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T Saikia

Publications and source records attributed to T Saikia.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Imatinib mesylate in chronic myeloid leukemia: a prospective, single arm, non-randomized study.

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a hematopoietic stem cell disorder characterized by the balanced reciprocal translocation t (9:22). The resulting fusion gene, the BCR-ABL, is responsible for oncogenesis. Imatinib mesylate is a novel molecule, which inhibits the protein product of this fusion gene and hence has been used in the treatment of CML. The present study evaluates 174 patients with CML treated with imatinib mesylate. Of these 174 patients, 97 were in chronic phase, 47 in accelerated phase and 30 patients had blast crisis. Patients in chronic phase received imatinib mesylate in the dose of 400-mg daily, while those in accelerated phase and blast crisis received 600 to 800 mg daily. Of the 97 patients with chronic phase, 49 patients (50.5%) achieved a major (major + complete) cytogenetic response. Of the 47 patients in accelerated phase, 10 patients (21.3%) achieved a major cytogenetic response and in 30 patients with blast crisis, 7 (23.3%) achieved a major cytogenetic response. Dermatitis, mucositis, neutropenia and thrombocytopenia were some of the major toxicities. Of interest, 121 of the 174 patients (69.5%) developed generalized hypopigmentation. We conclude that imatinib mesylate is a safe and effective first-line therapy for chronic myeloid leukemia.

Adolescent↗

Primary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the bone: a single institution experience.

UNLABELLED: Primary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the bone is an unusual entity. Twenty-five patients with diffuse large cell lymphoma of the bone were registered at the Tata Memorial Hospital (TMH) from August, 1991, to May, 2002. Pain at the local site and soft tissue swelling were the commonest symptoms. Involvement of the bones in the lower half of the body was more frequent than the bones in the upper half. Osteolytic lesions and an associated soft tissue mass were the common radiological findings. Nineteen patients received CHOP chemotherapy and five received COP chemotherapy. Twenty-three patients received involved field radiotherapy. The overall response to therapy was 96%. On follow-up, two patients had a nodal relapse. One patient died of progressive disease, and one patient died of cryptococcal meningitis. There were no deaths due to treatment-related toxicity. The mean progression free survival was 9.39 yr and the overall survival was 11.66 yr. The median overall survival has not been reached. At last follow-up, 21 patients were being following up at TMH and are free of disease. CONCLUSION: Primary bone lymphoma is a malignancy that is highly curable with a combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Adolescent↗

Successful allogeneic stem cell transplantation with fludarabine-based conditioning regimen in severe aplastic anemia.

Graft failure is a problem in HLA-identical sibling transplants for patients with refractory severe aplastic anaemia (SAA). Intensification efforts includes addition of radiation or biologic agents such as antithymocyte globulin (ATG), procarbazine or cyclophosphamide has often been advocated to combat this problem. With this approach engraftment rate has improved. However the incidence of transplant related complications are also increased, resulting in little change in the overall outcome. We therefore investigated the use of combination of fludarabine and cyclophosphamide as a non-myeloablative conditioning regimen in a patient who was refractory to multiple immunosuppressive agents and transfusions. He received peripheral blood stem cells from his HLA-identical sibling donor. With a follow up of eighteen months, the patient is alive with complete and durable hematopoietic engraftment. Fludarabine-based conditioning regimen therefore has the potential to be successfully and safely used in patients with SAA undergoing transplant.

Adult↗

Fluorescence in situ hybridization: a highly efficient technique of molecular diagnosis and predication for disease course in patients with myeloid leukemias.

The accuracy of cytogenetic diagnosis in the management of hematological malignancies has improved significantly over the past 10 years. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), a technique of molecular cytogenetics, has played a pivotal role in the detection of unique sub-microscopic chromosomal rearrangements that helped in the identification of chromosomal loci, which contain genes involved in leukemogenesis. We studied the feasibility and sensitivity of the FISH technique for molecular analysis of translocations markers, t(9;22) and t(15;17) for accurate molecular diagnosis and for monitoring the disease in 21 patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) who received interferon-alpha and/or chemotherapy (7 patients), bone marrow transplantation (14 patients), and 14 patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) who received all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) and/or chemotherapy. We also applied conventional karyotyping (CK) for identification of t(9;22) and t(15;17) at diagnosis. All CML cases had a Ph; t(9;22) and except for two cases all APL had t(15;17). The FISH studies on CML marrows in complete cytogenetic remission (CCR) (100% Ph- by CK) achieved by IFN-alpha, showed 0-2.5% of cells with BCR-ABL fusion in first cytogenetic remission (Controls, range 0.5-1.5%). Repeat follow-up FISH studies could be done in two cases in remission, which demonstrated 0-10% of cells with BCR-ABL fusion. Evaluation of Ph positive status of CML marrow at diagnosis by CK (100% Ph+ cells) and FISH (80-92% BCR-ABL fusion) pointed the existence of dormant clone of normal residual hematopoietic cells along with actively proliferating clones of Ph positive cells. Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis of post-BMT CML marrows in CCR (0% Ph+ mitoses) could detect MRD with range of 1-6%. Among 14 patients, 9 who showed percentage of BCR-ABL positive cells (0.0-1.5%) almost similar to normal controls, 6 patients had comparatively good prognosis (disease-free survival 7-14 months). Of five patients with residual leukemic cells in the range of 2-6%, 4 relapsed within a period of 3-24 months. Fourteen APL patients in CCR [100% t(15;17) negative cells by CK] were evaluated by FISH to check the presence of residual leukemic cells. In these patients FISH could efficiently detect 1-14.5% of residual cells with PML-RARA (patients mean MRD 5%, controls mean MRD 3.5%, P=.02). Since the time of FISH analysis, 5 to 7 patients with higher fraction of leukemic cells (5-11%) relapsed within a short period (1-7 months). On the contrary, 5 of 7 patients with either absence or low percentage of PML-RARA positive cells remained in complete remission for 11-24 months. Our data show that FISH has a potential to detect and measure the fraction of aberrant malignant cells in remission marrows, induced by BMT in CML and chemotherapy in APL. These findings encourage the investigations on a large scale to merit its potential for identification of patients at high risk. In the present studies, FISH on interphase cells also demonstrated its efficiency in the molecular diagnosis by its ability to detect BCR-ABL and PML-RARA fusion in CML with masked/variant Ph and t(15;17) negative APL, respectively. The efficiency of technique in molecular diagnosis was also proved in one of the CML patients who progressed to myeloid blastic phase where interphase FISH could identify an extra BCR-ABL fusion on both chromosomes 9 indicating insertion of BCR into ABL and its duplication.

Adolescent↗

Mycobacterial pulmonary infection post allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.

Allogeneic bone marrow transplant recipients are prone to pulmonary infections caused by a wide spectrum of organisms. Since the first bone marrow transplatation (BMT) done in 1983 at the Tata Memorial Hospital, we have recently seen the first case of Mycobacterium Fortuitum Chelonae complex among 117 BMT (including 90 allogeneic and 27 autologous) patients. The patient was on immunosuppressants for chronic GVHD post allogeneic BMT done for CML-CP. He developed pulmonary mycobacterial infection 13 months post BMT. Diagnosis was difficult because of the atypical presentation, negative culture reports, and the presence of multiple pathogens due to immunosuppression. In our case the diagnosis was eventually established after examination of material obtained by bronchoscopy. Patient has shown response to antituberculosis drugs after 2 months. This shows the need to consider atypical mycobacterial infection in the differential diagnosis of pulmonary illness in the post allogeneic BMT setting.

Adult↗

Gynecomastia in a case of hairy cell leukaemia--cladribine induced?

Gynecomastia is benign enlargement of the male breast and is commonly drug induced. Various drugs are responsible and chemotherapeutic drugs can also cause gynecomastia. Cladribine is now widely used for the treatment of hairy cell leukaemia. We present a case report of development of unilateral gynecomastia in a case of hairy cell leukaemia treated with cladribine and question whether this was induced by the chemotherapy.

Adult↗

2-CdA in the treatment of hairy cell leukaemia.

INTRODUCTION: Hairy cell leukaemia (HCL) is a rare lymphoproliferative disorder. Treatment options available are splenectomy, interferon, DCF and 2-CdA. 2-CdA is considered to have curative potential as proved by the other studies. METHODS: We gave 2-CdA in a dose of 0.09/kg/day as a continuous infusion in sixteen patients of hairy cell leukaemia. RESULTS: Three patients developed neutropenia post transfusion. At the end of three months all patients were in remission. Two patients relapsed at the median follow-up of 15 months. CONCLUSION: 2-CdA in HCL can achieve complete remission, prolonged survival and care as well.

2-Chloroadenosine↗

Epstein-Barr virus association in classical Hodgkin's disease provides survival advantage to patients and correlates with higher expression of proliferation markers in Reed-Sternberg cells.

BACKGROUND: Most Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) associated lymphoproliferative disorders have high proliferation indices. However, classical Hodgkin's disease (cHD) is heterogeneous, with respect to proliferation index of the Reed-Sternberg cell (RS cell), and EBV association. Hence, we investigated whether cHD with and without EBV-association differ with respect to the proliferation index of the RS cells. Further we investigated whether this would have a bearing on patients survival. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We investigated 110 cases of cHD for: a) EBV association by immunohistochemical demonstration of EBV-latent membrane protein-1 and EBV encoded nuclear RNA 1 by mRNA in situ hybridisation; b) Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) expression in the RS cells. RESULTS: EBV association was noted in 86 of 110 cases (78%). Higher PCNA expression (P = 0.004) and younger age (P = 0.001) correlated independently with EBV association. The 10 year relapse free survival (RFS) of EBV+ and EBV- patients were 60% and 44%, respectively (P = 0.03). The 10 year overall survival (OS) of EBV+ and EBV- patients were 85% and 64%, respectively (P = 0.03). EBV association maintained its significant impact on RFS and OS within Cox proportional hazard model. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that EBV is likely to confer a higher PCNA expression and also contribute towards maintaining the RS cells of cHD in cell cycle. Hence, RS cells in EBV associated cHD would be more responsive to chemotherapy and radiotherapy associated DNA damage. Thus, EBV-association provides survival advantage to cHD patients treated with standard chemotherapy and radiotherapy protocols.

Adolescent↗

Hydroxyurea induced leg ulcers.

A 34 years non diabetic lady with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) was treated with hydroxyurea and interferon. She developed leg ulcers. First time on left toe and three months later on right foot, a rare complication of hydroxyurea. Both were treated with local wound care and antibiotics. First time dose of hydroxyurea was reduced and second time drug was discontinued.

Adult↗

Karyotypic findings as an independent prognostic marker in chronic myeloid leukaemia blast crisis.

Fifty-three patients with Ph positive chronic myeloid leukaemia in blastic phase were studied. Additional abnormalities were found in 29 (55%) patients and were more common in myeloid (64%) than lymphoid (45%) blast crisis. The most frequent were +Ph (32%), +8 (28%), +19 (19%), +20 (9%) and +21 (9%). i(17q) (9%) was associated with thrombocytopenia (5/5) and basophilia (2/5). The incidence of additional abnormalities was higher in patients treated with busulphan (70%) than hydroxyurea (44%). No significant differences were noted in the mean values of the clinical and haematological findings recorded at blast crisis between patients with only Ph positive (PP) cells and those with additional abnormalities (AP + AA). Univariate analysis identified karyotypic findings as an independent prognostic marker indicating its significance in assessing the response to therapy and survival after the onset of transformation.

Adult↗

Adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia: results of an aggressive regimen in India.

A total of 42 adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia were treated with an aggressive induction/consolidation chemotherapy (MCP-841) between June 1986 and December 1991. 32 patients (76.19%) achieved complete remission at the end of induction. There were 9 induction deaths, 6 of them due to infection. All patients received cranial irradiation in the dose of 20 Gy and intrathecal methotrexate for CNS prophylaxis. Twelve patients relapsed, 10 in the bone marrow, one case had isolated CNS relapse and the other relapsed in the bone marrow and CNS. The actuarial overall survival of all patients at the end of 5 years was 41.94%. Patient characteristics including age, sex, FAB morphology, phenotype, WBC count, platelet count and LDH did not influence survival significantly.

Adult↗

Bone marrow transplantation in India.

Beginning in early 1983, bone marrow transplantation (BMT) facilities in India have undergone slow but steady growth. With about 50% disease-free survival in acute myeloid leukaemia and aplastic anaemia and 90% survival in thalassemia major, the results are encouraging. However, the outcome in chronic myeloid leukemia so far has been poor. There is urgent need for expansion of BMT facilities in India.

Acute Disease↗

Cytogenetic studies on patients of acute lymphoblastic leukemia Burkitt's type with (8;14) & (14;18) translocations.

Eight patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia of Burkitt's type (ALL-L3) and two patients with Burkitt's lymphoma (BL) were subjected for cytogenetic studies. Translocation (8;14)(q24;q32) was present in nine (90%) patients; seven patients of ALL-L3 and two of BL. One ALL-L3 patient revealed t(14;18)(q32;q21) in 100 per cent metaphases. Additional clonal chromosomal anomalies present in these patients were deletion (6q) (40%) and trisomy 21(20%). The occurrence of t(8;14)(q24;q32) in ALL-L3 and BL patients in our series supports the association of t(8;14) with ALL-L3 and Burkitt's lymphoma.

Adult↗

Cisplatin-based (PVB+M) chemotherapy in good-risk and poor-risk nonseminomatous germ cell tumors.

Twenty-seven patients with metastatic nonseminomatous germ cell tumors were treated with Cisplatin, vinblastine, bleomycin, and low-dose methotrexate (PVB+M) combinations. Patients were divided into good-risk and poor-risk groups. All seven patients (100%) with good-risk factors achieved complete response, and all are alive disease free at a median of 70 months. In the poor-risk group, only 10 of 20 patients (50%) achieved complete response, and seven (35%) are alive disease free at a median of 58 months. Eight patients, 4 in each group, were required to undergo surgery for removal of postchemotherapy residual masses. The results confirm that Cisplatin-based chemotherapy protocols are adequate to cure most patients with good-risk factors, and newer approaches are needed for patients at poor risk.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗

T-lymphoid blast crisis in chronic myeloid leukemia.

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is considered to be a pleuripotential stem cell disorder with the capacity to differentiate into myeloid, erythroid, megakaryocytic, and lymphoid cell lines. Consequently, blast crisis (BC) involving each of the above lineages has been well described. Among lymphoblastic crises, differentiation frequently occurs along B-cell lineage. We report four patients of CML who terminated in T-cell extramedullary BC in lymph nodes after a variable duration of chronic phase. The T-lineage was established by characteristic cytochemical staining and reactivity with a panel of anti-T-cell monoclonal antibodies. All four cases were Philadelphia (Ph) chromosome positive and demonstrated the Ph chromosome and associated anomalies (extra Ph, +19) in the lymph nodes. Our data adds to the growing evidence that CML is a disorder of the common stem cell from which T, B, and myeloid precursors originate.

Adult↗

Cell cycle and clinical characteristics of patients with acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplasia whose biopsies are reactive with anti-factor VIII antibody. A Leukemia Intergroup Study.

Presence of megakaryocytic cells in patients with myeloid disorders were investigated by staining plastic embedded biopsy sections with an anti-Factor VIII antibody (AFA). Two hundred and fifty cases were studied, 207 of whom had acute myeloid leukemia (AML) while 43 had myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). Abnormal clusters of AFA positive cells indicating multilineage disease were identified in 17% with primary AML (30/175), 38% with secondary AML (12/32) and 42% cases of MDS (18/43). Biological characteristics of these 60 AFA positive cases were investigated. No unique differences in cell cycle characteristics following bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) were identified. We confirm several recent reports that the incidence of multilineage involvement in AML is substantial.

Adult↗