[High-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation in multiple myeloma patients--single center experience].

Multiple myeloma (MM) is one of the hematologic malignancies in which the impact of dose intensity has been demonstrated. In 2005 it was the most common disease for which autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) was performed. However, ASCT is not curative, and most patients relapse within a median of 3 years, the introduction of high-dose therapy resulted in prolonged survival.

The efficacy and safety of the low-thalidomide dose CTD (cyclophosphamide, thalidomide, dexamethasone) regimen in patients with multiple myeloma--a report by the Polish Myeloma Study Group.

Multiple myeloma (MM) remains an incurable disease, but response rates to new drugs are promising, offering the majority of patients a significant prolongation of overall survival. The objective of this study was to evaluate time to progression (TTP), event-free survival (EFS), and overall survival (OS) in MM patients treated with a combination of cyclophosphamide (CY), thalidomide (THAL) and dexamethasone (DEX). This study included 132 untreated and relapsing/resistant patients treated with the low-thalidomide dose CTD regimen.

[IgA multiple myeloma with adverse prognostic factors--a case report].

IgA multiple myeloma is the second most frequent variant of multiple myeloma. The median survival is about 3 years and depends on presence, or not, certain prognostic factors. Cytogenetic status has become the most important of them.

[Granulocytic sarcoma with late transformation into acute myeloblastic leukemia--case report].

Case presentation of a 28-year-old patient with acute myeloblastic leukemia (FAB AML-M4), who underwent surgery of an inguinal tumor a year before the diagnosis of leukemia was made. In retrospective assessment a diagnosis of granulocytic sarcoma was made. After induction and consolidation chemotherapy he achieved complete hematological remission and underwent matched unrelated donor bone marrow transplantation.

The use of the Congo red-related dye DBACR to recognize the heavy chain-derived abnormality of myeloma immunoglobulins.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to differentiate heavy and light chain-derived instability of monoclonal myeloma immunoglobulins by complexation of matched supramolecular dyes. These are composed of several micellar pieces of self-assembled dye molecules which may penetrate the protein interior of the binding locus with polypeptide chains. These dyes were used to elicit, by precipitation, the postulated higher aggregation tendency of the heavy chain derived from its higher hydrophobicity.

[Multiple myeloma: the role of angiogenesis and therapeutic application of thalidomide].

This article contains biological, epidemiological and clinical data on multiple myeloma and the role of proangiogenetic cytokines in the development of this neoplasm. The role of angiogenesis in the transformation and development of multiple myeloma is a topic which is presently readily studied in leading scientific centres in many parts of the world. Serum and bone marrow levels of cytokines such as VEGF, b-FGF, IL-6, sIL-6R, HGFare raised in patients with multiple myeloma as compared to healthy subjects; their values correlate with the severity of disease and are presently recognised as prognostic factors.

[Hepatocyte growth factor: from diagnosis to clinical application].

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), initially identified and molecularly cloned as potent mitogen of primary cultured hepatocytes, has multiple activities in a variety of tissues during the course of development and also in various disease states. HGF plays key roles in the attenuation of disease progression as an intrinsic repair factor. It is also evident that HGF levels are regulated under different conditions, for example, during the course of pregnancy, aging, and disease.

ABL-kinase domain point mutation as a cause of imatinib (STI571) resistance in CML patient who progress to myeloid blast crisis.

Imatinib mesylate (STI571) is a major therapeutic advance for the management of chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML), however, a proportion of patients are refractory to it, particularly those in more advanced phases of CML. Different mechanisms of resistance to imatinib are suggested, including point mutations within ABL-kinase domains. A point mutation leading to substitution at the ATP binding site of ABL-kinase and insensitivity to imatinib was detected in our patient treated with imatinib, who progressed to blast crisis.