Introduction : β-Thalassemia and hemoglobinopathies are common genetic disorders in Turkey and in this retrospective study our aim was to determine the frequency of β-thalassemia and hemoglobinopathies in Adana, which is one of the biggest cities located in the southern part of Turkey....

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) approved for chronic myeloid leukemia known to have similar efficacies but different safety profiles. Therefore, the choice of patient-specific treatments is driven by factors such as tolerability and adverse event profile of TKIs. This review article examines the most up-to-date data and provides practical recommendations for clinical approaches. Nilotinib and ponatinib should be avoided in patients with cardiovascular risk factors, dasatinib in patients with lung damage and bosutinib and nilotinib in patients with liver disease. Considering that certain comorbidities predispose some patients to developing severe adverse events when receiving TKIs, the first- and second-line treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia should be tailored to each patient’s individual condition.

Introduction: The frequency of hemoglobinopathies is still high in Adana, the biggest city of the Cukurova Region that is located in the southern part of Turkey. Our aim was to identify the concomitant mutations in α- and β-globin genes which lead to complex hemoglobinopathies and to...

Objectives: Patients with hematologic malignancies have a high risk of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) mortality. This study aimed to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on mortality rates in patients with various hematologic malignancies and to determine risk factors associated with all-cause mortality. Methods: A multi-center, observational retrospective analysis of patients with hematologic malignancies infected with COVID-19 between July 2020 and December 2021 was performed. Demographic data, clinical characteristics, and laboratory parameters were recorded. Patients were grouped as non-survivors and survivors. All-cause mortality was the primary outcome of the study. Results: There were 569 patients with a median age of 59 years. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (22.0%) and multiple myelomas (18.1%) were the two most frequent hematologic malignancies. The all-cause mortality rate was 29.3%. The highest mortality rates were seen in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (44.3%), acute lymphoid leukemia (40.5%), and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (36.8%). The non-survivors were significantly older (p<0.001) and had more comorbidities (p<0.05). There were significantly more patients with low lymphocyte percentage (p<0.001), thrombocytopenia (p<0.001), and high CRP (p<0.001) in the non-survived patients. Cardiac comorbidities, (p=0.016), cytotoxic chemotherapy (p=0.024), low lymphocyte percentage (p=0.025), thrombocytopenia (p<0.0001), and high CRP values (p=0.017) were the independent risk factors for the prediction of mortality. Conclusions: In patients with hematologic malignancies, coexistent COVID-19 leads to a higher mortality rate in elderly patients with more comorbidities. Acute myeloid and lymphoid leukemia and non-Hodgkin lymphoma have the highest mortality rates. Cardiac diseases, cytotoxic chemotherapy, lymphopenia, thrombocytopenia, and high CRP are the independent risk factors for mortality in hematologic malignancy patients with COVID-19. Keywords: Covid; Hematologic Malignancy; Cytotoxic chemotherapy.

Background and Objectives: Relapsed/refractory extramedullary myeloma (RREMM) is an uncommon and aggressive subtype of multiple myeloma defined by plasma cell proliferation outside the bone marrow. Therapeutic options for RREMM are limited, and the prognosis is generally unfavorable. This research aimed to assess the effectiveness of the bendamustine, pomalidomide, and dexamethasone (BPD) regimen in patients with RREMM. Material and Methods: We carried out a retrospective investigation of 11 RREMM patients who underwent BPD treatment. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival. The secondary endpoints of the study were two-year survival and overall response rate (ORR). We analyzed the sociodemographic and clinical features of the patients. Results: The average age of the patients was 62 years. They had a median of four prior treatment lines, and eight patients had previously received autologous stem-cell transplantation. After eight BPD treatment cycles, the ORR stood at 54%, with one very good partial response (VGPR), five partial responses (PR), three progressive diseases (PD), and two stable diseases (SD). The median follow-up was 15 months, with a two-year PFS rate of 71.3% and a two-year survival rate of 81.8%. Conclusions: The BPD regimen demonstrated promising effectiveness in RREMM patients, yielding favorable ORR and survival rates. To corroborate these findings and explore additional treatment alternatives for this patient group, larger prospective studies are required.