John P. Greer, MD

Dr. Armitage presents a succinct and thorough review of the role of mitoxantrone (Novantrone) in patients with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL). He begins by emphasizing the importance of accurate diagnosis as described in the World Health Organization classification which evolved from the Revised European American Lymphoma classification. Both of these present day classifications are based on the immunologic principles separating lymphomas into B- and T-cell disorders developed in the 1970s by Lennert, Lukes, and Collins.[1,2] His review addresses multiple issues in mitoxantrone therapy, including dose intensity, cardiotoxicity, combination therapy with nucleoside analogs in low-grade lymphomas, the impact of rituximab (Rituxan), therapy for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related lymphoma, and the role of high-dose mitoxantrone as part of a preparative regimen for autologous transplants.

The 10th edition of Wintrobe’s Clinical Hematology is a two volume, multiauthored work that spans the ever-expanding discipline of hematology in over 2,600 pages. The book is appropriately introduced by an excellent short chapter written previously by Dr. Wintrobe on “The Diagnostic and Therapeutic Approach to Hematologic Problems.” There follows a valuable series of six chapters totaling 133 pages devoted to laboratory hematology, including blood and bone marrow examination, immunodiagnosis, clinical flow cytometry, cytogenetics, clusters of differentiation, and molecular genetics. These chapters contain ample illustrations, diagrams, tables, and references.