Second malignant neoplasms after treatment of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma-a retrospective multinational study of 189 children and adolescents

Unraveling the complexity of follicular lymphoma: insights and innovations

This review discusses multiple aspects of follicular lymphoma (FL), including etiology, treatment challenges, and future perspectives. First, we delve into the etiology of FL, which involves a variety of pathogenic mechanisms such as gene mutations, chromosomal abnormalities, immune escape, immune system dysregulation, familial inheritance, and environmental factors. These mechanisms provide the context for understanding the diversity and complexity of FL. Second, we discuss the challenges faced when treating FL, particularly treatment resistance. Therapeutic resistance is a common problem in treatment, but by delving into the mechanisms of resistance, scientists have looked for strategies to combat it, including developing new drugs, improving treatments, and exploring combination therapy strategies. We also emphasize the breakthroughs in molecular biology, especially the study of targeting the BCL2 gene, which provides a new direction for targeted therapy in FL. Immunotherapy, small molecule targeted drugs, and individualized treatment strategies are also promising for the future treatment of FL. Finally, we look to the future, including research on therapeutic resistance, in-depth studies of genetics and gene expression, applications of gene editing and precision medicine, and clinical trials of new treatments. These lines of research offer additional opportunities for treating FL, and despite the challenges, the future is promising. This literature review provides comprehensive and integrated information for the in-depth understanding of FL and relevant treatment approaches.

ERN GENTURIS guidelines on constitutional mismatch repair deficiency diagnosis, genetic counselling, surveillance, quality of life, and clinical management

Constitutional mismatch repair deficiency (CMMRD), first described 25 years ago, confers an extremely high and lifelong cancer risk, including haematologic, brain, and gastrointestinal tract malignancies, and is associated with several non-neoplastic features. Our understanding of this condition has improved and novel assays to assist CMMRD diagnosis have been developed. Surveillance protocols need adjustment taking into account recent observational prospective studies assessing their effectiveness. Response to immune checkpoint inhibitors and the effectiveness and toxicity of other treatments have been described. An update and merging of the different guidelines on diagnosis and clinical management of CMMRD into one comprehensive guideline was needed. Seventy-two expert members of the European Reference Network GENTURIS and/or the European care for CMMRD consortium and one patient representative developed recommendations for CMMRD diagnosis, genetic counselling, surveillance, quality of life, and clinical management based on a systematic literature search and comprehensive literature review and a modified Delphi process. Recommendations for the diagnosis of CMMRD provide testing criteria, propose strategies for CMMRD testing, and define CMMRD diagnostic criteria. Recommendations for surveillance cover each CMMRD-associated tumour type and contain information on starting age, frequency, and surveillance modality. Recommendations for clinical management cover cancer treatment, management of benign tumours or non-neoplastic features, and chemoprevention. Recommendations also address genetic counselling and quality of life. Based on existing guidelines and currently available data, we present 82 recommendations to improve and standardise the care of CMMRD patients in Europe. These recommendations are not meant to be prescriptive and may be adjusted based on individual decisions.

Subsequent Renal Cancer Among Childhood Cancer Survivors: Analysis of Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results

Renal cancer, although still rare among individuals under 45 years of age, is on the rise in the general population. The risk and timing of subsequent renal cancer in survivors of childhood cancer is not well established. Using the SEER registry, we reported the incidence of subsequent malignant renal neoplasms after treatment for primary malignancy diagnosed under 20 years of age. We evaluated clinical characteristics, standardized incidence ratio (SIR), and Kaplan-Meier survival estimates. Fifty-three survivors developed subsequent renal cancer (54 total cases). Of these, 54.7% were female, 88.7% were white, and 13.2% were Hispanic. Mean ages at primary malignancy and subsequent renal cancer were 10.1 and 31.1 years, respectively. Forty-seven cases were second cancers, 6 were third, and 1 was fourth. For survivors of childhood cancer, the overall SIR for renal cancer was 4.52 (95% CI: 3.39-5.89). The 5-year overall survival rate after development of subsequent renal cancer was 73% (95% CI: 58%-83%). Renal cancer occurs 4.5 times more frequently in childhood cancer survivors than in the general population, necessitating long-term care considerations.

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor of the liver after adrenal neuroblastoma surgery: a case report

A boy aged 55 months was diagnosed with stage IV Neuroblastoma (NB) of the right adrenal gland 2 years ago. Preoperative chemotherapy was given and he was then treated with retroperitoneal tumor resection and lymph node dissection. After surgery, the children were transferred to the Hemato-Oncology Department for chemotherapy according to the high-risk group NB, with outpatient follow-up every 6 months. In the second postoperative year, abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan revealed a rounded hypodense area in the upper part of the right posterior lobe of the liver, with marked inhomogeneous enhancement in the venous phase after enhancement, which was surgically resected, and postoperative pathology confirmed inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) of liver. The patient was not given any special treatment after surgery. In this study, whole transcriptome sequencing was performed on the postoperative specimen of adrenal NB and the specimen of IMT of liver. This unusual case emphasizes the need for close monitoring of second tumor development in NB survivors even in the absence of known predisposing factors.

Characteristics and outcomes of children, adolescents and young adults with relapsed/refractory non-hodgkin lymphoma undergoing autologous stem cell transplant

BACKGROUND

There is paucity of data regarding outcomes of children, adolescents and young adults (CAYA) patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) undergoing autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT).

METHODS

Patients aged 0-39 years undergoing first ASCT for NHL at MD Anderson Cancer Center between 2000 and 2020 were analyzed.

RESULTS

Two hundred twenty-one patients were included in the analysis, 129 (58%) were male and the median age was 32 (range 6-39) years. The most common histological subtypes were diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) (44%), T-NHL (19%) and primary mediastinal B-Cell lymphoma (PMBCL) (19%). Younger patients (age ≤ 25) had lower incidence of DLBCL and higher incidence of PMBCL and T-NHL compared to older patients (age > 25) (P = 0.02). None of the younger patients had double hit (DH)/double expressor (DE) DLBCL, compared to 14 patients in the older age group (18%, P = 0.07). Considering the three main aggressive NHL subtypes (DLBCL, PMBCL and T-NHL), younger patients had numerically better 15-year post-transplant progression free survival (PFS) (67% vs. 54%) and overall survival (OS) (71% vs. 62%) compared to older patients, yet these differences did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.19 and P = 0.24, respectively). In multivariate analysis, not achieving a CR prior to ASCT was independently predictive of worse PFS [partial remission (PR) (HR, 3.9); stable disease (SD) (HR, 18.0), P = 0.03] and of worse OS [PR (HR, 4.2), SD (HR, 6.5) and progressive disease (HR, 4.7), P < 0.0001]. DH/DE status was an independent adverse predictor of PFS in multivariate analysis (HR 5.8, p = 0.03). Ten patients (4.5%) (all aged > 25 years) developed second primary malignancies (SPM), at a median of 34.4 (range, 1.0-196.6) months after ASCT, and SPM was the cause of death in five (50%) of them.

CONCLUSIONS

CAYA NHL patients aged ≤ 25 years who received ASCT presented a distinct NHL histology as compared to older CAYA patients, and none in this younger age group had DH/DE DLBCL. We observed a trend towards improved PFS and OS in younger patients. Disease status at ASCT was predictive of both PFS and OS. DH/DE status was an adverse predictor of PFS.

Late effects and frontline treatment selection for children with non-Hodgkin lymphoma

Approximately 1 in 640 adults between 20 and 40 years of age is a survivor of childhood cancer. However, survival has often come at the expense of increased risk of long-term complications, including chronic health conditions and higher mortality rates. Similarly, long-term survivors of childhood non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) experience significant morbidity and mortality related to prior cancer treatments, highlighting the importance of primary and secondary prevention strategies to mitigate late toxicity. As a result, effective treatment regimens for pediatric NHL have evolved to reduce both short- and long-term toxicity through cumulative dose reductions and elimination of radiation. The establishment of effective regimens facilitates shared decision-making opportunities for frontline treatment selection that considers efficacy, acute toxicity, convenience, and late effects of treatments. The current review seeks to merge current frontline treatment regimens with survivorship guidelines to enhance understanding of potential long-term health risks to facilitate best treatment practices.

Characteristics and Outcomes of Children, Adolescents and Young Adults with Relapsed/Refractory Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Undergoing Autologous Stem Cell Transplant

There is paucity of data regarding outcomes of children, adolescents and young adults (CAYA) patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) undergoing autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (ASCT). We analyzed 222 patients aged 0-39 years undergoing first ASCT for NHL between 2000 and 2020. The most common histological subtypes were DLBCL (44%), T-NHL (19%) and PMBCL (19%). Younger patients (age ≤ 25) had lower incidence of DLBCL and higher incidence of PMBCL and T-NHL compared to older patients (> 25 years) (P = 0.02). None of the younger patients had DH)/DE DLBCL, as compared to 14 patients in the older group (18%, P = 0.07). Younger patients had numerically better 15-year post-transplant PFS (67% vs. 54%) and OS (71% vs. 62%) compared to older patients, without statistically significant differences (P = 0.19 and P = 0.24, respectively). In MVA, not achieving a CR prior to ASCT was independently predictive of worse PFS (P < 0.0001). DH/DE status was an independent adverse predictor of PFS in MVA (HR 5.8, p = 0.03). 10 patients(4.5%) (all aged > 25 years) developed SPM Patients aged ≤ 25 years presented a distinct NHL histology as compared to older CAYA patients. Disease status at ASCT was predictive of both PFS and OS. DH/DE status was an adverse predictor of PFS.

Risk and prognosis of secondary breast cancer after radiation therapy for non-Hodgkin lymphoma: a massive population-based analysis

PURPOSE

One of the best ways to control non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) locally is radiation therapy (RT), which is a crucial component of care for many patients. There has not been any research on the risk and prognosis of secondary breast cancer (SBC) in females with NHL receiving RT.

METHODS

In our study, females with NHL as their initial cancer diagnosis were included from 1975 to 2018 in the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database. Using Fine and Gray's competing risk regression assess the cumulative incidence of SBC. The standardized incidence ratios (SIR) and radiation-attributed risk (RR) for SBC were assessed using Poisson regression analysis. We evaluated the overall survival (OS) of SBC patients using the Kaplan-Meier technique.

RESULTS

Of the 41,983 females with NHL, 10,070 received RT and 320 (3.18%) developed SBC. 31,913 females did not receive RT and 805 (2.52%) developed SBC. RT was significantly related with a greater chance of acquiring SBC in the Fine-Gray competing risk regression (adjusted hazard ratios (HR) = 1.14; 95% confidence intervals (CI), 1.09-1.30; P = 0.011). When an NHL diagnosis was made at an older age, the dynamic SIR and RR for SBC also declined over time. Regarding general survivability, there was not statistically significant (P = 0.970) after propensity score matching (PSM).

CONCLUSIONS

RT is an independent risk factor for SBC in females with NHL. Special attention should be paid to the monitoring of breast cancer indicators in them, especially young.

The forgotten survivor: A comprehensive review on Non-Hodgkin lymphoma survivorship

The number of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) survivors is increasing. With the advancement of NHL therapies, it is crucial to focus on the challenges these survivors may face. Three main categories are to be considered in NHL survivorship, including quality of life and uncertainty about the future, possible physical health complications (including cardiovascular disease, infertility, and subsequent neoplasms), and the impact of novel NHL treatments and their potential complications. The latter includes CAR T-cell therapy, monoclonal antibodies, checkpoint inhibitors, and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. In this report, we aim to shed the light on these aspects and to discuss survivorship care plan for NHL.

Second malignant neoplasms in lymphomas, secondary lymphomas and lymphomas in metabolic disorders/diseases

With inconsistent findings, evidence has been obtained in recent years that metabolic disorders are closely associated with the development of lymphomas. Studies and multiple analyses have been published also indicating that some solid tumor survivors develop a secondary lymphoma, whereas some lymphoma survivors subsequently develop a second malignant neoplasm (SMN), particularly solid tumors. An interaction between the multiple etiologic factors such as genetic factors and late effects of cancer therapy may play an important role contributing to the carcinogenesis in patients with metabolic diseases or with a primary cancer. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge of the multiple etiologic factors for lymphomagenesis, focusing on the SMN in lymphoma, secondary lymphomas in primary cancers, and the lymphomas associated to metabolic disorders/diseases, which have been received less attention previously. Further, we also review the data of coexistence of lymphomas and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with infection of hepatitis C virus and hepatitis B virus.

Inborn errors of immunity caused by defects in the DNA damage response pathways: Importance of minimizing treatment-related genotoxicity

Several primary immunodeficiencies are caused by defects in the general DNA repair machinery as exemplified by the T-B- radiosensitive SCID condition owing to impaired resolution of programmed DNA double-strand breaks introduced by RAG1/2 during V(D)J recombination. The genome instability generally associated with these conditions results in an increased propensity to develop malignancies requiring genotoxic-based anti-cancer treatments. Moreover, the extent of immune deficiency often calls for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation as a definitive treatment, also requiring genotoxic-based conditioning regimen prior to transplantation. In both cases, the underlying general DNA repair defect may result in catastrophic iatrogenic consequences. It is, therefore, of paramount importance to assess the functionality of the DNA repair apparatus prior to any genotoxic treatment when the exact molecular cause of the disease is unknown. For this purpose, two simple assays can be used on patients derived peripheral blood lymphocytes: (1) the PROMIDISα biomarker, based on the next-generation sequencing analysis of the TCRα repertoire, will highlight specific signatures of DNA repair deficiencies; (2) direct analysis of the sensitivity of peripheral lymphocytes to ionizing radiation will formally identify patients at risk to develop toxicity toward genotoxic-based treatments.

Genomic abnormalities of TP53 define distinct risk groups of paediatric B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma

Children with B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL) have an excellent chance of survival, however, current clinical risk stratification places as many as half of patients in a high-risk group receiving very intensive chemo-immunotherapy. TP53 alterations are associated with adverse outcome in many malignancies; however, whilst common in paediatric B-NHL, their utility as a risk classifier is unknown. We evaluated the clinical significance of TP53 abnormalities (mutations, deletion and/or copy number neutral loss of heterozygosity) in a large UK paediatric B-NHL cohort and determined their impact on survival. TP53 abnormalities were present in 54.7% of cases and were independently associated with a significantly inferior survival compared to those without a TP53 abnormality (PFS 70.0% vs 100%, p < 0.001, OS 78.0% vs 100%, p = 0.002). Moreover, amongst patients clinically defined as high-risk (stage III with high LDH or stage IV), those without a TP53 abnormality have superior survival compared to those with TP53 abnormalities (PFS 100% vs 55.6%, p = 0.005, OS 100% vs 66.7%, p = 0.019). Biallelic TP53 abnormalities were either maintained from the presentation or acquired at progression in all paired diagnosis/progression Burkitt lymphoma cases. TP53 abnormalities thus define clinical risk groups within paediatric B-NHL and offer a novel molecular risk stratifier, allowing more personalised treatment protocols.

High Prevalence of Constitutional Mismatch Repair Deficiency in a Pediatric T-cell Lymphoblastic Lymphoma Cohort

This study describes the clinical characteristics of a complete Dutch T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma (T-LBL) cohort, including second primary malignancies and comorbidities. We show that over 10% of patients in this complete T-LBL cohort have been diagnosed with a cancer predisposition syndrome (CPS), consisting almost exclusively of constitutional mismatch repair deficiency (CMMRD). The clinical characteristics of sporadic T-LBL patients were compared with T-LBL patients that have been diagnosed with CMMRD. This shows that disease presentation is comparable but that disease localization in CMMRD patients might be more localized. The percentage of CPS seems reliable considering the completeness of the cohort of Dutch T-LBL patients and might even be an underestimation (possibility of undiagnosed CPS patients in cohort). As the frequency of an underlying predisposition syndrome among T-LBL patients may be underestimated at present, we advocate for screening all pediatric T-LBL patients for the presence of germline mutations in mismatch repair genes.