Objective: Active surveillance of cytologically proven microcarcinomas has been shown as a safe procedure. However, fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) is not recommended by European Thyroid Association (ETA) and American Thyroid Association (ATA) guidelines for highly suspicious nodules ≤ 10mm. The aim of the study was to assess the outcomes of active surveillance of EU-TIRADS 5 nodules ≤ 10 mm not initially submitted to FNAB. Patients and Methods: 80 patients with at least one EU-TIRADS 5 nodule ≤ 10 mm and no suspicious lymph nodes, accepting active surveillance, were included. Results: Mean baseline diameter and volume were 5.4 mm (± 2.0) and 64.4 mm3 (± 33.5), respectively. After a median follow-up of 36.1 months, a volumetric increase ≥ 50% occurred in 28 patients (35.0%) and a suspicious lymph node in 3 patients (3.8%). 24 patients underwent an FNAB (30.0%) after at least a one year follow-up, of which 45.8% were malignant, 8.3% benign, 33.3% undetermined and 8.3% nondiagnostic. Sixteen patients (20.0%) underwent conversion surgery after a median follow-up of 57.2 months, confirming the diagnosis of papillary carcinoma in 15/16 cases (not described in 1 histology report), all in remission at 6-12 months postoperative follow-up. Conclusion: Applying ETA and ATA guidelines to avoid FNA of EU-TIRADS 5 sub-centimeter nodules and proceeding to active surveillance of such nodules in selected patients is a safe procedure. Thus, US-FNAB could be postponed until the nodule shows signs of progression or a suspicious lymph node appears, with no added risk for the patient.

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Thirty-three leukaemic patients in CR were treated by high-dose therapy followed by ABMT: 18 of them had acute non-lymphoblastic leukaemia (ANLL) in first remission (CR1) with a mean age of 23.7 years (3-44). All but one of them were conditioned with a polychemotherapy regimen including 6-thioguanine, Ara-C, CCNU, and cyclophosphamide. The marrow cells were purged by chemical means in 16 cases. Five transplant-related deaths were observed: three cardiac failures, one interstitial pneumonitis and one aspergillus pneumonia. At the time of analysis (October 1984), four patients had relapsed and eight were still in unmaintained CR1 (44+, 46+, 30+, and five between 2.5+ and 8+ months post transplant). Fifteen patients had acute lymphoblastic leukaemia: four were autografted in CR1 and 11 children were grafted in CR2; the conditioning regimen was fractionated total body irradiation followed by cyclophosphamide for all but one patient who was conditioned with BACT (Burkitt leukaemia); the marrow was purged by a chemical agent in 11 patients and by monoclonal antibodies and C' in four: four out of 15 patients relapsed (two grafted in CR1 and two grafted in CR2); 10 patients are still in unmaintained CR: two adults grafted in CR1 (26+; 12+ months) and eight children with a mean follow-up of 13.4 months post graft (2 + -45+ months). The clinical study leads to the following conclusions: in adult patients the marrow should be harvested during CR1 and at the time of minimal residual disease. The quality of previous chemotherapy and conditioning regimen prior to ABMT play a prominent role in the in vivo eradication of the leukaemic cells. The real impact of marrow purging is still unknown and a larger series of homogeneous patients, conditioned with the same protocols and the same transplant timing, is required before any conclusions can be drawn.

Fifteen patients with high-risk leukaemia were given T-cell depleted marrow transplants from HLA non-identical related donors. They were treated with a combination of total body irradiation (TBI), high-dose cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C) and high-dose melphalan in an attempt to prevent a host-versus-graft reaction. Antilymphocyte globulins were given prior to transplantation for additional immunosuppression to 13 patients and in-vivo monoclonal antibody anti-human LFA1 to two. Engraftment and chimaerism assessed by HLA typing were achieved in 14 patients. Seven developed acute graft-versus-host disease (two fatal), one failed to engraft. Six patients died in complete remission from cytomegalovirus (CMV) interstitial pneumonitis and three remain alive in complete remission 2, 3 and 13 months after transplant. We conclude that aggressive immunosuppression allows for sustained engraftment of T-cell depleted HLA non-identical marrow. The incidence and severity of GVHD are acceptable and CMV pneumonitis remains the major problem.

We report a case of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma with CNS involvement confined to the epidural space causing cranial suture diastasis. Cerebrospinal fluid and bone marrow were normal. Two cases only of cranial epidural lymphoma have been reported in the literature; in both cases, the leptomeninges were also involved but without suture diastasis.