title: Malignancies in beta-thalassemia patients: a single-center experience and a concise review of the literature.
abstract: Thalassemia represents the world's most common monogenic disease, characterized by absence of or decreased globin chain production. The lifespan of thalassemia patients has been extended as a result of current supportive treatment. We report three cases of cancer (non-Hodgkin lymphoma, Hodgkin disease, and seminoma) in thalassemic patients. Factors that may contribute to the pathogenesis of cancer seem to be infections and iron overload through mechanisms of oxidative damage; immunomodulation or coexistence of the two diseases may only be coincidental.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, University Hospital of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece. me01532@cc.uoi.gr
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Benetatos
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Alymara
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vassou
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Bourantas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D018239:Seminoma / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy