Results showed that while overall survival rates varied by race/ethnicity, with Latinx patients having significantly lower OS compared to Blacks, no significant differences were observed in child patients,
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  • - The study analyzed how different types of donors affect outcomes of hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) in patients with myelofibrosis, finding that the use of haploidentical donors rose significantly from 3% in 2013 to 19% in 2019.
  • - Among 1,032 patients with chronic-phase myelofibrosis, matched sibling donor HCTs showed better overall survival in the first three months compared to haploidentical and matched unrelated donor HCTs, with notably lower rates of graft failure.
  • - While matched sibling donors had superior early outcomes, there were no significant differences in long-term survival or disease-free survival among the different donor types, suggesting hap
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Treating metastatic malignancies to the central nervous system (CNS) is challenging because many drugs cannot cross the blood-brain-barrier (BBB). Direct intrathecal (IT) drug administration into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is a strategy to overcome this problem. Thiotepa has effective CNS penetration but its popularity has waned over the last two decades due to concerns about its efficacy and potential systemic toxicity.

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T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) predominantly affects individuals in late childhood and young adulthood. Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is a curative modality particularly in the setting of poor risk genetics and/or persistent minimal residual disease. Limited studies have directly explored the impact of patient- and transplant-related factors on post-transplant outcomes in T-ALL.

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Promoting access to and excellence in hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) by collecting and disseminating data on global HCT activities is one of the principal activities of the Worldwide Network for Blood and Marrow Transplantation, a non-governmental organization in working relations with the World Health Organization. HCT activities are recorded annually by member societies, national registries and individual centers including indication, donor type (allogeneic/autologous), donor match and stem cell source (bone marrow/peripheral blood stem cells/cord blood). In 2018, 1,768 HCT teams in 89 countries (6 World Health Organization regions) reported 93,105 (48,680 autologous and 44,425 allogeneic) HCT.

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  • Nocardiosis is a serious infection that can occur after hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT), and this study aimed to identify its risk factors and the impact of certain preventive treatments.
  • A review of 64 cases of nocardiosis and 128 matched controls showed that factors like tacrolimus use, low lymphocyte counts, male sex, recent corticosteroid use, and previous CMV infections increased the risk of developing this infection.
  • Conversely, patients on trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole prophylaxis had a significantly lower risk of nocardiosis; however, those who did develop it had poorer survival rates compared to controls.
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  • There has been an increase in the number of hematopoietic cell transplants (HCT) and improvement in overall survival after these procedures for blood disorders, but the impact on racial/ethnic minorities is unclear.
  • A study examined transplant rates and survival trends among non-Hispanic Whites, non-Hispanic African Americans, and Hispanics from 2009 to 2018, revealing that Hispanics and non-Hispanic African Americans experienced higher rates of transplant than non-Hispanic Whites.
  • Despite overall improvements in survival rates across groups, non-Hispanic African Americans faced greater mortality risks after allogeneic transplants, indicating ongoing disparities that need to be addressed.
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  • Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) is recommended for patients with core-binding factor mutated (CBF) acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who have achieved second complete remission (CR2), though 20% may relapse after the procedure.
  • A study analyzed outcomes from 865 CBF AML patients undergoing allo-HCT with different donor types (haploidentical, matched siblings, and matched unrelated donors) across 227 centers, revealing that haploidentical transplants were linked to a lower relapse incidence compared to the other donor types.
  • CBF-AML patients with the inv(16) mutation had better outcomes regarding relapse, overall survival, and graft-versus-host disease-free survival
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