Edmond Shiu Kwan Ma

..1 +/- 15.6 per cent respectively with a median duration of follow-up of 22 months. When compared with AML having no t(8;21) treated similarly in the same period, we could not demonstrate a better clinical outcome for t(8;21) AML...

..Finally, triplication of alpha-globin genes should be looked for in families with children affected by beta-thalassemia intermedia in which only one parent showed a picture of beta-thalassemia on Hb analysis...

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..Correlation of genotype with phenotype in Hb H disease is important for genetic counselling, especially in the antenatal setting...

..Nonetheless, this case further demonstrates the morphological and phenotypic heterogeneity of acute leukaemia with this translocation. In this girl it was associated with disseminated intravascular coagulation...

..The possible presence of this mutation should also be considered in appropriate cases for genetic counseling in couples at risk of conceiving fetuses with beta-thalassemia major or intermedia...

..By correlation of cell morphology with results of fluorescence in situ hybridization using a chromosome 8 probe, we demonstrated that the basophils were not reactive but belonged to the neoplastic MDS clone...

..Trisomy 5 as a sole karyotypic abnormality was exceedingly rare (two cases). Its biologic and prognostic significance remains to be determined...

..The thalassaemias are the commonest blood disorders worldwide, with South East Asia and southern China as areas of high prevalence. Accurate diagnosis of these disorders helps in clinical management with improved outcome...

..2) deletion. Active haemolysis in members of this family is segregated with the HS phenotype, and the Hb Q-Thailand in the heterozygous state does not seem to show any modulating effect on HS...

..We hypothesized that AML in this case resulted from a complex pre-disposition by the natural progression of ET, prolonged use of HU, and the prior evolution into MF. The leukemogenic risk of HU is critically appraised...

..The leukemogenic risk of hydroxycarbamide, a ribonucleoside reductase, and the risk of natural leukemic transformation of polycythemia rubra vera is discussed in the context of previous PVSG studies...

..Finally, chromosomes with large constitutive heterochromatin bands such as chromosome 1 may be at risk of centromeric instability and be predisposed to centromeric fusion with other chromosomes...

..However, they have a considerable degree of morphologic and immunophenotypic overlap, making a definitive diagnosis difficult...

..We describe a patient with chronic myeloid leukemia on interferon treatment, who developed BMN with symptoms and signs masquerading as interferon toxicity. This is followed by a literature review of BMN in CML...

..As APL is now considered a curable disease, any confirmed long-term survival impact of additional cytogenetic changes is expected to have important management implications...

..2%), but not heterozgyotes (42.2%), were found to have a significantly increased risk of gallstones and jaundice. However, common Chinese Gilbert syndrome alleles do not completely explain the variable risks...

..The overall features suggest instead separate lymphoma and leukemic evolution from a common mutated B-cell precursor rather than transformation of DLBC lymphoma to ALL...

..CONCLUSIONS: Both telomere shortening and pericentromeric heterochromatin decondensation contribute to the formation of jumping translocations, which is most probably a multi-stage process...

..To investigate whether it is worthwhile, in areas where thalassaemia is common, to screen for globin gene mutations in subjects with a mean corpuscular volume (MCV) above 80 fL, especially in partners of known thalassaemia carriers...

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..Sequencing of p53 ruled out Li-Fraumeni syndrome. Predisposition to malignancy might be an underlying mechanism of donor-cell leukaemia...

..In areas with a high prevalence of alpha-thalassemia, improved detection of SEA deletion carriers would ultimately facilitate the identification of pregnancies at risk of hydrops fetalis and its prevention through prenatal diagnosis...

..Our findings confirm that additional or secondary genetic changes including AML1 amplification are commonly encountered in childhood ALL with TEL/AML1 gene fusion, which are envisaged to play significant roles in disease progression...

..We speculate that tissue damage by cellular constituents of the abnormal eosinophils that were released on cell lysis after chemotherapy might be etiologically linked to the occurrence of fatal pulmonary complications...

..Here we compared the outcomes of the staged approach with frontline PAD (bortezomib/doxorubicin/dexamethasone) or VTD (bortezomib/thalidomide/dexamethasone) induction, and analysed prognostic factors for outcome...

..Central venous catheter (CVC) blockage is a common complication in pediatric oncology patients. We investigated whether inherited thrombophilic factors may predispose Chinese children with cancer to CVC blockage...

..CONCLUSIONS: Atypical interphase D-FISH patterns should not be interpreted in isolation and should be considered in conjunction with other cytogenetic or molecular genetic investigations...

..Bone marrow transplantation led to the disappearance of p15 methylation in one patient. These results showed that p15 methylation was an early event in the evolution of some t-MDS/AML patients...

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..Clinicians and hematologist should be aware of such a predisposition and possible dual pathology for proper diagnosis, therapy and monitoring of both the infection and the myeloproliferation...

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..Continued reassortment of H1N1/2009 with swine influenza viruses could produce variants with transmissibility and altered virulence for humans. Global systematic surveillance of influenza viruses in swine is warranted...

..Thrombocythemia became obvious after OLT. The patient subsequently developed blastic transformation 12 months afterward, a process probably accelerated by the immunosuppression required for the OLT...

..The use of cell separation procedures may be a relatively rapid, reversible, and reasonably safe way to control platelet counts peri-operatively in liver transplant recipients...

..The differential diagnoses of plasmacytosis in the lymph node are also discussed...

..Nonmyeloablative HSCT might be considered a cellular therapy for PTLD, but possible CNS relapse must be effectively tackled...

..The long-term use of immunodulating agents in patients with CD is not without risks, and early therapy related myelodysplasia might not be easily detected by blood count and morphology assessment alone...

..The importance of recognition of rare clinical syndromes that may predispose to leukemia is discussed...

..Of further interest is that recipient lymphoid regeneration had accompanied autologous haematopoietic regeneration and become a target for subsequent neoplastic transformation...

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