Successful intensive chemotherapy followed by autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation in a patient with acute myeloid leukemia and hepatosplenic candidiasis: case report and review of literature

Advances in prophylaxis and treatment of invasive fungal infections: perspectives on hematologic diseases

Invasive fungal infections (IFIs) are common causes of mortality and morbidity in patients with hematologic diseases. Delayed initiation of antifungal treatment is related to mortality. Aspergillus sp. is the leading cause of IFI followed by Candida sp. Diagnosis is often challenging owing to variable conditions related to underlying diseases. Clinical suspect and prompt management is important. Imaging, biopsy, and non-culture-based tests must be considered together. New diagnostic procedures have been improved, including antigen-based assays and molecular detection of fungal DNA. Among hematologic diseases, patients with acute myeloid leukemia, myelodysplastic syndrome, recipients of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation are at high risk for IFIs. Antifungal prophylaxis is recommended for these high-risk patients. There are continuous attempts to achieve ideal management of IFIs. Scoring system for quality control has been developed with important recommendations of current guidelines. Higher adherence to guidelines is related to decreased mortality in IFIs.

Treatment of invasive fungal diseases in cancer patients-Revised 2019 Recommendations of the Infectious Diseases Working Party (AGIHO) of the German Society of Hematology and Oncology (DGHO)

BACKGROUND

Invasive fungal diseases remain a major cause of morbidity and mortality in cancer patients undergoing intensive cytotoxic therapy. The choice of the most appropriate antifungal treatment (AFT) depends on the fungal species suspected or identified, the patient's risk factors (eg length and depth of granulocytopenia) and the expected side effects.

OBJECTIVES

Since the last edition of recommendations for 'Treatment of invasive fungal infections in cancer patients' of the Infectious Diseases Working Party (AGIHO) of the German Society of Hematology and Medical Oncology (DGHO) in 2013, treatment strategies were gradually moving away from solely empirical therapy of presumed or possible invasive fungal diseases (IFDs) towards pre-emptive therapy of probable IFD.

METHODS

The guideline was prepared by German clinical experts for infections in cancer patients in a stepwise consensus process. MEDLINE was systematically searched for English-language publications from January 1975 up to September 2019 using the key terms such as 'invasive fungal infection' and/or 'invasive fungal disease' and at least one of the following: antifungal agents, cancer, haematological malignancy, antifungal therapy, neutropenia, granulocytopenia, mycoses, aspergillosis, candidosis and mucormycosis.

RESULTS

AFT of IFDs in cancer patients may include not only antifungal agents but also non-pharmacologic treatment. In addition, the armamentarium of antifungals for treatment of IFDs has been broadened (eg licensing of isavuconazole). Additional antifungals are currently under investigation or in clinical trials.

CONCLUSIONS

Here, updated recommendations for the treatment of proven or probable IFDs are given. All recommendations including the levels of evidence are summarised in tables to give the reader rapid access to key information.

Multifocal muscle candidiasis of the legs in a patient with acute myeloid leukemia: A case report

RATIONALE

Opportunistic infections frequently develop in immunocompromised patients, such as those with hematological malignancies, causing significant mortality. Early diagnosis of invasive fungal infections is often important and difficult due to the difficult nature of confirming infection using cytologic and histologic findings. However, we report the first case of candidal infection leading to muscle abscesses in the legs of a patient with leukemia.

PATIENT CONCERNS

A 60-year-old man with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) presented with multifocal muscle abscesses of the legs.

DIAGNOSES

Multifocal muscle candidiasis of the legs was confirmed by fine-needle aspiration biopsy of 2 of the calf lesions.

INTERVENTIONS

After treatment with amphotericin B and flucytosine for 1 month, the patient was administered intravenous caspofungin for 3 months.

OUTCOME

A CT scan of the abdomen and an MRI of the lower calves showed significant improvement.

LESSONS

This case highlights that fungal infection should be considered when patients present with multiple abscesses, emphasizing the value of early biopsy to confirm diagnosis and facilitate precision treatment.

Chronic disseminated candidiasis and acute leukemia: Impact on survival and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation agenda

OBJECTIVES

To study the management of chronic disseminated candidiasis (CDC) in patients presenting with acute leukemia.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Single-center retrospective study of acute leukemia patients (2006-2015) to investigate three aspects of CDC: its impact on the time interval between diagnosis and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, when required (non-parametric Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test); its impact on overall survival (Cox proportional hazard regression model); antifungal therapeutic strategies implemented.

RESULTS

A total of 639 patients presenting with acute leukemia were included; 144 were transplanted and 29 developed CDC. CDC did not significantly increase the time interval between diagnosis and transplantation, nor did it impact the overall survival of recipients. An improved overall survival was observed in non-transplanted acute leukemia patients presenting with CDC.

CONCLUSION

CDC should not postpone transplantation if antifungal treatment is optimized.

Chronic Disseminated Candidiasis Complicated by Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome in Child with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Hepatosplenic candidiasis also known as chronic disseminated candidiasis is a rare manifestation of invasive fungal infection typically observed in patients with acute leukemia in prolonged, deep neutropenia. Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) is an inflammatory disorder triggered by rapid resolution of neutropenia. Diagnosis and treatment of IRIS are still challenging due to a variety of clinical symptoms, lack of certain diagnostic criteria, and no standards of treatment. The diagnosis of IRIS is even more difficult in patients with hematological malignancies complicated by “probable” invasive fungal infection, when fungal pathogen is still uncertain. We report a case of probable hepatic candidiasis in 4-year-old boy with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Despite proper antifungal therapy, there was no clinical and radiological improvement, so diagnosis of Candida-related IRIS was made and corticosteroid therapy was added to antifungal treatment achieving prompt resolution of infection symptoms.

Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Candidiasis: 2016 Update by the Infectious Diseases Society of America

It is important to realize that guidelines cannot always account for individual variation among patients. They are not intended to supplant physician judgment with respect to particular patients or special clinical situations. IDSA considers adherence to these guidelines to be voluntary, with the ultimate determination regarding their application to be made by the physician in the light of each patient's individual circumstances.

ESCMID* guideline for the diagnosis and management of Candida diseases 2012: adults with haematological malignancies and after haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT)

Fungal diseases still play a major role in morbidity and mortality in patients with haematological malignancies, including those undergoing haematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Although Aspergillus and other filamentous fungal diseases remain a major concern, Candida infections are still a major cause of mortality. This part of the ESCMID guidelines focuses on this patient population and reviews pertaining to prophylaxis, empirical/pre-emptive and targeted therapy of Candida diseases. Anti-Candida prophylaxis is only recommended for patients receiving allogeneic stem cell transplantation. The authors recognize that the recommendations would have most likely been different if the purpose would have been prevention of all fungal infections (e.g. aspergillosis). In targeted treatment of candidaemia, recommendations for treatment are available for all echinocandins, that is anidulafungin (AI), caspofungin (AI) and micafungin (AI), although a warning for resistance is expressed. Liposomal amphotericin B received a BI recommendation due to higher number of reported adverse events in the trials. Amphotericin B deoxycholate should not be used (DII); and fluconazole was rated CI because of a change in epidemiology in some areas in Europe. Removal of central venous catheters is recommended during candidaemia but if catheter retention is a clinical necessity, treatment with an echinocandin is an option (CII(t) ). In chronic disseminated candidiasis therapy, recommendations are liposomal amphotericin B for 8 weeks (AIII), fluconazole for >3 months or other azoles (BIII). Granulocyte transfusions are only an option in desperate cases of patients with Candida disease and neutropenia (CIII).

Clinical characteristics of hepatosplenic fungal infection in pediatric patients

BACKGROUND

Hepatosplenic fungal infection (HSF) is a distinct form of invasive fungal infection with main involvement of the liver, spleen, and occasionally the kidney. In this study, we investigated the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with HSF in childhood.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed pediatric patients with the diagnosis of HSF in a tertiary medical center in Taiwan between July 1999 and June 2009. The definition of HSF included imaging studies demonstrating multiple focal lesions in the liver and/or spleen with or without a microbiologic evidence for fungal infection. The clinical characteristics and outcomes were analyzed.

RESULTS

We identified 15 pediatric patients with HSF. Eleven patients had diagnosis of hemato-oncologic malignancy, and two patients had severe aplastic anemia. All patients had fever, and most patients had abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and hepatosplenomegaly. The detection rate of computed tomography scan (15/15, 100%) was superior to abdominal sonography (10/15, 67%, p = 0.01). Ten (91%) of the 11 patients with microbiologic evidence were infected by Candida species. Neither recurrence nor breakthrough fungal infection was noted when the patients underwent further chemotherapy and stem cell transplantation. Six patients (40%) died before the end of the study, but no mortality was directly related to HSF.

CONCLUSION

Candida species was the major pathogen for HSF, and computed tomography scan was a good diagnostic tool to detect the multiple focal lesions. Under adequate antifungal treatment, HSF could be cured without recurrence in spite of further chemotherapy and stem cell transplantation.