Jian Bo

Unmanipulated HLA-mismatched/haploidentical peripheral blood stem cell transplantation for high-risk hematologic malignancies.

BACKGROUND: Haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) has been increasingly applied in high‐risk hematologic patients due to the absence of HLA‐matched donors. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of unmanipulated haploidentical allogeneic peripheral blood stem cells transplantation (PBSCT) for hematologic malignancies.

Similar incidence of severe acute GVHD and less severe chronic GVHD in PBSCT from unmanipulated, haploidentical donors compared with that from matched sibling donors for patients with haematological malignancies

The features of graft‐versus‐host disease (GVHD) were compared between patients who underwent myeloablative conditioning and received a peripheral blood stem cell transplant (PBSCT) from either a haploidentical donor (HID) or a matched sibling donor (MSD) during the same period of time. The HID group included more patients with advanced disease. Both groups received the same GVHD prophylaxis with the addition of antithymoglobulin (ATG) in HID group. Higher cumulative incidences (CI) of acute GVHD grade 2–4 (35·1% vs. 13·9%, P = 0·003), similar CI of grade 3–4 (14·5% vs. 9·8%, P = 0·595), less 3‐year CI of extensive chronic GVHD (17·1% vs. 41·5%, P = 0·017) and less severe chronic GVHD (5·8% vs. 21·2%, P = 0·049) occurred in the HID group compared with the MSD group. There was no difference in the sites of the involved organs between these two groups. Higher 3‐year CI of non‐relapse mortality (24·0% vs. 10·2%, P = 0·014), relapse (39·0% vs. 22·6%, P = 0·032) and inferior disease‐free survival (45·7% vs. 78·9%, P = 0·000) were recorded in the HID cohort compared with the MSD group. More HID patients had Karnofsky scores above 90 than those in MSD group (P = 0·016). In conclusion, ATG plays a key role in the unmanipulated HID PBSCT protocol, producing better quality of life in survivors.

The efficacy and safety of rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin vs rabbit anti-T-lymphocyte globulin in peripheral blood stem cell transplantation from unrelated donors

The comparative efficacy and safety of antithymocyte globulin (ATG) at fixed doses in patients undergoing allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation from unrelated donors (UR-PBSCT) has not been evaluated. In this study, the records of 56 patients and 54 patients who received pre-transplant ATG-Thymoglobulin (ATG-T) at a total dose of 10 mg/kg and ATG- Fresenius (ATG-F) at a total dose of 20 mg/kg, respectively, were retrospectively analyzed. ATG-F patients had a significantly lower probability of developing chronic graft-vs-host disease (cGVHD) than those treated with ATG-T (p = 0.04). ATG-F was associated with a non-significant trend towards lower relapse rates and higher survival at 3- and 5-years of follow-up compared with ATG-T. A significantly greater proportion of ATG-T patients experienced chills and high fever than ATG-F patients (p < 0.01). The current findings suggest that ATG-F may more effectively and safely prevent cGVHD without increasing relapse rates in patients undergoing UR-PBSCT.

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: A single-center experience

BACKGROUND Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD) is a rare and serious complication after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) or solid organ transplantation. MATERIAL/METHODS We conducted a retrospective analysis of the occurrence of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease in allo-HSCT recipients over 12 years in a single center in China. A total of 343 patients received allo-HSCT. The conditioning therapy consisted of a busulfan/cyclophosphamide-based regimen, a fludarabine/cyclophosphamide-based regimen, or total-body irradiation and cyclophosphamide. In transplantations from unrelated donors and haplo-identical donors, patients also received antithymocyte globulin (ATG) or thymoglobulin as part of the conditioning. RESULTS Five of the 343 patients (1.46%) were diagnosed with PTLD and all 5 were given ATG as part of conditioning. Among these 5 patients, 4 had lymphoid neoplasm before transplantation. EBV-positivity was confirmed in 4 patients. All 5 PTLD patients received reduction of immunosuppression (RI) as fundamental therapy. At follow-up on April 1, 2013, 1 patient had survived for 2 years and 1 had survived for 9 years. The correlation of PTLD with ATG and underlying diseases were examined by statistical analysis using the chi-squared test or Fishers exact test (P=0.011 and 0.025, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Although only 1.46% of patients progressed to PTLD associated with ATG and underlying diseases, the mortality was still high. Moreover, RI can be an effective therapy for PTLD patients, but other approaches should be further explored.

Long-term outcomes of peripheral blood stem cell transplantation for 38 patients with peripheral T-cell lymphoma.

OBJECTIVE In this study, to investigate clinical characteristics, response, outcome, and prognosis of peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT) for patients with peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL). METHODS This study retrospectively analyzed the efficacy of PBSCT in 38 patients with PTCL. Kaplan-Meier methods were used in survival analysis, and the Cox regression model was applied in multivariate analysis. There were ten clinical parameters were analyzed. RESULTS The 2-year overall survival (OS) was 46%, and the 5-year OS was 34% after a median follow-up of 40 months. The patients who received allogeneic PBSCT (allo-PBSCT) had a higher nonrelapse mortality than autologous PBSCT (auto-PBSCT), but they could achieve a longer-term disease-free survival in the former, which OS could achieve 40%. Survival analysis with Kaplan-Meier method showed the pretransplant disease status, B symptoms, serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in early (>275 U/L), Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) score (>1), prognostic index for PTCL score (>2) were all prognostic factors for posttransplant OS. Pretransplant disease status is the only prognostic factor for allo-PBSCT. CONCLUSION The key was to reducing transplant-related mortality of allo-PBSCT by reduced-intensity conditioning. Factors such as level of early serum LDH, extranodal involvement, B symptoms, ECOG score, Ann Arbor stage, and pretransplant disease status were all related to the prognosis of patients treated with PBSCT. Allo-PBSCT maybe suggested as the first line therapy for late-stage PTCL patients who could reach treatment remission before transplantation.

Novel diagnostic biomarker for patients with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma by IgH gene rearrangement

AIM OF STUDY Novel biomarkers for improving accuracy could be beneficial for disease monitoring and surveillance of Non-Hodgkins lymphomas (NHL). So we explored the viability of analytical methods for identifying the rearranged immunoglobulin (Ig) H genes sequence. MATERIALS AND METHODS Next-generation sequencing (NGS) was used to sequence deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) extracted directly from the tumor tissues of patients with NHL, and then specific rearranged DNA fragments from plasma was detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULTS By parallel DNA capturing and sequencing of IgH genomic regions (IgCap), the sequence of rearranged IgH loci could be detected and precisely determined in tumor tissues of 12 patients with NHL. The circulating rearranged DNA fragments had been identified in the plasma of one patient. CONCLUSION IgCap may be the favorable diagnostic method for patients with NHL in clinical.

Susceptibility of Ph-positive all to TKI therapy associated with Bcr-Abl rearrangement patterns: a retrospective analysis.

Background Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have demonstrated success in the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in patients that express BCR-ABL rearrangements (Philadelphia chromosome [Ph]). The current study aimed to assess the efficacy of TKIs and prognostic factors in the treatment of adults with Ph+-ALL. Methods In this multicenter retrospective study, the relationship between Ph+-ALL and treatment outcomes among Chinese patients receiving TKI-containing induction/consolidation chemotherapy was examined. A total of 86 Ph+-ALL patients were included and followed for 3.85 (0.43–9.30) years. Overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS) were analyzed. Results A total of 86 Ph+-ALL patients (40 females and 46 males; median age: 34.0 years) were enrolled, including those with BCR/ABL transcripts 190 (n = 52), 210 (n = 25), and 230 (n = 2); BCR/ABL isoform determination was not available for 7 patients. Mortality was influenced by variable BCR/ABL transcripts and TKI administration, and BCR/ABL transcripts, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), and TKI administration were associated with the occurrence of events. The OS rate in the TKI administration group during steady state was significantly higher compared with those patients who did not receive TKI administration (P = 0.008), the EFS rate in the TKI administration group during steady state was significantly higher compared with those patients who did not receive TKIs (P = 0.012), and also higher than those with TKI salvage administration (P = 0.004). BCR/ABL transcripts 210 showed preferable OS and EFS compared with BCR/ABL transcripts 190 and 230 (P<0.05 for each). Conclusions The susceptibility of Ph+-ALL to TKI associated with the patterns of BCR-ABL rearrangement is demonstrated for the first time, thus adding another risk-stratifying molecular prognostic tool for the management of patients with Ph+-ALL.

[Analyses of clinical features and outcomes of 57 patients with non-gastric MALT lymphoma].

OBJECTIVE To further understand the clinical features of non-gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma and investigate its suitable treatment. METHODS A retrospective survey of 57 non-gastric MATL lymphoma patients pathologically confirmed in our hospital from 1999 to 2011. RESULTS The median age was 58 years (range 14-86 years). Common presenting sites of non-gastric MALT lymphoma included lungs and upper respiratory tract (17 patients, 29.8%), intestinal tracts (16 patients,28.1%), orbital and ocular adnexal (7 patients, 12.3%), and salivary glands (8 patients, 14.0%). Stage Ⅰ-Ⅱdisease presented in 35 patients (61.4%), stage Ⅲ-Ⅳ disease in 22 patients (38.6%). A total of 26 patients had nodal involvement and 7 patients multiple organ involvement. Regimens included surgery alone, chemotherapy alone, surgery followed by chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy. The complete response (CR) rate was 66.0% and the overall response rate 85.7%. At a median follow-up of 52 months, the 5-year overall survival (OS) and the 5-year progression free survival (PFS) were 91.6% and 77.7%, respectively. The 5-year survival rate of surgery, chemotherapy, surgery+chemotherapy, surgery + chemotherapy + radiotherapy groups were 87.5%, 100.0%, 90.2% and 100.0%, respectively, without significant differences. The 5-year PFS of the four groups were 62.3%, 80.0%, 90.2% and 75.0% respectively. CONCLUSION Non-gastric MALT lymphoma is characterized by disseminated onset, favorable response to treatments and good outcomes. There is no statistically significant difference in the overall survival of the various treatments. But the recurrence rate of surgery alone is relatively high (22.3%).