Etsuko Yamazaki

Diagnostic value of hemostatic parameters in bone marrow transplant-associated thrombotic microangiopathy

We investigated hemostatic parameters in a prospective study of 16 patients who received bone marrow transplants (BMT). We found a significant rise in the levels of fibrinogen, plasmin-α2 antiplasmin inhibitor complex, tissue-plasminogen activator·plasminogen activator inhibitor complex (t-PA·PAI), von Willebrand factor antigen, and thrombomodulin on day 14 after transplant compared with values before transplant. Protein C and thrombin-antithrombin III levels did not change significantly. No significant changes in prothrombin time ratio, activated partial thromboplastin time, or protein S were detected. Patients who had grades II–IV graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) (n = 6) showed a significantly higher level of t-PA·PAI on day 14 compared with those with grades 0–I GVHD (n = 10) (P = 0.0062). Three patients with grades II–IV GVHD developed thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) on days 19, 19 and 62. In these patients, we noted significantly lower levels of fibrinogen (P = 0.0383), and significantly higher levels of t-PA·PAI (P = 0.0008) and thrombomodulin (P = 0.0001) on day 14 compared with those patients who did not develop TMA. These results suggest that prothrombotic states and endothelial damage may be caused by the conditioning regimen and/or acute GVHD during BMT; thrombomodulin values on day 14 post BMT may be useful in surveillance for TMA because of endothelial cell injury.

Peripheral blood absolute lymphocyte/monocyte ratio as a useful prognostic factor in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in the rituximab era

The tumor microenvironment, including tumor‐infiltrating lymphocytes and myeloid‐derived cells, is an important factor in the pathogenesis and clinical behavior of malignant lymphoma. However, the prognostic significance of peripheral lymphocytes and monocytes in lymphoma remains unclear.

Tamibarotene As Maintenance Therapy for Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia: Results From a Randomized Controlled Trial

PURPOSE The introduction of all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) has significantly improved outcomes for acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), although a subset of patients still suffer relapse. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of maintenance therapy with the synthetic retinoid tamibarotene in APL. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients with newly diagnosed APL in molecular remission at the end of consolidation therapy were randomly assigned to receive ATRA or tamibarotene, both orally, for 14 days every 3 months for up to 2 years. RESULTS A total of 347 patients were enrolled. Of the 344 eligible patients, 319 (93%) achieved complete remission. After completing three courses of consolidation therapy, 269 patients underwent maintenance random assignment. The relapse-free survival (RFS) rate at 4 years was 84% for the ATRA arm and 91% for the tamibarotene arm (hazard ratio [HR], 0.54; 95% CI, 0.26 to 1.13). When the analysis was restricted to 52 high-risk patients with an initial WBC count ≥ 10.0 × 10(9)/L, the intergroup difference was statistically significant, with 4-year RFS rates of 58% for the ATRA arm and 87% for the tamibarotene arm (HR, 0.26; 95% CI, 0.07 to 0.95). For patients with non-high-risk disease, the HR was 0.82 (95% CI, 0.32 to 2.01). The test for interaction between treatment effects and these subgroups resulted in P = .075. Both treatments were generally well tolerated. CONCLUSION In this trial, no difference was detected between ATRA and tamibarotene for maintenance therapy. In an exploratory analysis, there was a suggestion of improved efficacy of tamibarotene in high-risk patients, but this requires further study.

Cutaneous Monomorphous CD4- and CD56-Positive Large-Cell Lymphoma

Background: Recently, CD56 (NCAM)-positive lymphomas, such as nasal and nasal-type angiocentric NK/T cell lymphoma, aggressive NK cell leukemia/lymphoma and blastic NK cell lymphoma, were described by several authors as a unique group of lymphoma. Objective: In this study, we intend to clarify the clinicopathological features of cutaneous CD4+ and CD56+ lymphoma. Methods: Four patients with cutaneous CD4+ and CD56+ lymphoma were studied. Results: Age at the first examination ranged from 71 to 89 years (mean = 81.2 years). One patient was female and 3 were males. The organ mainly involved at presentation was the skin. Lymphadenopathy, splenomegaly, leukemic spread and central nervous system involvement were observed as the disease progressed. The mean survival time was 12.2 months. Epstein-Barr virus was not detected within the tumor cells. Conclusion: This peculiar lymphoma is different from nasal and nasal-type angiocentric NK/T cell lymphoma and aggressive NK cell leukemia/lymphoma. Similar cases have been reported as blastic NK cell lymphoma/leukemia.

R-CHOP therapy alone in limited stage diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

Long‐term observation has identified a pattern of continuing relapse in limited stage diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (DLBCL) treated by three cycles of R‐CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone) plus involved‐field irradiation. We retrospectively analysed 190 untreated patients with limited stage DLBCL treated by R‐CHOP alone. All the patients were scheduled to undergo primary therapy with six cycles of full‐dose R‐CHOP. Cases with a dose reduction of more than 20% were excluded from the study. Additional local irradiation was allowed in patients with partial response (PR). Five patients received additional local irradiation after PR at the end of the R‐CHOP therapy. The median observation period was 52 months. Median age at diagnosis was 63 years. The responses to therapy were 180 complete responses, eight PR, and two progression of disease (PD). The 5‐year progression‐free survival and 5‐year overall survival rates were 84% and 90%, respectively, both in plateau. During the observation period, 29 patients experienced PD. The progression sites were the primary sites in 15 patients, outside the primary sites in 10, and undetermined in four patients. These results suggest that the ‘standard’ strategy of three cycles of R‐CHOP followed by involved‐field radiotherapy for limited stage DLBCL could be effectively replaced by six cycles of R‐CHOP alone.

European Treatment and Outcome Study score does not predict imatinib treatment response and outcome in chronic myeloid leukemia patients

The Sokal and Hasford scores were developed in the chemotherapy and interferon era and are widely used as prognostic indicators in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Recently, a new European Treatment and Outcome Study (EUTOS) scoring system was developed. We performed a multicenter retrospective study to validate the effectiveness of each of the three scoring systems. The study cohort included 145 patients diagnosed with CML in chronic phase who were treated with imatinib. In the EUTOS low‐ and high‐risk groups, the cumulative incidence of complete cytogenetic response (CCyR) at 18 months was 86.9% and 87.5% (P = 0.797) and the 5‐year overall survival rate was 92.6% and 93.3% (P = 0.871), respectively. The cumulative incidence of CCyR at 12 months, 5‐year event‐free survival and 5‐year progression‐free survival were not predicted using the EUTOS scoring system. However, there were significant differences in both the Sokal score and Hasford score risk groups. In our retrospective validation study, the EUTOS score did not predict the prognosis of patients with CML in chronic phase treated with imatinib.

Features of primary extranodal lymphoma in Kanagawa, a human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 nonendemic area in Japan

We sought to determine the frequency of primary extranodal lymphoma (ENL) and its characteristics in Kanagawa, a human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) nonendemic area in Japan. Subjects were 847 newly diagnosed patients with malignant lymphoma at the Yokohama City University Hospital and 8 affiliated hospitals mainly located in Kanagawa prefecture from 1999 to 2005. We compared the clinicopathological characteristics of primary ENL with primary nodal lymphoma (NL). Histological specimens were evaluated according to the World Health Organization classifications. A total of 395 (46.6%) and 452 (53.4%) patients had primary ENL and primary NL, respectively. The frequency of primary ENL increased with age. Primary extranodal sites included the gastrointestinal tract (30.4%), Waldeyer’s ring (17.8%), orbits (7.0%), soft tissue and subcutaneous tissue (5.2%), bone (4.6%), skin (4.3%), thyroid gland (4.3%), testis and prostate (3.3%), bone marrow (3.3%), nasal and paranasal cavities (2.6%), salivary glands (2.3%), lung and pleura (2.0%), breast (1.8%), central nervous system (1.0%), uterus and ovary (0.5%), and others (9.8%). Among the 395 cases of primary ENL, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (61.2%) was most frequently diagnosed, followed by extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (13.3%) and follicular lymphoma (5.6%). The frequency of primary ENL is approximately 50% of the total lymphoma cases in Kanagawa, an HTLV-1 nonendemic area in Japan. This frequency appears to be higher than that in Western countries.

SIL index, comprising stage, soluble interleukin-2 receptor, and lactate dehydrogenase, is a useful prognostic predictor in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

Rituximab (R) plus doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and prednisolone (CHOP) chemotherapy (R‐CHOP) is widely accepted as standard care for diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients. The revised International Prognostic Index (R‐IPI) was established in 2007 after the addition of rituximab to standard DLBCL treatment. To reassess the utility of R‐IPI, we carried out a retrospective analysis of patients with DLBCL uniformly treated with standard R‐CHOP. Progression‐free survival (PFS) curves in “very good” and “good” risk groups as defined by the R‐IPI showed no statistical difference. We added soluble interleukin‐2 receptor (sIL‐2R) level to the factors comprising the R‐IPI. Five levels of sIL‐2R were weighed with respect to their impact on PFS. sIL‐2R of >2500 U/mL was determined as the most appropriate threshold. We developed a new prognostic SIL index, which includes three independent prognostic risk factors: clinical stage (S); sIL‐2R level over 2500 U/mL (I); and elevated lactate dehydrogenase level (L). This index indicates standard risk (0 or 1 risk factors, 4‐year PFS 83%, 4‐year overall survival 91%) and high risk (2 or 3 risk factors, 4‐year PFS 52%, 4‐year overall survival 67%) outcomes. The SIL index is a simple and objective prognostic index for DLBCL patients to identify candidates for experimental therapy other than R‐CHOP. (Cancer Sci, doi: 10.1111/j.1349‐7006.2012.02331.x, 2012)

Pretransplant serum ferritin has a prognostic influence on allogeneic transplant regardless of disease risk.

Abstract A multicenter retrospective analysis of the influence of pretransplant serum ferritin (SF) was performed in 261 adult recipients of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (allo-HSCT), including 159 patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), 66 with acute lymphoid leukemia (ALL) and 36 with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Patients were divided into subgroups according to the pretransplant SF level [< 1000 ng/mL (low) vs. ≥ 1000 ng/mL (high)] and disease status at transplant. A high SF level was significantly associated with high disease risk (p = 0.041), but pretransplant SF and disease risk were independent significant prognostic factors for overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS) and non-relapse mortality rate (NRM) on multivariate analysis. The high-SF group showed a worse outcome than the low-SF group among both standard-risk patients (OS: 54% vs. 64%, p = 0.043; DFS: 46% vs. 57%, p = 0.031) and high-risk patients (OS: 16% vs. 35%, p = 0.001; DFS: 15% vs. 34%, p = 0.001). In conclusion, a high SF at transplant adversely influences the outcome of allo-HSCT regardless of disease risk in patients with acute leukemia and MDS.

Isolated extramedullary relapse in knee joint after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for Ph ALL

We report a patient who relapsed in a patella and knee joint after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) for Ph chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The patient complained of pain and swelling of knee joint 14 months post-BMT. Fluid from the knee joint included leukemic cells consistent with the immunophenotype of blasts prior to BMT and also revealed the bcr/abl transcript by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated an abnormal signal in the patella. Radiotherapy to the localized extramedullary lesion was successful and no bone marrow relapse has been detected cytologically and cytogenetically to date. This case suggests that the physician should be aware of unusual relapse sites of leukemia post-BMT.