Peripheral lymphocyte subsets as predicting factors for molecular recurrence after imatinib discontinuation in a phase 2 imatinib discontinuation trial in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia.

Introduction: Treatment-free remission (TFR) is successful in half of the patients with chronic myeloid leukemia who discontinue Imatinib (IM) after sustained molecular response.

Methods: In a prospective trial, we used pioglitazone for 3 months before stopping IM in 30 patients. Percentages of peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets were assessed before and after treatment.

Intensity of bone involvement: a quantitative 18F-FDG PET/CT evaluation for monitoring outcome of multiple myeloma.

Purpose: The parameter intensity of bone involvement (IBI) was recently proposed to quantitatively assess patients with multiple myeloma using 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose-PET combined with computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) images. Here, we aimed to calculate IBI variation (ΔIBI) between two consecutive PET/CT of the same patient and verified its relationship with a subjective visual analysis of the images and with clinical outcome.

Methods: Consecutive whole-body 18F-FDG PET/CT performed to assess the outcomes of 29 patients diagnosed with multiple myeloma were retrospectively evaluated.

Evaluation of anemia after long-term treatment with imatinib in chronic myeloid leukemia patients in chronic phase.

Introduction: The incidence of grade 3-4 anemia was reported to be 3% with imatinib therapy for newly diagnosed chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in the chronic phase (CP). However, there are few data regarding the causes and the development of anemia after long-term treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the incidence of anemia after at least two years of imatinib treatment of CML patients in the CP and to identify other contributing causes of anemia in this population.

Survival differences in multiple myeloma in Latin America and Asia: a comparison involving 3664 patients from regional registries.

In previous observational studies, we have separately characterized patients with multiple myeloma (MM) both from Latin America (LA) and from Asia. Here, we analyze these two datasets jointly, in order to assess the overall survival (OS) in these two world regions. Data were available from 3664 patients (1968 from LA and 1696 from Asia); all of whom diagnosed between 1998 and 2007.

Cardiovascular Risk and Cardiovascular Events in Patients With Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Treated With Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors.

Background: Cardiovascular events (CVEs) have been observed in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia treated with second-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

Patients And Methods: We retrospectively evaluated the incidence of CVEs on 233 consecutive patients with chronic myeloid leukemia, of which 116 were treated with imatinib, 75 with dasatinib, and 42 with nilotinib. The median follow-up was 2047, 1712, and 1773 days, respectively.

Influence of BCR-ABL Transcript Type on Outcome in Patients With Chronic-Phase Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Treated With Imatinib.

Background: The prognostic significance of breakpoint cluster region gene-Abelson murine leukemia viral oncogene homolog 1 (BCR-ABL1) transcripts in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is still controversial.

Patients And Methods: All consecutive CML patients in chronic phase treated with imatinib in a single center were analyzed (n = 170). BCR-ABL1 transcript was evaluated using multiplex reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction.

Observational study of multiple myeloma in Latin America.

Relatively little is known about the outcomes of multiple myeloma in Latin America, a world region where incorporation of novel agents is generally slow. In the current retrospective-prospective study, we aimed to describe the patterns of care and treatment results in five Latin American countries. Between April 2007 and October 2009, patients who had been diagnosed from January 2005 to December 2007 were registered at 23 institutions from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, and Peru.