Excellent survival after R-Hyper-CVAD in hospitalized patients with high-risk large B-cell lymphoma: The Karolinska experience.

Patients with high-risk aggressive B-cell lymphoma exhibit poor survival after R-CHOP. More intensive regimens yield higher rates of remission but also of complication. We investigated all 401 patients < 70 years with high-risk (age-adjusted [aa] international prognostic index [IPI] ≥2, extranodal, or bulky) aggressive B-cell lymphoma hospitalized at Karolinska for urgent start of immunochemotherapy (129 R-Hyper-CVAD; 261 R-CHOP/R-CHOEP).

Age but not Philadelphia positivity impairs outcome in older/elderly patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in Sweden.

Objectives: Older/elderly patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) are poorly represented in clinical trials.

Methods: Using Swedish national leukemia registries, we investigated disease/patient characteristics, treatment choices, outcome, and the impact of an age-adapted protocol (introduced in 2009) in this population-based study of patients aged 55-85 years, diagnosed with ALL 2005-2012.

Results: Of 174 patients, 82% had B-phenotype, 11% Burkitt leukemia (excluded), and 7% T-phenotype.

High relapse rate of T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia in adults treated with Hyper-CVAD chemotherapy in Sweden.

Background: Hyper-CVAD is widely used to treat acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and aggressive lymphomas. This multicenter, population-based study assessed the efficacy of Hyper-CVAD as first-line therapy in patients with T-cell ALL (T-ALL).

Patients And Methods: Between October 2002 and September 2006, 24 patients were diagnosed with T-ALL in Sweden; 19 were eligible for treatment with the protocol.

Risk group assignment differs for children and adults 1-45 yr with acute lymphoblastic leukemia treated by the NOPHO ALL-2008 protocol.

Background: The prognosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia is poorer in adults than in children. Studies have indicated that young adults benefit from pediatric treatment, although no upper age limit has been defined.

Design And Methods: We analyzed 749 patients aged 1-45 yr treated by the NOPHO ALL-2008 protocol.

High curability via intensive reinduction chemotherapy and stem cell transplantation in young adults with relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia in Sweden 2003-2007.

Background: A minority of patients with adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia who relapse are rescued. The aim of this population-based study was to assess the results of reinduction treatment and allogeneic stem cell transplantation in patients in second complete remission.

Design And Methods: Between 2003-2007, 76 adults (<66 years) with relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Burkitt's leukemia excluded) were prospectively reported to The Swedish Adult Acute Leukemia Registry and later evaluated.

Maintenance treatment with azacytidine for patients with high-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) or acute myeloid leukaemia following MDS in complete remission after induction chemotherapy.

This prospective Phase II study is the first to assess the feasibility and efficacy of maintenance 5-azacytidine for older patients with high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia and MDS-acute myeloid leukaemia syndromes in complete remission (CR) after induction chemotherapy. Sixty patients were enrolled and treated by standard induction chemotherapy. Patients that reached CR started maintenance therapy with subcutaneous azacytidine, 5/28 d until relapse.

An investigation into whether deletions in 9p reflect prognosis in adult precursor B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a multi-center study of 381 patients.

In acute lymphoblastic leukemia, besides age and white cell count at diagnosis, the cytogenetic abnormalities t(9;22)/BCR-ABL and t(4;11)/MLL-AF4 are important prognostic markers and are often included in the treatment stratification of patients with adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Deletions in 9p are seen in about 9% of cases of adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia, but their prognostic impact has been controversial. Cytogenetic data from 381 patients diagnosed with B-precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia were reviewed.

Negative effect of DNA hypermethylation on the outcome of intensive chemotherapy in older patients with high-risk myelodysplastic syndromes and acute myeloid leukemia following myelodysplastic syndrome.

Purpose: Promoter hypermethylation of, for example, tumor-suppressor genes, is considered to be an important step in cancerogenesis and a negative risk factor for survival in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS); however, its role for response to therapy has not been determined. This study was designed to assess the effect of methylation status on the outcome of conventional induction chemotherapy.

Experimental Design: Sixty patients with high-risk MDS or acute myeloid leukemia following MDS were treated with standard doses of daunorubicin and 1-beta-d-arabinofuranosylcytosine.

Serum erythropoietin (EPO) levels correlate with survival and independently predict response to EPO treatment in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes.

Treatment with recombinant erythropoietin (EPO) can alleviate anaemia in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). The present study, based on a long-term follow-up of 68 MDS patients (26RA, 16 RAS, 26 RAEB) treated with EPO alone, pinpoints pre-treatment variables associated with response induction, response duration and overall survival. Response, defined as an increase in haemoglobin >15gL1 or eliminated erythrocyte transfusion requirements, was observed in 22 of 66 (33%) evaluable patients.