Classical meets malignant hematology: a case of acquired εγδβ-thalassemia in clonal hematopoiesis

Hemoglobinopathies including thalassemias are among the most frequent genetic disorders worldwide. Primarily, these entities result from germline variants in the globin gene clusters and their cis-acting regulatory elements, and thus the WHO classifies thalassemias as inherited diseases. Non-inherited disorders of globin chain synthesis mimicking the phenotype of thalassemias have also been described and are referred to as acquired thalassemias. These forms mainly affect the alpha-globin genes and are observed at much lower frequencies..

A phase I dose-escalating study of DaunoXome, liposomal daunorubicin, in metastatic breast cancer

The aims of this phase I study were to establish the maximum tolerated dose, safety profile and activity of liposomal daunorubicin, DaunoXome (NeXstar Pharmaceuticals), in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer. DaunoXome was administered intravenously over 2 h in 21 day cycles and doses were increased from 80 to 100, 120 and 150 mg m2. Sixteen patients were enrolled. A total of 70 cycles of DaunoXome were administered. The maximum tolerated dose was 120 mg m2, the dose-limiting toxicity being prolonged grade 4 neutropenia or neutropenic pyrexia necessitating dose reductions at 120 and 150 mg m2. Asymptomatic cardiotoxicity was observed in three patients: grade 1 in one treated with a cumulative dose of 800 mg m2 and grade 2 in two, one who received a cumulative dose of 960 mg m2 and the other a cumulative dose of 600 mg m2 with a previous neoadjuvant doxorubicin chemotherapy of 300 mg m2. Tumour response was evaluable in 15 patients, of whom two had objective responses, six had stable disease and seven had progressive disease. In conclusion, DaunoXome is associated with mild, manageable toxicities and has anti-tumour activity in metastatic breast cancer. The findings support further phase II evaluation of DaunoXome alone and in combination with other standard non-anthracycline cytotoxic or novel targeted agents. Although the dose-limiting toxicity for DaunoXome was febrile neutropenia at 120 mg m2, we would recommend this dose for further evaluation, as the febrile neutropenia occurred after four or more cycles in three of the four episodes seen, was short lived and uncomplicated

Binding of Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA) to an Anti-CEA Immunosorbent in the Presence of Detergents

Peer Reviewe

Primary leiomyosarcoma of the distal fibula: A case report and review of the literature

We describe a primary leiomyosarcoma of bone located in the distal fibula in a 67- year-old man. Plain radiographs and computer tomography scan revealed a lytic destructive lesion in the distal metaepiphyseal region of the left fibula with little involvement of the surrounding soft tissues. The lesion was composed of proliferating spindle-shaped cells with very slim cytoplasm and narrow oval cigar shaped nuclei. Immunohistochemistry studies demonstrated a strong positivity for actin and desmin, and weak positivity for caldesmon

Binding of monoclonal anti-interleukin 2 antibody to nucleoli in acute leukemia blast cells.

Neutralizing anti-IL-2, anti-IL-3, and anti-IL-6 monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) were used for the immunoenzymatic detection of the respective cytokines in blast cells of 38 patients with acute myeloid (AML) and lymphoid (ALL) leukemias by the APAAP-technique. In 20/24 AML-cases (83%) blast cells showed intranuclear staining with MAb anti-IL-2 (DMS-1). In 17 cases reaction was restricted to the nucleoli, in 4 cases additional cytoplasmic staining was observed. Only 2/13 (15%) of the ALL cases showed anti-IL-2 staining. In contrast to IL-2, neither IL-3, IL-6 nor IL-2R alpha-chains were detected in any of the acute leukemias tested. The anti-IL-2 staining of nucleoli in AML cells is distinct from the cytoplasmic staining which is observed in PHA-activated normal lymphocytes and in a minority of AML cells