Primary cutaneous gamma/delta T-cell lymphoma presenting as disseminated pagetoid reticulosis

The first case of primary gamma/delta cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) with a fatal outcome is reported. The patient had the clinical and histopathologic features of disseminated pagetoid reticulosis, a rare form of CTCL characterized by a strong epidermotropic lymphoid infiltrate. Extensive immuno-cytochemical studies showed that the neoplastic cells were almost exclusively localized in the epidermis, expressed the gamma/delta variant of the T-cell receptor (CD3+, TCR-delta-1+) and were CD5+, CD7+, CD27+, CD29+, CD43+, CD44+, CD45+, CD45RA+, CD54+, CD69+, but beta F1-, Ti gamma a-, BB3-, A13-, CD2-, CD4-, CD8-, CD11a-, CD49d-, CD25-, CD30-, and HLA-DR-. A comparison of our results with those of the literature, which have not included gamma/delta T-cell receptor analysis, suggests that some reported cases of pagetoid reticulosis may have phenotypes similar to our case. Electron microscopy studies demonstrated that the gamma/delta T lymphocytes were villous, containing dense and multivesicular bodies, and formed close contacts with the surrounding keratinocytes, suggesting that these cells should have a role in the skin-associated lymphoid tissue. The proliferating cells in our case might represent the neoplastic counterpart of the recently reported CD2- subset of normal human peripheral blood gamma/delta T lymphocytes.     

Unrelated donor marrow transplantation: an update of the experience of the Italian Bone Marrow Group (GITMO).

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES. Unrelated donor bone marrow transplant (UD-BMT) has become an attractive alternative source of hematopoietic cells for patients lacking a matched sibling. The aim of this paper was to report on results of the 696 UD BMTs performed in 31 Italian institutions during the first 10 years of activity of the Italian Bone Marrow Donor Registry (IBMDR). EVIDENCE AND INFORMATION SOURCES. In 1989 the Italian Bone Marrow Transplant Group (GITMO) established the IBMDR to facilitate donor search and marrow procurement for patients lacking an HLA identical sibling. By end of December 1999, 260,000 HLA-A, B typed volunteer donors had been cumulatively registered and 2,620 searches had been activated for Italian patients. At least one HLA-A, B, DRB1 matched donor was found for 54% of the patients and 696 UD BMTs were performed. In 50% of cases the donor was found in the IBMDR and in 50% in 15 other Registries. The average time from search activation to transplant was 6 months for disease other than CML. For CML it was 14 months. Actuarial 12-month transplant-related mortality (TRM) was 68% in patients grafted between 1979 and 1992 and 44% for patients grafted after 1993. Twenty-eight per cent of patients developed grade III or IV acute GvHD and 24% developed extensive chronic GvHD. The rate of disease free survival at three years was 57% for patients with 1st chronic phase CML, 37% for patients with 1st or 2nd CR ALL, 31% for AML or MDS patients 18 years of age and 54% for patients with inborn errors. PERSPECTIVES. We conclude that the IBMDR has benefited a substantial number of patients lacking a matched sibling and has facilitated the recruitment of UDs into the international donor pool. The long time required for the search is the major obstacle to the success of this programme. This suggests that early transplant and a decrease in TRM could further improve these encouraging results.     

Indeterminate cell histiocytosis in association with later occurrence of acute myeloblastic leukaemia

Indeterminate cell histiocytosis (ICH) is a proliferation of indeterminate CD1a+, CD68+, S100+ and CD207- dermal dendritic cells. We describe a 39-year-old man who developed diffuse ICH and, 6 years later, acute myeloblastic leukaemia (AML). He was treated with cyclophosphamide, etoposide and vinblastine until 2003. In August 2004, he presented dyspnoea, hyperpyrexia and infiltration of the lung parenchyma, compatible with an AML invasion, and died after a course of induction chemotherapy. Cytomorphology and immunophenotype analyses suggested an ICH clonal evolution. The leukaemogenic role of etoposide is discussed. ICH has previously been reported in association with B-cell malignancy, but only one case has shown systemic progression.     

Long-term outcomes of TOT and TVT procedures for the treatment of female stress urinary incontinence: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction and hypotheses

One of the most relevant topics in the field of pelvic floor dysfunction treatment is the long-term efficacy of surgical procedures, in particular, the use of prosthesis. Hence, a systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the long-term effectiveness and safety of midurethral sling (MUS) procedures for stress urinary incontinence (SUI), as reported in randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and non-randomised studies.

Methods

This systematic review is based on material searched and obtained via PubMed/Medline, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library between January 2000 and October 2016. Peer-reviewed, English-language journal articles evaluating the long-term (≥5 years) efficacy and safety of MUS in women affected by SUI were included.

Results

A total of 5,592 articles were found after the search, and excluding duplicate publications, 1,998 articles were available for the review process. Among these studies, 11 RCTs (0.6%) and 5 non-RCTs (0.3%) could be included in the qualitative and quantitative synthesis. Objective and subjective cumulative cure rates for retropubic technique (TVT) and transobturator tape (TOT; both out–in and in–out) were 61.6% (95% CI: 58.5–64.8%) and 76.5% (95% CI: 73.8–79.2%), and 64.4% (95% CI: 61.4–67.4%) and 81.3% (95% CI: 78.9–83.7%) respectively. When considering TOT using the out–in technique (TOT-OI) and TOT using the in–out technique (TVT-O) the objective and subjective cumulative cure rates were 57.2% (95% CI: 53.7–60.7%) and 81.6% (95% CI: 78.8–84.4%), and 68.8% (95% CI: 64.9–72.7%) and 81.3% (95% CI: 77.9–84.7%) respectively. Furthermore, this article demonstrates that both TVT and TOT are associated with similar long-term objectives (OR: 0.87 [95% CI: 0.49–1.53], I ²?=?67%, p?=?0.62) and subjective (OR: 0.84 [95% CI: 0.46–1.55], I ²?=?68%, p?=?0.58) cure rates. Similarly, no significant difference has been observed between TTOT-OI and TVT-O) in objective (OR: 3.03 [95% CI: 0.97–9.51], I ²?=?76%, p?=?0.06) and subjective (OR: 1.85 [95% CI: 0.40–8.48], I ²?=?88%, p?=?0.43) cure rates. In addition, this study also shows that there was no significant difference in the complication rates for all comparisons: TVT versus TOT (OR: 0.83 [95% CI: 0.54–1.28], I ²?=?0%, p?=?0.40), TOT-OI versus TVT-O (OR: 0.77 [95% CI: 0.17–3.46], I ²?=?86%, p?=?0.73).

Conclusions

Independent of the technique adopted, findings from this systematic review and meta-analysis suggest that the treatment of SUI with MUS might be similarly effective and safe at long-term follow-up.

     

Which Patients with Clinically Node-positive Prostate Cancer Should Be Considered for Radical Prostatectomy as Part of Multimodal Treatment? The Impact of Nodal Burden on Long-term Outcomes

Background

A role for local therapies including radical prostatectomy (RP) in prostate cancer (PCa) patients with clinical lymphadenopathies has been proposed. However, no data are available to identify men who would benefit from RP in this setting.

Receptiveness and changes in the nursing work process in healthcare units in Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil

This article describes changes in the nursing work process resulting from implementation of the process referred to as "receptiveness", following introduction of the Paidéia Family Health Program in health care units in Campinas, S?o Paulo, Brazil, since 2001. Data were collected through participant observation and semi-structured interviews to examine the nursing work process, specifically in relation to "receptiveness". The analysis was based on two possible definitions of "receptiveness": as an attitude towards users and their needs, and as a device for reorganizing the work process. The study also analyzes "receptiveness" in relation to: organization of the work process, guarantee of accessibility, expanded demands on the health service and health team, changes in the nursing work process, humanization, and bonding.     

Histological alterations in bone marrow in patients with late engraftment after autologous bone marrow transplantation

Bone marrow histology after bone marrow transplantation has rarely been studied. Here, we reviewed the pre- and post-transplant bone marrow biopsies (BMB) of 40 acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) patients autografted in our center, 28 with normal and 12 with delayed peripheral recovery. The two groups were comparable in terms of previous therapy, disease phase and the number of infused cells, and received the same conditioning regimen. In the former group, reduced bone marrow cellularity and mild reticulin abnormalities were usual histological findings; in the latter, five patients had the same pattern, but the other seven had an almost undetectable hematopoietic parenchyma and severe reticulin derangement. One of these seven patients died of reactivated hepatitis B virus infection; the others eventually achieved peripheral recovery, with none of them experiencing a relapse. Autografted AML patients are excellent subjects for histological investigations. They account for the majority of delayed engraftments, the contribution of extramedullary components to the timing of engraftment is minimal, and leukemia relapse cannot be ruled out. These results suggest that BMB is a useful investigation in the work-up of late engraftment. A high degree of reticulin derangement with an almost undetectable hematopoietic parenchyma appear to be the morphological hallmarks of late engraftment.