In this review article, we outline the current landscape of immune and cell therapy-based approaches for patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). Given the well characterized graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) effect observed with allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation, and the known immune escape mechanisms observed in MDS cells, significant interest exists in developing immune-based approaches to treat MDS. These attempts have included antibody-based drugs that block immune escape molecules, such as inhibitors of the PD-1/PD-L1 and TIM-3/galectin-9 axes that mediate interactions between MDS cells and T-lymphocytes, as well as antibodies that block the CD47/SIRPα interaction, which mediates macrophage phagocytosis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Malnutrition screening is not widely practiced in outpatient cancer centers. This review aims to determine the validity of malnutrition screening tools and provide recommendations for clinical use.
Methods: Studies identified by a systematic review assessed the general validity of screening tools in adult oncology outpatients from five databases through 2022.
Recent advances in Rosai-Dorfman-Destombes disease (RDD), notably molecular testing, targeted therapy, and PET-CT imaging, hold promise for better recognition and improved outcomes. This study presents patients diagnosed and treated in a "real world" setting, where navigating limited resources must be considered. This retrospective single-center review includes 15 adult patients diagnosed with RDD at Vancouver General Hospital between November 2015 and October 2023.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Antithymocyte globulin (ATG) has been demonstrated to reduce the incidence of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD); however, it remains controversial whether these gains are offset by an increase in relapse.
Methods: We conducted a retrospective historical control study consisting of patients (n = 210) who underwent myeloablative allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT) from 2014 to 2020.
Results: The incidence of acute GVHD was lower in the ATG group (51.
Background: Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (alloHSCT) is a mainstay of treatment for hematologic malignancies such as acute leukemias and aggressive lymphomas. Historically, fresh hematopoietic progenitor cell (HPC) products have been preferred to cryopreserved products (cryo-HPC) due to concerns of loss of stem cell viability and number with the cryopreservation procedure.
Objective: We aimed to analyze the outcomes of patients who received cryo-HPCs during the COVID-19 pandemic and compare this against historical cohorts that received fresh HPC.