The study concluded that anti-HBc screening is mandatory before chemotherapy. HBsAg-negative/anti-HBc-positive patients should be closely observed for signs of HBV reactivation through the regular monitoring of ALT. Prophylaxis lamivudine is recommended for anti-HBc positive patients before chemotherapy.

Background Intensive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) regimens in children improve the 5-year event-free survival (EFS) to reach ~ 90%. Adolescents and young adults (AYA) have EFS (30% to 45%). Young AYA ALL patients treated with pediatric chemotherapy protocols such as Dana Farber Consortium Protocol (DFCP) experience a better prognosis. This study aimed to assess the efficacy [EFS and overall survival (OS)] and the toxicity of DFCP in the treatment of Egyptian AYA with newly diagnosed ALL. A retrospective study was performed on 41 patients with newly diagnosed ALL (15 and 39 years) who were treated with DFCP. EFS and OS were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results Thirty-eight patients (92.68%) achieved complete remission (CR). Eleven patients (26.83%) relapsed. Ten (24.39%) patients died. One, two, and three years of EFS were 75.61%, 72.91%, and 67.51% respectively. One, two, and three years OS were 85.3%, 77.26%, and 74.39% respectively. Neutropenia was the most common adverse event observed in 100% of patients. Conclusion DFCP can be considered as an effective ALL protocol for the AYA group of patients with good CR, EFS, and OS rates. DFCP seemed to be feasible in AYA despite the toxicities experienced.

Background: Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is myeloproliferative clonal neoplasm. Imatinib has greatly improved CML prognosis. Many prognostic scoring systems have been developed for CML risk stratification. In clinical practice, 3 systems are widely used: Sokal, Hasford and European Treatment Outcome Study (EUTOS). Recently, EUTOS long-term survival (ELTS) score is the first long-term scoring system that considered specifically CML-related death. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to validate the effectiveness of Sokal, Hasford, EUTOS and ELTS scoring systems in predicting the outcome in Egyptian CML-chronic phase (CML-CP) patients treated with imatinib. Patients and methods: Retrospective study performed on 167 patients with CML-CP who were treated with imatinib. Using the Sokal, Hasford, EUTOS and ELTS scores, we divided the patients into each risk groups. Results: Significant differences in event free survival (EFS), time without progression (TWP) and overall survival (OS) prediction between the Sokal, Hasford and ELTS risk groups, but no significant difference among the EUTOS score risk groups. Conclusion: Our study indicates that Sokal, Hasford and ELTS scoring systems but not the EUTOS score are effective in predicting early treatment response, EFS, TWP and OS for Egyptian CML patients treated with imatinib.

Background: Egypt is one of highest hepatitis C virus (HCV) endemic areas. Chronic HCV infection has extra-hepatic manifestations, including non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is commonly associated with HCV infection. The prognostic value of HCV infection and HCV treatment in patients with DLBCL remains unclear until now. Objective: The aim of our study to evaluate the impact of HCV infection and HCV treatment as independent prognostic factors on the event free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) in Egyptian patients with HCV associated DLBCL. Methods: This study included 353 patients with DLBCL were collected retrospective except for 34 patients with HCV who received HCV antiviral therapy were collected prospective. Patients characteristics were collected from the patient records at the time of diagnosis. The status of the patients about HCV infection and HCV treatment were also recorded. Disease progression, relapse, retreatment or deaths were also verified through medical records. EFS and OS were calculated. Results: EFS and OS significantly decrease in HCV infected and HCV non-treated patients when compared with HCV non-infected and HCV treated patients respectively. HCV infection but not HCV treatment was independently associated with EFS and OS using univariate and multivariate analysis. Conclusion: Hepatitis C virus infection is an independent prognostic factor for EFS and OS in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. HCV treatment is associated with higher EFS and OS but can’t be consider as an independent prognostic factor.

Risk of hepatitis B virus reactivation (HBVr) in patients with resolved HBV infection receiving immunosuppressive therapy has been a growing concern, particularly in the era of biological and targeted therapies. HBV monitoring versus antiviral prophylaxis against HBVr in those patients remains controversial. The aim of the study was to determine the incidence of HBVr and HBVrelated hepatitis in resolved HBV patients who received immunosuppressive therapy with or without antiviral prophylaxis. This retrospective study included 64 patients with resolved HBV infection who received different regimens of immunosuppressive medications, with moderate risk of HBVr, for variable underlying diseases. Patients who had chronic HBV infection or other viral infections were excluded. Patients who received B-cell depleting therapies were ruled out. They were divided into 2 groups: group 1 included 31 patients who received immunosuppressive therapy without antiviral prophylaxis, and group 2 included 33 patients who received antiviral prophylaxis (entecavir) within 2 weeks of commencing the immunosuppressive therapy. HBVr, HBV-related hepatitis, and HBV-unrelated hepatitis were assessed along a 1-year duration. The overall HBVr incidence was 1.56% (1/64). This patient who had HBVr was seen in group 1. There were no significant differences between the 2 groups regarding the incidence of HBVr, HBV-related hepatitis, HBV-unrelated hepatitis, and immunosuppressive therapy interruption along a 1-year duration. Based on this retrospective study, close monitoring was equal to antiviral prophylaxis regarding the outcome of resolved HBV patients who received moderate risk immunosuppressive therapy. HBV treatment should commence once HBVr is confirmed.