Spontaneous Remission of High-Grade Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma After SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Case Report.

ABSTRACT: Despite extensive research into COVID-19 since its emergence in late 2019, there is still much not fully understood about its long-term effects. When infected with SARS-CoV-2, cancer patients have been reported to be at higher risk for unfavorable outcomes. Nevertheless, evidence suggests that viruses may exhibit an antitumor effect in some cases, which has recently been anecdotally reported with SARS-CoV-2. We present the case of a patient with a recent high-grade non-Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis and without any cancer-specific therapy, in whom a complete metabolic response on 2-[ 18 F]FDG PET/CT was observed after COVID-19.

[Multiple Myeloma Treatment Guidelines by the Portuguese Group of Multiple Myeloma]. / Recomendações do Grupo Português do Mieloma Múltiplo para Tratamento do Mieloma Múltiplo.

The treatment of multiple myeloma has profoundly changed with the introduction of several innovative therapies. The optimization of therapeutic sequencing through the combined use of the various drugs developed in recent years and the attention given to the characteristics of patients have allowed the reduction of toxicities and increased survival and quality of life of patients with multiple myeloma. These treatment recommendations from the Portuguese Multiple Myeloma Group offer guidance for first-line treatment and progression/relapse situations. These recommendations are given highlighting the data that justify each choice and referring to the respective levels of evidence that support these options. Whenever possible, the respective national regulatory framework is presented. These recommendations constitute an advance towards the best treatment of multiple myeloma in Portugal.

O tratamento do mieloma múltiplo tem sido amplamente alterado com introdução de várias terapêuticas inovadoras. A otimização da sequenciação terapêutica através do uso combinado dos vários fármacos desenvolvidos nos últimos anos e a atenção dada às características dos doentes têm permitido diminuir toxicidades e aumentar a sobrevivência dos doentes, bem como aumentar a sua qualidade de vida. As presentes recomendações terapêuticas do Grupo Português do Mieloma Múltiplo oferecem orientações para o tratamento de primeira linha e progressão/recaída. As recomendações são fundamentadas evidenciando os dados que justificam cada escolha e referindo os respetivos níveis de evidência que suportam essas opções. Sempre que possível é apresentado o respetivo enquadramento regulamentar nacional. Estas recomendações constituem um avanço para o melhor tratamento do mieloma múltiplo em Portugal.

Recommendations from a Portuguese Expert Group for Discontinuation of Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Patients in Clinical Practice.

Until recently, the main goal of chronic myeloid leukemia therapy was disease control with the best overall survival, which required lifelong treatment. However, currently, the treatment-free remission concept is becoming an important goal in clinical practice, and several tyrosine kinase inhibitors discontinuation studies have shown that round 50% of patients with a durable deep molecular response beyond major molecular response successfully interrupt tyrosine kinase inhibitors for at least three years without loss of molecular response. However, and regardless of the existing evidence, the exact conditions for attempting treatment-free remission remain poorly defined. Different authors tried to guide the clinical decision regarding this topic but there are some points that differ, namely with respect to the recommended duration of tyrosine kinase inhibitors therapy and the appropriate molecular response prior to treatment-free remission. The goal of this article is to propose an algorithm to guide clinical practice in Portugal concerning chronic phase-chronic myeloid leukemia patients who wish to attempt treatment-free remission, since there are no national guidelines.

Até recentemente, o objectivo principal do tratamento da leucemia mielóide crónica era o controlo da doença com o maior tempo possível de sobrevivência, o que requeria tratamento durante toda a vida. No entanto, e actualmente, o conceito de remissão livre de tratamento está a tornar-se um objectivo importante na prática clínica, e vários estudos de descontinuação de inibidores de tirosina cinase mostraram que cerca de 50% dos doentes com uma resposta molecular profunda duradoura, para além da resposta molecular major, interrompem tratamento com inibidores de tirosina cinase com sucesso durante pelo menos três anos sem perda da resposta molecular. No entanto, e apesar da evidência existente, as condições concretas e exactas para tentar remissão livre de tratamento são ainda pouco conhecidas. Diferentes autores tentaram guiar a decisão clínica sobre este tópico mas alguns pontos permanecem não consensuais, nomeadamente no que respeita à duração recomendada de tratamento com inibidores de tirosina cinase e à resposta molecular apropriada antes de tentar remissão livre de tratamento. O objectivo desta publicação é propor um algoritmo que permita guiar a prática clínica em Portugal relativa a doentes com leucemia mielóide crónica ou em fase crónica que pretendam tentar remissão livre de tratamento, dada a ausência de recomendações nacionais.

Treatment of chronic myelomonocytic leukemia with 5-Azacitidine: a case series and literature review.

Chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) is a clinically heterogeneous disease, with no standard treatment. We present the outcome of ten patients diagnosed with CMML and treated with AZA in our institutions between 2005 and 2010. All patients were transfusion dependent at the time of initiation of therapy. The overall response rate was 60%. Responses were obtained in 2/3 of the patients with proliferative CMML. The median survival from start of therapy was 20 months. AZA treatment was well-tolerated and associated with a significant response rate in all forms of the disease.