Introduction: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a form of cancer originating from precursor cells within the bone marrow. Elderly patients with acute leukemia require a personalized approach, considering age, performance status, and comorbidities, to determine suitability for intensive treatment. Methods: We studied the results of intense chemotherapy in 46 elderly, fit individuals with AML at a cancer center in Romania from January 2017 to December 2023. Results: The study involved a cohort of 46 patients, including 22 men and 24 women. The research indicated that 89.1% of the patients were diagnosed with de novo acute leukemia. Most patients had an ECOG score of 0–1, with one patient scoring ≥2. HCT-CI > 4 was found in 21 patients (45.7%), while CCI > 4 was present in 38 patients (82.6%). After the induction phase, 25 patients (54.3%) achieved complete remission (CR); the relapse rate was 56.8%. Upon completion of the study, nine individuals (19.6%) were still alive. The overall survival duration ranged from 0 to 33 months, with a median survival time of 8 months (CI 5.0–11.0). Conclusions: When considering treatment options for elderly patients, the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Performance Status, as well as comorbidity indices such as the Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation-Specific Comorbidity Index (HCT-CI) and the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), have shown promising results in the literature, indicating their relevance in the decision-making process.

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma is a prevalent subtype of adult non-Hodgkin lymphoma; noted for its biological and clinical variability. Background and Objectives: This study seeks to assess the expression and prognostic implications of Ki-67, MYC, and BCL2 utilising immunohistochemistry on a cohort of Romanian patients diagnosed with DLBCL while also addressing the limitations imposed by the absence of fluorescence in situ hybridisation testing in resource-constrained settings. Materials and Methods: A single-centre, retrospective study involved 66 cases of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue specimens obtained from patients with this lymphoma. Results: The median age at diagnosis was 61.81 years, with most individuals being 60 years or older; 59.1% of the patients were male. Our study identified that 65.2% of the cases belonged to the non-GCB subtype (ABC). MYC-positive expression was observed in 5 out of 66 cases (7.6%), and BCL2 protein expression exhibited a trend toward statistical significance, indicating a lower overall survival for BCL-2-positive patients. The expression of Ki-67 demonstrated a significant correlation with variations in overall survival (OS) (p < 0.001). Patients with low Ki-67 expression had an average survival duration of 76.39 months, contrasting with individuals exhibiting high Ki-67 expression, with a mean survival of 38.98 months. In conclusion, MYC, BCL2, and Ki-67 may be valuable prognostic indicator biomarkers. Conclusions: The prognostic significance of each biomarker varies based on the established cut-off point value. Future research should examine the relationship between protein biomarkers, morphological characteristics, and clinical outcomes in Romanian patients diagnosed with DLBCL, aiming to elucidate clinical ramifications and foster effective management.

Background: Myelodysplastic syndromes are clonal hematopoietic disorders characterized by ineffective hematopoiesis and risk of progression to acute myeloid leukemia. Accurate prognostic stratification is essential to guide treatment, with several scoring systems in clinical use: IPSS, IPSS-R, and WPSS. Objective: We aimed to evaluate the prognostic accuracy of IPSS, IPSS-R, and WPSS in a real-world Romanian MDS cohort by comparing risk classifications with observed overall survival and progression-free survival. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 117 patients diagnosed with MDS treated in our clinic between 2018 and 2022. All patients had confirmed diagnoses based on bone marrow biopsy and cytogenetic testing. Data were used to assign risk categories based on IPSS, IPSS-R, and WPSS. Survival outcomes were analyzed using Kaplan–Meier curves and log-rank tests. Results: The median age of the cohort was 70 years; gender distribution was balanced. Transfusion dependence was present in 73.5%, and 49.6% had cytogenetic abnormalities. Overall, low-risk classification was assigned in 58.1% (IPSS), 38.5% (IPSS-R), and 38.5% (WPSS) of patients. Median OS was 20 months, and median PFS was 35 months. Although no statistically significant overall survival differences were observed across scoring systems, IPSS-R demonstrated a trend toward stronger prognostic discrimination in multivariable analysis. Reclassification of patients initially categorized as IPSS intermediate-1 revealed a significant survival impact: patients reclassified as lower-risk by IPSS-R and WPSS had a median OS of 67.5 months versus 15 months for those reclassified as higher-risk (IPSS-R: HR = 0.24; p = 0.0017; WPSS: HR = 0.26; p = 0.0031). Similarly, leukemic transformation occurred in 13.6% of reclassified lower-risk patients vs. 52.2% in higher-risk patients (IPSS-R: HR = 0.13; p = 0.0021; WPSS: HR = 0.12; p = 0.002), with a median PFS of 21 months in the higher-risk group. In multivariable Cox regression analysis, IPSS-R stratification remained a strong independent predictor for both OS (HR = 3.22; p = 0.000003) and PFS (HR = 4.77; p < 0.00001), while azacitidine treatment was associated with significantly improved survival (OS: HR = 0.43; p = 0.00002) and reduced risk of progression (PFS: HR = 0.36; p = 0.013).

Background: Higher-risk myelodysplastic neoplasms (HR-MDS) are associated with poor survival and a substantial risk of leukemic transformation. Although azacitidine is a standard treatment in this setting, comparative real-world data remain limited. We evaluated the association between azacitidine exposure and clinical outcomes in patients with HR-MDS. Methods: We performed a retrospective single-center cohort study including 72 adults with HR-MDS, defined by the Revised International Prognostic Scoring System(IPSS-R) as High or Very High risk. Patients were categorized as azacitidine-treated (Aza, n = 44) or managed with best supportive care alone (No Aza, n = 28). Overall survival (OS) was defined from diagnosis to death from any cause. Progression-free survival (PFS) was defined as the time to acute myeloid leukemia transformation or death. Leukemic transformation (LT) was analyzed using Kaplan–Meier estimates and competing-risk cumulative incidence, with death without prior LT treated as a competing event. Univariable and multivariable Cox regression models were applied. Results: Azacitidine exposure was associated with longer OS compared with best supportive care, with a median OS of 13 vs.10 months and 24-month OS rates of 27% vs. 14% (p = 0.0239). PFS was also prolonged in the Aza group, with a median of 11 vs. 7 months (p = 0.0406). LT-related outcomes similarly favored azacitidine. In multivariable analyses, azacitidine remained independently associated with improved OS, PFS, and LT-related outcomes. IPSS-R Very High risk remained an adverse prognostic factor across endpoints, while a higher baseline bone marrow blast percentage independently predicted leukemic transformation. Conclusions: In this real-world HR-MDS cohort, azacitidine exposure was associated with improved survival outcomes and delayed leukemic transformation compared with best supportive care alone.

Introduction: Philadelphia-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) represent a polymorphous group of hematopoietic disorders that have been intensely studied from a clinical, molecular, and histopathological point of view. Recent updates to classification and diagnosis criteria have increased the rate of identification, particularly among patients who were previously underdiagnosed. Methods: We report the results of Colțea Clinical Hospital’s experience in diagnosing and treating newly diagnosed PV, ET, PMF, and MPN-U between January 2022 and September 2024, including 154 patients over the age of 18. Results: Out of the 154 cases analysed, 31.82% were diagnosed with PV (N = 49), 31.82% with essential thrombocythemia (ET; N = 49), and 30.52% with MF (N = 47). Additionally, 5.84% (N = 9) presented as unclassifiable (MPN U). Out of the enrolled patients, 87 (56.49%) had associated cardiovascular risk factors, 33 (21.43%) had a history of thrombosis at diagnosis, while 7 (4.55%) patients presented at least one hemorrhagic event, most notably gastrointestinal. Risk stratification for PV, ET, and PMF was calculated according to the ELN recommendations for PV, the IPSET score, and the IPSS/DIPSS, respectively. A significant group, 128 (83.12%), required therapeutic intervention. Conclusion: MPNs can cause significant morbidity in the form of burdensome symptoms, potentially fatal cardiovascular complications or progression to acute myeloid leukaemia. The higher rate of diagnosis and the emergence of novel therapies in recent years have prolonged life expectancy and improved the quality of life.