Fernando Cabanillas

Treatment of unicentric and multicentric Castleman disease and the role of radiotherapy

Although surgery is considered standard therapy for unicentric Castleman disease, favorable responses to radiotherapy also have been documented. The authors undertook this study to analyze the clinical factors, treatment approaches, and outcomes of patients with unicentric or multicentric Castleman disease, and to report the outcomes of patients with unicentric Castleman disease treated with radiotherapy.

Frequency of gastrointestinal involvement and its clinical significance in mantle cell lymphoma

The reported frequency of gastrointestinal (GI) tract involvement in patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is 15–30%. However, this figure most likely is an underestimate because most patients with MCL involving the GI tract previously reported were examined endoscopically only if they had GI tract symptoms. The impact of endoscopic assessment on the management of MCL patients is unknown.

Primary hepatic lymphoma: favorable outcome after combination chemotherapy.

Primary hepatic non‐Hodgkin lymphoma (PHL) is a rare and difficult to diagnose lymphoproliferative disorder of unknown etiology. It is believed that the prognosis in affected patients is dismal, consisting of early recurrence and short survival.

Localized non-Hodgkin lymphoma involving the thyroid gland.

The current study was undertaken to define the natural history and patterns of failure of localized non‐Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) involving the thyroid gland.

Phase II study of sphingosomal vincristine in patients with recurrent or refractory adult acute lymphocytic leukemia

Outcomes with salvage therapy for patients with recurrent or refractory acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) are poor, with complete response (CR) rates reported to be 20–30% and a median survival ranging from 2–6 months. New agents are needed to reduce the recurrence rate after frontline chemotherapy. Vincristine is an important component of ALL therapy. In animal models, the encapsulation of vincristine into sphingomyelin liposomes or “sphingosomes” for injection (SV) has improved efficacy compared with conventional vincristine.

European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer and Groupe d'Etude des Lymphomes de l'Adulte very favorable and favorable, lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin disease.

Lymphocyte‐predominant Hodgkin disease (LPHD) is rare and has a natural history different from that of classic Hodgkin disease. There is little information in the literature regarding the role of chemotherapy in patients with early‐stage LPHD. The objective of this study was to examine recurrence free survival (RFS), overall survival (OS), and patterns of first recurrence in patients with LPHD who were treated with radiotherapy alone or with chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy.

Expression of CD40 ligand (CD154) in B and T lymphocytes of Hodgkin disease: Potential therapeutic significance

The malignant Hodgkin and Reed–Sternberg (H/RS) cells of Hodgkin disease (HD) express CD30 and CD40 receptors that can activate nuclear factor kappa B and transduce survival signals. The authors have reported previously that the B lymphocytes of HD express CD30 ligand (CD30L, CD153). Furthermore, they and others have reported previously that the CD40L survival pathway is augmented in patients with B‐cell malignancies, as CD40L was constitutively expressed by the malignant B cells and infiltrating T cells, and sera from those patients contained elevated levels of soluble CD40L. In this study, the authors investigated the hypothesis that the survival of H/RS cells was similarly promoted by an augmented CD40L signals in HD patients.

Thalidomide for patients with recurrent lymphoma

Thalidomide has significant clinical activity in patients with multiple myeloma. However, its activity against other lymphoid tumors is unknown. The authors reported their experience with thalidomide in patients with recurrent/refractory non‐Hodgkin lymphoma and in patients with Hodgkin disease.

Evaluation of Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System Category 3 mammograms and the use of stereotactic vacuum-assisted breast biopsy in a nonacademic community practice

Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI‐RADS) Category 3 represents ‘probably benign’ mammographic abnormalities requiring close follow‐up, but biopsies sometimes are performed on Category 3 abnormalities. Controversy exists as to when these biopsies are justified. The goals of the current study were to evaluate the use of stereotactic vacuum‐assisted breast biopsy (SVABB) for BI‐RADS 3 lesions in a nonacademic community hospital–based practice, to evaluate the false‐ negative rate of Category 3 mammograms, and to determine whether any specific lesions misinterpreted as BI‐RADS 3 abnormalities might commonly be associated with malignant disease.

Immunosuppression and infectious complications in patients with stage IV indolent lymphoma treated with a fludarabine, mitoxantrone, and dexamethasone regimen

Myelosuppression and immunosuppression occur with purine analogs. The objective of the current study was to investigate the effects of combined fludarabine, mitoxantrone, and dexamethasone (FND) followed by interferon/dexamethasone on myelosuppression (absolute neutrophil counts), immunosuppression (CD4 and CD8 counts), and infectious complications in patients with previously untreated, Stage IV indolent lymphoma.