Prognostic Impact of Copy Number Alterations' Profile and AID/RAG Signatures in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) with BCR::ABL and without Recurrent Genetic Aberrations (NEG ALL) Treated with Intensive Chemotherapy.

Adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is associated with poor outcomes. ALL is initiated by primary aberrations, but secondary genetic lesions are necessary for overt ALL. In this study, we reassessed the value of primary and secondary aberrations in intensively treated ALL patients in relation to mutator enzyme expression.

Fecal microbiota transplantation in the treatment of intestinal steroid-resistant graft-versus-host disease: two case reports and a review of the literature.

Acute graft-versus-host disease (aGvHD) reduces the efficiency and safety of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). In recent years, attempts have been made to transplant fecal microbiota from healthy donors to treat intestinal GvHD. This study presented two cases of patients undergoing allo-HSCT who were later selected for fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT).

Expression of the PIM2 gene is associated with more aggressive clinical course in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Background: The PIM2 gene belongs to the PIM family, which encodes serine/threonine kinases involved in cell survival and apoptosis. The relation between the expression of the PIM2 gene and the course of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) has not been fully determined.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to evaluate the role of the PIM2 gene as a marker of CLL malignancy and its importance as a predictive and prognostic factor.

Elevated serum concentrations of metalloproteinases (MMP-2, MMP-9) and their inhibitors (TIMP-1, TIMP-2) in patients with Graves' orbitopathy.

Background: Graves' orbitopathy (GO), also known as thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy, is characterized by dramatic tissue reactivity. Both inflammation and tissue remodeling characterize the clinical course of GO. Some data has been found regarding the association of MMPs and TIMPs in GO.

Atypical chronic myeloid leukaemia: A case of an orphan disease-A multicenter report by the Polish Adult Leukemia Group.

Atypical chronic myeloid leukaemia (aCML) belongs to myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative neoplasms. Because of its rarity and changing diagnostic criteria throughout subsequent classifications, data on aCML are very scarce. Therefore, we at the Polish Adult Leukemia Group performed a nationwide survey on aCML.

The Hasford Score May Predict Molecular Response in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Patients: A Single Institution Experience.

The Sokal, Hasford, and EUTOS scores were established in different treatment eras of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). None of them was reported to predict molecular response. In this single center study we tried to reevaluate the usefulness of three main scores in TKI era.

Primary Intraocular Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma: Diagnostic Difficulties in Deep Retinal Infiltrations with Vitritis.

Purpose: Primary intraocular lymphoma (PIOL) is a rare malignancy with an aggressive clinical course. It is usually considered as a subset of primary central nervous system lymphoma. Differential diagnosis should include infectious and non-infectious aetiologies, particularly the common masqueraders sarcoidosis, tuberculosis, viral retinitis and syphilis.

Mycotic Infections of the Eye.

Fungal infections of the eye are an important cause of significant visual loss and blindness in some regions of the world, especially developing countries. Ocular mycoses remain a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge to the ophthalmologist. Corneal infection is the most frequent presentation, but the orbit, eyelids, lacrimal apparatus, conjunctiva, sclera and internal structures of the eye can also be affected.

Elevated PIM2 gene expression is associated with poor survival of patients with acute myeloid leukemia.

The PIM2 gene encodes the serine/threonine kinase involved in cell survival and apoptosis. The aim of the study was to evaluate the expression of the PIM2 gene in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and to examine its role in apoptosis of the blastic cells. We analyzed the PIM2 expression in 148 patients: 91 with AML, 57 with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and 24 healthy controls by Real-Time PCR and Western blot.

Increased expression of metalloproteinase-2 and -9 (MMP-2, MMP-9), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 and -2 (TIMP-1, TIMP-2), and EMMPRIN (CD147) in multiple myeloma.

Introduction: Activity of metalloproteinases (MMP) is controlled both by specific tissue inhibitors (TIMP) and activators (extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer, EMMPRIN). There are few data available concerning concentration the bone marrow of MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2, or EMMPRIM expression by bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (BMSCs) in patients with multiple myeloma (MM).

Patients And Methods: We studied 40 newly diagnosed, untreated patients: 18 males and 22 females with de novo MM and 11 healthy controls.

The use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in the treatment of hemorrhagic cystitis after allogeneic stem cell transplantation from an unrelated donor.

Hemorrhagic cystitis (HC) is a diffuse inflammation of the bladder of an infectious or non-infectious etiology, causing bleeding of the bladder mucosa. There are no explicit guidelines defining the appropriate treatment of HC. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO) is a non-invasive method involving the use of 100 % oxygen under increased pressure, which penetrates to poorly perfused areas.

CD117 (c-kit) expression on CD34+ cells participates in the cytogenetic response to imatinib in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia in the first chronic phase.

Background: Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) biology seemed to be perfectly explored especially at the beginning of the tyrosine kinase inhibitors era. Later years with imatinib and second-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors showed a variety of resistance mechanisms and it became obvious that the bcr-abl chimeric gene is not the only enemy to fight. Some studies assumed the decreased rate of programmed cell death (apoptotic) to be the primary mechanism by which BCR-ABL affects expansion of the leukemic clone in CML.

Expression of PIM-2 and NF-κB genes is increased in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and is associated with complete remission rate and overall survival.

Introduction: PIM-2 is a proto-oncogene that encodes for a serine/threonine kinase that interacts with various signaling molecules. PIM-2 is highly expressed in neoplastic tissues and in leukemic and lymphoma cell lines, which is consistent with its role during oncogenic transformation. The nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) pathway appears to be deregulated in a variety of tumors, with sustained activity of NF-κB leading to apoptotic resistance in tumor cells.

CD8+CD28-lymphocytes in peripheral blood and serum concentrations of soluble interleukin 6 receptor are increased in patients with Graves' orbitopathy and correlate with disease activity.

Background: The extrathyroid, orbital manifestation of Graves' disease (GD)--Graves' orbitopathy (GO)--presents a difficult clinical problem. The immunological status of GO patients is still under investigation. The aim of this study was to assess the serum concentration of interleukin 6 (IL-6), soluble interleukin 6 receptor (sIL-6R), and CD8+CD28- lymphocytes in GO patients and to evaluate if these parameters were associated with disease activity.

KIR/HLA gene combinations influence susceptibility to B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia and the clinical course of disease.

The aim of this study was to analyze the association between gene polymorphisms of killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) and their human leukocyte antigen (HLA) ligands and susceptibility to B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) and the clinical course of disease. The distribution of individual KIR genes in 197 B-CLL patients and 200 controls was similar, except for a tendency for lower frequencies of the KIR2DS3 and KIR2DL5 genes among B-CLL patients (26.9% vs 35.

Increased percentage of CD8+CD28- suppressor lymphocytes in peripheral blood and skin infiltrates correlates with advanced disease in patients with cutaneous T-cell lymphomas.

Introduction: T cells with the CD8+CD28- phenotype are CD8+ lymphocytes with regulatory function. Their increased numbers were observed in infections, autoimmune and neoplastic diseases, and in elderly healthy individuals. CD8+CD28- lymphocyte levels in patients with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) has not yet been described.

High intracellular content of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27(Kip1) in early- and intermediate stage B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia lymphocytes predicts rapid progression of the disease.

Previous studies showed that peripheral blood lymphocytes of B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) displayed a high intracellular level of cell cycle inhibitory protein p27(Kip1). It has been suggested that its' high expression may confer them survival advantage and lead to unfavorable prognosis, but the prognostic significance of p27(Kip1) expression for previously untreated, non-advanced stage B-CLL was not established. We studied a relationship between the intracellular level of p27(Kip1) of lymphocytes of early- and intermediate stage B-CLL patients and their spontaneous apoptosis in vitro, as well as prognostic significance of p27(Kip1) in B-CLL lymphocytes for the risk of disease progression.

Increased monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1/CCL-2) serum level in acute myeloid leukemia.

Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is an aggressive malignancy with accumulation of blasts in bone marrow. Myeloblasts can entry into peripheral blood stream and secondary localize in extramedullary sites. The regulation of this process has not been clearly explained so far, but interactions between some chemokines and their specific receptors could be one of the mechanisms responsible for such kind of migration.

Circulating sCD138 and some angiogenesis-involved cytokines help to anticipate the disease progression of early-stage B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Syndecan-1 (CD138) is a transmembrane heparin sulfate proteoglycan expressed on distinct stages of differentiation of B-lymphoid cells. Its prognostic value in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) has not been evaluated so far. The serum concentration of sCD138 and some angiogenesis-involved cytokines: vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), basis fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), and endostatin were studied in 52 previously untreated patients with B-CLL.

[Plasma concentration of the shed form of L-selectin (sL-selectin) in patients with acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and its relation to the clinical course].

L-selectin plays a critical role in the initiation of normal leukocyte attachment to activated endothelium. It is expressed on most normal leukocytes and is also detectable on blast cells in ALL and AML. The shed form of L-selectin (sL-selectin) is found in plasma.

[Expression of Fas receptor and soluble Fas ligand (sFasL) concentration in acute leukemia].

Apoptosis mediated by the interaction of cytotoxic T lymphocyte with blast cell via Fas receptor/Fas ligand (FasL) pathway is a one of the mechanisms of immunological leukemia surveillance. There is few data on possible blocking of Fas receptor by soluble form of Fas (sFasL) present in serum and the role of blast cells as the source of this ligand. Forty-eight patients with de novo diagnosis of acute leukemia, 32 with myeloblastic (AML) and 16 with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) were studied.

[Expression of p16INK4a, p15INK4b, p21WAF1/Clip1 cell cycle inhibitors on blastic cells in patients with acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) ].

Cyclin-dependent kinases (cdk) play the important role in neoplastic transformation. Their activity depends on interaction with proteins called inhibitors. There are two groups of inhibitors: INK4 (p16INK4a, p15INK4b, p18INK4c, p19INK4d) and proteins p21WAF1/Clip1, p27Kip1, p57Kip2.

Blood serum levels of soluble forms of adhesion molecules ICAM-1 (sICAM-1) and selectin E (s-selectin E) in patients with various phases of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas.

Background: Monitoring of disease activity and effectiveness of treatment plays an important role in curative management of patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (n-HL). In the search for markers useful for biochemical monitoring of n-HL patients, a group of proteins called adhesion molecules attracted attention. Particular attention has been devoted to sICAM-1 (intercellular adhesion molecule-1).