Geriatric assessment in hematology scale predicts treatment tolerability in older patients diagnosed with hematological malignancies: The RETROGAH study.

Introduction: The GAH (Geriatric Assessment in Hematology) scale is a psychometrically valid tool aimed at identifying older patients with hematological malignancies at higher risk of treatment-related toxicity. Our objective in this study was to determine the weights for each dimension of the GAH scale and the cut-off point to reliably predict treatment tolerability in this population, estimated by a weighted receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis and quantified by the area under the curve (AUC).

Material And Methods: The RETROGAH was a retrospective cohort study including 126 patients who had previously participated in the GAH study.

Assessment of Minimal Residual Disease by Next Generation Sequencing in Peripheral Blood as a Complementary Tool for Personalized Transplant Monitoring in Myeloid Neoplasms.

Patients with myeloid neoplasms who relapsed after allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) have poor prognosis. Monitoring of chimerism and specific molecular markers as a surrogate measure of relapse is not always helpful; therefore, improved systems to detect early relapse are needed. We hypothesized that the use of next generation sequencing (NGS) could be a suitable approach for personalized follow-up post-HSCT.

Further psychometric validation of the GAH scale: Responsiveness and effect size.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess the responsiveness of the newly developed Geriatric Assessment in Hematology (GAH) scale to clinical change in older patients diagnosed with hematologic malignancies.

Methods: A prospective observational study conducted in 164 patients aged ≥65years and diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS)/acute myeloid leukemia (AML), multiple myeloma (MM), or chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Responsiveness of the GAH scales was studied by means of the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) score, the Karnofsky performance status (KPS) score, the visual analog scale (VAS), and the physician's subjective assessment, used as clinical anchors to identify whether patients had changed clinically (either improved or worsened) or not since the baseline visit.

[Dendritic cells in cancer immunotherapy].

Since the beginning of the 20th century, biomedical scientists have tried to take advantage of the natural anti-cancer activities of the immune system. However, all the scientific and medical efforts dedicated to this have not resulted in the expected success. In fact, classical antineoplastic treatments such as surgery, radio and chemotherapy are still first line treatments.

Drafting the proteome landscape of myeloid-derived suppressor cells.

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are a heterogeneous population of cells that are defined by their myeloid origin, immature state, and ability to potently suppress T-cell responses. They regulate immune responses and the population significantly increases in the tumor microenvironment of patients with glioma and other malignant tumors. For their study, MDSCs are usually isolated from the spleen or directly of tumors from a large number of tumor-bearing mice although promising ex vivo differentiated MDSC production systems have been recently developed.

Development and psychometric validation of a brief comprehensive health status assessment scale in older patients with hematological malignancies: The GAH Scale.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to develop a new brief, comprehensive geriatric assessment scale for older patients diagnosed with different hematological malignancies, the Geriatric Assessment in Hematology (GAH scale), and to determine its psychometric properties.

Materials And Methods: The 30-item GAH scale was designed through a multi-step process to cover 8 relevant dimensions. This is an observational study conducted in 363 patients aged≥65years, newly diagnosed with different hematological malignancies (myelodysplasic syndrome/acute myeloblastic leukemia, multiple myeloma, or chronic lymphocytic leukemia), and treatment-naïve.

Safety and efficacy of maintenance therapy with a nonspecific cytochrome P17 inhibitor (CYP17i) after response/stabilization to docetaxel in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

Background: Frontline treatment of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) consists of docetaxel-based chemotherapy. The median time to progression (TTP) from chemotherapy initiation is 6 to 8 months. Ketoconazole, a nonspecific cytochrome P17 inhibitor (CYP17i), blocks adrenal androgen synthesis.

Clinical management of small-cell carcinoma of the urinary tract: a 10-year single-center's experience.

Background: Small-cell carcinoma (SCC) comprises 1% of primary bladder tumors and approximately 2% of prostate neoplasms. Metastatic disease at diagnosis is common, and survival outcomes are extremely poor. There is controversy about the ideal clinical management of these patients.

Evaluation of multiple serum markers in advanced melanoma.

The aim of this retrospective study was to analyse in advanced melanoma the potential tumor markers S-100B, melanoma inhibiting activity protein (MIA) and YKL-40 compared to LDH. Serum levels of S-100B, MIA, LDH and YKL-40 were measured in 110 patients with advanced melanoma (36 in stage IIIB/C and 74 in stage IV), in 66 disease-free patients and in 65 healthy controls. Results show that S-100B, MIA and LDH levels were significantly higher in patients with advanced melanoma than in disease-free patients or healthy controls.

Increased thrombin generation after acute versus chronic coronary disease as assessed by the thrombin generation test.

Atherosclerosis is the most common pathophysiologic substrate of coronary artery disease (CAD). Whereas plaque progression and arterial remodeling are critical components in chronic CAD, intracoronary thrombosis over plaque disruption is causally related to acute CAD. It was the objective of this study to investigate the differences between prior acute CAD and chronic CAD by a simple global coagulation assay measuring thrombin generation.

[New cytogenetic prognostic markers in breast cancer].

Background: The aim of this study was to identify chromosomal imbalances in a series of invasive ductal carcinomas. In order to characterize the prognostic value of the chromosomal aberrations, we determined the association between genetic changes, overall survival, recurrences and some well-known prognostic and diagnostic parameters.

Material And Methods: We included in this study 70 ductal invasive carcinomas diagnosed at the Hospital of Navarra during 1991-1994.

Congenital infiltrating lipoma of the upper limb in a patient with von Willebrand disease.

Infiltrating lipoma is a rare variety of lipoma, characterized by an infiltration of the adipose tissue of the muscles. Infiltrating lipomas are usually classified in two groups: intermuscular infiltrating lipoma and intramuscular infiltrating lipoma. Most are acquired, and they usually appear in middle-aged individuals.