Search

Aim. To study the risk factors, symptoms and outcomes of candidemia caused by C. albicans and C. non - albicans in patients with hematological malignancies. Materials and methods. The study included patients with hematological malignancies and candidemia. The diagnosis of candidemia was established according to the single isolation of Candida spp. from blood culture and the presence of symptoms of infection. Results and discussion. Over 12 years (2006-2017), candidemia was diagnosed in 75 patients aged 17 to 77 years (median 48 years). The causative agents of candidemia were C. albicans in 34.7% of patients, C. non - albicans - in 65.3%. Candidemia caused by C. albicans prevailed in patients of the older age group (median 56.5 years, p=0.04) and in patients with lymphoma (61.5%, p=0.01) with colonization of the gut by the same species of Candida (88.5%, p=0.002). Isolation of C. non - albicans from blood culture was more common in patients with acute leukemia (51%, p=0.01) and in recipients of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cells (22.5%, p=0.01). The ability to form biofilms was observed more frequently among C. non - albicans (59.2%) than C. albicans (19.2%, p=0.001). The clinical symptoms of candidemia were non - specific (fever was in 97%). Septic shock developed in 25 (33%) patients with comparable frequency in both groups. Concomitant infections was also comparable (73% vs. 73.5%). Overall 30-day survival in patients with candidemia caused by C. albicans and C. non - albicans was 61.2% and 61.5%. Treatment with echinocandin was associated with increase of survival compared to other antifungal agents among patients with C. albicans candidaemia (88.9% versus 40%, p=0.02) and among C. non - albicans (77.3% versus 47.8%). Conclusion. C. non - albicans constituted a high proportion among causative agents of candidemia. High mortality rate was observed in both groups. Initial therapy with echinocandin was associated with increase of survival.

The paper describes the results of 15 consecutive Russian clinical trials in the treatment of different types of acute leukemias, conducted by Russian cooperative group within the last 27-years and included more than 25 hundred patients. It was shown that the 5-years overall survival in AML younger than 60 years patients improved from 20 to 33%, in ALL - from 38 to 65%, in APL - from 0 to 95%. The cooperative work resulted in balanced clinical recommendations and protocols, reproducible in regional hospitals. Though till now there is a big difference in the long term outcome in acute leukemias patients treated in coordinating or regional centers mostly due to much higher early death rate: 7.5-9.5% vs 18-25%. This parameter should be used as criteria of the total efficacy of hematological service in each region of Russia. It became possible within the last years to integrate the minimal residual disease monitoring into clinical trials thus providing a clue parameter for choosing the further therapy - allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Non - chemotherapeutic approach with arsenic trioxide and all - trans retinoid acid had dramatically changed the toxicity and duration of treatment with very high efficacy. The Russian cooperative group was the first that started to include pregnant women with acute leukemias into clinical trials. This prospective and prolonged experience has shown that pregnancy in acute myeloid leukemia is an extremely poor prognostic factor, but it does not influence the outcome in acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Aim: to compare the results of tumor visualization when using 18F-FDG and 11C-methionine PET/CT after auto-HSCT in MM patients. Materials and methods. A prospective study included 27 MM patients subjected to 18F-FDG and 11C-methionine PET/CT on day 100 after auto-HSCT. Obtained images were visually and semi - quantitatively analyzed. Focal areas of increased uptake for every radiopharmaceutical agent (hypermetabolic foci) not associated with its physiological distribution were registered. Maximum Standardized Uptake Values (SUVmax) in pathological foci were automatically calculated for every radiopharmaceutical agent separately. PET/CT findings were compared to antitumor response achieved after auto-HSCT according to International MM Working Group criteria. Results. After auto-HSCT, the majority of patients (16/60%) achieved a complete response. Abnormal 18F-FDG uptake was registered in 37% (n=10) of patients, negative PET findings were obtained in 63% (n=17) of patients. 11C-methionine PET/CT revealed hypermetabolic foci in 67% (n=18) of patients, and there was no 11C-methionine uptake in 33% (n=9). Pathological foci of radiopharmaceutical agent uptake were 1.8 times more frequently revealed using PET/CT with 11C-methionine (p

Aim. Remission induction can be associate, with the life threatening complications and transfer to ICU of de novo acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients (pts). We evaluate influence of transfer to ICU and life threatening complication on early mortality and long - tram survival of de novo AML pts. Materials and methods. Retrospective study. All de novo AML pts younger than 60 years old admitted in the National Research Center for Hematology from 2013 to 2016 years were enrolled in the study. Patients were divided into 2 groups: pts who were required ICU admission during remission induction (ICU-pts) and pts who did not require ICU admission and received chemotherapy only in hematology ward (non-ICU pts). The reasons for ICU admissions and results of life support were analyzed. Overall survival (OS) were assessed by the Kaplan-Meier method, long rank value p

Mediastinal gray-zone lymphoma (MGZL, lymphoma with features intermediate between classical Hodgkin lymphoma and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma) was declared as a separate entity in WHO classification of Tumors of Haematopoetic and Lymphoid Tissues in 2008 and 2017 years. Despite of similar pathomorphological characteristics between primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma and Hodgkin lymphoma, clinical features and optimal therapeutic approach to MGZL are not clearly defined. Usually MGZL manifests with mediastinal lymphadenopathy, although extranodal lesions often occur (grey-zone lymphoma, GZL). Patients with MGZL have unfavorable prognosis, taking into account high rate of relapse. This article describes two cases of MGZL. First case manifested by arrhythmias due to primary heart involvement. In spite of cardiac failure antracycline-containing chemotherapy (6 courses of R-DA-EPOCH) it allowed to achieve a complete remission and resolving of arrhythmias. Second case was represented by metachronous tumors: primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma at the time of disease onset and classical Hodgkin lymphoma, NS II, diagnosed after disease progression. Thus, we demonstrated two examples of MGZL that differ by clinical manifestation, response to chemotherapy, which emphasizes an importance of pathogenesis studying, and using of new therapeutic approaches.

Objective. To analyze treatment results of 172 patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) aged 18-60 years in National Medical Research Center for Hematology of MHRF. Materials and methods. Inductive and consolidation program for 139 (80%) patients was based on a standardized protocol: 4 courses “7+3” with different anthracycline use (2 courses of daunorubicin, idarubicin, mitoxantrone) and continuous use of cytarabine on the second inductive course. In 20% of patients cytarabine courses at the dose of 1 g/m2 2 times a day for 1-3 days combined with idarubicin and mitoxantrone were used as two consolidation courses. Allogenic bone marrow transplantation was performed in the first complete remission (CR) period in 40% of patients. Results. The frequency of CR achievement in all patients was 78.6%, refractory forms were observed in 13.9% of patients, early mortality - in 7.5% of patients. Seven-year overall survival (OS) rate was 40.7%, relapse free survival (RFS) - 43.2%. When estimating effectiveness depending on cytogenetic risk group it was demonstrated that 5-year OS and RFS in patients with translocation (8; 21) cannot be considered as satisfying, it accounted for 50 and 34%, respectively. At the same time in patients with 16th chromosome inversion (inv16) these characteristics accounted for 68.6 and 63.5%. Acquired results forced reconsidering of the consolidation program in AML patients of this subgroup. The median time to allogenic blood stem cells transplantation (allo-BSCT) in patients with first CR was 6.5 months that was taken as a reference point in landmark analysis of patients in whom allo-BSCT was not performed. Landmark analysis showed that in AML patients of favorable prognosis group allo-BSCT does not significantly reduce the probability of relapse (0 and 36%) and does not influence RFS (33 and 64%). In patients of border-line and poor prognosis allo-BSCT significantly reduces relapse probability (26 and 66%; 20 and 100%) and significantly increases a 7-year RFS (68.7 and 30%; 45.6 and 0%). Allo-BSCT also results in significant RFS increase and reduces the probability of relapse (25 and 78%) in patients in whom CR was achieved only after the second induction course. At the same time allo-BSCT does not influence patients who achieved CR after the first treatment course: 55 and 50%. Conclusion. Multivariate analysis showed that cytogenetic risk group (HR=2.3), time of CR achievement (HR=2.9), and allo-BSCT transplantation (HR=0.16) are independent factors for disease relapse prognosis after achieving CR.

Purpose of the study. A comparative evaluation of the effectiveness of different therapeutic strategies in patients with polycythemia vera (PV) and essential thrombocythemia (ET). Materials and methods. Patients with PV or ET, diagnosed according to the criteria WHO 2016 were included in the study. The primary endpoint - 6 months of therapy (clinical-hematological and molecular responses). The secondary endpoint - 12 months of therapy (clinico-hematologic, molecular, histological responses). Sixty three patients were included in the analysis: the first group consisted of 33 patients who received the therapy with ce-pegiterferone alpha-2b (ce-pegalpha-INF-α-2b), 10 of them received previous treatment; the second group - 23 patients btained hydroxycarbamide; the third group - 7 patients were treated with recombinant interferon alpha therapy (rINFα). In comparison groups, differences in age were revealed: patients receiving hydroxycarbamide therapy were older. Phlebotomy occurred in 36% of patients in the first group, 9% in the second group, and 14% in the third group. Results. By the 6th month of therapy, 43% of the patients receiving the ce-pegalpha-INF-α-2b had complete clinical-hematologic response, 36% had partial clinical-hematologic remission and stabilization of the disease was established in 21% cases. No disease progression occured. By the 12th month of therapy, statistically significant differences in terms of efficacy between the different therapeutic groups (p = 0.2462, Fisher's exact test). In all three groups, the allelic load of JAK2V617F decreased: from 50 to 19%, from 22.3 to 15.8%, from 50 to 7.19%, respectively. The lower the allele load positively correlated with better response to therapy, which was observed in all analyzed groups. Hematologic adverse events (AEs) were more frequently observed in patients receiving ce-pegalpha-INF-α-2b therapy. Local reactions developed on 3-7 days of therapy as a hyperemic macula at the injection site. Both these reactions and hair loss did not influence on patient’s condition. In the second group (patients with hydroxycarbamide therapy) there were changes in the skin and mucous membranes: dry skin, stomatitis, and in older patients new keratomas appeared. The flu-like syndrome was the most common adverse event associated with the therapy of ce-pegalpha-INF-α-2b, which fully relived during the first month of therapy. There was only one case with the flu-like syndrome we observed at the 11th month of therapy. As a rule, the biochemical blood test changes did not influence on patient’s condition, were mostly associated with dietary violations, had a tendency to self-resolution and did not require medical interventions. Serious AEs were reported in one case - pulmonary embolism in a patient treated with rINFα. The reasons for the therapy discontinue in group 1: toxic hepatitis, intolerance, by the request of the patient, inadequate efficacy of therapy; in group 2: skin toxicity, in group 3: thromboses. The conclusion. Treatment of ce-pegalpha-INF-α-2b in patients with PV and ET is highly effective - the most patients pbtained clinical and hematological responses. There were no statistically significant differences in these parameters in comparison with hydroxycarbamide and rINFα. The use of the ce-pegalpha-INF-α-2b had an acceptable safety profile. The estimated therapeutic dose should be calculated according to body weight. To reduce the frequency of hematologic AE, titration of the drug dose is required.

B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) is a diverse group of malignant blood disorders both with regard to the biological properties of the tumor and to therapeutic approaches. Immunophenotyping, molecular genetic techniques, whole-genome sequencing characterize B-ALL as a very diverse group for sensitivity to chemotherapy and prognosis. We present three clinical cases of patients with B-ALL and expected good response to standard therapy, in whom standard protocol treatment failured: refractoriness, persistence of minimal residual disease (MRD), and progression (MRD increase). The remission in these patients was achieved after chemotherapy change to immunological targeted therapy. Nowadays a unified therapeutic approach to all primary patients of the B-ALL is considered generally outdated. Great efforts are carrying out to develop molecular genetic classifications. The molecular dissection of subtypes of B-ALL goes on, and new protocols for selective treatment with targeting are clearly outlined for each subtype of B-ALL.

Objective. To evaluate occurrence, variety, structural peculiarities and prognostic meaning of cytogenetic abnormalities in adult patients with Ph-negative acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) receiving therapy according to ALL-2009 protocol. Materials and methods. The study included 115 adult patients with firstly diagnosed Ph-negative ALL: 58 male and 57 female aged from 15 to 61 years (mean age 26.5 years), who underwent treatment from September 2009 to September 2015 in National Medical Research Center for Hematology MH RF (n=101) and in hematology departments of regional hospitals (n=14). All patients received therapy of ALL-2009 protocol (ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01193933). The median follow-up was 24.5 months (0.2-94.4 months). As a part of the study results of a standard cytogenetic assay (SCA) were analyzed and fluorescence hybridization in situ (FISH) with the use of DNA-probes was performed on archived biological material for structural changes in gene locuses MLL/t(11q23), с-MYC/t(8q24), TP53/ deletion 17p13, CDKN2A/ deletion 9p21, translocation t(1;19)/E2A-PBX1 и t(12;21)/ETV6-RUNX1; iAMP21 identification. Results. Karyotype was defined using SCA in 86% of patients. Normal karyotype was found in 48.5% of them, chromosome aberrations in 51.5% (structural changes were found in 19.2%, hyperploidy in 27.2%, and hypoploidy in 5.1%). In 17.2% of patients complex karyotype abnormalities were found. With the use of FISH technique aberrations were found in 67% of patients: 9p21/CDKN2A deletion in 24.3%, MLL/t(11q23) gene abnormalities in 7.8%, 17p13/TP53 deletion in 5.2%, abnormalities of c-MYC/t(8q24) in 1.7%, t(1;19)/E2A-PBX1 in 0.8%, and iAMP21 in 0.8%, other abnormalities (additional signals/absence of signals from gene locuses) in 26.4%, t(12;21)/ETV6-RUNX1 was not found. FISH technique use in addition to SCA allows to increase aberrant karyotype location from 51.5 to 67%. A statistically significant correlation of 9p21/CDKN2A deletion with high serum lactate dehydrogenase activity (p=0.02); MLL/t(11q23) gene abnormalities - with leucocytosis and high blast cells level in blood (p=0.0016), hyperploidy - with normal leukocyte count (p=0.02) was shown. In groups with different cytogenetic abnormalities no statistically significant differences of treatment with ALL-2009 protocol were found (in terms of complete remission, early mortality and treatment resistance). When connection of cytogenetic abnormalities and their combinations with long-term results were analyzed according to ALL-2009 protocol, only two characteristics - MLL/t(11q23) and c MYC/t(8q24) gene abnormalities had a statistically significant influence on disease-free survival (HR - 176.9; p

Nodal anaplastic ALK-negative large cell lymphoma (nALCL, ALK-) is a Т-cell lymphoma that is characterized by aggressive clinical course and low sensitivity to СНОР (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisolone) and other chemotherapy regimen. In the article we present a literature review and describe our clinical case of nALCL, ALK-. For the first time a combination of Brentuximab vedotin with modified program NHL-BFM-90 was used as a first-line therapy. As a result of immunochemotherapy a complete antineoplastic effect was obtained. For consolidation of this effect high-dose chemotherapy with following autologous blood stem cell transplantation was performed. The chosen treatment tactics allowed to achieve a complete remission in a medium risk group patient.

Contex. Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL) is a rare form of non-Hodgkins lymphoma, characterized by generalized lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly and dysproteinemia. Hypergammaglobulinaemia is revealed in 50-83% pts with AITL. However, the characteristics of immunoglobulinopathies observed in AITL are scarce. Objective: The aim of the study was to characterize quantitative and qualitative immunoglobulinopathies in patients with AITL at the onset of the disease. Patients and methods. 55 patients with newly diagnosed AITL were enrolled in the study, the male/female ratio was 30/25; median age was 61 (29-81) years. Diagnosis was based on standard WHO criteria. Immunochemical studies of blood serum included serum protein electrophoresis/immunofixation, nephelometric quantification of total immunoglobulins, serum free light chain assay. Results. Quantitative and qualitative immunoglobulinopathies were determined in 49 (89,1%) of 55 pts. Quantitative immunoglobulinopathies were revealed in 47 (85.5%) of 55 cases, qualitative - in 14 (25,5%). Combination quantitative and qualitative immunoglobulinopathies was observed in 12 (21,8%) of 55 pts. The detected immunoglobulinopathies were divided into 4 groups: polyclonal hypergammaglobulinaemia, hypogammaglobulinaemia, oligoclonal gammapathy, and monoclonal gammapathy. Polyclonal hypergammaglobulinaemia was marked in 41 (74.5%) of 55 pts, elevated level of IgG was determined in 27 (49,15%) of 55 cases, IgM - in 18 (32,7%) and IgA - in 21 (38.2%). Interestingly, polyclonal IgE hypergammaglobulinaemia was detected in 12 (48,0%) of 25 cases of performed studies. Hypogammaglobulinaemia was detected in 8 (14,5%) of 55 cases. Oligoclonal gammapathy was determined in 4 (7.3%) of 55 pts. Monoclonal gammapathy was revealed in 11 (20,0%) of 55 cases. The amount of monoclonal immunoglobulin varied from 2.6 to 14.1 g/l. Monoclonal immunoglobulin Gk was detected in 5 of 11 pts, Gλ - in 2, Mλ - in 2, Mk - in 2. Monoclonal gammapathy was accompanied by polyclonal hypergammaglobulinaemia in 9 of 11 cases, hypogammaglobulinaemia - in 2. Conclusions. Quantitative and qualitative immunoglobulinopathies are observed in most patients at the onset of AITL. Quantitative abnormalities were determined more often than qualitative. Monoclonal gammapathy can be a manifestation of lymphoproliferation and other concomitant disorders. The prognostic value of immunochemical parameters is still unclear and requires dynamic observation and study.

Aim. To assess the results of following up patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and a deep molecular response (MR) without tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy. Subjects and methods. The reasons for TKI discontinuation in 70 patients with CML and a deep MR of more than 1 year’s duration were adverse events, pregnancy, and patients’ decision. Information was collected retrospectively and prospectively in 2008-2016. Results. The median follow-up after TKI therapy discontinuation was 23 months (2 to 100 months). At 6, 12 and 24 months after TKI therapy discontinuation, the cumulative incidence of major MR (MMR) loss was 28, 41 and 48%, respectively; the survival rates without TKI therapy were 69, 50, and 39%, respectively. MMR loss was noted in 28 (88%) patients at 12 months; it was not seen without TKI therapy at 2-year follow-up. Deaths due to CML progression were absent. The Sokal risk group was a reliable factor influencing MMR loss (p ≤ 0.05). The cumulative recovery rate for deep MR after resumption of TKI use was 73 and 100% at 12 and 24 months, respectively, with a median follow-up of 24 months (1 to 116 months). Deep MR recovered at a later time when the therapy was resumed more than 30 days after MMR loss. Conclusion. Safe follow-up is possible in about 50% of the patients with CML and stable deep MRs without TKI therapy. The introduction of this approach into clinical practice requires regular molecular genetic monitoring and organizational activities. Biological factors in maintaining remission after TKI discontinuation need to be separately studied.

Aim. To evaluate the detection rate of markers for hepatitis B virus (HBV) in the blood samples taken from patients with blood system diseases, by applying the current approaches to examining donated blood and its components for markers of viral infections. Materials and methods. The investigation included blood samples from patients with blood system diseases (n=364) and donors (n=5,011). The results of laboratory screening of donated blood samples (n=13,081) were retrospectively analyzed. Commercial kits of reagents were used for immunochemical assay and polymerase chain reaction. Results. Patients with blood system diseases were recorded to have markers of active HBV infection in 12.6% of cases, anti-HBc in 31.3%, and anti-HBs in 37.6%. A retrospective analysis of the results of screening donated blood samples showed the presence of markers for active HBV infection in 0.28% of cases. A prospective examination of blood donors revealed markers of HBV infection in 4.83% of cases, including those of active forms in 0.54% and anti-HBc in 4.79%. The markers of active HBV infection in donors were only anti-HBc IgM in 0.42% of cases. The blood samples from donors with an anti-HBs titer of >200 mIU/ml contained anti-HBc IgM in 10.5%. Conclusion. In the last 5-7 years, the detection rate of markers of HBV infection in the blood samples of patients with blood system diseases have remained at a high level. Screening for decreed markers fails to identify people with inapparent infections among the donors. Even high anti-HBs concentrations in the donated blood may be a risk for HBV transmission by transfusion to a recipient.

Primary central nervous system (CNS) lymphomas account for 13-20% of the posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLD) and rank among the most aggressive conditions. Reduction of immunosuppressive therapy should be mandatory to treat PTLD, but this is rarely used as the only therapy option. Chemotherapy regimens for PTLD involving the CNS most commonly include high-dose rituximab and high-dose methotrexate and/or cytarabine. The efficiency only of discontinuation of immunosuppressive therapy for PTLD does not exceed 5—10%, but there are no literature data on its efficiency for PTLD involving the CNS. The paper describes a clinical case of achieving long-term remission in a female patient with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-positive diffuse large B-cell lymphoma involving the central nervous system, associated with immunosuppression after kidney transplantation from a related donor, in the absence of chemotherapy during immunosuppressive therapy discontinuation and transplantectomy.

The paper describes 4 clinical cases of thrombotic events (pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombophlebitis, acute myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke) that have occurred in patients with hemophilia. It discusses the possible causes of their development and methods for their prevention and treatment. Controlled natural hypocoagulation, in which the dose of an administered deficient factor decreases to such an extent that in order to maintain the safe level of hypocoagulation (plasma factor activity is 15—20%; activated partial thromboplastin time is 1.5—2 times normal values), is proposed as one of the treatment options.

Breast implant-associated anaplastic large-cell lymphoma will be identified as a separate nosological entity in the 2017 adapted WHO classification due to differences in its clinical presentations, pathogenesis, and prognosis with those of nodal and cutaneous anaplastic large-cell lymphomas. The paper gives a review of the literature and describes the authors’ own clinical case of common breast implant-associated anaplastic large-cell lymphoma involving breast tissue, axillary lymph nodes, anterior chest muscles, and bone marrow. The treatment policy chosen by the authors could achieve complete remission.

Aim. To identify a parameter predicting a collection of at least 2·106 CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells (HSC)/kg body weight per leukapheresis (LA) procedure. Subjects and methods. The investigation included 189 patients with hematological malignancies and 3 HSC donors, who underwent mobilization of stem cells with their subsequent collection by LA. Absolute numbers of peripheral blood leukocytes and CD34+ cells before a LA procedure, as well as a number of CD34+ cells/kg body weight (BW) in the LA product stored on the same day were determined in each patient (donor). Results. There was no correlation between the number of leukocytes and that of stored CD34+ cells/kg BW. There was a close correlation between the count of peripheral blood CD34+ cells prior to LA and that of collected CD34+ cells calculated with reference to kg BW. Conclusion. The optimal absolute blood CD34+ cell count was estimated to 20 per µl, at which a LA procedure makes it possible to collect 2·106 or more CD34+ cells/kg BW.

Aim. To determine the efficiency of maintenance therapy with bortezomib in patients with multiple myeloma (MM) who have achieved complete remission (CR) after autologous hematopoietic stem cell (auto-HSCT), depending on the presence of minimal residual disease (MRD). Subjects and methods. In January 2014 to February 2016, fifty-two MM patients (19 men and 33 women) aged 24 to 66 years (median 54 years), who had achieved CR after auto-HSCT, were randomized to perform maintenance therapy with bortezomib during a year. On day 100 after auto-HSCT, all the patients underwent immunophenotyping of bone marrow plasma cells by 6-color flow cytometry to detect MRD. Relapse-free survival (RFS) was chosen as a criterion for evaluating the efficiency of maintenance therapy. Results. After auto-HSCT, MRD-negative patients had a statistically significantly higher 2-year RFS rate than MRD-positive patients: 52.9% (95% confidence interval (CI), 35.5 to 70.5%) versus 37.2% (95% CI, 25.4 to 49.3%) (p=0.05). The presence of MRD statistically significantly increased the risk of relapse (odds ratio 1.7; 95% CI, 1.2 to 3.4; p=0.05). Two-year cumulative risk of relapse (using the Kaplan-Meier) after auto-HSCT did not statistically significantly differ in MRD-negative patients receiving (n=15) and not receiving (n=10) maintenance therapy with bortezomib (p=0.58). After completion of maintenance treatment, 42% of the MRD-positive patients achieved a negative status. In the MRD-positive patients who had received maintenance therapy, the average time to recurrence was 5 months longer than that in the naïve patients: 17.3 versus 12.3 months. Conclusion. The MRD status determined in MM patients who have achieved CR after auto-HSCT is an important factor for deciding on the use of maintenance therapy.

Aim. To analyze the efficiency and reproducibility of the ALL-2009 protocol within the Russian prospective multicenter study based on different principles of cytostatic effects (non-intensive, but continuous cytotoxic treatment and a small number of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cells). Subjects and methods. The ALL-2009 (NCT01193933) study conducted in April 2009 to December 2016 included 194 patients (95 males and 99 females) aged 15 to 55 years (median age 28 years) with Ph-negative B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). There was early pre-B-cell ALL in 54 patients, common ALL in 101, pre-B ALL in 39, initial leukocytosis in 9.4·109/l (0.4-899.0), lactate dehydrogenase in 901 IU (31-13 059), an initial central nervous system lesion in 17 (8.7%), mediastinal injury in 3 (1.5%), and splenomegaly in 111 (57.2%). The results of standard cytogenetic analysis are known in 113 (60.4%) patients. Normal karyotypes were detected in 49 (54.5%) out of the patients; t(4;11) in 9 (5.4%), t(1;19) in 2 (1.2%), and other karyotypic abnormalities in 53 (46.9%). Thirteen (7.8%) patients underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in first complete remission (CR); their proportion did not differ in the federal and regional centers. Results. The frequency of CR achievement was the same in the federal and regional centers and generally amounted to 87.5%. Early (8.8%) and CR (9.6%) mortality rates remained high despite the low aggressiveness of cytotoxic action, necessitating the improvement of auxiliary treatment. The five-year overall survival (OS) rates vary considerably in the federal and regional centers (72.6 and 43.8%), the relapse-free survival (RFS) (70.2 and 53.4%) and recurrence risk (23.1 and 36.5%) are comparable. This suggests that the non-intensive, but continuous exposure principle built in the ALL-2009 protocol makes it possible to reproduce the envisaged treatment program and to achieve satisfactory results. Conclusion. The ALL-2009 protocol allows both the federal and regional centers to obtain the long-term results comparable with those of current foreign studies: OS (54.2%), RFS (56.5%); and relapse risk (35.4%). Multivariate analysis has identified age (over 30 years), initial leukocytosis (30·109/l and more) and t(4;11) among the main clinical prognostic factors. Gene mutation detection evaluated in a small number of patients (8/36) is not a poor prognostic sign. There is a need for further investigations with centralized evaluation of the mutation status of leukemic cells and the clearance of minimal residual disease.

Aim. To determine the prevalence of amp1q21 and its relationship to the clinical manifestations of multiple myeloma (MM). Subjects and methods. In December 2009 to March 2016, a total 134 patients aged 30 to 81 years (median 57 years) underwent a pretreatment FISH-study of bone marrow (BM) with centromeric and locus-specific DNA probes to identify amp1q21, t(11;14), t(4;14), t(14;16), t(14;20), t(6;14), trisomies of chromosomes 5, 9, 15, del13q14, del17p13/TP53, and t(8q24)/cMYC. Induction therapy with bortezomib-containing cycles was performed. Autologous stem cell transplantation was carried out in 48 patients. The median follow-up of patients was 19.3 months (3.2—77.4 months). Disease progression was diagnosed in 69 (51.5%) patients; 12 patients also underwent FISH study during disease progression. Results. At the onset of MM, amp1q21 was detected in 53 (39.6%) patients. The overall 5-year survival rate in patients with amp1q21 was almost 2 times lower than that in those without amp1q21 (43.5 and 79.4%, respectively; p=0.07). The overall 5-year survival rate in patients with one extra copy of 1q21 (only 3 copies) was 67.3%, that in those with 2 or more extra copies of 1q21 (only 4—7 copies) was 20.9% (p=0.0016). Nine (75%) of the 12 patients examined during disease progression were found to have amp1q21: 2 cases were detected in the period of progression to have amp1q21 in its absence at disease onset; 7 cases had amp1q21 both at MM onset and progression; however, the number of copies of 1q21 was unchanged. Conclusion. Аmp1q21 is one of the most common chromosomal abnormalities in patients with new-onset MM and may appear in the course of disease progression. The presence of аmp1q21 is an important prognostic factor and must have to be included in the diagnostic study both at disease onset and progression.

Double-hit lymphoma (DHL) is a rare aggressive B-cell lymphoma with concomitant c-MYC, BCL2 or BCL6 gene rearrangements, which is characterized by the high frequency of extranodal lesions and by resistance to chemotherapy. The median survival does not exceed 18 months in patients with this disease. The majority of DHL is represented by с-MYC/BCL2 cases. The combination of c-MYC/BCL6 occurs rarely (5—8%). The paper describes a case of DHL with concomitant c-MYC and BCL6 gene rearrangements, which mimics diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, leg-type.

Aim. To provide the clinical characteristics of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) with monoclonal immunoglobulin secretion and to evaluate the efficiency of intensified mNHL-BFM-90 or R-DA-EPOCH/R-HMA therapy programs in patients with Ig-secreting DLBCL. Subjects and methods. A clinical trial was conducted in 93 patients with newly diagnosed DLBCL, among whom 21 (22.6%) were found to have monoclonal immunoglobulin secretion. Results. Ig-secreting DLBCL is shown to be characterized by bone marrow involvement (p

Aim. To analyze well-known risk factors (RFs), such as age, immunophenotype, baseline leukocytosis, enhanced lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity, time to achieve complete remission, a risk group, and cytogenetic abnormalities) in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in the use of the ALL-2009 protocol. Subjects and methods. The protocol covered 298 patients (137 women (including 13 pregnant women) and 161 men) aged 15 to 55 years (median age 28 years) with Ph-negative ALL. The phenotype was unknown in 6 patients. Three (1%) were ascertained to have a biphenotypic variant. 182 (62.4%) patients were found to have B-cell ALL (early pre-B ALL (n=51); common ALL (n=92), and pre-B ALL (n=39); 107 (36.6%) patients had T-cell ALL (early T-ALL (n=56); thymic T-ALL (n=41), and mature T-ALL (n=10). According to the baseline clinical and laboratory parameters (leukocytosis of 30·109/l and more for B-ALL; and that of 100·109/l and more for T-ALL; phenotype В-I for B-ALL, phenotype Т-I-II-IV for T-ALL; LDH activity was more than twice the normal values; the presence of translocation t(4;11)), the high-risk group included most patients with B-ALL (n=110 (72.8%)) and T-ALL (n=76 (76%)). Thirty-five patients with T-ALL underwent autologous bone marrow transplantation (BMT). Allogeneic BMT was performed in 18 (7%) of the 258 patients who had undergone an induction phase. Results. Five-year overall survival for all the patients included in the investigation was 59%; relapse-free survival was 65%, which was significantly different in the patients with B-ALL and in those with T-ALL: the overall survival rates were 53.3 and 67.5% (p=0.1); the relapse-free survival was 56 and 79% (p=0.005), respectively. Multivariate analysis including the well-known RFs demonstrated that the latter for T-ALL were of no independent prognostic value and only the patient’s age was identified for B-ALL (p=0.013). Conclusion. A lower chemotherapeutic load and a small number of allogeneic BMTs did not affect total positive treatment results in adult patients with ALL, by complying with the principle achieving the continuity of cytostatic effects and by preserving the total cytostatic loading dose. The results of the Russian investigation casts some doubt on the necessity of using very intensive consolidation cycles and performing a large number of allogeneic BMTs in adult patients with ALL.

In the past decade, a notable advance has been made in the understanding of the pathogenesis of NK/T-cell lymphomas; however, their diagnosis remains difficult because of their rarity and clinical and morphological variabilities. The paper generalizes the ten-year experience of the Hematology Research Center, Ministry of Health of Russia, in diagnosing and treating hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma (HSTL), considers the problems of differential diagnosis with other hematological diseases occurring with similar clinical and laboratory symptoms, and lays down current approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of this condition. A clinician’s view of the problem of diagnosis and treatment of this disease is given. HSTL is shown to be a heterogeneous group of diseases differing in a T-cell receptor chain gene rearrangement, the clinical course of the disease, and overall survival (OS). According to our data, 3-year OS was 12%; the median survival was 26 months. Two-year OS for γδ and αβ HSTL was equal to 25 and 70%, respectively. The difference in OS for the variants of HSTL failed to reach statistical significance (because the sample might be insufficient).

Myeloproliferative disease associated with FGFR1 rearrangement (8p11), which is included in the 2008 WHO Classification of Myeloid Neoplasms, is a rare and extremely aggressive abnormality. The paper describes a clinical case of a 39-year-old female patient who was detected to have leukocytosis (as high as 47.2·109/l), absolute eosinophilia (as high as 3.1·109/l), and enlarged peripheral lymph nodes during her visit to a doctor. The bone marrow (BM) showed the changes typically encountered in myeloproliferative disease with eosinophilia. The patient was found to have t(8;13)(p11;q12) translocation associated with the rearrangement of the FGFR1 gene located at the 8p11 locus. Molecular and cytogenetic examinations failed to reveal BCR-ABL chimeric transcript, Jak2 V617F mutation, and deletions and translocations involving PDGFRA (4q12) and PDGFRB (5q32-33). The similar changes in the karyotype were also found in the lymph node cells. The undertaken treatment with hydroxyurea and the tyrosine kinase inhibitor dasatinib turned out to be ineffective. The patient underwent allogeneic BM transplantation from a HLA-identical sibling. Graft rejection occurred 6 months later. Allogeneic BM transplantation from the same donor (100% donor chimerism; FGFR1/8р11 translocation was not detected), which was complicated by the development of chronic graft-versus-host reaction, was performed again in March 2015. The patient is being followed up and continues to receive immunosuppressive therapy.

Aim. To estimate the spread of weak D antigen types of the Rhesus system in the citizens of the Russian Federation and a possibility of serologically identifying these types. Subjects and methods. The red blood cells and DNA of people with weakened expression of D antigen were investigated using erythrocyte agglutination reaction in salt medium (2 methods); agglutination reaction in the gel columns containing IgM + IgG anti-D antibodies, indirect antiglobulin test with IgG anti-D antibodies (2 methods); polymerase chain reaction to establish the type of weak D. Results. A rhesus phenotype was determined in 5100 people in 2014-2015. The weakened agglutinable properties of red blood cells were detected in 102 (2%) examinees. 63 examinees underwent genotyping to identify the variants of the weak D antigen, which identified 6 weak D types. There were the most common weak D types 3 (n=31 (49.2%)) and weak D type 1 (n=18 (28.6%)), including weak D type 1.1 in one (1.6%) case. The other 4 weak D antigen types were as follows: weak D type 2 (14.3% (n=9)), weak D type 15 (4.8% (n=3)), weak D type 4.2 (DAR) (1.6% (n=1)) and weak D type 6 (1.6% (n=1)). The antiglobulin test in the gel column containing antiglobulin serum was the most sensitive serological assay to identify the weak D antigen. Only a molecular test could establish weak D type 15 in 2 samples of red blood cells with Ccdee and ccdEe phenotypes. Conclusion. The weak D antigen could be serologically identified in 96.8% of cases. When testing for weak D, particular attention should be given to people with the D-negative phenotype who had the C or E antigens. Our investigations conducted for the first time in Russia will be able to improve the immunological safety of red blood cell-containing medium transfusions for patients.

Aim. To generalize hematologists’ experience of the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of splenic red pulp lymphoma (SRPL). Materials and methods. Eighty-seven splenic biopsy specimens taken from patients with different B-cell lymphoproliferative diseases were examined in the Hematology Research Center in 2013—2014. The diagnosis of SRPL was based on the morphological, immunohistochemical, immunophenotypic, and molecular examinations of the splenic biopsy specimens, blood and bone marrow (BM) tests in 4 (4.6%) cases. Results. There was significant splenomegaly in all SRPL cases, lymphocytosis in 56 to 94% (leukocytes, 55 and 75·109/l in 2 cases), circulation of hairy lymphocytes with the phenotypes CD20+ (markedly), CD11c+/±, CD103+/± (weakly), LAIR-1+, CD25–, CD5–, CD10–, and CD23–, which did not contain tartate-resistant acid phosphatase, without BRAFV600E mutation, BM with insignificant lymphoid infiltration of CD20+, CD25–, Annexin 1–, and Cyclin D1–. The weight of the spleen averaged 3900 g (1450-9500 g); its tissue exhibited lymphoid infiltration of the red pulp with the phenotypes CD20+, DBA.44+, CD25–, Annexin1–, Cyclin D1–, CD103–, CD123–, CD27–, focal СD11c±, and TRAP±. Four patients (2 after splenectomy (SE) and 2 after SE and chemotherapy with cladribine and rituximab) are being followed up in remission. Conclusion. SRPL is a rare disease that should be presumed to be in significant splenomegaly and lymphocytosis with hairy lymphocytes, which have only some markers for classical hairy cell leukemia (HCL), in minor BM lesion. SE is the standard for diagnosis and treatment. The differential diagnosis of SRPL with HCL has clear criteria and that with HCL-v is undetected.

The described case of FIP1L1-PDGFRА-positive myeloproliferative disease is characterized by an atypical aggressive course to develop severe specific complications as injuries to the brain, heart, lung, and intestine. Pathogenetic therapy with imatinib could stabilize a patient’s state, but failed to produce a complete hematological response. Switching from imatinib to dasatinib could produce sustained clinical, hematological, and molecular remissions.

Aim. To study the impact of the genes of donor killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR) and HLA—KIR ligands on overall (OS) and event-free survival (EFS) rates in patients with myeloid leukemia after transplantation with allogeneic hematopoietic stem cells (allo-HSCT) from HLA-identical related and HLA-compatible unrelated donors. Subjects and methods. The investigation enrolled 29 patients who had undergone allo-HSCT from KIR-genotyped donors at the Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation, Hematology Research Centerб in 2010-2013. OS and EFS rates after allo-HSCT were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results. The main predictor of recurrence and survival in patients after allo-HSCT was a recurrence-risk group the patient belonged to before transplantation. The standard-risk group patients whose donors had telomeric gene-content motifs of KIR-B haplotypes had higher EFS rates than those whose donors lacked these genes. The standard-risk patients homozygous for HLA-1 alleles (i.e. without HLA-C2 ligand) tended to have higher EFS rates, so did the patients without HLA-Bw4 ligand. Conclusion. The donors having telomeric gene-content motifs of KIR-B haplotypes are more preferred for allo-HSCT for patients with myeloid leukemia as the presence of donor telomeric KIR-B genes increases EFS rates in standard-risk patients.

Aim. To study the clinical features of Castleman’s disease (CD) and to elaborate therapeutic approaches in its different morphological types. Subjects and methods. The clinical and laboratory data were studied in 59 prospectively examined patients and 17 retrospectively examined ones with CD who had been treated at the Outpatient Department, Hematology Research Centre, in 1996 to 2014. There were a total of 37 men (median age, 36 years) and 39 women (median age, 34 years). The diagnosis was established from the results of histological and immunohistochemical examinations of removed lymph nodes (LN) or tumors in all the cases. Results. A hyaline vascular variant (HVV) with local LN involvement was diagnosed in 38 (50%) patients; a plasma cell variant (PCV) was in 38 (50%); among the latter, 17 (22%) patients were found to have local involvement and 21 (28%) had generalized (multicentric) involvement (multicentric Castleman’s diseases (MCD)). Five (24%) patients with MCD were established to be infected with human herpesvirus type 8 (HHV-8). HVV was more frequently diagnosed in women (4%) than in men (29%); PCV was equally common in both men (47%) and women (53%); MCD was statistically significantly more frequently encountered in men (86%) than in women (14%) (p=0.05). The basic involvement areas in local HVV and PCV were peripheral (38%), mediastinal (29), retroperitoneal (18%), abdominal (9%), and small pelvic (6%) LNs. HVV and local PCV were benign and these were cured by surgical removal of LNs involved in the pathological process. MCD took its aggressive course with obvious constitutional symptoms, generalized lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly, hypergammaglobulinemia, autoimmune hemolysis, thrombocytopenia, and involvement of extranodal foci in the pathological process. MCD transformation to plasmablastic lymphoma was observed in 4 of the 5 HHV8-positive patients and followed by a poor outcome. The prognosis of untreated MCD was unfavorable. In a number of cases prednisolone monotherapy worsened prognosis and the MCD patients receiving timely multiple-drug R-CHOP or R-VD chemotherapy could achieve sustained remission (the 5-year overall survival was 55%). Conclusion. CD must be included into the differential diagnosis of lymphadenopathies. When specific treatment is performed, the prognosis of HVV and local PCV is favorable: the disease is surgically cured in 95% of cases. Multidrug chemotherapy according to the B-cell lymphoproliferative disease program is indicated for the treatment of MCD: sustained remission can be achieved by the use of R-CHOP or R-VD programs. The HHV-8-positive variants of MCD increase the probability of transforming the disease to incurable plasmablastic lymphoma. Overall, prognosis and therapy choice in HIV-negative patients with CD depend on the histological variant of the disease, the extent of a tumor, and HHV-8 infection.

Aim. To evaluate the efficiency of the treatment policy for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and hyperleukocytosis (HL), which is aimed at preventing rapid hypercytolysis and massive tumor lysis (cytolysis) syndrome and/or at reducing the degree of the latter at the start of induction polychemotherapy. Subjects and methods. In 2010 to 2014, the Hematology Research Center, Ministry of Health of Russia, treated 92 patients with AML, out of them 18 patients were found to have white blood cell counts of 100 to 408∙109/l (median, 130∙109/l) at the onset of the disease. All the examinees received cytoreductive therapy with hydroxyurea and, in presence of leukostasis and/or leukocytosis (≥150∙109/l), with leukocytapheresis. In case of reduced leukocytosis, plasmapheresis was carried out to prevent (treat) cytolysis. Daunorubicin was injected on days 3—5 of the 7+3 induction cycle. Results. The signs of leukostases were detected in more than half of the 18 patients with higher white blood cell counts: 13 (72%) with lung injury, including 5 of them with signs of respiratory distress syndrome, 6 (27.8%) with neurological symptomatology, 7 (38.9%) with disseminated intravascular coagulation syndrome, including 1 with intracranial hemorrhage. Cytoreduction therapy with hydroxyurea (10 mg/kg/day) was performed 1—5 (median 2) days before initiating induction chemotherapy in 17 patients; 9 patients underwent 1—2 (median 2) leukocytapheresis sessions. Sixteen patients received 1—4 (median 2) plasmapheresis sessions prior to and within the first days of the 7+3 treatment regimen. Daunorubicin (60 mg/m2) was administered to 16 patients on days 5—7 of the 7+3 cycle and to 2 patients on days 3—5 of the cycle. There were no signs of severe cytolysis with the development of multiple organ dysfunction in any patient. 50% (9/18) achieved remission after the first 7+3 cycle and 7 more examinees did after the second cycle. Thus, the remission rate was 89%; early mortality was 5.5% (1/18), three-year overall and relapse-free survival rates were 50%. Conclusion. Adequate cytoreductive and accompanying therapies for AML with HL can virtually completely prevent massive tumor cytolysis syndrome and early mortality during the first days of induction chemotherapy.

Aim. To analyze the efficiency of the ALL-2009 protocol (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01193933) in patients with T-cell leukemias, particularly the role of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (auto-HSCT) after non-myeloablative BEAM conditioning, followed by maintenance therapy. Subjects and methods. Since 2009, the ALL-2009 study has enrolled 90 patients with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL), the treatment results were assessed in 86 patients: 6 and 28 patients underwent allogeneic HSCT and auto-HSCT, respectively. A landmark analysis was used to compare survival rates in patients who had undergone auto-HSCT and in those who had not. For this, the median time from complete remission to the date of auto-HSCT was determined (the median was 6 months). Then to compare with the auto-HSCT group, only 27 patients who had been in complete remission for 6 months or more were included in a chemotherapy group. Results. The achievement of complete remission in patients with thymic T-ALL (100%) was significantly higher than in those with early (85.7%) or mature (70%) variants. The patients with early and mature T-ALL as compared to those with thymic T-ALL showed high death rates in the remission induction (7.4 and 10% versus 0) and the patients with mature T-ALL had a higher proportion of refractory forms (20% versus 0). The 5-year overall and relapse-free survival rates in all the T-ALL patients were 66 and 76%, respectively. After auto-HSCT, the risk of recurrence was 0% versus 21% after chemotherapy (p=0.03). The relapse-free survival rates significantly differed in the auto-HSCT and non-auto-HSCT groups: 100 and 66%, respectively (p=0.047). Conclusion. The long-term survival rates obtained during this multicenter study in the T-ALL patients treated according to the ALL-2009 protocol, the basis for which is the principle of continuity of cytostatic effects, are exclusively optimistic. Late consolidation with auto-HSCT following non-myeloablative BEAM conditioning, followed by maintenance therapy, considerably reduces the risk of recurrence.

Aim. To determine the immunoglobulin variable heavy chain (IgVH) genes and their somatic mutations and to compare these data with the clinical and laboratory parameters of patients and the outcomes of the disease. Subjects and methods. The investigation enrolled 24 patients (9 men and 15 women whose age was 32 to 77 years (median age, 60 years) with splenic marginal zone B-cell lymphoma (SMZBCL). The latter was diagnosed on the basis of histological and immunohistochemical examinations of a bone marrow trephine biopsy specimen, immunophenotyping of peripheral lymphoid cells or bone marrow aspirates. Results. The mutational status of the IgVH genes was analyzed in all the 24 patients. It was found that the tumor cells contained mutated IgVH genes (the VH1-family genes participated in most cases) in 15 (62.5%) patients with SMZBCL and unmutated ones in 9 (37.5%). There was a tendency towards more common tumor progression in patients with unmutated IgVH genes than in those with mutated ones. Conclusion. The presence of SMZBCL cases with both mutated and unmutated IgVH genes and the higher frequency of the VH1-2 gene are likely to indicate the molecular heterogeneity of the origin of this lymphoma.

Aim. To estimate the informative value of ultrasonography (USG) in the diagnosis of lung injuries in pregnant women with blood system tumors. Subjects and methods. Lung ultrasound was performed in 5 pregnant patients with blood cancers. The women's age was 29-38 years; gestational age was 14-33 weeks. Four women had different types of acute leukemia; one had primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma. All the women received chemotherapy for blood cancer. When there were signs of lung injury, USG was conducted, the results of which necessitated therapy or bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL). Results. Three patients developed acute respiratory failure; 2 of them required noninvasive ventilation. Based on the detection of consolidation with a dynamic air bronchogram and pleural effusion, the authors diagnosed bilateral pneumonia and alveolar-interstitial syndrome in 1 patient, right-sided pneumonia in 1, left-sided one in 1, and transfusion-related pulmonary edema in 1. Lung ultrasound did not verify the diagnosis of pneumonia in 1 patient. According to USG data, BAL procedures were performed in 2 patients; one of them was diagnosed as having Pneumocystis pneumonia; the other was found to have no pathogens in lavage fluid. Treatment resulted in clinical improvements and normalization of the lung ultrasound pattern in all the pregnant women. Later on, 4 women delivered via cesarean section done at 32-34 weeks' gestation and gave birth to healthy babies. One patient died from infectious complications after chemotherapy. Conclusion. Lung sound may be used to diagnose lung injury in pregnant women with blood cancers.

The purpose of the paper is to present Russian experts' consolidated opinion about acute myeloid leukemia (AML) treatment in adult patients aged less than 60 years. The guidelines have been elaborated having regard to foreign publications and Russian experience, on the basis of global and Russian clinical trials to treat AML and to define indications for allogeneic bone marrow transplantation in patients during first complete remission.

AIM. To make a randomized comparison of 2 consolidation treatment options (two patient groups): 2 cycles of cytarabine in average (1g/m2 in Group 2) and standard (100 mg/m2 in Group 1) doses in combination with idarubicin (8-12 mg/m2) and mitoxantrone (10 mg/m2), after two 7+3 induction cycles of daunorubicin (60 mg/m2) and subsequent 6 cycles of maintenance therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS. In January 2010 to October 2013, a Russian multicenter trial was conducted to treat patients with acute myeloid leukemias (AML) in accordance with the AML-01.10 protocol (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01587430). The trial enrolled 243 AML patients from 21 centers, including 71 patients (median age 38 years) from the State Hematology Center, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation; 35 and 36 patients were randomized to Groups 1 and 2, respectively. The randomized groups were balanced by basic clinical and laboratory parameters. Favorable, intermediate, and high cytogenetic prognoses were in 14 (21.9%), 40 (62.5%), and 10 (15.6%) patients, respectively. RESULTS. Prior to treatment, 2 patients died; one patient refused treatment. Fifty-eight (85.3%) of the 68 patients achieved complete remission (CR); early deaths was in 2 (2.9%) and resistance in 8 (11.8%). Four (6.9%) patients died during CR. Protocol deviations (doses, intervals, and the number of cycles) were recorded in 12 (20.7%) of the 58 patients. Other 8 (11.8%) patients were switched to low-dose cytarabine because of complications, withdrawn from the protocol and not included into the analysis of randomized comparison. Twenty allogeneic bone marrow transplantations (allo-BMT) (7 related, 12 unrelated, and 1 haploidentical) were performed; of them 15 allo-BMTs were done during first CR. In the 68 patients, 3-year overall survival (OS) was 45.6%; relapse-free survival (RFS) was 41.5%. OS was 64.6% in Group 1 and 58.3% in Group 2; RFS was 62 and 38.8% in Groups 1 and 2, respectively (p>0.5). In the favorable, intermediate, and high prognosis groups, OS was 79.5, 60, and 31.1% and RFS was 81.8, 41.3, and 33.3%, respectively (p=0.1). The consolidation treatment option unchanged survival rates in the above risk groups. Unachieved CR after the first cycle considerably decreased RFS (33.9% versus 60%) and served as an indication for allo-BMT during first CP (RFS without BMT was 0; that with BMT was 78%). CONCLUSION. No differences were found between both consolidation options according to long-term RESULTS. Protocol deviations were recorded in one-third of the patients. While implementing the protocol, the efficiency of treatment was high. Allo-BMT during first CR substantially increased RFS if CP was not achieved after the first cycle.

Myeloid sarcoma (MS) is a rare malignant solid tumor presented with myeloid blast cells showing varying degrees of maturation. MS may have an extramedullary site, precede, or develop simultaneously with the clinical manifestations of acute myeloid leukemia (AML); it may also occur as an AML relapse. Besides AML, MS may be a manifestation of chronic myeloid leukemia or other chronic myeloproliferative diseases. Due to the fact that this disease is rare, the bulk of the literature on MS is presented with single descriptions of retrospective studies and clinical cases. The paper describes 3 cases of MS with inversion of chromosome 16 and small bowel lesion.

AIM: To study changes in the plasma concentration of Β-endorphin (Β-E) in patients with hemophilia A and B (in the presence of bleeding and in the absence of hemorrhagic syndrome) and in whole blood and plasma donors before and after donation and to investigate the factors associated with (Β-E) concentration changes/MATERIAL AND METHODS: The prospective study of Β-E concentration changes (and related factors) enrolled 38 persons: 12 patients with hemophilia after acute blood loss, 11 patients with hemophilia without hemorrhagic syndrome, and 15 whole blood and plasma donors. Β-E concentrations were measured by enzyme immunoassay/RESULTS: In blood loss, the patients with hemophilia were found to have elevated serum Β-E concentration: 9.6 pg/ml (95% confidence interval (CI), 6.1 to 13.0 pg/ml) versus 5.2 pg/ml (95% CI, 1.4 to 8.9 pg/ml). After donation, the concentration of Β-E in the group of donors was higher than before donation: 7.3 pg/ml (95% CI, 4.9 to 9.7 pg/ml) versus 4.7 pg/ml (95% CI, 3.2 to 6.3 pg/ml). In the group of patients with hemophilia, the elevation of Β-E concentrations is steady-state (lasted at least 10 days); at this time, the Β-E value variability (estimated by mean square deviation) increased as compared with that in remission: 7.7 pg/ml (95% CI, 5.5 to 13.1 pg/ml) versus 2.4 pg/ml (95% CI, 1.7 to 4.4 pg/ml). The above differences are statistically significant (p=0.05)/CONCLUSION: In blood loss, there is an increase in plasma Β-E concentrations in the patients with hemophilia and donors. The increase in Β-E concentrations and the variability of its values were greater in the patients with hemophilia and blood loss than in the donors. The Β-E concentration elevation accompanying hemorrhage is characterized by steadiness in the patients with hemophilia.

AIM: To study the elements of the mesenchymal stromal cell compartment (multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MMSCs)) and their more mature progenies of fibroblast colony-forming units (CFU-F) in patients after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT)/MATERIAL AND METHODS: The total production of MMSCs after 5 passages, the time of their growth, and the concentration of CFU-F in the bone marrow from patients were determined using the control sections before transplantation and over time for 2 years after allo-HSCT. What is more, the genetic affiliation of the MMSCs from the patients after allo-HSCT and their immunophenotype were studied/RESULTS: The MMSCs from the patients after allo-HSCT belong to a recipient and have the immunophenotype that meets the international standard for these cells. The total production of MMSCs in the cultures obtained from the bone marrow of the patients with hematologic diseases was decreased. Not all the samples from the patients after allo-HSCT are able to undergo 5 passages. In addition, the time of growth substantially increases and the total production of cells decreases in all the analyzed cultures. These indicators are gradually restored; however, they never achieve the mean values in donors. The concentration of CFU-F in the bone marrow from the patients are reduced as compared to that in the donors prior to transplantation and decreased still further after allo-HSCT. These cell precursors are not restored for at least 2 years following allo-HSCT/CONCLUSION: Both examined categories of the cell precursors of the stromal environment suffer from both the disease itself and allo-HSCT in the patients with hematologic diseases.

Having a tropism for erythroid progenitor cells, parvovirus B19 may cause partial red cell aplasia and thrombocytopenia. Early diagnosis of parvovirus B19 infection in immunocompromised patients is needed for timely antiviral therapy. A high-risk group for parvovirus B19 infection includes patients with blood diseases who receive multiple transfusions of blood components; those who have undergone donor organ transplantation and are long taking immunosuppressive drugs; and pregnant women. These patients require careful virological monitoring for major blood-borne viral infections. This paper describes a clinical case of parvovirus B19 infection in a pregnant woman who has undergone kidney transplantation and is continuously taking immunosuppressive medications. Identification of the cause of severe anemia and timely adequate therapy could lead to the recovery of effective erythropoiesis in the patient.

AIM: To study the experience in managing patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) diagnosed in different periods of pregnancy/MATERIAL AND METHODS: Nine women with APL were treated in 1998-2013. When APL was diagnosed in the first trimester of pregnancy, the latter was terminated (n=1); when its diagnosis was made in the second trimester, chemotherapy (CT) followed by delivery (D) was performed (n=3); when it was done in the third trimester, D followed by CT was done in relation to gestational age (n=2) or these were performed at a later gestational age (n=1). APL was treated in 5 and 1 patients according to the AIDA protocol and the 7+3 plus ATRA one, respectively/RESULTS: All the patients with APL achieved remission after the first cycle of induction CT; 5 of the 6 patients did at the moment of delivery; one patient underwent emergency delivery during cytopenia after the cycle. The gestational age at delivery after CT was 34 (34-40) weeks. Spontaneous term labor occurred in 2 patients at an obstetric hospital. Cesarean section was made in 4 of the 6 patients. All babies were born alive, healthy, and without developmental abnormalities. Their age at the time of analyzing the results was 2.5 months to 15 years. Four of the 9 patients are presently alive. Late recurrences occurred in 3 (33%) patients. The median overall survival is 26 (0.25-128) months; the median relapse-free survival is 17.5 (0-127) months/CONCLUSION: APL treatment in pregnant women, which is aimed at saving two lives, is effective and reasonable.

AIM: To present the results of treatment in adult patients with acute T-lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) according to the ALL-2009 protocol of the Russian Acute Leukemia Study Group, the basic principle of which is continuation of cytostatic treatment, early switch from prednisolone to dexamethasone, and long-term use of L-asparaginase/MATERIAL AND METHODS: The results of diagnosis and treatment were analyzed in 70 patients with different immunological variants of T-ALL treated in the Russian multicenter trial/RESULTS: Out of the 70 patients with T-ALL, its early immunotype was determined in 32 (45.7%) cases, the thymic and mature immunotypes were found in 31 (44.3%) and 7 (10%) cases, respectively. The median age of the patients with T-ALL was 28 (ranged from 15 to 54) years; men were twice more than women (48 and 22, respectively). Bone marrow lesion was noted in all the patients with early T-ALL and in 80% of the patients with thymic and mature T-ALL. The enlarged mediastinum was significantly more frequently detected in mature T-ALL (100%) than in its early (53.4%) and thymic (60.7%) variants. Therapeutic effectiveness was evaluated in 58 patients. An analysis was made in January 2013. Induction therapy resulted in complete remission in 49 (84.5%) patients. The refractory course of the disease was recorded in 5 (8.6%) cases; early death was in 4 (6.9%). The rate of complete remission in thymic T-ALL, unlike in the early (72%) and mature (71.4%) variants, was significantly higher (100%) due to the absence of resistant forms and early mortality. Moreover, it should be noted that only the patients with early T-ALL (16%) died during the induction phase. In the patients with different variants of T-ALL, the overall and relapse-free survival rates were not significantly different, accounting for 67.2 and 76.2%, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed no prognostically unfavorable factors that determined long-term results/CONCLUSION: The ALL-2009 protocol is reproducible in any regions of the Russian Federation and highly efficient in treating patients with T-ALL.

AIM: To give the results of an investigation conducted at the Hematology Research Center (HRC), Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation (MHRF), to treat adult patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) according to the AIDA protocol elaborated by Spanish investigators/MATERIAL AND METHODS: The investigation enrolled 33 patients diagnosed with APL verified by cytogenetic and molecular studies, who had been treated at the HRC, MHRF, in July 2009 to January 2012. The patients classified in the low-, intermediate-, and high-risk groups were 30, 46.7; and 23.3%, respectively. The analysis was made in January 2013/RESULTS: The number of patients who achieved complete remission, as well as the mortality rates during remission induction were wholly comparable to those previously obtained when using the 7+3+ATRA protocol: 90.3 and 9.7%, respectively. One patient in remission died (3.6% mortality rate). The likelihood of recurrence in this investigation was high (21%), which was due to gross noncompliance with maintenance therapy. On examining the clearance of the malignant clone by FISH and polymerase chain reaction, a naturally chimeric transcript identified by a molecular study was statistically significantly more frequently revealed during postinduction therapy, which was associated with different sensitivity of the techniques. Comparison of changes in the disappearance of a chimeric marker for APL with the AIDA and 7+3+ARTA programs showed that the clearance of the malignant clone was much slower/CONCLUSION: The AIDA program is a highly effective treatment protocol for patients with APL.

AIM: To study and compare cytogenetic abnormalities in the bone marrow (BM) and peripheral blood (PB) CD34+ hematopoietic progenitor cells and in the BM mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS)/MATERIAL AND METHODS: The results of a cytogenetic analysis of the total population of BM cells (BMC), CD34+ hematopoietic progenitor cells from BM and PB, and BM MSCs were analyzed in 35 patients (29 patients with MDS and 6 with MDS transformed into acute myeloid leukemia (AML)) and 7 healthy BM donors. Cytogenetic examinations were performed by G-banding of chromosomes and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH)/RESULTS: The BMC karyotype was abnormal in 17 (49%) of the 35 patients (13 with MDS and 4 with AML); the others were found to have a normal BM karyotype. The FISH analysis confirmed the same cytogenetic abnormalities in the BM and PB CD34+ hematopoietic progenitor cells in all the examinees with an abnormal karyotype. The mean abnormal clone sizes in the total population of BMCs and BM and PB CD34+ progenitor cells did not differ and constituted 65.8, 73.1, and 74.8%, respectively. The patients with a normal BM karyotype had no chromosome abnormalities in the CD34+ cells either. The karyotype of MSCs was analyzed in 23 (19 with MDS and 4 with AML) of the 35 patients. No karyotype abnormalities were revealed in the patients with MDS transformed into AML. There were structural chromosome aberrations in 2 (11%) of the 19 patients with MDS (one with constitutional inv(9)(p13q21) was found to have non-clonal translocation t(2;22)(p10;q11) and the other had a clone with an additional segment of the long arm of chromosome 2 in 35% of the cells. No numerical MSC karyotype abnormalities were detected. A normal MSC karyotype was defined in 7 healthy BM donors/CONCLUSION: The cytogenetic analysis of hematopoietic and mesenchymal progenitor cells showed that the chromosome abnormalities revealed in these cell populations were different in the patients with MDS. The isolated CD34+ cells displayed the same cytogenetic abnormalities as in a total population of BMC. Examination of the latter could reveal no cytogenetic abnormalities in the majority of the patients. A normal BMC karyotype was detectable in the patients with AML. Two (11%) patients with MDS were found to have structural chromosome abnormalities that differed from those detected in the total population of BMC and in isolated CD34+ cells. The differences of chromosome abnormalities in the hematopoietic and mesenchymal progenitor cells point to the fact that the stromal microenvironment is not part of the abnormal clone in MDS, however, it may be of great importance in the pathogenesis of the disease.

AIM: To study the pathomorphology of kidneys in patients with multiple myeloma (MM) and severe renal failure (RF) and to compare the results of morphological, immunohistochemical, and electron microscopic examinations of nephrobiopsy specimens with the pattern of monoclonal secretion and the type of proteinuria and paraproteinuria/MATERIAL AND METHODS: A study group comprised 25 patients with MM and severe RF; 22 of them underwent programmed hemodialysis. Immunochemical study of serum and urine proteins, renal puncture biopsy with light, immunofluorescence and electron microscopy examination of its specimens were performed in all the patients/RESULTS: Cast nephropathy (CN) is the most common type of renal impairment in patients with MM and severe RF. CN concurrent with monoclonal immunoglobulin deposition disease was identified in 32% of cases. In the mixed lesion, it is CN that is a determinant in the development of acute and chronic RF. Rare variants of nephropathies as fibrillary glomerulonephritis, immunotactoid nephropathy, and crystalline histiocytosis were found in 16% of cases. In most cases, severe RF in MM develops in case of low monoclonal secretion. However, there are a larger number of secreted and excreted monoclonal light chains in CN than in other variants of kidney lesion. Urinary paraprotein G excretion suggests that the glomerular filter is damaged. Degenerative changes in the podocytes and a reduction in their small processes were detected in the majority of cases. In glomerular or mixed proteinuria, there were also unorganized and organized deposits in the glomerular basement membrane/CONCLUSION: The pattern of nephropathy does not determine a renal response after chemotherapy. The reversibility of CN in MM depends on the magnitude of interstitial fibrosis and podocyte changes. The pronounced changes in the podocytes as a reduction in their small processes serves as a poor sign in achieving renal responses following chemotherapy.

Aim. To perform a dynamic study of Β-endorphin, hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), and cytokines in hematologic patients. Subjects and methods. Fifty-nine patients with different types of acute leukemia (AL), 30 with anaplastic anemia (AA), 24 with thrombocytopenic purpura, and 20 healthy volunteers were examined during their 40-day stay at 3200 m above sea level. Β-Endorphin and HIF-1α were measured by a sandwich-type enzyme immunoassay using the Abcam antibodies. Cytokines (interleukin (IL)-2, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α) were estimated by enzyme immunoassay applying the Pro Con kits (Saint Petersburg). Results. Serum Β-endorphin concentrations were 1.5-2-fold above the normal values in the majority of patients with AL. The patients with initial leukocytosis at onset of disease were noted to have elevated white blood cell Β-endorphin concentrations up to 85.9±22.4 pg/ml; moreover, during chemotherapy this index increased about two times (170.74±33.8 pg/ml). There was a direct correlation between the concentrations of Β-endorphin and HIF-1α (r = 0.9) and an inverse correlation between the levels of IL-6 and Β-endorphin (r = -0.7). On ascending to 3200 m, under the conditions of hypoxic hypoxia the patients with AA or idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura showed a considerable increase in serum Β-endorphin concentrations, mainly in the acute period of being at high altitudes. Conclusion. Stress factors (tumor, use of cytostatics, pain, anemia, hypoxia, high environment temperature) stimulate the elaboration of Β-endorphin, particularly in the white blood cells of patients with AL during chemotherapy. The highest elevation in the index was seen during acute adaptation to hypoxic hypoxia.

Aim. To study the results of mobilizing and collecting autologous hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) in patients with multiple myeloma (MM) receiving bortezomib as part of induction therapy regimens. Materials and methods. In June 2001 to April 2010, the Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation, Hematology Research Center, Ministry of Health and Social Development of Russia, mobilized autologous HSC in 93 patients with MM, by using cyclophosphan (CF) and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor. The analysis covered 73 patients who received VAD and/or bortezomib-containing courses as induction therapy. Group 1 comprised 30 patients whose induction therapy was performed as 3-4 courses of VAD. Group 2 included 19 patients who had 2-4 courses of PAD or 4-8 courses of bortezomib + dexamethasone in addition to 1-3 courses of VAD. Group 3 combined 24 patients who used 6-8 courses of bortezomib + dexamethasone or 3-4 courses of PAD + 4-6 courses of bortezomib + dexamethasone. Results. In Group 1 patients whose induction therapy was performed as 3-4 courses of VAD, baseline peripheral blood CD34+ cell counts were 3,575±631 in 1 ml, which was statistically significantly higher than those in Group 2 patients who had bortezomib-containing courses in addition to VAD courses. In Group 2 patients, premobilization CD34+ cell counts were 2,164±516 in 1 ml. The lowest blood CD34+ cell levels (1,586±405 in 1 ml) were observed in Group 3 patients in whom bortezomib was used as first-line therapy. In Group 1 patients, the maximum peripheral blood counts of CD34+ cells were 322,287±73,994 in 1 ml, which was significantly higher than their maximum level in Groups 2 (231,624±39,708 in 1 ml) and 3 (161,007±44,266 in 1 ml) patients. The efficiency of mobilization proved to be high; more than 4.0·106/kg of CD34+ cells were collected in all the patients with bortezomib-containing induction therapy, which allowed two autologous HSC transplantations to be carried out.Conclusion. Adding bortezomib at the stage of induction has no significant impact on the results of HSC mobilization and collection. By taking into account the possibility of achieving a complete or very good partial response in 40-60% of the patients using the bortezomib-containing regimens as first-line therapy, bortezomib should be considered as an essential drug as part of induction therapy.

Aim. To evaluate the efficiency of administration of multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells obtained from a bone marrow donor for the treatment of an acute host-versus-graft reaction (HVGR) resistant to therapy with glucocorticosteroids (GCS). Subjects and methods. The experience in treating 6 patients with GCS-resistant acute HVGR following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is given. The patients were intravenously injected cultured multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MMSC) in a dose of 106 per kg body weight. Results. Four weeks after MMSC administration, a complete or partial response was obtained in 3 cases; clinical improvement was noted in 2; one patient showed no response. MMSC therapy proved to be effective in 5 of the 6 cases with acute HVGR resistant to GCS therapy. Conclusion. MMSC therapy turned out to be effective in case of acute HVGR resistant to GCS therapy.

Aim. To give the preliminary results of the AML-01.10 Russian multicenter randomized trial to treat adult acute myeloid leukemia (AML), the basic principle of which is to use high-dose anthracycline antibiotics in induction/consolidation. Subjects and methods. By December 2011, 145 patients with AML had been randomized from 18 hematology centers of 15 cities and towns of the Russian Federation; the median age of all the patients was 44 years. Seventy-one patients were analyzed in August 2011 (a 1.5-year follow-up). Results. The efficiency of 2 courses 7+3 using high-dose daunorubicin (60 mg/m2 per administration) and continuous infusion of cytarabine during the second course was high and comparable with that in the use of a high-dose HAM protocol as a second induction course and can achieve a complete remission in 74.6%. The protocol toxicity evaluated from its early mortality (11.3%) and its death in complete remission (16.6%) was permissible, particularly by taking into consideration the multicenter pattern of the trial. At the completion of analysis, 53 (68.8%) out of the 77 patients on whom the data on their vital status were available were alive. In this follow-up period, the frequency of recurrences was 19.2% (10/52). Only 3 (4.2%) patients out of the 71 patients in whom the efficiency of the protocol had been completely evaluated underwent allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. Conclusion. The total high dose (720 mg/m2) of anthracycline antibiotics, which is used in the period of induction and consolidation, determines the long periods of myelosuppression and intercourse intervals. Protocol deviations (no course of consolidation therapy, lower-dose idarubicin during consolidation therapy, a course of low-dose cytarabine between the courses of induction and consolidation chemotherapy, and very long intercourse intervals) were recorded in a total of 20 (28%) patients.

Aim. To study levels of hepsidine (Hp), hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1α), erythropoietin (EP) and ferritin in patients with acute leukemia (AL), effects of protein fractions of homogenate of blastic cells (BC) on regulatory proteins studied. Material and methods. Depending on leukocyte count in the onset of AL, 70 patients with first ever diagnosed AL were divided into two groups: group 1 - 17 patients with leukocyte count > 30109/l, group 2 - 53 patients with leukocyte count < 30109/l. Serum and leukocyte parameters were studied before treatment, during the treatment with cytostatic drugs, in the course of myelotoxic agranulocytosis (MTA), after normalization of hemograms. EP was detected with enzyme immunoassay, serum and leukocyte ferritin - with radioimmunoassay; HIF-1α, Hp - sandwich enzyme immunoassay using monospecific antisera and monoclonal antibodies against relevant antigens. Leukocytes were isolated in ficol and verografin solutions density gradient. Chromatographic division of the protein fractions in 3 patients with leukocytosis in AL onset and leukocytes of 3 donors was made by the method of preparative isoelectrofocusing of BC and leukocytes on LKB colon (Sweden). Effects of these fractions were studied on 11 plasma samples from hematological patients and 4 plasma samples from patients with normal hemopoiesis. Results. Leukocytosis patients with initial AL have serum ferritin, Hp and HIF-1α levels about 2-5 times lower than patients without leukocytosis. Cytostatic treatment raises an HIF-1α level in BC about 15-fold (85.8±24.5 pg/ml), in the study group - 3-fold (15.2±3.3 pg/ml). The highest EP levels were seen in MTA. It is detected that protein fractions isolated from leukocytes of patients with leukocytosis in the disease onset raise HIF-1α content irrespective of HIF-1α presence in the fraction. Patients free of hematological diseases have no changes of the above proteins. Conclusion. Great difficulties exist in ferritin and Hp levels between AL patients with leukocytosis in the onset of the disease and without of leukocytosis. The study of leukocytes suggests that tumor cells of such patients contain compounds which can regulate production of HIF-1α, Hp and ferritin.