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Biomedical subjects

C S Chim

Publications and source records attributed to C S Chim.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Isolated splenic tuberculosis presenting with pyrexia of unknown origin.

We report a case of a 62-y-old man who presented with fever, malaise and weight loss. He was diagnosed with pyrexia of unknown origin due to tuberculosis of the spleen. Combination anti-tuberculous therapy was administered and fever gradually subsided after 6 weeks. A 12-month course of anti-tuberculous treatment would appear to be appropriate for the treatment of most patients with splenic tuberculosis.

Antitubercular Agents↗

Nasal T-cell/natural killer cell lymphoma: CT and MR imaging features of a new clinicopathologic entity.

OBJECTIVE: Nasal T-cell/natural killer cell lymphoma is a new clinicopathologic entity with a characteristic immunophenotypic profile and distinct clinical features. This study describes the radiologic features of nine cases of proven nasal T-cell/natural killer cell lymphoma. CONCLUSION: Nasal T-cell/natural killer cell lymphoma is often a locally destructive (T stages 3 and 4) disease, typically presenting with obliteration of the nasal passages and maxillary sinuses. Involvement of the adjacent alveolar bone, hard palate, orbits, and nasopharynx is found in more than 50% of cases and is associated with extensive soft-tissue masses. Presence of bone erosion is suggestive but not diagnostic of the disease.

Aged↗

CD-30 positive peripheral T-cell lymphoma of the Waldeyer's ring.

We describe a patient with peripheral T cell lymphoma of the Waldeyer's ring that ran a highly aggressive course. This is followed by a discussion on the differential diagnoses of nasal T/NK cell lymphoma and Ki-1 ALCL, based on clinical and pathological features.

Adult↗

Outcome of Chinese patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) underwent allogeneic bone-marrow transplantation (BMT).

UNLABELLED: Clinical studies have shown that patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) treated with allogeneic bone-marrow transplantation (BMT) experience not only prolonged disease-free survival but also complete cure in some. Therefore, we followed a cohort of 81 Chinese patients who received allogeneic BMT. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The donors were either relatives (65 siblings, 1 parent) or unrelated volunteers (15). BMT was performed at a median interval of 11.6 months from diagnosis of CML, and the stages of disease before BMT were: first chronic phase (60 patients), accelerated or second chronic phase in (10 patients), and blastic crisis (11 patients). Three conditioning regimens were employed: Bu-Cy, Cy-TBI, or Bu-Cy-TBI. Standard cyclosporin and short methotrexate protocol were used for acute graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) prophylaxis. RESULTS: There were five graft failures with three after related BMT. Patients after related or unrelated BMT had a comparable rate of neutrophil recovery (median = 22 days), but significant delay in platelet recovery occurred after unrelated BMT (median = 34 vs. 20 days, P < 0.05). The latter also had higher incidence of acute GvHD (73% vs. 41%, P < 0.05), although the incidence of chronic GvHD was not different between groups. At a median follow-up of 43.5 months, patients after related BMT had a significantly better rate of disease-free survival (68% vs. 37.3%, P < 0.05) and overall survival (81% vs. 38.9%, P < 0.05) at 4 years. Subgroup analysis of patients after related BMT showed the outcome was better when they were transplanted at first chronic phase. Multivariate analysis showed that advanced disease (RR = 2.01, 95% CI = 1.48-2.73) significantly worsened the outcome of BMT, whereas the presence of chronic GvHD had a protective effect against relapse and survival (RR = 0.09, 95% CI = 0.02-0.38). CONCLUSION: Allogeneic BMT is a curative form of treatment for patients with CML. Treatment outcome is best for those who undergo transplants from HLA-matched siblings during the first chronic phase.

Acute Disease↗

Advanced stage and unfavorable Hodgkin's disease in the Chinese-a 20-year experience.

We retrospectively analyzed 57 patients with advanced stage (stage III/IV) or unfavorable (presence of B symptoms or bulky disease) Hodgkin's disease from January 1977 to December 1997. There were 29 male and 28 female patients. The median age was 27 years old (range, 13-59). Lactate dehydrogenase levels ranged from 104 units/l to 2320 units/l (median, 433). Eighteen (31.6%), 13 (22.8%), and 26 (45.6%) patients had stage II bulky, stage III, and stage IV disease, respectively. Twenty-five (44%) patients had B symptoms. One (1.8%), 3 (5.3%), 36 (63.2%), and 17 (29.8%) had lymphocyte predominant, lymphocyte depleted, nodular sclerosis, and mixed cellularity histology, respectively. Chemotherapy regimens included mechlorethamine, vincristine, procarbazine, prednisone (MOPP) (n = 9), adriamycin, bleomycin, vinblastine, dacarbazine (ABVD) (n = 23), MOPP alternating with ABVD (n = 13), and COPP-ABV hybrid (n = 12). Complete remission was achieved in 47 (82.4%) patients. Eleven patients (23%) relapsed after the first complete remission and four (36%) attained a second complete remission with salvage chemotherapy. Projected overall survival was 69.0% at 10 years and 20 years. Disease-free survival rates were 71% at 10 years and 20 years. Of the potential prognostic factors analyzed (age, sex, stage, lactate dehydrogenase, serum albumin level, regimen, B symptoms and bulky disease) by using the Cox regression model, only a low albumin level was found to adversely affect overall survival (P = 0.003). In conclusion, despite the relative low incidence of Hodgkin's disease in Hong Kong Chinese, the treatment outcomes in patients with advanced stage or unfavorable Hodgkin's disease is comparable to Caucasian patients.

Adolescent↗

Computed tomography features of primary pulmonary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

AIM: To characterize computed tomography (CT) features of primary pulmonary lymphoma (PPL). METHODS: The CT films of six patients (five men, one woman; 63.2 +/- 14.5 years) with low grade non-Hodgkins PPL were evaluated for alveolar opacities (lobar consolidation, masses or nodules, and ill-defined consolidations), peribronchial disease or bronchial wall thickening, mediastinal nodes and pleural effusion. RESULTS: Multilobar bilateral, multilobar unilateral, and unilobar unilateral involvement were present in three, one and two cases respectively. CT features were: ill-defined mainly subpleural consolidations (n = 4), mass-like consolidation (n = 1), lobar consolidation (n = 1), and pleural effusion (n = 1). Minor peribronchial disease was seen in two patients, heterogeneous enhancement in four patients, and CT-angiogram sign in one patient. There were no lymphadenopathy or lung nodules. Although the pleura were inseparable from subpleural disease, pleural enhancement was noted on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of a patient with lobar lymphoma. CONCLUSION: PPL is characterized by ill-defined alveolar opacities that are usually multifocal. Peribronchial disease, proximal bronchiectasis and positive CT-angiogram sign are ancillary features. MRI may be useful in further evaluation with respect to pleural or chest wall involvement.

Adult↗

Complex variant 15;17 translocations in acute promyelocytic leukemia. A case report and review of three-way translocations.

Complex variant 15;17 translocations are increasingly recognized in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). We report a novel three-way translocation in APL involving chromosomes 15, 17, and X in the form of t(X;17;15)(q13;q12;q21). Southern blot analysis showed retinoic acid receptor alpha (RARA) gene rearrangement at intron 2. Clinical and morphologic findings are typical of APL, and a complete remission was attained with a course of conventional chemotherapy. A review of three-way complex variants of 15;17 translocation in the literature reveals 21 published cases in addition to ours. PML/RARA fusion was observed in all 8 cases in which molecular genetic analysis had been performed. More cases need to be analyzed to determine if clustering to particular chromosomal bands occurs in variant translocations, and whether APL cases harboring complex 15;17 variants differ clinically from those with classical 15;17 translocation.

Adult↗

Treatment of de novo acute myeloid leukaemia in Hong Kong: a twenty-year experience (1975 to 1996).

BACKGROUND: Small patient numbers and short follow-up are common in some acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) studies and data on secondary malignancies after treatment of AML are rare. AIMS: To determine the prognostic factors and long-term treatment results. METHODS: A retrospective study of patients with de novo AML under the age of 60 over a 20-year period in which two induction therapy regimens: 7:3 (1975-1983) and 7:3:7 (1984-1996) and three consolidation chemotherapy regimens: 5:2 (1975-1983), 5:2:5 (1984-1990) and Ara-C/mitoxantrone (1991-1996) were used. Disease-free (DFS), overall survivals (OS) and prognostic factors were analysed. RESULTS: Two-hundred and two of 276 (73%) patients attained complete remission (CR). The CR rates of 7:3 and 7:3:7 regimens were 70.5% and 74.5% respectively (p=0.92). The median DFS was 12 months and the projected DFS at 10- and 20-years were 23% and 21% respectively. For patients consolidated with 5:2, 5:2:5 and Ara-C/mitoxantrone, the median DFS was 15 m, 12 m and 11 m respectively and the projected ten-year DFS were 27%, 21% and 18% respectively (p=0.2). Ninety per cent of relapses occurred within two years from remission but there were two late relapses at 109 m and 120 m respectively. Young age and FAB M3 subtype were favourable prognostic factors to OS (p=0.04) and DFS (p=0.006) respectively. There was no secondary solid tumour in the long-term survivors. CONCLUSION: Our experience confirmed the efficacy of standard-dose Ara-C/daunorubicin and the prognostic value of age and FAB subtype. Median and projected DFS were similar to western studies.

Acute Disease↗