Impact of Central Nervous System International Prognostic Index on the Treatment of Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma

Background

The central nervous system international prognostic index (CNS-IPI) is being used widely for the identification of patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) with a high risk of central nervous system (CNS) relapse. The aim of our study is to confirm the value of the CNS-IPI in predicting CNS relapse in our young study population and to evaluate its impact on the selection of patients for CNS prophylaxis.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed patients diagnosed with DLBCL who were treated with rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (RCHOP) regimen from January 2010 till December 2018. Correlation between CNS-IPI and cumulative incidence of CNS relapse and time to CNS relapse was examined through Kaplan-Meier plots. Median time to CNS relapse and median overall survival after CNS relapse were also estimated using the Kaplan-Meier plots. 

Results

A total of 354 patients were included. The median age was 46 years. Overall, 5% of the patients developed CNS relapse. Median survival after CNS relapse was seven months. Two-year CNS relapse rates according to CNS-IPI were 0.7%, 5.1%, and 26% for low, intermediate, and high-risk, groups respectively.

On multivariate analysis, poor performance status (p=0.045), involvement of two or more extranodal sites (p= 0.021), involvement of bone marrow (p= 0.029), and renal or adrenal glands (p= 0.006) significantly correlated with CNS relapse. Considering the CNS-IPI and high-risk anatomical sites (breast, uterus, testis, and epidural space), 26% of our patients with DLBCL would have needed prophylaxis.

Conclusion

Although CNS-IPI helps in better selection of DLBCL patients for CNS prophylaxis, it can possibly increase the number of patients exposed to unnecessary prophylaxis. More investigational biomarkers are needed to better refining high-risk patients.

Treatment of adult Burkitt lymphoma with the CALGB 1002 protocol: a single center experience in Jordan

Background

The treatment of adult Burkitt lymphoma with pediatric-based chemotherapy protocols usually results in high cure rates, although with significant toxicity. We report our experience with the Cancer and Leukemia Group B1002 (CALGB 1002) protocol.

Methods

The files of adult patients diagnosed with Burkitt lymphoma and treated with the CALGB 1002 protocol at King Hussein Cancer Center between 2008 and 2017 were reviewed. Baseline demographics, clinical laboratory features, treatment details, and responses were collected. The correlations between clinical and laboratory variables with event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) were determined by univariate and multivariate analyses using backward stepwise Cox regression models. EFS and OS were plotted using Kaplan‒Meier curves.

Results

This study included 19 patients with a median age of 33 years (range, 19‒65). Eleven (58%) and two (10.5%) patients had advanced-stage and central nervous system disease, respectively. Among 106 administered cycles, the median interval between cycles was 23 days (range, 19‒84 days). Sixteen patients (84%) achieved a complete response. After a median follow-up of 40.8 months, the 3-year EFS and OS rates were 78.95%. Patients with a low-risk International Prognostic Index (IPI) had better survival than those with intermediate-or high-risk IPI. Grade III‒IV hematological toxicities occurred in 88% of patients, while 73% had grade III‒IV mucositis.

Conclusion

In adult Burkitt lymphoma, the CALGB 1002 protocol provides high cure rates and can be administered promptly, but is associated with significant toxicity. Risk-adapted approaches and other, less toxic, chemotherapeutic regimens should be considered.

The Application of the ThroLy Risk Assessment Model to Predict Venous Thromboembolism in Patients with Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma

Background

Patients with aggressive lymphomas are at higher risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE). ThroLy is a risk assessment model (RAM) derived to predict the occurrence of VTE in various types of lymphomas. In this study, we assess the clinical application of ThroLy RAM in a unified group of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL).

Methods

Hospital databases were searched for patients with DLBCL and radiologically-confirmed VTE. Items in the ThroLy RAM, including prior VTE, reduced mobility, obesity, extranodal disease, mediastinal involvement, neutropenia and hemoglobin < 10.0 g/dL, were retrospectively reviewed.

Results

A total of 524 patients, median age 49 (range: 18-90) years were included. Patients had high disease burden; 57.3% with stage III/IV and 34.0% with bulky disease. All were treated on unified guidelines; 63 (12.0%) had primary refractory disease. Venous thromboembolic events were reported in 71 (13.5%) patients. Among 121 patients with high (> 3) ThroLy score, 22.3% developed VTE compared to 8.4% and 12.4% in those with low and intermediate risk scores, respectively (P = .014). Simplifying the ThroLy model into two risk groups; high-risk (score ≥ 3) and low risk (score < 3) can still segregate patients; VTE developed in 44 (17.2%) high-risk patients (n = 256) compared to 27 (10.1%) in the low-risk group (n = 268), P = .038. Neutropenia, a component of the ThroLy, was encountered in only 14 (2.7%) patients.

Conclusions

ThroLy RAM can identify patients with DLBCL at high risk for VTE. Model can be modified by dividing patients into two, rather than three risk groups, and further simplified by omitting neutropenia.

Outcome and patterns of relapse in primary gastric diffuse large B cell lymphoma treated with RCHOP

OBJECTIVES

Patterns and predictors of relapse in primary gastric diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) were variably reported. Our study aims to evaluate the patterns and predictors of relapse in early-stage gastric DLBCL treated with Rituximab, Cyclophosphamide, Doxorubicin, Vincristine, and Prednisolone (RCHOP).

METHODS

From 2005 to 2019, the medical records of 72 patients with stage I or stage II gastric DLBCL treated with six cycles of RCHOP without radiotherapy were reviewed. Different variables were correlated with progression free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and local relapse free survival (LRFS).

RESULTS

64 (88.1%) patients achieved a complete response (CR), while 8 (11.9%) had refractory disease. After CR, 9 (14%) patients relapsed; 7 (78%) relapses were loco-regional. Abnormal LDH (p = 0.028), H. pylori negative (p = 0.032) and, stage adjusted international prognostic index (sa-IPI) > 1 (p = 0.013) correlated with loco-regional failure. The 5-year PFS, OS, and LRFS were 74.8%, 75.3%, and 87.5%, respectively, after a median follow-up of 58 (range: 6-185) months. The median time to progression or relapse was 9 months (range: 5-54 months). In multivariate analysis, a sa-IPI >1 (HR: 3.56, CI: 1.35-8.8, p = 0.01) was associated with PFS while low albumin (HR: 8.85, CI: 1.09-71.4, p = 0.041) was associated with worse OS. None of the variables were associated with LRFS.

CONCLUSION

Treatment of primary gastric DLBCL with RCHOP results in a high CR rate. The majority of treatment failures were loco-regional. Sa-IPI and H. pylori status may be used to identify patients who may benefit from combined modality treatment.

Prevalence, Patterns, and Predictors of Venous Thromboembolic Events in Patients Undergoing Salvage Chemotherapy and Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation for Relapsed Lymphomas

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Almost 25% of patients with lymphoma may have relapse or develop refractory disease, and a majority of such patients undergo salvage chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). Data on venous thromboembolism (VTE) in this setting are scarce. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and factors that may increase the risk of VTE in such patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Adult patients who were diagnosed with lymphoma and received salvage chemotherapy and ASCT were included in the study, and the subgroup with radiologically confirmed VTE were identified. Correlations between different clinical and laboratory variables and VTE were evaluated.

RESULTS

A total of 216 patients (median age, 31 [range, 19-60] years) were enrolled in the study. Most patients (n = 140, 64.8%) had Hodgkin's lymphoma, while 54 (25.0%) had diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. A total of 36 (16.7%) patients had VTE, mostly as upper extremity deep vein thrombosis (n = 28, 77.8%); 18 (50%) of the cases were related to central venous catheter insertion. Thrombosis rates were higher among patients with high lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level (29.2% vs. 5.9%, p < 0.001), those with mediastinal involvement (25.9% vs. 11.5%, p = 0.025). and those with longer hospital stay (22.3% vs.9.5%, p = 0.036). In the multivariate analysis, high LDH level (odds ratio (OR), 6.53; p < 0.001), mediastinal involvement (OR, 2.70; p = 0.005) and hospital stay ≥24 days (OR, 2.71; p = 0.007) were all associated with significantly higher VTE rates.

CONCLUSION

Patients with relapsed lymphoma undergoing salvage chemotherapy and ASCT are at higher risk for VTE, especially in those with high LDH level, mediastinal involvement, and prolonged hospital stay. If no contraindications exist, thromboprophylaxis might be considered in these settings.

PET/CT in leukemia: utility and future directions

2-Deoxy-2-[ 18 F]fluoro- d -glucose PET/computed tomography ([ 18 F]FDG PET/CT) has proven to be a sensitive method for the detection and evaluation of hematologic malignancies, especially lymphoma. The increasing incidence and mortality rates of leukemia have raised significant concerns. Through the utilization of whole-body imaging, [ 18 F]FDG PET/CT provides a thorough assessment of the entire bone marrow, complementing the limited insights provided by biopsy samples. In this regard, [ 18 F]FDG PET/CT has the ability to assess diverse types of leukemia The utilization of [ 18 F]FDG PET/CT has been found to be effective in evaluating leukemia spread beyond the bone marrow, tracking disease relapse, identifying Richter's transformation, and assessing the inflammatory activity associated with acute graft versus host disease. However, its role in various clinical scenarios in leukemia remains unacknowledged. Despite their less common use, some novel PET/CT radiotracers are being researched for potential use in specific scenarios in leukemia patients. Therefore, the objectives of this review are to provide a thorough assessment of the current applications of [ 18 F]FDG PET/CT in the staging and monitoring of leukemia patients, as well as the potential for an expanding role of PET/CT in leukemia patients.

Characteristics and outcomes of COVID-19 in adult cancer patients: Tertiary cancer center experience

e13601

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to deteriorated outcomes among immunocompromised patients, significantly impacting cancer patients. However, little is known about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer patients in low and middle-income countries. Therefore, we sought to investigate the characteristics and clinical outcomes of cancer patients with COVID-19 treated at a single institution. Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed for cancer patients treated at King Hussein Cancer Center. Patients who were diagnosed with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection by Real-time Polymerase chain reaction test between April 2020 and October 2020 were identified. Results: Overall, 327 COVID-19-infected cancer patients were included. At the time of COVID-19 diagnosis, the median age was 55 years (range, 18-87 years), 146 patients (45%) were males. The most common neoplasms were breast cancer (n = 90, 27.5%), gastrointestinal cancers (n = 60, 18.3%), and lymphoma (n = 36, 11%). The majority of patients had comorbidities (n = 200, 61%), of which hypertension and diabetes mellitus were the most common. Testing reason was presence of symptoms in 183 (56%) patients, previous exposure in 10 (3.1%), and before elective procedure in 142 (43.4%). 118 patients (56.5%) were hospitalized and 18 patients (5.5%) required admission to the intensive care unit (ICU). At the time of the last follow-up, 76% (n = 249) remained alive, and 24% (n = 78) died, among which death was considered to be COVID related in 41 (52.5% of deaths). Mortality was significantly increased in patients with comorbidities (29%, vs 15.7 %; p = 0.008), the use of cardiac medications (34.3% vs. 18.1%; p = 0.001), active cancer status vs. remission (28.2% vs 11.6% p = 0.002), receiving chemotherapy in the last four weeks (27.6% vs 16.4%, p = 0.028), and when testing reason was the presence of symptoms vs exposure and elective (37.7% vs. 10% and 7.7% p = < 0.001) respectively. Chemotherapy was delayed in 109 (33.4%) patients and permanently discontinued in 57 (17.5%) patients. Among patients required hospitalization and needed ICU admission, mortality rates were 55.1% and 88.9% respectively. Conclusions: COVID-19 infection is associated with significant mortality and negatively affects treatment plans in cancer patients. A follow-up study will be needed to evaluate the effect of vaccination on the outcomes.

The Impact COVID-19 Infection on Cancer Patients: A Tertiary Cancer Center Experience in Jordan

BACKGROUND

Cancer patients are at higher risk of serious complications of COVID-19. Few studies evaluated the impact of COVID-19 on cancer patients in low- and middle-income countries. Our study aims to evaluate the outcomes of COVID-19 infection in cancer patients treated at our institution.  Methods: Medical records of patients with a positive COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) between April 2020 and October 2020 were reviewed. Fisher's exact test and logistic regression analysis were employed to correlate various variables with mortality. Survival estimates were generated using the Kaplan-Meier method.

RESULTS

A total of 317 patients were included, with a median age was 55 years (range: 19-88). 82 (25.9%) had hematological neoplasms while the remainder had solid cancers. At the time of infection, 220 (69.4%) had active cancer, and 99 (31.2%) had received systemic anticancer treatment (SACT) within four weeks. Hospitalization was required for 101 (31.8%), 17 (5.3%) were admitted to the ICU and 50 (15.8%) died. Among patients with active cancer, SACT was delayed or discontinued in 140 (63.6%) patients.  In the entire patient cohort, low albumin (p=<0.001) and leucocytosis (p=<0.001) correlated with mortality within six months of COVID-19 infection. The six-month mortality rate in patients with active cancer was significantly higher in patients with hypertension (p=0.024), no recent SACT (0.017), hematological cancer (p=0.029), low albumin (p=<0.001), leucocytosis (p=0.002) and lymphocyte count of less than 500/µL (p=0.004). Recent chemotherapy was associated with better 6-month survival rates (78.8% vs 89.9%, p=0.012) in patients with active cancer, patients with solid cancers (95.9% vs 82.2%, p=0.006) and was non-inferior in patient with hematological neoplasms (72% vs 65.4%, p=0.519).  Conclusion: COVID-19 infection in our cancer patients was associated with significant morbidity and mortality and adversely affected their treatment. The decision to delay or discontinue SACT should be individualized, considering other risk factors for mortality.

Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes of CML in Adolescents and Young Adults

BACKGROUND

While Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) is a disease of older adults, there is a growing population of adolescent and young adults (AYAs) with CML. This study evaluated the clinical characteristics and outcomes of CML in AYAs.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Data from medical records of adults with chronic phase CML diagnosed and treated at our center from 2011until 2021were retrospectively analyzed. Age between 18 and 29 years was used to define AYAs. Response to tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), progression to accelerated phase (AP) or blast crisis (BC), event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) were compared between AYAs and older adults.

RESULTS

Among 163 patients included, 41 (25.1%) were AYAs. AYAs were more likely to be males (P = .02), to present with symptoms (P = .004), had a higher median white blood cell count (P = .007), neutrophil count (P = .029), eosinophil count (P = 0.01), low-risk Sokal (P = .033) and Hasford (P = .005) groups. TKI-sensitivity as well as median times for achievement of complete cytogenetic and major molecular response were comparable between both groups. After a median follow-up of 76 (range: 11-235) months, there was no difference in OS (P = .528), or cumulative incidence of transformation to accelerated phase or blast crisis (P = .11). On the other hand, AYA had an inferior EFS (P = .034).

CONCLUSION

A quarter of the patients diagnosed with CML in our population were AYAs. Despite being characterized as "lower-risk," they presented with a greater disease burden, had a shorter EFS but comparable OS. Further studies are needed to better understand the disease biology of this group.

Characteristics and predictors of infusion-related reactions to rituximab in patients with B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma

This retrospective study aimed to assess the characteristics and predictors of infusion-related reactions (IRRs) to rituximab in patients with B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL). The medical records of adult patients with B-NHL who received their first cycle of rituximab from August 2020 to August 2022 were reviewed. IRRs were defined as any signs experienced by patients during rituximab infusion and graded according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events. During the study period, 334 patients were included; among them, 100 patients (30%) developed IRRs (mean age 54.7 (SD 13.2) years). Of the reported IRRs, 90% were grade II reactions, and 10% were grade III reactions. The multivariate analysis identified indolent lymphoma [OR 1.90, p = 0.025], no hydrocortisone as premedication [OR 3.03, p = 0.029], thrombocytopenia [OR 2.55, p = 0.009], and absolute lymphocyte count ≥ 2000 lymphocytes/microL [OR 1.74, p = 0.045] as independent predictors for IRRs.

Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma on the Background of Castleman Disease: A Case Report

Castleman disease (CD) is a rare lymphoproliferative disorder that is associated with an increased risk for lymphoma. The association between CD and classical Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is rare. The patient described here is a 44-year-old, HIV-seronegative male who presented with significant weight loss, fever, night sweats, and right axillary swelling. Imaging showed bulky infraclavicular, subpectoral, and axillary lymph nodes. A biopsy revealed classical HL on the background of a human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8)-negative plasma cell variant of CD. The patient had a complete remission after six cycles of doxorubicin, bleomycin, vincristine, and dacarbazine (ABVD) that were followed by consolidative radiotherapy and continued to be disease-free for more than two years.

Outcomes of Peripheral Blood Haploidentical Stem Cell Transplantation With Post-Transplant Cyclophosphamide and Earlier Initiation of Immunosuppression

INTRODUCTION

Peripheral blood (PB) grafts are increasingly used in haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (haplo-HSCT) with post-transplant cyclophosphamide (PT-Cy). The optimal timing for initiation of immunosuppression (IS) with calcineurin inhibitors (CNI) and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) in PB haplo-HSCT is unclear. This study evaluates the outcomes of early initiation of IS prior to PT-Cy.

METHODS

Medical records of adult patients with hematologic malignancies who received PB haplo-HSCT with PT-Cy between 2017 and 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. IS with CNI and MMF were started on day 0 and 1 postinfusion. Statistical analyses for survival outcomes were performed using the Kaplan-Meier method, and cumulative incidence (CI) models were used to account for competing risks for relapse, and nonrelapse mortality (NRM).

RESULTS

A total of 51 patients were included, with a median age of 37 years (range: 19-63) and a median follow-up of 44 months (range: 37.8-53 months). Neutrophil and platelet engraftment were achieved in 98% and 96% of patients, respectively. CRS occurred in 35.3% of patients, predominantly grade I, with only 1 patient developing grade II CRS. At 3 years, overall survival (OS) and progression free survival (PFS) were 51.8% and 50.2%, respectively, and GVHD-relapse free survival (GFRS) was 43.1%. The CI of relapse and NRM at 3 years were 28.2% and 21.6%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Early initiation of IS in PB haplo-HSCT was associated with high rates of engraftment, low rates of CRS, and favorable long-term survival outcomes. Prospective studies are needed to validate these findings and refine IS timing.