[Sideroblastic anemias]

The use of molecular profiling for diagnosis and research in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

Molecular profiling facilitates the understanding of the genetic processes underlying the development of cancer, and makes it possible to use specific signatures to prognosticate clinical outcome and to predict response to specific treatments. There has been a great increase in the availability of tools for exploring genetic abnormalities in cancer cells, which have allowed a more comprehensive characterization of the mutations, translocations, and copy-number variations that may affect the development of cancer or therapy response. An improved understanding of the molecular basis of cancer is helping also in the identification of new molecular targets for therapy.

Severe isoniazid related sideroblastic anemia

Isoniazid induced sideroblastic anemia is a rare event. We report case of a 45 year old Caucasian women with development of severe anaemia 4 month after introduction of Isoniazid as part of Tuberculosis treatment. While haemoglobin fell to 47 g/L and erythrocyte count to 1.5 G/L, reticulocytes were very low (reticulocyte production index of 0.48), but bone marrow aspirate showed an accelerated erythropoiesis with ringsideroblasts. Anaemia rapidly resolved after cessation of Isoniazid. We postulate an Isoniazid induced inhibition of the δ-Amino-levulinat-synthase resulting in marked depletion of heam synthesis.