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Copyright of Revista Española de Quimioterapia is the property of Sociedad Espanola de Quimioterapia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article discusses a study conducted to analyse the use of the working and health conditions survey (WHCS) in occupational health research. It informs that a literature of WHCS was conducted in PubMed in the period 1990-2009 including research articles. It also informs that scientific literature based on the WHCS revealed that some topics have been unexplored including workers participation, preventive interventions, and labour and familiar conciliation.

Summary Patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) whose tumour cells harbour a 17p deletion (17p-) are universally considered to have a poor prognosis. The deletion can be detected at diagnosis or during the evolution of the disease, particularly in patients who have received chemotherapy. We sought to evaluate the natural history of patients with 17p- CLL, identify predictive factors within this prognostic subgroup, and evaluate the results of different therapeutic approaches. Data from 294 patients with 17p- CLL followed up at 20 different institutions was retrospectively collected and analysed. Median age was 68 (range 27-98) years at the time of fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis. After 17p- documentation, 52% received treatment, achieving an overall response rate of 50%. Median overall survival was 41 months, and was significantly shorter in patients with elevated beta2-microglobulin concentration ( P < 0·001), B symptoms ( P = 0·016), higher percentage of cells with deletion ( P < 0·001), and acquired deletions ( P = 0·012). These findings suggest that patients with 17p- CLL have a variable prognosis that can be refined using simple clinical and laboratory features, including 17p- clone size, beta2-microglobulin concentration, presence of B symptoms and type of deletion ( de novo versus acquired). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To investigate whether sexual assaults are more likely to co-occur with some types of abuse rather than others in violent intimate relationships. Design. Cross-sectional study. Setting. A self-administered questionnaire was sent to all Norwegian women's shelters. Population. Women seeking refuge at Norwegian women's shelters in 2002 and 2003. Methods. Sexual assault and experiences of intimate partner violence were measured using the Severity of Violence against Women Scale (SVAWS) and psychological violence was measured using the Psychological Maltreatment of Women Inventory (PMWI). Main outcome measures. Student's t-test analyses were performed between the mean values of the different acts of reported violence, and linear regression analyses were used to examine the association between sexual violence and the other forms of violence reported. Results. Sexual violence correlated significantly with the other eight categories in SVAWS, and with violence directed at the pregnant woman's abdomen and psychological violence in PMWI. When we adjusted all categories for each other by linear regression analysis, sexual intimate partner violence was significantly associated with hair pulling, arm twisting, spanking or biting, dominance and isolation abuse and violence directed at the pregnant woman's abdomen. Conclusion. Sexual assaults are more likely to co-occur with some types of physical and psychological violence than with others. This knowledge may be important for improving our understanding of sexual violence in intimate partner relationships and in the efforts to detect intimate partner violence. Bruises, loss of hair and bite marks may suggest that sexual acts were committed against the victim's will. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Boletín de la Sociedad Geológica Mexicana is the property of Sociedad Geologica Mexicana and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

We evaluated the clinical results of lenalidomide (Len) as a compassionate salvage therapy in refractory/relapsed multiple myeloma (MM) patients. A nationwide multi-centre, retrospective research study was performed to evaluate clinical data from patients with advanced MM for which compassionate use of lenalidomide was requested. The primary endpoints were the overall response rate (ORR) and the time to progression (TTP). Secondary objectives included safety and overall survival (OS) since starting of lenalidomide therapy. Data collected from the Spanish Compassionate Use Registry included 111 patients treated in 2006-2008. The median (range) number of previous treatment lines was 3 (1-8). The median duration of lenalidomide treatment while on study was of 4.9 months (1-18). Dexamethasone was given concomitantly with Len in 89% of patients. The ORR was 66% (4% of patients had stringent complete, 11% complete and 11% very good partial responses). Median TTP and OS were 13.0 and 17.4 months, respectively. The depth of response was significantly associated with a longer OS. Toxicity, mainly myelosuppression, was predictable and manageable with Len dose adjustments and cytokine support. Lenalidomide as salvage compassionate therapy in refractory/relapsed MM showed, in this series of heavily pre-treated patients, similar efficacy to that reported in pivotal clinical trials with acceptable tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The employment of current treatments based on chemotherapy and immunotherapy leads to inmunosuppression. The presence of mutations or polymorphisms in genes related to immune system might involve an additional disadvantage. The aim of the present study was to analyze mannose-binding lectin (MBL-2 gene) mutations and their association with severe infections and event-free survival in patients diagnosed with follicular lymphoma, treated uniformly, in the clinical trial LNHF-03. The results of this trial showed impressive clinical efficacy but was complicated with 80 documented infectious episodes. Patients were classified into two genotypic groups, AA and AO/OO, based on their haplotypic inheritance. Neither the number of infectious episodes nor differences in event-free survival was found as a function of MBL-2 groups. Other factors, including the lymphoma malignancy and the immune alterations associated with the disease, should be considered responsible for this observation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Acalabrutinib is a next-generation, highly selective, covalent Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor approved for patients with CLL, including those with R/R CLL. Objectives: The efficacy and safety of acalabrutinib alone versus IdR or BR were shown in patients with R/R CLL in a preplanned interim analysis of ASCEND; final results are reported herein. Methods: In this randomized, multicenter, phase 3, open-label study (NCT02970318), patients with R/R CLL were randomized 1:1 to receive oral (PO) acalabrutinib 100 mg twice daily (bid) or investigator's choice of IdR (Id: 150 mg PO bid until progression or toxicity; R: 375 mg/m² x 1, then 500 mg/m² IV for 8 total infusions) or BR (B: 70 mg/m² IV and R: 375 mg/m² x 1, then 500 mg/m² IV for 6 total cycles) until progression or toxicity. Progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), overall response rate (ORR), and safety were assessed. All patients provided informed consent. Results: A total of 310 patients (acalabrutinib, n = 155; IdR, n = 119; BR, n = 36) were enrolled (median age: 67 years; del[17p] 16%, del[11q] 27%, Rai stage 3/4 42%). At a median follow-up of 22.0 months, acalabrutinib significantly prolonged investigator-assessed PFS versus IdR/BR (median: not reached vs 16.8 months; hazard ratio: 0.27; P <.0001); 18-month PFS rates were 82% for acalabrutinib and 48% for IdR/BR. The 18-month OS rate was 88% for both treatment regimens. The ORR was 80% with acalabrutinib versus 84% with IdR/BR; ORR including partial response with lymphocytosis was 92% versus 88%, respectively. The most common adverse events (AEs; any grade [grade ≥3]) by treatment group were: acalabrutinib, headache (22% [1%]), neutropenia (21% [17%]), and diarrhea (20% [2%]); IdR, diarrhea (49% [25%]) and neutropenia (46% [40%]); BR, neutropenia (34% [31%]), fatigue (23% [3%]), infusion-related reaction (23% [3%]), and nausea (20% [0%]). AEs led to drug discontinuation in 16% of acalabrutinib, 56% of IdR, and 17% of BR patients. AEs of interest included atrial fibrillation (acalabrutinib 6%, IdR/BR 3%), major hemorrhage (all grade; acalabrutinib 3%, IdR/BR 3%), grade ≥3 infections (acalabrutinib 20%, IdR/BR 25%), and second primary malignancies excluding nonmelanoma skin cancer (acalabrutinib 5%, IdR/BR 2%). Conclusions: Final ASCEND results with additional follow-up confirm earlier findings and support the favorable efficacy and safety of acalabrutinib compared with standard-of-care regimens in patients with R/R CLL. Support: This study was sponsored by Acerta Pharma, a member of the AstraZeneca group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary. Between 1994 and 1999, 88 multiple myeloma (MM) patients were included in a phase II study to evaluate a tandem autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) programme. The first was conditioned with melphalan 200 mg/m2 (MEL200-ASCT1), and the second with cyclophosphamide, etoposide and BCNU (CBV-ASCT2). All patients were in response after MEL200-ASCT1. A control group of MM patients with response to a single ASCT was selected to compare outcomes. After MEL200-ASCT1, 26 patients (30%) achieved complete remission (CR). Of the remaining 48 evaluable patients, 16 (33%) achieved CR with CBV-ASCT2. The final CR rate was 48%. The 5-year survival (OS) was 55%[95% confidence interval (CI) 43–67%] while the event-free survival (EFS) was 28% (95% CI 15–39%). CR status after CBV-ASCT2 was the most important prognostic factor for OS and EFS (P = 0·00001), although no differences in outcomes were detected when the patients in CR after MEL200-ASCT1 were compared with those who obtained CR after CBV-ASCT2. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed improved OS and EFS for the tandem series as compared with the control series treated with a single MEL200-ASCT. However, in a stratified comparison by response, there were no prognostic differences between tandem patients and control patients treated with a single ASCT. In summary, our study suggests that the benefit of a second high-dose therapy course depends on its capacity to result in CR for MM patients who have not attained CR after ASCT1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Predictive factors of the response to rHuG-CSF in normal donors have not been extensively studied.Study Design and Methods: We analyzed factors influencing CD34+ cell yield in the 1st day of collection in 261 healthy donors from the Spanish National Donor Registry. The median age was 38 years (range, 2-72). The median dose of rHuG-CSF was 10 microg per kg per day (range, 5-20) over 4 days. In 103 donors (40%), <4 x 10(6) per kg CD34+ cells were collected. The variables that were analyzed included age, sex, weight, basal complete blood cell count, dose, type of rHuGCSF and schedule of administration, and maximum WBC count before apheresis.Results: By univariate analysis, the maximum WBC count (<50 vs. >or=50 x 10(9)/L, p = 0.004), advanced age (p = 0.008), and number of daily rHuG-CSF doses (one vs. two; p = 0.01) correlated with the number of CD34+ cells collected. By multivariate analysis, donors age (<38 vs. >or=38 years; p = 0.014) and a single daily dose of rHuG-CSF (p = 0.005) were the two variables that significantly predicted a low CD34+ cell yield.Conclusion: Donors' age, with a threshold of 38 years or more, and the rHuG-CSF schedule are the factors that significantly affected CD34+ cell mobilization and collection in healthy donors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To assess the influence of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) on the outcome of patients with advanced haematological malignancies (AHM) who received a primary, unmodified allogeneic peripheral blood progenitor cells transplant (allo-PBT) from a human leucocyte antigen (HLA) identical sibling donor, we analysed 136 patients with myeloid neoplasms (n = 70) or lymphoproliferative disorders (n = 66), transplanted at 19 Spanish institutions. Median age was 35 years (range 1–61). The cumulative incidence of relapse for all patients was 34% (95% CI, 26–42%), 41% (95% CI, 33–49) for patients without GVHD and 14% (95% CI, 3–25) (P = 0·001) for patients with acute and chronic GVHD. After a median follow-up of 11 months (range 2–49), 60 (44%) patients remained alive with an actuarial probability of overall survival and disease-free survival (DFS) at 30 months of 31% (95% CI, 21–41%) and 28% (95% CI, 17–39%) respectively. In patients surviving > 100 d, the low incidence of relapse in those with acute and chronic GVHD led to a DFS of 57% (95% CI, 38–76%) compared with a DFS of 34% (95% CI, 17–51%) in the remaining patients (P = 0·03). Our results indicate a reduced incidence of relapse for patients with AHM receiving an unmodified allo-PBT and developing acute and chronic GVHD, which results in an improved DFS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have retrospectively analysed 344 multiple myeloma (MM) patients (202 de novo patients) treated in a non-uniform way in whom high-dose therapy and autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) response was simultaneously measured by both electrophoresis (EP) and immunofixation (IF). Patients in complete remission (CR) by EP were further subclassified as CR1 when IF was negative and CR2 when it remained positive. Partial responders (PR) were also subclassified as PR1 (very good PR, > 90% reduction in M-component) or PR2 (50–90% reduction). CR1 patients showed a significantly better event-free survival (EFS) [35% at 5 years, 95% confidence interval (CI) 17–53, median 46 months] and overall survival (OS) (72% at 5 years, CI 57–86, median not reached) compared with any other response group (univariate comparison P < 0·00000 to P = 0·004). In contrast, comparison of CR2 with PR1 and with PR2 did not define different prognostic subgroups (median EFS 30, 30 and 26 months respectively, P = 0·6; median survival 56, 44 and 42 months respectively, P = 0·5). The non-responding patients had the worst outcome (5-year OS 8%, median 7 months). Multivariate analysis confirmed both the absence of differences among CR2, PR1 and PR2 and the highly discriminatory prognostic capacity of a three-category classification: (i) CR1 (ii) CR2 + PR1 + PR2, and (iii) non-response (EFS P < 0·00000; OS P < 0·00000; both Cox models P < 0·00000). In the logistic regression analysis, the factors significantly associated with failure to achieve CR1 were the use of two or more up-front chemotherapy lines, status of non-response pre-ASCT and inclusion of total body irradiation (TBI) in the preparative regimen. Tandem transplants or the use of multiple agents (busulphan and melphalan) in the preparative regimen resulted in a higher CR1 level; none of the biological factors explored influenced the possibility of achieving CR1. These results confirm that, in MM patients undergoing ASCT, achieving a negative IF identifies the patient subset with the best prognosis; accordingly, therapeutic strategies should be specifically designed to achieve negative IF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]