Is an earlier strategy for harvesting peripheral blood stem cells in healthy allogeneic donors feasible?

INTRODUCTION: Peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) mobilization with granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) for healthy donors is generally performed at 5th day. However, earlier collection is sometimes feasible, raising the question of whether to initiate apheresis early to limit further G-CSF exposure, while considering the risk of mobilization failure. In the current study, we examined the factors predicting successful 4th day collection and developed a model that can be used practically. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study was carried out by obtaining the data of PBSC mobilizations performed between January 2009 and September 2022 in our transplantation center. RESULTS: A total of 141 healthy donors with a median donor age of 32 (18-64) were included. Adequate mobilization was achieved in 115 (81.6 %) patients. Median peripheral CD34 + cell count was 69.4/µL in the adequate mobilization group and 46/µL in the mobilization failure group (p < 0001). Multivariate analysis revealed that donor/recipient weight ratio and the 4th day peripheral CD34 + cell count≥ 50/µL were independent markers for 4th day collection success. A predictive model of our center including these parameters was available with 0.765 sensitivity and 0.968 specificity [(AUC):0.948 (95 % CI, 0.90-0.99), p < 0.001]. CONCLUSION: The result of the current study shows that peripheral 4th day collection can be performed in selected donors, taking into account peripheral CD34+ cell count and donor/recipient weight ratio. In addition, using these indicators, new predictive models can be created that may assist clinicians in daily practice.

Evaluation of oral manifestations and head and neck lymphadenopathy in newly diagnosed acute leukemia patients.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the frequency of head and neck lymphadenopathy (LAP) and intraoral findings (non-dental/dental) in patients with newly diagnosed acute leukemia (AL). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Twenty-eight (52.8%) females and 25 (47.2%) males in a total of 53 patients with newly diagnosed AL with a mean age of 46 years were included in the study. Personal information, the type of AL (AML [acute myelogenous leukemia]/ALL [acute lymphocytic leukemia]), and hematological findings (anemia, neutropenia, and thrombocytopenia) were obtained from medical records. One of two calibrated oral diagnosis and maxillofacial radiology specialists performed extraoral (head and neck LAPs) and intraoral (non-dental and dental) clinical examinations. The Chi-square (χ2 ) test was used to evaluate categorical variables. RESULTS: LAP was observed in 22.6% and intraoral findings in 30.2% of the patients. LAP was most commonly observed in the neck and none in the parotid glands. The most intraoral findings were gingival/mucosal bleeding and oral petechiae/ecchymosis. While there was no statistical difference between AML and ALL patients in terms of LAP (p > .05), intraoral findings were observed more in patients with AML (p < .05). Only two (3.8%) patients had dental findings. With a slight difference, intraoral findings were more with thrombocytopenia and LAP with neutropenia. CONCLUSION: In AL, especially non-dental intraoral findings are common. The fact that dentists working in the oral cavity are often the first specialists to encounter the oral manifestations of AL imposes an important role in early diagnosis and treatment.

An effective treatment in Erdheim Chester disease: vemurafenib: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Erdheim Chester disease (ECD) is a rare disease with multisystemic involvement in the group of non-langerhans cell histiocytosis. Although nearly 100 years have passed since its definition, the number of cases reported all over the world is below 1000. In addition to the rarity of the disease, low awareness seems to play a role in this. CASE PRESENTATION: 47-year-old white caucasian women patient who presented to our clinic with symptoms of weakness-fatigue as well as increasing pain in the knees and ptosis in the left eye. Result of the patient's bone biopsy, ECD was considered pathologically and BRAF V600E mutation was shown molecularly. After presenting the clinical, laboratory and other examination results of the case, the dramatic response seen with targeted therapy will be discussed. CONCLUSIONS: BRAF V600E mutation is frequently seen in ECD. Vemurafenib plays an active role in targeted therapy.

Real-world data on the effectiveness and safety of Ixazomib-Lenalidomide-Dexamethasone therapy in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma patients: a multicenter experience in Turkey.

A multicenter, retrospective, observational study was conducted to explore effectiveness and safety of ixazomib plus lenalidomide with dexamethasone (IRd) in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) patients following at least ≥ two lines of therapy. Patients' treatment responses, overall response rate, progression-free survival rate, and adverse events were recorded. Mean age of 54 patients was 66.5 ± 9.1 years. There were 20 patients (37.0%) with progression. Median progression-free survival was 13 months in patients who received a median of three therapy lines in a 7.5-month follow-up period. Overall response rate was 38.5%. Of 54 patients, 19 (40.4%) had at least one adverse event, and nine (19.1%) had an adverse event of at least grade 3 or more. Of 72 adverse events observed in 47 patients, 68% were grade 1 or 2. Treatment was not stopped in any patient due to adverse events. IRd combination therapy was effective and safe in heavily treated RRMM patients.

International Forum: The Turkish perspective on apheresis activity: The Turkish apheresis registry report.

Therapeutic apheresis is an extracorporeal treatment that selectively removes abnormal cells or harmful substances in the blood that are associated with or cause certain diseases. During the last decades the application of therapeutic apheresis has expanded to a broad spectrum of hematological and non-hematological diseases due to various studies on the clinical efficacy of this procedure. In this context there are more than 30 centers performing therapeutic apheresis and registered in the apheresis database in Turkey. Herein, we, The Turkish Apheresis Registry, aimed to analyze some key articles published so far from Turkey regarding the use of apheresis for various indications.

Polatuzumab vedotin, rituximab, and bendamustine combination in relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: a real-world data from Turkey.

Polatuzumab vedotin (Pola) with bendamustine and rituximab (BR) is a promising option for patients with relapsed/refractory (R/R) diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). We analyzed the data of 71 R/R DLBCL patients who had been treated with Pola-BR in the named patient program from March 2018 to April 2021 from 32 centers in Turkey. All patients received up to six cycles of Pola 1.8 mg/kg, rituximab 375 mg/m2 on day 1, and bendamustine 90 mg/m2 on days 1-2 of each cycle. Median age at Pola-BR initiation was 55 (19-84). The overall response rate was 47.9%, including 32.4% CR rate when a median of 3 cycles was applied. With a median follow-up of 5 months, the median OS was 5 months. Grade 3-4 neutropenia and thrombocytopenia were the most common hematological toxicities. The real-world data from our cohort showed the Pola-BR is an effective option with a manageable toxicity profile.

The effect of pre-conditioning immunoglobulin and absolute lymphocyte count on the outcomes of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation.

INTRODUCTION: The prevention of mortality and morbidity related to the increasingly used allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT), along with the effects of pre- and post-transplant immune status on transplant outcomes, have become the focus of the studies conducted on this subject in recent years. In parallel, this study was designed to investigate the effects of pre-conditioning immunoglobulin (pre-conditioning-Ig) and pre-conditioning absolute lymphocyte count (pre-conditioning-ALC) levels on transplant outcomes. METHODS: This study was designed as a retrospective, observational and cross-sectional study. The objective of the study is to investigate the effects of pre-conditioning-Ig and ALC levels primarily on the rate of patients with febrile neutropenia (FEN) and the duration of FEN and length of hospital stay (LoS), and secondarily on acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD), cytomegalovirus (CMV) viremia, and mortality in the acute leukemia patients who underwent allo-HCT. RESULTS: A total of 104 acute leukemia patients, of whom 55 had acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and 49 had acute myeloid leukemia (AML), were included in the study. Compared to the AML group, the median pre-conditioning-IgG, IgA, and IgM levels were found to be significantly lower in the ALL group (11.3 vs. 6.6, p < 0.001; 1.8 vs. 0.9, p < 0.001; and 0.7 vs. 0.4, p < 0.001; respectively). But, there was no significant difference between the groups in pre-conditioning-Ig and ALC levels and transplant outcomes. However, subgroup analysis revealed that high pre-conditioning-ALC levels were significantly correlated with aGVHD levels (Odds Ratio: 1.02; p = 0.034) and low pre-conditioning-IgM levels were significantly correlated with increased mortality rate (Hazard Ratio: 0.08; p = 0.042) in AML patients. CONCLUSION: The significant difference determined between the ALL and AML groups in pre-conditioning-Ig levels was not reflected on the effects of pre-conditioning-Ig and ALC levels on transplant outcomes. However, we observed that pre-conditioning-IgM and ALC levels have an impact on transplant outcomes in AML patients.

COVID-19 in cancer patients: patient characteristics and outcomes in the post-COVID-19 vaccination period.

Background/aim: It wasaimed herein to investigate coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in cancer patients and compare hematological and solid organ cancer patients in terms of the course and outcome of this disease. Materials and methods: Data from cancer patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 infection were analyzed retrospectively. Risk factors for poor prognosis and the effect of vaccination on the clinical outcomes of the patients were evaluated. Results: A total of 403 cancer patients who were diagnosed with COVID-19 between March 1st, 2021, and November 30th, 2022, were included, of whom 329 (81.6%) had solid and 74 (18.4%) had hematological cancers. Hospitalization and intensive care unit (ICU) admission rates were significantly higher in the hematological cancer patients compared to the solid organ cancer patients (73.0% vs. 35.9%, p< 0.001 and 25.7% vs. 14.0%, p= 0.013, respectively). The COVID-19-related case fatality rate (CFR) was defined as 15.4%, and it was higher in the hematologicalcancer patientsthan inthe solid organ cancer patients (23.0% vs. 13.7%, p= 0.045) and was higher in patients with metastatic/advanced disease compared to the other cancer stages (p< 0.001). In the solid organ cancergroup, hospitalization, ICU admission, and the COVID-19 CFR were higher in patients with respiratory and genitourinary cancers (p< 0.001). A total of 288 (71.8%) patients had receivedCOVID-19 vaccination; 164 (56.94%) had≤2 doses and 124 (43.06%) had≥3 doses. The hospitalization rate was higher in patients with ≤2 doses of vaccine compared to those with ≥3 doses (48.2% vs. 29.8%,p= 0.002). Patients with COVID-19-related death had higher levels of leucocyte, neutrophil, D-dimer, troponin, C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin, and ferritin and lower levels of lymphocyte than the survivors. In the logistic regression analysis,the risk of COVID-19-related mortality was higher in the hematological cancer patients(OR:1.726), those who were male (OR:1.757), and with the Pre-Delta/Delta variants (OR:1.817). Conclusion: This study revealed that there is an increased risk of COVID-19-related serious events (hospitalization, ICU admission, or death) in patients with hematological cancerscompared with those who have solid organ cancers. It wasalso shown that receiving ≥3 doses of COVID-19 vaccine is more protective against severe illness and the need for hospitalization than ≤2 doses.

Latent tuberculosis in adult hematopoietic stem cell transplantation recipients: Clinical experience from a previously endemic population.

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) recipients may be at an elevated risk of developing active tuberculosis infection due to suppression in the cellular immune system. Herein, we aimed to evaluate the prevalence of latent tuberculosis and active tuberculosis in patients with allogeneic and autologous HSCT. In this cohort, data were obtained retrospectively from patients' records. The patients who were followed up in the bone marrow transplantation unit of the University of Health Sciences Dr Abdurrahman Yurtaslan Ankara Oncology Education and Research Hospital between January 2016 and December 2019 were screened for the study. And the HSCT recipients who had tuberculin skin test and/or QuantiFERON-TB gold (QFT-GIT) test results were included in the study. A total of 361 patients were included in the study, 227 patients had autologous HSCT, and 134 patients had allogeneic HSCT. QFT-GIT was performed in 10 patients with allogeneic HSCT, and it was found positive in only 1 patient. Tuberculin skin test ≥5 mm was accepted as positive and was accepted to have latent tuberculosis, and it was positive in 18.2% (41) of the patients with autologous HSCT and was positive in 21.6% (29) of the patients with allogeneic HSCT. There was no significant difference between the 2 groups (P = .429). Isoniazid (INH) prophylaxis was started in 16.7% of patients with autologous HSCT and 22.4% of patients with allogeneic HSCT. During follow-up, active tuberculosis did not develop in any patients in both groups. There was no statistically significant difference found between allogeneic and autologous HSCT recipients regarding the prevalence of latent tuberculosis. Active tuberculosis infection did not develop in any of the patients who started INH prophylaxis. INH prophylaxis seems to be very efficient in preventing the reactivation of latent tuberculosis in patients going through allogeneic HSCT and/or autologous HSCT.

Could blood groups have prognostic significance on survival in patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma?

The prognostic importance of the ABO blood group in non-Hodgkin lymphoma is largely unknown. We aim to investigate the prognostic significance of blood groups on the survival in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients. 412 people (206 DLBCL patients and 206 healthy donors) were included. The blood group types of patients treated at our center from 2009 to 2019 were analyzed retrospectively and compared to the results from healthy thrombocyte donors. The distribution of the ABO blood groups was as follows: blood type A (45.2%), B (9.7%), O (38.8%), and AB (6.3%). We found no statistically significant difference between patients and the control group in terms of ABO and Rhesus blood group distribution (p = 0.27 and p = 0.45, respectively). The median follow-up time was 18 months (0-116). In the Cox regression analysis ABO blood groups, and Rh group were not significant predictors of survival in patients with DLBCL, whereas ECOG score, IPI score, Ann-Arbor stage, and LDH level were found significant. Receiving R-CHOP as the first-line treatment was associated with better survival in the multivariate analysis. No statistically significant difference was found between the control and DLBCL patient groups regarding the distribution of ABO and Rh blood groups.

Non hemorrhagic pericardial effusion from ibrutinib In a patient without comorbidities.

INTRODUCTION: The most common kind of leukemia in adults is chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). CLL is treated with ibrutinib. During the course of ibrutinib therapy, bleeding and cardiac arrhythmias may occur. Non-hemorrhagic adverse events are extremely infrequent in individuals using ibrutinib. CASE REPORT: A 64 year-old man was diagnosed with CLL in June 2016. He was treated with 6 courses of FCR, he stayed in remission for 3 years and then relapsed. He achieved partial remission after two months of therapy with ibrutinib. The patient was admitted to the hospital with fever and shortness of breath. Pericardial tamponade and effusion was diagnosed during his evaluation. MANAGEMENT & OUTCOME: Non-hemorrhagic exudative effusion was drained by pericardiocentesis and a pericardial catheter was inserted to drain pericardial effusion. In all pleural and pericardial effusion samples, pathological and flow cytometric examination revealed no atypical malignant cells for malignancy, including CLL. Infections, both bacterial and viral, were also undetectable in the samples, as were rheumatological markers of collagen vascular disease. Ibrutinib therapy was discontinued. The pericardial effusion and tamponade were linked to ibrutinib treatment after evaluating the adverse drug reaction probability scale with a total score of 6. Colchicine was administered to reduce the pericardial effusion. The catheter was removed; pericardial effusion did not reoccur during follow up visits. DISCUSSION: Serious adverse events of ibrutinib are seen when treating CLL patients. This group of individuals should be closely monitored for potentially serious complications such as pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade.

Skin ulcers caused by ruxolitinib in a patient with chronic cutaneous graft-versus-host disease.

INTRODUCTION: Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a common complication of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). In the treatment of chronic GVHD, skin directed therapy, systemic corticosteroids, calcineurin inhibitors (such as cyclosporine (CsA) and tacrolimus), rituximab, mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) and ruxolitinib are used. CASE REPORT: We present an 18 year old male with Philadelphia chromosome positive acute B lymphoblastic leukemia, treated with allogeneic HCT from a full matched sibling donor. The patient had grade 2 chronic cutaneous GVHD resistant to corticosteroids, CsA, MMF, and ECP treatment. Three months after initiation of ruxolitinib therapy, the patient developed skin ulcers on his lower extremities. MANAGEMENT & OUTCOME: The biopsy revealed that the changes were caused by the drug reactions. We suspected ruxolitinib as the likely cause of these ulcerative lesions after evaluating the adverse drug reaction probability scale. The adverse drug score was 4, therefore, ruxolitinib treatment was discontinued. Ulcerative lesions fully recovered after 4 weeks of follow-up. DISCUSSION: Ruxolitinib is used in the treatment of chronic GVHD that has been resistant to steroids and other salvage therapies. In our case, ruxolitinib was used as a salvage therapy in a patient who had refractory chronic skin GVHD. Ruxolitinib-related skin lesions with ulcers of lower extremities and whole body erythematous skin lesions were reported previously in patients with myelofibrosis. The pathophysiology of ruxolitinib related skin ulcers is unknown. Skin changes of patients using ruxolitinib should be closely monitored, and newly developing lesions should be suspected of being drug-related and biopsied.

The Real-World Experience With Single Agent Ibrutinib in Relapsed/Refractory CLL.

INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND: The emergence of novel agents targeting the B-cell receptor pathway and BCL-2 has significantly changed the therapeutic landscape of CLL. We evaluated the safety and efficacy of single-agent ibrutinib in relapsed/refractory CLL in real-world settings. PATIENTS/METHODS: A total of 200 relapsed/refractory CLL patients with a median age of 68 were included in this retrospective, multicenter, non-interventional study. Data of the study were captured from the patient charts of the participating centers. RESULTS: The median for lines of previous chemotherapy was 2 (1-6); 62 (31.8%) patients had del17p and/or p53 mutations (del17p+/p53mut). Of the study group, 146 (75%) patients achieved at least PR, while 16 (8.7%) patients discontinued ibrutinib due to TEA. The most common drug-related adverse events were neutropenia (n: 31; 17.4%) and thrombocytopenia (n: 40; 22.3%), which were ≥ grade 3 in 9 (5%) and 5 (3.9%) patients, respectively. Pneumonia (n: 42; 23.7%) was the most common nonhematologic TEA. Atrial fibrillation (n: 5; 2.8%) and bleeding (n: 11; 6.3%) were relatively rare during the study period. Within a median follow-up period of 17 (1-74) months, 42 (21%) patients died. The estimated median OS of the study cohort was 52 months. Only the response to ibrutinib (CR/PR vs. SD/PD) was significantly associated with OS. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate good safety and efficacy for single-agent ibrutinib in R/R CLL in daily practice.

Patients with hematologic cancers are more vulnerable to COVID-19 compared to patients with solid cancers.

Previous studies reported that COVID-19 patients with cancer had higher rates of severe events such as intensive care unit (ICU) admission, mechanical ventilation (MV) assistance, and death during the COVID-19 course compared to the general population. However, no randomized study compared the clinical course of COVID-19 in patients with hematologic cancers to patients with solid cancers. Thus, in this study, we intend to reveal the outcome of COVID-19 in hematologic cancer patients and compare their outcomes with COVID-19 patients with solid cancers. The data of 926 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patients, including 463 hematologic cancer patients and an age-gender paired cohort of 463 solid cancer patients, were investigated retrospectively. The frequencies of severe and critical disease, hospital and ICU admission, MV assistance were significantly higher in hematologic cancer patients compared with the solid cancer patients (p = 0.001, p = 0.045, p = 0.001, and p = 0.001, respectively). The hospital stay was longer in patients with hematologic cancers (p = 0.001); however, the median ICU stay was 6 days in both groups. The case fatality rate (CFR) was 14.9% in patients with hematologic cancers, and it was 4.8% in patients with solid cancers, and there was a statistically significant difference regarding CFR between groups (p = 0.001). Our study revealed that COVID-19 patients with hematologic cancers have a more aggressive course of COVID-19 and have higher CFR compared to COVID-19 patients with solid cancers and support the increased susceptibility of patients with hematologic cancers during the outbreak.

Brentuximab vedotin and bendamustine: an effective salvage therapy for relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma patients.

The prognosis is poor for relapsed or refractory (R/R) classical Hodgkin Lymphoma (cHL) patients. The brentuximab vedotin (Bv) and bendamustine (B) combination has been used as a preferable salvage regimen in R/R cHL patient trials. We retrospectively evaluated response rates, toxicities, and the survival in R/R cHL patients treated with the BvB combination. In a multi-centre real-life study, 61 R/R HL patients received intravenous doses of 1.8 mg/kg Bv on the first day plus 90 mg/m2 B on the first and second days of a 21-day cycle as a second-line or beyond-salvage regimen. Patients' median age at BvB initiation was 33 (range: 18-76 years). BvB was given as median third-line treatment for a median of four cycles (range: 2-11). The overall and complete response rates were 82% and 68.9%, respectively. After BvB initiation, the median follow-up was 14 months, and one- and two-year overall survival rates were 85% and 72%, respectively. Grade 3/4 toxicities included neutropenia (24.6%), lymphopenia (40%), thrombocytopenia (13%), anaemia (13%), infusion reactions (8.2%), neuropathy (6.5%), and others. The BvB combination could be given as salvage regimen aiming a bridge to autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT), in patients relapse after ASCT or to transplant-ineligible patients with manageable toxicity profiles.

Single-Dose Rasburicase Might Be Adequate To Overcome Tumor Lysis Syndrome In Hematological Malignancies.

INTRODUCTION: Tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) is a commonly observed oncological emergency that requires prompt diagnosis and treatment. Rasburicase is a recombinant urate oxidase endorsed in TLS for the treatment of hyperuricemia. The effect of single-dose 7.5 mg rasburicase at longer follow-ups was not widely investigated. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eighty-two patients included in the study with clinical TLS and laboratory TLS. The primary endpoint was the normalization of uric acid (<6mg/dL) within 24 hours of rasburicase administration, which was described as treatment success. The secondary endpoint was defined as having sustained response at the first week. The third endpoint was defined as the reaching the baseline renal function before TLS. RESULTS: We found that the use of a 7.5 mg dose of rasburicase controlled uric acid in 74 of 82 (90,2%) patients at the 24th hour. In the first week, uric acid remained at normal levels in 69 of 82 (84,1%) patients. At 24 hours, the TLS risk group was the only predictor for failing uric acid normalization; at the end of the first week, no predictive factor was identified for failing uric acid normalization. CONCLUSION: Rasburicase at 7.5 mg dose is an important agent for controlling laboratory and clinical TLS at 24 hours and extending its effect to the first week.

Does Total Body Irradiation Have a Favorable Impact on Thrombocyte Engraftment as per Neutrophil Engraftment in Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation?

INTRODUCTION: In this study, we aim to analyze the effect of total body irradiation (TBI) on neutrophil and thrombocyte engraftment durations in acute leukemia (AL) patients who achieved allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (Allo-SCT) at our center. METHODS: The data of 193 acute leukemia patients who were performed Allo-SCT from matched-related donors were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: Thrombocyte engraftment duration was statistically shorter (12 days) in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients who received TBI-based conditioning when compared to ALL patients who received non-TBI-based conditioning (14 days; p=0.037). On the other hand, no statistically significant difference was observed between acute leukemia patients who received TBI or non-TBI-based conditioning regarding neutrophil engraftment duration. CONCLUSION: We found that TBI had a favorable impact on thrombocyte engraftment (TE) rather than neutrophil engraftment (NE) in Allo-SCT in patients with acute leukemia. TBI might have an impact on the engraftment of thrombocytes as per than neutrophils may be attributed to immune mechanisms and microenvironment in the patient's bone marrow (BM).

Combination of Venetoclax and hypomethylating agents in relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia: A case series from a single center.

PURPOSE: Venetoclax (VEN) is an oral selective inhibitor of antiapoptotic protein B-cell leukemia/lymphoma-2 (BCL-2). METHODS: We report 7 relapsed/refractory (R/R) acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients treated with venetoclax and hypomethylating agents (HMA). RESULTS: More than half of the patients could go on with venetoclax for only a few months. CONCLUSION: Using venetoclax combined with HMA in R/R AML should be kept in mind as an alternative salvage option.

Molecular evaluation of mutations in acute myeloid leukemia patients from Turkey: A single-center study.

ABSTRACT: Certain genetic mutations could have a role in the etiology of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Hereby, in this study, we primarily aimed to investigate the distribution of genetic mutations in AML patients. We also attempted to analyze the incidence of genetic mutations in AML patients from Turkey.This retrospective study included a total of 126 patients diagnosed with AML, who had molecular mutation test results or records in their patient files. The patients who were not citizens of the Republic of Turkey were not included in the study.It was observed that analyses for at least 1 c-kit exon mutation had been carried out on 76 patients, which detected no c-kit mutation among the types of genetic mutations investigated in all of those 76 patients. We found the frequency of FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3-internal tandem duplication mutation as 25%. The prevalence of translocation(15;17) was approximately 11% and the prevalence of translocation(8;21) was % 6.25. In addition, we also showed that the frequency of inversion16 was nearly 3.7%.Lastly, the possibility of c-kit mutation in AML patients from Turkey might actually be low.

Factors affecting survival in elderly patients with diffuse large B-Cell lymphoma.

INTRODUCTION: Diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) has an increasing incidence in elderly patients with poorer prognosis than in younger patients. Clinicians should clearly identify the characteristics and prognostic factors of elderly patients. We analyzed the outcome of elderly DLBCL patients, especially factors affecting survival in real-life clinical practice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The data of 330 DLBCL patients at our center were retrospectively evaluated by dividing three groups; younger than 65 years, between 65-79 years, and 80 years and older. We examined the factors affecting survival in DLBCL patients ≥ 65 years old. RESULTS: The median age of the patients was 61 years (range 16-87). 192 (58.2 %) of our patients were younger than 65 years old, 112 (33.9 %) were between 65-79 years, and 26 (7.9 %) patients were 80 years old or older. The median follow-up was 15 (1-120) months. Median PFS was 38 months in the 65-79 years group, ten months in the ≥ 80 years group; meanwhile, median OS was 43 months in the 65-79 years group, 25 months in the ≥80 years group. The number of patients who relapsed within 12 months of the first-line treatment was 69 (35.9 %) in the <65 years group, it was 60 (53.6 %) in 65-79 years group, and 22 (84.6 %) in ≥80 years group (p < 0.001). The median OS was 9 (7.1-10.9) months in DLBCL patients older than 65 years old who relapsed within 12 months. Early relapse, failure to achieve CR after first-line chemotherapy, and high IPI score were associated with poor survival in patients ≥ 65 years old (p:0.001). CONCLUSION: Advancing age was a poor prognostic factor for survival of DLBCL. Relapsing within the first year, or failure to achieve complete remission were associated with poorer survival of the elderly DLBCL patients. R-CHOP is the standard treatment in DLBCL, and the best responses are obtained regardless of age. Due to difficulty in receiving standard treatments, novel treatment modalities are needed for better outcomes in elderly patients with DLBCL.