Prognostic effect of Ki-67 expression in rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone-treated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma is limited to non-germinal center B-cell-like subtype in late-elderly patients

Expression and Clinical Significance of ki-67, CD10, BCL6, MUM1, c-MYC, and EBV in Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma Patients

INTRODUCTION

Diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in adults. Although studies regarding the association between the expression of Ki-67, CD10, BCL6, and MUM1 proteins, as well as c-MYC amplification and EBV status with clinicopathologic characteristics have rapidly progressed, their co-expression and prognostic role remain unsatisfactory. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the association between the expression of all markers and clinicopathologic features and their prognostic value in DLBCL. Also, the co-expression of markers was investigated.

METHODS

The protein expression levels and prognostic significance of Ki-67, CD10, BCL6, and MUM1 were investigated with clinical follow-up in a total of 53 DLBCL specimens (including germinal center B [GCB] and activated B cell [ABC] subtypes) as well as adjacent normal samples using immunohistochemistry (IHC). Besides, the clinical significance and prognostic value of c-MYC and EBV status were also evaluated through chromogenic in situ hybridization (CISH), and their correlation with other markers was also assessed.

RESULTS

The results demonstrated a positive correlation between CD10 and BCL6 expression, with both markers being associated with the GCB subtype (P<0.001 and P=0.001, respectively). Besides, we observe a statistically significant association between MUM1 protein expression and clinicopathologic type (P<0.005) as well as a positive association between c-MYC and recurrence (P=0.028). Our survival analysis showed that patients who had responded to R-CHOP treatment had better overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) than those who did not.

CONCLUSION

Collectively, this study's results add these markers' value to the existing clinical understanding of DLBCL. However, further investigations are needed to explore markers' prognostic and biological roles in DLBCL patients.

Primary adrenal diffuse large B-cell lymphoma with normal adrenal cortex function: A case report

BACKGROUND

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, which accounts for about approximately 30% to 40% of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, is the most common type and is a class of aggressive B-cell lymphomas. However, diffuse large B-cell lymphomas primary to the adrenal gland are rare.

CASE SUMMARY

A 73-year-old man was admitted with abdominal pain and fatigue. After admission, enhanced adrenal computed tomography indicated irregular masses on both adrenal glands, with the larger one on the left side, approximately 8.0 cm × 4.3 cm in size. The boundary was irregular, and surrounding tissues were compressed. No obvious enhancement was observed in the arterial phase. Resection of the left adrenal gland was performed. Pathological diagnosis revealed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. After surgery, the patient received R-CHOP immunochemotherapy. During the fourth immunochemotherapy, patient condition deteriorated, and he eventually died of respiratory failure.

CONCLUSION

R-CHOP is the conventional immunochemotherapy for primary adrenal diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Surgery is mainly used to diagnose the disease. Hence, the ideal treatment plan remains to be confirmed.

Survival Analysis of Hepatosplenic T Cell Lymphoma: A Population-Based Study Using SEER

Purpose

Hepatosplenic T cell lymphoma (HSTCL) is a rare tumor that lacks data to guide management decisions. To shed light on the nature and therapy of the entity, we conducted this study.

Patients and Methods

We retrospectively reviewed patients diagnosed with HSTCL between 1975 and 2016 in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database to analyze the clinical characteristics and survival outcome compared with PTCL-NOS and ALK+ ALCL.

Results

A total of 123 HSTCLs were included in the analysis. Most patients were aged ≤60 years (81.3%) and had a male predominance (69.1%). Organs with lymphoma infiltration of HSTCL were more common in the spleen (98.4%). The 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year overall survival (OS) rates in the entire HSTCL cohort were 56.9% (95% CI, 47.5–66.3%), 37.6% (95% CI, 28.0–47.2%), and 31.6.0% (95% CI, 22.2–41.0%), respectively. The overall survival (OS) of HSTCL patients was similar to that of PTCL-NOS patients (P = 0.128) but worse than that of patients with ALK+ ALCL (P < 0.001). The disease-specific survival (DSS) of HSTCL patients was worse than that of PTCL-NOS and ALK+ ALCL patients (P < 0.05). The same tendency was found in the matched data set. Cox regression analyses indicated that the use of chemotherapy combined with topical treatment may improve the survival of patients with HSTCL.

Conclusion

A higher proportion of young patients and a strong male predominance were found in HSTCL. Chemotherapy combined with topical treatment may be an optional regimen. Further studies are needed to intensify efforts in dealing with this rare but unfavorable disease.

Evaluation of Ki-67 as a Prognostic Marker in Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma-A Single-Center Retrospective Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common non-Hodgkin lymphoma and prognostic information is essential in finding the right treatment. This study evaluated the prognostic significance of Ki-67 in patients with DLBCL.

METHODS

Patients with DLBCL, treated with first-line R-CHOP, were retrospectively analyzed in groups of high (>70%) and low (≤70%) Ki-67. Parameters of interest were the international prognostic index (IPI), treatment response, progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). A chi-squared test or Fisher's exact test was conducted to analyze categorical variables. Kaplan-Meier and log-rank tests were applied for survival analyses. Finally, a multivariate linear regression analysis was performed, including gender, Ki-67 ≤ 70% or >70%, IPI and presence of B symptoms.

RESULTS

Overall, 58 patients were included. No significant association was found between Ki-67 status and IPI (p = 0.148) or treatment response (p = 0.373). Survival in patients with high Ki-67 was significantly inferior with respect to OS (p = 0.047) but not PFS (p = 0.138). Multivariate linear regression, however, yielded only IPI as a risk factor for OS.

CONCLUSION

Future studies with larger patient cohorts are needed in order to elucidate the prognostic role of Ki-67 in patients with DLBCL treated with R-CHOP.

Diffuse large B cell lymphoma originating from the maxillary sinus with skin metastases: A case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common type of malignant lymphoma (ML), accounting for 30%-40% of cases of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) in adults. Primary paranasal sinus lymphoma is a rare presentation of extranodal NHL that accounts for only 0.17% of all lymphomas. ML from the maxillary sinus (MS) is a particularly rare presentation, and is thus often difficult to diagnose. We have reported the first known case of DLBCL originating from the MS with rapidly occurrent multiple skin metastasis.

CASE SUMMARY

An 81-year-old Japanese man visited our hospital due to continuous pain for 12 d in the left maxillary nerve area. His medical history included splenectomy due to a traffic injury, an old right cerebral infarction from when he was 74-years-old, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes mellitus. A plain head computed tomography (CT) scan revealed a 3 cm × 3.1 cm × 3 cm sized left MS. On day 25, left diplopia and ptosis occurred, and a follow-up CT on day 31 revealed the growth of the left MS mass. Based on an MS biopsy on day 50, we established a definitive diagnosis of DLBCL, non-germinal center B-cell-like originating from the left MS. The patient was admitted on day 62 due to rapid deterioration of his condition, and a plain CT scan revealed the further growth of the left MS mass, as well as multiple systemic metastasis, including of the skin. A skin biopsy on day 70 was found to be the same as that of the left MS mass. We notified the patient and his family of the disease, and they opted for palliative care, considering on his condition and age. The patient died on day 80.

CONCLUSION

This case suggests the need for careful, detailed examination, and for careful follow-up, when encountering patients presenting with a mass.

c-MYC and p53 expression highlight starry-sky pattern as a favourable prognostic feature in R-CHOP-treated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a clinically heterogeneous entity, in which the first-line treatment currently consists of an immuno-chemotherapy regimen (R-CHOP). However, around 30% of patients will not respond or will relapse. Overexpression of c-MYC or p53 is frequently found in DLBCL, but an association with prognosis remains controversial, as for other biomarkers previously linked with DLBCL aggressivity (CD5, CD23, or BCL2). The aim of this study was to explore the expression of these biomarkers and their correlation with outcome, clinical, or pathological features in a DLBCL cohort. Immunohistochemical (c-MYC, p53, BCL2, CD5, and CD23), morphological ('starry-sky' pattern [SSP]), targeted gene panel sequencing by next-generation sequencing (NGS), and fluorescence in situ hybridisation analyses were performed on tissue microarray blocks for a retrospective cohort of 94 R-CHOP-treated de novo DLBCL. In univariate analyses, p53 overexpression (p53^high ) was associated with unfavourable outcome (p = 0.04) and with c-MYC overexpression (p = 0.01), whereas c-MYC overexpression was linked with an SSP (p = 0.004), but only tended towards an inferior prognosis (p = 0.06). Presence of a starry-sky morphology was found to be correlated with better survival in p53^high DLBCL (p = 0.03) and/or c-MYC-positive DLBCL (p = 0.002). Furthermore, NGS data revealed that these three variables were associated with somatic mutations (PIM1, TNFRSF14, FOXO1, and B2M) involved in B-cell proliferation, survival, metabolism, and immune signalling. Taken together, these results show that the SSP pattern seems to be a protective factor in high-risk DLBCL subgroups and highlight cell death as a built-in failsafe mechanism to control tumour growth.

Prognostic molecular biomarkers in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in the rituximab era and their therapeutic implications

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) represents a group of tumors characterized by substantial heterogeneity in terms of their pathological and biological features, a causal factor of their varied clinical outcome. This variation has persisted despite the implementation of rituximab in treatment regimens over the last 20 years. In this context, prognostic biomarkers are of great importance in order to identify high-risk patients that might benefit from treatment intensification or the introduction of novel therapeutic agents. Herein, we review current knowledge on specific immunohistochemical or genetic biomarkers that might be useful in clinical practice. Gene-expression profiling is a tool of special consideration in this effort, as it has enriched our understanding of DLBCL biology and has allowed for the classification of DLBCL by cell-of-origin as well as by more elaborate molecular signatures based on distinct gene-expression profiles. These subgroups might outperform individual biomarkers in terms of prognostication; however, their use in clinical practice is still limited. Moreover, the underappreciated role of the tumor microenvironment in DLBCL prognosis is discussed in terms of prognostic gene-expression signatures, as well as in terms of individual biomarkers of prognostic significance. Finally, the efficacy of novel therapeutic agents for the treatment of DLBCL patients are discussed and an evidence-based therapeutic approach by specific genetic subgroup is suggested.

Correlations Between Imaging Biomarkers and Proliferation Index Ki-67 in Lymphomas: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Few studies investigated relationships between positron emission tomography (PET) as well as diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) with proliferating index Ki-67 in lymphomas. The aim of the present analysis was to review the published results and perform a meta-analysis to provide data on the associations between standardized uptake values (SUV) derived from PET as well as apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) derived from DWI with Ki-67 index in lymphomas.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The MEDLINE library was screened for relationships between PET and DWI with Ki-67 in lymphoma up to October 2018. Overall, 22 studies with 788 patients were identified. The following data were extracted from the literature: authors, year of publication, number of patients, and correlation coefficients. Associations between SUV and Ki-67 were analyzed using Spearman correlation coefficient.

RESULTS

Fifteen studies comprising 574 patients were suitable for the analysis between maximum SUV (SUV_max) derived from fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET and Ki-67. The pooled correlation coefficient was r = 0.49 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.36-0.61). Four studies were included in the analysis between SUV_max derived from fluorothymidine (FLT) PET and Ki-67 index involving 84 patients. The pooled correlation coefficient was r = 0.46 (95% CI, 0.19-0.73). Four studies comprising 130 patients were suitable for the analysis between ADC values derived from DWI and Ki-67. The pooled correlation coefficient was r = -0.25 (95% CI, -0.53 to 0.04).

CONCLUSION

SUV_max derived from FDG and FLT PET correlated moderately and approximately equally with Ki-67 index. On the contrary, ADC values only correlated weakly inversely and might not reliably predict Ki-67 index in lymphomas.

Recent Advances in Aggressive Large B-cell Lymphomas: A Comprehensive Review

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is an aggressive disease with considerable heterogeneity reflected in the 2008 World Health Organization classification. In recent years, genome-wide assessment of genetic and epigenetic alterations has shed light upon distinct molecular subsets linked to dysregulation of specific genes or pathways. Besides fostering our knowledge regarding the molecular complexity of DLBCL types, these studies have unraveled previously unappreciated genetic lesions, which may be exploited for prognostic and therapeutic purposes. Following the last World Health Organization classification, we have witnessed the emergence of new variants of specific DLBCL entities, such as CD30 DLBCL, human immunodeficiency virus-related and age-related variants of plasmablastic lymphoma, and EBV DLBCL arising in young patients. In this review, we will present an update on the clinical, pathologic, and molecular features of DLBCL incorporating recently gained information with respect to their pathobiology and prognosis. We will emphasize the distinctive features of newly described or emerging variants and highlight advances in our understanding of entities presenting a diagnostic challenge, such as T-cell/histiocyte-rich large B-cell lmphoma and unclassifiable large B-cell lymphomas. Furthermore, we will discuss recent advances in the genomic characterization of DLBCL, as they may relate to prognostication and tailored therapeutic intervention. The information presented in this review derives from English language publications appearing in PubMed throughout December 2015. For a complete outline of this paper, please visit: http://links.lww.com/PAP/A12.