Impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on the field of hematopoietic cell transplantation in the Asia-Pacific region: APBMT Activity Survey 2020/2021.

COVID-19 became a global pandemic in 2020 and significantly affected the activity of hematopoietic cell transplants (HCT) worldwide. Despite these challenges, a total of 28,793 transplants, including 18,518 allogeneic and 10,275 autologous transplants, were performed in 719 facilities in 2020 in the Asia-Pacific (AP) region. This represented a 5.

The potential of uroflowmetry to predict and detect hemorrhagic cystitis following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Background: Hemorrhagic cystitis (HC) is a serious complication following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Early identification of at-risk patients and prompt diagnosis are crucial for effective management. This prospective cohort study evaluated the potential of uroflowmetry as a predictive tool for detecting HC in pediatric HSCT patients.

Special Report: Summary of the eighth workshop of the worldwide network for blood and marrow transplantation on the status and issues related to hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in near-east countries, held in Pakistan from September 22 to 23, 2022.

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.

Metformin and its potential influence on cell fate decision between apoptosis and senescence in cancer, with a special emphasis on glioblastoma.

Despite reaching enormous achievements in therapeutic approaches worldwide, GBM still remains the most incurable malignancy among various cancers. It emphasizes the necessity of adjuvant therapies from the perspectives of both patients and healthcare providers. Therefore, most emerging studies have focused on various complementary and adjuvant therapies.

Phase I study of safety and efficacy of allogeneic natural killer cell therapy in relapsed/refractory neuroblastomas post autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Despite low incidence, neuroblastoma, an immunologically cold tumor, is the most common extracranial solid neoplasm in pediatrics. In relapsed/refractory cases, the benefits of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (auto-HSCT) and other therapies are limited. Natural killer (NK) cells apply cytotoxicity against tumor cells independently of antigen-presenting cells and the adaptive immune system.

Antileukemia Activity of Human Natural Killer Cell-Derived Nanomagic Bullets against Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML).

Cancer is among the serious health problems of the medical world, for treatment of which severe treatments are used. However, the prognosis of cancer patients is still poor. The application of NK cell-derived exosomes (NK-Exo) is a new method for cancer immunotherapy.

Diagnosis, treatment, and surveillance of Diamond-Blackfan anaemia syndrome: international consensus statement.

Diamond-Blackfan anaemia (DBA), first described over 80 years ago, is a congenital disorder of erythropoiesis with a predilection for birth defects and cancer. Despite scientific advances, this chronic, debilitating, and life-limiting disorder continues to cause a substantial physical, psychological, and financial toll on patients and their families. The highly complex medical needs of affected patients require specialised expertise and multidisciplinary care.

The Application of Umbilical Cord Blood-derived Platelet Gel for Skin Ulcers Associated With Chronic Graft-Versus-Host Disease in Pediatrics: A Randomized Trial.

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is a curative strategy against a variety of malignant and nonmalignant disorders. However, acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD and cGVHD, respectively) commonly complicate this approach, culminating in substantial morbidities and mortalities. The integumentary system is the preponderant organ involved in cGVHD, and its response to existing treatments, including well-versed immunosuppressants and novel targeted therapies, is not desirable.

Harmony in hardship: Unveiling parental coping strategies with the challenges of child's hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Purpose: Pediatric Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant (HSCT) profoundly affects various dimensions of parents' lives. Effective coping strategies are essential for improving psychological well-being and overall quality of life. Therefore, this study aimed to explore parental coping strategies with their child's HSCT challenges.

CRISPR, CAR-T, and NK: Current applications and future perspectives.

Chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy represents a breakthrough in personalized cancer treatments. In this regard, synthetic receptors comprised of antigen recognition domains, signaling, and stimulatory domains are used to reprogram T-cells to target tum or cells and destroy them. Despite the success of this approach in refractory B-cell malignancies, the optimal potency of CAR T-cell therapy for many other cancers, particularly solid tumors, has not been validated.

Parents' experiences of living with a child with cancer undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: a qualitative content analysis study.

Objectives: Pediatric Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant (HSCT) profoundly impacts the physical, psychological, and social aspects of parents' lives. Thus, this study aimed to explore the experiences of parents living with a child with cancer who undergoes HSCT.

Methods: This qualitative study involved 20 parents of children with cancer who were undergoing HSCT at a referral hospital in Iran.

Challenges in Global Access to CAR-T cells: an Asian Perspective.

The use of cell therapy for clinical applications has seen a dramatic increase in recent years, primarily in oncology, especially with the use of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies. However, there are some barriers to the widespread adoption of CAR-T cell therapies globally, primarily because of the high cost of manufacturing these cells and clinical infrastructure considerations. We reviewed the different strategies adopted across Asia to implement CAR-T cell therapy and found that these included patient assistance programs, close engagement with funders, cost-effectiveness studies, on-site manufacturing of CAR-T cells, and joint ventures between local partners and foreign pharmaceutical companies.

CTLA-4 Blockade of Natural Killer Cells Increases Cytotoxicity against Acute Lymphoid Leukaemia Cells Neda.

Objective: There is interest in using cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) immunotherapy to treat blood cancers. Unfortunately, patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) frequently exhibit resistance to treatment and natural killer (NK) cell exhaustion. This study aims to increase the cytotoxic potency of natural killer cells by using CTLA-4 to block the Nalm-6 leukaemia cell line.

Effect of Pioglitazone and Cetuximab on Colon Cancer Stem-like Cell (CCSLCs) Properties.

Background: One of the main reasons for cancer resistance to chemotherapy is the presence of cancer stem cells (CSCs) in cancer tissues. It is also believed that CSCs are the unique originators of all tumor cells. On the other hand, the Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition pathway (EMT) can act as the main agent of metastasis.

Report on hematopoietic cell transplantations performed in 2018/2019 focusing on the trends of selection of stem cell sources in the Asia-Pacific region: APBMT Activity Survey.

The number of hematopoietic stem cell transplantations (HCTs) is increasing annually worldwide, and the Asia-Pacific (AP) region is no exception. We report on the absolute number of HCTs in 2018 and 2019 and the trends in graft selection and disease indication in the past few decades. In 2018, 24,292 HCTs were performed in the AP region, of which 8,754 (36.

A comprehensive comparison between TBI vs non-TBI-based conditioning regimen in pediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: We aimed to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and latent toxicity of total body irradiation (TBI)-based conditioning regimens compared to non-TBI regimens for pediatric patients (under 18 years old) with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT).

Methods: A systematic search was performed on MEDLINE, Scopus, WOS, and PMC. Also, a search for grey literature was performed on Google Scholar and relevant articles' references were included.

Tumor Organoid as a Drug Screening Platform for Cancer Research.

A number of studies have been conducted on the application of 3D models for drug discovery, drug sensitivity assessment, and drug toxicity. Most of these studies focused on disease modelling and attempted to control cellular differentiation, heterogeneity, and key physiological features to mimic organ reconstitution so that researchers could achieve an accurate response in drug evaluation. Recently, organoids have been used by various scientists due to their highly organotypic structure, which facilitates the translation from basic research to the clinic, especially in cancer research.

Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome in Pediatric Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation with Beta Major Thalassemia: The Association between the PRES Occurrence and Class of Beta Major Thalassemia.

Introduction: Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is the only definitive curative option for β-major thalassemia patients (β-MT). Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is a pervasive neurological complication which typically occurs following HSCT. β-MT patients are prone to a higher PRES incidence due to long-term immunosuppression; thus, it is imperative that these patients are closely monitored for PRES after HSCT.

Evaluation of colonization index, molecular identification, and antifungal susceptibility pattern of species isolated from critically ill pediatric patients: A single-center study in Iran.

Background And Purpose: Given the high mortality rate of invasive candidiasis in hospitalized pediatric patients, it is crucial to establish a predictive system to achieve early diagnosis and treatment of patients who are likely to benefit from early antifungal treatment. This study aimed to assess the colonization index, species distribution, and antifungal susceptibility pattern of strains isolated from pediatric patients with high colonization index (CI).

Materials And Methods: This study was carried out at the Children's Medical Center in Tehran-Iran.