Antiphospholipid antibodies may be a new prognostic parameter in aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Objectives: Patients with malignancies have an increased prevalence of antiphospholipid antibodies (APA). The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of IgG, IgM, and IgA anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL) and anti-beta-2 glycoprotein I antibodies (anti-beta2-GPI) in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), and to investigate their clinical and prognostic significance.

Methods: The study group included 86 patients with NHL.

Serum CA 125 as a prognostic factor in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Cancer antigen 125 (CA 125) is a glycoprotein expressed in normal tissues originally derived from coelomic epithelia such as peritoneum, pleura, pericardium, fallopian tubes and endometrium. Serum CA 125 levels are elevated in various benign and malignant conditions that involve stimulation of these tissues. Although elevated levels have been reported in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), its role as a prognostic factor remained uncertain.

Clinical severe hepatic venoocclusive disease during induction treatment of acute monoblastic leukemia managed with defibrotide.

Hepatic venoocclusive disease (VOD) is the most common complication of cytoreductive therapy used for stem cell transplantation, but it is rarely encountered during induction treatment of acute leukemia. We describe a patient in whom severe clinical VOD developed shortly after induction treatment for acute monoblastic leukemia. Administration of intravenous defibrotide for 19 days induced complete resolution of the VOD.