To determine prognostic factors for survival in bone marrow transplant recipients with invasive aspergillosis (IA), we retrospectively reviewed 27 IA cases observed in our bone marrow transplantation unit between January 1994 and October 1994. On 30 September 1997, six patients were alive and disease-free. The median survival after IA diagnosis was 36 days. Of eight variables found to be related to survival according to the univariate analysis, graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) status at IA diagnosis (P = .0008) and the cumulative prednisolone dose taken during the week preceding IA diagnosis (CPDlw) (P < .0001) were selected by a backward stepwise Cox regression model. A three-stage classification was established: CPD1w of < or =7 mg/kg (3 of 8 patients died; 60-day survival rate, 88%), CPD1w of >7 mg/kg and no GVHD (9 of 10 patients died; 60-day survival rate, 20%), and CPD1w of >7 mg/kg and active acute grade 2 or more or extensive chronic GVHD (9 of 9 patients died; 30-day survival rate, 0) (P < .0001).

Fourteen cases of severe acyclovir-resistant herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection, 7 of which showed resistance to foscarnet, were diagnosed among 196 allogeneic stem cell transplant recipients within a 29-month period. Recipients of unrelated stem cell transplants were at higher risk. All patients received foscarnet; 8 subsequently received cidofovir. Strains were initially foscarnet-resistant in 3 patients and secondarily so in 4 patients. In vitro resistance to acyclovir or foscarnet was associated with clinical failure of these drugs; however, in vitro susceptibility to foscarnet was associated with complete response in only 5 of 7 patients. No strain from any of the 7 patients was resistant in vitro to cidofovir; however, only 3 of 7 patients achieved complete response. Therefore, acyclovir- and/or foscarnet-resistant HSV-1 infections after allogeneic stem cell transplantation have become a concern; current strategies need to be reassessed and new strategies must be evaluated in this setting.

In the present study we describe the incidence, clinical course, and management of avascular necrosis of bone following allogeneic bone marrow transplantation, and identify risk factors related to its development. All patients developing avascular necrosis of bone after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation between January 1974 and September 1992 were included in the analysis and were studied using the Hôpital Saint Louis Bone Marrow Transplant Database and hospital records. 27/727 allogeneic transplant recipients developed avascular necrosis leading to an 8.1% incidence at 5 years, by product limit estimate, ranging from 5% to 11.2%. Symptoms developed 119-1747 d (median 398 d) after transplantation. In these 27 patients a total of 52 joints were affected (mean 1.92 per patient, range 1-7). The hip joint was most often affected (69% of patients). All patients had joint pain that led to diagnosis by means of standard radiographs with or without the help of technetium-99 scans and/or magnetic resonance imaging. All but three patients received steroid therapy for acute graft-versus-host disease. Among 10 factors tested, three were shown to be significantly linked to an increased risk for developing avascular necrosis by multivariate analysis: male gender (relative risk (RR) 4.72, P = 0.002), age older than 16 (RR = 3.87, P = 0.004), and acute graft-versus-host disease requiring steroid therapy (RR = 6.30, P = 0.0002). 10 patients (37%) required joint replacement within 19 months (range 2-42) following diagnosis of avascular necrosis. In conclusion, avascular necrosis of bone is a frequent late complication of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation causing significant morbidity and requiring replacement surgery in one-third of affected patients. In this 18-year single-centre survey, older age, male gender and steroid therapy given for acute graft-versus-host disease were shown to independently increase the risk of avascular necrosis of bone.

The authors describe three cases of diffuse pulmonary calcification; two metastatic in children with acute transitory renal failure and the other dystrophic in a child with leukaemia. All three patients underwent haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Chest radiographs disclosed diffuse calcification within the lungs. The distribution of this calcification was bilateral but asymmetric. Diagnosis was made in two cases by high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) and in one case by HRCT and bone scan. Radiological characteristics, scintigraphic features, pathological mechanism and clinical outcome of such pulmonary calcification are discussed.

Introduction:Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide, with greater than 1 million cases identified in the world yearly. It has got a high metastatic potential and lungs are the second most common site. Although it is referred to as a systemic disease complete surgical resection of pulmonary metastases can enhance survival in selected patients. Patients and methods:The study focuses on a sample of 13 patients surgically treated on the occasion of lung metastases from CRC; Results: We found that the mean survival in patients operated on due to pulmonary metastases from CRC was 57,1 months (95% CI; 35,400−78,907). Conclusion: Pulmonary resection of metastatic colorectal carcinoma is safe and results in longterm survival. Low morbidity and mortality rates, contrasting with lack of any other effective therapy, justify aggressive surgical management.