Antonio Pinto

CD13 Expression in B-Cell Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia is Associated with the Pattern of Bone Marrow Infiltration

The ectopic expression of the cell surface peptidase CD13 (aminopeptidase N) and of three other myelomonocytic antigens i.e. CD33, CD14 and CD15 was analyzed by flow cytometry in neoplastic lymphocytes from 81 consecutive patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL). CD13 and CD14 antigens were detected on lymphocytes from 30% and 60% of patients respectively whilst a smaller percentage of samples was found positive for CD15 (5%) and CD33 (12%). The presence of CD13 and CD33 antigens on neoplastic B cells showed a statistically significant association with the two most important clinicopathologic prognostic factors in B-CLL: the clinical stage (CD13, p < 0.01; CD33, p < 0.05—Rai and Binet staging systems) and the pattern of bone marrow infiltration (CD13, p < 0.001; CD33, p = 0.02). A multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the increased risk of CD13 positive patients (13.7 fold higher than in CD13 negative cases; p = 0.001) of presenting a diffuse pattern of bone marrow infiltratio...

Decision criteria for rational selection of homogeneous genotyping platforms for pharmacogenomics testing in clinical diagnostics

Abstract Background: Genotyping is crucial for the identification of genetic markers underlying the development of neoplastic diseases and for determining individual variations in response to specific drugs. Technologies which can accurately identify genetic polymorphisms will dramatically affect routine diagnostic processes and future therapeutic developments in personalized medicine. However, such methods need to fulfill the principles of analytical validation to determine their suitability to assess nucleotide polymorphisms in target genes. Approach: This article reviews recent developments in homogeneous technologies for the genotyping of single nucleotide polymorphisms. Here, homogeneous methods essentially refer to “single-tube” assays performed in a liquid phase. For the appropriate choice of any method, several criteria must be considered: 1) detection of known genetic variations; 2) analytical performance including specificity, sensitivity and robustness of the method; 3) availability of large platforms and required equipment; 4) suitability of platforms and tests for routine diagnostics; 5) suitability for high throughput implementation. Content: This review is intended to provide the reader with an understanding of these various technologies for pharmacogenomic testing in the routine clinical laboratory. A brief overview is provided on the available technologies for the detection of known mutations, a specific description of the homogeneous platforms currently employed in genotyping analysis, and considerations regarding the proper assessment of the analytical performance of these methods. Based on the criteria proposed here, potential users may evaluate advantages and limitations of the various analytical platforms and identify the most appropriate platform according to their specific setting and diagnostic needs. Clin Chem Lab Med 2010;48:447–59.

Lung cancer in the elderly

In western countries, the elderly constitute the most rapidly growing section of the population and the group at highest risk for developing cancers (I). It has been hypothesized that, by the turn of the century, approximately one-fifth of the population in industrialized countries will comprise individuals aged 65 years or more (1). The extent to which cancer affects the elderly population is well illustrated by the fact that 59% of all cancers diagnosed from 1973 to 1981 among males in the USA, and 52% among females, occurred in the age group of 65 years and over (2). The older patient with cancer poses particular management problems which need to be addressed by clinical oncologists. We summarize here current clinical and therapeutic issues related to the management of lung cancer in the elderly.

Expression of myeloid associated antigens in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.

I have read with interest the recent article entitled ‘An in vitro direct chemiluminescence assay for assessment of plateletbound antibody in thrombocytopenic patients’ (Kazemi et al. 1991). The authors, without looking at our study (Ozsoylu et al, 1977). stated that ‘the interaction between phagocytes and autologous autosensitized platelets was not measured’. In our study it was looked for in vivo but could not be found (~zsoylu et al, 1977). I would also l i e to bring to the authors attention that by using the method described by Handel & Stossel (1974) we were able to detect antiplatelet antibodies (APA) in all 103 patients with acute idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) and 46 patients with chronic ITP. These antibodies could also be found during remission in all children who had had acute (100 cases) and chronic (32 cases) ITP, although the level was markedly lower than that during the thrombocytopenic period. Moreover, a rise in the APA level was seen during relapse in four chronic and two acute ITP patients. A decrease of APA was also shown by two out of four children who had re-entered remission after relapsed chronic ITP (c)zsoylu et aI, 1991). APA were not found in any of 126 control sera obtained from 67 haematologically normal individuals and 59 thrombocytopenic patients of whom 28 had acute leukaemia. 10 acquired aplastic anaemia, 10 Fanconi’s anaemia and 11 sepsis with thrombocytopenia ((lzsoylu et al. 1991). The persistence of APA during remission in cases of acute and chronic ITP, previously reported by us ((lzsoylu et al, 1976), explains the shorter survival of platelets in these children. Although the results of Kazemi et al (1991) are somewhat supportive of our findings it could be concluded that the method of Handin & Stossel (1974) is more appropriate for the detection of APA in ITP cases in relapse or in remission even though the two methods are very similar in principle.

Treatment of Acute Hepatitis C With Ledipasvir and Sofosbuvir in Patients With Hematological Malignancies Allows Early Re-start of Chemotherapy

*Infectious Diseases, Department of Mental and Physical Health and Preventive Medicine, Università della Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli,” Naples, Italy; Department of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy; Hematology Department, National Cancer Institute “Fondazione Pascale,” Naples, Italy; kNational Institute for Infectious Diseases L. Spallanzani, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Rome, Italy