Articles

Treatment of peripheral T-cell lymphomas: recommendations of the Belgian Hematological Society (BHS)

BJH - volume 4, issue 3, september 2013

F. Van Obbergh MD, A. Van Hoof MD, PhD, G. Verhoef MD, PhD, D. Dierickx MD, PhD, V. De Wilde MD, PhD, F. Offner MD, PhD, D. Bron MD, PhD, A. Sonet MD, M. André MD, A. Janssens MD, PhD, C. Bonnet MD, PhD, B. Deprijck MD, P. Zachée MD, PhD, A. Kentos MD, W. Schroyens MD, PhD, E. Van den Neste MD, PhD

Summary

The sub-committee on lymphoproliferative disorders of the Belgian Hematological Society has met several times to prepare guidelines on the management of patients with peripheral T-cell lymphomas. Each panellist’s expert provided interpretation of the evidence, based on literature review and personal experience. The available evidence was systematically discussed prior to formulating recommendations. A systematic approach to obtain consensus of expert opinion was used. After each meeting, the draft guideline was circulated to all experts for comment and approval. The present guidelines focus on general management of peripheral T-cell lymphomas with special emphasis on more specific disease-adapted strategies.

(BELG J HEMATOL 2013;4(3):90–101)

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Guidelines for newly diagnosed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and relapsed DLBCL

BJH - volume 4, issue 2, june 2013

G. Verhoef MD, PhD, W. Schroyens MD, PhD, D. Bron MD, PhD, C. Bonnet MD, PhD, V. De Wilde MD, PhD, A. Van Hoof MD, PhD, A. Janssens MD, PhD, D. Dierickx MD, PhD, M. André MD, E. Van den Neste MD, PhD

Summary

The guidelines for adult patients in this article are based on 2011 ESMO and NCCN version 4.2011 guidelines and amended for the particular Belgian context of label prescription and reimbursement. Levels of evidence for the use of treatment recommendations are given in square brackets. Statements without grading were considered justifed standard clinical practice by the experts of the BHS-lymphoma working party.

(BELG J HEMATOL 2013;4(2):51–57)

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P.59 Protective Isolation in Hematology : Risk Assessment and Environmental Control

BJH - 2013, issue BHS Abstractbook, january 2013

M. Bourgeois , A. Sonet MD, C. Graux MD, PhD, C. Chatelain MD, C. Doyen MD, PhD, C. Baiana , C. Crivisqui , Y. Glupczynski , M. André MD

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BHS guidelines for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia anno 2012

BJH - volume 3, issue 4, december 2012

A. Janssens MD, PhD, E. Van den Neste MD, PhD, W. Schroyens MD, PhD, M. André MD, A. Van Hoof MD, PhD, V. De Wilde MD, PhD, G. Verhoef MD, PhD, F. Offner MD, PhD, D. Bron MD, PhD

Summary

Tremendous improvements in treatment outcome have been obtained over the past decade but for most of the patients chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) still remains an incurable disease. We eagerly await tools incorporating patient related, disease related and treatment related factors, in order to balance efficacy and toxicity and to personalise treatment in a more rational manner. No treatment is necessary for patients without active and/or advanced disease, regardless of prognostic factors. When treatment is indicated we recommend fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, rituximab (FCR) as front-line strategy for fit patients, bendamustine, rituximab (BR) for patients unfit for FCR and chlorambucil for older patients with a geriatric profile or patients with major comorbidities or a reduced performance status. The choice of treatment for patients with recurrent advanced and/ or active disease depends on the duration of response to the previous treatment and on the type of treatment refractoriness. Reduced intensity conditioning allogeneic stem cell transplantation should be considered for patients with a de novo or an acquired 17p deletion, for patients refractory to F, or F and alemtuzumab, or for patients with an early relapse after chemo-immunotherapy.

We encourage patients to enter clinical trials exploring new agents. Among these new approaches, the signal transduction inhibitors have shown remarkable activity in very advanced disease, independent of genetic aberrations.

(BELG J HEMATOL 2012;3: 134–143)

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