The effective and efficient management of cancer patients relies upon early diagnosis and/or the monitoring of treatment, something that is often difficult to achieve using standard tissue biopsy techniques. Biological fluids such as blood hold great possibilities as a source of non-invasive cancer biomarkers that can act as surrogate markers to biopsy-based sampling. The non-invasive nature of these “liquid biopsies” ultimately means that cancer detection may be earlier and that the ability to monitor disease progression and/or treatment response represents a paradigm shift in the treatment of cancer patients. Below, we review one of the most promising classes of circulating cancer biomarkers: microRNAs (miRNAs). In particular, we will consider their history, the controversy surrounding their origin and biology, and, most importantly, the hurdles that remain to be overcome if they are really to become part of future clinical practice.

The diagnosis of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) is based on morphological changes in the blood and bone marrow. The parameters NEUT-X and NEUT-Y of the Sysmex XE-2100 analyzer could help detect neutrophil dysplasia. A control group of 50 patients, along with 50 postpartum patients, 50 anemias, 50 leukopenias, 50 patients with microscopically visible hypergranulated neutrophils and 50 MDS patients were assessed. The NEUT-X and NEUT-Y values (mean +/- SD) for the control group were 1346 +/- 28.2 and 420 +/- 19.3, respectively, with the anemia and leukopenia groups giving similar values. The postpartum and hypergranulated neutrophils groups presented higher values (P < 0.05), whereas the values in the MDS group were 1286 +/- 72.8 and 385 +/- 50.9 (P < 0.05), respectively. There were no differences between the morphological MDS types. The NEUT-X and NEUT-Y values in MDS patients with optical hypogranulation were significantly lower than for MDS patients without optical hypogranulation. NEUT-X and NEUT-Y values lower than 1298 and 398, respectively, would have a specificity for detecting MDS of 94% and 91% and would detect 60% and 56% of cases, respectively, whereas they would detect 75% and 74%, respectively, of MDS cases with optical hypogranulation. NEUT-X and NEUT-Y parameters can be used to detect neutrophil dysplasia arising from MDS and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia.

XN analyzer has improved blast detection in oncohematologic patients. Operators cannot rely on the blast flag alone but have to consider other flags and hemogram data. In lymphoproliferative disorders, XN analyzer yields less samples with pseudobasophilia. Both analyzers must improve flagging for hairy cell leukemia.

The lymphocyte positional parameters provided by Sysmex XN analysers are useful to differentiate expansions of T-GLs from other LPD and to differentiate MNS cases from other diagnostic groups. In addition, these parameters are very useful for detecting changes in the lymphocytes that make it necessary to review blood smears in samples without morphological flagging.

Introduction We evaluated the value of hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) counted in Sysmex XN analyzers to predict the mobilization and collection of CD34+ cells in apheresis for stem cell transplantation. Methods Eighty patients who underwent stem cell transplantation were enrolled (50 autologous and 30 allogeneic). In the autologous group, patients were considered poor mobilizers when the CD34+ count was <10 × 106/L or <20 × 106/L in patients with multiple myeloma who were going to undergo two transplants. ROC curves were generated, and HPC cutoffs were calculated. Results The correlation between the HPC and CD34+ cell counts was good. Two algorithms were proposed. In the first algorithm, samples collected the day before apheresis, negative and positive HPC cutoffs were selected to detect poor and good mobilization and, therefore, the need or not to administer plerixafor. In the second algorithm, samples collected pre‐apheresis, the negative HPC cutoff was an indication to delay apheresis; an HPC higher than the optimal cutoff was an indication to start apheresis. When the HPC values were between these cutoffs, there was an indication to count CD34+ cells for a better decision‐making. Finally, in samples collected pre‐apheresis, HPC counts could be used to predict patients who would have poor CD34+ cell collections. In the allogeneic group, all the donors mobilized well, and very few needed two apheresis procedures. Conclusions The HPC count is useful for decision‐making in the management of patients subjected to apheresis procedures to collect peripheral blood stem cells.

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INTRODUCTION: The use of Peripherally Inserted Central Catheters (PICCs) has increased significantly in the last years due to their advantages compared to the other types of central catheters: easier and protocolized insertion by specialized nurse-led teams; cost-effectiveness; ease of management, ... However, an increase in the incidence of Catheter Related Thrombosis (CRT) has been observed with this type of device, especially in cancer patients and in the critical care setting. The main objective of this study is to determine the incidence of PICC related deep venous thrombosis in oncologic and onco-hematologic patients at the Donostia University Hospital, in Spain. The secondary outcome is the identification of possible risk factors associated with this event. METHODS: Using the database created and handled by the nurse-led Intravenous Therapy Team (ITT) in our center, in which all inserted PICCs are prospectively and consecutively included since 2011, a retrospective analysis was conducted on oncology and hemato-oncology-derived adult patients (over 18 years old) with a PICC inserted between May 15th 2018 and December 15th 2019. In the total population, several characteristics of the patient, of the PICC and of the thrombotic event were descriptively analyzed, and a bivariant analysis of four potential risk factors was carried out using Pearson's Chi-squared test. Patient and CRT treatment-associated risk factors were more exhaustively analyzed in the subgroup of patients with CRT. The missing data were obtained from the electronic clinical history records. RESULTS: The final study sample consisted of 1024 PICCs (n=1024), 19,10% (n=313) derived from the Hematology department and 43,62% (n=715) from the Oncology department (tables 1 and 2). The global incidence of CRT was 4,9% (n=50): 5.8% in hematologic patients and 4.5% in patients derived from Oncology. In the bivariant analysis no significant association was found between the selected potential risk factors (department of origin, PICC lumen number, PICC material and the catheter-to-vessel ratio) and CRT (table 3). In terms of the treatment administered to patients presenting CRT, in 80% of the cases (n=40) a Low Molecular Weight Heparin (LMWH) at therapeutic dose was initiated; in 10% (n=5) LMWH at a lower dose, and in 2 patients treatment could not be initiated because of thrombopenia. Finally, the PICC was withdrawn in only 8 patients after the diagnosis of the thrombotic event. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of the studies on PICC associated venous thrombosis in cancer patients are small, observational, retrospective, and without comparison groups. Here we present a work with an important sample size, a homogeneous population and with a prospective data collection. The CRT incidence has been similar to that described in the literature and significant association has not been found between the included potential risk factors and CRT. In conclusion, this study reflects the need of more trials on this subject, in particular to identify CRT risk factors in order to design effective prevention strategies. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.