Impact of scheduled partial exchange transfusions on outcomes in pregnant patients with severe sickle cell disease: a retrospective study.

Introduction: The incidence of feto-maternal complications is high in women with sickle cell disease. The paucity of high-quality evidence has led to conditional recommendations for transfusional support in pregnant patients. This study aimed to assess if scheduled partial red cell exchanges impact pregnancy outcomes in sickle cell disease patients.

Asciminib Use Highlighting Underlying Moyamoya Disease: A Case Report.

We highlight here a case of Moyamoya disease (MMD) developed after treatment for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Moyamoya, a term meaning "a hazy puff of smoke" in Japanese, denotes a chronic occlusive cerebrovascular condition involving bilateral stenosis or closure of the terminal part of the internal carotid arteries (ICAs) and the proximal sections of the anterior cerebral arteries (ACAs) and middle cerebral arteries (MCAs) resulting in the development of abnormal vascular collaterals. A 40-year-old African-American female with a past medical history of CML presented to the oncology clinic with expressive aphasia.

Rare Cardiac Tumor: Do We Know All About Cardiac Myxofibrosarcoma?

Primary cardiac tumors (PCTs) are less frequent and carry an incidence of 1.38 per 100,000 population per year. Myxofibrosarcomas are reported as one of the rarest forms of cardiac sarcomas, mostly with mesenchymal origin and located in the left atrium.

Sickle Cell Trait: Is It Always Benign?

Sickle cell disease is a well-known homozygous inherited hemoglobinopathy that causes vaso-occlusive phenomena and chronic hemolysis. Vaso-occlusion results in sickle cell crisis and can eventually lead to complications involving multiple organ systems. However, the heterozygous counterpart, sickle cell trait (SCT) has less clinical significance as these patients are generally asymptomatic.

Sickle cell disease and coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) infection: a single-center experience.

Purpose: Sickle cell disease (SCD) has been found to be associated with an increased risk of hospitalization and death from coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). We sought to study clinical outcomes in patients with SCD and a diagnosis of COVID-19 infection.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of adult patients (>18 years) with SCD who were diagnosed with COVID-19 infection between 1 March 2020 and 31 March 2021.

Extramedullary Multiple Myeloma: A Patient-Focused Review of the Pathogenesis of Bone Marrow Escape.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a neoplastic clonal proliferation of plasma cells, predominantly in the bone marrow. The presentation of MM in extramedullary tissue, particularly the liver, is uncommon with only a few reported cases in literature. We report a rare and unusual presentation of kappa light chain restricted MM with progression of disease to involve the liver.

The Effect of Payer Status on Survival of Patients With Prostate Cancer.

Background Disparities in access to care and proper treatment can have significant implications in patient survival outcome and mortality. This retrospective study of prostate cancer patients from the National Cancer Database (NCDB) between the years 2004 and 2014 and follow-up to the end of 2015 analyzed such effects that variation in payer status might have on outcome. Methods This study used the data of 696,321 diagnosed prostate cancer patients from the NCDB for the years 2004 to 2014 and follow-up to the end of 2015 to analyze the effect that payer status would have on prostate cancer survival.

Hexachlorobenzene, a pollutant in hypothyroidism and reproductive aberrations: a perceptive transgenerational study.

Hexachlorobenzene (HCB), a widespread environmental pollutant, contributes to endocrine disruption resulting in hypothyroidism. We investigated the effect of chronic exposure of HCB to explore the functional interconnection between hypothyroidism and infertility. All observations were made through the F1 and F2 generations.

The curious case of hemoglobin DC disease masquerading as sickle cell anemia.

Hemoglobin D is a relatively rare disease first reported in 1951. We present the first reported case of Hemoglobin DC disease. This is a case of a Hemoglobinopathy with DC disease in a woman with a previous diagnosis of Hemoglobin SC disease.

Vancomycin Induced Thrombocytopenia - Protracted Course in a Hemodialysis Patient.

Vancomycin induced thrombocytopenia (VIT) is an uncommon side effect of vancomycin which can manifest from mild petechiae to life-threatening bleed. Decreased renal clearance of vancomycin results in prolonged thrombocytopenia by antibody-mediated platelet destruction in the presence of vancomycin. Improvement in thrombocytopenia is achieved with the elimination of vancomycin.

Plasmablastic Lymphoma, a Rare Entity in Bone Marrow with Unusual Immunophenotype and Challenging Differential Diagnosis.

Plasmablastic lymphoma (PBL) is an aggressive malignancy that usually occurs in the setting of immunosuppression. The immunohistochemical profile of PBL is that of terminally differentiated B lymphocytes. CD138, CD38, and MUM1 are usually immunopositive.

Iatrogenic constipation from barium blockade: A case report.

Barolith, a mixture of inspissated barium and feces, is a rare complication of barium-contrast studies that lead to intestinal obstruction. With the high morbidity associated with barolith impaction, we recommend that physicians be more aware of complications, increase prompt diagnosis, and initiation of laxatives once discovered.

Effect of Stem Cell Transplant on Survival in Adult Patients With Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: NCDB Analysis.

Background: A retrospective analysis was performed to investigate the survival outcomes in adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) based on treatment received.

Materials And Methods: Data from 17,504 men and women (≥18 years of age) registered in the National Cancer Database who were diagnosed with ALL between 2004 and 2013 and had follow-up to the end of 2014, were analyzed. The primary predictor variable was treatment received, and overall survival was the outcome variable.

Utility of routine pretreatment evaluation of left ventricular ejection fraction in breast cancer patients receiving anthracyclines.

Anthracycline-based chemotherapy is widely used in the management of breast cancer. Despite the lack of clinical evidence, obtaining prechemotherapy left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) by echocardiogram or multigated acquisition scan is a widely adopted practice throughout the world. We present here the results of a retrospective analysis of breast cancer patients who had LVEF measurements in anticipation of an anthracycline chemotherapy to determine whether predefined cardiac risk factors predicted for poor cardiac function.

Dasatinib-Induced Rhabdomyolysis in a 33-Year-Old Patient with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia.

Rhabdomyolysis is a life-threatening syndrome due to breakdown of the skeletal muscle. It can be caused by massive trauma and crush injuries or occur as a side effect of medications. Here, we describe a case of a 33-year-old male with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and newly diagnosed chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) with severe life-threatening rhabdomyolysis due to a rare offending agent.

Efficacy and safety of carfilzomib in relapsed and/or refractory multiple myeloma: systematic review and meta-analysis of 14 trials.

Objective: Carfilzomib (Carf) is a second-generation proteasome inhibitor approved for patients with relapsed and/or refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) who failed ≥ 1 prior lines of therapy. We performed a systematic review of Carf literature with meta-analysis to determine the efficacy and safety in RRMM patients.

Methods: Based on literature search, we included a total of 14 eligible phase I/II, phase II and phase III Carf based clinical trials.

Use of Eltrombopag in Improving Poor Graft Function after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.

Eltrombopag is a thrombopoietin agonist and has been used in aplastic anemia and post-transplantation thrombocytopenia. The c-MPL receptor is present on hematopoietic stem cells. There are no reports of eltrombopag utilization for improving poor graft function in the post-transplant setting.

Excellent response to chemotherapy post immunotherapy.

Introduction: Immunotherapy in the form of immune checkpoint inhibitors has changed the landscape of cancer treatment. Newer monoclonal antibodies are coming up and are being tested in various cancers during different stages of treatment. With the increasing use of immune checkpoint inhibitors in the management of various types of cancers, the question is raised as to what next can be offered to a patient who has progressed on this newer treatment.

Automating Quality Oncology Practice Initiative Quality Measure NHL78a.

Purpose: Quality measurement and improvement is a focus of ASCO. In the era of electronic health records (EHRs), computerized order entry, and medication administration records, quality monitoring can be an automated process. The EHR data are usually stored within tables in a relational database management system.