Dendritic/antigen presenting cell mediated provision of T-cell receptor gamma delta (TCRγδ) expressing cells contributes to improving antileukemic reactions ex vivo.

T-cell receptor gamma delta (TCRγδ) expressing T-cells are known to mediate an MHC-independent immune response and could therefore qualify for immune therapies. We examined the influence of dendritic cells(DC)/antigen presenting cell (APC) generated from blast-containing whole blood (WB) samples from AML and MDS patients on the provision of (leukemia-specific) TCRγδ expressing T-cells after mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC). Kit-M (granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) + prostaglandin E1 (PGE1)) or Kit-I (GM-CSF + Picibanil) were used to generate leukemia derived APC/DC (DC)from WB, which were subsequently used to stimulate T-cell enriched MLC.

Effective and Successful Quantification of Leukemia-Specific Immune Cells in AML Patients' Blood or Culture, Focusing on Intracellular Cytokine and Degranulation Assays.

Novel (immune) therapies are needed to stabilize remissions or the disease in AML. Leukemia derived dendritic cells (DCleu) can be generated ex vivo from AML patients' blasts in whole blood using approved drugs (GM-CSF and PGE-1 (Kit M)). After T cell enriched, mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC) with Kit M pretreated (vs.

Granulocyte-Macrophage-Colony-Stimulating-Factor Combined with Prostaglandin E1 Create Dendritic Cells of Leukemic Origin from AML Patients' Whole Blood and Whole Bone Marrow That Mediate Antileukemic Processes after Mixed Lymphocyte Culture.

Although several (chemotherapeutic) protocols to treat acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are available, high rates of relapses in successfully treated patients occur. Strategies to stabilize remissions are greatly needed. The combination of the (clinically approved) immune-modulatory compounds Granulocyte-Macrophage-Colony-Stimulating-Factor (GM-CSF) and Prostaglandine E1 (PGE-1) (Kit-M) converts myeloid blasts into dendritic cells of leukemic origin (DC).

Dendritic Cell-Triggered Immune Activation Goes along with Provision of (Leukemia-Specific) Integrin Beta 7-Expressing Immune Cells and Improved Antileukemic Processes.

Integrin beta 7 (β7), a subunit of the integrin receptor, is expressed on the surface of immune cells and mediates cell-cell adhesions and interactions, e.g., antitumor or autoimmune reactions.

sCD25 as an independent adverse prognostic factor in adult patients with HLH: results of a multicenter retrospective study.

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare but often fatal hyperinflammatory syndrome caused by an inborn or acquired error of immunity. In adults, the underlying immunodeficiency generally arises alongside severe infections, malignancies, autoimmune diseases, and immunosuppressive treatment. To analyze risk factors and outcome in adults, we conducted a multicenter retrospective study.

Baseline Chest Computed Tomography as Standard of Care in High-Risk Hematology Patients.

Baseline chest computed tomography (BCT) in high-risk hematology patients allows for the early diagnosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA). The distribution of BCT implementation in hematology departments and impact on outcome is unknown. A web-based questionnaire was designed.

IL12B, IL23A, IL23R and HLA-C*06 genetic variants in psoriasis susceptibility and response to treatment.

The role of interleukin-23 is crucial in the pathogenesis of psoriasis, and IL23A, IL12B and IL23R genetic variants have been associated with the disease in genome-wide association studies. In the current paper we have conducted a confirmation study of the abovementioned genetic factors in a case-control analysis of 507 psoriatic patients and 396 controls from a Polish population, and subsequently analyzed the impact of genetic variants on response to topical and NB-UVB therapy in a subset of 306 patients. Case-control analysis revealed an association of IL12B rs3212227 and IL23R rs11209026 minor allele carrier status with reduced odds for psoriasis (OR = 0.

IL17A and IL17F Gene Polymorphism Association with Psoriasis Risk and Response to Treatment in a Polish Population.

Background: Recent studies have revealed the pivotal role of Th17 cells and interleukin-17 (IL-17) in plaque psoriasis development and treatment outcome. The IL-17 family consists of 6 structurally related cytokines (IL-17A, IL-17B, IL-17C, IL-17D, IL-17E, IL-17F), of which IL-17A and IL-17F mediate similar biological effects.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate an association between the IL17A (-197G>A; rs2275913) and IL17F (rs763780: T>C; rs11465553: G>A; rs2397084: T>C) polymorphisms with psoriasis susceptibility as well as response to topical and combined topical with narrow-band ultraviolet B (NB-UVB) therapy in a Polish population.

IL6 -174G>C polymorphism is associated with an increased risk of psoriasis but not response to treatment.

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is implicated in the pathogenesis of psoriasis as well as in its treatment efficacy. The aim of this study of 406 patients with psoriasis and 203 healthy controls was to evaluate the association between the IL6 -174G>C (rs1800795) polymorphism and psoriasis susceptibility, as well as treatment efficacy. The frequency of genotype GG (33.

Metronomic oral cyclophosphamide in patients with advanced solid tumors.

Background: Cure is rarely achieved in patients with advanced metastatic solid tumors, and quality of life including times without burdening therapies is an important endpoint. Metronomic oral cyclophosphamide (Cy) has been studied before and is a reasonable option.

Patients And Methods: 24 patients with a mean age of 64.

Mutations in the JAK2 and MPL genes and their correlation to clinical parameters in patients with chronic myeloproliferative disease.

Background: The objective of this study was to correlate the V617F mutation of the JAK2gene and the W515 mutation of the MPLgene in patients with chronic myeloproliferative disease (CMPD) with clinical parameters.

Patients And Methods: 51 patients were analyzed: 31 with essential thrombocythemia (ET), 20 with polycythemia vera (PV) and 2 with primary myelofibrosis (PMF). 1 patient had unclassifiable CMPD (CMPD-U).

[Treatment of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting with 5-hydroxytryptamine type 3 receptor antagonists].

Background And Objective: 5-hydroxytryptamine 3 (5-HT3) receptor antagonists have proved to be highly efficacious in the prevention and treatment of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV). However, several questions remain concerning the relative efficacy of various approved anti-emetics, especially with respect to dosage, duration and timing of administration, as well as differences in toxicity profiles. Thus it seemed appropriate to assess the current therapeutic results in routine daily practice, when applying antiemetic therapy according to established guidelines.

Thalidomide in combination with vincristine, epirubicin and dexamethasone (VED) for previously untreated patients with multiple myeloma.

The present study aimed to evaluate the side-effects and efficacy of thalidomide in combination with an anthracycline-containing chemotherapy regimen in previously untreated myeloma patients. Thalidomide (400 mg/d) was combined with bolus injections of vincristine and epirubicin and oral dexamethasone (VED). Chemotherapy cycles were repeated every 3 wk until no further reduction in myeloma protein was observed, whereas the treatment with thalidomide was continued until disease progression.

Comparison of lenograstim and filgrastim: effects on blood cell recovery after high-dose chemotherapy and autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation.

Purpose: The aim of the study was to evaluate whether glycosylated granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) (lenograstim) offers a benefit over non-glycosylated G-CSF (filgrastim) in clinically relevant end points after high-dose chemotherapy (HDC) and autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT).

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the outcome of 261 patients treated with either lenograstim (n=68) or filgrastim (n=193). Time to blood cell recovery, toxicities, and infectious complications were analyzed in a total of 469 G-CSF treatment cycles.

Hemolytic uremic syndrome following prolonged gemcitabine therapy: report of four cases from a single institution.

Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) has been described following the administration of multiple antineoplastic agents, most notably mitomycin C. More recently, several cases of gemcitabine-induced HUS have been observed with the overall incidence of gemcitabine-induced HUS estimated at 0.015-0.

High-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplantation in patients with oligometastatic breast cancer.

The purpose of this prospective trial was to study a combined-modality treatment including local consolidation by surgery or radiotherapy and high-dose chemotherapy (HDC) followed by peripheral-blood stem-cell (PBSC) transplantation. In all, 48 patients with oligometastatic breast cancer amenable to local treatment after induction chemotherapy with epirubicin and cyclophosphamide or paclitaxel and cisplatin, depending on prior adjuvant chemotherapy, were enrolled. The median follow-up was 41 months (range, 7-85 months).

Outcome of 67 patients with solid tumors relapsed after high-dose chemotherapy and peripheral blood stem cell transplantation.

We retrospectively analyzed the outcome of 67 patients with breast (n=24), ovarian (n=11) or testicular cancer (n=32) treated for relapse after high-dose chemotherapy (HDC) and peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) transplantation. Treatment, survival and toxicity were analyzed. Patients with breast, ovarian or testicular cancer received a mean of 5.

Impact of chemotherapy regimen and hematopoietic growth factor on mobilization and collection of peripheral blood stem cells in cancer patients.

Various chemotherapy regimens, combined with recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor(rhG-CSF) or recombinant granulocyte-macrophage CSF (rhGM-CSF) are used in cancer patients to mobilize and collect peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC). In this retrospective study, we evaluated and compared the efficacy of such regimens in 262 patients with different types of malignant diseases. The following chemotherapy regimens were applied: ifosfamide-etoposide-cisplatin or bleomycin (n = 96; mainly patients with testicular cancer); ifosfamide-etoposide plus or minus cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C) or vincristine (VCR)(n = 52; mainly patients with lymphoma); cyclophosphamide-anthracycline (n = 53; mainly patients with breast cancer); intermediate to high dose (ID-HD) cyclophosphamide (n = 37; mainly patients with breast or ovarian cancer.

Femoral head necrosis in three patients with relapsed ovarian cancer receiving high-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation.

We report three patients with relapsed ovarian cancer who developed femoral head necrosis requiring endoprosthetic hip surgery 16-35 months after high-dose chemotherapy (HDC) with treosulfan (47 and 56 g/m(2) body-surface area (BSA)) given as 3-25 h infusions and followed by autologous peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) transplantation. One woman received two courses of single agent treosulfan while the other two patients received one course of high-dose treosulfan either preceded or followed by high-dose carboplatin, etoposide and cyclophosphamide. A total of 30 women with ovarian cancer were treated with HDC at our unit and 21 of them received treosulfan-containing regimens.

Imatinib mesylate therapy in patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumors and impaired liver function.

Hepatic and peritoneal metastases are the most frequent metastatic lesions in patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST), and may result in intra- or extrahepatic cholestasis and altered drug metabolism. While the tyrosine kinase inhibitor imatinib, which has been recently shown to represent the treatment of choice for GIST, is primarily metabolized by the liver, data on the pharmacokinetics and the tolerability of imatinib in patients with increased cholestasis parameters are not yet available. We here report on two patients who received imatinib in the presence of increased bilirubin and/or cholestasis parameters.