Age and lymphocyte/monocyte ratio as prognostic factors for autologous transplantation in the treatment of patients with follicular lymphoma.

OBJECTIVE: Follicular lymphoma (FL) is an indolent, lymphoproliferative disease of B-cell origin that has a heterogeneous disease course with varying outcomes. Certain patients may undergo autologous stem cell transplantation. We investigated the outcome of autologous stem cell transplantation in patients with FL. METHODS: Patients who received autologous stem cell transplantation at the University of Debrecen's Department of Hematology between 2004 and 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) after transplantation of patients with FL were examined. Prognostic factors that may influence the course of the disease were chosen. RESULTS: Data were collected from 49 patients. OS was influenced only by age, whereas PFS was affected by age and the lymphocyte/monocyte ratio. The combination of age and lymphocyte/monocyte ratio defined a patient population with a particularly unfavorable prognostic risk profile: patients over 47 years of age with a pre-transplant lymphocyte/monocyte ratio greater than or equal to 2.675. CONCLUSION: Age and lymphocyte/monocyte ratio were identified as useful prognostic factors for PFS in patients with FL following autologous stem cell transplantation.

Low-burden TP53 mutations represent frequent genetic events in CLL with an increased risk for treatment initiation.

TP53 aberrations predict chemoresistance and represent a contraindication for the use of standard chemoimmunotherapy in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). Recent next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based studies have identified frequent low-burden TP53 mutations with variant allele frequencies below 10%, but the clinical impact of these low-burden TP53 mutations is still a matter of debate. In this study, we aimed to scrutinise the subclonal architecture and clinical impact of TP53 mutations using a sensitive, NGS-based mutation analysis in a 'real-world' cohort of 901 patients with CLL. In total, 225 TP53 mutations were identified in 17.5% (158/901) of the patients; 48% of these alterations represented high-burden mutations, while 52% were low-burden TP53 mutations. Low-burden mutations as sole alterations were identified in 39% (62/158) of all mutated cases with 82% (51/62) of these being represented by a single low-burden TP53 mutation. Patients harbouring low-burden TP53 mutations had significantly lower time to first treatment compared to patients with wild-type TP53. Our study has expanded the knowledge on the frequency, clonal architecture, and clinical impact of low-burden TP53 mutations. By demonstrating that patients with sole low-burden TP53 variants represent more than one-third of patients with TP53 mutations and have an increased risk for treatment initiation, our findings strengthen the need to redefine the threshold of TP53 variant reporting to below 10% in the routine diagnostic setting.

Transfusion-Transmitted Disorders 2023 with Special Attention to Bone Marrow Transplant Patients.

Transfusion medicine is traditionally a strong/fundamental part of clinical practice, saving hundreds of millions of lives. However, blood-borne or transmitted infections are a well-known and feared possibility, a risk we relentlessly mitigate. Pathogens are continuously and rather quickly changing, so during the last decade, many, sometimes exotic, new pathogens and diseases were recorded and analyzed, and some of them were proved to be transmitted with transfusions. Blood or blood component transfusions are carried out after cautious preparative screening and inactivation maneuvers, but in some instances, newly recognized agents might escape from standard screening and inactivation procedures. Here, we try to focus on some of these proven or potentially pathogenic transfusion-transmitted agents, especially in immunocompromised patients or bone marrow transplantation settings. These pathogens are sometimes new challenges for preparative procedures, and there is a need for more recent, occasionally advanced, screening and inactivation methods to recognize and eliminate the threat a new or well-known pathogen can pose. Pathogen transmission is probably even more critical in hemophiliacs or bone marrow transplant recipients, who receive plasma-derived factor preparations or blood component transfusions regularly and in large quantities, sometimes in severely immunosuppressed conditions. Moreover, it may not be emphasized enough that transfusions and plasma-derived product administrations are essential to medical care. Therefore, blood-borne transmission needs continued alertness and efforts to attain optimal benefits with minimized hazards.

Clinical and biological prognostic factors in follicular lymphoma patients.

INTRODUCTION: Follicular lymphoma (FL) is an indolent, yet heterogeneous, B-cell lymphoproliferative disorder. Although most FL patients respond well to treatment, few with specific traits have a poor prognosis; the latter are difficult to define. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed data from 143 FL patients treated at the University of Debrecen since 2009 and investigated prognostic factors that may influence the survival of FL patients. RESULTS: A maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) cut-off of 9.85 at the staging positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) (p = 0.0001, hazard ratio [HR]: 0.2535, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.1118-0.4878) and a lymphocyte/monocyte (Ly/Mo) ratio of 3.41 (p = 0.0027, HR: 2.997, 95% CI: 1.463-6.142), drawn at diagnosis, significantly predicted FL patients' progression-free survival (PFS). A staging SUVmax >9.85 with Ly/Mo <3.41 could delineate a high-risk group of FL patients (p<0.0001, HR: 0.0957, 95% CI: 0.03416-0.2685). Similarly, a significant difference was shown with an SUVmax cut-off of 3.15 at the interim PET/CT (p<0.0001, HR: 0.1614, 95% CI: 0.06684-0.3897). A staging SUVmax >9.85 in conjunction with interim SUVmax >3.15 predicted poor prognosis (p<0.0001, HR: 0.1037, 95% CI: 0.03811-0.2824). The PFS difference was translated into overall survival (OS) advantage (p = 0.0506, HR: 0.1187, 95% CI: 0.01401-1.005). CONCLUSION: Biological prognostic factors, such as the Ly/Mo ratio, may improve the prognostic assessment of staging PET/CT. The survival advantage observed in PFS is translated into OS when determined using a combination of staging and interim SUVmax. We recommend investigating additional biological prognostic factors while highlighting the role of PET/CT in FL.

Early administration of remdesivir plus convalescent plasma therapy is effective to treat COVID-19 pneumonia in B-cell depleted patients with hematological malignancies.

Patients with hematological malignancies (HMs) are at a higher risk of developing severe form and protracted course of COVID-19 disease. We investigated whether the combination of viral replication inhibition with remdesivir and administration of anti-SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulins with convalescent plasma (CP) therapy might be sufficient to treat B-cell-depleted patients with COVID-19. We enrolled 20 consecutive patients with various HMs with profound B-cell lymphopenia and COVID-19 pneumonia between December 2020 and May 2021. All patients demonstrated undetectable baseline anti-SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulin levels before CP. Each patient received at least a complete course of remdesivir and at least one unit of CP. Previous anti-CD20 therapy resulted in a more prolonged SARS-CoV-2 PCR positivity compared to other causes of B-cell lymphopenia (p = 0.004). Timing of CP therapy showed a significant impact on the clinical outcome. Simultaneous use of remdesivir and CP reduced time period for oxygen weaning after diagnosis (p = 0.017), length of hospital stay (p = 0.007), and PCR positivity (p = 0.012) compared to patients who received remdesivir and CP consecutively. In addition, time from the diagnosis to CP therapy affected the length of oxygen dependency (p < 0.001) and hospital stay (p < 0.0001). In those cases where there were at least 10 days from the diagnosis to plasma administration, oxygen dependency was prolonged vs. patients with shorter interval (p = 0.006). In conclusion, the combination of inhibition of viral replication with passive immunization was proved to be efficient and safe. Our results suggest the clear benefit of early, combined administration of remdesivir and CP to avoid protracted COVID-19 disease among patients with HMs and B-cell lymphopenia.

Assessment of cognitive function in long-term Hodgkin lymphoma survivors, results based on data from a major treatment center in Hungary.

INTRODUCTION: Nowadays, more than 80% of newly diagnosed classical Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) patients can be cured and become long-term survivors due to risk and response-adapted treatment strategies. A well-known side effect is cognitive dysfunction that appears in HL patients after chemotherapy. In the present study, we aimed to measure cognitive dysfunction in our HL patients in this study and to find potential correlations between patient-related factors, the signs and symptoms of their diseases, or therapeutic factors. METHODS: We carried out a computer-assisted assessment (CANTAB) of cognitive dysfunction in 118 patients. We examined the domains of visual memory, attention, working memory, and planning. RESULTS: The median age of 64 females and 54 males at diagnosis was 29 (13-74) and 41 (21-81) years at the completion of CANTAB. Fifty-two percent of all patients showed cognitive impairment. Attention was impaired in 35% of patients, the working memory and planning were impaired in 25%, while visual memory was affected in 22%. All the three functions showed a significant association with inactive employments status. A close correlation was found between visual memory/working memory and planning, higher age at HL diagnosis or the completion of CANTAB test, and disability pensioner status. DISCUSSION: Our investigation suggests that patients with inactive employment status and older age require enhanced attention. Their cognitive function and quality of life can be improved if they return to work or, if it is not possible, they receive a cognitive training.

Transition Between Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma and Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma- Our Histopathological and Clinical Experience With Patients With Intermediate Lymphoma.

Even though information about the pathophysiology and clinical features of grey-zone lymphoma, an entity intermediate between classical Hodgkin lymphoma and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, is growing, there are still a number of unanswered questions. The disease has no easily reproducible diagnostic criteria, which makes identification challenging. Uncommon, mixed histological picture and unusual clinical presentation should raise suspicion for grey-zone lymphoma. In this retrospective analysis we present 9 gray zone lymphoma patients, who were diagnosed in our institute between 2008 and 2018. The histological diagnoses was oftentime challenging, we asked for a revision in three cases due to the unusual clinical behavior and in other three cases only the relapse of the disease proved to be grey-zone lymphoma. Based on the initial histopathological diagnoses we applied adriablastine-bleomycine-vinblastine and procarbasine or cyclophosphamide-vincristine-adriablastine and prednisolon as first line chemotherapy regime with additional rituximab in six cases and brentuximab-vedotine in one patient. In six of the nine patients due to the primary refractory disease we used rituximab plus cisplatine, cytosine-arabinoside, prednisolone salvage treatment and five of these patients responded well enough to become eligible for autologous stem cell transplantation. One young male patient was refractory for various treatments and died due to the progression of his lymphoma. As a rare disease grey-zone lymphoma has no existing diagnostic criteria or guiedlines for its standard of care, which makes the everyday practice rather challenging for the clinicians, and emphasize the importance of unique decision making in every case and the repeated consultation between the pathologist and hematologist.

Anagrelide influences thrombotic risk, and prolongs progression-free and overall survival in essential thrombocythaemia vs hydroxyurea plus aspirin.

OBJECTIVE: We report an extension study of patients with essential thrombocythaemia (ET) in the Hungarian Myeloproliferative Neoplasm (HUMYPRON) Registry, which demonstrated that over 6 years anagrelide significantly decreased the number of patients experiencing minor arterial and minor venous thrombotic events (TEs) vs hydroxyurea+aspirin. METHODS: Data on patients with ET were collected through completion of a questionnaire developed according to 2008 WHO diagnostic criteria and with regard to Landolfi, Tefferi and IPSET criteria for thrombotic risk. Data were entered into the registry from 14 haematological centres. TEs, secondary malignancies, disease progression and survival were compared between patients with ET treated with anagrelide (n = 116) and with hydroxyurea+aspirin (n = 121). RESULTS: Patients were followed for (median) 10 years. A between-group difference in the number of patients with TEs was observed (25.9% anagrelide vs 38.0% hydroxyurea+aspirin; P = .052). Minor arterial events were more frequently reported in the hydroxyurea+aspirin group (P < .001); there were marginally more reports of major arterial events in the anagrelide group (P = .049). TE prior to diagnosis was found to significantly influence TE incidence (P > .001). Progression-free survival (P = .004) and survival (P = .001) were significantly increased for the anagrelide group vs hydroxyurea+aspirin. CONCLUSIONS: Anagrelide reduced TEs, and increased progression-free and overall survival vs hydroxyurea+aspirin over (median) 10 years.

[Investigation and treatment of prefibrotic/early primary myelofibrosis. A case study]. / A korai/praefibroticus primer myelofibrosis kivizsgálása és kezelése egy eset kapcsán.

Moderate thrombocytosis can accompany several diseases (bleeding, inflammation, iron deficiency, or autoimmune diseases), but hematologic examination is strongly recommended in a patient with persistent platelet count above 450 G/L unless reactive origin can be confirmed. The 47-year-old woman's medical history included hypertonia, asthma bronchiale, and endometriosis. In March 2015, she underwent laboratory examination due to weight loss and lack of appetite. Her results showed elevated thrombocyte count (617 G/L), but no iron deficiency. She presented in our clinic on 07. 04. 2015 with acute pain below her left hypochondrial region, but simple imaging examinations showed no difference to explain it. Abdominal CT revealed a 4.5 cm thrombus which protruded into the left renal artery, blocking it. We started APTI- (activated partial thromboplastin time) monitored continuous intravenous treatment with unfractionated heparin. The JAK2V617F mutation analysis came back positive. Subsequent bone marrow examination revealed prefibrotic/early stage myelofibrosis, prompting treatment with hydroxyurea. The applied treatments led to the disappearance of the patient's symptoms accompanied by the gradual normalisation of the thrombocyte count. Moderate thrombocytosis is often secondary, but if it persists and is accompanied by mainly thromboembolic events, the risk of diseases of the haematopoietic system, primarily Philadelphia chromosome negative chronic myeloproliferative disease should also be considered. Clinically, essential thrombocythaemia and the prefibrotic/early stage of myelofibrosis can be very similar. Differential diagnosis is only possible through the histological examination of the bone marrow, which becomes indispensible due to the difference in prognosis and treatment options. Orv Hetil. 2018; 159(15): 603-609.

Employment status and health related quality of life among Hodgkin-lymphoma survivors'- results based on data from a major treatment center in Hungary.

BACKGROUND: Due to risk and response adapted treatment strategies, more than 80% of newly diagnosed classical Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) patients can be cured, and become long-term survivors. However, a high proportion of survivors suffer from treatment-related long-term side effects such as secondary malignancy, organ failure, persistent fatigue and psychological distress. The aim of this study was to evaluate psychological distress and its risk factors among our HL survivors. METHODS: One hundred sixty-three (50% female) adult HL survivors were contacted between January 1, 2012 and march 31, 2015 in our outpatient centre. The patients were asked to complete a standardized, validated, self-administered Hungarian questionnaire with demographic questions and the following scales: Hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS14), general health questionnaire (GHQ12), sense of coherence (SOC13) perceived stress scale (PSS4), dysfunctional attitude scale (DAS17). Disease and treatment data were acquired from hospital records. RESULTS: Majority of HL survivors are in early adulthood, our most important goal should be to return them to normal life after their lymphoma is cured. The employment status at the time of survey seemed to be crucial so patients were divided into either active (n = 93) or inactive (n = 47) group. Retired survivors (n = 19) were excluded from the subgroup analysis. Psychological distress was significantly lower in active patients. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed significant differences between the inactive and active subgroups, such as age at diagnosis (≥30 years or below, p = 0.001), education level (below college vs. college, p = 0.032) and treatment related long-term side effects (yes vs. no, p < 0.001). Predictors for treatment-related long-term side effects are female gender (p = 0.011), chemotherapy protocol (ABVD vs. other, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that employment status and treatment-related long-term side effects play a critical role in the health related quality of life outcome among Hungarian HL survivors.

[Treatment of relapsed Hodgkin lymphoma after autologous stem cell transplantation]. / Így kezeljük az autológ ossejt-transzplantáció után kiújult Hodgkin-lymphomát.

Approximately 10-30% of Hodgkin lymphoma patients relapses or experience refractory disease after first line treatment. Nowadays, autologous stem cell transplantation can successfully salvage half of these patients, median overall survival is only 2-2.5 years. Several prognostic factors determine success of autologous stem cell transplantation. Result of transplantation can be improved considering these factors and using consolidation treatment, if necessary. Patients who relapse after autologous transplantation had worse prognosis, treatment of this patient population is unmet clinical need. Several new treatment options became available in the recent years (brentuximab vedotin and immuncheckpoint inhibitors). These new treatment options offer more chance for cure in relapsed/refractory Hodgkin patients. Outcome of allogenic stem cell transplantation can be improved by using haploidentical donors. New therapeutic options will be discussed in this review. Orv Hetil. 2017; 158(34): 1338-1345.

[Hungarian Philadelphia negative chronic myeloproliferative neoplasia registry. Evaluation of the Polycythemia vera patients]. / Philadelphia-negatív krónikus Myeloproliferativ Neoplasia Magyarországi Regiszter. Polycythaemia verás betegeink adatainak elemzése.

Intruduction and aim: The Hungarian National Registry for Philadelphia chromosome negative myeloproliferative neoplasms has been developed. The aim of the recent study is to assess the clinical characteristics of Hungarian patients with polycythemia vera. METHOD: Data of 351 JAK2V617F and exon 12 mutation positive polycythemia vera patients were collected online from 15 haematology centres reporting epidemiologic, clinical characteristics, diagnostic tools, therapeutic interventions, thromboembolic complications, disease transformations. Vascular events prior to and after diagnosis were evaluated upon the Landolfi risk assessment scale. RESULTS: 116 thromboembolic events were reported in 106 PV patients prior to diagnosis and 152 occasions in 102 patients during follow-up. The frequency of major arterial events were significantly reduced (p<0.0001) and the minor venous events were significantly elevated (p<0.0001) after the diagnosis. Major hemorrhagic complications were found in 25 and transformation in 26 cases. CONCLUSIONS: Our registry allows to collect and evaluate the features of patients with polycythemia vera. The Landolfi risk stratification was proven to be useful. Based on evaluated data, accuracy of diagnostic criteria and compliance to risk-adapted therapeutic guidelines are needed. Orv Hetil. 2017; 158(23): 901-909.

[An audit of the Hungarian Philadelphia negative chronic myeloproliferative neoplasia registry. Evaluation of the essential thrombocythaemic patients]. / Philadelphia-negatív krónikus Myeloproliferativ Neoplasia Magyarországi Regiszter. Essentialis thrombocythaemiás betegeink adatainak elemzése.

INTRODUCTION: In order to establish and use a national registry, several Hungarian hematology centers collected data of myeloproliferative neoplasia patients. AIM: The recent publication is an analysis of the data of registered essential thrombocythaemic patients. METHOD: an online electronic registry has been established, using 2008 World Health Organization's diagnostic criteria and thrombotic risk was evaluated according to Landolfi stratification. RESULTS: Data of 350 essential thrombocythaemic patients from 15 Hungarian hematology centers entered up to the date of June 30, 2015 were used for analysis. Patients were followed up to (median) 6 years. The epidemiologic data (age, gender) and thrombotic events prior and after the diagnosis, were similar to the literature. The thrombotic events of anagrelide treated patient (n = 139) and the hydroxyurea + aspirin treated patients (n = 141) have been compared. The major arterial and venous events were similar between the groups, but there were fivefold less minor arterial and venous events in the anagrelide group (p<0.001). Thrombotic incidence after diagnosis were influenced only by medication and thrombotic events before the diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Anagrelide significantly decreased the number of patients experiencing minor arterial and minor venous thrombosis, vs hydroxyurea + aspirin. Despite of the treatment the risk of thrombotic events after diagnosis remained high, and was significantly increased in patients with thrombosis before diagnosis. Orv. Hetil., 2017, 158(3), 111-116.

Anagrelide reduces thrombotic risk in essential thrombocythaemia vs. hydroxyurea plus aspirin.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the reduction in thrombotic events (TE) in patients with essential thrombocythaemia (ET) treated with anagrelide versus hydroxyurea + aspirin (HU + ASA). METHODS: A questionnaire was developed using 2008 WHO diagnostic criteria, and thrombotic risk factors were stratified according to Landolfi criteria. Through questionnaire completion, clinicians at Hungarian haematological centres entered data into the Hungarian MPN Registry on patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms. Based on ET registry data, TEs in anagrelide-treated patients (n = 139) were compared with HU + ASA-treated patients (n = 141). RESULTS: Patients were followed up for (median) 6 yr. TEs were reported in significantly fewer anagrelide-treated patients versus HU + ASA (15.1% versus 49.6%; P < 0.001). Numbers of major arterial and major venous events were similar between the groups, although there were over fivefold more minor arterial and minor venous events in the HU + ASA group (P < 0.001). While median age at diagnosis was older and length of follow-up shorter in the HU + ASA group (P < 0.05), this did not influence TE incidence; medication and TE before diagnosis only influenced TE incidence. CONCLUSIONS: Anagrelide significantly decreased the number of patients experiencing minor arterial and minor venous TEs versus HU + ASA over 6 yr. Risk of TE after diagnosis was significantly increased if the patient had TE before diagnosis.

[Diagnosis and treatment of polycythaemia vera: state of the art]. / Újdonságok, aktualitások a polycythaemia vera diagnosztikájában és kezelésében.

Polycythaemia vera (PV), a condition characterized by blood hyperviscosity due to the expansion of the erythrocyte mass is the most common entity among all Philadelphia chromosome-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms. Arterial and venous thrombotic events are leading determinants of morbidity and mortality but impairment of quality of life due to vasomotor symptoms (erythromelalgia, pruritus) and disease-associated symptoms (tiredness, fatigue, pruritus, night sweats, vision problems, headache, concentration loss, abdominal discomfort, early satiety, fever, weight loss) are also present. The review of polycythaemia vera is actual as the updated WHO 2016 classification of myeloid neoplasms has changed the diagnostic criteria and a new second-line treatment option - JAK1/JAK2 inhibitor ruxolitinib - has been approved for patients who had an inadequate response to or are intolerant of hydroxyurea, which represents a breakthrough in the treatment of this patient population. Orv. Hetil., 2016, 157(44), 1743-1751.

[Actualities in the management of primary myelofibrosis]. / Aktualitások a primer myelofibrosis ellátásában.

Primary myelofibrosis is one of the Philadelphia negative chronic myeloproliferative neoplasms. It is a rare disease featured by cytopenias and hepatosplenomegaly. Although the etiology of the disease is still unknown, our knowledge about its pathology and prognosis has been improving in the last few years. Furthermore, the JAK2 inhibitor ruxolitinib has become available in Hungary since 2015. Beside its high efficacy in spleen volume and in reduction of myelofibrosis-associated symptoms, this novel therapy also exerts a disease-modifying effect and, therefore, ruxolitinib may improve the life expectancy too. Treatment approach of myelofibrosis has been changed these years, which gives a reason for this summary. Orv. Hetil., 2016, 157(39), 1547-1556.

[Drug treatment of acute myelogenous leukaemia. Current options and future perspectives]. / Az akut myeloid leukaemia gyógyszeres kezelése. Jelenlegi lehetoségek, jövobeli kilátások.

Acute myelogenous leukemia is a heterogeneous disease. Recent molecular mutational analysis techniques have shed more light on different, genetically well characterised types of the disease. Treatment approach is uniform except for acute promyelocytic leukemia. Application of the "3 + 7" induction treatment has been the gold standard in the past 40 years. While the dose of cytarabine has not been changed, escalating daunorubicine dose in younger (<60 years) patients with good performance status to 90 mg/m(2) had a positive impact on overall survival. High dose chemotherapy is tolerated poorly in patients older than 60 years of age and, as treatment is not curative in the elderly, improvement of overall survival and quality of life remains the main goal of management in these patients. Low intensity treatment is beneficial and can provide additional advantage over supportive care. Innovative and targeted therapy approaches might give promise to better management of patients with acute myelogenous leukemia.

Alternative salvage regimens for relapsed/refractory classical Hodgkin's lymphoma.

OBJECTIVE AND IMPORTANCE: Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) is a well-curable disease. The treatment usually includes combined multiagent conventional chemotherapy and radiotherapy. One-fifth of the patients need repeated treatments because of relapse or primary progressive disease. Those HL patients, who cannot be cured at least with salvage therapy (including autologous haemopoietic stem cell transplantation (auto-HSCT)), have really unfavourable prognosis. INTERVENTION: For this heavily pretreated subset of HL patients, novel but less toxic treatment strategies should be considered. Brentuximab-vedotin (BV) is a novel targeted treatment option, which was administered after the failure of two different regimens in patients, who were ineligible for auto-HSCT or after the failure of auto-HSCT. Moreover, there are favourable data with chemotherapeutical regimens supplemented with rituximab not only in relapsed but also in newly diagnosed classical HL patients. Bendamustine, an almost forgotten 50-year-old drug, lives its renaissance in the twenty-first century, which can be administered in refractory HL as well. Combination of the 'new' and 'old' drugs might be also helpful. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that rituximab plus bendamustine (supplemented with or without BV) could be a suitable alternative bridging salvage therapy for heavily pretreated HL patients.

[Development of the registry for Philadelphia-negative chronic myeloproliferative neoplasia in Hungary]. / Philadelphia-negatív krónikus myeloproliferativ neoplasia regiszter magyarországi létrehozása.

INTRODUCTION: The establishment and operation of disease registry can be used to collect data on epidemiology cases. In addition, the registry can help to work out medical and health economical and political decisions for longer term. AIM: The aim of the authors was to collect and analyse data of patients with Philadelphia negative neoplasia in Hungary and draw conclusions about the basic types and features of the relevant disease. METHOD: An online electronic data collection system has been established, based on the permission of the Regional and Institutional Committee of Science and Research Ethics obtained in April 8, 2013. Data collection has been initiated by hematology centres in Hungary. In addition to collection of the epidemiologic data, blood and bone marrow analysis data have been collected, as well. Also, based on cardiovascular factors, risk stratification has been established. Finally, the authors have investigated the method and practice of patient treatment in Hungary. RESULTS: Data of 901 patients from 15 Hungarian haematology centres have been recorded up to the date of June 30, 2015. After clarification of the data, 426 polycythaemia vera, 350 essential thrombocythaemia and 82 myelofibrosis cases were used for analysis. CONCLUSIONS: An online registry has been established which helps to clarify and analyse the basic features of certain medical cases and their treatment in Hungary. Including additional medical centres could help to improve the accuracy of medical analysis.

Combined prognostic value of absolute lymphocyte/monocyte ratio in peripheral blood and interim PET/CT results in Hodgkin lymphoma.

Decreased absolute lymphocyte/monocyte ratio (LMR) in peripheral blood has been reported as an unfavorable prognostic marker in Hodgkin lymphoma. We aimed to investigate whether combining LMR and interim PET/CT scan result (PET2) confers stronger prognostic value than PET2 alone. 121 HL patients were investigated. LMR was calculated from a blood sample taken at the time of diagnosis. PET2 was carried out after the second chemotherapy cycle. Survival was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method and significance was determined by log-rank test. Effect of variants on survival results was examined using univariate and multivariate analyses. Best LMR cut-off value was determined by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Best LMR cut-off value was 2.11 in the case of our patients (LMR > 2.11: favorable, LMR ≤ 2.11: unfavorable). Overall and progression-free survivals (OS/PFS) were significantly worse both in lower LMR (≤ 2.11) (OS: P = 0.041, PFS: P = 0.044) and PET2 positive groups (OS: P < 0.001, PFS: P < 0.001). In PET2 positive patient group (n = 32) the low LMR result meant a significantly worse OS (0.030) and PFS (0.001). Both LMR and PET2 proved to be independent prognostic factors on multivariate analysis, and strengthened each other's effect.