Celiac disease, also known as “celiac sprue”, is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the small intestine, produced by the ingestion of dietary gluten products in susceptible people. It is a multifactorial disease, including genetic and environmental factors. Environmental trigger is represented by gluten while the genetic predisposition has been identified in the major histocompatibility complex region. Celiac disease is not a rare disorder like previously thought, with a global prevalence around 1%. The reason of its under-recognition is mainly referable to the fact that about half of affected people do not have the classic gastrointestinal symptoms, but they present nonspecific manifestations of nutritional deficiency or have no symptoms at all. Here we review the most recent data concerning epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical presentation, available diagnostic tests and therapeutic management of celiac disease.

BackgroundEstimation of plasma cell infiltrates in bone marrow aspirates (BMA) and bone marrow biopsy (BMB) is a standard method in the diagnosis and monitoring of multiple myeloma (MM). Plasma cell fraction in the bone marrow is therefore critical for the classification and optimal clinical management of patients with plasma cell dyscrasias. The aim of the study was to compare the percentage of plasma cells obtained by both methods with the patient clinical parameters and survival.MethodsThis retrospective study included BMA and BMB of 59 MM patients. The conventional differential count was determined in BMA to estimate the percentage and cytologic grade of plasma cells. The pattern of neoplastic infiltration and percentage of plasma cells were estimated on CD138 immunostained BMB slides microscopically and by computer-assisted image analysis (CIA).ResultsSignificantly higher values of plasma cell infiltrates were observed in pathologist (47.7 ± 24.8) and CIA (44.1 ± 30.6) reports in comparison with cytologist analysis (30.6 ± 17.1; P < 0.001 and P < 0.0048, respectively). BMB assessment by pathologist counting and using CIA showed strongest correlation (r = 0.8; P < 0.0001). Correlation was also observed between the pathologist and cytologist counts (r = 0.321; P = 0.015) as well as comparing the percentage of plasma cells in BMA and CIA (r = 0.27; P = 0.05). Patients with clinical stage I/II had a significantly lower CIA plasma cell count than those with clinical stage III (P = 0.008). Overall survival was shorter in patients with more than 25% of atypical plasma cell morphology estimated in BMA (P = 0.05) and a higher percentage of tumor cell infiltrates estimated by the pathologist and CIA (P = 0.0341 and P = 0.013, respectively).ConclusionStudy results suggested the combined analyses to be useful as a routine procedure to achieve more accurate and informative diagnostic data.

Cytokines play important roles in the pathogenesis of lymphomas. This study aimed to determine the relationship(s) between serum levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8 and IL-10, measured by enzyme-immunoassay, and the clinical characteristics and outcomes in 46 untreated patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Serum IL-6, IL-8 and IL-10 levels were higher in DLBCL patients than in control subjects. Elevated levels of IL-6, IL-8 and IL-10 correlated with more adverse disease features. Consequently, patients with elevated IL-6, IL-8 and IL-10 levels prior to treatment had a lower response to therapy. Furthermore, those with elevated IL-6 and IL-10 levels had poor median, 3-year and 5-year survival, while elevated serum IL-8 level did not correlate with overall survival. Worse survival was also confirmed in patients with combined elevated pretreatment serum levels of IL-6, IL-8 and IL-10 (none, one, two or three elevated). Multivariate analysis identified elevated values of IL-6 and IL-10 and response to therapy as significant predictors for overall survival. Serum levels of IL-6, IL-8 and IL-10 before treatment of patients with newly diagnosed DLBCL may give some insight into the possible prognosis and thus facilitate the decisions regarding therapeutic approaches for individual patients.

Despite years of intensive investigation that has been made in understanding prostate cancer, it remains one of the major men's health issues and the leading cause of death worldwide. It is now ascertained that prostate cancer emerges from multiple spontaneous and/or inherited alterations that induce changes in expression patterns of genes and proteins that function in complex networks controlling critical cellular events. It is now accepted that several innate and adaptive immune cells, including T- and B-lymphocytes, macrophages, natural killer cells, dendritic cells, neutrophils, eosinophils, and mast cells (MCs), infiltrate the prostate cancer. All of these cells are irregularly scattered within the tumor and loaded with an assorted array of cytokines, chemokines, and inflammatory and cytotoxic mediators. This complex framework reflects the diversity in tumor biology and tumor-host interactions. MCs are well-established effector cells in Immunoglobulin-E (Ig-E) associated immune responses and potent effector cells of the innate immune system; however, their clinical significance in prostate cancer is still debated. Here, these controversies are summarized, focusing on the implications of these findings in understanding the roles of MCs in primary prostate cancer.