Splenic irradiation before allogeneic stem cell transplantation for myelofibrosis.

Splenectomy before allogeneic stem cell transplantation (ASCT) for patients with myelofibrosis (MF) remains a matter of debate, and conflicting results have been reported to date. The procedure seems to fasten post-transplant hematological recovery, but it does not have an impact on survival. The role of pre-transplant splenic irradiation (SI) is much more difficult to evaluate. Forty-four patients (25 males and 19 females) with MF at median age of 49 years at diagnosis (range 14-67) underwent ASCT. The post-transplant outcome was compared between irradiated and non-irradiated patients. Eleven patients received irradiation before transplantation. Median dose of radiation was 1000 cGy (range 600-2400). There was no difference in median time to engraftment between patients with and without previous radiotherapy. Acute and chronic graft versus host disease (GVHD) occurred in 47% and 36% of patients, respectively. There was no difference in GVHD incidence between groups. Eight patients relapsed/progressed in irradiated group versus 17 in non-irradiated (70% vs. 51%; p = 0.3). Transformation to acute myeloid leukemia was observed in 3 patients: 2 in irradiated and 1 in non-irradiated group. In total, 22 patients died with no statistical difference in death rate between irradiated and non-irradiated subjects. The probability of overall survival after transplant for the entire cohort at 2 years was 54% (72% for irradiated and 48% for non-irradiated patients; p = 0.25). Splenic irradiation prior to ASCT for myelofibrosis has not beneficial effect on post-transplant outcome.

Liver Transplantation for a Metastatic Pancreatic Solid-Pseudopapillary Tumor (Frantz Tumor): A Case Report.

d_abstr_CB Solid-pseudopapillary neoplasms (SPN) of the pancreas, first described by Frantz in 1959, are a very rare entity and account for 0.13-2.7% of all pancreatic neoplasms. They are seen predominantly in young women in their second and third decade of life. d_abstr_CCR We report a case of a 51-year-old female first diagnosed with a pancreatic tumor in 2010 following a computed tomography (CT) scan of the abdomen. The lesion was originally thought to be a neuroendocrine tumor subsequently treated with chemotherapy, which delayed the appropriate treatment. The tumor was rediagnosed as a SPN only after pancreatectomy was performed. Due to the fact that the neoplasm metastasized to the liver, the patient underwent an orthotopic cadaveric liver transplantation (OLTx) in 2013. During the postoperative period lymph node metastases were identified in the abdomen. The patient received surgical treatment and palliative radiotherapy. Presently no signs of recurrence are found either in the bed of pancreatic resection or in the transplanted liver. The function of the transplant organ has demonstrated no abnormalities over the 4-year follow-up. d_abstr_CC SPN of the pancreas is a rare disease associated with heterogeneous clinical course ranging from benign to metastatic. Choosing appropriate treatment requires individual clinical assessment of the disease's spread. Partial living donor liver transplantation or cadaveric liver transplantation might prove an effective therapeutic option for patients with multiple SPN metastases in the liver. It ought to be remembered, however, that the experience in this area is quite limited.