Cell therapies for hematological malignancies: don't forget non-gene-modified t cells!
Cell therapy currently performs an important role in the treatment of patients with various hematological malignancies. The response to the cell therapy is regulated by multiple factors including the patient's immune system status, genetic profile, stage at diagnosis, age, and underlying disease. Cell therapy that does not require genetic manipulation can be mediated by donor lymphocyte infusion strategies, selective depletion in the post-transplant setting and the ex vivo expansion of antigen-specific T cells. (Source: Blood Reviews)
Source: Blood Reviews - November 27, 2017 Category: Hematology Authors: Melanie L. Grant, Catherine M. Bollard Tags: Review Source Type: research
Unrelated donor umbilical cord blood transplant versus unrelated hematopoietic stem cell transplant in patients with acute leukemia: A meta-analysis and systematic review
Acute leukemia is a global disease with a poor prognosis for many patients. While an increasing number of patients with acute leukemia are being treated with unrelated hematopoietic stem cell transplants (HSCT) or umbilical cord blood transplants (UCBT), recent comparative reports of these 2 procedures are lacking. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis of the safety and efficacy of unrelated HSCT and unrelated single-unit UCBT for the treatment of pediatric and adult patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) or acute myeloid leukemia (AML). (Source: Blood Reviews)
Source: Blood Reviews - November 15, 2017 Category: Hematology Authors: Xiao Lou, Chuanhua Zhao, Hu Chen Tags: Review Source Type: research
Diabetes mellitus as a poor mobilizer condition
Hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplantation in an effective and curative therapy for numerous hematological malignancies. Mobilization of HSCs from bone marrow (BM) to peripheral blood (PB) followed by apheresis is the gold standard for obtaining HSCs for both autologous and allogeneic stem cell transplantation. After administration of granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF), up to 30% of patients fail to mobilize “optimal” numbers of HSCs required for engraftment. This review summarizes the current experimental and clinical evidence that diabetes mellitus is a risk factor for poor mobilization. (Source: Blood Reviews)
Source: Blood Reviews - November 8, 2017 Category: Hematology Authors: Gian Paolo Fadini, John F. DiPersio Tags: Review Source Type: research
When the good go bad: Mutant NPM1 in acute myeloid leukemia
Nucleophosmin 1 (NPM1) is a nucleolar phosphoprotein that performs diverse biological functions including molecular chaperoning, ribosome biogenesis, DNA repair, and genome stability. Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous disease, more than half of the AML cases exhibit normal karyotype (NK). Approximately 50 –60 percent of patients with NK-AML carry NPM1 mutations which are characterized by cytoplasmic dislocation of the NPM1 protein. In AML, mutant NPM1 (NPM1c+) acts in a dominant negative fashion and also blocks the differentiation of myeloid cells through gain-of-function for the AML phenotype. (Source: Blood Reviews)
Source: Blood Reviews - November 4, 2017 Category: Hematology Authors: Preethi Kunchala, Sudhakiranmayi Kuravi, Roy Jensen, Joseph McGuirk, Ramesh Balusu Tags: Review Source Type: research
Venous thromboembolic events in lymphoma patients: Actual relationships between epidemiology, mechanisms, clinical profile and treatment
Venous thromboembolic events (VTE) are an underestimated health problem in patients with lymphoma. Many factors contribute to the pathogenesis of thromboembolism and the interplay between various mechanisms that provoke VTE is still poorly understood. The identification of parameters that are associated with an increased risk of VTE in lymphoma patients led to the creation of several risk-assessment models. The models that evaluate potential VTE risk in lymphoma patients in particular are quite limited, and have to be validated in larger study populations. (Source: Blood Reviews)
Source: Blood Reviews - October 30, 2017 Category: Hematology Authors: Darko Antic, Jelena Jelicic, Vojin Vukovic, Srdjan Nikolovski, Biljana Mihaljevic Tags: Review Source Type: research
Using prognostic models in CLL to personalize approach to clinical care: Are we there yet?
Four decades ago, two staging systems were developed to help stratify CLL into different prognostic categories. These systems, the Rai and the Binet staging, depended entirely on abnormal exam findings and evidence of anemia and thrombocytopenia. Better understanding of biologic, genetic, and molecular characteristics of CLL have contributed to better appreciating its clinical heterogeneity. New prognostic models, the GCLLSG prognostic index and the CLL-IPI, emerged. They incorporate biologic and genetic information related to CLL and are capable of predicting survival outcomes and cases anticipated to need therapy earlier...
Source: Blood Reviews - October 28, 2017 Category: Hematology Authors: Alain Mina, Jose Sandoval Sus, Elsa Sleiman, Javier Pinilla-Ibarz, Farrukh T. Awan, Mohamed A. Kharfan-Dabaja Tags: Review Source Type: research
What can we learn from ineffective erythropoiesis in thalassemia?
Erythropoiesis is a dynamic process regulated at multiple levels to balance proliferation, differentiation and survival of erythroid progenitors. Ineffective erythropoiesis is a key feature of various diseases, including β-thalassemia. The pathogenic mechanisms leading to ineffective erythropoiesis are complex and still not fully understood. Altered survival and decreased differentiation of erythroid progenitors are both critical processes contributing to reduced production of mature red blood cells. (Source: Blood Reviews)
Source: Blood Reviews - October 3, 2017 Category: Hematology Authors: Paraskevi Rea Oikonomidou, Stefano Rivella Tags: Review Source Type: research
