Real-life Experience With Rituximab-CHOP Every 21 or 14 Days in Primary Mediastinal Large B-cell Lymphoma.

Background/aim: Primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma (PMLBCL) is an aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), whose prognosis has greatly improved since the incorporation of the anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody rituximab into current therapeutic regimens. Evidence, however, on the optimal time interval between consecutive chemoimmunotherapy (CIT) cycles is still scarce. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy outcomes of the more commonly administered 3-weekly regimens to the biweekly ones in a PMLBCL patients' population, who were mostly treated with rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone every 21 days (R-CHOP-21) or R-CHOP-14.

Evaluation of the Dynamiker Fungus (1-3)-β-D-Glucan Assay for the Diagnosis of Invasive Aspergillosis in High-Risk Patients with Hematologic Malignancies.

Introduction: The Dynamiker Fungus (1-3)-β-D-glucan assay (DFA) allows the testing of samples in smaller batches compared to the well-established Fungitell assay (FA) making the assay cost-effective in centers with small numbers of samples. Evaluations of its performance for the diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis (IA) are limited. Therefore, we compared the two assays and evaluated their clinical performance in diagnosing IA.

Clinical significance of PD-1 and PD-L1 molecules in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified: Correlation with clinical and pathological findings.

Purpose: To investigate a possible chemorefractoriness mechanism of a Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL) histological subtype, specifically of DLBCL, not otherwise specified (DLBCL, NOS), namely the effect of programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) immunoreceptor signalling, considering that the identification of additional negative prognostic factors can lead to better prognostication and therapeutic approaches.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of DLBCL, NOS patients, gathering their clinical features and combining them with PD-1 and its ligand (PD-L1) expression at the time of diagnosis as well as their response to treatment.

Results: No statistically significant difference was found when comparing PD-L1 positive to PD-L1 negative patients, while overall survival (OS) and duration of complete response (CR) were better for PD-L1 negative patients but the difference was not statistically significant.

Performance, Correlation and Kinetic Profile of Circulating Serum Fungal Biomarkers of Invasive Aspergillosis in High-Risk Patients with Hematologic Malignancies.

As conventional microbiological documentation of invasive aspergillosis (IA) is difficult to obtain, serum fungal biomarkers are important adjunctive diagnostic tools. Positivity rates and the kinetic profiles of galactomannan (GM), 1,3-β-D-glucan (BDG) and DNA (PCR) were studied in high-risk patients with hematologic malignancies. GM, BDG and PCR data from serial serum specimens ( = 240) from 93 adult hematology patients with probable ( = 8), possible ( = 25) and no ( = 60) IA were retrospectively analyzed.

A Prospective Multicenter Cohort Surveillance Study of Invasive Aspergillosis in Patients with Hematologic Malignancies in Greece: Impact of the Revised EORTC/MSGERC 2020 Criteria.

Data concerning the incidence of invasive aspergillosis (IA) in high-risk patients in Greece are scarce, while the impact of the revised 2020 EORTC/MSGERC consensus criteria definitions on the reported incidence rate of IA remains unknown. A total of 93 adult hematology patients were screened for IA for six months in four tertiary care Greek hospitals. Serial serum specimens ( = 240) the sample was considered negative by PCR were collected twice-weekly and tested for galactomannan (GM) and DNA (PCR) detection.

Chest pain with increased troponin level; not always a cardiology issue.

Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (TTP) is a thrombotic microangiopathy syndrome resulting from decrease or absence of "a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with a thrombospondin type 1 motif member 13" (ADAMTS13). TTP has been characterized by the classical pentad of thrombocytopenia, hemolysis, fever, renal injury and neurological deficits, yet the patient may present with any atypical symptom related to microthrombi formation in the microcirculation. Here we present a rare case of a young patient with retrosternal chest pain and myocardial injury as the first manifestation of TTP.

Hypoplastic thrombocytopenia and platelet transfusion: therapeutic goals.

Platelet transfusions consist a major part of the management of hypoplastic thrombocytopenia, the latter occurring mainly among patients with hematological malignancies. Platelet transfusions have led to a reduction of deaths attributable to thrombocytopenia-induced bleeding, despite their possible complications; nonetheless, prophylactic administration of platelets to patients with severe thrombocytopenia or before invasive procedures should be based on specific criteria, as well as therapeutic administration during active bleeding. Recently developed ex-vivo procedures have resulted in producing safer blood products, yet it remains unclear whether these pathogen-inactivated products have sufficient efficacy.

The use of novel oral anticoagulants in cancer patients with venous thromboembolism.

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is not uncommon among patients with cancer and is one of the major causes of mortality and morbidity. Treatment with low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) is effective, yet accompanied by the need for daily administration of injections for a prolonged time and (even rarely) thrombocytopenia. The discovery of novel oral anticoagulants (NOACs) was based on an effort to improve the pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties of previous generation anticoagulants while maintaining efficacy without the need for daily subcutaneous administration and frequent laboratory monitoring.

Programmed death 1 and B and T lymphocyte attenuator immunoreceptors and their association with malignant T-lymphoproliferative disorders: brief review.

Malignant T-cell lymphoproliferative diseases are relatively rare. T cells are activated through the T-cell receptor with the aid of costimulating molecules that can be either excitatory or inhibitory. Such pathways have been also implicated in mechanisms of malignant T-cell lymphoproliferative diseases' persistence and relapse by circumventing immune responses.