Abdominal aortitis after use of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor.

Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) is a recombinant human glycoprotein that promotes proliferation and differentiation of granulocytic-committed progenitors. It is commonly used to treat neutropenia and is generally well tolerated. Occurrences of rare but serious adverse events in association with the use of G-CSF have been described.

Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents in anemia: use and misuse.

Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) have been in use for 2 decades. After the initial introduction for their use in anemia of end-stage renal disease, indications for the use of ESAs have widened to anemia of predialysis chronic kidney disease, cancer chemotherapy, HIV disease and orthopedic surgery. Along with the considerable benefits associated with the use of ESAs, adverse events have become apparent, in large part from overcorrection of the anemia.

Radiation therapy compared with chemotherapy for consolidation of chemotherapy-induced remission of advanced Hodgkin lymphoma: a study by the Eastern Co-operative Oncology Group (E1476) with >20 years follow-up.

MOPP-Bleo (nitrogen mustard, vincristine, procarbazine, prednisone and bleomycin) induction therapy was given to 253 evaluable patients with Hodgkin lymphoma, stages IIIB, III(s), or IV. Complete response (CR) occurred in 145 patients (57%) and partial response (PR) in 93 (37%). Of those 238 responders, 178 were randomized to consolidation therapy, and 164 were eligible and analyzable, including 114 CRs [55 patients randomized to ABVD and 59 to radiation therapy (RT)] and 50 partial responders (PRs) (25 each randomized to ABVD and RT).

A retrospective review of glargine use in pregnancy.

Objective: To review the obstetric outcome of 240 diabetic pregnancies maintained on basal glargine insulin.

Study Design: This is a retrospective review of the medical data from 240 pregnant diabetics who received glargine as a basal insulin. Perinatal outcome was abstracted from August 29, 2001, to December 31, 2007.

Effect of temsirolimus versus interferon-alpha on outcome of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma of different tumor histologies.

Purpose Exploratory subgroup analyses from the phase 3 global advanced renal cell carcinoma (ARCC) trial were conducted to assess the influence of tumor histology on outcome of patients treated with temsirolimus (Torisel) or interferon-alpha (IFN). Patients and methods Patients with ARCC including clear cell and other types such as papillary and chromophobe histologies received either IFN (3 million units [MU] subcutaneously three times weekly, escalating to 18 MU) or temsirolimus (25 mg intravenously weekly). Results Approximately 80% of patients had clear cell and 20% of patients had other histologies, the majority of which were papillary.

Treatment of hematologic neoplasms with new immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs).

Thalidomide and its derivatives represent a new class of antineoplastic drugs (IMiDs), which has been especially effective in certain hematologic malignancies. These agents have anti-inflammatory, antiangiogenic, and immunomodulatory properties, and target tumor cells by direct cytotoxicity and indirectly by interfering with several components of the bone marrow microenvironment. Thalidomide analogs that retain antitumor activity equal to or greater than the parent compound, but with less toxicity, have been developed.

Environmental control of tuberculosis: continuing controversy.

The incidence of tuberculosis--and, more important, that of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis--have risen drastically in the past decade. Nosocomial outbreaks have alerted health-care workers to the hazards of the spread of tuberculosis. The use of environmental control modalities (e.

Abnormal cervical cytology leading to the diagnosis of gastric cancer.

There have been nine cases reported in the English literature in which the finding of malignant cells on cervical/vaginal cytology led to the diagnosis of primary gastric cancer. We report on a patient with gastric carcinoma, metastatic to the cervix, in which the diagnosis was suspected by the finding of signet ring cells on a Papanicolaou smear of the cervix. Prior to treatment of this patient, concordance of signet ring carcinoma on cervical and ascitic fluid cytology and on cervical and gastric biopsies was documented; this has not been reported previously.

Limb deficiency in an infant with Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome.

We describe a 46,XY newborn infant with Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome (SLOS) with multiple congenital anomalies including female external genitalia, a testis palpable in each labium majus, a cone-shaped cervix, and normal vagina. Additional anomalies included cleft palate, total anomalous pulmonary venous return, and striking limb defects (ectrodactyly of the left upper limb, radial aplasia, and monodactyly of the right upper limb). To our knowledge, this is the first report of SLOS associated with limb deficiency and the third associated with total anomalous pulmonary venous return.

Primary ovarian pregnancy two years after bilateral tubal ligation. A case report.

This is the first documented case of intrafollicular ovarian pregnancy following bilateral tubal ligation. The patency of the previously ligated tube was demonstrated by hysterosalpinography. It appears that the incidence of ovarian pregnancy is not related to the rising incidence of tubal pregnancy.