Análisis del manejo del linfoma de Hodgkin clásico durante 10 años en el Hospital Clínico Red Salud UC-Christus con énfasis en el uso del PET CT / Decade of Hodgkin lymphoma: PET CT vs biopsy in single Academic Chilean Center

INTRODUCCIÓN: El Linfoma de Hodgkin (LH) es una causa prevalente de morbilidad por Cáncer Hematológico en el mundo y también en nuestro entorno. OBJETIVOS: Mostrar la experiencia de diez años tratando el LH en un centro docente chileno. Adicionalmente, exponer el rendimiento de diagnóstico del PET CT y la Biopsia de Médula Ósea. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Se realiza un estudio de Cohorte retrospectivo para recopilar datos y resultados de los pacientes tratados en nuestro centro. RESULTADOS: Se analizaron 82 pacientes (edad promedio 35 años. Razón entre hombres y mujeres de 1,9:1). La sobrevida libre de progresión de 88,6% y 66,4% para estadios localizados y avanzados respectivamente. El PET como estrategia de etapificación tuvo mejor sensibilidad al comparar con la Biopsia de Médula. CONCLUSIONES: El resultado clínico de los pacientes tratados en este centro docente chileno fueron comparables a la literatura internacional. Adicionalmente, el PET CT evidenció ser una herramienta superior en el diagnóstico y etapificación superior a la biopsia en nuestros pacientes.

INTRODUCTION: Hodgkin Lymphoma (HL) is a prevalent hematological cancer in the world and Chile. OBJECTIVES: Show the experience of 10 years treating HL in a Chilean academic center. Additionally, it exposes the diagnostic performance of PET CT and Bone Marrow Biopsy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study to collect data and outcomes of patients treated in our center. RESULTS: 82 patients were analyzed (Average age, 35 years old; the ratio between men and women was 1.9:1). Progression-free survival was 88.6% and 66.4% for localized and advanced stages, respectively. PET as a staging strategy had better sensitivity than Marrow Biopsy. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical results of the patients treated in this Chilean teaching center were comparable to the international literature. Additionally, PET CT proved to be a superior tool in diagnosis and staging compared to biopsy in our patients.

Gelatinous transformation of bone marrow: rare or underdiagnosed?

Gelatinous transformation of the bone marrow (GTBM) is a rare hematologic entity, which was first described by Paul Michael in 1930. GTBM is mostly associated with caloric intake/anorexia nervosa, although it also has been described accompanying other pathologic conditions, such as malignancy, systemic lupus erythematosus and HIV infections. Even though the diagnostic features of the hematopoietic tissue, such as hypoplasia, adipose cell atrophy, and deposition of a gelatinous substance in the bone marrow (which stains with Alcian blue at pH 2.5) are quite specific, the underlying pathogenic mechanisms remain poorly understood. Considering the evidence of reversibility­notably in cases of malnutrition and anorexia­this entity should be kept high on cards as a possible differential diagnosis of patients presenting with cytopenias and associated weight loss or starvation, especially in developing countries with nutritionally deprived populations. On an extensive review of the literature aimed at comprehensively addressing the evolution of the GTBM from the past century until now, we conclude that the lack of clinical suspicion and awareness regarding this pathologic entity has led to misdiagnosis and delayed diagnosis.

Bone marrow cytomorphological changes in patients co-infected with visceral leishmaniasis and human immunodeficiency virus

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a severe systemic infectious disease.(1) It has been recognized as an opportunistic disease in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).(2,3) The analysis of the bone marrow of patients co-infected with VL and HIV showed dysplasia of erythroid, granulocytic and megakaryocytic lineages (Figure 1), besides the presence of plasmacytosis, cytoplasmic bodies, hemophagocytosis, granuloma and intracellular and extracellular leishmania amastigotes (Figure 2). These findings are found in the analysis of bone marrow of patients co-infected with HIV and VL; knowledge of these findings may be useful for the diagnosis and prognosis of patients.