[Possibilities of remission of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in adults: retrospective study of 51 patients subjected to a "total therapy" protocol in the period 1969-1983]. / Posibilidades de curación de las leucemias agudas linfoblásticas del adulto: análisis retrospectivo de 51 pacientes sometidos a un protocolo de "terapéutica total" entre 1969-1983.

Between 1969 and 1983, 51 (35 men and 16 women) new cases of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) were diagnosed in patients aged 15 to 85 years (mean 21 yrs.). All patients received a "total therapy" which included: 1st induction (PRD, VCR, DBR, and/or L-ASN); 2nd, Central Nervous System profilaxis (craneal TCT and/or intrathecal MTx); 3rd, maintenance (6MP and MTx) and 4th, reinductions every 3 months (PRD, VCR, and DRB). This treatment lasted for at least 3 years. Complete Remission (CR) was achieved in 45 patients (88.2%): 3 of these patients were referred to other centers to continue treatment, 1 patient developed an early "metamorphosis" to hemophagocytic hystiocytosis and another patient developed a late chronic granulocytic leukemia (Ph +) dying a few months later after an acute myeloblastic worsening. During treatment 16 patients relapsed (9 in bone marrow and 7 in Central Nervous System). Treatment was discontinued in 24 patients with complete remission of which 5 relapsed in bone marrow 17 to 61 months after treatment). In one of the latter (ALL Ph +) an allogenic bone marrow transplant was performed and CR was achieved and maintained 46 months later. The post diagnosis acutarial curve of the 51 patients gave a mean survival of 6 years with a plateau at 43% of the patients after 11 years. The duration of the first uninterrupted CR was of 6.5 years and a plateau was reached at 46% of the patients after 10.5 years. At the present time, 20 patients are in CR (46 to 129 months) without treatment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Priapism as the first manifestation of chronic granulocytic leukemia]. / Priapismo como primera manifestación de una leucemia granulocítica crónica.

We report a case of priapism in a patient with philadelphia positive chronic granulocytic leukemia. Combined medical and surgical therapy, including chemotherapy with hydroxyurea and multiple punctures of the corpora cavernosa respectively, effected a rapid detumescence and resolution of the priapism and control of the primary disease, although subsequent ability of erection was not fully restored.

[Hematologic significance of erythrocytic macrocytosis: prospective analysis of 109 successively studied cases]. / Significación hematológica de la macrocitosis eritrocítica: análisis prospectivo de 109 casos sucesivamente estudiados.

The aim of the present work was to perform a prospective analysis of the significance of macrocytic red cells through the study of all patients with MCV higher than 105 fl (those treated with cytotoxic or immunosuppressing drugs were excluded). Conventional clinical, haematologic and biochemical studies were carried out on every patient, along with B12 and folate levels, bone marrow examination and bone marrow karyotype and, whenever B12 deficiency was present, complete Schilling's test. Special attention was paid to the aetiological inquiry and post-therapeutical course. A series of 109 patients was collected. Decreased serum B12 rates with abnormal Schilling's test and response to parenteral therapy were present in 26 cases (24%). Of them, 22 fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for Biermer's anaemia, while in the remaining 4 there was impaired intestinal absorption. Serum or red-cell folate deficiency was found in 34 other cases (31%). Alcoholism was present in 20 of them, abnormal diet in 10, malabsorption syndrome in 2, and excessive demands in 2 others. Hence, vitamin deficiency underlay macrocytosis in 60/109 cases (55%). In the remaining 49 cases (45%) macrocytosis was not accompanying folate or B12 deficiency. Of these, severe liver disease was found in 16 patients (alcoholic in 15 and post-hepatitis in 1 case), with increased serum B12 in 10 cases and increased serum or erythrocytic folate in 3 others. Nineteen patients within this group had primary myelodysplastic syndromes (RA, 8; SRA, 4; RAEB, 7), and the remaining 14 cases had several haematological (AIHA, 4; CLL, 1, T-cell lymphoma 1, M-6, 1, and myelofibrosis with myeloid metaplasia, 2) or non-haematological diseases (heart insufficiency, 2; COPD,3).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)