H pylori eradication is effective in treating approximately 75% of patients with early stage gastric lymphoma. Long-term follow-up evaluation of these patients is needed to detect early lymphoma relapse or progression.

BACKGROUND.Bisphosphonates (BPs) are effective in the prevention and treatment of skeletal‐related events (SREs) in patients with symptomatic myeloma who are receiving chemotherapy. Recent data also suggest a possible antineoplastic activity of BPs. Few studies published to date have explored the role of BPs in patients with untreated, asymptomatic myeloma (AM). No data are available on the efficacy of zoledronic acid in these patients.METHODS.The authors conducted a prospective, multicenter, open‐label, phase 3, randomized trial comparing the administration of zoledronic acid versus simple observation in patients with AM. One‐hundred sixty‐three patients were enrolled and randomized (1:1) to receive zoledronic acid (n = 81 patients) or not to receive zoledronic acid (n = 82 patients) for 1 year at a dose of 4 mg monthly as a single, 15‐minute, intravenous infusion.RESULTS.After a median follow‐up of 64.7 person‐months, 44.4% of patients in the zoledronic acid group and 45.1% of the control group progressed to ‘symptomatic’ myeloma requiring chemotherapy (P = .9307). The median time to progression was 67 months and 59 months for the treatment and control groups, respectively (P = .8312). At progression, SREs were significantly lower in the zoledronic acid‐treated group (55.5%) than in the control group (78.3%; P = .041), whereas anemia, renal failure, and extramedullary disease were not statistically different. More frequent adverse events observed in the zoledronic acid‐treated group were asymptomatic hypocalcemia and fever. One patient developed reversible osteonecrosis of the jaw. No renal failure caused by zoledronic acid was reported.CONCLUSIONS.The monthly use of zoledronic acid for 1 year in patients with AM reduced the development of SREs at progression but did not influence the natural history of the disease. Cancer 2008. © 2008 American Cancer Society.

Our data confirm that the IPSS-R is an excellent prognostic tool in MDS in the era of disease-modifying treatments. The early recognition of patients at high risk of progression to aggressive disease may optimize treatment timing in MDS.

Bendamustine demonstrated synergistic efficacy with bortezomib against multiple myeloma (MM) cells in vitro and seems an effective treatment for relapsed-refractory MM (rrMM). This phase II study evaluated bendamustine plus bortezomib and dexamethasone (BVD) administered over six 28-day cycles and then every 56 days for six further cycles in patients with rrMM treated with ⩽4 prior therapies and not refractory to bortezomib. The primary study end point was the overall response rate after four cycles. In total, 75 patients were enrolled, of median age 68 years. All patients had received targeted agents, 83% had 1–2 prior therapies and 33% were refractory to the last treatment. The response rate⩾partial response (PR) was 71.5% (16% complete response, 18.5% very good PR, 37% partial remission). At 12 months of follow-up, median time-to-progression (TTP) was 16.5 months and 1-year overall survival was 78%. According to Cox regression analysis, only prior therapy with bortezomib plus lenalidomide significantly reduced TTP (9 vs 17 months; hazard ratio=4.5; P=0.005). The main severe side effects were thrombocytopenia (30.5%), neutropenia (18.5%), infections (12%), neuropathy (8%) and gastrointestinal and cardiovascular events (both 6.5%). The BVD regimen is feasible, effective and well-tolerated in difficult-to-treat patients with rrMM.

This was the first comprehensive ( approximately 1,300 patients) analysis of the therapeutic management of H. pylori in gastric lymphoma patients. Data suggest that this infection is easily managed in these patients, being cured in nearly all cases.