VCd versus VRd in Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma: Matched Real-World Analysis from the Balkan Myeloma Study Group (BMSG).

Background: Bortezomib, dexamethasone and cyclophosphamide (VCd) remains a popular regimen, due to its activity and low toxicity, while bortezomib, lenalidomide and dexamethasone (VRd) is widely used in US and Europe; both are combined with anti-CD38 monoclonal antibodies but VCd and VRd have not been compared directly in adequately powered prospective trials.

Aim: We compared the outcomes of 1216 patients treated with VCd (N = 690) or VRd (N = 526) in a real-world setting.

Results: Patients treated with VCd had more often severe renal dysfunction, ISS-3 disease, hypercalcemia, elevated LDH, anemia, thrombocytopenia, poor performance while VRd-treated were older and received less often autologous transplant but more frequently maintenance but the duration of induction was similar.

Clinical characteristics and outcome of early-stage diffuse large B cell lymphoma of female genital track: A retrospective study of the Hellenic cooperative lymphoma group.

Involvement of female genital track (FGT) by diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) represents an extremely rare diagnosis. Especially data regarding early-stage disease (i.e.

Applied Cardio-Oncology in Hematological Malignancies: A Narrative Review.

Applied cardio-oncology in hematological malignancies refers to the integration of cardiovascular care and management for patients with blood cancer, particularly leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma. Hematological cancer therapy-related cardiotoxicity deals with the most common cardiovascular complications of conventional chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell and tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte therapies, bispecific antibodies, and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. This narrative review focuses on hematological cancer-therapy-related cardiotoxicity's definition, risk stratification, multimodality imaging, and use of cardiac biomarkers to detect clinical and/or subclinical myocardial dysfunction and electrical instability.

Daratumumab, Bortezomib, Lenalidomide, and Dexamethasone for Multiple Myeloma.

Background: Daratumumab, a monoclonal antibody targeting CD38, has been approved for use with standard myeloma regimens. An evaluation of subcutaneous daratumumab combined with bortezomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone (VRd) for the treatment of transplantation-eligible patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma is needed.

Methods: In this phase 3 trial, we randomly assigned 709 transplantation-eligible patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma to receive either subcutaneous daratumumab combined with VRd induction and consolidation therapy and with lenalidomide maintenance therapy (D-VRd group) or VRd induction and consolidation therapy and lenalidomide maintenance therapy alone (VRd group).

F-FDG PET/CT in monoclonal plasma cell disorders.

Plasma cell disorders are a heterogeneous group caused by the monoclonal proliferation of lymphoplasmacytic cells in the bone marrow. Multiple Myeloma (MM) is the most serious and prevalent plasma cell dyscrasia, with a median age of onset of 60 years.MM displays significant genetic, biological and clinical heterogeneity with subsequent imaging heterogeneity, evident in contemporary imaging modalities (PET/CT and MRI).

PD-L1 Gene Polymorphisms rs822336 G>C and rs822337 T>A: Promising Prognostic Markers in Triple Negative Breast Cancer Patients.

Background and Objectives: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a highly heterogeneous subtype that is associated with unresponsiveness to therapy and hence with high mortality rates. In this study we aimed to investigate the prognostic role of the rs822336 G>C and rs822337 T>A polymorphisms of the PD-L1 (Programmed Death-Ligand 1) in TNBC patients. Materials and methods: Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues from 114 TNBC patients and blood samples from 124 healthy donors were genotyped, and subsequently extensive statistical analysis was performed in order to investigate the clinical value of these polymorphism in TNBC.

Cardiac safety of neoadjuvant chemotherapy with epirubicin and cyclophosphamide followed by docetaxel/pertuzumab/trastuzumab for HER2-positive breast cancer patients.

Purpose: Early-stage, HER2-positive breast cancer is increasingly treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). After the positive results of the Neosphere trial, the standard of care has been the combination of chemotherapy with two anti-HER2 agents, trastuzumab and pertuzumab. Many oncologists use the sequence of four cycles of anthracycline-containing regimen followed by four cycles of taxane with the two monoclonals.

Real-life experience with the combination of polatuzumab vedotin, rituximab, and bendamustine in aggressive B-cell lymphomas.

Transplant-ineligible relapsed/refractory (rr) diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients represent an unmet medical need. Polatuzumab vedotin (Pola), an anti-CD79b antibody-drug-conjugate (ADG), with bendamustine- rituximab(BR) has recently gained approval for these patients, both in the USA and Europe, based on the GO29365 phase IIb trial. Real-life data with Pola are extremely limited.

Characteristics and outcome of multiple myeloma patients presenting with anaemia only: A retrospective multi-centre study.

Background: Multiple myeloma (MM) patients presenting with anaemia as their sole clinical manifestation are rare and not fully defined.

Methods: Retrospective multi-site study comparing the characteristics and outcome of MM patients with anaemia only with matched patients, presenting with multi-organ disease.

Results: Anaemia-only patients had a higher percentage of bone marrow monoclonal plasma cells group (median 60% [IQR 42-80%] vs.

Once-per-week selinexor, bortezomib, and dexamethasone versus twice-per-week bortezomib and dexamethasone in patients with multiple myeloma (BOSTON): a randomised, open-label, phase 3 trial.

Background: Selinexor combined with dexamethasone has shown activity in patients with heavily pre-treated multiple myeloma. In a phase 1b/2 study, the combination of oral selinexor with bortezomib (a proteasome inhibitor) and dexamethasone induced high response rates with low rates of peripheral neuropathy, the main dose-limiting toxicity of bortezomib. We aimed to evaluate the clinical benefit of weekly selinexor, bortezomib, and dexamethasone versus standard bortezomib and dexamethasone in patients with previously treated multiple myeloma.

A proposed index of diffuse bone marrow [18F]-FDG uptake and PET skeletal patterns correlate with myeloma prognostic markers, plasma cell morphology, and response to therapy.

Purpose: The investigation of a semi-quantitative index in the pelvis to assess for diffuse bone marrow (BM) [18F]-FDG uptake and the investigation of PET skeletal patterns in multiple myeloma (MM) patients, in accordance with prognostic markers, clonal plasma cell (cPC) morphology, and response to therapy.

Methods: We prospectively analyzed [18F]-FDG PET/CT in 90 MM patients (newly diagnosed, 60; relapsed/refractory, 30). Among other PET/CT parameters, we calculated the ratio SUVmax pelvis/liver and examined for correlations with known MM prognostic parameters, cPC morphology (good vs.

Ixazomib as Postinduction Maintenance for Patients With Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma Not Undergoing Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation: The Phase III TOURMALINE-MM4 Trial.

Purpose: Maintenance therapy prolongs progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM) not undergoing autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) but has generally been limited to immunomodulatory agents. Other options that complement the induction regimen with favorable toxicity are needed.

Patients And Methods: The phase III, double-blind, placebo-controlled TOURMALINE-MM4 study randomly assigned (3:2) patients with NDMM not undergoing ASCT who achieved better than or equal to partial response after 6-12 months of standard induction therapy to receive the oral proteasome inhibitor (PI) ixazomib or placebo on days 1, 8, and 15 of 28-day cycles as maintenance for 24 months.

Real-world data on incidence, clinical characteristics and outcome of patients with macrofocal multiple myeloma (MFMM) in the era of novel therapies: A study of the Greco-Israeli collaborative myeloma working group.

We investigated incidence, characteristics and outcome of patients with macrofocal multiple myeloma (MFMM) treated mainly with novel therapies. Based on definition (BMPCs <20% and lytic lesions/plasmacytomas, without anemia, renal insufficiency or hypercalcemia) we identified 140 patients with MFMM, among 4650 myeloma patients (3%). Twice the number of patients with typical myeloma were used as controls; 60% were <65 years and 70% had advanced bone disease.

Interstitial and Granulomatous Lung Disease in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients.

Background: Interstitial lung [ILD] disease and granulomatous lung disease [GLD] are rare respiratory disorders that have been associated with inflammatory bowel disease [IBD]. Clinical presentation is polymorphic and aetiology is unclear.

Methods: This was an ECCO-CONFER project.

Comparison of the Uptake of Screening Colonoscopy between Physicians and the General Population in Greece.

Aim: To evaluate the uptake of screening colonoscopy among physicians as compared to the general population.

Methods: Asymptomatic physicians, aged 45-67 years, at average risk for colorectal cancer (CRC), working in the participating National Health System hospitals were asked to complete a questionnaire regarding the uptake of screening colonoscopy. The results were compared to those in a background healthy population, aged 50-75 years, inhabitants of a Greek county, who were offered a free access to a screening colonoscopy program for CRC.

Ιmpact of sunitinib-induced hypothyroidism on survival of patients with metastatic renal cancer.

Background: Sunitinib plays an important role in managing the metastatic renal cell cancer (mRCC). Sunitinib-induced hypothyroidism is a common side-effect of the drug. There have been attempts to link hypothyroidism with a better clinical outcome in sunitinib-treated (mRCC) patients.

Evaluation of regulatory T cells (Tregs) alterations in patients with multiple myeloma treated with bortezomib or lenalidomide plus dexamethasone: correlations with treatment outcome.

The exact role of regulatory T cells (Tregs) in multiple myeloma (MM) has not been yet determined. Data regarding alterations of Tregs during therapy with novel agents (NA), i.e.

Mononuclear copper(II) complexes with 2-thiophene carboxylate and N-N donors; DNA interaction, antioxidant/anti-inflammatory and antitumor activity.

Redox-active compounds such as copper-phenanthroline are known as artificial/chemical nucleases with a great impact and potential for their applications as metallotherapeutics. In that vein, the mononuclear copper(II) complexes [Cu(L)(bipy)] (1), [Cu(L)(bipy)(HO)] (2) and [Cu(L)(phen)(HO)] (3), where L = 2-thiophene carboxylate, bipy = 2,2΄-bipyridine and phen = 1,10-phenanthroline, have been prepared and pharmacochemically studied, while the crystal structure of 1 is also reported. All the tested complexes preferably bind to CT-DNA via minor groove as resulted from UV spectroscopy studies, luminescent titration, EB competition assays and viscosity measurements.

In vitro and in silico study of the biological activity of manganese(III) inverse-[9-MC-3]-metallacrowns and manganese(II) complexes with the anti-inflammatory drugs diclofenac or indomethacin.

In the present contribution, the biological properties of four manganese complexes with the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs sodium diclofenac (Nadicl) or indomethacin (Hindo) in the presence or absence of salicylaldoxime (Ηsao), i.e. [Μn(O)(dicl)(sao)(CHOH)] 1, [Μn(O)(indo)(sao)(HO)], 2, [Μn(dicl)(CHOH)], 3, and [Μn(indo)(CHOH)], 4 are presented.