Highlights in lymphoma: overview of the 11th International Conference on Malignant Lymphoma.

The 11th International Conference on Malignant Lymphoma (ICML), the main international forum devoted to basic and clinical research in lymphoid neoplasms, took place in Lugano, Switzerland, from 15 to 18 June 2011. In 2011, 3200 experts in lymphoma from 76 countries attended the meeting. ICML represents the most important forum for the discussion of all aspects relating to basic research, clinical data and results of trials in the treatment of malignant lymphoma worldwide.

First-line treatment for primary testicular diffuse large B-cell lymphoma with rituximab-CHOP, CNS prophylaxis, and contralateral testis irradiation: final results of an international phase II trial.

Purpose: Primary testicular lymphoma (PTL) has poor prognosis with failures in contralateral testis, CNS, and extranodal sites. To prevent these events, we designed an international phase II trial (International Extranodal Lymphoma Study Group 10 [IELSG-10]) that addressed feasibility and activity of conventional chemoimmunotherapy associated with CNS prophylaxis and contralateral testis irradiation. The trial was conducted by the IELSG and the Italian Lymphoma Foundation.

Update in indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL): paradigm for Waldenström's macroglobulinemia (WM).

Indolent non-Hodgkin lymphomas are characterized by a low proliferation, but relapses are frequent. The gold standard treatment at diagnosis is still unknown. Careful watchful waiting is appropriate in asymptomatic patients with low tumor burden.

Loss of nephrin expression in glomeruli of kidney-transplanted patients under m-TOR inhibitor therapy.

The development of proteinuria has been observed in kidney-transplanted patients on m-TOR inhibitor (m-TORi) treatment. Recent studies suggest that m-TORi(s) may alter the behavior and integrity of glomerular podocytes. We analyzed renal biopsies from kidney-transplanted patients and evaluated the expression of nephrin, a critical component of the glomerular slit-diaphragm.

Epilepsy and brain tumors.

Purpose Of Review: To present an overview of the recent findings in pathophysiology and management of epileptic seizures in patients with brain tumors.

Recent Findings: Low-grade gliomas are the most epileptogenic brain tumors. Regarding pathophysiology, the role of peritumoral changes [hypoxia and acidosis, blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption, increase or decrease of neurotransmitters and receptors] are of increasing importance.

Nonpegylated liposomal doxorubicin (MyocetTM) combination (R-COMP) chemotherapy in elderly patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL): results from the phase II EUR018 trial.

Background: To evaluate the activity and safety of nonpegylated liposomal doxorubicin (Myocet) when substituted for doxorubicin in the R-CHOP regimen (R-COMP).

Patients And Methods: Seventy-five elderly patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) were studied. Only patients with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) > or =50% were allowed.

Iron overload in patients receiving allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: quantification of iron burden by a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) and therapeutic effectiveness of phlebotomy.

Iron overload (IO) is a known adverse prognostic factor in patients who undergo allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) for thalassemia and appears to play a similar role in patients with other hematologic disorders. The estimation of IO is based primarily on serum ferritin level; however, many confounding factors can result in ferritin overestimation, especially in HSCT recipients. The aim of the present study was to quantify IO after HSCT using a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID), and to evaluate the impact of IO on hepatic function and infections.

Evaluating cardiovascular mortality in type 2 diabetes patients: an analysis based on competing risks Markov chains and additive regression models.

Rationale, Aims And Objectives: Type 2 diabetes represents a condition significantly associated with increased cardiovascular mortality. The aims of the study are: (i) to estimate the cumulative incidence function for cause-specific mortality using Cox and Aalen model; (ii) to describe how the prediction of cardiovascular or other causes mortality changes for patients with different pattern of covariates; (iii) to show if different statistical methods may give different results.

Methods: Cox and Aalen additive regression model through the Markov chain approach, are used to estimate the cause-specific hazard for cardiovascular or other causes mortality in a cohort of 2865 type 2 diabetic patients without insulin treatment.

EFNS Guidelines on diagnosis and treatment of brain metastases: report of an EFNS Task Force.

The objectives have been to establish evidence-based guidelines and identify controversies regarding the management of patients with brain metastases. The collection of scientific data was obtained by consulting the Cochrane Library, bibliographic databases, overview papers and previous guidelines from scientific societies and organizations. A tissue diagnosis is necessary when the primary tumor is unknown or the aspect on computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging is atypical.

Undetected burden of tuberculosis in a low-prevalence area.

Setting: Under-ascertainment and under-reporting of tuberculosis (TB) hampers surveillance and control. Case detection is improved by record linkage of case registers and under-reporting can be estimated by capture-recapture (CR) analysis.

Objectives: To assess the completeness of the TB registration systems and estimation of TB incidence and under-reporting in the Piedmont Region of Italy in 2001.

Mortality of parents of children with cancer: a population-based study in Turin, Italy.

Aims And Background: A cohort study was conducted in order to measure cause-specific mortality among parents of children recorded in the Childhood Cancer Registry of Piedmont. It is the first study carried out on the subject in southern Europe.

Methods And Study Design: The study comprised the 740 children resident in Turin and in whom a cancer had been diagnosed in the period 1967-1991.

Strategic issues in the design and interpretation of studies on metabolic polymorphisms and cancer.

This chapter describes in a simple way the most important issues of epidemiological design, with emphasis on studies on metabolic polymorphisms. Different options are offered to the researcher who approaches a molecular epidemiology study. Case-control studies and cohort studies have different and sometimes complementary advantages and disadvantages.