The evolving clinical scenario of myelodysplastic syndrome: the need for a complete and up to date upfront diagnostic assessment.

Until the beginning of the current millennium, few concrete therapeutic possibilities were available for myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) patients. This situation has dramatically changed in the last decade when new knowledge, new drugs and new opportunities have become available for physicians and their MDS patients. A correct diagnostic and prognostic assessment of all MDS patients wherever they are first seen in a hematology or internal medicine department is mandatory to identify the best therapeutic option and the most appropriate resources allocation.

Long term outcome of localized aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma treated with a short weekly chemotherapy regimen (doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, bleomycin, vincristine, and prednisone) and involved field radiotherapy: result of a Gruppo Italiano Multiregionale per lo Studio dei Linfomi e Leucenie (GIMURELL) study.

Recently, management of limited stage diffuse large cell lymphoma (DLCL) is trending toward a low intensity chemotherapy approach. Since 1993 we have used a brief weekly (6 weeks) chemotherapy scheme (Doxorubicin, Cyclophosphamide, Bleomycin, Vincristine, and Prednisone = ACOP-B) followed by involved field radiotherapy in 207 consecutive patients with well defined localized DLCL without age limit (median 57 years, range 18-85). Treatment was completed as designed in 183 of 207 patients (88%).