cyclophosphamide

Wegener’s granulomatosis is a systemic granulomatous focus on small to medium sized vessels. It typically affects sinuses, lungs and kidneys due to necrotizing granulomatous vasculitis. Less commonly, cardiac involvement is reported up to 8%-44% of cases [1-3]. It often rises to supraventricular arrhythmia, left ventricular systolic dysfunction, pericarditis, myocarditis, and valvulitis [4,5]. Cardiac conducting tissue involvement is rare and associated with increased mortality. It was only reported in fourteen previous cases, some of them were reversible to medical treatment [6]. 

A 66-year-old patient, diagnosed κ light chains MM with t(11;14), presented before second cycle with bendamustine-dexamethasone. A complete remission was initially obtained with bortezomib-cyclophosphamide-dexamethasone and autologous HSCT. After relapse, he was successively treated with bortezomib-dexamethasone, carfilzomib-dexamethasone, daratumumab-dexamethasone and benda-mustine-dexamethasone.

Anti-glomerular basement membrane (anti-GBM) disease is an uncommon autoimmune disease that classically presents as an aggressive necrotizing and crescentic glomerulonephritis (CG), with or without pulmonary hemorrhage, and typically does not relapse. The pathologic hallmark is linear staining of GBM for Immunoglobulin G (IgG) which binds to the alpha-3 chain of type IV collagen. Recent reports have noted the occurrence of anti-GBM disease with atypical clinical presentations. We describe a case of a 22-year-old female presenting an anti-GBM disease with typical histological features with a singular clinical presentation with lower limb edema, elevated serum creatinine and nephrotic range proteinuria. Renal biopsy showed signs of chronicity and direct immunofluorescence microscopy demonstrated diffuse, intense linear positivity for IgG. All serologic tests were negative, including anti-GBM antibodies. Hence, a diagnosis of atypical anti-GBM disease was made. The patient was treated initially with mycophenolate mofetil and corticosteroids. After 3 months she began to aggravate renal function so mycophenolate of mofetil was discontinued and a low dose cyclophosphamide was initiated.

We report a case involving infection with Strongyloides stercoralis found in the sputum of a 66-year-old male patient who had a medical history of nephrotic syndrome and was treated with methylprednisolone and monthly intravenous cyclophosphamide therapy 3 months previously. This patient presented with stubborn pulmonary symptoms and signs, which was the mechanical destruction caused by larval migration. We found strongyloides in his sputum that provided diagnostic proof.

Rhabdomyosarcomas are the most common soft tissue tumors of childhood. They are characterized by their poor prognosis. Vaginal location is very rare after puberty and exceptional in the post menopause. Treatment is based on several therapeutic measures combining neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery and/or external beam radiation therapy. We report herein the case of a 25 years-old woman, presented with vaginal embryonal RMS revealed by metrorrhagia and pelvic pain. The diagnosis was confirmed by biopsy and histopathological study. Pre-treatment workup was negative for metastatic disease. She has received chemotherapy based on vincristine, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide. The clinical evolution was marked by improvement of symptoms, unfortunately the patient died following febrile neutropenia after the third cycle of chemotherapy.

Background: Cyclophosphamide is used for the treatment of malignant and non-malignant diseases, but, it induces oxidative damage and disturbance in the antioxidant defense system. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) are used in biomedical applications and consumer products. ZnO-NPs are protected cell membranes against oxidative damage, decrease free radicals and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, and increase the antioxidant enzyme levels. Objectives: The present aimed to evaluate the ameliorative effect of Zn-O nano-particles on oxidative damage and disturbance in the antioxidant defense system induced by cyclophosphamide in male albino rats. Materials and Methods: 24 adult male albino rats were randomly divided into 4 groups (6 rats of each). Group I (Control group): Received 0.2 ml saline /day i.p. injection for 14 days (day by day), group II, (nZnO group): Received nZnO (5 mg/kg/day) b.w., intraperitoneally for 14 days, Group III (CP group): Received CP (20 mg/kg/day) b.w, day by day for 14 days by intraperitoneal injection, Group IV (CP + ZnO NPs group): Received nZnO group: Received nZnO (5 mg/kg/day) b.w., intraperitoneally for 14 days, plus CP (20 mg/kg/day) b.w., day by day for 14 days by intraperitoneal injection. After 24-hr from the last treatment, all animals were anesthetized using light ether. Blood, lungs, and liver samples were taken and prepared for biochemical measurements. Results: Individual treatment of zinc oxide nanoparticles and CP induced liver cytochrome b5, cytochrome C reductase, and glutathione S-transferase (GST) compared to the control group, while CP increased P450. The combination of nZnO and CP prevents the elevation of cytochrome b5, P450, cytochrome C reductase, and GST compared with the CP treated group. Zinc oxide nanoparticles and CP increased liver thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS). The combination of nZnO and CP prevents the changes in TBARS concentrations compared with the CP. Injection of CP to rats reduced the activities of serum glutathione reductase (GR) and catalase (CAT) as compared with the control group. However, combination treatment of rats with nZnO and CP increased the activities of these enzymes compared with those treated with CP alone. Zinc oxide nanoparticles and CP increased serum and lung TBARS, while decreased glutathione (GSH) concentration compared to the control group, with more pronounced changes by CP. The combination of nZnO and CP prevents the changes in TBARS and GSH concentrations compared with the CP. Conclusion: It can be concluded that CP induced oxidative stress and disturbance in the antioxidant defense system. Treatment of rats with zinc oxide nano-particles and CP together attenuated the oxidative damage and disturbance in the antioxidant defense system induced by CP. So, Patients treated with CP advised to take nZnO to prevent the side effects of chemotherapy. Further studies are necessary to evaluate the amelioration effect nZnO and other nano-particles against oxidative stress induced by CP in different doses and experimental models.

Background: Outcomes of chemotherapy in adults with ALL in resource-poor countries are reportedly worse compared with outcomes in resource-rich countries. There are few comparative data on transplants in these settings.Methods: Retrospective analysis of 102 consecutive subjects > 18 years with ALL receiving an allotransplant from Jan 2007 to Sept 2022 in Jordan.Results: Median follow-up is 38 mo ([IQR] 16-80 mo). 81 subjects were men. The median age was 29 y(IQR 22-36 y). 63 were B-cell and 38, were T-cell lineage. 31 had the Ph-chromosome. 68 were in 1st and 34, ≥ 2nd histological complete remission. 97 received intensive conditioning. Donors were an HLA-identical sibling (N = 88) or an HLA-mis-matched relative (N = 14). Grafts were blood cells. Subjects received conventional GvHD prophylaxis, cyclophosphamide (N = 11) or ATG (N = 3). All subjects recovered bone marrow function with complete donor chimerism. 5-year leukemia-free survival (LFS), 58% (47, 69%) and survival, 45% (34, 56%). 45 subjects developed acute and 44, cGvHD. 3-year cumulative incidence of cGvHD was 28% (15, 42%). 5-year CIR was 32% (18, 45%) and 3-year NRM, 25% (15, 35%).Conclusion: Allotransplant outcomes in adults with ALL in Jordan, a resource-poor country, seem comparable to those reported in resource-rich countries.

Double-Positive Patients (DPPs), characterized by the simultaneous presence of Anti-Neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody (ANCA) and anti-Glomerular Basement Membrane (anti-GBM) antibodies, represent a rare subset in systemic vasculitis. We present two cases of DPPs with renal involvement and review the existing literature to elucidate the clinical characteristics, histopathological findings, management strategies, and prognostic outcomes associated with this condition. Both cases exhibited renal involvement with rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis, requiring renal replacement therapy. Renal biopsies confirmed crescentic glomerulonephritis with features of both anti-GBM disease and ANCA-associated vasculitis. Management included high-dose glucocorticoids, cyclophosphamide, and consideration of plasma exchanges. Double-positive ANCA and anti-GBM vasculitis pose challenges in management and prognosis. Further research is essential to improve therapeutic strategies for this rare and heterogeneous condition.