Clinical characteristics of patients with chronic eosinophilic leukaemia (CEL) harbouring FIP1L1-PDGFRA fusion transcript--results of Polish multicentre study.

A small subgroup of patients with hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) demonstrates imatinib-sensitive fusion transcript-the FIP1L1-PDGFRA (F/P+). These cases are currently diagnosed as chronic eosinophilic leukaemia (CEL). In this paper, we screened 77 patients to estimate the frequency of FIP1L1-PDGFRA transcript among patients with unexplained, long-term hypereosinophilia exceeding 1.

Elastin metabolism is disrupted in patients after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloHSCT) for acute and chronic myeloid leukemia.

Background: The potential role of elastin in patients with myeloid leukemia treated with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) has not been investigated so far. The objective of the study was to evaluate elastin metabolism before and at two time-points after HSCT.

Material/methods: Forty patients (22 male and 18 female, median age: 34 years, range: 14-54) were included.

[CD20 antigen of Hodgkin and Reed-Sternberg cells as possible prognostic factor in patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma--preliminary reports].

Unlabelled: THE AIM of the study was to asses the validity of CD20 expression on H-RS cells as independent prognostic factor in patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Methods: 72 patients (44 men and 28 women) between 15 and 73 y.o.

Pure red-cell aplasia following major and bi-directional ABO-incompatible allogeneic stem-cell transplantation: recovery of donor-derived erythropoiesis after long-term treatment using different therapeutic strategies.

Blood group incompatibility between donor and recipient of allogeneic stem cell transplants may be associated with post-transplant erythroid aplasia. A total of 548 patients (pts) received allogeneic transplant for malignant and non-malignant hematologic disorders. In a retrospective analysis, the prevalence and outcome of pure red-cell aplasia (PRCA) in 44 pts with major and bi-directional ABO-mismatch were investigated.

[Current review on the role of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) in some pathological disorders].

Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) family is recognised as one of the major regulators of immune response. Increased synthesis of TGF-beta has been linked to immune defects associated with malignancy and autoimmune disorders, to susceptibility to opportunistic infection, and to fibrotic disease. It is widely believed that this factor is related to the development of two main features of chronic graft dysfunction and rejection, namely fibrosis and atherosclerosis.

[Pregnancy outcome in five women after autologous bone marrow transplantation for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia].

There are reports of successful pregnancies in women with haematological malignancies after either autologous or allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT). We report six cases of uncomplicated pregnancies in five women treated with high-dose chemotherapy, radiotherapy and autologous bone marrow transplantation (ABMT) for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. One patient was diagnosed as having leukaemia during pregnancy.

Clinical significance of elastin turnover--focus on diseases affecting elastic fibres.

Elastic fibres are an important component of connective tissue. They are composed of two elements: protein-elastin and microfibrils. Tissue rich in elastin include: aorta and major vessels, lungs, ligaments, tendons and skin.

[Effectiveness of splenectomy in high-risk patients needing surgery].

Splenectomy is a useful method of treatment in some hematological disorders (congenital microspherocytosis, ITP, hypersplenism). However in many clinical situations the unclear prognostic factors, bad patient's condition or non-typical disease's course may impede the decision to splenectomize. We present a history of three successfully splenectomized patients.

G-CSF administered in time-sequenced setting during remission induction and consolidation therapy of adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia has beneficial influence on early recovery and possibly improves long-term outcome: a randomized multicenter study.

Sixty-four untreated adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients were randomized to receive chemotherapy alone, n = 31 or chemotherapy and granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF), n = 33. During induction patients received G-CSF for 5 days between four weekly Epirubicin+Vcr administrations, starting 36 h after each application and finishing 48 h before the next one with the intention to possibly generate a cell cycle dependent protection of normal hematopoietic progenitors and to stimulate granulopoiesis. The complete remission (CR) rate equaled 94% in the G-CSF group and 87% in controls.

[Central nervous system relapses in acute lymphoblastic leukemia and different methods of prophylaxis].

The results of two different methods of CNS prophylaxis during consolidation were evaluated among fifty one acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients (ALL) treated in 1980-1991 in the Department of Hematology in Katowice. In group I (n = 28) methotrexate (Mtx) was used intrathecally (it) in 6 doses of 18 mg, in group II high dose cytosine arabinoside (Hi AraC)--3g/m2 intravenously (4x) was used with CNS rtg--therapy (18-24Gy). In both groups frequency of CNS relapses was similar 17.

[A favorable result of immunosuppressive therapy combined with the use of cyclosporine in a case of particularly severe Wegener's granuloma].

A case of a 38-year male patient treated for severe Wegener's granuloma has been presented. Immunosuppressive therapy including cyclophosphamide and prednisone produced a 4-week improvement followed by relapsed with advanced organ involvement (severe cardio-respiratory and renal failure). Intensive therapy with cyclosporine A and prednisone (given intravenously and next orally) carried out for 4 months produced a favourable response with complete regression of organ involvement.

[Results of induction treatment with idarubicin for acute nonlymphoblastic leukemia in adults].

Fifty six adult acute nonlymphoblastic leukemia patients were randomised in 1993 year according to Polish Acute Leukemia Group (PALG) into prospective, cooperative trial with the same prognostic factors distribution. The results of induction treatment using idarubicin on days 1, 3, 5 plus arabinoside cytosine 1-7/10 plus etoposide 1-5 (ICE7/10) vs. daunorubicin on days 1-3 plus Ara-C 1-7/10 with additional HD Ara-C in case of not sufficient cytoreduction in 6th day's bone marrow biopsy (3+7/+/-HD) and etoposide in M4-5 subtype are comparable (63 vs.

Childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia immunophenotypes and their prognostic significance: experience of the IGCI-study in 389 children. International Society for Chemo-immunotherapy (IGCI-Vienna) Cooperative Group.

The prognostic significance of immunophenotype and other features including sex, age, anaemia, WBC, FAB type, and PAS staining were analysed in a group of 389 children newly diagnosed as acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and treated according to the BFM 1981/1983 protocol. The CR rate was higher (82-94%) in immunophenotypic subgroups defined as 'non-B' compared with B-ALL (54%). The probability of being in CCR at the end of follow up was 0.

[Comparison of clinical usefulness of immunophenotyping of leukemia using the immunofluorescence and immunoenzyme APAAP methods].

The clinical utility of the indirect immunofluorescence (IF) and the alkaline phosphatase-anti-alkaline phosphatase (APAAP) techniques was compared in 103 newly diagnosed acute leukaemia patients immunophenotyped using a panel of 19 monoclonal antibodies (MoAb). In spite of slight variations in the percentages of cells reacting with particular MoAbs when comparing the two methods we found no discrepancies in the final classification of each case. In ANLL (n = 73) the best correlation between the two methods was found for CDw65 which is a good screening marker, and for CD15 having a prognostic significance.

[Proposal of a standard set of monoclonal antibodies for differential diagnosis of acute nonlymphocytic leukemia].

Five hundred twenty patients with de novo non-lymphocytic leukemia (ANLL) were classified according to morphocytochemical FAB criteria and then immunophenotyped using a set of 20 monoclonal antibodies (MoAb) of VI series. It was demonstrated that immunophenotyping increased the proportion of properly classified leukemias from 87% after morphocytochemical evaluation up to 97.5%.

[Prognostic usefulness of certain defined indicators for achieving complete remission and survival of ANLL in adults: proposal of a prognostic scale].

Retrospective analysis has included 323 patients with acute nonlymphocytic leukaemia. The comparable patient groups were treated since 1981, according to protocols used by the Polish Acute Leukaemia Group. The prognostic value for achieving complete remission and survival of 67 pre-treatment factors (42 quantitative and 25 qualitative) was evaluated.