Association of increased microvessel density with skeletal extramedullary disease relapse in multiple myeloma patients who have skeletal extramedullary disease at diagnosis.

The aim of the study was to investigate whether microvessel density (MVD) could be associated with skeletal extramedullary disease relapse (skeletal-EMDR) in patients with multiple myeloma (MM) who have skeletal-EMD at diagnosis. Seventy-nine newly diagnosed MM patients who have skeletal-EMD were retrospectively enrolled in this study. The 4-year cumulative incidence of skeletal-EMDR was 35.

Expression levels of IL-27 and IL-17 in multiple myeloma patients: a higher ratio of IL-27:IL-17 in bone marrow was associated with a superior progression-free survival.

The goal of the study was to investigate the levels of interleukin-27 (IL-27) and IL-17 in bone marrow (BM) and peripheral blood (PB) of multiple myeloma (MM). The levels of IL-27 and IL-17 were determined in MM patients and controls using ELISA. The results showed a decreased IL-27 and elevated IL-17 level in MM patients and a negative association of IL-27 with IL-17.

[Effects of all-trans retinoic acid and compound huangdai tablet sequential maintenance treatment on the long-term efficacy of acute promyelocytic leukemia patients].

Objective: To compare the difference in the long-term efficacy between all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) combined Compound Huangdai Tablet and ATRA combined methotrexate (MTX) and 6-mercaptopurine (6MP) as the sequential maintenance treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) patients.

Methods: Totally 83 APL patients in the molecular remission (PML/RARalpha negative) were randomly assigned to two groups, the treatment group (45 cases) and the control group (38 cases) after they were induced to the complete remission (CR) by ATRA combined chemotherapy, and treated by sequential chemotherapy as the consolidated treatment for 3 therapeutic courses. Those in the treatment group were sequentially treated with ATRA and Compound Huangdai Tablet as maintenance therapy, while those in the control group were treated with ATRA and MTX + 6MP as maintenance therapy.

[Norcantharidin potentialize the chemosensitivity of adriamycin through the NF-κB/IκBα signaling pathway].

Objective: To explore the synergetic effect of norcantharidin (NCTD) and adriamycin (ADR) on the proliferation and apoptosis of multiple myeloma (MM) cells.

Methods: Human MM cell line U266 cells were treated with NCTD alone (10 µmol/L) or in combination with ADR (0.25 µmol/L).