Adherence to and effectiveness of lenalidomide after 1 year of treatment in a real world setting.

Background: In combination with dexamethasone, lenalidomide is prescribed in the oral treatment of Multiple Myeloma for patients who have received at least one previous therapy.

Objective: The objective of this study is to evaluate medication adherence to lenalidomide of Multiple Myeloma patients, as well as Progression Free Survival and Overall Survival one year from the beginning of the treatment.

Setting: The study was carried out in Pescara Hospital, in Italy.

Lenalidomide Maintenance with or without Prednisone in Newly Diagnosed Myeloma Patients: A Pooled Analysis.

We conducted a pooled analysis of two phase III trials, RV-MM-EMN-441 and EMN01, to compare maintenance with lenalidomide-prednisone vs. lenalidomide in newly diagnosed transplant-eligible and -ineligible myeloma patients. Primary endpoints were progression-free survival, progression-free survival 2 and overall survival with both regimens.

Triplet vs doublet lenalidomide-containing regimens for the treatment of elderly patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma.

Lenalidomide-dexamethasone improved outcome in newly diagnosed elderly multiple myeloma patients. We randomly assigned 662 patients who were age ≥65 years or transplantation-ineligible to receive induction with melphalan-prednisone-lenalidomide (MPR) or cyclophosphamide-prednisone-lenalidomide (CPR) or lenalidomide plus low-dose dexamethasone (Rd). The primary end point was progression-free survival (PFS) in triplet (MPR and CPR) vs doublet (Rd) lenalidomide-containing regimens.

Chemotherapy plus lenalidomide versus autologous transplantation, followed by lenalidomide plus prednisone versus lenalidomide maintenance, in patients with multiple myeloma: a randomised, multicentre, phase 3 trial.

Background: High-dose melphalan plus autologous stem-cell transplantation (ASCT) is the standard approach in transplant-eligible patients with newly diagnosed myeloma. Our aims were to compare consolidation with high-dose melphalan plus ASCT versus chemotherapy (cyclophosphamide and dexamethasone) plus lenalidomide, and maintenance with lenalidomide plus prednisone versus lenalidomide alone.

Methods: We did an open-label, randomised, multicentre, phase 3 study at 59 centres in Australia, Czech Republic, and Italy.

Panobinostat plus bortezomib and dexamethasone versus placebo plus bortezomib and dexamethasone in patients with relapsed or relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma: a multicentre, randomised, double-blind phase 3 trial.

Background: Panobinostat is a potent oral pan-deacetylase inhibitor that in preclinical studies has synergistic anti-myeloma activity when combined with bortezomib and dexamethasone. We aimed to compare panobinostat, bortezomib, and dexamethasone with placebo, bortezomib, and dexamethasone in patients with relapsed or relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma.

Methods: PANORAMA1 is a multicentre, randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind phase 3 trial of patients with relapsed or relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma who have received between one and three previous treatment regimens.

Efficacy and tolerability of bendamustine, bortezomib and dexamethasone in patients with relapsed-refractory multiple myeloma: a phase II study.

Bendamustine demonstrated synergistic efficacy with bortezomib against multiple myeloma (MM) cells in vitro and seems an effective treatment for relapsed-refractory MM (rrMM). This phase II study evaluated bendamustine plus bortezomib and dexamethasone (BVD) administered over six 28-day cycles and then every 56 days for six further cycles in patients with rrMM treated with 4 prior therapies and not refractory to bortezomib. The primary study end point was the overall response rate after four cycles.

[Working overseas and cardiovascular diseases: application of a screening method on Oil&Gas employees].

Working overseas is a reality for decades in the Oil&Gas Industry and many noxae impact on the cardiovascular system. In fitness to work evaluation the physician should consider besides the conventional risk factors, the presence of cardiovascular diseases, and prevent their evolution. A cardiovascular screening and follow up after 2 years was carried out on 42 Oil&Gas employees, over 45 of age, during medical fitness to work.

Phase II study of melphalan, thalidomide and prednisone combined with oral panobinostat in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma.

The combination of melphalan, prednisone and thalidomide (MPT) has demonstrated efficacy and acceptable toxicity in newly diagnosed and relapsed/refractory patients with multiple myeloma (MM). Panobinostat is a potent oral pan-deacetylase inhibitor (pan-DACi). In preclinical and clinical studies, panobinostat showed good anti-myeloma activity in combination with several agents.

Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria after autologous stem cell transplantation: extinction of the clone during treatment with eculizumab - pathophysiological implications of a unique clinical case.

The clinical and biological spectrum of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is variable, ranging from classical hemolytic forms to PNH associated with aplastic anemia or other bone marrow (BM) failure syndromes. We report a previously undescribed case of PNH occurring after autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) in a patient affected by relapsing non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The intensive chemotherapy and the ASCT resulted in a contraction of the effective hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) pool and a derangement of the immune system.

Aspirin, warfarin, or enoxaparin thromboprophylaxis in patients with multiple myeloma treated with thalidomide: a phase III, open-label, randomized trial.

Purpose: In patients with myeloma, thalidomide significantly improves outcomes but increases the risk of thromboembolic events. In this randomized, open-label, multicenter trial, we compared aspirin (ASA) or fixed low-dose warfarin (WAR) versus low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) for preventing thromboembolism in patients with myeloma treated with thalidomide-based regimens.

Patients And Methods: A total of 667 patients with previously untreated myeloma who received thalidomide-containing regimens and had no clinical indication or contraindication for a specific antiplatelet or anticoagulant therapy were randomly assigned to receive ASA (100 mg/d), WAR (1.

Outcome and toxicity in the modern era of new drugs for multiple myeloma: a reappraisal for comparison with future investigational trials.

The introduction of new drugs such as thalidomide, lenalidomide, and bortezomib has led to novel treatment strategies and significantly improved the outcome of patients with multiple myeloma (MM). The enhanced knowledge of myeloma pathogenesis has allowed the identification of new therapeutic targets and many clinical trials are either planned or in progress to evaluate these more selective drugs in the near future. The results of these studies, however, will have to be compared with the results of existing novel therapies for the treatment of MM in order to define whether new protocols do not duplicate current new standards and constitute a real improvement.

Lesional skin chemokine CTACK/CCL27 expression in mycosis fungoides and disease control by IFN-alpha and PUVA therapy.

Recruitment of neoplastic T cells to skin is a critical step in the pathogenesis of mycosis fungoides (MF) lesions. Cutaneous T-cell attracting chemokine (CTACK)/CCL27 attracts memory T cells to skin, resulting in increased cutaneous expression. The interactions between neoplastic cells and skin immune system require further elucidation.

Efficacy and safety of pegylated liposomal doxorubicin in primary cutaneous B-cell lymphomas and comparison with the commonly used therapies.

Objectives: The therapy of advanced, relapsed or refractory primary cutaneous lymphomas is often unsatisfactory. Recent data indicate a favourable pharmacokynetic, pharmacodynamic and toxicity profile of pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (Peg-Doxo) in primary cutaneous T-cell lymphomas, while in primary cutaneous B-cell lymphomas (PCBCLs), the drug efficacy has never been assessed so far.

Methods: We performed a prospective phase II pilot clinical trial of Peg-Doxo monotherapy (20 mg/m(2)) in PCBCLs.

[Occupational stress and job insecurity in men working in a university].

77 men working in a university were investigated. Trait and state anxiety were determined by STAI I and STAI II; job strain (job demand/decision latitude), social support and job insecurity were analysed by a 46 item Karasek's questionnaire and subjective symptoms by a 12 item test. The employees of a library (mean age 49 years), in contact with students, showed significantly higher values of job strain, STAI I, STAI II and subjective symptoms than a control group of employees with similar age.

[Anxiety, job stress and job insecurity among teachers with indefinite or definite time contract].

Object of this study was the occupational stress of 336 teachers (276 women and 60 men) with stable or temporary employment in schools of Pescara, town of Central Italy. The levels of anxiety were determined by STAI and STAI II, those of job strain", "job insecurity" and social support by the Karasek's questionnaire, and the perception of subjective symptoms by a 12 item test. There were no significant differences depending on the type of school.

[Technical survey of safety levels established in building sites in the Pescara area].

In 2006, in the context of the initiative aimed at "Promotion of safety and health of workers in construction yards", the Operative Unit of Occupational Health, University G. d'Annunzio, in collaboration with the Construction School of the Province of Pescara and INAIL, started a survey of construction yards around Pescara aimed at collecting data regarding respect of the specific law concerning construction yards and the risk perception of workers. The survey of 100 construction yards provided useful information towards a concise picture of safety levels obtained.