The poor prognosis of low hypodiploidy in adults with B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukaemia is restricted to older adults and elderly patients.

The prognostic significance of low-hypodiploidy has not been extensively evaluated in minimal residual disease (MRD)-oriented protocols for adult acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). We analysed the outcome of hypodiploid adult ALL patients treated within Programa Español de Tratamientos en Hematología (PETHEMA) protocols. The 5-year cumulative incidence of relapse (CIR) of low-hypodiploid B-cell precursor (BCP)-ALL was significantly higher than that of high-hypodiploids (52% vs. 12%, P = 0.013). Low-hypodiploid BCP-ALL patients aged ≤35 years showed superior survival (71% vs. 21%, P = 0.026) and lower 5-year CIR (17% vs. 66%, P = 0.090) than low-hypodiploids aged >35 years. Older adults and elderly low-hypodiploid BCP-ALL patients show dismal prognosis although achieving an end-induction good MRD response.

Zoledronic acid as compared with observation in multiple myeloma patients at biochemical relapse: results of the randomized AZABACHE Spanish trial.

This study analyzed the anti-myeloma effect of zoledronic acid monotherapy by investigating patients at the time of asymptomatic biochemical relapse. One hundred patients were randomized to receive either zoledronic acid (4 mg iv/4 weeks, 12 doses) (n=51) or not (n=49). Experimental and control groups were well balanced for disease and prognostic features. Zoledronic acid did not show an antitumor effect according to changes in M-component. However, there were fewer symptomatic progressions in the experimental group than in the control group (34 versus 41, respectively; P=0.05) resulting in a median time to symptoms of 16 versus 10 months (P=0.161). The median time to next therapy was also slightly longer for the treated group than the untreated, control group (13.4 versus 10.1 months), although the difference was not statistically significant (P=0.360). The pattern of relapses was different for treated versus control patients: progressive bone disease (8 versus 20), anemia (24 versus 18), renal dysfunction (1 versus 2), and plasmacytomas (1 versus 1, respectively). This concurred with fewer skeletal-related events in the treated group than in the control group (2 versus 14), with a projected 4-year event proportion of 6% versus 40% (P<0.001). In summary, zoledronic acid monotherapy does not show an antitumor effect on biochemical relapses in multiple myeloma, but does reduce the risk of progression with symptomatic bone disease and skeletal complications. This trial was registered in the ClinicalTrials.gov database with code NCT01087008.

Clinical significance of CD56 expression in patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia treated with all-trans retinoic acid and anthracycline-based regimens.

The expression of CD56 antigen in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) blasts has been associated with short remission duration and extramedullary relapse. We investigated the clinical significance of CD56 expression in a large series of patients with APL treated with all-trans retinoic acid and anthracycline-based regimens. Between 1996 and 2009, 651 APL patients with available data on CD56 expression were included in 3 subsequent trials (PETHEMA LPA96 and LPA99 and PETHEMA/HOVON LPA2005). Seventy-two patients (11%) were CD56(+) (expression of CD56 in ≥ 20% leukemic promyelocytes). CD56(+) APL was significantly associated with high white blood cell counts; low albumin levels; BCR3 isoform; and the coexpression of CD2, CD34, CD7, HLA-DR, CD15, and CD117 antigens. For CD56(+) APL, the 5-year relapse rate was 22%, compared with a 10% relapse rate for CD56(-) APL (P = .006). In the multivariate analysis, CD56 expression retained the statistical significance together with the relapse-risk score. CD56(+) APL also showed a greater risk of extramedullary relapse (P < .001). In summary, CD56 expression is associated with the coexpression of immaturity-associated and T-cell antigens and is an independent adverse prognostic factor for relapse in patients with APL treated with all-trans-retinoic acid plus idarubicin-derived regimens. This marker may be considered for implementing risk-adapted therapeutic strategies in APL. The LPA2005 trial is registered at http://www.clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00408278.

Core binding factor acute myeloid leukemia: the impact of age, leukocyte count, molecular findings, and minimal residual disease.

PURPOSE: Most patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and genetic rearrangements involving the core binding factor (CBF) have favorable prognosis. In contrast, a minority of them still have a high risk of leukemia recurrence. This study investigated the adverse features of CBF AML that could justify investigational therapeutic approaches. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred and fifty patients (median age 42 yr, range 16-69) with CBF AML (RUNX1-RUNX1T1 n = 74; CBFB-MYH11 n = 76) were prospectively enrolled into two consecutive CETLAM protocols at 19 Spanish institutions. Main clinic and biologic parameters were analyzed in the whole series. In non-selected cases with available DNA samples, the impact of molecular characterization and minimal residual disease (MRD) was also studied. RESULTS: Overall, complete remission (CR) rate was 89% (94% in ≤50 yr old and 72% in >50 yr, P = 0.002). At 5 yr, cumulative incidence of relapse (CIR) was 26 ± 1%, disease-free survival (DFS) 62 ± 6%, and overall survival (OS) 66 ± 4%. In multivariate analyses, leukocyte count above 20 × 10(9) /L, BAALC over-expression, and high copy numbers of RUNX1-RUNXT1 or CBFB-MYH11 after induction chemotherapy (CT) led to increased relapse rate. Regarding OS, age >50 yr, leukocyte count above 20 × 10(9) /L, and increased MN1 expression were adverse features. CONCLUSION: Age, leukocyte counts, BAALC, and MN1 gene expressions as well as high copy numbers of RUNX1-RUNXT1 or CBFB-MYH11 after induction chemotherapy are useful tools to predict the outcome and should be considered for risk-adapted therapy.

Mobilization of Hematopoietic Stem Cells into Peripheral Blood for Autologous Transplantation Seems Less Efficacious in Poor Mobilizers with the Use of a Biosimilar of Filgrastim and Plerixafor: A Retrospective Comparative Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Biosimilars of granulocyte colony-stimulating factors (G-CSF) have shown similar efficacy to originator filgrastim (Neupogen® [NEU]; Amgen Inc.) as prophylaxis in neutropenia and in the mobilization of stem cells in patients receiving combination chemotherapy with G-CSF. METHODS: This was a retrospective study in which the characteristics of stem cell mobilization treated with a G-CSF alone were compared in 216 patients and 56 donors. The two G-CSF compared were NEU and the biosimilar filgrastim Zarzio® (Sandoz GmbH) (referred to hereafter as BIO). Primary objectives were mobilization rate (minimum of 10 × 103/ml CD34+ on day 4 of treatment [day +4]) and use of the immunostimulant plerixafor (PLEX) in each group. RESULTS: The general characteristics of the patients receiving NEU (n = 138) and those receiving BIO (n = 78) did not differ significantly. PLEX was used in 24% of BIO patients and in 25.7% of NEU patients. The median CD34+ cell count on day +4 was significantly lower in BIO patients who needed PLEX than in those who did not (2.4 vs. 4.8 × 103/ml; p = 0.002), as was the final CD34+ cell count (2.5 vs. 3.3 × 106/kg; p 0.03). Mobilization failure rate was higher in the BIO group than in the NEU group (20 vs. 0%; p = 0.01). With respect to donors, more than one apheresis was needed in three BIO donors, one of them with PLEX. The use of BIO was the only risk factor for mobilization failure in patients who needed PLEX (hazard ratio 10.3; 95% confidence interval 1.3-77.8). CONCLUSION: The study revealed that BIO had a lower efficacy for stem cell mobilization when the only treatment was G-CSF, especially in poor mobilizers needing PLEX.

Is mobilized peripheral blood comparable with bone marrow as a source of hematopoietic stem cells for allogeneic transplantation from HLA-identical sibling donors? A case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor mobilized peripheral blood stem cells are increasingly used instead of bone marrow as a stem cell source for transplantation. Whereas this change is almost complete for autologous transplantation, there are some concerns when considering allogeneic transplants. DESIGN AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective case-control study including 820 adult patients who had received an allogeneic stem cell transplant from an HLA-identical sibling donor. Quality of life (QoL) was assessed in 150 patients using the EORTC Quality of Life Questionnaire C30 (QLQ-C30). RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences in overall survival at ten years (bone marrow: 48.9% vs. peripheral blood stem cells: 39.8%; p=0.621), transplant-related mortality (bone marrow: 28.9% vs. peripheral blood stem cells: 34.4%; p=0.682) or relapse incidence at 9 years (29.4% vs. 35.2%, respectively; p=0.688). Similar outcomes were maintained independently of the phase of the disease. However, multivariate analysis identified a higher incidence of acute graft-versus-host disease grades II-IV (p: 0.023; Hazard ratio [HR]: 1.41; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.05-1.89) and grades III-IV (p: 0.006; HR: 1.89; 95% CI: 1.20-2.98), in the peripheral blood stem cells-stem cell transplant group. As previously described, extensive chronic graft-versus-host disease was also more frequent in the peripheral blood stem cells group (28% vs. 15.6%; p<0.001). Patients transplanted with peripheral blood stem cells had significant impairment of role and social functioning. CONCLUSIONS: Although overall survival was not affected by the stem cell source, peripheral blood stem cell transplants were associated with a higher risk of both acute and chronic GvHD. Global quality of life was similar in both groups, but patients transplanted with peripheral blood stem cells showed worse role and social functioning scores, probably related to the increased incidence of chronic graft-versus-host disease.

High clinical and molecular response rates with fludarabine, cyclophosphamide and mitoxantrone in previously untreated patients with advanced stage follicular lymphoma.

BACKGROUND: Purine analogs have demonstrated significant activity in patients with follicular lymphoma. The aim of this study was to analyze the efficacy and toxicity of a fludarabine combination as first-line treatment in patients with advanced-stage disease. DESIGN AND METHODS: This is a phase II trial including 120 patients (< or =65 years) treated with 6 cycles of fludarabine, cyclophosphamide and mitoxantrone (FCM). Molecular response was assessed by q-PCR in peripheral blood. RESULTS: Of 119 patients with an assessable response, complete response was achieved in 99 (83%) partial response in 13 (11%) and 7 (6%) did not respond. After treatment, 37 out of 46 (81%) patients achieved molecular response. After a median follow-up of 3.9 years, 32 patients have relapsed. The 5-year progression-free survival was 58% (95% confidence interval: 47-69). Variables associated with a shorter progression-free survival were a poor performance status (ECOG> or =2), > or =2 extranodal sites and high beta2-microglobulin. Sixteen episodes of grade 3-4 infections were observed. Two patients died during therapy (of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy and bronchoaspiration respectively). No late toxicity has been observed. Twelve patients died during follow-up (9 after relapse, 2 during chemotherapy, 1 in complete remission after surgery for meningioma). The overall survival at 5 years was 89%. ECOG > or =2 and high beta2-microglobulin were associated with a shorter survival. CONCLUSIONS: FCM results in high complete and molecular response rates, with prolonged response duration in younger patients with advanced-stage follicular lymphoma. The combination of FCM with rituximab as front-line treatment warrants further investigation.

Effect of chemotherapy with alkylating agents on the yield of CD34+ cells in patients with multiple myeloma. Results of the Spanish Myeloma Group (GEM) Study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Although alkylating agents are clearly beneficial in multiple myeloma (MM), their deleterious effect on bone marrow hematopoietic progenitor cells usually precludes their use as front-line therapy in patients scheduled to undergo autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). We analyzed the impact of first-line chemotherapy with alkylating agents on stem cell collection in MM patients. DESIGN AND METHODS: Seven hundred and eighty-nine patients included in the Spanish multicenter protocol GEM-2000 underwent mobilization therapy after four courses of alternating VBMCP/VBAD chemotherapy. RESULTS: The mobilization regimens consisted of standard or high-dose granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) in 551 (70%) patients, and chemotherapy and G-CSF in 206 (26%) patients. The CD34+ cell yield was lower than 4x10(6)/kg in 388 patients (49%), and equal or greater than 4x10(6)/kg in 401 patients (51%). Multivariate analysis indicated that advanced age (p<0.0001) and longer interval between diagnosis and mobilization (p=0.012) were the two variables associated with a lower CD34+ cell yield. Significant differences in CD34+ cell yield were not observed between the mobilization regimens. Of the 789 patients included in the protocol, 726 (92%) underwent the planned ASCT, whereas 25 (3%) patients did not because of the low number of CD34+ cells collected. Following ASCT, 0.5x10(9) neutrophils/L could be recovered after 11 days (median time; range, 5-71 days) and 20x10(9) platelets/L could be recovered after 12 days (median time; range, 6-69 days). INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSIONS: A short-course of therapy with alkylating agents according to the GEM-2000 protocol was associated with an appropriate CD34+ cell collection, and allowed the planned ASCT to be performed in the majority of MM patients.

[Prognostic influence of immunological subtypes of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Study of 81 patients]. / Significado pronóstico de los subtipos inmunológicos de la leucemia aguda linfoblástica T del adulto. Estudio de 81 pacientes.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) includes 4 immunological subtypes: pro-T, pre-T, thymic or cortical and mature. In some studies, pro-T and mature subtypes have a poor prognosis. The objective of this study was to describe the clinical characteristics, the result of treatment and the prognosis of the immunological subtypes of T-cell ALL in 81 adult patients included in 2 protocols of the Spanish PETHEMA group (ALL-96 and ALL-93). PATIENTS AND METHOD: Between 1993 and 2003, 81 adult patients from 22 Spanish hospitals were included in two PETHEMA protocols: ALL-96 for standard-risk patients, and ALL-93 for high- risk patients. The main clinical and biological parameters as well as the rate of response to treatment, the frequency of complete remission , disease free survival and overall survival were compared in each T-cell ALL subtype. RESULTS: Of the 64 evaluable patients the distribution of the immunological subtypes was: 3 pro-T, 17 pre-T, 22 thymic or cortical and 22 mature. Patients with mature T-ALL had higher frequency of central nervous system involvement and myeloid antigen expression than those of the remaining subgroups. Patients with mature T-cell ALL had a slow rate of response to treatment in comparison with patients wit pre-T and mature T-cell ALL but this did not translate to significant differences in frequency of complete remission (77% vs 94%), disease free survival (42% vs 46%) and overall survival (29% vs 47%). CONCLUSIONS: Although patients with mature T-cell ALL had a slow rate of response to treatment and their survival tended to be shorter, in the present study there were no statistically significant differences in the prognosis of the different subtypes of T-cell ALL.

Treatment of primary acute myeloid leukemia: results of a prospective multicenter trial including high-dose cytarabine or stem cell transplantation as post-remission strategy.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: To evaluate a regimen of induction and consolidation chemotherapy, followed by a post-remission therapy which depended on age and cytogenetics, in patients with primary acute myeloid leukemia. DESIGN AND METHODS: Two hundred patients up to 60 years old received idarubicin, standard dose cytarabine and etoposide as induction chemotherapy and one consolidation course including intermediate dose cytarabine and mitoxantrone. Subsequently, patients with favorable cytogenetics, [i.e., t(8;21), inv(16)] were scheduled to receive 2 courses of high-dose cytarabine. The remainder were scheduled for allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT), if 50 years old or lacking a donor. RESULTS: In patients with favorable cytogenetics the 4-year probabilities of survival and leukemia-free survival (LFS) were 62+/-9% and 41+/-10%, respectively. The results were better in patients with t(8;21). LFS at 4 years in patients 50 years old assigned to auto-SCT had a 4-year LFS of 17+/-9%. Adverse cytogenetics and white blood cell count >or= 20 yen 109/L at diagnosis were associated with lower probability of survival and leukemia-free survival. INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSIONS: We confirmed that high-dose cytarabine seems a good option for patients with t(8;21). Autologous and allogeneic SCT led to similar leukemia-free survival in patients

International and Italian prognostic indices in follicular lymphoma.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The International Prognostic Index (IPI), initially designed for aggressive lymphomas, has been successfully used in patients with follicular lymphoma (FL). The Italian Lymphoma Intergroup (ILI) created a new prognostic index specific for FL. The aim of this study was to compare which of these two indices is more useful when applied to a large group of FL patients. DESIGN AND METHODS: Both indices, IPI (age >60 years, extranodal involvement >=2 sites, elevated lactate dehydrogenase, ECOG >=2, stage >=3) and ILI (age >60 years, extranodal involvement >=2 sites, elevated lactate dehydrogenase, male sex, B symptoms, erythrocyte sedimentation rate >=30 mm 1(st) hour) were calculated in a group of 398 FL patients. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) associated with each prognostic group were calculated according to the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: The overall concordance between both indices was 73%. According to the IPI 122 patients (31%) were in the higher risk group, whereas according to the ILI 132 (33%) were; concordance between the high risk groups was 66%. The 10-years OS and PFS rates after applying the IPI system were 73% and 37%, respectively, in the low risk groups; 47% and 26%, in the intermediate risk groups and 25% and 2%, in the high risk groups (log-rank=69.2 and 41.3, respectively; p<0.0001). According to ILI index the 10-year OS and PFS were 60% and 34%, respectively, in the low risk groups; 59% and 30%, in the intermediate risk groups and 17% and 0%, in the high risk groups (log-rank=86.6 and 58.5, respectively; p<0.0001). INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSIONS: Both the IPI and ILI index, are useful for classifying FL patients into different risk groups. Although it seems that the ILI index has a higher discriminating power among groups, significant differences were not observed in identifying FL patients with a poor outcome.

[Guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of primary immune thrombocytopenia]. / Diagnóstico, tratamiento y seguimiento de la trombocitopenia inmune primaria.

The consensus document on the diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of primary immune thrombocytopenia was developed in 2010 by specialists with recognized expertise in this disease under the auspices of the Spanish Society of Hematology and Hemotherapy and the Spanish Society of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, with the aim to adapt to Spain the recommendations of the recently published international consensus documents. The decision to start treatment is based on bleeding manifestations and platelet count (<20×10(9)/L). The first-line treatment is corticosteroids, albeit for a limited period of 4-6 weeks. The addition of intravenous immunoglobulin is reserved to patients with severe bleeding. Splenectomy is the most effective second-line treatment. For patients refractory to splenectomy and those with contraindications or patient refusal, the new thrombopoietic agents are the drugs of choice due to their efficacy and excellent safety profile. The other treatment options have highly variable response rates, and the absence of controlled studies does not allow to establish clear recommendations. Monitoring should be individualized. In patients without active treatment, blood counts are recommended every 3-6 months, and the patient should be instructed to consult in case of bleeding, surgery or invasive procedure and pregnancy. In most of the pediatric population, the disease tends to spontaneous remission. High-dose corticosteroids in short course and intravenous immunoglobulin are the treatment of choice. Second- and further-line treatments should be monitored in specialized centers.

Therapy-related myeloid neoplasms in patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia treated with all-trans-retinoic Acid and anthracycline-based chemotherapy.

PURPOSE: We analyzed the incidence, risk factors, and outcome of therapy-related myeloid neoplasms (t-MNs) in patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) in first complete remission (CR). PATIENTS AND METHODS: From 1996 to 2008, 1,025 patients with APL were enrolled onto three sequential trials (LPA96, LPA99, and LPA2005) of the Programa Español para el Tratamiento de Enfermedades Hematológicas and received induction and consolidation therapy with all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) and anthracycline-based chemotherapy. RESULTS: Seventeen of 918 patients who achieved CR developed t-MN (10 with < 20% and seven with > or = 20% of bone marrow blasts) after a median of 43 months from CR. Partial and complete deletions of chromosomes 5 and 7 (nine patients) and 11q23 rearrangements (three patients) were the most common cytogenetic abnormalities. Overall, the 6-year cumulative incidence of t-MN was 2.2%, whereas in low-, intermediate-, and high-risk patients, the 6-year incidence was 5.2%, 2.1%, and 0%, respectively. Multivariate analysis identified age more than 35 years and lower relapse risk score as independent prognostic factors for t-MN. The median overall survival time after t-MN was 10 months. CONCLUSION: t-MN is a relatively infrequent, long-term, and severe complication after first-line treatment for APL with ATRA and anthracycline-based regimens. Therapeutic strategies to reduce the incidence of t-MN are warranted.

CTLA-4 polymorphisms and clinical outcome after allogeneic stem cell transplantation from HLA-identical sibling donors.

CTLA-4 is an inhibitory molecule that down-regulates T-cell activation. Although polymorphisms at CTLA-4 have been correlated with autoimmune diseases their association with clinical outcome after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) has yet to be explored. A total of 5 CTLA-4 single-nucleotide polymorphisms were genotyped on 536 HLA-identical sibling donors of allo-HSC transplants. Genotypes were tested for an association with patients' posttransplantation outcomes. The effect of the polymorphisms on cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4) mRNA and protein production were determined in 60 healthy control participants. We observed a reduction in the mRNA expression of the soluble CTLA-4 isoform in the presence of a G allele at CT60 and +49. Patients receiving stem cells from a donor with at least 1 G allele in position CT60 had worse overall survival (56.2% vs 69.8% at 5 years; P = .001; hazard ratio [HR], 3.80; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.75-8.22), due to a higher risk of relapse (P = .049; HR, 1.71; 95% CI, 1.00-2.93). Acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) was more frequent in patients receiving CT60 AA stem cells (P = .033; HR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.03-2.29). This is the first study to report an association between polymorphisms at CTLA-4 and clinical outcome after allo-HSCT. The CT60 genotype influences relapse and aGVHD, probably due to its action on CTLA-4 alternative splicing.

Reduced-intensity conditioning for allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation in relapsed and refractory Hodgkin lymphoma: impact of alemtuzumab and donor lymphocyte infusions on long-term outcomes.

The introduction of reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) has enabled the role of allogeneic transplantation to be re-evaluated in Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). While T-cell depletion reduces graft-versus-host disease (GvHD), it potentially abrogates graft-versus-tumour activity and increases infective complications. We compared the results in 67 sibling donor transplantations following RIC in multiply relapsed patients from two national phase II studies conditioned with fludarabine/melphalan. One used cyclosporine/alemtuzumab (MF-A, n = 31), the other used cyclosporine/methotrexate (MF, n = 36) as GvHD prophylaxis. There was a small excess of chemorefractory cases in the MF cohort (P = NS). MF-A resulted in significantly lower incidences of non-relapse mortality, acute and chronic GvHD, but no significant excess of relapse/progression. Post donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI) disease responses occurred in 8/14 (57%) and 6/11 (55%) patients in the MF-A and MF groups, respectively. Current progression-free survival (CPFS) was superior with MF-A (univariate analysis), with durable responses to DLI contributing to the favourable outcome (43% vs. 25%, P = 0.0356). Disease status at transplantation significantly influenced overall survival (P = 0.0038) and CPFS (P = 0.0014), retaining significance in multivariate analyses, which demonstrated a trend towards improved CPFS with T-cell depletion (P = 0.0939). These data suggest that alemtuzumab significantly reduced GvHD without resulting in a deleterious impact on survival outcomes following RIC in HL, and that durable responses to DLI may be more common following the inclusion of alemtuzumab in the conditioning protocol.

Genomic polymorphisms provide prognostic information in intermediate-risk acute myeloblastic leukemia.

Current prognostic factors for acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML) are not sufficient to accurately predict the group of patients in the intermediate-risk category who will successfully respond to treatment. Distinct patterns of inherited functional genomic polymorphisms might explain part of these heterogeneous prognoses. We used the allelic discrimination method to identify polymorphisms in GSTT1, SULT1C2, CDA, SXR (drug metabolic pathways), XPD, XPA, XPG, ERCC1, TOP2A (DNA repair), VEGF (angiogenesis), and MDR1 (multidrug resistance) genes in 110 adult patients with intermediate-risk AML, enrolled in the CETLAM-99 prospective trial. A multivariate prognostic model adjusted for age, white blood cell (WBC) count, French-American-British group, cytogenetics, MLL rearrangement, internal tandem duplication of FLT3 (FLT3-ITD), induction courses to achieve complete remission, and germline polymorphisms, was used to detect independent risk factors associated with clinical outcome. This analysis showed an increased risk of refractoriness to chemotherapy in the group of patients with XPA variant alleles (RR = 14; P = .02). In the same model, increased relapse risk was associated with SULT1C2 heterozygosity (RR = 4.1; P = .004), FLT3-ITD (RR 3.3; P = .003), and MDR1 variant alleles (RR = 2.4; P = .02). Adverse prognostic variables for overall survival were XPA (RR = 3.4; P = .02) and MDR1 (RR = 2.1; P = .02) variant alleles, and WBC count (RR = 2.1; P = .02). These findings might be useful in selecting risk-adapted treatment strategies in intermediate-risk AML.

Nonmyeloablative stem cell transplantation is an effective therapy for refractory or relapsed hodgkin lymphoma: results of a spanish prospective cooperative protocol.

We report the results of reduced-intensity conditioning allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-RIC) in patients with advanced Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). Forty patients with relapsed or refractory HL were homogeneously treated with an RIC protocol (fludarabine 150 mg/m(2) intravenously plus melphalan 140 mg/m(2) intravenously) and cyclosporin A and methotrexate as graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis. Twenty-one patients (53%) had received >2 lines of chemotherapy, 23 patients (58%) had received radiotherapy, and 29 patients (73%) had experienced treatment failure with a previous autologous stem cell transplantation. Twenty patients (50%) were allografted in resistant relapse, and 38 patients received hematopoietic cells from an HLA-identical sibling. Five patients (12%) died from early transplant-related mortality (before day +100 after allo-RIC). One-year transplant-related mortality was 25%. Acute GVHD developed in 18 patients (45%). Chronic GVHD developed in 17 (45%) of the 31 evaluable patients. The response rate 3 months after the allo-RIC was 67% (21 [52%] complete remissions and 6 [15%] partial remissions). Eleven patients received donor lymphocyte infusions (DLIs) for disease relapse. The response rate after DLI was 54% (3 complete remissions and 3 partial remissions). Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were 48% +/- 10% and 32% +/- 10% at 2 years, respectively. Refractoriness to chemotherapy was the only adverse prognostic factor for both OS (63% +/- 12% versus 35% +/- 13%; P = .05) and PFS (55% +/- 16% versus 10% +/- 9%; P = .006). For patients with failure of a prior autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, results were especially good for those who experienced late relapses (>/=12 months: 2-year OS and PFS were 75% +/- 16% and 70% +/- 18%, respectively). These data suggest that allo-RIC is feasible in heavily pretreated HL patients and has an acceptable early transplant-related mortality. Results are better in patients allografted in sensitive disease. Both responses observed after the development of GVHD and DLI may suggest a graft-versus-HL effect. Allo-RIC has to be considered an effective therapeutic approach for patients who have had treatment failure with a previous autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

[The processes of manuscript evaluation and publication in Medicina Clínica. The editorial committee of Medicina Clínica]. / Procesos de revisión y de edición en Medicina Clínica.

The decision-making process includes a series of activities undertaken in biomedical journals from the moment a manuscript is received until it is accepted or rejected. Firstly, the manuscript is evaluated by the members of the Editorial Board, who analyze both its suitability for the journal and its scientific quality. After this initial evaluation, the article is evaluated by peer reviewers, an essential process to guarantee its scientific validity. Both the Editorial Board and the peer reviewers usually use checklists which are of enormous help in this task. Once the biomedical article has been accepted, the publication process is started, which in turn includes a series of steps, beginning with technical and medical review of the article's contents and ending with the article's publication in the journal. The present article provides a detailed description of the main technical and ethical issues involved in the processes of decision-making and publication of biomedical articles.