Donor killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR)-ligand incompatibility is associated with decreased relapse incidence (RI) and improved leukemia-free survival (LFS) after haploidentical and HLA-mismatched unrelated hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. We assessed outcomes of 218 patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML n ¼ 94) or acute lymphoblastic leukemia (n ¼ 124) in complete remission (CR) who had received a single-unit unrelated cord blood transplant (UCBT) from a KIR-ligand-compatible or -incompatible donor. Grafts were HLA-A, -B or -DRB1 matched (n ¼ 21) or mismatched (n ¼ 197). Patients and donors were categorized according to their degree of KIR-ligand compatibility in the graft-versus-host direction by determining whether or not they expressed HLA-C group 1 or 2, HLA-Bw4 or HLA-A3/-A11. Both HLA-C/-B KIR-ligand-and HLA-A-A3/-A11 KIR-ligand-incompatible UCBT showed a trend to improved LFS (P ¼ 0.09 and P ¼ 0.13, respectively). Sixty-nine donor-patient pairs were HLA-A, -B or -C KIR-ligand incompatible and 149 compatible. KIR-ligandincompatible UCBT showed improved LFS (hazards ratio ¼ 2.05, P ¼ 0.0016) and overall survival (OS) (hazards ratio ¼ 2.0, P ¼ 0.004) and decreased RI (hazards ratio ¼ 0.53, P ¼ 0.05). These results were more evident for AML transplant recipients (2-year LFS and RI with or without KIR-ligand incompatibility 73 versus 38% (P ¼ 0.012), and 5 versus 36% (P ¼ 0.005), respectively). UCBT for acute leukemia in CR from KIR-ligandincompatible donors is associated with decreased RI and improved LFS and OS.

Summary:We investigated the impact of the most commonly used preparative regimens on the outcome of 395 patients with diffuse large cell lymphoma (DLCL), consecutively reported to the registry of the Spanish GEL/TAMO. Among them, 139 (35%) were autografted in 1st CR, 86 (22%) in 2nd/3rd CR, 124 (31%) had chemosensitive disease and 46 (12%) had chemoresistant disease. Conditioning consisted of chemotherapy-only in 348 patients (BEAM, 164; BEAC, 145; and CBV, 39) and radiochemotherapy with CY and TBI in 47. Median times to granulocyte, platelet recovery and to discharge were significantly shorter in the chemotherapy-only group. Early transplant-related mortality was significantly higher when using CY-TBI. After a median follow-up of 28 months, overall survival (OS) at 8 years of patients conditioned with BEAM or BEAC (58% (95% CI 50-66%)) was more favorable than with CBV (40% (95% CI 24-56%)), and significantly better than with CY-TBI (31% (95% CI 18-44%)). Multivariate analysis revealed that patients conditioned with chemotherapyonly regimens had improved OS, disease-free (DFS) and relapse-free survival (RFS) when compared to those conditioned with CY-TBI. Status at transplant was also a powerful prognostic indicator. We conclude that preparative regimens consisting of chemotherapy-only seem more efficacious than CY-TBI as conditioning for DLCL, because of faster engraftment and greater antilymphoma effect, as indicated by improved OS, DFS and RFS. Bone Marrow Transplantation (2001) 27, 405-412. Keywords: high-dose therapy; preparative regimens; non-Hodgkin's lymphoma; prognostic factors; diffuse large cell lymphoma Over the past two decades, high-dose therapy (HDT) followed by autologous stem-cell transplantation (ASCT) has been explored to improve the long-term outcome of patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Despite the many reports, a number of questions remain unanswered regarding the best transplantation technique in this spectrum of disorders.

Background. Mammography has led to earlier detection of subclinical ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of the breast either as nonpalpable calcifications or as an incidental finding in a biopsy performed for another reason. Many women in whom DCIS was detected early may not be destined to have an invasive carcinoma. How should subclinical DCIS be treated if that is the case? What is the role of excision and surveillance only as an alternative to mastectomy or irradiation?. Methods. All patients with DCIS detected as non‐palpable calcifications or as an incidental finding were eligible for this study. Diagnosis was confirmed, and the histologic subtype was determined. Results of postbiopsy mammography confirmed excision of calcifications; wide local reexcision and assessment of margins was also performed in most patients. The maximum diameter of calcifications considered suitable for this treatment was 25 mm. Results. Between 1978 and 1990, 70 women (72 breasts) were entered into this study (mean follow‐up time, 49 months; median follow‐up time, 47 months). Of this group, 66% were detected as calcifications and 33% were detected as incidental findings. The recurrence rate was 15.3%. All but one of the patients who experienced a recurrence had the comedo type of DCIS as the initial lesion. Each of the recurrences was of the comedo type. All but one recurrence was at the same site as the primary lesion. None of the patients with DCIS as an incidental finding experienced a recurrence. Conclusions. Excision and surveillance is a reasonable alternative to mastectomy or irradiation for selected women with DCIS that presents as nonpalpable calcifications or as an incidental finding.

The automatic washing method described is as effective as the manual method in terms of viability and progenitor cells recovery, but faster and easier for the operators to perform. Overall, our data suggest that the automatic method is safe and suitable for the routine washing of thawed CB grafts in the clinic.

NOTES approaches using the flexible endoscope are not inferior in safety or effectiveness to conventional laparoscopy. The transumbilical approach with flexible endoscope is as effective and safe as the transvaginal approach and is a promising, single-incision approach.