Comment: Welcome to Myeloid & Lymphoid disorders in practice!
Jonathan Kell
pp 3-3
It is a great pleasure to welcome you to the first edition of Myeloid & Lymphoid disorders in practice. Previously published as Myeloid disorders in practice and focusing on myeloid disease, the Editorial Board decided to broaden the scope and, we hope, capture the interest of medics, nurses and pharmacists. You may ask why we need another journal like this when the internet is full of bite-sized learning opportunities. My answer is that these articles are specially commissioned from leading experts, with the sole purpose of providing, over time, a wide basis of knowledge for all our target audiences.
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Insights into daratumumab
Faouzi Djebbari and Karthlk Ramasamy
pp 4-7
Multiple myeloma comprises 2% of all cancers in the UK, and remains an incurable malignancy with a relapsing and remitting course. Immunomodulatory drugs and proteasome inhibitors are now the mainstay of therapy. The European Medicines Agency and US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have recently approved newer agents, such as histone deacetylase inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) for use in relapsed myeloma. Daratumumab, a mAb targeting myeloma cells, was licensed by the FDA in 2015 for use as a single agent, based on its activity in relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma, while the European Commission granted an EU marketing authorisation in May 2016. This article provides an overview of daratumumab use in relapsed myeloma.
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Achievements and aims of the NCRI Acute Myeloid Leukaemia Working Group
Nigel H Russell
pp 8-9
The National Cancer Research Institute, Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML) Working Group has been running large multicentre clinical trials in the UK with its international collaborators for over 40 years. National trials have effectively become the standard of care for AML in the UK, with approximately 70% of all patients receiving their treatment as part of a trial.
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Challenges in the classification of myeloproliferative neoplasms
Mark Bridgham and Mary Frances McMullin
pp 10-11
An 82-year-old retired office worker was referred to the haematology outpatient clinic by his GP for assessment of a persistently abnormal full blood count. He had presented to his GP complaining of worsening fatigue over the preceding twelve months. His full blood count showed haemoglobin (Hb) levels of 164 g/l, haematocrit (Hct) levels of 0.48, white cell count (WCC) of 12.6x109/l and platelet count (Plt) of 859x109/l.
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Recent advances in the management of PCNSL
Emily Bart-Smith, Robert Marcus and Shireen Kassam
pp 12-14
Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is a rare yet aggressive form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma accounting for 1% of all lymphomas and 2–3% of all central nervous system tumours. It is confined to the brain, spinal cord, leptomeninges, cranial nerves and eyes. Distinction is made between the majority of generally elderly (>60 years), immunocompetent patients – in whom the incidence of PCNSL appears to be rising – and the significant minority of younger immunocompromised patients, specifically those with HIV infection. The latter patient group is not covered in this review.
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Pharmacokinetic drug interactions in haematology
Nick Duncan
pp 15-17
A drug interaction occurs when the clinical effect of one drug is altered by the interference of another, although the interacting agent could also be foodstuff, herbal product or environmental factor such as tobacco.
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Multiple myeloma: why we need to recognise and understand health inequalities
Sophia Skyers
pp 17-17
Multiple myeloma is the second most common, but also a little- known blood cancer. It largely affects older people. One of its lesser-known characteristics is that black people have twice the risk of developing it compared with white people. The average age of onset in the general population is 70 years or older, but this is changing. While multiple myeloma is still a rare cancer, it is increasingly diagnosed in people in their 30s, 40s and 50s. As well as a disparity in incidence, there is a disparity in age at diagnosis between black and white people, black people being, on average, four years younger than white people when they are diagnosed.
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Diagnosis issues in a patient with myeloproliferative neoplasm
Mark Bridgham and Mary Frances McMullin
pp 18-18
Should red cell mass be measured? Historically, the gold standard investigation to diagnose absolute erythrocytosis was a red cell mass (RCM) and plasma volume study. This test employs radioisotopes of chromium and iodine. An RCM >125% predicted is considered diagnostic of absolute erythrocytosis. Although a useful investigation, it is not widely available in many regions; thus physicians’ access to this test is often severely limited.
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MPN Voice
Alisia O'Sullivan
pp 19-19
MPN Voice, registered under the auspices of Guy’s and St Thomas’ and formerly known as MPN Support, was set up as a collaboration between myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN) patients and healthcare professionals over 12 years ago. Its aim and vision was to support and provide accurate information for MPN patients and build an MPN patient community using forums and a peer-to-peer buddy system. Since that time, the charity's goals have extended to include advocacy on behalf of the MPN community, fundraising to support specialist research and regular regional forums attended by families and patients who are living with MPNs.
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