Clinical management for other iatrogenic immunodeficiency-associated lymphoproliferative disorders

The clinical impact of absolute lymphocyte count in peripheral blood among patients with methotrexate - associated lymphoproliferative disorders

Regressive lymphoproliferative disorders (R-LPD) after methotrexate (MTX) withdrawal are one of the specific features of methotrexate - associated lymphoproliferative disorders (MTX-LPD). Although the impact of the absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) on the pathogenesis of R-LPD has been recently emphasized, understanding relapse/regrowth events (RRE) and differences among LPD subtypes is necessary. In this study, we confirmed ALC recovery in the regressive group (R-G; R-LPD without RRE) and relapse/regrowth group (R/R-G; R-LPD with RRE). The increase in ALC lasted at least 2 years in R-G, whereas it decreased within 3 years in R/R-G, supporting the better overall survival (OS) in R-G, as previously reported. In addition, our study suggested that an ALC of 1000/µL at the time of development of LPD is a significant predictor for treatment-free survival (TFS). Furthermore, an ALC of 1000/µL at 6 months after MTX withdrawal was found to be a significant indicator of TFS and OS for R-G and R/R-G. The ALC decreased gradually before LPD development in R/R-G, whereas it decreased 6 months before LPD development in R-G, confirming the important role of ALC in the pathogenesis of MTX-LPD such as regressive events and RRE. In addition to ALC, other predictive factors, such as serum C-reactive protein and soluble interleukin-2 receptors, may be helpful in the management of MTX-LPD, including the decision making for an additional chemotherapy for regressive LPD after MTX withdrawal.

Clinical aspects in patients with rheumatoid arthritis complicated with lymphoproliferative disorders without regression after methotrexate withdrawal and treatment for arthritis after regression of lymphoproliferative disorders

OBJECTIVES

To identify predictive factors for lymphoproliferative disorders (LPDs) that persist after methotrexate (MTX) withdrawal (Persistent-LPD) and the optimal treatment for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) after LPD regression.

METHODS

Among 3666 patients with RA treated with MTX in our department from 2006 to 2017, 26 cases of LPD that regressed after MTX withdrawal (Regressive-LPD) and 25 cases of Persistent-LPD were compared. Multivariate logistic analysis was performed to identify predictive factors for Persistent-LPD. Retention rates of biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier Method.

RESULTS

In Persistent-LPD, the incidence of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma was higher (76%). The overall 2-year survival rate was 83.9%: 95.8% for Regressive-LPD and 71.0% for Persistent-LPD. The International Prognostic Index (IPI) risk classification was useful for predicting Persistent-LPD. bDMARDs were introduced in 38 RA patients after LPD regression. Unadjusted retention rate of bDMARDs in the 51 LPD patients was significantly lower than that in the 1668 non-LPD RA patients in our bDMARD cohort (controls) (p = 0.029). The 1-year retention rates for bDMARDs were 69% and 64% for tocilizumab and abatacept, respectively vs. 46% for TNF-inhibitor (TNFi).

CONCLUSION

Risk assessment using IPI predicted Persistent-LPD. After LPD regression, non-TNFi tended to have higher retention rates.

Distinct decrease in peripheral lymphocytes in EBER-positive cases of MTX-LPD

OBJECTIVES

To determine the clinical characteristics of methotrexate-associated lymphoproliferative disorder (MTX-LPD).

METHODS

In this study, 12 RA patients who developed MTX-LPD were assessed. The peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL) count at the onset of MTX-LPD was compared to that 6 months before the onset, in Epstein-Barr virus-encoded RNA (EBER)-positive and -negative subgroups. We examined the change in the PBL count after MTX withdrawal. In patients with relapsed LPD, changes in the PBL count before relapse were also examined.

RESULTS

Regression of LPD after MTX withdrawal was noted in eight patients. In these patients, the PBL count was decreased at the onset of MTX-LPD compared to 6 months before the onset; the decrease was significantly more prominent in EBER-positive patients. In cases of spontaneous regression of LPD, the PBL count recovered quickly after MTX withdrawal. Four of eight patients showed a recurrence of LPD after they improved following MTX withdrawal. These patients also exhibited a decreased PBL count at recurrence compared to 6 months before recurrence.

CONCLUSION

A decrease in the PBL count might be involved in the pathogenesis of MTX-LPD, especially in EBER-positive cases and in patients with LPD relapse after MTX withdrawal following initial improvement.

HTLV-1 Infection and Rheumatic Diseases

Some major research and clinical questions about human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) infection and rheumatic diseases remain: (1) Does HTLV-1 infection cause rheumatic diseases? (2) Do patients with rheumatic diseases display different responses to treatment with anti-rheumatic agents when they are HTLV-1 carriers? (3) Is adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL) or HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) more prevalent in HTLV-1 carriers with rheumatic diseases who are treated with anti-rheumatic agents? These questions are important because increasing numbers of patients with rheumatic diseases are currently receiving treatment with aggressive medicines such as immunosuppressants and biologics. Studies on HTLV-1 gene-transgenic mice have shown manifestations resembling rheumatic diseases. Epidemiological studies have shown a high incidence of HTLV-1 infection in patients with rheumatic diseases including rheumatoid arthritis (RA), Sjogren’s syndrome, and polymyositis. HTLV-1-positive and HTLV-1-negative patients with RA have displayed similar immunological features including the seroprevalence of anti-citrullinated peptide antibodies. Conversely, attenuated effectiveness of tumor necrosis factor inhibitors for HTLV-1-positive patients with RA in Japan has been reported. Therefore, although no direct evidence has shown that HTLV-1 infection alone causes rheumatic diseases, HTLV-1 may affect the inflammation of RA. Although the incidence of ATL or HAM/TSP among patients with rheumatic diseases has not been investigated in large-scale studies, ATL or HAM/TSP has developed among HTLV-1-positive patients with rheumatic diseases. HTLV-1 infection may affect the clinical course of patients with rheumatic diseases, particularly after receiving anti-rheumatic agents. Because studies on these issues are limited, further investigation with large sample sizes is necessary.

Successful treatment of methotrexate-associated classical Hodgkin lymphoma with brentuximab vedotin-combined chemotherapy: a case series

Methotrexate (MTX)-associated classical Hodgkin lymphoma (CHL) is unlikely to regress following discontinuation of MTX, and its treatment usually requires chemotherapy. Standard chemotherapy for CHL is the ABVD regimen, which contains pneumotoxic bleomycin. This can be problematic in MTX-CHL patients suffering from an autoimmune disease (AID), such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), as they frequently have pulmonary complications. However, brentuximab vedotin (BV)-containing chemotherapy without bleomycin (A + AVD regimen) was recently reported to show favorable efficacy for CHL, and could therefore be beneficial in MTX-CHL. We treated three cases of MTX-CHL using the A + AVD regimen. All were female and had received MTX for more than 15 years. Underlying AIDs in these patients were RA in two patients, and overlap syndrome with systemic lupus erythematosus and dermatomyositis in one patient. The A + AVD regimen resulted in a complete response in all patients. Peripheral neuropathy developed in two patients, necessitating reduction of the BV dose. All three patients experienced hematological toxicity necessitating dose reduction; however, no severe adverse effects, including infection or pulmonary complication, were documented. RA was well-controlled without additional immunosuppressants. The A + AVD regimen is a promising chemotherapy for MTX-CHL with favorable efficacy and tolerable toxicity profiles.