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Zhao HG, Deininger M. Always stressed but never exhausted: how stem cells in myeloid neoplasms avoid extinction in inflammatory conditions. Blood 2023; 141:2797-2812. [PMID: 36947811 PMCID: PMC10315634 DOI: 10.1182/blood.2022017152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Revised: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic or recurrent episodes of acute inflammation cause attrition of normal hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) that can lead to hematopoietic failure but they drive progression in myeloid malignancies and their precursor clonal hematopoiesis. Mechanistic parallels exist between hematopoiesis in chronic inflammation and the continuously increased proliferation of myeloid malignancies, particularly myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs). The ability to enter dormancy, a state of deep quiescence characterized by low oxidative phosphorylation, low glycolysis, reduced protein synthesis, and increased autophagy is central to the preservation of long-term HSCs and likely MPN SCs. The metabolic features of dormancy resemble those of diapause, a state of arrested embryonic development triggered by adverse environmental conditions. To outcompete their normal counterparts in the inflammatory MPN environment, MPN SCs co-opt mechanisms used by HSCs to avoid exhaustion, including signal attenuation by negative regulators, insulation from activating cytokine signals, anti-inflammatory signaling, and epigenetic reprogramming. We propose that new therapeutic strategies may be derived from conceptualizing myeloid malignancies as an ecosystem out of balance, in which residual normal and malignant hematopoietic cells interact in multiple ways, only few of which have been characterized in detail. Disrupting MPN SC insulation to overcome dormancy, interfering with aberrant cytokine circuits that favor MPN cells, and directly boosting residual normal HSCs are potential strategies to tip the balance in favor of normal hematopoiesis. Although eradicating the malignant cell clones remains the goal of therapy, rebalancing the ecosystem may be a more attainable objective in the short term.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helong Gary Zhao
- Versiti Blood Research Institute and Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
| | - Michael Deininger
- Versiti Blood Research Institute and Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
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2
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Kirtek T, Hamdan H, Van Arnam JS, Park S, Kovach AE, Pillai V, Weinberg OK. Spontaneous remission of acute lymphoblastic leukemia: A series of nine cases and a review of literature. Int J Lab Hematol 2023. [PMID: 36806637 DOI: 10.1111/ijlh.14042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2023]
Abstract
AIMS To report a series of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cases with spontaneous remission and provide presenting clinical and pathologic information and details of clinical course to raise awareness among oncologists and patients. METHODS We identified and analyzed nine patients with ALL and spontaneous remission. Review of literature reveals an additional nine previously reported cases with similar clinical course. RESULTS All of these patients, ranging in age from 2 to 12 years of age, presented with inciting signs and symptoms of viral or bacterial infection. All of the patients showed varying percentages of lymphoblasts (.2% to 90%) in diagnostic bone marrow biopsy. All B-ALL cases shared a similar blast phenotype on flow cytometry with coexpression of CD19, CD10 and TdT and variable CD20 expression. All nine patients achieved spontaneous remission of their leukemia as confirmed by flow cytometry and/or bone marrow biopsy without chemotherapeutic intervention. Time to remission from presentation ranged from 1 to 8 weeks. After remission, all patients redeveloped ALL, and time from remission to reemergence ranged from 2 to 24 weeks. CONCLUSION Our series of cases and cases identified in literature show that ALL diagnosed with modern methods of flow cytometry and molecular analysis will recur within weeks to months from disappearance, usually with cytopenias, which provides a template for oncologic follow-up and testing in these patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy Kirtek
- Department of pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UTSW), Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Hanan Hamdan
- Department of pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UTSW), Dallas, Texas, USA
| | | | - Sunita Park
- Department of Pathology, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Alexandra E Kovach
- Department of pathology, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Vinodh Pillai
- Department of pathology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Olga K Weinberg
- Department of pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UTSW), Dallas, Texas, USA
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3
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Sun XY, Yang XD, Yang XQ, Ju B, Xiu NN, Xu J, Zhao XC. Antibiotic and glucocorticoid-induced recapitulated hematological remission in acute myeloid leukemia: A case report and review of literature. World J Clin Cases 2022; 10:7890-7898. [PMID: 36158489 PMCID: PMC9372864 DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v10.i22.7890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Revised: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/26/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Leukemic hematopoietic cells acquire enhanced self-renewal capacity and impaired differentiation. The emergence of symptomatic leukemia also requires the acquisition of a clonal proliferative advantage. Untreated leukemia patients usually experience an aggressive process. However, spontaneous remission occasionally occurs in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), most frequently after recovery from a febrile episode, and this is generally attributed to the triggering of antineoplastic immunity. There may be another explanation for the spontaneous remission as implicated in this paper.
CASE SUMMARY A 63-year-old Chinese man presented with high fever, abdominal pain and urticaria-like skin lesions. He was diagnosed with AML-M4 with t(8;21) (q22;q22)/RUNX1-RUNX1T1 based on morphological, immunological, cytogenetic and molecular analyses. He had a complex chromosome rea-rrangement of 48,XY,t(8;21)(q22;q22),+13,+13[9]/49,idem,+mar[9]/49,idem,+8[2]. He also had a mutated tyrosine kinase domain in fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 gene. He was treated with antibiotics and glucocorticoids for gastrointestinal infection and urticaria-like skin lesions. The infection and skin lesions were quickly resolved. Unexpectedly, he achieved hematological remission along with resolution of the febrile episode, gastrointestinal symptoms and skin lesions. Notably, after relapse, repeating these treatments resulted in a return to hematological remission. Unfortunately, he demonstrated strong resistance to antibiotic and glucocorticoid treatment after the second relapse and died of sepsis from bacterial infection with multidrug resistance. The main clinical feature of this patient was that symptomatic AML emerged with flaring of the gut inflammatory disorder and it subsided after resolution of the inflammation. Learning from the present case raises the possibility that in a subgroup of AML patients, the proliferative advantage of leukemia cells may critically require the presence of inflammatory stresses.
CONCLUSION Inflammatory stresses, most likely arising from gastrointestinal infection, may sustain the growth and survival advantage of leukemic cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Yun Sun
- Department of Hematology, The Central Hospital of Qingdao West Coast New Area, Qingdao 266555, Shandong Province, China
| | - Xiao-Dong Yang
- Department of Hematology, The Central Hospital of Qingdao West Coast New Area, Qingdao 266555, Shandong Province, China
| | - Xiao-Qiu Yang
- Department of Pharmacology, The Central Hospital of Qingdao West Coast New Area, Qingdao 266555, Shandong Province, China
| | - Bo Ju
- Department of Hematology, The Central Hospital of Qingdao West Coast New Area, Qingdao 266555, Shandong Province, China
| | - Nuan-Nuan Xiu
- Department of Hematology, The Central Hospital of Qingdao West Coast New Area, Qingdao 266555, Shandong Province, China
| | - Jia Xu
- Department of Hematology, The Central Hospital of Qingdao West Coast New Area, Qingdao 266555, Shandong Province, China
| | - Xi-Chen Zhao
- Department of Hematology, The Central Hospital of Qingdao West Coast New Area, Qingdao 266555, Shandong Province, China
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4
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Spontaneous Remission of Acute Myeloid Leukemia: A Case Report. Medicina (B Aires) 2022; 58:medicina58070921. [PMID: 35888640 PMCID: PMC9321642 DOI: 10.3390/medicina58070921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Revised: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Spontaneous remissions (SRs) in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are infrequent, poorly documented and transient. Similarly, morphological and cytogenetic complete remissions (CR) under azacitidine treatment are scarce. We report a 71-year-old man with a secondary AML arising from essential thrombocythemia (ET), who developed an SR after discontinuation of azacitidine following a respiratory infection (four courses were administered). The distinctive feature of our case is the depth of the achieved CR, documented by next-generation sequencing (NGS) techniques. We also detected persistence of molecular lesions that might already have been present in the previous ET clone. Our patient relapsed 5 months after achieving CR. We conclude that our patient showed a spontaneous remission of his AML rather than an exquisite response to azacitidine. We hypothesize that the concurrent respiratory infection, or any other unknown trigger, might have activated his immune system forcing the leukemic stem cell to enter a quiescent state through a yet unexplained mechanism.
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5
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Fan WJ, Xu TT, Sang LN, Guo JJ, Li YF, Pei ZX, Jiang ZX. [A case of spontaneous remission of acute myeloid leukemia with MLL-AF9 rearrangement and abnormal liver function]. ZHONGHUA XUE YE XUE ZA ZHI = ZHONGHUA XUEYEXUE ZAZHI 2021; 42:851-857. [PMID: 34788926 PMCID: PMC8607016 DOI: 10.3760/cma.j.issn.0253-2727.2021.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Objective: To explore the clinical features and possible pathogenesis of spontaneous remission of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) . Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of a patient with spontaneous remission of AML, MLL-AF9 rearrangement, and abnormal liver function in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, and the relevant pieces of literature were summarized. Results: The patient experienced lung infection, fever, and liver dysfunction and was treated with anti-infection and blood transfusion. After complete response (CR) , the patient remained in CR with mild, indirect bilirubin elevation at 35 months of follow-up. Additionally, 56 cases of adult AML (non-acute promyelocytic leukemia) were reported in the literature from 1990 to June 2021. The cases were checked by bone marrow aspiration, and our patients were summarized and analyzed. Furthermore, 57 patients, including 37 males and 20 females, with a median age of 51 (20-83) years and a median remission time of five months; 52 patients achieved complete remission. In addition, there were five cases with long-term remission and a chromosomal record, with no recurrence so far, three with normal karyotype and two with t (9;11) (q21;q23) . Conclusion: The spontaneous remission of leukemia is rare and may be related to immunosuppression and genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- W J Fan
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450000, China
| | - T T Xu
- Department of Blood Transfusion, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou 450000, China
| | - L N Sang
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450000, China
| | - J J Guo
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450000, China
| | - Y F Li
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450000, China
| | - Z X Pei
- Jiaozuo First People's Hospital, Jiaozuo 454002, China
| | - Z X Jiang
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450000, China
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Hu Z, VanHeyst KA, Dalal J, Hackney L. Patient with Down syndrome and relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia with sustained remission despite only partial R3 chemotherapy. Clin Case Rep 2021; 9:1118-1122. [PMID: 33768794 PMCID: PMC7981660 DOI: 10.1002/ccr3.3678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2020] [Revised: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 11/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
DS-ALL has a higher rate of relapse and treatment-related mortality. The newer immunotherapies are potentially better options. Relapsed ALL with positive MRD has a poor prognosis. Transient long-term remission after ALL relapse due to partial chemotherapy combined severe infection is rare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongbo Hu
- Department of PediatricsDivision of Pediatric Hematology OncologyRainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical CenterClevelandOHUSA
| | - Kristen A. VanHeyst
- Department of PediatricsDivision of Pediatric Hematology OncologyRainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical CenterClevelandOHUSA
| | - Jignesh Dalal
- Department of PediatricsDivision of Pediatric Hematology OncologyRainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical CenterClevelandOHUSA
| | - Lisa Hackney
- Department of PediatricsDivision of Pediatric Hematology OncologyRainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical CenterClevelandOHUSA
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Patients with spontaneous remission of high-risk MDS and AML show persistent preleukemic clonal hematopoiesis. Blood Adv 2020; 3:2696-2699. [PMID: 31515231 DOI: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2019000265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2019] [Accepted: 07/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Key Points
We report longitudinal mutational analyses of 2 patients with high-risk MDS and AML experiencing spontaneous disease remissions. Both patients had persistent clonal hematopoiesis during remission, harboring all but 1 of the mutations from the initial diagnostic sample.
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Helbig D, Quesada AE, Xiao W, Roshal M, Tallman MS, Knorr DA. Spontaneous Remission in a Patient With Acute Myeloid Leukemia Leading to Undetectable Minimal Residual Disease. J Hematol 2020; 9:18-22. [PMID: 32362981 PMCID: PMC7188378 DOI: 10.14740/jh606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Although rare, spontaneous remission (SR) of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has been reported in the literature, the underlying mechanisms driving remission remain unknown. However, it is most commonly associated with a preceding severe infection. We present a case of a 40-year-old man with no past medical history who presented to our hospital with severe left hip pain and fevers and was found to have AML. Chemotherapy was delayed because the patient required extensive debridement and fasciotomy of his left hip and a prolonged course of antibiotics. After his acute illness had stabilized, a repeat bone marrow biopsy was performed which showed no abnormal myeloid blasts and resolution of his original cytogenetic and molecular abnormalities. At the time of this writing, our patient remains in remission with undetectable minimal residual disease (MRD), now 14 months from his initial diagnosis of AML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Helbig
- Department of Medicine, Leukemia Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, NYC, NY, USA.,These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Andres E Quesada
- Department of Pathology, Hematopathology Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, NYC, NY, USA.,These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Wenbin Xiao
- Department of Pathology, Hematopathology Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, NYC, NY, USA
| | - Mikhail Roshal
- Department of Pathology, Hematopathology Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, NYC, NY, USA
| | - Martin S Tallman
- Department of Medicine, Leukemia Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, NYC, NY, USA
| | - David A Knorr
- Department of Medicine, Leukemia Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, NYC, NY, USA
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Transitory Spontaneous Remission of Myelodysplasia in an Elderly Man while Receiving Intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guérin for Bladder Cancer: A Case Report and Review of the Literature. Case Rep Hematol 2018; 2018:9750532. [PMID: 30534450 PMCID: PMC6252232 DOI: 10.1155/2018/9750532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2018] [Accepted: 10/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Myelodysplasia is a clonal disorder characterized by progressive cytopenias. Intravescial BCG is standard immunotherapy for superficial bladder cancer. We present a patient with transfusion-dependent myelodysplasia whose blood counts normalized during treatment with intravesical BCG for bladder cancer. After finishing treatment, the patient became transfusion dependent once more. We discuss possible mechanisms to explain this case report.
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10
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Spontaneous Complete Remission in a Patient with Acute Myeloid Leukemia and Severe Sepsis. Case Rep Hematol 2017; 2017:9593750. [PMID: 28811942 PMCID: PMC5546120 DOI: 10.1155/2017/9593750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2017] [Revised: 06/08/2017] [Accepted: 06/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Without treatment, acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is almost always fatal. Spontaneous remission of AML is a rare phenomenon and usually with a short duration. The exact mechanisms are unknown. However, its association with infection and blood transfusions has been described. We report a 53-year-old male who presented with severe sepsis and who was diagnosed with AML (M4). He has experienced complete spontaneous remission with relatively long duration. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first case of spontaneous remission described in Iran.
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