Leukemia & lymphoma
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Leukemia & lymphoma · Feb 2002
Case ReportsProgressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy in chronic lymphocytic leukemia after treatment with fludarabine.
A 65-year-old man with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) diagnosed 11 years ago and treated with standard dose of fludarabine developed a rapidly fatal progressive neurological syndrome. Differential diagnoses included brain infiltration by CLL as opposed to progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan showed a hyperintense T2-weighted signal in the left frontal region. ⋯ Its toxicity includes myelosuppression, immunosuppression and sporadic life-threatening neurotoxicity, although standard doses of it are considered safe. Late-onset fatal cerebral dysfunction caused by JCV after standard-dose fludarabine has been described previously. The widespread and increasing use of fludarabine makes it interesting to define the potential of standard doses of fludarabine for causing severe neurological side-effects such as PML.
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Leukemia & lymphoma · Jan 2002
Comparative StudyMyeloablative treatments for multiple myeloma: update of a comparative study of different regimens used in patients from the Spanish registry for transplantation in multiple myeloma.
After a previous analysis that did not detect clear differences in the results of three conditioning regimens used for autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) in patients from the Spanish Registry for Transplant in Multiple Myeloma (MM), we have updated the registry, including a larger number of cases and a fourth conditioning regimen with a longer follow-up. We evaluate 472 MM patients treated with 200 mg/m2 melphalan (MEL200), 135 patients treated with 140 mg/m2 melphalan plus total body irradiation [(MEL140 + TBI)], 186 patients treated with 12 mg/kg busulphan plus 140 mg/m2 melphalan (BUMEL) and 28 patients treated with 14 mg/kg busulphan followed by cyclophosphamide 120 mg/kg (BUCY). There were no significant differences in respect to either transplant related death or haematological recovery, regardless of growth factor use, between the four conditioning programs. ⋯ Nevertheless, the differences in OS and EFS did not reach statistical significance in either the univariate analysis or the multivariate analysis adjusted with other high prognostic weight factors. As in the initial study, differences in regards to the anti-myeloma effect of the conditioning regimens are not conclusive. However, the better response rates associated with the favorable tendency in outcome achieved with BUMEL, continue to justify further prospective studies.
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Leukemia & lymphoma · Jan 2002
Level of CD 20-expression and efficacy of rituximab treatment in patients with resistant or relapsing B-cell prolymphocytic leukemia and B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
Rituximab (IDEC C2B8) is a chimeric human-mouse monoclonal anti-CD20 antibody that has been proven to be effective for the treatment of patients with CD20 positive leukemia and lymphoma. The level of CD20-expression in patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) is low in comparison to other B-cell lymphomas and normal B-cells. ⋯ We analyzed the correlation between CD20-expression level and efficacy of rituximab treatment in eight patients with refractory or relapsed B-CLL and two patients with B-cell prolymphocytic leukemia (B-PLL). We could not identify any correlation between CD20-expression and efficacy of rituximab treatment.
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Leukemia & lymphoma · Nov 2001
Case ReportsEarly invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in a leukemia patient linked to aspergillus contaminated marijuana smoking.
46-year-old patient with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) whose disease manifested as fever, chills and dry cough is reported here. Despite broad antibiotic coverage he remained acutely ill with spiking fever, shaking chills, and hypoxemia. His initial chest radiograph was normal but chest computed tomography (CT) scan disclosed bilateral focal infiltrates. ⋯ We suggest that habitual smoking of Aspergillus-infested tobacco and marijuana caused airway colonization with Aspergillus. Leukemia rendered the patient immunocompromised, and allowed Aspergillus to infest the lung parenchyma with early occurrence of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. Physicians should be aware of this potentially lethal complication of "hookah" and marijuana smoking in immunocompromised hosts.
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Leukemia & lymphoma · Feb 2001
Comparative StudyIncidence of post transplant myelodysplasia/acute leukemia in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma patients compared with Hodgkin's disease patients undergoing autologous transplantation following cyclophosphamide, carmustine, and etoposide (CBV).
Secondary malignancies, particularly myelodysplasia (MDS), are serious events following high dose therapy with autologous stem cell support. We observed a higher frequency of secondary malignancies in patients with Hodgkin's disease (HD) than in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) undergoing high dose therapy with the same non-TBI conditioning regimen. Three hundred patients with Hodgkin's disease (HD) and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) were treated with cyclophosphamide, carmustine and etoposide and autologous stem cell support from 1986 through 1994. ⋯ A Cox model showed that greater number of prior relapses and prior radiation therapy were significant risk factors for the development of MDS/AML. These data suggest that CBV is associated with a lower risk of secondary MDS/AML than TBI containing regimens and that much of the risk is associated with the pre-transplantation therapy. The use of autotransplantation early in the course of therapy for relapsed lymphoma might prevent some cases of MDS/AML.