Propylene Glycol-Free Melphalan versus PG-Melphalan as Conditioning for Autologous Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation for Myeloma.

High-dose melphalan (Mel) conditioning before autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (autoHCT) is standard of care for patients with transplantation-eligible multiple myeloma. The traditional lyophilized Mel formulation has inadequate solubility and stability after reconstitution, leading to the use of propylene glycol (PG) as a solubilizing agent. A newer PG-free Mel preparation (Evomela) uses beta cyclodextrin captisol as a solubilizing agent and was approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration as a conditioning agent based on a single-phase IIb study showing bioequivalence.

Different MAF translocations confer similar prognosis in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients.

The MAF translocations, t(14;16) and t(14;20), are considered as adverse prognostic factors based on few studies with small sample sizes. We report on their prognostic impact in a large group of 254 patients - 223 (87.8%) with t(14;16) and 31 (12.

A multicenter retrospective study of 223 patients with t(14;16) in multiple myeloma.

The t(14;16) translocation, found in 3%-5% of newly diagnosed (ND) multiple myeloma (MM), has been associated with adverse outcomes. However, the studies establishing the characteristics of t(14;16) included solely small cohorts. The goal of the current international, multicenter (n = 25 centers), retrospective study was to describe the characteristics and outcomes of t(14;16) patients in a large, real-world cohort (n = 223).

Disease burden, complication rates, and health-care costs of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia in the USA: a population-based study.

Background: Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia can be a life-threatening and limb-threatening complication of heparin therapy. Incidence and complication rates of this condition have been extrapolated from studies with modest sample sizes, and despite the availability of therapeutic interventions the outcomes of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia are not well understood. We aimed to estimate disease burden, complication rates, and costs of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia in the USA.

Survival of Lymphoma Patients Experiencing Relapse or Progression after an Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation.

Outcome and management of patients who relapse after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) has evolved in the recent decade. Using a multi-institutional retrospective database we report the predictive factors and survival of lymphoma patients who relapse after allo-HCT. We evaluated 495 allo-HCT recipients transplanted between 2000 and 2015 at 3 academic US medical centers.

Current challenges in the management of essential thrombocythemia.

Essential thrombocythemia (ET), an uncommon blood cancer, is one of the classic myeloproliferative neoplasms, a category that also includes polycythemia vera and primary myelofibrosis. All 3 diseases are clonal hematopoietic stem cell disorders. Since 2005, when scientists discovered a molecular aberration driving clonal hematopoiesis in polycythemia vera, our understanding of the genomic underpinnings of these conditions has increased rapidly.

The Epstein-Barr virus BRRF1 protein, Na, induces lytic infection in a TRAF2- and p53-dependent manner.

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) BRRF1 lytic gene product (Na) is encoded within the same immediate-early region as the BZLF1 (Z) and BRLF1(R) gene products, but its role during EBV infection has not been well defined. We previously showed that Na cooperates with the R protein to induce lytic gene expression in latently infected EBV-positive 293 cells, and in some EBV-negative cell lines it can activate the Z promoter in reporter gene assays. Here we show that overexpression of Na alone is sufficient to induce lytic gene expression in several different latently infected epithelial cell lines (Hone-Akata, CNE2-Akata, and AGS-Akata), while knockdown of endogenous Na expression reduces lytic gene expression.