Report on the 10th International Conference of the Asian Clinical Oncology Society (ACOS 2012).

The 10th International Conference of the Asian Clinical Oncology Society (ACOS 2012) in conjunction with the 38th Annual Meeting of the Korean Cancer Association, was held on June 13 to 15 (3 days) 2012 at COEX Convention and Exhibition Center in Seoul, Korea. ACOS has a 20-year history starting from the first conference in Osaka, Japan, which was chaired by Prof. Tetsuo Taguchi and the ACOS conferences have since been conducted in Asian countries every 2 years.

A rare case of microgranular acute promyelocytic leukemia associated with ider(17)(q10)t(15;17) in an old-age patient.

We present a rare case of microgranular variant acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) associated with ider(17)(q10)t(15;17)(q22;q12) of an old-age patient. The initial chromosome study showed a 46,XX,del(6)(?q21q25),der(15)t(15;17)(q22;q12),ider(17)(q10)t(15;17)[10]/47,sl,+ider(17)(q10)t(15;17)[3]/46,XX[16]. FISH signals from a dual color dual fusion translocation PML-RARA probe were consistent with the results of conventional cytogenetics.

A novel three-way Ph variant t(8;9;22) in adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Although three-way Philadelphia (Ph) variant translocation has been uncommonly (3~8%) reported in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), it has been even more rarely described in acute leukemias (ALs). When we reviewed the Mitelman database and the literature, we found about 595 three-way Ph variant cases; among these, only 39 three-way Ph variant translocations in AL were documented. Here, we report a novel three-way Ph variant case of t(8;9;22) in adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

Cytogenetic features of 5q deletion and 5q- syndrome in myelodysplastic syndrome in Korea; marker chromosomes proved to be chromosome 5 with interstitial deletion by fluorescence in situ hybridization.

We characterized the cytogenetic changes and prognostic characteristics of 133 Korean patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), focusing on 5q- syndrome and MDS with chromosome abnormalities involving 5q deletion according to World Health Organization 2008 classification. In all patients, G banding and fluorescence in situ hybridization for 5q were performed, and in MDS patients with 5q deletion, the deleted region on chromosome 5 was mapped with fluorescence in situ hybridization for EGR1, CSF1R, and PDGFRB. The frequency of isolated del(5q) syndrome and 5q deletion was 2.

Acute myeloid leukemia associated with t(1;3)(p36;q21) and extreme thrombocytosis: a clinical study with literature review.

We present an unusual case study on acute myeloid leukemia associated with t(1;3) and extreme thrombocytosis, along with a thorough review on relevant literature of t(1;3) cases (58 patients). On the basis of this study and literature review, thrombocytosis (>400,000/μL) is a relatively common finding in one third of patients with t(1;3), whereas increase of platelet count by more than 1,000,000/μL is an extremely rare phenomenon, even among patients with t(1;3). To our knowledge, this study is the only documented case that recorded more than 2,000,000/μL of extreme thrombocytosis in a de novo acute myeloid leukemia patient with t(1;3) at initial diagnosis.

Long-term outcomes of a 5-year follow up of patients with immune thrombocytopenic purpura after splenectomy.

Background: The long-term outcomes of adult patients with immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) after splenectomy are not clear.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 31 patients who underwent splenectomy after diagnosis of ITP at our institution between 1990 and 2009. Long-term follow-up was defined as a follow-up that lasted 1 year or more from splenectomy to the last follow-up.

A case of organizing pneumonia associated with rituximab.

Rituximab is a human/murine chimeric anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody used to treat CD20-positive B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Although most of the adverse effects associated with rituximab are usually reversible and temporary infusion-related reactions, including fever, chills, flushing and skin reactions, there are several reports of pulmonary events after long-term administration of rituximab. We present a case of asymptomatic nodular organizing pneumonia occurring during rituximab-based chemotherapy in a patient with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

A multicenter retrospective analysis of adverse events in Korean patients using bortezomib for multiple myeloma.

The proteasome inhibitor bortezomib has demonstrated clinical activity in patients with multiple myeloma (MM). Adverse events, including thrombocytopenia and peripheral neuropathy, have affected 30% to 60% of patients overall, and interrupted therapy in 10% to 20%. No prior toxicity data are available for Asian patients who have used bortezomib for MM.

Effects of the expression of leptin and leptin receptor (OBR) on the prognosis of early-stage breast cancers.

Purpose: Obesity-related leptin and leptin receptor (OBR) have a relation to the development of cancer and metastasis and also the low survival rate for breast cancer patients. Leptin has been associated with increased aromatase activity and it displays functional cross-talk with estrogen. This study was designed to determine the relationship between the expression of leptin and OBR in breast cancer tissue and the prognosis of early-stage breast cancer patients, and especially for the tamoxifen-treated patients.

Increased ERCC expression correlates with improved outcome of patients treated with cisplatin as an adjuvant therapy for curatively resected gastric cancer.

Purpose: It has been reported that the overexpression of the excision repair cross-complementing 1 (ERCC1) gene, which is essential for the repair of cisplatin (CDDP)-DNA adducts, negatively influences the effectiveness of CDDP-based therapy for primary gastric cancer. We investigated whether the ERCC1 expression was associated with survival for gastric cancer patients in an adjuvant setting.

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 44 patients who were diagnosed with stage II or higher disease after undergoing curative resection and they had also received cisplatin-based chemotherapy.

The efficacy of a modified chronomodulated infusion of oxaliplatin, 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin in advanced colorectal cancer (preliminary data).

Purpose: To determine the efficacy and tolerability of a modified chronomodulated infusion of oxaliplatin, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and leucovorin in the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer.

Materials And Methods: Sixteen patients with relapsed or metastatic colorectal cancer were treated with an intravenous infusion of oxaliplatin 25 mg/m(2), 5-FU 700 mg/m(2) and leucovorin 20 mg/m(2) on days 1 to 5. The infusion of oxaliplatin was chronomodulated with a peak delivery rate at 16:00 p.

Randomized phase III trial of cisplatin, epirubicin, leucovorin, 5-fluorouracil (PELF) combination versus 5-fluorouracil alone as adjuvant chemotherapy in curative resected stage III gastric cancer.

Purpose: The combination of cisplatin, epirubicin, leucovorin and 5-fluorouracil (PELF) administration, as adjuvant chemotherapy after curative resection for gastric cancer, was compared with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) administration alone. This paper reports the results of a prospective randomized comparison of the two regimens, PELF and 5-FU.

Methods: From August 1996 to July 1999, 54 patients were selected subsequent to being diagnosed with stage III cancer after a curative resection for gastric cancer.

High dose therapy followed by autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation as a first line treatment for multiple myeloma: a Korean Multicenter Study.

We conducted a phase II multicenter trial to estimate the response and survival of patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma to high dose melphalan therapy followed by autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation. Eligible patients who had undergone induction with vincristine, adriamycin and dexamethasone (VAD) should have adequate cardiac, pulmonary and renal function (creatinine <2 mg/dL). Melphalan at 200 mg/m2 was used as a conditioning regimen.

Outcome of adult severe or very severe aplastic anemia treated with immunosuppressive therapy compared with bone marrow transplantation: multicenter trial.

To compare survival rates and long-term complications after bone marrow transplantation (BMT) or treatment with immunosuppressive agents (ISA) in the management of adult aplastic anemia (AA) and to identify prognostic factors associated with improved survival, we evaluated 229 adult AA patients treated with ISA from 1990 to 2001 and compared the results with those for 64 BMT recipients. Of 156 patients with severe aplastic anemia (SAA) or very severe AA treated with ISA (antithymocyte globulin [ATG] or ATG plus cyclosporine), 46.8% showed complete or partial response and 7.

Prognostic Effect of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and Angiogenesis in Gastric Carcinoma.

Purpose: Many studies have shown that angiogenesis has an important role in the growth, progression, and metastasis of solid tumors. Recently, several angiogenic factors have been identified. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a well characterized inducer of angiogenesis.

Pilot Study of Heptaplatin, UFT-E and Leucovorin in Advanced Gastric Carcinoma.

Purpose: Heptaplatin (SKI-2053R, Sunpla ), a new platinum analogue which has a better toxicity profile than cisplatin, has been used with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) continuous infusion for the treatment of advanced gastric carcinoma. However, continuous 5-FU infusion had a inconvenience to administration. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of heptaplatin, UFT-E and leucovorin combination chemotherapy in advanced gastric cancer.