Cancer
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The combination of fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, and rituximab (FCR) has produced improved response rates and a prolonged survival in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). However, its therapeutic power is counterbalanced by significant hematologic toxicity. Persistent and new-onset cytopenia after the completion of FCR raise concern about disease recurrence, the development of therapy-related myeloid malignancies (TRMM), and infections. ⋯ Cytopenia after the completion of therapy is a common complication of frontline FCR that improves over time, particularly for new-onset cases. The presence of persistent cytopenia (lasting up to 9 months after the completion of therapy) should not raise concern about CLL recurrence of the development of TRMM, but should encourage surveillance for bacterial infections for an additional 9 months.
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Despite prophylactic platelet transfusions, bleeding remains a significant problem in thrombocytopenic patients. ⋯ EACA is well tolerated and is associated with a low risk of major bleeding in patients with hematological malignancies who are experiencing chronic severe thrombocytopenia.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Bone mineral density following surgical oophorectomy and tamoxifen adjuvant therapy for breast cancer.
In premenopausal women treated for breast cancer, loss of bone mineral density (BMD) follows from menopause induced by chemotherapy or loss of ovarian function biochemically or by surgical oophorectomy. The impact on BMD of surgical oophorectomy plus tamoxifen therapy has not been described. ⋯ Surgically induced menopause with tamoxifen treatment is associated with loss of BMD at a rate that lessens over 2 years in the lumbar spine and no significant change of BMD in the femoral neck.
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Wilms tumor is the most common childhood renal tumor. Although the majority of patients with favorable histology Wilms tumor (FHWT) have good outcomes, some patients still experience disease recurrence and death from disease. The goal of the current study was to determine whether tumor-specific chromosome 1q gain is associated with event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with FHWT. ⋯ Gain of 1q may provide a valuable prognostic marker with which to stratify therapy for patients with FHWT. A confirmatory study is necessary before this biomarker is incorporated into the risk stratification schema of future therapeutic studies.