Browsing by Author "Bila, Jelena S. (57208312102)"

Introduction: Vitamin D has a role in cellular differentiation, proliferation, apoptosis, and angiogenesis and therefore is studied as a prognostic factor in cancer. The aim of our study was to assess the prevalence and significance of 25(OH)D deficiency in patients with lymphoid malignancies. Methodology: Between January 2014 and June 2016 at the Clinic for Hematology, Clinical Center of Serbia, Belgrade, the pretreatment serum level of 25(OH)D was determined in 133 (62 women/71 men, median age 58 (18–84) years) previously untreated patients with lymphoid malignancy using a chemiluminescent immunoassay. From their medical records, we noted the age, clinical stage, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Scale (ECOG PS), nutritional status using the Nutritional Risk Score 2002 (NRS2002), the time of year, comorbidity index, progression, and progression-free survival (PFS) for a median of 20 (1–32) months. The optimal cutoff point for prediction of outcome was determined using the Maximally Selected Rank Statistics. Results: There were 37 (27.8%) patients with the severe 25(OH)D deficiency ≤ 25 nmol/l, 80 (60.2%) with 25(OH)D deficiency 25–50 nmol/l, and 16 (12%) with 25(OH)D insufficiency 50–75 nmol/l. None of the patients had the desired normal level. There were significant differences between groups in regard to ECOG PS, NRS2002, type of lymphoma, and progression. The severely 25(OH)D-deficient patients had a shorter mean time until progression (P = 0.018). Cox regression analysis showed that 25(OH)D < 19.6 nmol/l remained the only significant parameter for PFS (HR = 2.921; 95% CI 1.307–6.529). Conclusion: The prevalence of 25(OH)D deficiency in the analyzed group of patients with lymphoid malignancies is high and greater in malnourished individuals. Patients with pretreatment serum 25(OH)D < 19.6 nmol/l had a significantly shorter PFS. © 2018, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.

Between February 1992 and November 1996 we treated 30 newly diagnosed acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APL) patients either with oral all-trans- retinoic acid (ATRA) alone (45 mg m-2) or with a simultaneous combination of ATRA (45 mg m-2), daunorubicin (DNR, 50 mg/m-2 for 3 days) and cytosine arabinoside (ARA-C, 200 mg m-2 for 7 days). There were 15 patients in each group. Patients with a white blood cell count < 5 x 109/1 at diagnosis received only ATRA as an induction therapy. Patients with initial white blood cell count > 5 x 109/1 received a combination of ATRA, DNR and ARA-C as an induction therapy. Within the first 20 days of induction, there were two early deaths in the group of patients receiving only ATRA, and six early deaths in the group of patients treated with a combination of ATRA and chemotherapy. Ten out of 13 patients (76.9%) receiving ATRA only achieved complete remission (CR) whereas seven out of nine patients (77.8%) receiving ATRA with chemotherapy achieved CR. Initial median peripheral white blood cell counts were significantly lower in the group of patients treated with ATRA alone (2.3 x 109/1) than in the group of patients receiving ATRA and chemotherapy (14.0 x 109/1). Morphological evidence of differentiation was noted in all patients entering CR. Patients in both groups who achieved CR received one course of standard '3+7' chemotherapy (DNR 45 mg m-2,1-3 days, ARA-C 200 mg m-2, 1-7 days) followed by two courses of standard '2+5' chemotherapy (DNR 50 mg m-2 1-2 days, ARA-C 200 mg m-2 1-5 days) as a consolidation therapy. Patients not achieving remission (three out of 13 in the ATRA group and two out of nine in ATRA+chemotherapy group) did not respond to salvage chemotherapy and all died within 3 months of diagnosis. Only one out of 10 patients (10%) in CR, treated with ATRA is in relapse after 18 months. In patients treated with ATRA alone two out of 10 (20%) survived 58 months following diagnosis whereas in the ATRA+chemotherapy group one out of seven has already survived their 58th month since diagnosis. Four out of eight patients with an early death died of retinoic acid syndrome. Other toxicities due to ATRA were minimal (cheilitis, xerosis, dermatitis, diarrhoea, liver damage or pseudotumor cerebri).

Between February 1992 and November 1996 we treated 30 newly diagnosed acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APL) patients either with oral all-trans- retinoic acid (ATRA) alone (45 mg m-2) or with a simultaneous combination of ATRA (45 mg m-2), daunorubicin (DNR, 50 mg/m-2 for 3 days) and cytosine arabinoside (ARA-C, 200 mg m-2 for 7 days). There were 15 patients in each group. Patients with a white blood cell count < 5 x 109/1 at diagnosis received only ATRA as an induction therapy. Patients with initial white blood cell count > 5 x 109/1 received a combination of ATRA, DNR and ARA-C as an induction therapy. Within the first 20 days of induction, there were two early deaths in the group of patients receiving only ATRA, and six early deaths in the group of patients treated with a combination of ATRA and chemotherapy. Ten out of 13 patients (76.9%) receiving ATRA only achieved complete remission (CR) whereas seven out of nine patients (77.8%) receiving ATRA with chemotherapy achieved CR. Initial median peripheral white blood cell counts were significantly lower in the group of patients treated with ATRA alone (2.3 x 109/1) than in the group of patients receiving ATRA and chemotherapy (14.0 x 109/1). Morphological evidence of differentiation was noted in all patients entering CR. Patients in both groups who achieved CR received one course of standard '3+7' chemotherapy (DNR 45 mg m-2,1-3 days, ARA-C 200 mg m-2, 1-7 days) followed by two courses of standard '2+5' chemotherapy (DNR 50 mg m-2 1-2 days, ARA-C 200 mg m-2 1-5 days) as a consolidation therapy. Patients not achieving remission (three out of 13 in the ATRA group and two out of nine in ATRA+chemotherapy group) did not respond to salvage chemotherapy and all died within 3 months of diagnosis. Only one out of 10 patients (10%) in CR, treated with ATRA is in relapse after 18 months. In patients treated with ATRA alone two out of 10 (20%) survived 58 months following diagnosis whereas in the ATRA+chemotherapy group one out of seven has already survived their 58th month since diagnosis. Four out of eight patients with an early death died of retinoic acid syndrome. Other toxicities due to ATRA were minimal (cheilitis, xerosis, dermatitis, diarrhoea, liver damage or pseudotumor cerebri).