Prognostic impact of pre-transplantation transfusion history and secondary iron overload in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome undergoing allogeneic stem cell transplantation : A GITMO study

Background: Transfusion-dependency affects the natural history of myelodysplastic syndromes. Secondary iron overload may concur to this effect. The relative impact of these factors on the outcome of patients with myelodysplastic syndrome receiving allogeneic stem-cell transplantation remains to be clarified. Design and Methods: We retrospectively evaluated the prognostic effect of transfusion history and iron overload on the post-transplantation outcome of 357 patients with myelodysplastic syndrome reported to the Gruppo Italiano Trapianto di Midollo Osseo (GITMO) registry between 1997 and 2007. Results: Transfusion-dependency was independently associated with reduced overall survival (hazard ratio=1.48, P=0.017) and increased non-relapse mortality (hazard ratio=1.68, P=0.024). The impact of transfusion-dependency was noted only in patients receiving myeloablative conditioning (overall survival: hazard ratio=1.76, P=0.003; non-relapse mortality: hazard ratio=1.70, P=0.02). There was an inverse relationship between transfusion burden and overall survival after transplantation (P=0.022); the outcome was significantly worse in subjects receiving more than 20 red cell units. In multivariate analysis, transfusion-dependency was found to be a risk factor for acute graft-versus-host disease (P=0.04). Among transfusion-dependent patients undergoing myeloablative allogeneic stem cell transplantation, pre-transplantation serum ferritin level had a significant effect on overall survival (P=0.01) and non-relapse mortality (P=0.03). This effect was maintained after adjusting for transfusion burden and duration, suggesting that the negative effect of transfusion history on outcome might be determined at least in part by iron overload. Conclusions: Pre-transplantation transfusion history and serum ferritin have significant prognostic value in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome undergoing myeloablative allogeneic stem cell transplantation, inducing a significant increase of non-relapse mortality. These results indicate that transfusion history should be considered in transplantation decision-making in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome

Iron loading in beta-thalassaemia.

Mechanisms of iron loading in beta-thalassaemia

Radiation recall dermatitis, panniculitis, and myositis following cyclophosphamide therapy: histopathologic findings of a patient affected by multiple myeloma.

Radiation recall dermatitis is one of the skin sequelae that may affect oncology patients. It occurs in a previously irradiated field, when subsequent chemotherapy is given. The eruption may be elicited by chemotherapy, even several months after radiotherapy. Its mechanism is poorly understood, and the histopathologic findings have received, to date, only sketchy descriptions. A 55-year-old male affected by multiple myeloma received radiation therapy both on his left coxofemoral area, and lumbar region (D11-L1). After cyclophosphamide administration, he developed 2 well defined square-shaped, infiltrated erythematoviolaceous plaques in the prior irradiated fields. Histopathologic findings revealed a diffusely fibrosclerosing process, involving deep dermis, hypodermis, as well as the underlying muscle, while sparing the epidermis and superficial-mid dermis. Histopathology was indistinguishable from deep radio-dermatitis, panniculitis, and myositis. This is the first case providing clear evidence of the causative role of cyclophosphamide in inducing a cutaneous and subcutaneous radiation recall reaction

Nephrotic syndrome after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation as a late complication of chronic graft-versus-host disease.

Background. This study aims to determine the incidence and outcome of nephrotic syndrome in patients who underwent allogeneic stem cell transplantation in a single center. Methods. Records of 279 adult patients with hematological diseases who underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation were analyzed to evaluate the incidence and outcome of nephrotic syndrome. The diagnosis of chronic graft-versus-host disease was based on clinical evidence with histological confirmation whenever possible. Results. Of the 279 patients, 105 with a minimum follow-up of 100 days developed chronic graft-versus-host disease: six of these had nephrotic syndrome. The cumulative incidence of nephrotic syndrome was 8% at day1681. Patients grafted with peripheral blood stem cells had a higher probability of developing nephrotic syndrome than did those grafted with bone marrow: 24% and 3%, respectively. The pathological diagnosis was membranous glomerulonephritis in four patients, and minimal change disease in one; the diagnosis could not be histologically confirmed in the sixth patient. All patients had extensive chronic graft-versus-host disease and were receiving treatment with cyclosporine A and steroids (four patients). Response to immunosuppressive therapy with cyclosporine A and steroids was achieved in all patients at a median time of 12 weeks after transplantation. Conclusion. Patients with chronic graft-versus-host disease may be considered to be at risk of nephrotic syndrome: careful monitoring of renal function is advisable, particularly in patients receiving allogeneic peripheral stem cell grafts