Despite low incidence, neuroblastoma, an immunologically cold tumor, is the most common extracranial solid neoplasm in pediatrics. In relapsed/refractory cases, the benefits of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (auto-HSCT) and other therapies are limited. Natural killer (NK) cells apply cytotoxicity against tumor cells independently of antigen-presenting cells and the adaptive immune system. The primary endpoint of this trial was to assess the safety of the injection of allogenic, ex vivo-expanded and primed NK cells in relapsed/refractory neuroblastoma patients after auto-HSCT. The secondary endpoint included the efficacy of this intervention in controlling tumors. NK cells were isolated and primed ex vivo (by adding interleukin [IL]-2, IL-15, and IL-21) in a GMP-compliant CliniMACS system and administered to four patients with relapsed/refractory MYCN-positive neuroblastoma. NK cell injections (1 and 5 × 107 cells/kg in the first and second injections, respectively) were safe, and no acute or sub-acute adverse events were observed. During the follow-up period, one complete response (CR) and one partial response (PR) were observed, while two cases exhibited progressive disease (PD). In follow-up evaluations, two died due to disease progression, including the case with a PR. The patient with CR had regular growth at the 31-month follow-up, and another patient with PD is still alive and receiving chemotherapies 20 months after therapy. This therapy is an appealing and feasible approach for managing refractory neuroblastomas post-HSCT. Further studies are needed to explore its efficacy with higher doses and more frequent administrations for high-risk neuroblastomas and other immunologically cold tumors.Trial registration number: irct.behdasht.gov.ir (Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials, No. IRCT20201202049568N1).

The benefit of high-dose melphalan followed by autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HDM-ASCT) for multiple myeloma (MM) patients with renal insufficiency (RI) is debated. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to assess the safety and efficacy of HDM-ASCT in MM patients with RIs, and the findings were compared with real-world data. The study included 26 articles, 13 of which were pooled for meta-analysis. We compared three different types of MM patients with RI against MM patients with normal renal function (NRF). These patients were: MM patients with RI at the time of transplantation; MM patients with RI at the time of diagnosis; MM patients with RI at diagnosis but with NRF at transplantation. The meta-analysis indicated that MM patients with RIs conditioned with melphalan ≤ 140 mg/m2 followed by ASCT had transplant-related mortality rates comparable to those without RIs. The complete response rates post-ASCT were similar between MM patients with RIs and those with NRF. Although progression-free survival (PFS) was statistically similar between the groups, MM patients with RIs had significantly poorer overall survival (OS) than those with NRF. The real-world data supported these findings. With a reduced dose of melphalan, ASCT is safe and effective for MM patients with RI. MM patients with RI have similar complete response rates and PFS after ASCT compared to MM patients with NRF. The lower OS in MM patients with RI indicates the need for further research to improve OS in these patients.

UNASSIGNED: Pterygium is an ocular surface disease characterized by the invasion of fibrovascular tissue from the bulbar conjunctiva to the cornea and is associated with abnormal tear function caused by changes in tear composition and osmolarity. In this study, the effect of two different surgical techniques to remove primary pterygium: conjunctival autograft surgery (CAG) and amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT), on changes in MUC2 and MUC5AC tear mucins concentration were evaluated.
UNASSIGNED: Forty-four patients (>18 years old) with primary unilateral pterygium (> 1.0 mm long, measured from the limbus to the apex on the cornea) were randomly enrolled, and assigned to the AMT or CAG group by using the permuted block technique. Patients with systemic inflammatory diseases or other eye comorbidities were excluded from the study. Tear break-up time (TBUT) and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) assessments were performed before surgery and at 1, 3, and 6 months after surgery. Tears were collected concurrently with the clinical evaluations, and MUC2 and MUC5AC concentrations were subsequently measured by means of ELISA.
UNASSIGNED: At 6 months after CAG or AMT, TBUT and BCVA were significantly lower (P < 0.05) in comparison with the baseline values in the study subjects. The tear mucin concentrations of both MUC2 and MUC5AC were significantly higher (P < 0.0001) in patients with pterygium before any surgical procedure than in healthy individuals. The concentration of MUC2 increased at 1 and 3 months after CAG surgery and decreased at 6 months; however, the MUC2 concentration decreased on the AMT group in all time point measurements. Interestingly, the MUC5AC concentration significantly increased at 1 month after AMT or CAG and then decreased at 3 and 6 months after surgery. Finally, an inverse correlation was found between both MUC2 and MUC5AC tear mucins concentration and the TBUT.
UNASSIGNED: These results suggest that pterygium excision via both CAG or AMT changes the concentrations of the tear mucins MUC2 and MUC5AC during the evaluated times, and these changes could affect tear film stability and clinical recovery after pterygium treatment.
UNASSIGNED: The tear film stability during pterygium excision was evaluated to determine adequate treatments.

Autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) emerges as a therapeutic strategy following remission in adult acute leukemia (AL). It offers advantages over allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT), including independence from donor availability, absence of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), and a reduced risk of transplant-related mortality. Furthermore, when juxtaposed with the extended regimens of consolidation chemotherapy, ASCT stands out by markedly abbreviating treatment duration, alleviating the economic strain on patients, and enhancing their overall quality of life. Despite these benefits, the adoption of ASCT among adult AL patients in China remains disproportionately low. To enhance clinical physicians\' understanding of the role and position of ASCT in AL management and to improve the clinical efficacy of ASCT, it is urgent to establish a consensus among experts on ASCT for adult acute leukemia in our nation.
自体造血干细胞移植（autologous stem cell transplantation，ASCT）是成人急性白血病（AL）缓解后治疗的方法之一。与异基因造血干细胞移植（allo-HSCT）相比，ASCT具有不受供者限制、不发生移植物抗宿主病（GVHD）、移植相关死亡率低等优点；与多疗程的巩固化疗相比，ASCT能显著缩短治疗时间、减轻患者经济负担，提升患者生活质量。但目前，我国成人AL患者接受ASCT数量较少。为提高临床医师对ASCT在成人AL治疗中作用和地位的认识，提高ASCT临床疗效，亟待制定我国成人急性白血病自体造血干细胞移植专家共识。.

Invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells are a small subset of T lymphocytes that release large amounts of cytokines such as IFN-γ and exhibit cytotoxic activity upon activation, inducing strong anti-tumor effects. Harnessing the anti-tumor properties of iNKT cells, iNKT cell-based immunotherapy has been developed to treat cancer patients. In one of the iNKT cell-based immunotherapies, two approaches are utilized, namely, active immunotherapy or adoptive immunotherapy, the latter involving the ex vivo expansion and subsequent administration of iNKT cells. There are two sources of iNKT cells for adoptive transfer, autologous and allogeneic, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Here, we assess clinical trials conducted over the last decade that have utilized iNKT cell adoptive transfer as iNKT cell-based immunotherapy, categorizing them into two groups based on the use of autologous iNKT cells or allogeneic iNKT cells.

We present an unusual etiology of primary renal allograft dysfunction attributed to myeloma cast nephropathy in a patient with no history of multiple myeloma before kidney transplant. The patient, a 54-year-old woman, had been on hemodialysis for 6 months before transplant for presumed diabetic nephropathy; she developed graft dysfunction immediately after transplant. Graft biopsy specimens were consistent with myeloma cast nephropathy, and she was treated with bortezomib, cyclophosphamide, and dexamethasone. She achieved a complete hematological response and regained excellent graft function 3 months after transplant. The patient then received autologous stem cell transplant 8 months after kidney transplant. To our knowledge, this is the second report of a successful graft outcome after chemotherapy and the first report treated with autologous stem cell transplantation after remission of monoclonal disease.

BACKGROUND: Dupuytren\'s contracture is a hereditary disorder which causes progressive fibrosis of the palmar aponeurosis of the hand, resulting in digital flexion contractures of the affected rays. Limited fasciectomy is a standard surgical treatment for Dupuytren\'s, and the one with the lowest recurrence rate; however, the recurrence is still relatively high (2-39%). Adipose-derived stem cells have been shown to inhibit Dupuytren\'s myofibroblasts proliferation and contractility in vitro, as well as to improve scar quality and skin regeneration in different types of surgeries. Autologous adipose tissue grafting has already been investigated as an adjuvant treatment to percutaneous needle fasciotomy for Dupuytren\'s contracture with good results, but it was only recently associated with limited fasciectomy. The purpose of REMEDY trial is to investigate if limited fasciectomy with autologous adipose tissue grafting would decrease recurrence compared to limited fasciectomy alone.
METHODS: The REMEDY trial is a multi-centre open-label randomised controlled trial (RCT) with 1:1 allocation ratio. Participants (n = 150) will be randomised into two groups, limited fasciectomy with autologous adipose tissue grafting versus limited fasciectomy alone. The primary outcome is the recurrence of Dupuytren\'s contracture on any of the treated rays at 2 years postoperatively. The secondary outcomes are recurrence at 3 and 5 years, scar quality, complications, occurrence of algodystrophy (complex regional pain syndrome), patient-reported hand function, and hypodermal adipose tissue loss at 1 year postoperatively in a small subset of patients.
CONCLUSIONS: The REMEDY trial is one of the first studies investigating limited fasciectomy associated with autologous adipose tissue grafting for Dupuytren\'s contracture, and, to our knowledge, the first one investigating long-term outcomes of this treatment. It will provide insight into possible benefits of combining adipose tissue grafting with limited fasciectomy, such as lower recurrence rate and improvement of scar quality.
BACKGROUND: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05067764, June 13, 2022.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the perioperative nursing methods of autologous dermal transplantation for penile girth enhancement combined with penile lengthening surgery.
METHODS: Summarize the perioperative nursing data of 5 patients with small penis who underwent autologous groin dermal transplantation for penile girth enhancement combined with penile lengthening surgery.
RESULTS: After comprehensive perioperative nursing, all 5 patients recovered well after the surgery. The preoperative APPSSI scores of the patients were 4.60±0.48, which were all less than 6 points. The postoperative APPSSI scores at 2 months, 6 months, and 12 months were 9－12 (10.6±1.02), 10－12 (11.2±0.98), and 10－12 (11.2±0.98) respectively, showing satisfaction with the surgical outcomes. There was a statistically significant difference compared to the preoperative APPSSI scores (Ｐ<0.05). The preoperative SAS scores were 45－58 (52.2±4.35), and the SAS scores at 2 months, 6 months, and 12 months postoperatively were 31－40 (34.2±3.31), 30-41 (35.8±3.65), and 33－40 (35.6±2.33) respectively, indicating a reduction in anxiety levels after the surgery, with a statistically significant difference compared to the preoperative SAS scores (P<0.05). The preoperative IIEF-5 scores were 7－15 (10.4±2.87), and the IIEF-5 scores at 2 months, 6 months, and 1 year postoperatively were 16－24 (19.8±2.71), 18－25 (21.2±2.48), and 18－24 (20.8±2.39) respectively, showing a significant improvement postoperatively, with statistical significance (P<0.05). The preoperative NPTR examination showed a sustained erection time of 18－25 (21.2±2.59) minutes, and the NPTR examination at 2 months, 6 months, and 1 year postoperatively showed sustained erection times of 18－24 (21.8±2.28), 20-25 (23.4±2.30), and 24－27 (25.4±1.14) minutes respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in the sustained erection time at 2 months and 6 months postoperatively compared to preoperative NPTR examination, but there was a statistically significant difference at 12 months postoperatively (P<0.01).
CONCLUSIONS: Comprehensive perioperative nursing is an important factor in achieving high satisfaction with the surgery, promoting postoperative recovery, and improving the quality of sexual life for patients undergoing autologous groin dermal transplantation for penile girth enhancement combined with penile lengthening surgery.

BACKGROUND: In relapsed/refractory (R/R) diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), a negative prognosis is frequently linked to heightened epigenetic heterogeneity. Chidamide, a selective histone deacetylase inhibitor, shows promise as a targeted therapy for R/R DLBCL by targeting abnormal epigenetic changes associated with poor prognosis.
METHODS: A cohort of 27 ineligible patients with R/R DLBCL participated in an open - label, single - arm study. Chidamide was administered orally at a dose of 30 mg twice weekly for one week during the induction monotherapy phase. The subsequent combination therapy phase involved oral chidamide at a dose of 20 mg twice weekly for two weeks, followed by a one-week discontinuation period, in conjunction with intravenous R-GDP every 21 days.
RESULTS: Among the cohort of 31 patients who underwent screening (median age: 67 years), 27 were ultimately included in the study, with 14 individuals successfully completing six cycles of C-R-GDP treatment. The overall best objective response rate was determined to be 79.1% (95% CI: 75.1%-83.3%), comprising a complete response rate of 45.8% (95% CI: 41.6%-49.9%) and a partial response rate of 33.3% (95% CI: 29.3%-37.4%). Within the subgroup of 14 patients who completed the full treatment regimen, the best objective response rate reached 100%, with 71.4% achieving complete response (n = 10) and 28.6% achieving partial response (n = 4). The median follow-up period for these patients was 17.0 months, ranging from 3.5 to 55 months. Progression-free survival was 5.9 months and overall survival was 48.3 months. Anemia was the most common adverse event, affecting all patients. Thrombocytopenia led to treatment interruption or dose reduction in 13 patients. Other common adverse events included hypocalcemia, hyponatremia, and hypokalemia. Three patients experienced grade 3 pneumonitis and one had grade 3 skin rash.
CONCLUSIONS: Chidamide combined with R-GDP is a safe and effective treatment option for patients with R/R DLBCL who are not eligible for autologous stem cell transplantation.

Background: Heat burns are a prevalent type of trauma. Rapid and effective treatment is crucial for deep burns to minimize complications. Autologous skin grafting is a highly effective treatment for full-thickness burns. A multidisciplinary team plays a vital role in managing burn patients undergoing skin grafting, from initial contact to outpatient follow-up. Case Summary: This case study involves a 56-year-old patient who suffered burns on 60% of his body following an alcohol explosion on an open flame. The patient underwent autologous skin grafting at a Major Burn Center. Initial symptoms included severe pain and immobility, but the patient remained alert and breathed spontaneously. The diagnosis was a loss of epidermis and dermis with burns covering 60-69% of the total body surface area (TBSA) and third-degree burns covering 10% TBSA. Post-discharge, the patient showed significant improvement, with complete healing of the grafts and partial resolution of other lesions. Six months after the intervention, the patient significantly improved his autonomy and mobility. Conclusions: This case highlights the importance of burn prevention and the critical role of multidisciplinary teams in the entire care pathway of burn patients. Appropriate diagnosis, complete treatment, and continuous multidisciplinary support are essential to prevent complications and ensure recovery.