CD200 expression in patients with Multiple Myeloma: another piece of the puzzle.

CD200 is a relatively ubiquitously expressed molecule that plays a role in cancer immune evasion through interaction with its receptors. High expression levels of CD200 have been described in different human malignancies. For example, CD200 has been shown to be targeted after RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK activation in melanoma.

Disulfiram, an old drug with new potential therapeutic uses for human hematological malignancies.

Disulfiram (DSF) is an aldehyde dehydrogenase inhibitor currently used for the treatment of alcoholism. Here, we show that multiple myeloma (MM) cell lines and primary cells from newly diagnosed and relapsed/resistant patients affected by MM, acute myeloid and lymphoblastic leukemia are significantly sensitive to DSF alone and in combination with copper. These effects are present at doses lower than those achievable in vivo after DSF standard administration.

Pleuric presentation of extranodal marginal zone lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue: a case report and a review of the literature.

A primary pleural marginal zone B cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) is a very rare eventuality. Here, we report a rare case of MALT lymphoma arising in the pleura and update the literature on this topic. A 74-year-old female was hospitalized for persistent cough and weakness.

NF-κB localization in multiple myeloma plasma cells and mesenchymal cells.

Several reports demonstrated that the activation of Nuclear Factor-kappa B NF-κB is essential for the pathogenesis of multiple myeloma (MM). We analyzed the nuclear localization of NF-κB in MM-cells derived from 60 different patients with MM at presentation and in relapse, as well as in three myeloma cell lines. Nuclear localization (the active form) of NF-κB was detected in only one MM-sample from a refractory patient and in two samples from relapsed patients, while all the other samples, including the MM-cell lines, almost exclusively express the cytoplasmic (inactive) form of NF-κB.

Antitumor activity of bortezomib alone and in combination with TRAIL in human acute myeloid leukemia.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a malignant disease characterized by abnormal proliferation of clonal precursor cells. Although different strategies have been adopted to obtain complete remission, the disease actually progresses in about 60-70% of patients. Bortezomib has been used in multiple myeloma and other lymphoid malignancies because of its antitumor activity.

Intermediate dose etoposide plus G-CSF 16 g/kg is more effective than cyclophosphamide 4 g/m(2) plus G-CSF 10 g/kg in PBSC mobilization of lymphoma patients.

We designed intermediate dose etoposide + G-CSF 16 microg/kg as a Peripheral Blood Stem Cell (PBSC) mobilization schedule suitable for outpatient administration. Forty-one Lymphoma patients received intermediate dose etoposide (200 mg/m(2) i.v.

BCR-ABL nuclear entrapment kills human CML cells: ex vivo study on 35 patients with the combination of imatinib mesylate and leptomycin B.

The BCR-ABL oncoprotein of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) localizes to the cell cytoplasm, where it activates proliferative and antiapoptotic signaling pathways. We previously reported that the combination of the ABL kinase inhibitor imatinib mesylate (IM) and the nuclear export inhibitor leptomycin B (LMB) traps BCR-ABL inside the nucleus, triggering the death of the leukemic cells. To evaluate the efficacy of the combination of IM and LMB on human cells we collected CD34-positive cells from 6 healthy donors and myeloid progenitors from 35 patients with CML.

Treatment of symptomatic patients with essential thrombocythemia: effectiveness of anagrelide.

We prospectively evaluated the effect of anagrelide (ANA) on platelets, PF4, F1+2, PAP, PAI-1, and TFPI and erythromelalgia in patients with essential thrombocythemia (ET) receiving anti-aggregants both pre- and post-ANA. At first, we observed a successful reduction of platelets, which was associated with normalization of platelet coagulant and endothelial function and disappearance of erythromelalgia. Secondly, we found a correlation between PF4 and TFPI and between TFPI and thrombosis, suggesting that erythromelalgia may be caused by platelet-mediated endothelial activation.

Familial B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia in a population of patients from Southern Italy.

We investigated the prevalence of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) in 9650 relatives of 510 CLL patients from 5 different regions (Apulia, Basilicata, Campania, Calabria, and Sicily) of Southern Italy. Data collection included a family history questionnaire. In our series of 510 CLL patients, 53 families with 2 or more individuals who had chronic lymphoproliferative disease (CLD) or other hematological malignancies were identified.

T cell receptor delta-chain gene rearrangement in a novel case of adult NK cell leukemia.

Malignancies arising from natural killer (NK) cells are being increasingly recognized as distinct clinicopathological entities. We here report the characteristics of a peculiar case of NK-cell acute leukemia with unusual agranular morphology and rearrangement of the T-cell receptor (TCR) delta-chain gene.

Flow cytometric detection of aneuploid CD38(++) plasmacells and CD19(+) B-lymphocytes in bone marrow, peripheral blood and PBSC harvest in multiple myeloma patients.

DNA aneuploidy has been used as a genetic marker of malignancy in multiple myeloma (MM). CD38 and CD138 expression and absence of CD22 and CD19 may define plasmacells (PC). Several authors support evidences of circulating plasmacells, and their role in relapse after autologous stem cell transplantation has been hypothesised.

Acute promyelocytic leukemia during pregnancy: report of 3 cases.

Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is characterized by onset at a young age and a life-threatening hemorrhagic diathesis, which is attributed to a disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC)-like coagulopathy. The discovery of all-trans-retinoic acid has changed the course of APL treatment by reducing the onset of DIC and inducing a complete and durable remission in more than 90% of patients. The occurrence of APL during pregnancy is not a frequent event, but the management of these patients raises many therapeutic and ethical dilemmas and requires a careful clinical case evaluation of fetal and maternal risk, coagulation status, the parents' wishes, and therapeutic options.

Allogeneic compared with autologous stem cell transplantation in the treatment of patients younger than 46 years with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in first complete remission (CR1): an intention-to-treat analysis of the EORTC/GIMEMAAML-10 trial.

In the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Leukemia Group and Gruppo Italiano Malattie Ematologiche dell' Adulto (EORTC-LG/GIMEMA) acute myeloid leukemia (AML)-10 trial, patients in first complete remission (CR1) received a single intensive consolidation (IC) course. Subsequently, those patients younger than 46 years with an HLA-identical sibling donor were assigned to undergo allogeneic (allo) stem cell transplantation (SCT), and patients without such a donor were planned for autologous (auto) SCT. Between November 1993 and December 1999, of 1198 patients aged younger than 46 years, 822 achieved CR.

Alternation of epirubicin and mitoxantrone in CHOP-like regimens retains efficacy and reduces overall toxicity in elderly patients with high and intermediate grade non-Hodgkin lymphomas.

Mitoxantrone and Epirubicin are active agents in non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL). These drugs have reduced cardiotoxicity and therefore are indicated in treatment of elderly patients. Cyclophosphamide, mitoxantrone, vincristine and methylprednisone (CNOP) and cyclophosphamide, epirubicin, vincristine and methylprednisone (CEOP) are combination chemotherapy and contain Mitoxantrone and Epirubicin that have been shown to be effective in treatment of NHL of intermediate and highgrade of malignancy in the elderly.

Elevated serum vascular endothelial growth factor levels in patients with polycythemia vera and thrombotic complications.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) induces platelet activation in a thrombin-dependent manner. We tested the serum VEGF levels in patients with polycythemia vera (PV) and found a significant correlation between increased VEGF and thrombosis. These findings suggest that high VEGF levels might contribute to the occurrence of thrombosis in this hematologic malignancy.

The clinical and diagnostic relevance of CD23 expression in the chronic lymphoproliferative disease.

Background: CD23 antigen is a cell surface protein considered important in the differentiation of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) from other lymphoid leukemias.

Methods: To better clarify CD23 role as a diagnostic tool, the authors retrospectively evaluated clinical and laboratory features of 372 patients who were referred to M.D.

Multidrug resistance mechanisms in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.

We evaluated the presence of P-glycoprotein (P-gp)-170, multidrug resistance protein (MRP), lung resistance protein (LRP)-56 and Bcl-2 in CD19-positive cells from 100 cases of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). P-gp-170 was found in 73% of the CLL cases with no significant difference regarding stage or previous treatment. LRP-56 protein was homogeneously distributed with no differences for stage or treatment.