New guidelines on diagnosis and treatment of a primary immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) in children and adults, on the basis of modern pathogenesis conceptions and considering possibilities of hematological practice in Russia are presented. Guidelines are based on a consensus of international and Russian experts on ITP. Diagnostic features of ITP are noted and various I, II and III lines treatment, including new effective medical products which have recently appeared in Russia, in particular, trombopoietin receptor agonists (romiplostim, eltrombopag), considerably expanded conservative treatment possibilities are offered. The presented guidelines can help hematologists to develop individual schedule for each given patients with ITP and to improve patients quality of life.

Clinical efficiency of Dacogen (inhibitor of DNA hypermethylation) in 16 patients with MDS is presented. Bone marrow cytogenetic studies were performed in 6 patients; the detected chromosome aberrations included 5q deletion in 1 patient, X monosomy in 2 and multiple clonal rearrangements in 1. Results of this study indicated that after 4 courses of Dacogen (15mg/m2 i.v. 3 times daily for 3 days each course) significant clinical and hematological effects is received (according to standard criteria [1]): a complete response was in 3 patients; no partial response was registered; stabilization and bone marrow remission were achieved in 1 and 4 patients respectively. Response duration was 3.5 months. Drug myelotoxicity which would influence on intercourse interval and cause dose reduction during treatment was not revealed.

Goals: an evaluation of effectiveness of Fludarabine, Cyclophosphomide and Rituximab (FCR therapy) for patients with newly diagnosed Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) for validation of results from multi-centered clinical trials in real clinical practice. Materials and methods: sixty six (66) patients with newly diagnosis of CLL were included to this prospective study with average age of 58 years old (39-73 years old). Stage I - II according to Rai staging system was found in 76% of patients; Stage III-IV – in 24 % of patients. All patients received 6-8 cycles of inductive FCR therapy: Rituximab 375 mg/m2, iv – first cycle, followed by 500 mg/m2, iv; Fludarabine – 25 mg/m2, iv – days 2,3 and 4 of a cycle; Cyclophosphamide – 250 mg/m2,iv– days 2,3 and 4 of a cycle). Patients were divided into two groups based on duration of induction cycles (IC). Group 1 had average IC of 36 days; Group 2 - 49 days. Evaluation of immunochemotherapy effectiveness was determined by presence of remissions (IWCLL-2008), progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) (Kaplan – Meier method). Results: Complete Remission (CR) was observed more often in Group 1 (FCR-36) than in Group 2 (FCR-49) - 56.6% and 37.9% of patients, respectively (p > 0.05). Median PFS was 36 months in all patients; 45 months – in Group 1 (FCR-36) and was not achieved in Group 2 (FCR-49). Median OS was 45 months in Group 1 (FCR-36) and was not achieved in Group 2 (FCR-49). Conclusions: confirmation of FCR therapy effectiveness for newly diagnosed CLL patients was established in real clinical practice characterized by non-selective patient groups and prolonged induction therapy cycles. Results of this study provide validation for results from multi-centered clinical trials and could be reproduced on a greater scale in clinical practice. Keywords: Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL), Chemotherapy, Immunotherapy No conflicts of interests pertinent to the abstract.

One of the main factors of innate immunity involved in tumor progression and metastasis are TLRs, ligands of TLRs, chemokines and their receptors. The relationship between the above factors and the oncological process was studied not revrntly, but the last decade has been actively studied by scientists from all over the world. Despite the great interest in this issue, a more detailed study so far concerns only a few chemokines, such as CXCL12, CCL8 and their receptors, as well as TLRs and their ligands. Thus, in our work, we wanted to explore possible options for mediated chemotaxis of leukemia cells, as well as the eff ect of heterologous receptor activation on each other.

Introduction . The advent of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in clinical practice drastically improved prognosis in patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML). Adverse events of the TKI therapy and its high financial burden warrant the trend to gradually abandon this treatment. Aim . To assess the results of CML patient monitoring after the withdrawal of TKI therapy. Patients and methods . This prospective study included 98 chronic phase CML patients satisfying the criteria: any receiving of TKI therapy for ≥3 years; deep molecular response (DMR, BCR-ABL ≤ 0.01 % IS) during ≥ 2 years. The withdrawal was followed by quantitative BCR-ABL estimation performed monthly for the first 6 months of the survey, bimonthly for 1 year and every 3 months from the second year onwards. Therapy was resumed at a loss of major molecular response (MMR, BCR-ABL ≥ 0.1 % IS). Results . The MMR loss upon the TKI withdrawal was observed in 48 (49 %) patients. Survival without MMR loss was 52 % past 24 months since withdrawal, with a median of 35 months (23–52). The duration of therapy, MR and the MR depth at the time of withdrawal significantly correlated with a conserved post-therapy MMR. Gender, age, a Sokal risk group, type and line of TKI therapy at withdrawal, and imatinib resistance in history were not observed to significantly impact molecular relapse-free remission. MMR was recovered in all 48 patients with TKI therapy resumed in molecular relapse. In 65 % of the patients, adverse therapy events observed during treatment completely resolved by 6 months of post-therapy monitoring. Musculoskeletal pain (withdrawal syndrome, WS) was reported in 42 % patients in the post-therapeutic period, which did not lead to TKI resumption. The WS development correlated with an elder age and longer therapy prior to withdrawal. Conclusion . Molecular relapse-free survival in CML patients with treatment-free remission (TFR) is comparable to other published evidence. Monitoring safety during TFR is attested by the lack of disease progression and MMR recovery upon TKI resumption in all patients.

Specialists-hematologists constantly need to update their knowledge in connection with the rapid development of hematology and the introduction of new methods of diagnosis and treatment into practice. Recommendations for the diagnosis and therapy of Rh-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms (polycythemia vera, essential thrombocythemia, primary myelofibrosis, unclassified myeloproliferative disease, postpolycythemia and postthrombocytemic myelofibrosis) are developed by the research group for studies of myeloproliferative diseases at the initiative of the Russian National Hematological Society (Chairman: Prof. V. G. Savchenko, Chief Extraordinary Expert for Hematology of the Ministry of Health of Russia, Academician, Director General of the National Research Center for Hematology). The aim of these recommendations is standardization of the diagnostic and therapeutic approaches in Russia. The methodological approaches are based on the recommendations of the Russian expert council (leading specialists of 10 hematological centers of the Russian Federation) for diagnosis and treatment of patients with classical Ph-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms, Russian experience in management of patients and diagnostic criteria approved by WHO in 1017 and the recommendations of the European Leukemia NET (ELN), National Cancer Control Net (NCCN; USA), International Working Group for Myeloproliferative Neoplasm Research and Treatment (IWG-MRT). The draft clinical guidelines were reviewed on November 11, 2013 at a meeting of the Expert Group on Myeloproliferative Diseases. The discussion was attended by leading experts of 10 hematology centers in Russia. The project was approved at the meeting of the Profile Commission on the specialty "Hematology " on March 3, 2014. At the II Congress of Hematology on April 12, 2014, clinical guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of classical Ph-negative inventories were approved. Clinical guidelines are a dynamic document. National Clinical Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of classic Ph-negative myeloproliferative diseases are updated once every two years. In 2017 clinical recommendations approved at the III Congress of Hematology of Russia on April 15, 2016 were published. This edition is an updated version approved at the IV Congress of Hematology of Russia on April 13, 2018. The recommendations are intended for hematologists, chemotherapists, health administrators, medical students.

Аim. A study of CXCL12 effect on the migration of mononuclear cells isolated from healthy patients, from patients with myelomonoblastic leukemia before and after chemotherapy and the study of CCR4, EGFR and CXCL12 genes expression after exposure to CXCL12. Materials and methods. The chemotaxis of mononuclear cells (MNCs) of healthy donors and patients with myelomonoblastic leukemia was studied in a Boyden chamber, followed by isolation of RNA, reverse transcription and PCR-RV. Results. A significant increase in myelomonoblasic cell chemotaxis towards CXCL12 after chemotherapy was demonstrated, as well as a decrease in the expression of this chemokine in tumor cells before chemotherapy after exposure to CXCL12. Сonclusion. Presumably, the tumor cells themselves produce CXCL12 in large amounts, which is necessary for the disturbance of intercellular interactions and further intravasation, whose production may decrease with external stimulation by the same chemokine. CXCL12 also helps to increase the expression level of EGFR and CCR4, which leads to increased tumor proliferation and migration of tumor cells.

Aim. To evaluate the concentration of immunoglobulin free light chains (FLC) in comparison with that of intact measurable paraproteins (PIg) in patients with relapsed/resistant multiple myeloma (RR MM) undergoing treatment with bortezomib.Materials and methods. A retrospective study included 15 patients with RR MM with intact measurable PIg. Following 6 cycles of bortezomib treatment, an evaluation of the treatment efficacy was performed using standard criteria and by analysing serum FLC of immunoglobulins (sFLC).Results. A partial response (PR) and small response was achieved in 4 and 5 patients, respectively. The stabilization of the disease was observed in 6 patients. No cases of complete response (CR) or stringent complete response (SCR) were recorded. On the basis of the data on the concentration of sFLC after treatment, all patients were divided into 2 groups: those with an abnormal (clonal) and normal κ/λ ratio. In 11 patients with a response lower than PR, sFLC κ/λ ratio was of a clonal nature, which corresponded to changes in the concentrations of intact PIg during treatment. In 4 cases with PR, the residual tumour was determined by the presence of intact PIg within the 32–45 % range under, however, a normal sFLC κ/λ ratio.Conclusion. Treatment with bortezomib affects all processes in MM with intact PIg, such as synthesis of FLC by tumour plasma cells, a decrease in the amount of circulating sFLC in blood and in the concentration of intact PIg. Normalization of sFLC κ/λ ratio under the achievement of PR could be considered as a prognostic factor in a favourable clinical outcome.

Objective: to study the efficacy and safety of the antitumor RVP program (lenalidomide, bortezomib, prednisone) as a first-line therapy in patients with multiple myeloma (MM). Materials and methods. A prospective study involved 39 patients with MM (15 women, 24 men), median age 61 years (30–76 years). All patients had Durie–Salmon stage III disease. According to the paraprotein isotype variant, 19 patients (48.7 %) had Gk myeloma, 8 (20.5 %) had Gλ, 4 (10.2 %) – Ak, 1 – Aλ, 1 – Dk, 1 – paraproteinemia Bens-Jones k and 1 – Bens-Jones λ, 2 – Dλ, and 2 patients – nonsecreting MM. The average level of plasma cells in the bone marrow was 31.7 % (0.8–80.0 %). In 14 (35.8 %) patients there were plasmacytomas of various localization (spine, cranial bones, clavicle, pleura). Nine (23.0 %) patients had renal failure, requiring the start of renal replacement therapy. The average Karnovsky index in the study group was 50 %. All patients received RVP therapy (lenalidomide 25 mg in 1–14 days, bortezomib 1.3 mg subcutaneously in 1, 4, 8, 11 days, prednisolone 60 mg/m2; the interval between courses was 42 days) as the first line therapy. Evaluation of therapy efficacy, characterized by overall survival, objective response rates (the number of complete, very good partial and partial remissions) was performed after 6 treatment courses. Results. The median follow-up was 15 months; the median of overall survival was not achieved. Objective antitumor response achieved in 29 (74.3 %) patients, including complete remissions in 3 (7.6 %), very good partial remissions – in 7 (17.9 %), partial remissions – in 19 (48.7 %) patients. In 2 out of 9 patients who received renal replacement therapy, independence from dialysis therapy was achieved. Cases of III–IV stage hematological and non-hematological toxicity in the study were not noted. Conclusion. The antitumor RVP program showed high efficacy and safety as a first-line therapy in a non-selective group of patients, including those with a complicated MM course.

Background: We have previously shown that the FAS, TNFR2, TRAIL, DR3, DR4/5 gene expression in patients with newly diagnosed chronic lymphoblastic leukemia (CLL) correlates with clinical manifestations of the disease: they are minimal in patients with high activity of the proapoptotic genes and low activity of the apoptosis-inhibiting genes, and advanced in patients with high expression of the anti-apoptotic and low expression of the pro-apoptotic genes.Aim: To compare the levels of expression of the external apoptosis pathway genes in patients with newly diagnosed CLL before and after chemotherapy with fludarabine, cyclophosphamide and rituximab (FCR), taking into account baseline clinical data and the response to treatment.Materials and methods: This prospective one-center cohort study included 23 patients with newly diagnosed CLL, who underwent clinical and diagnostic assessments and treatment from November 2014 to December 2017. Immunophenotyping of peripheral blood lymphocytes for CLL diagnosis was done by fourcolor flow cytometry. Expression of the external apoptosis pathway genes was assessed by realtime reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. All patients were treated with a standard FCR regimen with subsequent maintenance treatment with rituximab.Results: There were more men (n = 16) than women among our 23 CLL patients. Median age was 64 years (range, from 47 to 77 years). Sixteen (16) patients had CLL Rai Grade I and II, and 7 patients had CLL Grades III and IV. For convenience of analysis, all patients were divided into two groups depending on the FAS gene expression. At baseline, the patients with high FAS expression had higher TNFR2 (p < 0.0015) and TRAIL (p < 0.0053) expression levels. Before FCR therapy, the patients with low FAS expression had higher lymphocyte counts (р = 0.0016) and lower erythrocyte counts (р = 0.0159). At baseline, there were more Grade I and II patients in the group with higher FAS expression (р = 0.0205). At day 3 after the end of a four day FCR cycle, there was an increase only of the FAS (p = 0.0025) and TRAIL (p = 0.0045) expression. After the completion of the first FCR cycle, lymphocyte counts in the patients with low FAS expression decreased earlier than those in the patients with high FAS expression (p = 0.0019). After six FCR cycles, complete or partial remission was obtained in 82% (19/23) of the patients. The patients with high FAS expression had higher complete remission rate (р = 0.026). No adverse events related to FCR were registered.Conclusion: The external apoptosis pathway genes are one of the key factors of the tumor progression in CLL. Our data on the effect of FCR therapy on the FAS and TRAIL gene expression make it possible to consider them as a target for this combination regimen and may become the rationale to develop new pharmaceutical molecules.

Introduction.The given data of fundamental studies of apoptosis processes in B-cell lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) testifies about the complexity and variety of mechanisms affecting the kinetics of normal cells and tumor lymphocytes in this disease. It is important to study the severity of clinical manifestations of the disease depending on the expression of the genes that modulate apoptosis.The purposeof the study is to compare the activity of genes encoding apoptosis modulators, the cell cycle and cancer-testicular PRAME protein with clinical manifestations of the disease in primary patients with B-CLL.Materials and methods.The level of expression of the proapoptotic genes FAS, TRAIL, TNFR2, DR4/5 and DR3, as well as the HSP27, XIAP genes, blocking apoptosis was determined in 23 patients with newly diagnosed chronic B-CLL. In addition, expression of genes TP53 and P21 and cancer-testis gene PRAME are tested.Results.According to the multivariate regression analysis, the FAS gene expression in the onset of the disease had the greatest impact on the clinical characteristics of the disease. In this connection, the patients were divided into groups with normal (group) and low gene level (group II). A low level of FAS expression (Me 387 %) was associated with stage II disease (p = 0.03), a large number of lympho cytes (p = 0.001), fewer erythrocytes (p = 0.08), and a lower level of TNFR2 gene expression (p = 0.08), high level of expression of XIAP, HSP27, P21. Overall, the anti-apoptotic potential in Group II patients was higher, which was accompanied by more pronounced clinical manifestations of the disease.Conclusions.The increased anti-apoptotic potential of tumor lymphocytes in newly diagnosed B-CLL is accompanied by a larger tumor mass and greater clinical and hematological manifestation of the disease.

Background. Due to the significant increase in life expectancy and the quality of life in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) as well as the growing need for expensive tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI), the analysis of cost-effectiveness and lifelong monitoring of patients is especially important. Aim. We present the results of a multicenter observational study “The Russian Registry of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia in routine clinical practice (2011-2016)”. Materials & Methods. The study included Russian patients with CML, confirmed by the detection of a Ph-chromosome or a BCR-ABL transcript. The statistical analysis (July 1, 2016) included 7609 patients from 80 regions of the Russian Federation (covering 95 % of the population). The annual increase in the number of patients with newly diagnosed CML was 600-650 patients. At the time of the statistical analysis, 6995 (92 %) patients remained under observation, 473 (6 %) died and 141 (2 %) were withdrawn. The registry included 44 % of men and 56 % of women, the median age was 49 years (range 2-94 years). The peak incidence (46.3 %) occurred at the age of 40-60 years. The median disease duration by the time of the analysis was 6 years (range 0.1-30 years). Results. The disease was diagnosed in the chronic phase (CP), acceleration phase, and blast crisis in 6560 (93.8 %), 380 (5.5 %) and 47 (0.7 %) patients, respectively. The proportion of risk groups according to Sokal for low, intermediate and high risk in CP was 49 %, 30 %, and 21 %, respectively. TKI were administered to 6473 (92.5 %) patients. Imatinib and the second generation TKI (TKI2) were administered to 5570 (86 %) and 903 (14 %) patients, respectively. The total of 30.4 % of patients received the increased imatinib dose of 600-800 mg. In the TKI2 group, 558 (61.7 %) patients received nilotinib and 345 (38.2 %) patients received dasatinib. The proportion of patients with completed molecular genetic studies (MGS) in 2014, 2015 and the first 6 months of 2016 amounted to 61 %, 58 % and 23 %, respectively. The proportion of patients with cytogenetic studies (CS) for the same period was 28 %, 26 % and 7 %, respectively. No CS or MGS data were presented for 34 %, 35 % and 63 % of patients during this period. Optimal molecular response and major molecular response (MMR) for TKI therapy were observed in 23 % and 58 % of patients treated < 12 months and > 12 months, respectively. When nilotinib was used in the second line, MMR was obtained in 42 % of patients, and a deep molecular response was obtained in 25 % of patients (BCR-ABL < 0.01 %). Conclusion. The high efficacy of TKI therapy was observed in the majority of patients with the possibility of achieving a minimal residual disease. The problems concerning untimely monitoring and suboptimal administration of second line treatment were identified. In general, the CML patient registry allowed the data integration of data and information management of population with CML in Russia.

Presence of Serum-Free Immunoglobulin Light Chains (sFLC) was analyzed for 15 patients with newly diagnosed Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL). All patients were also characterized by peripheral blood lymphocytes' immunotype (including k/lambda), presence of absolute lymphocytosis and clinical data. Of the 15 patients 11 had elevated concentrations of monoclonal sFLC: 7 patients had elevated K sFLC (K/lambda ratio > 1,65); 4 patients had elevated) sFLC (K/lambda ratio < 0,26). The type of elevated clone for sFLC was the same as the isotype of clonal lymphocytosis. The remaining 4 of 15 patients did not have elevated concentrations of sFLC whereas clonal lymphocytosis (lambda type for all 4 patients) and absolute lymphocytosis were observed. 10 of 15 patients received 6 courses of RFC-therapy. For those patients sFLC concentration was measured before and after the therapy. In 6 of 10 patients tumor clone of sFLC was detected. After RFC-therapy, 4 of those patients demonstrated a reduction in concentrations of elevated sFLC on average for 63,1% and a normal K/lambda ratio that corresponded with the absence of clonal and absolute lymphosytosis. The remaining 2 patients did not have a decrease in sFLC concentrations and had abnormal k/lambda ratio, however, tumor clone lymphocytes and absolute lymphocytosis were not detected, that was presented with better overall clinical outcome. In 4 out of 10 patients that demonstrated no initial elevation in clonal sFLC, measured sFLC concentrations varied within the normal range. Conclusions: 73,7% of CLL patients in our study showed elevated concentrations of clonal sFLC. Serum-Free Light Chains concentration could serve as an integral criterion for evaluation of tumor mass and therapy effectiveness.

Clinical observations of plasma exchange therapy in patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (UP) are presented. Difficulties in the early diagnosis and the role of the early use of the pathogenic treatment are considered. The impact of extracorporal therapy in patients with UP is discussed.

This article is the 4th edition of the recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia. The group of authors reviewed and discussed relevant new publications, and included the significant remarks and comments of experts. Particular attention was paid to the control of risk factors for the development of arterial vascular events and their prevention, and adverse effects of the long-term therapy with tyrosine kinase inhibitors, which were being increasingly reported in recent years.