Outcomes of allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation with intensity-modulated total body irradiation by helical tomotherapy: a 2-year prospective follow-up study

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) helps achieve good radiation dose conformity and precise dose evaluation. We conducted a single-centre prospective study to assess the safety and feasibility of total body irradiation with IMRT (IMRT-TBI) using helical tomotherapy in allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Thirty-nine adult patients with haematological malignancy (acute lymphoblastic leukaemia [n = 21], chronic myeloid leukaemia [n = 6], mixed phenotype acute leukaemia [n = 5], acute myeloid leukaemia [n = 4], and malignant lymphoma [n = 3]) who received 12 Gy IMRT-TBI were enrolled with a median follow-up of 934.5 (range, 617-1254) d. At the time of transplantation, 33 patients (85%) achieved complete remission. The conditioning regimen used IMRT-TBI (12 Gy in 6 fractions twice daily, for 3 d) and cyclophosphamide (60 mg/kg/d, for 2 d), seven patients were combined with cytarabine, and five with etoposide. We set dose constraints for the lungs, kidneys and lens as the organs at risk.

RESULTS

The mean doses for the lungs and kidneys were 7.50 and 9.11 Gy, respectively. The mean maximum dose for the lens (right/left) was 5.75/5.87 Gy. The 2-year overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), cumulative incidence of relapse (CIR) and non-relapse mortality (NRM) were 69, 64, 18 and 18%, respectively. Thirty-six patients developed early adverse events (AEs) (including four patients with Grade 3/4 toxicities), most of which were reversible oral mucositis and may partially have been related to IMRT-TBI. However, the incidence of toxicity was comparable to conventional TBI-based conditioning transplantation. None of the patients developed primary graft failure, or Grade III-IV acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). In late complications, chronic kidney disease was observed in six patients, a lower incidence compared to conventional TBI-based conditioning transplantation. No radiation pneumonitis or cataracts were observed in any of the patients.

CONCLUSIONS

IMRT-TBI is safe and feasible for haematological malignancies with acceptable clinical outcomes.KEY MESSAGESIMRT-TBI-helical tomotherapy aids in accurate dose calculation and conformity.It could be used without any considerable increase in the rate of TBI-related AEs.Allo-HSCT with IMRT-TBI may be an alternative to conventional TBI for clinical use.

Central nervous system mucormycosis in a patient with hematological malignancy: A case report and review of the literature

Invasive mucormycosis is a refractory fungal infection. Central nervous system (CNS) mucormycosis is a rare complication caused by infiltration from the paranasal sinuses or hematogenous dissemination. Here, we present a case of a brain abscess, due to mucormycosis, diagnosed using burr craniotomy. A 25-year-old Japanese woman with relapsed-refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia underwent cord blood transplantation (CBT). The patient experienced prolonged and profound neutropenia, and oral voriconazole was administered as primary antifungal prophylaxis. The patient received a conditioning regimen on day -11 and complained of aphasia and right hemiparesis on day -6. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a T2-weighted high-intensity area in the left frontal cortex. A brain abscess was suspected, and liposomal amphotericin B (L-AMB) administration was started. The patient underwent CBT as scheduled and underwent neutrophil engraftment on day 14. Although the patient achieved complete remission on day 28, her consciousness level gradually deteriorated. MRI revealed an enlarged brain lesion with a midline shift sign, suggesting brain herniation. Craniotomy was performed to relieve intracranial pressure and drain the abscess on day 38, and a diagnosis of cerebral mucormycosis was confirmed. The L-AMB dose was increased to 10 mg/kg on day 43. Although the patient's consciousness level improved, she died of hemorrhagic cystitis and aspiration pneumonia. Cerebral mucormycosis should be suspected if neurological symptoms are observed in stem cell transplant recipients. Prompt commencement of antifungal therapy and debridement are crucial because mucormycosis has a poor prognosis.

Retrospective comparison of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation following reduced-intensity conditioning with fludarabine/low-dose melphalan plus 4 Gy TBI versus fludarabine/ busulfan plus 4 Gy TBI

Fludarabine with intravenous busulfan (6.4 mg/kg; FB2) and fludarabine with intermediate-dose melphalan (140 mg/m²; FM140) are the most widely used reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) regimens for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. FM140 generally has a lower relapse rate and higher non-relapse mortality (NRM), resulting in overall survival (OS) comparable to that seen with FB2. To evaluate the effect of reducing the melphalan dose, we retrospectively compared transplant outcomes in 156 patients who received FB2 (n = 103) or FM80 (n = 53) at our center (median age: 63 years; range 27-72 years). All patients received 4-Gy total body irradiation. Three-year OS, the cumulative incidence of relapse, and NRM were comparable between groups (FB2 vs. FM80, 58% vs. 47%, p = 0.24; 30% vs. 36%, p = 0.57; 17% vs. 21%, p = 0.44, respectively). There was no significant difference in the cumulative incidence of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) at day 100, chronic GVHD at 3 years, or the 3-year GVHD-free/relapse-free survival rate. In the high-risk disease group, patients receiving FM80 tended to have lower 3-year OS (FB2 vs. FM80, 48% vs. 17%, p = 0.06). In summary, transplant outcomes following FB2 or FM80 were comparable except in patients with high-risk disease.

Outcome of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for T-cell lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma: A single-center study

Although the indications for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) as a treatment for T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma (T-ALL/LBL) and Philadelphia chromosome (Ph)-negative B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) are similar, few studies have compared its outcomes for T-ALL/LBL and Ph-negative B-ALL. The clinical data of 28 patients with T-ALL, 16 with T-LBL, and 99 with Ph-negative B-ALL who underwent the first allo-HSCT from 2000 to 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Complete remission (CR) rates at allo-HSCT were 79 %, 63 %, and 75 % for T-ALL, T-LBL, and B-ALL, respectively; the 3-year overall survival (OS) rates were 55.7 %, 56.2 %, and 58.6 %, respectively (p = 0.92). Univariate analysis revealed that disease subtypes were not significantly associated with OS (B-ALL vs. T-ALL: hazard ratio [HR]=0.89, p = 0.70; T-LBL vs. T-ALL: HR=0.87, p = 0.75), and CR at allo-HSCT was the only prognostic factor for OS (HR=0.25, p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that CR at allo-HSCT was the only predictor of OS (HR=0.24, p < 0.001). In all three disease subtypes, patients in CR at allo-HSCT tended to have a lower cumulative incidence of relapse than did those in non-CR (T-ALL: 13.6 % vs. 50.0 %, p = 0.10; T-LBL: 20.0 % vs. 50.0 %, p = 0.21; B-ALL: 10.0 % vs. 56.0 %, p < 0.01). Thus, the outcomes of allo-HSCT for T-ALL/LBL were comparable to those of Ph-negative B-ALL. Irrespective of the disease subtypes, achieving CR before allo-HSCT was associated with a favorable OS. Further advances in chemotherapy before allo-HSCT and defining the optimal timing of allo-HSCT would improve the prognosis of patients with T-ALL/LBL.

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for adult patients with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia with high hyperdiploidy: a retrospective nationwide study

We compared the transplant outcomes of adult patients with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia characterized by high hyperdiploidy (HeH; 51-65 chromosomes) (n = 29) and those with a normal karyotype (n = 87) by propensity score-matched analysis. There were no significant differences among groups in 3-year probabilities of overall survival (OS, 63.5% vs. 55.3%, p = .553), cumulative relapse incidence (28.6% vs. 28.7%, p = .982), and non-relapse mortality (10.9% vs. 21.4%, p = .303). Three-year OS was significantly worse in HeH patients with third or later complete remission (CR) or non-CR compared with those in first CR (19.0% vs. 69.9%, p = .010). Frequently gained chromosomes +21 (75.9%), +4 (69.0%), +6 (69.0%), +10 (69.0%), and +1 (69.0%) had no significant prognostic impact on the OS of patients with HeH in multivariate analyses. Patients with HeH who may benefit from allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation should be further analyzed.

[Vacuolar myelopathy after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation in a patient with acute lymphoblastic leukemia]

Vacuolar myelopathy (VM) is known to be a neurological complication in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). In autopsy-based studies, VM was reported in approximately 20-50% of patients with AIDS. It manifests in various says, mainly presenting as a painless spastic paraparesis with a sensory ataxia. We present a rare case of VM after bone marrow transplantation (BMT) in a patient without AIDS. A 50-year-old man developed weakness in the lower legs, leg muscle atrophy, and difficulty in walking 86 days after BMT. The patient died from septic shock on day 309. The autopsy revealed intralamellar vacuolation in the spinal white matter, which was compatible with VM.

Pathogenic Impacts of Dysregulated Polycomb Repressive Complex Function in Hematological Malignancies

Polycomb repressive complexes (PRCs) are epigenetic regulators that mediate repressive histone modifications. PRCs play a pivotal role in the maintenance of hematopoietic stem cells through repression of target genes involved in cell proliferation and differentiation. Next-generation sequencing technologies have revealed that various hematologic malignancies harbor mutations in PRC2 genes, such as EZH2, EED, and SUZ12, and PRC1.1 genes, such as BCOR and BCORL1. Except for the activating EZH2 mutations detected in lymphoma, most of these mutations compromise PRC function and are frequently associated with resistance to chemotherapeutic agents and poor prognosis. Recent studies have shown that mutations in PRC genes are druggable targets. Several PRC2 inhibitors, including EZH2-specific inhibitors and EZH1 and EZH2 dual inhibitors have shown therapeutic efficacy for tumors with and without activating EZH2 mutations. Moreover, EZH2 loss-of-function mutations appear to be attractive therapeutic targets for implementing the concept of synthetic lethality. Further understanding of the epigenetic dysregulation associated with PRCs in hematological malignancies should improve treatment outcomes.

Safety of total body irradiation using intensity-modulated radiation therapy by helical tomotherapy in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: a prospective pilot study

Total body irradiation using intensity-modulated radiation therapy total body irradiation (IMRT-TBI) by helical tomotherapy in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) allows for precise evaluation and adjustment of radiation dosage. We conducted a single-center pilot study to evaluate the safety of IMRT-TBI for allo-HSCT recipients. Patients with hematological malignancies in remission who were scheduled for allo-HSCT with TBI-based myeloablative conditioning were eligible. The primary endpoint was the incidence of adverse events (AEs). Secondary endpoints were engraftment rate, overall survival, relapse rate, non-relapse mortality, and the incidence of acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD and cGVHD, respectively). Between July 2018 and November 2018, ten patients were recruited with a median observation duration of 571 days after allo-HSCT (range, 496-614). D80% for planning target volume (PTV) in all patients was 12.01 Gy. Average D80% values for lungs, kidneys and lenses (right/left) were 7.50, 9.03 and 4.41/4.03 Gy, respectively. Any early AEs (within 100 days of allo-HSCT) were reported in all patients. Eight patients experienced oral mucositis and gastrointestinal symptoms. One patient experienced Bearman criteria grade 3 regimen-related toxicity (kidney and liver). All cases achieved neutrophil engraftment. There was no grade III-IV aGVHD or late AE. One patient died of sinusoidal obstruction syndrome 67 days after allo-HSCT. The remaining nine patients were alive and disease-free at final follow-up. Thus, IMRT-TBI was well tolerated in terms of early AEs in adult patients who underwent allo-HSCT; this warrants further study with longer observation times to monitor late AEs and efficacy.

[Tyrosine kinase inhibitor maintenance therapy following allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia]

There have been many reports regarding tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) administration to prevent relapse following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) for patients with Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph+ALL). However, there are no commonly accepted standards for the choice of TKIs. We retrospectively analyzed the clinical features of Ph+ALL patients who received TKIs after allo-HSCT at our institution. The prophylactic administration of TKIs (pro) occurred in eight patients, and six patients received preemptive TKI administration (pre). The median follow-up period after allo-HSCT was 1,427 (range, 161-2,428) days in the pro group and 773.5 (range, 156-2,243) days in the pre group. Only one patient with non-hematological complete remission before allo-HSCT relapsed among the patients in the pro group. In the pre group, four patients treated with only TKIs achieved negativity of minimal residual disease. The 2-year overall survival rate after allo-HSCT was 85.7% in the pro group and 100% in the pre group. We used lower doses of TKIs compared with previous reports and this analysis shows that the dose is safe and effective as the treatment.

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for adult patients with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia harboring t(1;19)(q23;p13.3); comparison with normal karyotype

There are few reports on allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) for adult B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) harboring t(1;19)(q23;p13.3). We used nationwide registry data of Japan for 2003-2016 to evaluate transplant outcomes and clarified prognostic factors among adult allo-HSCT recipients with B-ALL harboring t(1;19)(q23;p13.3) (n = 125). Compared with cytogenetically normal (CN) B-ALL patients (n = 1057), their 3-year overall survival (OS) rates were comparable (55.4% for t(1;19) and 54.4% for CN; P = 0.76). Considering only patients in first complete hematological remission (CR1), the 3-year OS rates remained comparable (70.5% for t(1;19) and 67.8% for CN; P = 0.86). For t(1;19) patients in CR1, minimal residual disease (MRD) at transplantation was associated with relatively worse outcomes. The 3-year OS rates were 43.6% for patients with MRD and 77.4% for those without it (P = 0.016). The 3-year relapse rates were 54.5% for patients with MRD and 12.8% for those without it (P < 0.001). Multivariate analyses revealed that MRD at transplantation was a significant risk factor for OS and relapse. In the high-intensity chemotherapy era, t(1;19)(q23;p13.3) did not have a poorer posttransplant prognosis than the normal karyotype. However, even for patients in CR1, MRD at transplantation was associated with comparatively worse OS and higher relapse rates.

The emergence of rare nocardiosis following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in the era of molecular taxonomy

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to describe the clinical features of nocardiosis after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT), focusing on new Nocardia species.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed data from patients with nocardiosis after allo-HSCT treated at our hospital and documented cases in the medical literature.

RESULTS

Fifty-seven cases were identified from our institution and the literature review. Although 51 patients (89.5%) responded to initial treatment, 28 (49.1%) patients were switched over to other treatment regimens due to the recurrence of nocardiosis or adverse events of antimicrobials. Nocardiosis-attributed mortality occurred in ten patients (17.5%). Antimicrobial susceptibilities varied among intra- and inter-species except linezolid (LZD). In the present study, five species were newly discovered after 2000, including N. cyriacigeorgica, N. veterana, N. abscessus, N. aobensis, and N. mexicana. All isolates of N. cyriacigeorgica, N. veterana, N. abscessus, and N. aobensis were sensitive to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, amikacin (AMK), imipenem (IPM), and LZD; however, N. mexicana was resistant to AMK and IPM.

CONCLUSION

Newly identified Nocardia species have various antimicrobial susceptibility patterns. Long-term maintenance therapy could be challenging due to the adverse events of antimicrobials, especially in the allo-HSCT setting. Prudent evaluation is crucial for selecting a second-line or further treatment options.

Timely Diagnosis and Successful Treatment of Intravascular Large B-Cell Lymphoma in an Elderly Patient with Poor Performance Status

BACKGROUND Intravascular large B-cell lymphoma (IVLBCL) is a rare type of extranodal large B-cell lymphoma characterized by involvement of lymphoma cells in the lumina of small blood vessels in various organs. Although many studies have claimed that timely diagnosis and early initiation of chemotherapy are important, the literature on the successful treatment of IVLBCL in elderly patients over the age of 80 years is scarce. CASE REPORT An 82-year-old man presented with abnormal elevation of lactate dehydrogenase at 1605 IU/L and altered mental status, which manifested as forgetfulness, abnormal behavior, and worsening performance status for 2 days. There was no evidence of lymphadenopathy or skin lesions, but a computed tomography scan of the chest showed bilateral diffuse ground-glass opacities. With a primary consideration of IVLBCL, random skin biopsy and transbronchial lung biopsy were performed. Immediately after the pathologic findings on hematoxylin-eosin staining alone revealed abnormal large cells in the small vessels, chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone (CHOP) at half the usual dose was started; later on, immunostaining revealed CD20 expression in the abnormal lymphoid cells. Immediately after CHOP administration, his mental and physical symptoms rapidly resolved. After 8 cycles of dose-reduced CHOP with rituximab, he remained free from disease progression 2 years after the diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS We presented a case of successful early chemotherapy for IVLBCL in an elderly patient with poor performance status. Early chemotherapy with CHOP, even before obtaining a definitive diagnosis based on immunostaining, may contribute to good outcomes.

Successful hematopoietic stem-cell mobilization with plerixafor plus granulocyte-colony stimulating factor in multiple myeloma patients treated with pomalidomide

Autologous stem-cell transplantation is an effective procedure for the treatment of multiple myeloma, and involves the collection of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). However, in some patients, HSCs in the bone marrow fail to mobilize. Pomalidomide upregulates CXCR4 in hematopoietic stem cells, in a manner similar to that of lenalidomide, and is, thus, likely to have a negative impact on hematopoietic stem-cell mobilization in multiple myeloma patients. Here, we report the two cases in which hematopoietic stem cells were mobilized using plerixafor plus granulocyte-colony stimulating factor after exposure to lenalidomide and pomalidomide. Use of plerixafor with a sufficient washout period may lead to successful mobilization following pomalidomide use, although further study of this potential use is needed.

Fatal Neutropenic Enterocolitis Caused by Stenotrophomonas maltophilia: A Rare and Underrecognized Entity

Although Stenotrophomonas maltophilia causes substantial morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised patients, it has not been described as a causal pathogen of neutropenic enterocolitis (NEC). We describe the first case of histologically-confirmed NEC caused by S. maltophilia accompanied by bacteremia and pneumonia after salvage chemotherapy for acute myeloid leukemia relapse following a second hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. S. maltophilia should be included as a pathogenic organism of NEC in severely immunocompromised patients to prevent a delayed diagnosis, which carries a high risk of inappropriate antimicrobial selection and fatal outcome.

Reassessment of clinical implication of pretransplant surgical procedures for pulmonary invasive fungal lesions

Dealing with the recent series of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) performed this decade, we reassessed the clinical impact of pretransplant surgical procedures (SP) for pulmonary lesions of invasive fungal disease (IFD) on subsequent transplant outcome. We focused on the clinical outcomes of seven patients with pulmonary IFD who underwent segmentectomy (n = 4), lobectomy (n = 2) or abscess incision with drainage only (n = 1), and compared results to those of 21 patients carrying pulmonary IFD who never underwent invasive SP before allo-SCT. The rate of exacerbation of pulmonary lesions by 180 days after allo-SCT did not differ significantly between groups (32.2% vs 42.9%, P = 0.69). Moreover, no significant differences in non-relapse mortality (46.4% vs 42.3%, P = 0.93) or overall survival (53.6% vs 30.9%, P = 0.45) at 1 year were evident between groups. These results indicate that pretransplant SP for pulmonary lesions might have no survival benefit under the current antifungal prophylaxis or treatment modality.

[Definitive Radiotherapy for Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation with Conditioning of Total Body Irradiation]

A 24-year-old man with acute lymphoblasticleukemia underwent allogeneicperipheral blood stem cell transplantation (allo-PBSCT)from a human leukocyte antigen-matched sibling after myeloablative conditioning, with a regimen including total body irradiation(TBI)(12 Gy/6 fractions), 6 years ago. The patient developed extensive chronic graft-versus-host disease(cGVHD)of the skin, mouth, liver, and gut four months after allo-PBSCT. Treatment with cyclosporine and prednisolone was necessary to control the cGVHD. Six years after allo-PBSCT, the patient experienced odynophagia and was diagnosed with cervical esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(cT1bN1M0, cStage II B). Because we considered laryngeal preservation, risk of anastomotic leakage, and infection related to the operation, the patient was planned to receive chemoradio- therapy with 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin. Regarding irradiation, the patient received radiotherapy(50.4 Gy/28 fractions)for a primary tumor and lymph node without an elective nodal area. The patient achieved complete response and remained disease- free without any treatment-related complications for 3 years.

[Portal vein thrombosis associated with idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome]

A 35-year-old man who previously underwent splenectomy for hereditary spherocytosis at age 29 visited our hospital complaining of fatigue that had started 7 days ago and right upper abdominal pain. Laboratory data showed increased white blood cell and eosinophil count accompanied by severe transaminitis and clotting abnormalities. Computed tomography scan showed multiple embolisms in the portal vein, superior mesenteric vein, right pulmonary artery, and inferior vena cava. Severe liver damage presumably caused by portal vein thrombosis was also observed. Anticoagulant therapies consisting of continuous arterial infusion of urokinase from the superior mesenteric artery and an intravenous infusion of recombinant human thrombomodulin and heparin dissolved the systemic thrombosis. Concurrently administered prednisone decreased the eosinophil count. With regard to eosinophilia, we were unable to find any connective tissue diseases, antibodies to parasites, or genetic anomalies including PDGFRA, PDGFRB, and FGFR1. Hence we diagnosed the patient with idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES). Although thromboembolisms in patients with HES have been reported, the literature on portal vein thrombosis associated with HES is scarce. In the present case, the previous splenectomy may have contributed to the portal vein thrombosis.

Extramedullary Gastric Relapse at the Time of Bone Marrow Relapse of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia after Allogeneic Bone Marrow Transplantation

Extramedullary relapse (EMR) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is relatively rare. The most commonly reported sites in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients after allo-HSCT are soft tissue and the central nervous system, and the gastrointestinal system is an uncommon site. We herein report a unique case with massive hematemesis resulting from gastrointestinal relapse of ALL after allo-HSCT. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy showed bleeding from a 1.5-cm submucosal tumorous lesion with central ulceration on the anterior wall of the stomach. At the same time, computed tomography revealed extramedullary relapse at the breast and bilateral adrenal glands.

Predictive implications of albumin and C-reactive protein for progression to pneumonia and poor prognosis in Stenotrophomonas maltophilia bacteremia following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Background

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (S. maltophilia) bacteremia causes significant morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised hosts. However, incidence and risk factors for mortality in S. maltophilia bacteremia following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) remain controversial. The primary aim of this study is to clarify factors associated with poor prognosis of allo-HSCT recipients with S. maltophilia bacteremia.

Methods

From January 2005 to December 2014, patients with hematological diseases and S. maltophilia bacteremia at a single transplantation center in Japan were examined for incidence and 90-day mortality. Prognostic factors associated with 90-day mortality among allo-HSCT recipients were analyzed by log-rank test, and significant variables in the univariate analysis were included in the multivariate Cox proportional-hazards regression model.

Results

A total of 65 patients, including 47 patients undergoing allo-HSCT, developed S. maltophilia bacteremia. The incidence of S. maltophilia bacteremia was significantly higher in allo-HSCT recipients compared to patients not receiving allo-HSCT (6.53 vs. 0.36 per 100 admissions, respectively; p < 0.01). The overall 90-day mortality in allo-HSCT recipients was 43%. Independent risk factors for 90-day mortality were low serum albumin (<3.0 g/dl) (HR = 10.86; 95% CI, 3.27–36.12) and high serum C-reactive protein (CRP) (≥10.0 mg/dl) (HR = 3.28; 95% CI, 1.00–10.72). Among 9 patients with both high CRP and low albumin, 5 had pneumonia at the onset of bacteremia and the remaining 4 patients developed pneumonia in a median of 3 days (range, 1 to 8 days) even under effective treatment. All 9 patients eventually died in a median of 2 days (range, 2 to 32 days). The probabilities of developing pneumonia in patients with or without high CRP and low albumin levels were 100% (9/9) and 10.5% (4/38), respectively (p < 0.01).

Conclusions

Allo-HSCT recipients had higher rates of S. maltophilia bacteremia than did patients not receiving allo-HSCT. High serum CRP and low serum albumin at the onset of bacteremia are predictive of disease progression to pneumonia and poor prognosis.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12879-017-2745-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Retrospective analysis of clinical outcomes of the patients with chronic myeloid leukemia who stopped administration of tyrosine kinase inhibitors: a single institution experience

We describe herein the clinical outcomes of 16 patients with chronic myeloid leukemia in the chronic phase who stopped the administration of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) after maintaining undetectable levels of major BCR-ABL1, based on real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, for prolonged periods (undetectable MR for a median of 2,100 days (822-4,068). The reasons for discontinuing TKI were enrollments in a clinical trial testing discontinuation of these agents (n=9), adverse effects (n=2) or financial problems (n=5). After TKI discontinuation, patients were followed for a median of 551 days (154-2,446). A total of 8 patients (50%) experienced molecular relapse after a median of 119 days (28-171). Among them, 6 patients who lost major molecular response (MMR) were treated with imatinib (n=2) or dasatinib (n=4), while 2 patients who lost undetectable MR after discontinuing TKI (1 each had taken bostinib and imatinib) but maintained MMR were carefully monitored without re-administration of TKI. Of 6 patients who re-started TKI, 4 (67%) achieved undetectable MR but the other 2 achieved only MMR. The results of this small, retrospective study may support the current understanding of treatment discontinuation, possibly leading to a sustained deep molecular response in some patients.

Donor cell leukemia with bone marrow necrosis

A 60-year-old man with myelodysplastic syndrome underwent allogeneic transplantation of female umbilical cord blood in 2010 and sustained a complete remission. He experienced severe pain in his left hip joint and was admitted to the orthopedic surgery division of our institution in February 2015. After admission, he was suspected to have hemophagocytic syndrome (HPS) and was thus transferred to the hematology division. Bone marrow aspiration revealed hyper-cellular marrow filled with abnormal collapsed cells, consistent with bone marrow necrosis (BMN). As there was no evidence of infection, collagen disease, or occult cancer, he was diagnosed with HPS of unknown origin and treated with dexamethasone, cyclosporine A, and etoposide according to the HLH-2004 protocol. Although his general condition and laboratory findings showed amelioration, morphologically abnormal cells appeared in peripheral blood two weeks after treatment. Bone marrow aspiration showed BMN with increased abnormal cells, positive for CD117 and MPO. Sex chromosome FISH analysis revealed donor chimerism and cytogenetic analysis showed 46XX, +1, der (1;7) (q10;q10). He was diagnosed with donor cell leukemia (DCL) and received salvage chemotherapy. However, he died because of severe pneumonia and sepsis without neutrophil recovery at day 68. We herein report this rare case of DCL with BMN.

[Disseminated fusariosis in patients with acute leukemia: a retrospective analysis of three cases]

We report three cases of fusariosis that occurred during the treatment of acute leukemia, during the past 5 years at our institution. Case 1: A 70-year-old male with relapsed and refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) developed fever and multiple nodular lesions in both the lungs. Blood culture that was subsequently obtained revealed Fusarium species. Treatment with liposomal-amphotericin B (L-AMB) was ineffective, and the condition of the patient deteriorated rapidly leading to death. Case 2: A 28-year-old male with T-ALL developed echthyma gangrenosum (EG) ulcers on the scrotum during conditioning for transplantation. Antifungal therapy with L-AMB was ineffective, and later, itraconazole and micafungin (MCFG) were introduced. However, the engraftment was not achieved, and the patient died on day 27. Microbiological examination of EG samples collected on day 13 revealed infection by Fusarium species post mortem. Case 3: A 50-year-old male with blast crisis of chronic myeloid leukemia developed EG primarily on the trunk during chemotherapy. The patient died without any response to L-AMB and MCFG. A culture obtained from EG on day 19 yielded Fusarium species, post mortem. The prognosis of fusariosis is extremely poor. However, skin lesions such as EG may assist in the early diagnosis of the disseminated disease.

Chronic myeloid leukemia relapsing ten years after allogenic bone marrow transplantation

A 58-year-old female was diagnosed with Philadelphia chromosome positive chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in blast crisis (BC) in 2004. The patient received imatinib, which quickly induced molecular remission, and subsequently underwent bone marrow transplantation (BMT) from an unrelated human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-identical donor. The post-transplant clinical course was essentially uneventful. In 2014, ten years after the BMT, the patient was admitted to our hospital complaining of lymphadenopathy, and blasts were observed in peripheral blood. The patient was diagnosed as having a CML relapse in myeloid BC, with leukemic infiltration in lymph nodes, and was treated with dasatinib. Subsequently, pleural effusion developed and nilotinib was administered, which induced normal blood counts without blasts and partial cytogenetic remission, one month after administration. Six months after the relapse, this patient underwent a second BMT from an HLA-matched unrelated donor. Recent studies have demonstrated the cumulative incidence of CML relapse more than five years after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) to be higher than in acute myeloid leukemia. Although rare, the possibility of late relapse should be considered in patients diagnosed with CML after allo-HSCT.

[Chronic myelogenous leukemia initially presenting with multiple subcutaneous tumors due to extramedullary hematopoiesis]

A 53-year-old woman was admitted with right upper-extremity pain and multiple subcutaneous masses. Bone marrow aspirate showed hypercellular marrow with increased myeloid components at all stages of maturation. Cytogenetic analysis of the bone marrow revealed 100% Philadelphia chromosome positivity along with BCR/ABL gene rearrangement, as demonstrated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). A diagnosis of chronic phase of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) was therefore made. Biopsy of one of the subcutaneous masses showed proliferation of granulocytes in various stages of differentiation. There were also erythroid cells and megakaryocytes, without p53 and CD34-positive blasts. These results suggested that the subcutaneous masses had developed from extramedullary hematopoiesis, not blastomas. The patient was administered dasatinib (DA) 140 mg, combined with radiation therapy for pain and peripheral neuropathy from the right axial extramedullary tumor. The patient showed complete hematological remission and the subcutaneous masses had disappeared 1 month after starting administration of DA. Because the patient did not achieve a cytogenetic response, the tyrosine kinase inhibitor nilotinib was administered. She will undergo allogeneic stem cell transplantation in the near future. Extramedullary hematopoiesis in the early stages of CML is uncommon. Our case emphasizes the need to elucidate the pathogenesis of extramedullary hematopoiesis in the early stages of CML.

Comparison of transplant outcomes and economic costs between biosimilar and originator filgrastim in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

From January 2012 to September 2015, 49 patients received biosimilar filgrastim (BF) after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT, n = 31) or peripheral stem cell transplantation (PBSCT, n = 18) in our institution. To evaluate the clinical impact of BF on transplant outcomes of these patients, we compared hematological recovery, overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), transplantation-related mortality (TRM), cumulative incidence of relapse (CIR), and acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) with those of control patients who received originator filgrastim (OF) after BMT (n = 31) or PBSCT (n = 18). All cases were randomly selected from a clinical database in our institution. In both the BMT and PBSCT settings, neutrophil recovery (17 vs. 19 days in BMT; 13 vs. 15 days in PBSCT) and platelet recovery (27 vs. 31 days in BMT; 17 vs. 28 days in PBSCT) were essentially the same between BF and OF. They were also comparable in terms of OS, DFS, TRM, CIR, and the incidence of acute GVHD and chronic GVHD. On multivariate analysis, the use of BF in both BMT and PBSCT was not a significant factor for adverse transplant outcomes. Although BF significantly reduced filgrastim costs in both BMT and PBSCT, total hospitalization costs were not significantly different between BF and OF.

Acquired factor X deficiency associated with atypical AL-amyloidosis

We herein describe the case of a 77-year-old woman with acquired factor X deficiency that was likely caused by atypical amyloidosis. The patient developed severe gastrointestinal bleeding as a result of a significant decrease of factor X activity. Neither proteinuria nor diarrhea was observed as an initial manifestation. Although a bone marrow examination revealed direct fast scarlet-positive extracellular deposits, they did not exhibit red-to-green dichroism under polarized light. Immunofluorescence microscopy showed that the fibrillar proteins were positive for CD138 but negative for β2-microglobulin or amyloid A antibodies. These atypical pathological features of immunoglobulin light chain-amyloidosis in this patient might be related to its unique clinical presentation.

[Effects of the bronchial artery infusion of peplomycin (PEP) and mitomycin C (MMC) in lung cancer--comparison with single administration of PEP or MMC]

Effects of BAI with PEP 30 mg+MMC 10 mg on 26 patients with lung cancer were evaluated in comparison with 34 cases treated with single PEP or MMC. Histopathological findings of the cases treated with PEP+MMC and PEP alone showed more effective results than that of MMC alone. The tumor decreased rate on the chest X-ray film of the cases treated with PEP+MMC was highest and the cavity formation was also typical in the cases with PEP+MMC and PEP alone. The side effects of the cases with PEP+MMC were able to reduce markedly to about 50% compared with single administration of PEP or MMC; however pulmonary fibrosis and necrotizing bronchitis were noted in 8%.

[Effects of pepleomycin (PEP) infused through bronchial artery for lung cancer: in comparison with the cases of mitomycin (MMC) or carboquon (CQ)]

(1) Therapeutic effects of bronchial artery infusion (BAI) of peplomycin (PEP), a derivative of bleomycin, were examined in the 13 patients with lung cancer. The effectiveness of PEP was compared with that of 59 patients treated with mitomycin (MMC) or carboquon (CQ). (2) In all cases treated with PEP, histopathological effects revealed to be more than grade IIa of Shimosato's criteria, which were more effective than that with MMC or CQ. (3) Histopathological changes of the metastatic lymph nodes were similar to that of the main tumor. (4) In the cases treated with PEP, tumor decreased rates shown in the chest X-ray films 2 weeks after BAI were lower than that with MMC or CQ. Cavity formation in the tumor was recognized in 62% of the cases treated with PEP. (5) Low fever lasting several days after administration of BAI and GI symptoms such as nausea and vomiting were main side effects, which were mild and not so serious.