B lymphocytes with latent EBV infection appearing in long-term bone marrow cultures (HLTBMCs) from haematological patients induce lysis of stromal microenvironment.

Human long-term bone marrow cultures (HLTBMCs) are a valuable in vitro model for studying the role of the haemopoietic microenvironment. Here we report the spontaneous appearance of EBV-positive B cells in 6/40 HLTBMCs from patients with various haematological diseases after 3-5 months of culture. After subcultivation of these cells, a novel type of cell line could be characterized, which displayed surface markers and morphological features typical for EBV transformed B-cell lines.

[A questionnaire suitable for general practice for detection of the health status and quality of life of patients with hemato-oncologic diseases: psychometric properties. The Study G "Quality of Life" of the International Society for Chemo- and Immunotherapy (I.G.C.I.)].

In the evaluation of therapeutic measures it is important to consider the consequences of the proposed treatment on the subjective quality of health and the subjective quality of life. Since no adequate instrument existed to provide such assessments, a short, theoretically based questionnaire was developed and psychometrically tested. The construction phase was based on data of 104 adults with haemato-oncological diseases, leading to the design of a questionnaire which was tested using data of a further 292 patients.

[Risk-adapted therapy of highly malignant non-Hodgkin's lymphomas with COP-BLAM/IMVP-16: a prospective multicenter study].

In a prospective multicenter therapy trial the remission-inducing potential of the COP-BLAM (5 courses) and the possibly not cross-resistant IMVP-16 (2 courses) regimen for advanced diffuse large cell lymphomas were investigated. Inadequately responding patients were switched early after 2-3 courses to the IMVP-16 protocol. Between January 1986 and August 1988 349 previously untreated patients were recruited who fulfilled the entry criteria: age 15-75 (mean 56 years), stage II-IV.

[Multicenter prospective risk-adapted study on the therapy of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas of high malignancy. Use of COP-BLAM/IMVP-16 and randomized adjuvant radiotherapy--study concept and preliminary results].

In a multicenter prospective randomized therapeutic trial in advanced (stage II-IV disease, Ann Arbor classification) high-grade malignant non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL, Kiel classification) a sequential combination of the COP-BLAM (5 cycles) and the IMVP-16 (2 cycles) protocols was employed. Response was first determined after 2-3 cycles. In a response-adapted manner the therapy was immediately switched to IMVP-16 if only a partial remission or no response was obtained as evidenced by the first restaging.

Lymphomatoid papulosis: remission following intravenously administered acyclovir.

In a 54-year-old male patient suffering from Hodgkin's disease, lymphomatoid papulosis occurred. Complete clearing of the skin lesions was observed immediately after intravenously administered acyclovir. The patient had numerous relapses of his skin eruption with complete responses after each course of intravenously applied acyclovir.

Progress in the management of high risk non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. 10 years of experience of the 3rd Medical Department of Hanusch Hospital, Vienna.

An analysis of 173 cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) admitted to our hospital from January 1973 to January 1983 is presented. Of the 173 cases, 124 patients suffered from NHL of high grade malignancy according to the Kiel classification (37 centroblastic lymphoma (CB), 30 immunoblastic lymphoma (IB), 43 lymphoblastic lymphoma (LB), 14 NHL high grade malignancy unclassifiable). In addition, 26 patients with secondary high grade malignant NHL were included in the analysis (14 secondary CB, 10 secondary IB, 2 secondary LB).

[Leg ulcers in congenital dyserythropoietic anemia].

We report on an 18-year-old male patient suffering from leg ulcers due to congenital dyserythropoetic anemia and thrombocytosis. Based on this case, we discuss the importance of hematologic disorders for the development of leg ulcers as well as the pathogenetic mechanisms involved.

[Clinical aspects and therapy of iron deficiency].

Iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemias are very common disturbances of the hematopoiesis. Although symptomatology and therapeutic possibilities are well known, one should keep in mind that iron deficiency is a symptom and not a diagnosis. The causes of iron deficiency are iron loss, malabsorption and insufficient supply.

[Alcohol and changes in the hematopoietic system; an epidemiological contribution to the problem of alcoholic anemia].

In the course of the "Vienna Health Study 1979" 1261 males and 1548 females divided into 3 age categories (25, 40 and 60 years), were investigated for serum iron level, RBC, leucocytes, haemoglobin, haematocrit, MCH, MVC, MCHC, GOT, GPT and AP. These parameters were evaluated in correlation to the drinking habits of each proband. Significant correlations were found between alcohol consumption and serum iron (elevation in most cases), RBC (decrease), MCV (elevation) and GOT (elevation).

[Chemotherapy of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas].

Guidelines for the treatment of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma are laid down in this paper. Low-grade lymphomas diagnosed at an early stage be cured by adequate extended field radiotherapy, although this is a rare occurrence. Advanced stages are treated only on progression of the disease, whereby these measures can merely be regarded as palliative.

Germinal center cell lymphomas: prognostic significance of their histopathological differentiation.

Clinical data of 48 patients with centrocytic, 83 patients with centroblastic/centrocytic and 64 patients with centroblastic lymphoma who had entered a prospective multicenter study of the Kiel Lymphoma Study Group since October 1975 were compared. Advanced (stage IV) disease at time of diagnosis, predominantly due to bone marrow infiltration, was most frequent in centrocytic (69% of patients) and in centroblastic/centrocytic (51% of patients) lymphomas as compared to only 28% of patients with centroblastic lymphoma. High survival probability of patients with localized centrocytic and centroblastic/centrocytic lymphomas after radiotherapy, contrasting with a worse prognosis of corresponding patients with centroblastic lymphoma, is compatible with the classification of these lymphoma entities as neoplasias of low-grade malignancy.

Lymphoplasmacytic/lymphoplasmacytoid lymphoma: a clinical entity distinct from chronic lymphocytic leukaemia?

Clinical data of 116 patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) and of 114 patients with lymphoplasmacytic/lymphoplasmacytoid lymphoma (synonym: LP immunocytoma, IC) as diagnosed according to the Kiel classification were compared. This interim evaluation of a prospective multicenter study of the Kiel Lymphoma Study Group characterizes IC the less favorable lymphoma entity as evidenced by a more rapid lymph node enlargement, by a higher incidence of constitutional symptoms and of marked anaemia, and by a higher percentage of patients requiring early treatment. In addition, in IC autoimmune haemolytic anaemia was detected in 11.

[Clinical relevance of the Kiel classification of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (author's transl)].

The Kiel classification of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, based on morphological, cytochemical and functional criteria, differentiates between lymphomas of low-grade malignancy and high-grade malignancy, which are themselves subdivided into several distinct entities. The probability of survival, the symptomatology and some important laboratory parameters are described in 138 cases of malignant non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, classified according to the Kiel classification. The results show that this classification has not only prognostic and clinical relevance, but also explains some uncommon clinical courses of malignant lymphomas.

[Morphology and index of nucleoli in malignant lymphomas].

The significance of morphology and the number of lymphocyte nucleoli was evaluated by electronmicroscopic sections of malignant lymphomas. It was not only the number and the size of nucleoli which characterized malignant lymphomas differing in histological respect, but above all the different morphology of the nucleoli. The prognostic significance of the nucleolus can be illustrated, if malignant lymphomas of a low grade malignancy with a preponderance of micronucleoli and a low nucleolar index are compared with a significantly higher nucleolar index and markedly increased macronucleoli.

[Anemias resulting from iron metabolism disorders].

For the most part iron deficiency, but also disturbances of distribution, transport and utilization of iron, are able to cause anemias. To understand the origin of such anemias, firstly iron metabolism, then the clinical symptomatology as well as the laboratory parameters necessary for diagnosis and finally the usual therapies are described.

[A clinical study of the non-Hodgkin's lymphomas according to the Kiel classification (author's transl)].

A study of 138 patients with Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas was performed. The results were compared with retro- and prospective investigations of patients of the Kiel lymphoma study group. The aim of the study is to evaluate the value of the Kiel classification for the therapy and prognosis of malignant lymphomas.

Treatment of acute non-lymphoid leukemias: comparison of two protocols.

The results of treatment of 57 patients suffering from acute non-lymphoid leukemia by two protocols are compared. The more aggressive Coap protocol rendered a higher remission rate (57.1%), than the mild Guyer protocol where the remission rate has been 25%.

[Retrospective analysis of the clinical relevance of the Kiel classification of malignant non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (author's transl)].

405 cases with non-Hodgkin's lymphomas have been diagnosed according to the Kiel classification and analysed retrospectively. 314 patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphomas of low-grade-malignancy (chronic lymphocytic leukemia, lymphoplasmacytoid, centrocytic, centrocytic, centroblastic-centrocytic lymphoma) manifested significantly higher median survival times than the 91 patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphomas of high-grade malignancy (lymphoblastic and immunoblastic lymphoma). Within the group of patients with low-grade malignant lymphomas distinct prognostic differences were found whereas survival times in patients with lymphoblastic or immunoblastic lymphomas were rather similar.