In its next issue, the world’s leading hematology journal „Blood” will publish a treatment guideline by the Dresden Hematology experts Professor Gerhard Ehninger, director of the Medizinische Klinik I of the University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus and head of the University Cancer Centre, and Christoph Röllig, consultant hematologist and oncologist. In their online pre-published article, Ehninger and Röllig brought together information from the literature, from their own clinical research and from decades of practical clinical experience. They formed precise and comprehensive treatment guidelines for the international audience of “Blood”. By consequent implementation of the measures outlined by the authors, acute life-threatening condition can be averted, allowing long-term cure of the disease.

Leukemia means “white blood” because here the white blood cells tend to multiply very rapidly so their number increases dramatically at the onset of the disease. Very high leukocyte counts can cause life-threatening complications that can only be prevented by immediate treatment actions. This so called “hyperleukocytosis” is a hematologic emergency but can be controlled within hours by choosing the adequate chemotherapy regimen and by blood dilution using infusions and special blood cell filtering (apheresis).

By publishing his guidelines on leukemia treatment, the highly prestigious American journal recognizes the achievements and expertise of Gerhard Ehninger, whose long lasting research on leukemias and blood diseases has been greatly influential on an international scale.

Since the 1990s, the Medical Clinic and Policlinic I at the University Hospital of the TU Dresden has established itself as one of the world’s leading centres for the treatment of cancer and leukemias and for stem cell transplantation. Specialized outpatient clinics and modern inpatient treatment facilities provide optimal treatment conditions for patients suffering from cancer. The clinic’s specialists have a close cooperation and advisory role for other hospitals and physicians in Saxony and beyond.

Publication:
Röllig C, Ehninger G.: How I treat hyperleukocytosis in acute myeloid leukemia.
Blood. 2015 Mar 16. pii: blood-2014-10-551507
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1182/blood-2014-10-551507
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25778528 

Photos: Prof. Gerhard Ehninger (Photo: Universitätsklinikum Dresden) und PD Dr. Christoph Röllig (Photo: Franziska Pilz)

Information for journalists:
Technische Universität Dresden
Carl Gustav Carus Faculty of Medicine
Dept. of internal Medicine I
PD Dr. med. Christoph Röllig
Phone: +49 (0)351 458-3775
 
http://www.mk1dd.de