WT1 overexpression at diagnosis may predict favorable outcome in patients with de novo non-M3 acute myeloid leukemia.

We reviewed the frequency and prognostic significance of FLT3 (fms-like tyrosine kinase receptor-3) and NPM (nucleophosmin) gene mutations and WT1 (Wilms' tumor) and BAALC (brain and acute leukemia, cytoplasmic) gene expression in 100 consecutive patients with intermediate and poor cytogenetic risk de novo acute myeloid leukemia (AML) receiving conventional anthracycline-AraC based therapy. We observed a strict relationship between unfavorable karyotype and BAALC >1000 (p = 0.0001).

Weekly standard doses of rh-EPO are highly effective for the treatment of anemic patients with low-intermediate 1 risk myelodysplastic syndromes.

For more than 20 years erythropoietin (rHEPO) has largely been used to treat anemia in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). Early clinical trials showed erythroid responses in no more than 15-25% of patients. In the last decade, a better selection of MDS patients suitable for a therapeutic challenge with rHEPO, alone or in combination with G-CSF, allowed for an increased response-rate, averaging around 40%.

Therapy of Hodgkin's lymphoma in clinical practice: A retrospective long-term follow-up analysis.

Treatment of Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) is perceived to be relatively straightforward. Consequently, patients are not usually referred to hemato-oncologically specialized centres and are treated locally instead. Comprehensive findings beyond prospective controlled trials are therefore lacking.

Adding low-dose gemtuzumab ozogamicin to fludarabine, Ara-C and idarubicin (MY-FLAI) may improve disease-free and overall survival in elderly patients with non-M3 acute myeloid leukaemia: results of a prospective, pilot, multi-centre trial and comparison with a historical cohort of patients.

We report the final results of a prospective multi-centre trial testing the combination of chemotherapy (fludarabine, cytosine arabinoside and idarubicin; FLAI) followed by low-dose gemtuzumab ozogamicin (GO), for induction treatment of patients with CD33+ acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). Forty-six consecutive patients were treated: the median age was 66 (range: 60-80) years; the karyotype was unfavourable in 12 patients (26%), intermediate in 33 (71%) and favourable in one (3%). Eleven major infectious complications were recorded.