Methodology for the American Society of Hematology VTE guidelines: current best practice, innovations, and experiences
The American Society of Hematology has developed comprehensive clinical guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of venous thromboembolism and published them in Blood Advances. Wiercioch and colleagues describe and discuss the methodology utilized to gain insight into this process and the development of the recommendations.
Dose-adjusted enoxaparin thromboprophylaxis in hospitalized cancer patients: a randomized, double-blinded multicenter phase 2 trial
Venous thromboembolism in hospitalized cancer patients is a common clinical event. Zwicker and colleagues explored the question of fixed vs weight-adjusted doses of enoxaparin in a randomized phase 2 study that has important clinical implications.
Efficacy and safety of anti-CD19 CAR T-cell therapy in 110 patients with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia with high-risk features
Anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has proven to be a novel and often highly successful therapy for a number of B-cell malignancies. However, the impact of this therapy in the treatment of different subgroups of patients with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia is still unknown. Lu and colleagues address this topic in an important article. They evaluated outcomes in 110 patients treated with CAR T cells and made several clinically relevant findings.
Prolonged lenalidomide maintenance therapy improves the depth of response in multiple myeloma
Maintenance therapy with low-dose lenalidomide has been shown to be an effective strategy to prolong progression-free survival in patients with multiple myeloma who undergo autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation. However, the duration of lenalidomide maintenance remains unresolved. Alonso and colleagues addressed this question in this study, along with the potential role of molecular monitoring to help guide therapy.
High rates of venous and arterial thrombotic events in patients with POEMS syndrome: results from the UCLH (UK) POEMS Registry
POEMS syndrome poses a number of different clinical challenges. Sayar and colleagues evaluated the University College London Hospitals POEMS Registry, highlighting the high rates of venous and arterial thromboembolism in patients with POEMS syndrome that may argue for thromboprophylaxis for these patients.
Adult cord blood transplant results in comparable overall survival and improved GRFS vs matched related transplant
Umbilical cord blood (UCB) has been recognized for some time as a valuable resource with a high number of hematopoietic stem cells that can be utilized as a donor source for patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. In this single-center study, Sussman and colleagues compared the use of UCB to matched related donors, demonstrating that comparable outcomes can be achieved and further demonstrating the utility of this donor source for patients in need. It has been a real benefit to patients to have all the different donor sources available so that donors can now be found for the majority of patients considered for transplantation.
