The Role of Allogeneic Transplantation in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia in 2023: A Case-Based Concise Review

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have revolutionized the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), granting patients a life expectancy close to that of the normal population and, in a subset of patients, the possibility to discontinue therapy. Nonetheless, for a not negligible minority of patients, TKIs are not able to control CML. Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) has long been a pivotal therapy for CML. At present, allogeneic HCT is considered an option in CML patients diagnosed or progressing to blast phase (BP), for those in chronic phase (CP) resistant to multiple lines of TKI therapy or for those experiencing severe toxicity, mostly hematologic, under TKIs. Moving from real-world cases, we reviewed the results of allogeneic HCT in the setting of advanced-phase CML or failure of TKIs, with a focus on the progresses in transplant technology that has extended transplant options in elderly CML patients and in those lacking a sibling donor, and on the post-HCT strategies for prevention and treatment of disease relapse

Thalidomide before autologous stem cell transplantation in VAD-refractory multiple myeloma patients

We used thalidomide to treat 10 patients with advanced stage multiple myeloma who had failed to obtain at least a partial response after a VAD-based induction therapy. Seven out 10 cases achieved clinical and histologic responses and proceeded to collection of peripheral blood stem cells and transplantation and ASCT

Castleman's disease: An unusual cause of mediastinal mass and anemia

We reported a case of thoracic localized, mixed variant, Castleman's Disease (angiofollicular lymph node hyperplasia) with a favourable clinical course presenting with mediastinal mass, microcytic anemia, mild thrombocytosis, polyclonal hypergammaglobulinaemia and without symptoms. Castleman's Disease must be always considered in the differential diagnosis of solitary mediastinal masses. Transthoracic fine needle aspiration cytology is usually nondiagnostic; in fact, cytologically, Castleman's Disease can be confused with other mediastinal lymphoproliferative disorders (such as thymomas or lymphomas). The optimal therapeutic approach is unknown but a complete surgical resection is treatment of choice for localized disease