First - line, non - cryopreserved autologous stem cell transplant for poor - risk germ - cell tumors: Experience in a developing country.

PURPOSE: The current first - line treatment for non - seminomatous germ cell tumor (NSGCT) consists of four cycles of cisplatin, etoposide, and bleomycin (BEP), which results in 5 - year overall survival < 60% in patients with poor - risk features. Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (auto - HSCT) as a method for overcoming high toxicity after high dose chemotherapy (HDC) has been explored in different solid tumors, but has remained standard practice only for NSGCT. Our objective was to describe outcomes of patients with poor - risk NSGCT who underwent first - line autologous HSCT in a tertiary center in Mexico. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty nine consecutive patients with NSGCT who received first - line, non - cryopreserved autologous HSCT at the National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition Salvador Zubiran in Mexico City, Mexico, from November 1998 to June 2016, were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: The median age at transplantation was 23 (15 - 39) years. Most patients (n = 18, 62%) had testicular primary tumor, and 23 had metastases (79%). Complete response after auto - HSCT was observed in 45%. Non - relapse mortality was 0. Five - year relapse / progression free and overall survival were 67% and 69%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This small single limited - resource institution study demonstrated that patients with poor - risk NSGCT are curable by first - line HDC plus autologous HSCT and that this procedure is feasible and affordable to perform using non - cryopreserved hematopoietic stem cells.

Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation for Adult Philadelphia-Negative Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in the First Complete Remission in the Era of Minimal Residual Disease.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The purpose of this review is to discuss the potential role of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) for Philadelphia-negative (Ph-) adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in first complete remission (CR1) in the era of minimal residual disease (MRD). RECENT FINDINGS: Allo-HSCT continues to have a role in the therapy of a selected group of high-risk adult patients with ALL in CR1. Although the clinical significance of MRD has been studied less extensively in adults with ALL than in children, recent studies support its role as the strongest prognostic factor that can identify patients that are unlikely to be cured by standard chemotherapy and benefit from undergoing allo-HSCT. In addition, MRD status both pre- and post-HSCT has been found to correlate directly with the risk of relapse. Currently, the clinical challenge consists on applying MRD and molecular failure to integrate novel agents and immunotherapy to lower MRD before allo-HSCT and to modulate the graft versus leukemia (GVL) effect after transplant.

Thalidomide and Dexamethasone Induction Therapy Until Best Response in Recently Diagnosed Patients with Multiple Myeloma: Results From a Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND: Novel therapies for multiple myeloma are not affordable for all healthcare systems. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to evaluate the response rates, overall survival, event-free survival, and toxicity of thalidomide and dexamethasone administered until best response in recently diagnosed patients with multiple myeloma. METHODS: All recently diagnosed multiple myeloma patients meeting the inclusion criteria received the same treatment with thalidomide and dexamethasone. RESULTS: We studied 28 patients. Overall response rate was 75%. Complete response, partial response, and very good partial response were 25.0, 32.1, and 17.9%, respectively. The most frequent adverse event related to therapy was neuropathy. Median overall survival was 66 months, and median event-free survival was 39 months (range, 27.6-50.4). Variables that negatively affected overall survival on multivariate analysis included the presence of extramedullary disease, t(14;16), and chromosome 13 deletion. CONCLUSIONS: Induction therapy with thalidomide and dexamethasone until obtaining the best response in patients with recently diagnosed multiple myeloma was a useful and safe strategy. It represents an alternative for patients with limited access to costly drugs.

Primary thrombophilia in Mexico: a single tertiary referral hospital experience.

Thrombophilia is a complex hypercoagulable state that increases the risk of thrombosis. Most reports in medical literature of the Mexican population with this disease lack statistical validity. Therefore, the aim of this study is to describe the prevalence of primary thrombophilia in a tertiary referral hospital in Mexico. This is a study of patients referred to our hospital because of a hypercoagulable state and who later on were diagnosed with primary thrombophilia. The thrombophilia workup included methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T, antiphospholipid antibodies, protein C, protein S, antithrombin, factor VIII, factor V Leiden, prothrombin mutation G20210A, activated protein C resistance, JAK2 V617F and homocysteine. Ninety-five individuals were tested. The MTHFR C677T polymorphism was the most frequent anomaly in 84.1% of the tested individuals. There was a relatively low prevalence of factor V Leiden (5.2%) and anticoagulant protein deficiency (8.3%). The MTHFR C677T polymorphism has a very high prevalence compared with the low prevalence of anticoagulant protein deficiency and factor V Leiden mutation in Mexicans.

First - line, non - cryopreserved autologous stem cell transplant for poor - risk germ - cell tumors: Experience in a developing country

ABSTRACT Purpose: The current first - line treatment for non - seminomatous germ cell tumor (NSGCT) consists of four cycles of cisplatin, etoposide, and bleomycin (BEP), which results in 5 - year overall survival < 60% in patients with poor - risk features. Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (auto - HSCT) as a method for overcoming high toxicity after high dose chemotherapy (HDC) has been explored in different solid tumors, but has remained standard practice only for NSGCT. Our objective was to describe outcomes of patients with poor - risk NSGCT who underwent first - line autologous HSCT in a tertiary center in Mexico. Patients and Methods: Twenty nine consecutive patients with NSGCT who received first - line, non - cryopreserved autologous HSCT at the National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition Salvador Zubiran in Mexico City, Mexico, from November 1998 to June 2016, were retrospectively analyzed. Results: The median age at transplantation was 23 (15 - 39) years. Most patients (n = 18, 62%) had testicular primary tumor, and 23 had metastases (79%). Complete response after auto - HSCT was observed in 45%. Non - relapse mortality was 0. Five - year relapse / progression free and overall survival were 67% and 69%, respectively. Conclusions: This small single limited - resource institution study demonstrated that patients with poor - risk NSGCT are curable by first - line HDC plus autologous HSCT and that this procedure is feasible and affordable to perform using non - cryopreserved hematopoietic stem cells.