Brentuximab vedotin for relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma: experience in Turkey.

Current treatment modalities can cure up to 70-80 % of patients with classical Hodgkin lymphoma. Approximately, 20-30 % of patients require further treatment options. Brentuximab vedotin has been approved for the treatment of relapsed and refractory Hodgkin lymphoma. In the present study, we report the experience with brentuximab vedotin as single agent in 58 patients with relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma. The objective response rate was 63.5 % with 13 complete responders (26.5 %) among 49 patients evaluated at the early phase of treatment (2-5 cycles). Upon treatment prolongation (≥6 cycles), 37 patients achieved a final objective response rate of 32.4 % with 21.6 % of complete and 10.8 % of partial response. Overall survival at 12 months was 70.6 %, and progression-free survival at 12 months was 32.8 %. Median overall survival could not be reached and median progression-free survival was 7 months. While the median duration of response was 9 months in the whole cohort, it was 11.5 months in the complete responders. Complete response rates in patients treated with >3 chemotherapy regimens before brentuximab vedotin were significantly lower (p = 0.016). Fourteen patients were subsequently transplanted. In conclusion, brentuximab vedotin provided a bridge to transplantation in approximately one quarter of the patients. The declining response rates during the course of treatment suggest that transplantation should be implemented early during brentuximab vedotin treatment.

Assessment of Anemia and Quality of Life in Patients With Renal Transplantation.

PURPOSE: Anemia is associated with poor quality of life in dialysis patients. However, data on this association are scarce on transplant patients. We aimed to find the frequency of anemia, and the effect of anemia on the quality-of-life parameters in patients who have undergone kidney transplantation. METHODS: Anemia was defined by a hemoglobin (Hgb) level of <12 g/dL and severe anemia by a Hgb level of <10 g/dL. All patients were evaluated with the Kidney Disease Quality of Life (KDQOL-SF) scale forms. RESULTS: Two hundred patients (128 male and 72 female; mean age, 39.2 ± 11.5 years) were examined. Anemia was found in 19% and severe anemia was found in 4.5% of all patients. Low glomerular filtration rate, young age, and female gender were demographic parameters associated with anemia. Parathormone levels were higher in the anemic group. The use of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, and mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors was significantly higher in the anemic group. In addition, patients with anemia had a lower KDQOL-SF mental health component score than that of the patients without anemia. CONCLUSIONS: Anemia was related to the degree of renal function in posttransplant patients. Anemia had an important influence on mental health in renal transplant patients.

An unusual presentation of a chronic lymphocytic leukemia patient with 17p deletion after reduced-intensity transplantation: Richter syndrome and concomitant graft-versus-host disease--case report.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients with 17p deletion comprise a challenging subgroup associated with poor overall survival. These patients should be treated with alternative strategies. Reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) can achieve long-term remission in this ultra-high-risk CLL group. Herein, we described a CLL patient with 17p deletion who developed Richter syndrome with extranodal involvement of the liver soon after RIC allo-SCT despite apparent acute graft-versus-host disease. The majority of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients respond well to chemoimmunotherapy. Patients who show ultra-high-risk genetics, such as 17p deletions, comprise a challenging subgroup of patients with poor response to chemoimmunotherapy and median life expectancy <2-3 years at the time of first-line treatment. Current treatment approaches for patients with 17p deletion include agents acting independently from the DNA damage pathway, such as alemtuzumab and high-dose corticosteroids. RIC allo-SCT for consolidation can achieve long-term remission in this ultra-high-risk CLL group.(1,2) Richter syndrome (RS) represents the clinicopathologic transformation of CLL to an aggressive lymphoma, most commonly diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL).(3) RS appearing after allo-SCT can be managed by tapering of immunosuppression, followed by dose-escalated donor lymphocyte infusion titrated to the degree of leukemia response and graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) encountered.(4) Herein, we describe a CLL patient with 17p deletion who developed RS with extranodal involvement of the liver soon after RIC allo-SCT despite apparent acute GVHD (aGVHD).