The e13a2 BCR-ABL transcript negatively affects sustained deep molecular response and the achievement of treatment-free remission in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia who receive tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

Background: Stopping tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment has become a realistic and safe objective for patients who have chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Both a sustained deep molecular response (sDMR) and the lack of a molecular recurrence after TKI discontinuation are required to reach a durable treatment-free remission (TFR).

Methods: The potential predictive role of BCR-ABL transcripts in attaining an sDMR and a TFR was analyzed in a strictly consecutive, unselected series of 194 patients who were diagnosed and treated with TKIs at the authors' center.

Additional chromosomal abnormalities in Philadelphia-positive clone: adverse prognostic influence on frontline imatinib therapy: a GIMEMA Working Party on CML analysis.

Additional chromosomal abnormalities (ACAs) in Philadelphia-positive cells have been reported in ∼ 5% of patients with newly diagnosed chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in chronic phase (CP). Few studies addressing the prognostic significance of baseline ACAs in patients treated with imatinib have been published previously. The European LeukemiaNet recommendations suggest that the presence of ACAs at diagnosis is a "warning" for patients in early CP, but there is not much information about their outcome after therapy with tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

Recent changes in bacterial epidemiology and the emergence of fluoroquinolone-resistant Escherichia coli among patients with haematological malignancies: results of a prospective study on 823 patients at a single institution.

Background: Regular monitoring of bacterial epidemiology allows evaluation of antibacterial strategies adopted. The aim of this study was to disclose evolving trends in the epidemiology of infections and emerging antibiotic resistance in unselected inpatients with haematological cancers.

Methods: Febrile/infectious episodes occurring in 823 patients consecutively admitted to a single institution during a 16 month period were analysed.

Fatal hemophagocytic syndrome related to active human herpesvirus-8/Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus infection in human immunodeficiency virus-negative, non-transplant patients without related malignancies.

Hemophagocytic syndrome (HS) may occur as a consequence of herpes viral infections. Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8)/Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus has so far been recognized as a trigger of HS only in immunosuppressed subjects or in patients with Kaposi sarcoma and/or HHV-8-related lymphoproliferative diseases. We report two Italian human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-negative elderly men who developed an HS with a rapidly fatal course, following treatment with corticosteroids for autoimmune hemolytic anemia.

Usefulness of the MSG/IFICG/EORTC diagnostic criteria of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in the clinical management of patients with acute leukaemia developing pulmonary infiltrates.

Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) is a frequently fatal complication in patients with acute leukaemia. Because diagnosis is still difficult, non-invasive diagnostic criteria were recently proposed by MSG/IFICG/EORTC for study purposes. We have analysed their usefulness in the clinical management of acute leukaemic patients with pulmonary infiltrates.