Managing patients with multiple myeloma during the COVID-19 pandemic: recommendations from an expert panel - ABHH monoclonal gammopathies committe.

Since the World has been facing the COVID-19 pandemic, special attention has been taken concerning cancer patients; related to their immunosuppression status, adding risk for more aggressive COVID-19 and mortality, but also concerns about the access and the quality of care in cancer therapy. The COVID-19 pandemic impacts the number of infected, its related mortality, as well as the care of cancer patients. Multiple myeloma patients are a particular group with several important aspects to be considered during pandemic times.

Imaginological characterization of multiple myeloma lesions of the jaws through cone-beam computed tomography.

Purpose: To establish an evaluation protocol for the identification and description of the variations in multiple myeloma (MM) lesions of the jaws, by means of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT).

Materials And Methods: Tomography exams from 33 MM patients were evaluated in this retrospective observational study. The reconstructions were analyzed simultaneously, according to the established protocol, with the following description criteria: anatomic location, size, margins, inner aspect, relationship with adjacent structures, and presence or absence of a punched-out aspect.

High frequency of variant alleles of the mannose-binding lectin 2 (MBL2) gene are associated with patients infected by hepatitis B virus.

Patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection may develop severe chronic liver disease. Carriers of HBV have an increased risk of developing cirrhosis, hepatic decompensation, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Worldwide an estimated 350 million people are infected with HBV, and 15-40% will develop serious sequelae in their lifetime.