Search

Bendamustine is now recognized as a key drug for indolent B-cell lymphoma (iBCL), mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Skin toxicity associated with bendamustine is one of the characteristic adverse effects. We retrospectively examined the relationship between bendamustine-associated drug rashes and disease prognosis of iBCL and MCL at our institution. Between January 2011 and August 2019, 65 patients (39 men and 26 women, median age 68, range 41-84 years) were treated with bendamustine alone (n=11, 120 mg/m

We present the case of a 56-year-old male patient with paravertebral extramedullary hematopoiesis (EMH) secondary to myelodysplastic syndrome with ring sideroblasts and multilineage dysplasia. In a routine health checkup over 5 years prior, he presented with asymptomatic mild anemia and a posterior mediastinal mass. Pathological and cytomorphological findings of the resected paravertebral mass were similar to those of his bone marrow specimen, and included cellularity with erythroid hyperplasia, multilineage dysplastic changes, and the presence of ring sideroblasts. A concordant SF3B1 mutation was detected in both bone marrow and paravertebral mass samples, suggesting that the EMH cells were derived from the bone marrow.

Successful treatment of indolent T-cell lymphoproliferative disorder of the gastrointestinal tract (ITLPDGI) by chemotherapy is rare and watchful waiting is often performed for asymptomatic patients. We report a case of ITLPDGI successfully treated by involved field radiotherapy (IFRT). The patient presented with slow ITLPDGI localised to the stomach with mild symptoms. IFRT (30 Gy/20f) was administered, after which endoscopy revealed resolution of lesions and blood vessel appearance, and absence of proliferating abnormal lymphocytes was confirmed by biopsy. The patient remains lymphoma-free 1 year post-treatment. Although long-term follow-up and additional cases are essential for the evaluation of IFRT as a treatment option for localised ITLPDGL, complete remission after relatively low-dose IFRT is promising, particularly as this has been rarely achieved by chemotherapy.

We examined 13 patients with adult T-cell leukemia-lymphoma (ATL) diagnosed between 2007 and 2018 at a single center in a metropolitan area non-endemic for human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-1). The median age of the patients (eight male, five female) was 65 years (range, 48-83). The time from onset of symptoms to referral to our center was relatively short (median, 2 months; range, 1-9 months). Upon referral, all patients were suspected to have lymphoma, five were examined for soluble IL-2 receptor and two were examined for anti-HTLV-1 antibody. In ten of the 13 (77%), the patient themselves or their relatives were born in Kyushu. The birth places of the remaining three patients were unknown. Three patients (23%) had family histories of lymphoma. They all exhibited aggressive ATL (five acute, eight lymphoma type); however, the disease status was generally stable, with relatively stable performance status and low scores for prognostic indices. After combination chemotherapy, eight (62%) achieved remission. However, long-term remission was achieved in only one patient with localized lymphoma-type ATL and one young patient after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. In conclusion, at a center in a metropolitan and HTLV-1 non-endemic area in Japan, patients with ATL were relatively young and mainly presented with aggressive subtypes. At initial referral to our center, all 13 patients were suspected of having lymphoma but only two of having ATL. For centers in similar areas of Japan, prompt diagnosis and appropriate treatment of ATL patients will become increasingly necessary following the recent migration of HTLV-1 carriers to non-endemic areas.

Background Lymphoblastic lymphoma (LBL) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) are categorized as the same entity under precursor lymphoid neoplasms in the World Health Organization classification. However, compared to B-cell ALL, the molecular genetic makeup of B-cell LBL remains to be understood, mainly due to its rarity. We performed whole exome sequencing (WES) on seven patients with TCF3-PBX1-positive B-cell LBL. Methods WES was performed using DNA extracted from tumor specimens and paired blood samples at remission for six patients, and tumor-only analysis was performed for one patient whose remission sample was not available. For one patient, a relapsed sample was also analyzed. Results KMT2D variants and 6q LOH were found as recurrent alterations. Somatic variants of KMT2D were identified in three of the seven patients. Of note, the two patients with heterozygous nonsense variant of KMT2D were at stage III, without bone marrow infiltration. 6q LOH was also identified in two others, out of the seven patients. The common 6q deleted region of the two patients ranged from 6q12 to 6q16.3. Both patients had bone marrow infiltration. Analysis of recurrent case also revealed that the relapsed clone might be derived from a minor clone of the bone marrow at diagnosis. Conclusion In this study, through WES for seven patients with TCF3-PBX1-positive B-LBL, we identified KMT2D mutations and 6q LOH as recurrent alterations. In order to elucidate the relationship between these recurrent alterations and disease specificity or outcomes, further studies comparing with TCF3-PBX1-positive B-ALL are required.

To determine the impact of peripheral blood (PB) Wilms’ tumour 1 (WT-1) mRNA levels in patients with primary myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), we analysed the relationships between several clinical variables at the time of diagnosis and the haematological response of patients treated with azacytidine. We observed overall responses in 20 (63%) patients; there were no significant differences in clinical variables, including bone marrow blast counts, IPSS scores and IPSS-R risk scores, between responders and non-responders. The responders’ PB WT-1 mRNA levels were significantly lower than those of non-responders (P = 0.03). PB WT-1 mRNA expression could be a marker for predicting the response to azacytidine in patients with de novo MDS.

To determine the impact of peripheral blood (PB) Wilms’ tumour 1 (WT-1) mRNA levels in patients with primary myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), we analysed the relationships between several clinical variables at the time of diagnosis and the haematological response of patients treated with azacytidine. We observed overall responses in 20 (63%) patients; there were no significant differences in clinical variables, including bone marrow blast counts, IPSS scores and IPSS-R risk scores, between responders and non-responders. The responders’ PB WT-1 mRNA levels were significantly lower than those of non-responders (P = 0.03). PB WT-1 mRNA expression could be a marker for predicting the response to azacytidine in patients with de novo MDS.

The 2017 WHO classification includes a new provisional entity of indolent T-lymphoproliferative disorders of the gastrointestinal tract (ITLPD-GIT). We investigated GI involvement of peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL). Eighty-two patients were diagnosed with PTCL during 2007-2017. Eleven patients (13 %) had histologically-confirmed GI tract involvement {3 monomorphic epitheliotropic intestinal lymphoma (MEITL), 3 extranodal NK-/T-cell lymphoma nasal type (ENKL), 2 PTCL, not otherwise specified, 1 adult T-cell leukemia-lymphoma, 2 ITLPD-GIT}. Three patients each had lesions in the small intestine and multiple lesions, two each in the stomach and colon, and one in the duodenum. Six of the 11 patients remained alive. No perforation/stenosis was observed after chemo-radiotherapy, although one patient with ENKL developed gastric bleeding during chemotherapy. One patient with ITLPD-GIT (CD4-/CD8+/Ki67Low) with a colonic lesion showing diffuse edema and multiple aphtha by endoscope and diarrhea, initially diagnosed with MEITL, had active but stable disease after various chemotherapies for 1 year and no therapy for the next 5 years. Another patient with ITLPD-GIT (CD4+/CD8+/Ki67Low) with a localized gastric lesion and slight epigastralgia was in remission for 1 year after radiation. In conclusion, about 10 % of PTCLs were complicated by GI tract lesions and most had a poor prognosis. ITLPD-GIT should be considered as a differential diagnosis based on histology and clinical course. Local complications after chemo/radiotherapy in PTCL with GI involvement were not frequent.

Background & Aims HBV reactivation is a risk in patients receiving anti-CD20 antibodies for the treatment of lymphoma. The purpose of this post hoc analysis was to evaluate the efficacy of an ultra-high sensitivity HBsAg assay to guide preemptive antiviral treatment in patients with lymphoma and resolved HBV infections using prospectively stored samples from an HBV DNA monitoring study. Methods HBV reactivation (defined as HBV DNA levels of ≥11 IU/ml) was confirmed in 22 of 252 patients. A conventional HBsAg assay (ARCHITECT, cut-off value: 0.05 IU/ml) and an ultra-high sensitivity HBsAg assay employing a semi-automated immune complex transfer chemiluminescence enzyme technique (ICT-CLEIA, cut-off value: 0.0005 IU/ml) were performed at baseline, at confirmed HBV reactivation and monitored after HBV reactivation. Results Baseline HBsAg was detected using ICT-CLEIA in 4 patients; in all of whom precore mutants with high replication capacity were reactivated. Of the 6 patients with HBV DNA detected below the level of quantification at baseline, 5 showed HBV reactivation and 3 of the 5 had precore mutations. Sensitivity for detection by ARCHITECT and ICT-CLEIA HBsAg assays at HBV reactivation or the next sampling after HBV reactivation was 18.2% (4 of 22) and 77.3% (17 of 22), respectively. Of the 5 patients undetectable by ICT-CLEIA, HBV reactivation resolved spontaneously in 2 patients. All 6 patients reactivated with precore mutations including preS deletion could be diagnosed by ICT-CLEIA HBsAg assay at an early stage of HBV reactivation. Multivariate analysis showed that an anti-HBs titer of less than 10 mIU/ml, HBV DNA detected but below the level of quantification, and HBsAg detected by ICT-CLEIA at baseline were independent risk factors for HBV reactivation (adjusted hazard ratios, 15.4, 31.2 and 8.7, respectively; p Conclusions A novel ICT-CLEIA HBsAg assay is an alternative method to diagnose HBV reactivation. Clinical trial number UMIN000001299. Lay summary Hepatitis B virus can be reactivated in lymphoma patients receiving anti-CD20 antibodies such as rituximab. Currently, reactivation requires the monitoring of HBV DNA, but monitoring of the surface antigen (HBsAg) could provide a relatively inexpensive, quick and easy alternative. We assessed the performance of an ultra-high sensitivity HBsAg assay and showed that it could be effective for the diagnosis and monitoring of HBV reactivation.

BACKGROUND There is no standard management of reactivation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in HBV-resolved patients without hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), but with antibodies against hepatitis B core antigen and/or antibodies against HBsAg (anti-HBs). METHODS We conducted a prospective observational study to evaluate the occurrence of HBV reactivation by serial monthly monitoring of HBV DNA and to establish preemptive therapy guided by this monitoring in B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL) treated with rituximab plus corticosteroid-containing chemotherapy (R-steroid-chemo). The primary endpoint was the incidence of HBV reactivation defined as quantifiable HBV DNA levels of ≥ 11 IU/mL. RESULTS With a median HBV DNA follow-up of 562 days, HBV reactivation was observed in 21 of the 269 analyzed patients. The incidence of HBV reactivation at 1.5 years was 8.3% (95% confidence interval, 5.5-12.4). No hepatitis due to HBV reactivation was observed in patients who received antiviral treatment when HBV DNA levels were between 11 and 432 IU/mL. An anti-HBs titer of

Purpose Recently, there have been reports of hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation after rituximab combination chemotherapy in hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) –negative patients with B-cell lymphoma. In this prospective study, the frequency of and risk factors for HBV reactivation in patients who were receiving rituximab chemotherapy were examined. Patients and Methods A total of 314 HBsAg-negative patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma were treated with rituximab chemotherapy. Antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs) and antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) tests were performed in all patients. In patients who were positive for anti-HBs and/or anti-HBc, serum HBV-DNA was measured. Results Of the 314 patients, 51 (16.2%) were HBV carriers. HBV reactivation occurred during or after rituximab chemotherapy in six patients (12%). All six patients who developed HBV reactivation were anti-HBc positive, and three of them were also anti-HBs positive. In these six patients, the pretreatment anti-HBs titer was low. Entecavir administration was started when serum HBV DNA became positive, and serum HBV-DNA became negative within 1 to 3 weeks. Rituximab chemotherapy was then continued. Risk factors for HBV reactivation were being male and having a low anti-HBs titer. Conclusion HBV reactivation occurred in some patients who had been anti-HBs negative or had a low anti-HBs level. In addition, HBV reactivation occurred at an early stage of rituximab chemotherapy, but rituximab chemotherapy could be continued after entecavir administration reduced the serum HBV-DNA level. Entecavir (BMS 200495) prophylaxis was not performed when rituximab chemotherapy was started, and it was thought that entecavir could be started when serum HBV-DNA increased.

Rhabdomyosarcoma is exceedingly rare in adults. A 62-year-old woman was referred to our hospital because of general pain. Computed tomography revealed a solid tumor in the right nasal cavity. Histopathological examination showed solid proliferation of atypical small round cells, having cytologic features reminiscent of lymphomas, and lacking the fibrovascular stroma. The cells were CD56(+), desmin(+), vimentin(+), HHF35(+), myogenin(+) and MyoD1(+). The patient was positive for the PAX3-FKHR fusion gene. The patient was diagnosed as having alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma. We conclude that rhabdomyosarcoma should be included in the differential diagnoses of CD56(+) small round cell tumor, and immunohistochemical and cytogenetic studies should be performed.

A 71-year-old woman was referred to our hospital because of hyperproteinemia and serum M-protein (IgG-lambda type). Chest computed tomographic (CT) scan revealed a tumor in each lung and transbronchial lung biopsy was performed. Histopathological examination showed monotonous medullary proliferation of morphologically mature plasma cells. These cells were cIgG+, cIg-lambda+, CD 20+, CD 79 a+, CD 138+, cIg-kappa-, and CD3-. Since there were very few non-neoplastic plasma cells and small lymphocytes in addition to the absence of reactive lymph follicles and fibrosis, the patient was diagnosed as having plasmacytoma. There was no proliferation of plasma cells in the bone marrow. Thus, the lesion was finally characterized as primary pulmonary plasmacytoma. Treatment with melphalan/prednisolone resulted in considerable decrease in the serum IgG level and regression of the pulmonary tumors. The effectiveness of the chemotherapy could confirm our diagnosis, although MALT-type lymphoma with plasmacytic differentiation cannot be completely ruled out.

Lymphomas rarely develop during pregnancy, but hepatosplenic gammadelta T-cell lymphoma (HSgammadeltaTCL) is extremely rare. We encountered a case of T-cell intracellular antigen-1 (TIA-1) positive and granzyme B-positive HSgammadeltaTCL that developed early during the course of pregnancy. The patient was a 31-yr-old female who was referred to our hospital because of pancytopenia and splenomegaly at the time of the14th week of her gestation. Her pancytopenia and hepatosplenomegaly worsened and she became fibril at the 27th week of gestation and Cesarean section was performed at the 29th week. Histopathological examination of the spleen, which was resected 28 d after delivery for a diagnostic purpose, revealed medium to large-sized nodules composed of dense proliferation of lymphoid cells having round to oval-shaped nuclei and abundant weakly eosinophilic cytoplasm. They were CD3epsilon+, mCD3+, CD4-, CD8-, CD56+, CD79a-, T-cell receptor (TCR)-gammadelta protein+, TIA-1+, and granzyme B+ by either immunohistochemistry or flow cytometry. Clonal rearrangement of TCR-gamma genes without such rearrangement of TCR-delta and TCR-beta genes was confirmed by Southern blot hybridization. Thus, the patient was diagnosed as having HSgammadeltaTCL, and combination chemotherapy was initiated. She is currently in partial remission. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of HSgammadeltaTCL that developed during pregnancy. Pathogenesis of pregnancy-associated lymphoma is not known, but it is possible that maternal immunity during pregnancy or a hormonal imbalance, such as a change in the progesterone level, induces the development of lymphoma. Pregnancy-associated lymphoma is resistant to standard chemotherapy and is associated with poor prognosis. Therefore, it is important to accumulate clinicopathologic data of such cases for the development of a treatment modality.

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is caused by mutations in the gene encoding fibrillin. A 35-year-old man with MFS visited a local physician because of a sore throat. His left tonsil gradually became swollen and he was referred to our department. Histopathological examination of tonsil biopsy specimens showed diffuse proliferation of lymphoma cells with large nuclei. The tumor cells showed CD5+, CD10+, CD20+, BCL-6+, and MUM-1-. Based on these findings, the patient was diagnosed with CD5+ CD10+ diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Chemotherapy combined with rituximab was administered and complete response was achieved. CD5+ DLBCL comprises approximately 5 approximately 10% of DLBCLs. In addition, CD5+ CD10+ DLBCL comprises about 5% of CD5+ DLBCLs. There may be a relationship between MFS and B-cell lymphoma because mutations in the gene encoding the receptor of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of MFS and downregulation of TGF-beta receptor expression has been described in the pathology of B-cell lymphoma.

The R-CHOP regimen has been found to improve the outcome of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). However, it does not provide a satisfactory treatment outcome in the high-risk group. We previously administered the CyclOBEAP regimen to patients with DLBCL, and reported its safety and efficacy. The R-CyclOBEAP regimen was administered over a total period of 12 weeks, and rituximab 375 mg/m2 was given every 2 weeks. There were 101 eligible patients. CR was achieved in 96 patients (95%). The 5-year overall survival (OS) rate was 85% and progression-free survival (PFS) rate was 76%. When the patients were divided according to the IPI, the 5-year OS and PFS rates did not significantly differ among the risk groups. The 5-year PFS of the germinal centre B-cell group was 80% and that of the non-GCB group was 74% (NS). Univariate analysis showed that the presence of B symptoms, extranodal lesions ≧2, and sIL-2R were significant poor prognostic factors. Grade 4 neutropenia was observed in 91 patients and thrombocytopenia in 9 patients. The addition of rituximab to CyclOBEAP therapy may enhance the effect of CyclOBEAP therapy for DLBCL. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

An 88-year-old Japanese woman was referred to our hospital due to a one-month history of face edema, aphagia, shortness of breath, and skin rush over almost her entire skin. She had no abdominal symptoms. Her peripheral blood count showed a white blood cell (WBC) count of 27.1x10(9)/L with 82.1% eosinophils. Serum non-specific Immunoglobulin E was within a normal range. Soluble interleukin-2 receptor was elevated to 4200U/mL. At first, her eosinophil count was so high that we suspected she had an eosinophilic leukemia or hypereosinophilic syndrome. After admission, cysts of Giardia duodenalis (G. duodenalis) were detected in the patient's feces by microscopic analysis, then she was diagnosed with giardiasis, and 750mg per day of metronidazole was administered for seven days. Her WBC count decreased to 6.0x10(9)/L with 10% eosinophils, and her systemic symptoms improved. At that time her serum IL-5 was within a normal range. A few months later, the patient again complained of skin rush, and G. duodenalis was once again found in her feces. Her serum IL-5 was elevated to 751pg/mL. Metronidazole was administered for two weeks, and her eosinophil count decreased. G. duodenalis is a protozoan parasite, and it is one of the most common waterborne transmission gastrointestinal parasites in the world. G. duodenalis rarely causes hypereosinophilia. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of giardiasis with extreme hypereosinophilia and severe systemic symptoms.

Primary cutaneous anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (C-ALCL) is a rare entity of lymphoma. We report a case of C-ALCL presenting with hemophagocytic syndrome and skin lesion with giant ulcer. Histopathological examination of the skin biopsy specimens showed non-epidermotropic infiltrates with cohesive sheets of large tumor cells. The tumor cells showed CD4−, CD8+, CD30+, CD56−, ALK−, TIA-1+, and granzyme B+. C-ALCL is generally a disorder that progresses slowly and has a good prognosis. Manifestation of a giant ulcer and hemophagocytic syndrome, such as in the present case, is rare.

Lymphomas rarely develop during pregnancy, but hepatosplenic gammadelta T-cell lymphoma (HSgammadeltaTCL) is extremely rare. We encountered a case of T-cell intracellular antigen-1 (TIA-1) positive and granzyme B-positive HSgammadeltaTCL that developed early during the course of pregnancy. The patient was a 31-yr-old female who was referred to our hospital because of pancytopenia and splenomegaly at the time of the14th week of her gestation. Her pancytopenia and hepatosplenomegaly worsened and she became fibril at the 27th week of gestation and Cesarean section was performed at the 29th week. Histopathological examination of the spleen, which was resected 28 d after delivery for a diagnostic purpose, revealed medium to large-sized nodules composed of dense proliferation of lymphoid cells having round to oval-shaped nuclei and abundant weakly eosinophilic cytoplasm. They were CD3epsilon+, mCD3+, CD4-, CD8-, CD56+, CD79a-, T-cell receptor (TCR)-gammadelta protein+, TIA-1+, and granzyme B+ by either immunohistochemistry or flow cytometry. Clonal rearrangement of TCR-gamma genes without such rearrangement of TCR-delta and TCR-beta genes was confirmed by Southern blot hybridization. Thus, the patient was diagnosed as having HSgammadeltaTCL, and combination chemotherapy was initiated. She is currently in partial remission. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of HSgammadeltaTCL that developed during pregnancy. Pathogenesis of pregnancy-associated lymphoma is not known, but it is possible that maternal immunity during pregnancy or a hormonal imbalance, such as a change in the progesterone level, induces the development of lymphoma. Pregnancy-associated lymphoma is resistant to standard chemotherapy and is associated with poor prognosis. Therefore, it is important to accumulate clinicopathologic data of such cases for the development of a treatment modality.

A-51-year-old woman with a sixteen-year history of mixed connective tissue disease was admitted to the Kitasato University Hospital because of hypogastric pain in September 1999. Colonofiberscopy and computed tomography in the abdomen demonstrated thickening of the intestinal wall with a hemorrhagic ulcer in the terminal ileum. The histopathologic findings of the lesion revealed diffuse infiltration of atypical T-lymphocytes. The titers of anti-HTLV-I antibody and serum soluble IL-2 receptor were elevated. The diagnosis of adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) infiltrating the terminal ileum was made. Combination chemotherapy including VEPA-M was undertaken, and resulted in a partial response. ATLL became refractory about June 2000. Flaccid paralysis, dysesthesia in the left lower limb and bladder-bowel disturbance emerged in a few days, July 2000. T2-weighed MRCT images demonstrated that a lesion with a high intensity signal was present in the spinal cord around Th 7. Flower-like cells were detected in the cerebrospinal fluid. Infiltration of ATLL into the thoracic cord was diagnosed. Administration of intrathecal methotrexate and prednisolone, systemic dexamethasone and local irradiation of 30 Gy improved the paralysis and the abnormal MRCT findings. Rehabilitation restored the patient's ability to walk.

A 59-year-old man with a six-month history of chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) was admitted to the Kitasato University Hospital because of melena in September 2000. Colonofiberscopy and barium enema demonstrated an ulcerated tumorous lesion in the transverse colon. The histopathologic findings of the ulcer bed revealed diffuse infiltration of granulocytes at each stage of differentiation. The diagnosis of granulocytic sarcoma (GS) was made. Surgical resection was not indicated, because thrombocytopenia was hardly improved enough to allow surgery despite repetitive transfusion of platelet concentrates. CMML developed to refractory anemia with excess of blast in transformation in February 2001. Two courses of low dose cytarabine plus aclarubicin were ineffective on the GS in spite of a decrease in the peripheral blood blasts. Progression to acute myeloid leukemia eventually broke out, in July 2001. The patient died of leukemia complicated with pneumonia and intestinal obstruction. At present, nine cases of GS in the colon have been reported. However, these cases did not include CMML. This is the first report describing GS in the colon associated with CMML.

Primary gastric T-cell lymphoma (PGTL) not associated with human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) is extremely rare and such a case is reported herein. The patient was a 58-year-old Japanese male presenting with submucosal tumor of the stomach identified on endoscopic examination. The lesion was diagnosed as non-Hodgkin's lymphoma by endoscopic biopsy and classified as peripheral T-cell lymphoma, unspecified, due to clonal rearrangement of the T-cell receptor beta (TCR) gene and expression of TCR beta protein in the absence of B-cell genotypes and phenotypes. Unlike previously reported cases of HTLV-I-unassociated PGTL, lymphoma in the current case was characterized histologically as "low grade" and phenotypically as CD4+, TIA-1+, granzyme B+, and CD103-. The lymphoma responded well to chemotherapy and radiation, and the patient was well with no detectable disease 10 months after initiation of therapy. A review of patients with PGTL in the literature revealed a few long-term survivors, and the investigation of therapeutic strategies for PGTL is, therefore, necessary.

Introduction: Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a heterogeneous group of diseases in terms of morphology, immunohistochemistry and molecular features. The t(14;18)(q32;q21) translocation juxtaposes the BCL2 gene, normally located at 18q21, with the IGH locus on 14q32. The t(14;18)(q32;q21) occurs in about 80-90% of follicular lymphomas and about 25-30% of de novo DLBCLs. On the other hand, the t(8;14)(q24;q32) translocation juxtaposes the c-MYC protooncogene, which is located at 8q24, to the immunoglobulin heavy chain (IGH) gene, located at 14q32, resulting in deregulated expression of c-MYC. t(8;14)(q24;q32) has been found in 80-90% of Burkitt lymphoma cases and in 5-15% of DLBCL cases. B-cell lymphoma having both t(14;18) and 8q24, so called double hit lymphoma (DHL), is rare. The pathological diagnosis in most cases of DHL is B-cell lymphoma, unclassifiable, with features intermediate between diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and Burkitt lymphoma (BCLU). Patients with DHL have elevated serum LDH levels, advanced stage, bone marrow involvement, extranodal involvement and the presence of B symptoms. In the present study, we evaluated the clinicopathological characteristics and prognoses of patients with BCLU with DHL. Patients and Methods: A total of 368 patients with DLBCL and BCLU were treated from 2007 to 2013. Chromosomal data were available in 195 of the 368 patients. Pathologic evaluation of the materials from each patient was performedat several central review meetings by six hematopathologists in the ALTSG pathology review board. Patients were treated with cyclophosphamide, vincristine, bleomycin, etoposide, doxorubicin, and prednisolone (CyclOBEAP) regimen or CHOP regimen. Rituximab was administered to all patients. The median follow-up period was 44 months (range, 12-61 months). Results: t(14;18) + 8q24 dual translocation was seen in 18 (9.2 %) of the 195 patients with DLBCL and BCLU. There were 12 males and 6 females, with a median age of 62 (range, 47-76) years. Stage III/IV was found in 56%, bone marrow infiltration was found in 39％, central nervous system (CNS) infiltration was found in 17％, and high risk of international prognostic index (IPI) was found in 67％. Among the 18 patients with the DHL, extranodal sites of disease were bone marrow (7 patients), CNS (3 patients), pleural effusion (5 patients), and gastrointestinal tract (3 patients). Furthermore, 8 patients had at least two extranodal localizations. Immunophenotyping analysis (CD20, CD5, CD10, BCL2, BCL6, MUM1, Ki-67) was performed and showed BCLU with a germinal center type in all cases. Ki-67 staining ranged from 30-90%. All lymphoma cells were positive for CD20 and negative for CD5. CD10, BCL2, BCL6, and MUM1 were positive in 89%, 75%, 88%, and 19%, respectively. The 4-year overall survival (OS) rate was 72% among the patients with dual translocation (n=18) and 75% among the patients in the other chromosomal abnormalities group (n=177). The 4-year progression-free survival (PFS) rate was 52% among the patients with the dual translocation and 71% among the patients in the other chromosomal abnormalities group. The 4-year OS rate of the stage I/II and stage III/IV groups was 100% and 47%, respectively (P=0.016). We next examined the survival curve of patients in whom data on serum LDH levels were available. The 4-year OS rates of the high (>2N) and low LDH groups ( Conclusions: Among patients with DHL, there was one subgroup that had a good prognosis. We elucidated the clinicopathological condition of especially the subgroup of DTL with poor prognosis, and prognostic improvement of this disorder is expected in the future by considering a new treatment strategy for these subgroups. Disclosures Niitsu: Chugai pharmaceutical: Research Funding. Takahashi:Chugai pharmaceutical: Research Funding. Kohri:Chugai pharmaceutical: Research Funding. Asou:Chugai pharmaceutical: Research Funding. Sakai:Chugai pharmaceutical: Research Funding. Miura:Chugai pharmaceutical: Research Funding. Okamoto:Chugai pharmaceutical: Research Funding.

Myosin light chain genes of hematopoietic cells have yet to be characterized. We cloned the full-length cDNAs of 20 kDa regulatory myosin light chain (MLC-2) and 17 kDa essential myosin light chain (MLC-3) from Meg-01, a human megakaryoblastic leukemia cell line. Both MLC-2 and MLC-3 gene are transcribed ubiquitously in various hematopoietic cells. The MLC-2 open reading frame of 516 nucleotides encoding a protein of 172 residues was detected in cloned cDNA of 967 nucleotides. The Ca2+-binding domain and five phosphorylation sites were highly conserved. The deduced amino acid sequence has a 99.4% and 100% homology with that of human fetus brain and human lymphocyte, respectively. The MLC-3 open reading frame of 453 nucleotides encoding a protein of 151 residues was detected in cloned cDNA of 742 nucleotide. The MLC-3 protein is 99.3% identical to that of human fibroblasts. These results suggest that hematopoietic myosin light chain proteins are similar to those of other nonmuscle cells and smooth muscle, thus differing from skeletal and cardiac muscles.

Abstract 2641 INTRODUCTION: Since the introduction of the anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody rituximab, the outcomes of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL) have improved markedly. However, fulminant hepatitis due to reactivation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection has emerged as a serious problem. Recently, rituximab plus corticosteroid containing chemotherapy (R-chemo) has been identified as a risk factor for HBV reactivation in hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-negative B-NHL patients. Currently, there is no standard management to prevent HBV reactivation in HBV-resolved patients without HBsAg, but with antibodies against hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) and/or HBsAg (anti-HBs). PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted a multicenter prospective observational study to estimate the incidence of HBV reactivation by serial monthly monitoring of HBV DNA in HBV-resolved patients with B-NHL during and just after R-chemo, and to establish preemptive antiviral therapy guided by this monitoring. The major eligibility criteria included previously untreated CD20-positive B-NHL with prior HBV-resolved infection, and planned treatment with 6 to 8 cycles of R-chemo defined by protocol. The baseline HBV status was evaluated on enrollment at each institute, comprising HBsAg, anti-HBc, and anti-HBs serology. Patients were excluded if they were seropositive for hepatitis C virus or human immunodeficiency virus. Plasma HBV DNA levels were measured independently at a central laboratory, using an automated real-time TaqMan polymerase chain reaction assay after enrollment. The primary end point was the incidence of HBV reactivation defined as HBV DNA levels of 1.8 log copies per mL or more. If HBV DNA levels of less than 1.8 log copies per mL were confirmed at baseline, the serial monitoring of HBV DNA (without prophylaxis of antiviral drugs) was performed with assessments every 4 weeks after enrollment for 1.5 years. Prompt antiviral treatment with an anti-HBV nucleoside analogue (entecavir, 0.5 mg per day) was highly recommended in patients with confirmed HBV reactivation. An ancillary study was conducted to identify risk factors for HBV reactivation using the preserved specimens. The protocol was approved by the Institutional Review Board of each participating institution. All patients gave written informed consent. The planned interim analysis was performed after the enrollment of 200 patients, using data available up to June 30, 2011. RESULTS: Between Sept. 2008 and Sept. 2010, a total of 187 patients (50.8% male) with a median age of 63 years (range, 26 to 79) from 45 institutes were analyzed. Histologic subtypes of B-NHL were diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (n=121, 64.7%), follicular lymphoma (n=57, 30.5%), MALT lymphoma (n=5, 2.7%) and other types (n=4, 2.0%). The number (%) of patients positive for both anti-HBc and anti-HBs was 132 (70.6%), 35 (18.7%) were positive for anti-HBc but negative for anti-HBs, and 19 (10.2%) were negative for anti-HBc but positive for anti-HBs. One patient was positive for anti-HBc but lacked anti-HBs measurement. 168 (89.8%) patients received 6 to 8 cycles of R-CHOP (n=151) or other R-chemo (n=17). With a median follow-up of 549 days (range, 35 to 939), HBV reactivation was observed in 16 out of 187 analyzed patients. The incidence of HBV reactivation at 1 year was 7.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 4.7 to 12.7). HBV reactivation was diagnosed at a median time of 158 days (range, 33 to 490) after enrollment. No hepatitis due to HBV reactivation was observed in patients who received antiviral treatment when HBV DNA levels were 1.8 to 3.1 log copies per mL. Multivariate analysis of the ancillary study showed that an anti-HBs baseline titer less than 10 mIU per mL was an independent risk factor for HBV reactivation, compared to a titer of 100 mIU per mL or more (adjusted hazard ratio, 5.3; 95% CI, 1.3 to 21.8; p=0.02). HBV mutations of precore (G1896A) or basal core promoter (A1762T/G1764A) that enhanced HBV replication were identified in 4 patients, two of whom had both mutations. Our strategy could inhibit such highly replicative clones and prevent hepatitis. CONCLUSIONS: Monthly monitoring of HBV DNA is highly effective for preventing hepatitis due to HBV reactivation in HBV-resolved B-NHL patients treated with R-chemo. (UMIN-CTR 000001299) (This study was supported by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan.) Disclosures: Kusumoto: Bristol-Myers Squibb: Honoraria; Zenyaku Kogyo: Honoraria; Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., LTD.: Honoraria, Research Funding; Abbott: Honoraria. Tanaka:Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., LTD.: Honoraria, Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Honoraria, Research Funding; Zenyaku Kogyo: Honoraria; Abbott: Honoraria. Tanaka:Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., LTD.: Honoraria, Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Honoraria, Research Funding. Kinoshita:Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., LTD.: Honoraria, Research Funding; Zenyaku Kogyo: Honoraria. Ogura:Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., LTD.: Honoraria, Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Honoraria, Research Funding; Zenyaku Kogyo: Honoraria, Research Funding. Mizokami:Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., LTD.: Honoraria; Abbott laboratories: Honoraria. Ueda:Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., LTD.: Research Funding.

Abstract 3950 Reactivation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) was reported in patients who were being treated with rituximab-combination chemotherapy (R-chemotherapy). HBV reactivation was a well-known complication in lymphoma patients who were positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in the pre-rituximab era. Recently, it was reported that HBV reactivation can occur in HBsAg-negative patients with past infection of HBV, upon administering R-chemotherapy for B-cell lymphoma. The association between rituximab and HBV reactivation is still unknown. There have been cases of HBV reactivation in patients with past HBV infection during the course of chemotherapy and/or immunotherapy, sometimes proving fatal. Nevertheless, it remains uncertain whether diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients with past HBV infection are at substantial risk for reactivation of latent HBV. We prospectively studied the frequency of and risk factors for HBV reactivation in DLBCL patients who received R-chemotherapy. A total of 356 HBsAg-negative patients with DLBCL were treated with R-chemotherapy. Anti-HBs and anti-HBc tests were performed in all patients. In patients who were positive for anti-HBs and/or anti-HBc, serum HBV-DNA was measured. The serum HBV-DNA load was determined by quantitative RT-PCR [COBAS® AmpliPrep/COBAS® TaqMan® HBV-Test, Roche Diagnostics K.K. Tokyo, Japan]. A total of 356 HBsAg-negative patients with DLBCL were enrolled in this study. Among the 51 (16.2%) HBV carriers, 6 patients developed HBV reactivation and 45 patients did not develop HBV reactivation during the study period. Exploratory analysis was conducted on potential factors associated with the development of HBV reactivation. Male gender and having a low anti-HBs titer before R-chemotherapy were significantly associated with HBV reactivation. Age, clinical stage, B symptoms, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), performance status, international prognostic index, and chemotherapy regimen were not associated with HBV reactivation. Among the 51 HBV carriers, 8 patients (15.7%) were positive for only anti-HBs, 27 (53%) were positive for both anti-HBs and anti-HBc, and 16 (31.3%) were positive for only anti-HBc. HBV reactivation occurred during or after R-chemotherapy in the 6 patients (12%); two patients developed reactivation after three or seven cycles of R-CHOP, respectively, whereas four patients developed reactivation after completion of R-CHOP therapy at a median interval of 90 days (range, 20 to 143 days). All 6 patients who developed HBV reactivation were positive for anti-HBc, and 3 of them were also positive for anti-HBs. The pretreatment anti-HBs titer of the 6 patients was low (range, HBV reactivation occurred in some patients who had been anti-HBs-negative or had a low anti-HBs level. In addition, HBV reactivation occurred at an early stage of R-chemotherapy, but R-chemotherapy could be resumed after entecavir administration reduced the serum HBV-DNA level. Entecavir prophylaxis was not performed when R-chemotherapy was started, and it was thought that entecavir could be started when the serum HBV-DNA increased. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Abstract 1800 Rituximab combination chemotherapy has significantly improved the treatment outcome of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Therefore, the prognostic factors of DLBCL in the rituximab era are different from previously reported prognostic factors. Biological prognostic markers have been analyzed to help understand the biologic basis of treatment outcome. Hans, et al. reported that patients with non-germinal center B-cell like (GCB)-type DLBCL had a significantly poorer prognosis than those with GCB-type DLBCL in the pre-rituximab era. In patients who received rituximab combination chemotherapy, there is a report that did not find a difference in survival ratio between those with GCB DLBCL or non-GCB DLBCL. On the other hand, there was a report that found a difference in survival ratio between patients with GCB DLBCL and those with non-GCB DLBCL. In the present study, we compared the prognostic factors of DLBCL between patients who received CHOP-like chemotherapy and those who received rituximab combined with CHOP-like therapy. The subjects were 204 DLBCL patients who underwent rituximab + CHOP-like therapy and in whom markers could be analyzed. We evaluated CD5, CD10, BCL2, BCL6, and MUM1 expression by immunohistochemistry. One hundred forty-six DLBCL patients who underwent CHOP-like therapy were assumed as historical controls. The median age was 52 years in both groups. In the R-CHOP-like and CHOP-like groups, patients with stage III or IV disease comprised 75% and 67%, respectively, patients with performance status3a2 comprised 28% and 20%, respectively, and patients with serum LDH >normal comprised 60% and 77%, respectively. There were no significant differences in clinical characteristics between the CHOP-like group and R-CHOP-like group. BCL2 was positive in 85(63%) of the 134 patients who received the R-CHOP-like regimen and in 66 (46%) of the 142 patients who received the CHOP-like regimen. When the 202 patients who received the R-CHOP-like regimen were divided into the GCB group and the non-GCB group, the GCB group consisted of 92 patients (46%) and the non-GCB group consisted of 110 patients. The relationships between immunohistological markers and outcome among the patients with DLBCL who received CHOP-like therapy were studied. CD5, CD10, and BCL6 had no prognostic impact on 5-year overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) rates. When the patients were divided into the GCB DLBCL and non-GCB DLBCL groups, the 5-year OS of the GCB group was 78% and that of the non-GCB group was 57% (p In conclusion, the finding of improved OS and PFS with the addition of rituximab indicates that new biomarkers should be studied. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Abstract 2795 Peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL) is more aggressive and has a poorer prognosis than diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). In particular, PTCL, not otherwise specified (PTCL, NOS) is not responsive to conventional chemotherapies. The usefulness of high-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation has been reported, although a recent study did not confirm this result. More recent study, however, suggested that intensified regimens may indeed yield superior results to CHOP. We previously administered the CyclOBEAP (cyclophosphamide, vincristine, bleomycin, etoposide, doxorubicin, prednisolone) regimen to patients with DLBCL, and reported its safety and efficacy. nm23-H1 was originally identified as a protein that was expressed at a lower level in metastatic cancer cells. The nm23 genes play critical roles in cellular proliferation, differentiation, oncogenesis, and tumor metastasis. We previously reported that the serum nm23-H1 level was significantly higher in patients with aggressive lymphoma than in healthy controls, and that a high nm23-H1 level was associated with poor prognosis in patients with aggressive lymphoma. We previously examined cytoplasmic nm23-H1 expression in DLBCLs and found that the serum and cytoplasmic nm23-H1 levels were significant prognostic factors in DLBCLs. Here, we report the results of a multicenter phase II study of the CyclOBEAP regimen for patients with PTCLs [anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (ALCL), angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AILT), and PTCL, NOS]. This was a prospective, single-arm phase II trial in the Adult Lymphoma Treatment Study Group (ALTSG) in Japan. Patients were enrolled in the study between April 1998 and March 2006. Patients aged between 18 and 60 years who were in the low-intermediate (L-I), high-intermediate (H-I), or high (H) risk groups, were eligible for this study. The CyclOBEAP regimen was administered over a total period of 12 weeks. In the CyclOBEAP regimen, the dose intensities of cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and vincristine are equal to or higher than those in the CHOP regimen, and etoposide and bleomycin were added to the CHOP regimen. There were 84 eligible patients and the median age was 54 years. The median follow-up period was 82 months. A complete response was achieved in 77 patients (92%). The 5-year overall survival (OS) rate was 72% and progression-free survival (PFS) rate was 69%. The 5-year OS was 93% among the ALCL patients, 74% among the AILT patients, and 63% among the PTCL,NOS patients. Further evaluation of the 5-year PFS among the PTCL, NOS and AILT patients (n=70) according to the international prognostic index showed that the 5-year PFS in patients with L-I, H-I or H risk was 77.4%, 48.6% and 25%, respectively (P=0.011). When the patients were divided according to the prognostic index for PTCL (PIT), the 5-year OS and PFS rates did not significantly differ among the risk groups. We next examined the survival curve of patients with PTCL in whom soluble interleukin-2 receptor data were available. The 5-year survival rates of the high (≧2000 IU/ml) and low soluble interleukin-2 receptor groups ( Our results suggest that the CyclOBEAP therapy is safe and effective for the treatment of PTCLs. Furthermore, nm23-H1 protein expression may be an important prognostic factor in PTCLs. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Abstract 2725 Poster Board II-701 Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, accounting for approximately 30% of all new patients. The addition of rituximab to CHOP regimen has been found to improve the outcome of DLBCL. However, it dose not provide a satisfactory treatment outcome in the high-risk group according to the international prognostic index (IPI). More recent study, however, suggested that intensified regimens may indeed yield superior results to CHOP. We administered the CyclOBEAP (cyclophosphamide, vincristine, bleomycin, etoposide, doxorubicin, prednisolone) regimen to patients with DLBCL, and previously reported its safety and efficacy. The CyclOBEAP regimen was administered over a total period of 12 weeks, in which the dose intensities of cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and vincristine are equal to or higher than those in the CHOP regimen, and bleomycin were added to the CHOP regimen. The results showed that 106 (80%) of the 121 patients achieved complete response (CR), the 5-year overall survival (OS) rate was 72%, and the 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) rate was 62%. Here, we report the results of a multicenter phase II study of the R-CyclOBEAP regimen. This was a prospective, single-arm phase II trial in the Adult Lymphoma Treatment Study Group (ALTSG) in Japan. Patients were enrolled in the study between April 2004 and March 2008. Patients aged between 15 and 60 years who were in the low-intermediate, high-intermediate, or high risk groups, were eligible for this study. The CyclOBEAP regimen was administered over a total period of 12 weeks. Rituximab 375mg/m2 was given every 2 weeks. There were 101 eligible patients and the median age was 51 years. A CR was achieved in 96 patients (95%). The 5-year OS rate was 85% and PFS rate was 76%. When the patients were divided according to the IPI or revised IPI, the 5-year OS and PFS rates did not significantly differ among the risk groups. We next examined survival curve of the patients with DLBCL in whom soluble interleukin-2 receptor data were available. The 5-year survival rates for the high (≧2000 IU/ml) and low soluble interleukin-2 receptor groups ( Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.