Treating Acute Leukemia During the COVID-19 Pandemic in an Environment With Limited Resources: A Multicenter Experience in Four Latin American Countries.

PURPOSE: The COVID-19 pandemic is a colossal challenge for global health; nonetheless, specific subgroups face considerably higher risks for infection and mortality. Among patients with malignant diseases, those with hematologic neoplasms are at a higher risk for poor outcomes. The objective of this study was to register treatment modifications associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and their short-term consequences in Latin America. METHODS: Multicenter, prospective, observational, cohort study including patients older than 14 years from 14 centers in four countries (Mexico, Peru, Guatemala, and Panama) who had a confirmed diagnosis of acute leukemia, and who were undergoing active treatment since the first COVID-19 case in each country until the cutoff on July 15, 2020. RESULTS: We recruited 635 patients. Treatment modifications because of the COVID-19 pandemic were reported in 40.8% of cases. The main reason for such modifications was logistic issues (55.0%) and the most frequent modification was chemotherapy delay (42.0%). A total of 13.1% patients developed COVID-19 disease, with a mortality of 37.7%. Several factors were identified as independently associated with mortality, including a diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia (odds ratio 2.38 [95% CI, 1.47 to 3.84]; P < .001), while the use of telemedicine was identified as a protective factor (odds ratio 0.36 [95% CI, 0.18 to 0.82]; P = .014). CONCLUSION: These results highlight the collateral damage of COVID-19 in oncology patients.

Guía de práctica clínica para la detección, tratamiento y seguimiento de Leucemias Linfoide y mieloide en población mayor de 18 años / Clinical practice guide for the detection, treatment and follow-up of lymphoid and myeloid leukemias in a population over 18 years of age

Ofrecer recomendaciones basadas en la evidencia para la prevención, detección, tratamiento y seguimiento de las queratosis actínicas, con el fin de apoyar al personal de salud en los diferentes niveles de atención, buscando garantizar una atención integral, homogénea, con calidad, equidad y eficiencia para los pacientes con esta condición. Evaluar la efectividad de las medidas preventivas para disminuir la aparición de nuevos casos de queratosis actínicas en la población general.

Synergistic effect of KIR ligands missing and cytomegalovirus reactivation in improving outcomes of haematopoietic stem cell transplantation from HLA-matched sibling donor for treatment of myeloid malignancies.

The goal of this study was to evaluate the influence of KIR-HLA genotypes on the outcome of patients undergoing treatment for haematological malignancies by non-T-depleted lymphocyte haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) from HLA-matched sibling donors. The prospective study was conducted at the Center of Hematology, University of Campinas, and 50 patients and their donors were followed up from 2008 to 2014. KIR and HLA class I genes were genotyped and patients grouped based on the presence of KIR ligands combined with KIR genotype of their respective donors. Patients with all KIR ligands present (n=13) had a significantly higher (p=0.04) incidence of acute graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD) than patients with one or more KIR ligands missing (n=37). The overall survival following transplantation of patients with myeloid malignancies (n=27) was significantly higher (p=0.035) in the group with one or more KIR ligands missing (n=18) than in the group with all ligands present (n=9). Presence of KIR2DS2 was associated with a worsening of HSCT outcome while reactivation of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection improved the outcome of patients with one or more KIR ligands missing. Our results indicate that KIR-HLA interactions affect the outcome of the HLA-matched transplantation, particularly in patients with myeloid malignancies.

Citosina Arabinósido 100 mg y 500 mg en solución / Cytosine Arabinoside 100 mg and 500 mg in solution

FORMA FARMACÉUTICA: bulbo DENOMINACIÓN COMÚN INTERNACIONAL: arabinósido de citosina. COMPOSICIÓN: cada bulbo contiene 100 mg y 500 mg de arabinósido de citosina en solución. CATEGORÍA FARMACOLÓGICA: antineoplásico, agente citotóxico, antimetabolito, analógo de las pirimidinas. FARMACOCINÉTICA: la biodisponibilidad por VO es escasa (menor que 20 %). La distribución es amplia y rápida por los tejidos. Atraviesa las barreras placentarias y hematoencefálica, alcanza el LCR hasta 40‒50 por ciento de la concentración plasmática. Es metabolizado por citidina desaminasa, dando lugar fundamentalmente a arabinósido de uracilo, que es un metabolito inactivo y a trifosfato de aracitidina (activo). La desaminación se produce en el hígado, plasma y tejidos periféricos. Se elimina por la orina (± 80 por ciento) en las primeras 24 h. La vida media de eliminación terminal es 1-3 h. INDICACIONES: leucemia linfocítica y mielocítica aguda y leucemia meníngea. También se emplea en esquemas de segunda o tercera línea de linfomas no Hodgkin y leucemia mieloide crónica. Eritroleucemia. CONTRAINDICACIONES: hipersensibilidad conocida a la citosina. Pacientes con depresión de la médula ósea, enfermedades debilitantes e infecciones virales recientes como varicela o herpes zoster. USO EN POBLACIONES ESPECIALES: LM: datos no disponibles. E: categoría de riesgo D PRECAUCIONES: LM: no se conoce su excreción por la leche humana; no obstante, se recomienda suspender la lactancia materna durante la administración del fármaco. CARCINOGENICIDAD: grupo de riesgo 3. Los efectos depresores de la médula ósea de la citarabina pueden dar lugar a un aumento de la incidencia de infecciones, retardo en la cicatrización y hemorragia gingival. Deben ser cuidadosamente monitoreados los recuentos hemáticos. Si el recuento de leucocitos arroja CAN menor que 1 000 células/mm3 y las plaquetas están por debajo de 50 000 celulas/mm3, el tratamiento debe ser interrumpido. Los valores pueden continuar bajando aún después de que la administración de citarabina sea suspendida. El tratamiento puede reiniciarse cuando existen signos evidentes de recuperación de la médula ósea. Cuando se administran de forma rápida altas dosis por vía IV, los pacientes pueden presentar náusea y vómito durante algunas horas después de la inyección; este problema se presenta en forma menos severa cuando se administra por infusión. En pacientes con enfermedad hepática previa se deberán suministrar dosis menores de citosina, ya que en el hígado ocurre el proceso de detoxificación de este medicamento. Cuando tiene lugar una lisis celular rápida, se deben tomar las debidas precauciones para evitar hiperuricemia y hiperuricosuria y el riesgo de nefropatía por ácido úrico. La neurotoxicidad está asociada con los tratamientos de altas dosis y pueden presentarse como: toxicidad cerebelar aguda o puede ser severa con convulsiones y/o coma, incluso suele ser retardada, hasta 3‒8 días después que el tratamiento haya comenzado. El riesgo de toxicidad cerebelar se incrementa cuando el aclaramiento de creatinina sea inferior a 60 mL/min, edad mayor de 50 años, lesión preexistente del SNC y niveles de fosfatasa alcalina mayor que tres veces el límite superior normal. La conjuntivitis es prevenida y tratada con gotas de solución salina y/o corticosteroides. Como profilaxis, las gotas oculares deben comenzarse de 6 a 12 h antes de iniciar el tratamiento con la citarabina, y continuar hasta 24 h después de haber finalizado esta. El término de altas dosis se define como dosis IV de 2 a 3 g/m2/dosis, cada 12‒24 h, por 4‒12 dosis o de 36 g/m2 en monoterapia, generalmente combinado con otros agentes utilizados en tratamientos con altas dosis de quimioterapia. Puede presentarse el llamado síndrome de la citarabina que se caracteriza por fiebre, mialgia, dolor óseo, dolor torácico, rash maculopapular, astenia y conjuntivitis, puede ocurrir de 6 a 12 h después de la administración de la citarabina. Puede ser tratado de manera eficaz con...(AU)

Salvaged single-unit cord blood transplantation for 26 patients with hematologic malignancies not in remission.

Treatments for patients with hematologic malignancies not in remission are limited, but a few clinical studies have investigated the effects of salvaged unrelated cord blood transplantation (CBT). We retrospectively studied 19 patients with acute leukemia, 5 with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS with refractory anemia with excess blasts [RAEB]), and 2 with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma who received 1 CBT unit ≤ 2 loci human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-mismatched after undergoing myeloablative conditioning regimens between July 2005 and July 2014. All of them were in non-remission before transplantation. The infused total nucleated cell (TNC) dose was 4.07 (range 2.76-6.02) × 107/kg and that of CD34⁺ stem cells was 2.08 (range 0.99-8.65) × 105/kg. All patients were engrafted with neutrophils that exceeded 0.5 × 109/L on median day +17 (range 14-37 days) and had platelet counts of >20 × 109/L on median day +35 (range 17-70 days). Sixteen patients (61.5%) experienced pre-engraftment syndrome (PES), and six (23.1%) patients progressed to acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). The cumulative incidence rates of II-IV acute GVHD and chronic GVHD were 50% and 26.9%, respectively. After a median follow-up of 27 months (range 5-74), 14 patients survived and 3 relapsed. The estimated 2-year overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), and non-relapse mortality (NRM) rates were 50.5%, 40.3%, and 35.2%, respectively. Salvaged CBT might be a promising modality for treating hematologic malignancies, even in patients with a high leukemia burden.

Salvaged single-unit cord blood transplantation for 26 patients with hematologic malignancies not in remission

Treatments for patients with hematologic malignancies not in remission are limited, but a few clinical studies have investigated the effects of salvaged unrelated cord blood transplantation (CBT). We retrospectively studied 19 patients with acute leukemia, 5 with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS with refractory anemia with excess blasts [RAEB]), and 2 with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma who received 1 CBT unit ≤2 loci human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-mismatched after undergoing myeloablative conditioning regimens between July 2005 and July 2014. All of them were in non-remission before transplantation. The infused total nucleated cell (TNC) dose was 4.07 (range 2.76-6.02)×107/kg and that of CD34+ stem cells was 2.08 (range 0.99-8.65)×105/kg. All patients were engrafted with neutrophils that exceeded 0.5×109/L on median day +17 (range 14-37 days) and had platelet counts of >20×109/L on median day +35 (range 17-70 days). Sixteen patients (61.5%) experienced pre-engraftment syndrome (PES), and six (23.1%) patients progressed to acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). The cumulative incidence rates of II-IV acute GVHD and chronic GVHD were 50% and 26.9%, respectively. After a median follow-up of 27 months (range 5-74), 14 patients survived and 3 relapsed. The estimated 2-year overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), and non-relapse mortality (NRM) rates were 50.5%, 40.3%, and 35.2%, respectively. Salvaged CBT might be a promising modality for treating hematologic malignancies, even in patients with a high leukemia burden.

Guía de Práctica Clínica ​(GPC) para la detección oportuna, diagnostico y seguimiento de leucemia linfoide aguda y leucemia mieloide aguda en niños, niñas y adolescentes / Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) for the timely detection, diagnosis and follow-up of acute lymphocytic leukemia and acute myeloid leukemia in children and adolescents

Mejorar la sobrevida libre de enfermedad, la sobrevida global y la calidad de vida de los niños y adolescentes supervivientes de Leucemia Linfoide Aguda Determinar los factores de riesgo para el desarrollo de la enfermedad. Mejorar la calidad de la atención en salud y la utilización racional de recursos en el cuidado clínico de los niños, niñas y adolescentes con sospecha clínica y diagnóstico confirmado de Leucemia Linfoide Aguda. Disminuir la variabilidad injustificada en el manejo diagnóstico y terapéutico especializado.

Negotiating religious beliefs in a medical setting.

This manuscript studies in detail, following a discourse analytical approach, medical consultations in which a patient's religious belief does not allow blood transfusion to be administered. The patient is a young Jehovah's Witness suffering myeloid leukaemia who is being treated in a Catholic cancer hospital where the practice of blood transfusion forms part of the standard protocol to treat the disease. The consultations under analysis take place in a Chilean cancer clinic where mainly the oncologist and a Jehovah's Witness Representative (JWR) present discuss and negotiate expert information on the substitute methods to be used. The exchange dynamics of the consultations differ from the usual visits where the medical knowledge and expertise is primarily in the hands of the medical practitioner. In these encounters, the JWR shares vital information with the oncologist providing the basis of the treatment to be used. This shifting of the balance of power-which could have been a cause of tension in the visit and a contributing factor in the disruption of communication-has instead brought light to the encounter where the negotiated treatment has been achieved with relative ease. The patient's future is in the hands of the oncologist and the JWR, and their successful negotiation of treatment has made it possible to cater for the particular needs of a JW patient. Sharing different medical practices has not been an obstacle, but an opportunity to find out ways to deliver equity access and well-informed practices to a non-conventional patient.

[Maternal and perinatal outcomes in pregnant women with leukemia]. / Resultados maternos e perinatais em gestantes portadoras de leucemia.

PURPOSE: To describe the maternal and perinatal outcomes of pregnant women diagnosed with leukemia who were followed up for prenatal care and delivery at a university hospital. METHODS: A retrospective study of the period from 2001 to 2011, which included 16 pregnant women with a diagnosis of leukemia followed by antenatal care specialists in hematological diseases and pregnancy. For acute leukemia diagnosed after the first trimester, the recommendation was to perform chemotherapy despite the current pregnancy. For chronic leukemia, patients who were controlled in hematological terms were maintained without medication during pregnancy, or chemotherapy was introduced after the first trimester. We analyzed the maternal and perinatal outcome. RESULTS: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) was diagnosed in five cases (31.3%), acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in two cases (12.5%) and chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in nine cases (56.3%). Of the cases of acute leukemia, two (28.6%) were diagnosed in the first trimester, two (28.6%) in the second and three (42.9%) in the third. Two patients with ALL diagnosed in the first trimester opted for therapeutic abortion. Four patients with acute leukemia received chemotherapy during pregnancy, with a diagnosis established after the 20th week. In one case of ALL with a late diagnosis (30 weeks), chemotherapy was started after delivery. All pregnant women with acute leukemia developed anemia and thrombocytopenia, and four (57.1%) developed febrile neutropenia. Of nine pregnant women with CML, four were treated with imatinib mesylate when they became pregnant, with treatment being interrupted in the first trimester in three of them and in the second trimester in one. During pregnancy, three patients (33.3%) required no chemotherapy after discontinuation of imatinib, and six (66.7%) were treated with the following drugs: interferon (n=5) and/or hydroxyurea (n=3 ). In the group of pregnant women with CML, anemia occurred in four (44.4%) cases and thrombocytopenia in one (11.1%). The perinatal outcomes of pregnancies complicated by acute leukemia were as follows: mean gestational age at delivery was 32 weeks (standard deviation - SD=4.4) and the mean birth weight was 1476 g (SD=657 g), there were 2 (40.0%) perinatal deaths (a fetal one and a neonatal one). In pregnancies complicated by CML, the mean gestational age at delivery was 37.6 weeks (SD=1.1) and the mean birth weight was 2870 g (SD=516 g). There was no perinatal death and no fetal abnormality was detected. CONCLUSIONS: Maternal and fetal morbidity is high in pregnancies complicated by acute leukemia. Whereas, in pregnancies complicated by CML, the maternal and fetal prognosis appears to be more favorable, with greater ease in management of complications.

Resultados maternos e perinatais em gestantes portadoras de leucemia / Maternal and perinatal outcomes in pregnant women with leukemia

RESUMO OBJETIVO: Descrever as complicações maternas e os resultados perinatais entre as gestantes com diagnóstico de leucemia que foram acompanhadas no pré-natal e no parto em hospital universitário. MÉTODOS: Estudo retrospectivo do período de 2001 a 2011, que incluiu 16 gestantes portadoras de leucemia acompanhadas pela equipe de pré-natal especializado em hemopatias e gestação. Nas leucoses agudas, diagnosticadas após o primeiro trimestre, a recomendação foi realizar a quimioterapia apesar da gestação em curso. Nas gestantes com leucoses crônicas, quando controladas do ponto de vista hematológico, foram mantidas sem medicação durante a gravidez, ou, foi introduzida terapêutica antineoplásica após o primeiro trimestre. Foram analisadas as complicações maternas e os resultados perinatais. RESULTADOS: A leucemia linfoide aguda (LLA) foi diagnosticada em cinco casos (31,3 por cento), a leucemia mieloide aguda (LMA) em dois casos (12,5 por cento) e a leucemia mieloide crônica (LMC) em nove casos (56,3 por cento). Nos casos de leucemias agudas, dois (28,6 por cento) casos foram diagnosticados no primeiro trimestre, dois (28,6 por cento) no segundo e três (42,9 por cento) no terceiro. Duas gestantes com LLA diagnosticada no primeiro trimestre optaram pelo aborto terapêutico. Quatro casos de leucemia aguda receberam tratamento quimioterápico na gestação, com diagnóstico estabelecido após a 20ª semana. Em um caso de LLA com diagnóstico tardio (30ª semana) a quimioterapia foi iniciada após o parto. Todas as gestantes com leucemia aguda evoluíram com anemia e plaquetopenia, quatro casos (57,1 por cento) evoluíram com neutropenia febril. Das gestantes com LMC, quatro utilizavam mesilato de imatinibe quando engravidaram, três delas suspenderam no primeiro trimestre e uma no segundo. Durante a gravidez, três (33,3 por cento) não necessitaram de terapêutica antineoplásica após suspensão do imatinibe; e em seis (66,7 por cento) foram utilizadas as seguintes drogas: interferon (n=5) e/ou hidroxiureia (n=3). No grupo de gestantes com LMC, verificou-se a ocorrência de anemia em quatro casos (44,4 por cento) e plaquetopenia em um (11,1 por cento). Quanto aos resultados perinatais, nas gestações complicadas pela leucemia aguda, a média da idade gestacional no parto foi de 32 semanas (desvio padrão - DP=4,4) e a média do peso do recém-nascido foi 1476 g (DP=657 g). Houve 2 (40,0 por cento) óbitos perinatais (um fetal e um neonatal). Nas gestações complicadas pela LMC, a média da idade gestacional no parto foi de 37,6 semanas (DP=1,1) e a média do peso do recém-nascido foi 2870 g (DP=516 g); não houve morte perinatal e nenhuma anomalia fetal foi detectada. CONCLUSÕES: É elevada a morbidade materna e fetal nas gestações complicadas pela leucemia aguda; enquanto que, nas complicadas pela LMC, o prognóstico materno e fetal parece ser mais favorável, com maior facilidade no manejo das complicações.

PURPOSE: To describe the maternal and perinatal outcomes of pregnant women diagnosed with leukemia who were followed up for prenatal care and delivery at a university hospital. METHODS: A retrospective study of the period from 2001 to 2011, which included 16 pregnant women with a diagnosis of leukemia followed by antenatal care specialists in hematological diseases and pregnancy. For acute leukemia diagnosed after the first trimester, the recommendation was to perform chemotherapy despite the current pregnancy. For chronic leukemia, patients who were controlled in hematological terms were maintained without medication during pregnancy, or chemotherapy was introduced after the first trimester. We analyzed the maternal and perinatal outcome. RESULTS: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) was diagnosed in five cases (31.3 percent), acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in two cases (12.5 percent) and chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in nine cases (56.3 percent). Of the cases of acute leukemia, two (28.6 percent) were diagnosed in the first trimester, two (28.6 percent) in the second and three (42.9 percent) in the third. Two patients with ALL diagnosed in the first trimester opted for therapeutic abortion. Four patients with acute leukemia received chemotherapy during pregnancy, with a diagnosis established after the 20th week. In one case of ALL with a late diagnosis (30 weeks), chemotherapy was started after delivery. All pregnant women with acute leukemia developed anemia and thrombocytopenia, and four (57.1 percent) developed febrile neutropenia. Of nine pregnant women with CML, four were treated with imatinib mesylate when they became pregnant, with treatment being interrupted in the first trimester in three of them and in the second trimester in one. During pregnancy, three patients (33.3 percent) required no chemotherapy after discontinuation of imatinib, and six (66.7 percent) were treated with the following drugs: interferon (n=5) and/or hydroxyurea (n=3 ). In the group of pregnant women with CML, anemia occurred in four (44.4 percent) cases and thrombocytopenia in one (11.1 percent). The perinatal outcomes of pregnancies complicated by acute leukemia were as follows: mean gestational age at delivery was 32 weeks (standard deviation - SD=4.4) and the mean birth weight was 1476 g (SD=657 g), there were 2 (40.0 percent) perinatal deaths (a fetal one and a neonatal one). In pregnancies complicated by CML, the mean gestational age at delivery was 37.6 weeks (SD=1.1) and the mean birth weight was 2870 g (SD=516 g). There was no perinatal death and no fetal abnormality was detected. CONCLUSIONS: Maternal and fetal morbidity is high in pregnancies complicated by acute leukemia. Whereas, in pregnancies complicated by CML, the maternal and fetal prognosis appears to be more favorable, with greater ease in management of complications.

Tratamiento de la leucemia promielocítica aguda con acido transretinoico en dosis de 25 miligramos por metro cuadrado / Treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia with acid trans dose of 25 milligrams per square meter

Se realizó un estudio observacional, descriptivo, de serie de casos, en el Hospital Esdcuela Dr. Roberto Calderón G. (HEDRCG) durante el periodo de 2002 al 2007, con el objetivo de determinar la respuesta a la administración de acido transretinoico en dosis de 25 mg/m cudrado de superficie corporal en los pacientes con diagnóstico de leucemia promielocitica aguda. Ingresados en el servicio de Heamto- ontología del Hospital en estudio. El universo lo constituyeron todos los pacientes diagnósticados con leucemia promielocitica aguda en el HEDRCG registrados en el servicio de estadísticas del Hospital. La muestra la conformaron 14 pacientes diagnósticados con leucemia promielocitica aguda en el HEDRCG durante el periodo de estudio que fueron seleccionados según criterios de inclusión y de exclusíon. No podemos dejar de mencionar que aunque nuestra muestra es poica, los estudios internacionales tampoco reportan en gran cantidad de pacientes, en la mayor parte los estudios no pasan de 25 pacientes estudiados. El 92 por ciento tenían manifestaciones de sangrado al ingreso al Hospital y la localización más frecuente fue la piel y mucosa...

Frequency of the BCR/ABL rearrangements and associated alterations detected by FISH during monitoring of patients taking imatinib mesylate in isolation / Freqüência do rearranjo BCR/ABL e alterações associadas detectadas por FISH no monitoramento de pacientes em uso exclusivo do mesilato de imatinibe

The introduction of imatinib mesylate as treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia has saved many patients, but the success of therapy is hampered by resistance and possible non-destruction of the malignant clone. This article describes the cytogenetic responses and abnormal cytogenetic patterns involving the ABL and BCR genes detected by FISH in patients who use exclusively imatinib. The results showed that other alterations involving the BCR and ABL genes do not seem to be related to resistance to the drug as they occur in low frequencies and can not be associated to the cytogenetic response or to the time of treatment. Moreover, the response to imatinib seems to be individual and unpredictable, independent of the time of treatment and of its initiation after diagnosis.

A introdução do mesilato de imatinibe como tratamento da leucemia mielóide crônica tem salvado muitos pacientes, mas o sucesso da terapia tem sido prejudicado pela resistência e possível não destruição do clone maligno. Este artigo descreve a resposta citogenética e padrões citogenéticos anormais envolvendo os genes ABL e BCR detectados por FISH em pacientes em uso exclusivo de imatinibe. Os resultados mostraram que outras alterações envolvendo os genes BCR e ABL não parecem estar relacionadas à resistência à droga, elas ocorrem em baixas freqüências e podem não estar associadas à resposta citogenética ou ao tempo de tratamento. Contudo, a resposta ao imatinibe parece ser individual e imprevisível, independente do tempo e do início do tratamento após o diagnóstico.

Late effects of chronic graft-vs.-host disease in minor salivary glands.

BACKGROUND: The established pathologic criteria for minor salivary gland (MSG) involvement in chronic graft-vs.-host disease (cGVHD) could play a role in monitoring response to therapy. METHODS: We evaluated MSG sequential biopsies during cGVHD therapy in 14 allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) patients. Nine patients that did not develop GVHD after BMT entered the control group. Biopsies were examined using hematoxylin-eosin, Periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) and leukocyte common antigen staining. RESULTS: A significant loss of PAS+ acinar volume was observed at the diagnosis of cGVHD as much as at the end of treatment when compared with the control group. In the second evaluation, the inflammatory infiltrate was still greater than control group. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that persistent xerostomia after cGVHD treatment is because of maintenance of lymphocytic infiltrate and consequent absence of MSG secretory unit recovery. This data may be useful to provide improved insight into the histopathology of this organ involvement.

Myeloid sarcoma of appendix mimicking acute appendicitis.

CONTEXT: Myeloid sarcoma is a neoplasm of immature myeloid cells involving an extramedullary anatomic site that is usually, although not always, associated with acute myeloid leukemia. Any extramedullary site can be involved by myeloid sarcoma, but involvement of the cecal appendix is uncommon, and symptoms mimicking acute appendicitis as a result of appendiceal involvement are rare. OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinicopathologic features of 2 patients with myeloid sarcoma involving the appendix who presented with right lower quadrant pain suggestive of acute appendicitis and prompting appendectomy. DESIGN: Clinical information for both patients was obtained from the medical record. Routine hematoxylin-eosin-stained slides, naphthol-ASD-chloroacetate stain, and immunohistochemical stains for myeloid, B-cell, and T-cell antigens were prepared. RESULTS: Peripheral blood and bone marrow were infiltrated by coexistent acute myeloid leukemia in case 1 but were negative for leukemia in case 2. In case 2, the patient had a history of acute myeloid leukemia that had been treated by an allogenic bone marrow transplant 7 months earlier. Histologic examination of the appendix revealed poorly differentiated myeloid sarcoma in both cases. Each neoplasm was positive for chloroacetate esterase, myeloperoxidase, lysozyme, and CD43 and was negative for CD3 and CD20. CONCLUSIONS: Myeloid sarcoma involving the appendix can rarely cause pain or other symptoms mimicking acute appendicitis. A high index of suspicion combined with the use of cytochemical and immunohistochemical studies are helpful in establishing the diagnosis.

t(4;12)(q11;p13): a rare chromosomal translocation in acute myeloid leukemia.

We present a case of acute myeloid leukemia with t(4;12). This translocation is rare and has been observed in acute leukemias with different but immature phenotypes. To the best of our knowledge, there are around 15 descriptions of t(4;12) in AML, and most interesting, presenting morphological aspects of a pseudo-lymphoid cell with dysplasia of other series.

Conventional chemotherapy for acute myeloid leukemia: a Brazilian experience.

CONTEXT: Young patients affected by acute myeloid leukemia (AML) achieve complete remission (CR) using conventional chemotherapy in about 55-85%. However, 30% of patients fail to achieve CR and the remission duration is often only about 12 months. More intensive treatment after CR seems to be necessary in order to maintain CR and obtain a definitive cure. In Brazil, few reports have been published on this important subject. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to describe a Brazilian experience in the treatment of "de novo" acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in younger adult patients (age < 60 years). DESIGN: Retrospective analysis. SETTING: University Hospital, Hematology and Hemotherapy Center, State University of Campinas, Brazil. PARTICIPANTS: Newly diagnosed cases of "de novo" AML in the period from January 1994 to December 1998 were evaluated retrospectively, in relation to response to treatment, overall survival (OS) and disease free survival (DFS). Cases with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) were also included in this analysis. RESULTS: On the basis of an intention to treat, 78 cases of AML, including 17 cases of APL, were evaluated. The overall median follow-up was 272 days. The complete remission (CR) rate was 63.6% in the AML group (excluding APL) and 78% in the APL group. The 5-year estimated disease-free survival (DFS) was 80% for the APL group and 34% for the AML group (P = 0.02). The 5-year estimated overall survival (OS) was 52% for the APL group and 20.5% for the AML group, respectively (P = NS). Relapse was observed in 12/39 (30.7%) patients with AML and 1/11 (9%) with APL. CONCLUSIONS: These results are similar to those reported in the literature. However, relapse and mortality rates remain high, and a search for more aggressive strategies in order to prevent relapse is recommended.