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This study explored the effect of thalidomide and cyclophosphamide on stem cell collection, in addition to assessing their efficacy as induction therapy for myeloma patients destined for autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). We analyzed newly diagnosed myeloma patients who received TCD (thalidomide 100 mg/day for 28 days, oral cyclophosphamide 150 mg/m2/day and dexamethasone 40 mg/day on days 1-4) as induction therapy prior to ASCT. Peripheral stem cells were mobilized with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and cyclophosphamide. Thirty-six patients (median age 54 years) received TCD chemotherapy (median 4 cycles). The overall response rate to TCD was 77.8% (28/36). The median number of CD34+ cells was 6.5 × 106/kg, and 2 patients failed to achieve the optimal number of CD34+ cells, i.e. 4.0 × 106/kg, although they were able to attain >2.0 × 106/kg. The overall response rate increased up to 94.4% (34/36) after ASCT; this included 9 patients with a stringent complete response without transplantation-related mortality. Four patients died due to disease progression and 17 were found to have progressed after ASCT (the median progression-free survival after ASCT was 19.6 months). TCD chemotherapy can be an effective and feasible induction regimen prior to ASCT for myeloma patients. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with HIV-associated lymphocyte-depleted Hodgkin lymphoma (HIV-HL) often present with advanced, extranodal disease and aggressive clinical features, limiting definitive therapeutic intervention. Here we report two patients with HIV-HL who presented with multi-organ dysfunction as an initial manifestation of their malignancy. Both were initially treated with brentuximab vedotin (BV), which led only to a temporary partial response, highlighting the challenges of treatment. One patient was eventually started on nivolumab and responded very well to the immune checkpoint inhibitor. To our knowledge, this is the first case to describe successful use of nivolumab in a patient with relapsed lymphocyte-depleted HIV-HL. Prompt recognition of multi-organ dysfunction as an initial presentation of lymphocyte-depleted HIV-HL is essential to ensure rapid provision of therapy. While use of BV remains a reasonable option, earlier introduction of immunotherapy in the treatment of HL may provide an additional option in critically ill patients with lymphocyte-depleted HIV-HL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adults with relapsed or refractory (R/R) B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) treated with conventional chemotherapy have dismal outcomes. Novel immunotherapies targeting CD19, including the bispecific T-cell engager blinatumomab and chimeric antigen-receptor T (CAR-T) cells, have revolutionized the treatment of R/R B-ALL. Robust response rates to CAR-T cell therapy after blinatumomab have recently been reported, but it is unknown whether blinatumomab can be effective following failure of anti-CD19 CAR-T cell therapy. Herein, we describe a patient with Philadelphia chromosome-positive B-ALL who relapsed after CD19-directed CAR-T therapy, but subsequently responded to the combination of blinatumomab and the tyrosine kinase inhibitor ponatinib, with the achievement of a complete remission lasting 12 months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]