[Expression of BCR/ABL fusion gene in circulating endothelial cells from chronic myelogenous leukemia patients and its clinical significance]

Circulating endothelial cells and their progenitors in acute myeloid leukemia

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive hematological malignancy characterized by the accumulation of immature myeloid progenitor cells in the bone marrow. Studies are required to investigate the prognostic and predictive value of surrogate biomarkers. Given the importance of angiogenesis in oncology in terms of pathogenesis as well as being a target for treatment, circulating endothelial cells (CECs) and endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are promising candidates to serve as such markers. The aim of the present study was to quantify CECs and EPCs in patients with AML at initial diagnosis and following induction chemotherapy, and to correlate these findings with the response to treatment in AML patients. The present study included 40 patients with de novo AML and 20 age- and gender-matched healthy controls. CECs and EPCs were evaluated by flow cytometry at initial diagnosis and after induction chemotherapy (3+7 protocol for AML other than M3 and all-trans-retinoic acid plus anthracycline for M3 disease). CECs and EPCs were significantly higher in AML patients at diagnosis and after induction chemotherapy than in controls. After induction chemotherapy, CECs and EPCs were significantly decreased compared with the levels at initial diagnosis. Patients who achieved complete response (n=28) had lower initial CEC and EPC levels compared with patients who did not respond to treatment. These results suggest that CEC levels are higher in AML patients and may correlate with disease status and treatment response. Further investigations are required to better determine the predictive value and implication of these cells in AML management.

Philadelphia chromosome-negative non-Hodgkin's lymphoma occurring in Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia: A case report and literature review

The current study reports the case of a patient with Philadelphia chromosome-negative (Ph^-) non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and chronic phase (CP) Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph⁺) chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) that also possessed characteristic enlarged lymph nodes. A lymph node biopsy resulted in the diagnosis of CP-CML, in addition to T-lymphoblastic cell NHL with negative break point cluster/Abelson tyrosine kinase fusion genes in the lymph node of the patient, which was diagnosed as Ph^- NHL. A review of the literature was performed in the present study to investigate the genetic differences between Ph^- NHL and Ph⁺ NHL in patients with CML. The median age of patients with NHL and CML was 41 years. The follow-up time of patients with Ph⁺ NHL was significantly shorter (mean, <6 months) compared to the follow-up time of patients with Ph^- NHL (mean, >15 months). Therefore the present study concludes that Ph⁺ NHL may be more aggressive compared with Ph⁺ NHL. The present study suggests that additional studies are required to assess the clinical and genetic characteristics of NHL patients with CML.