Lilián Díaz

Results of high-risk neutropenia therapy of hematology-oncology patients in a university hospital in Uruguay

Background Febrile neutropenia is an important cause of mortality and morbidity in hematology–oncology patients undergoing chemotherapy. The management of febrile neutropenia is typically algorithm-driven. The aim of this study was to assess the results of a standardized protocol for the treatment of febrile neutropenia. Methods A retrospective cohort study (2011–2012) was conducted of patients with high-risk neutropenia in a hematology–oncology service. Results Forty-four episodes of 17 patients with a median age of 48 years (range: 18–78 years) were included. The incidence of febrile neutropenia was 61.4%. The presence of febrile neutropenia was associated with both the duration and severity of neutropenia. Microbiological agents were isolated from different sources in 59.3% of the episodes with bacteremia isolated from blood being the most prevalent (81.3%). Multiple drug-resistant gram-negative bacilli were isolated in 62.5% of all microbiologically documented infections. Treatment of 63% of the episodes in which the initial treatment was piperacillin/tazobactam needed to be escalated to meropenem. The mortality rate due to febrile neutropenia episodes was 18.5%. Conclusion The high rate of gram-negative bacilli resistant to piperacillin/tazobactam (front-line antibiotics in our protocol) and the early need to escalate to carbapenems raises the question as to whether it is necessary to change the current protocol.

Comparación entre CHOP-like y R-CHOP en pacientes con linfoma no Hodgkin difuso de grandes células B y folicular: 10 años de experiencia del Hospital de Clínicas de Montevideo, Uruguay

BACKGROUND The most common types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) are diffuse large B cell (DLBCL) and follicular (FL). AIM To analyze the benefit of Rituxi-mab in overall survival (OS) of patients with NHL. MATERIAL AND METHODS Review of medical record of 230 adult patients with a first episode of NHL admitted between 2002 and 2011. We included 67 patients with DLBCL and 36 patients with FL. RESULTS The overall response (OR) was 64% with 39% complete remissions (CR) in DLBCL treated with CHOP-like and 100% with 89% CR with R-CHOP. The median OS with CHOP-like was 21 months versus not attained R-CHOP (p = 0.016). There was a statistically significant difference in median event-free survival (EvFS) in favor of R-CHOP: not attained versus 8.3 months for CHOP-like (log rank (p = 0.002)). In FL, the OR in patients treated with R-CHOP or R-CHOP-like was 85%) with 54% CR. With CHOP-like the OR was 59%> with 18% CR. The OS at 24 and 36 months in patients treated with R-CHOP or R-CHOP-like was 83 and 65%. The figures for patients treated with CHOP-like were 80 and 66%> respectively. The progression free survival (PFS) was 21 months with CHOP-like versus not attained with R-QT (p = 0,043). CONCLUSIONS When Rituximab was added to CHOP, there was a higher CR, EvFS and OS in DLBCL and higher CR and PFS in FL.

Methotrexate pharmacogenetics in Uruguayan adults with hematological malignant diseases

Background: Individual variability is among the causes of toxicity and interruption of treatment in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and severe non‐Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) patients under protocols including Methotrexate (MTX): 2,4‐diamino‐N10‐methyl propyl‐glutamic acid. Methods: 41 Uruguayan patients were recruited. Gene polymorphisms involved in MTX pathway were analyzed and their association with treatment toxicities and outcome was evaluated. Results: Genotype distribution and allele frequency were determined for SLC19A1 G80A, MTHFR C677T and A1298C, TYMS 28 bp copy number variation, SLCO1B1 T521C, DHFR C−1610G/T, DHFR C‐680A, DHFR A‐317G and DHFR 19 bp indel. Multivariate analysis showed that DHFR‐1610G/T (OR = 0.107, p = 0.018) and MTHFR677T alleles (OR = 0.12, p = 0.026) had a strong protective effect against hematologic toxicity, while DHFR‐1610CC genotype increased this toxicity (OR = 9, p = 0.045). No more associations were found. Conclusions: The associations found between gene polymorphisms and toxicities in this small cohort are encouraging for a more extensive research to gain a better dose individualization in adult ALL and NHL patients. Besides, genotype distribution showed to be different from other populations, reinforcing the idea that genotype data from other populations should not be extrapolated to ours. Graphical Abstract Figure. No caption available.

Resonancia magnética como screening inicial de diagnóstico de compromiso secundario del sistema nervioso central en LNH difuso de grandes Células B

Background: Central Nervous System (CNS) relapse in Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma occurs mostly 6-8 months after disease onset. This has led to propose that CNS infiltration is an early event in the evolution of the disease. We intend to evaluate the role of magnetic resonance imaging (MR) at diagnosis to detect early SNC compromise. Materials and Methods: Prospective longitudinal cohort’s study in DGCB patients treated at Hospital de Clinicas between 2013 and 2015. Skull MRI was performed in all patients at diagnosis and lumbar puncture was done according to predefined risk factors. Results: 35 patients were analyzed. Median age: 68 years (24-85 years). Stage III-IV: 62%, 57% good prognosis according to RIPI score and 43% poor prognosis. MRI was performed in all patients, with no pathological findings in any of them. Twenty-one patients fullfilled criteria for cerebrospinal fluid study. Twenty-two patients were studied and received intrathecal methotrexate prophylaxis. Meningeal relapse was observed in a single patient who had negative studies at diagnosis and had received complete prophylaxis at the end of the 6 R-CHOP series. Conclusions: Only one of the 35 patients relapsed in the CNS. This patient had a noral MRI and CSF study at diagnosis and had received prophylaxis with intrathecal chemotherapy. This results lead us to believe that the value of MRI to detect early infiltration in asymptomatic patients at diagnosis is low.

Digital Ischemia as an Unusual Manifestation of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

Digital ischemia is associated with atherosclerotic, thromboembolic, or connective tissue diseases. Less often, it can be related to malignancy. Paraneoplastic vascular acrosyndromes (Raynauds syndrome, acrocianosis, and acronecrosis) are associated with adenocarcinoma and less frequently with hematological malignancies. We report the case of a 45-year-old male, smoker, with a 10-day history of pain, cyanosis, and progressive digital necrosis in both hands. In the previous four months, he noticed painless mass in the right axillary gap, drenching night sweats, and weight loss. Physical examination at admission highlighted necrotic lesions on the distal phalanges of both hands (except the thumbs), enlarged lymph nodes in right axillary, and right supraclavicular gaps. Arteriography of upper limbs demonstrated a distal stop in all bilateral digital arteries. Digital ischemia was interpreted as a paraneoplastic phenomenon after other common etiologies were ruled out. Amputation of three phalanges was required due to necrosis. Biopsy of axillary nodes demonstrated nodular sclerosis classical Hodgkins lymphoma (HL). The patient started conventional ABVD protocol (doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine). After 6 cycles, he remained asymptomatic and symptoms of digital ischemia were completely resolved. It was concluded that the presence of acral vascular syndromes should alert the physician about the possibility of underlying malignant disease. Prompt investigation and treatment should be rapidly performed to avoid digital sequelae.

Current imaging follow-up of non-Hodgkin lymphoma exposes patients to significant radiation but does not detect asymptomatic relapses.

Abstract The standard approach to the follow-up of lymphoma includes computed tomography (CT) every 6–12 months for the first 2 years and, then, as clinically indicated. Recent evidence suggests that most relapses are detected clinically, outside scheduled CT which, on the other hand, increases risk of second malignancies and cost. In early-stage lymphomas, involved site CT instead of full body CT may be a reasonable alternative to reduce radiation dose. We analyzed whether regular CT surveillance detects asymptomatic relapses in a single-center Uruguayan early stage non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) population. We evaluated utility of full body CT halfway and at the end-of-treatment evaluation and calculated the radiation exposure. In our study, CT surveillance added nothing to clinical follow-up. Moreover, 44% of our patients received a cumulative effective dose that doubles the risk of malignancies. Involved-site CT scan would be enough to monitor response during treatment in early stage NHL.