Successful management of acute graft-versus-host disease with ibrutinib during cord blood transplantation for germline DDX41-mutated acute myeloid leukemia.

Background: Acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a major complication of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) with significant morbidity and mortality, and efficacy of currently available therapeutics are limited. Acute and chronic GVHD are similar in that both are initiated by antigen presenting cells and activation of alloreactive B-cells and T-cells, subsequently leading to inflammation, tissue damage, and organ failure. One difference is that acute GVHD is mostly attributed to T-cell activation and cytokine release, whereas B-cells are the key players in chronic GVHD. Ibrutinib is an irreversible inhibitor of the Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK), which is part of B-cell receptor signaling. Ibrutinib is currently used for treating chronic GVHD, but its efficacy towards acute GVHD is unknown. Besides BTK, ibrutinib also inhibits interleukin-2 inducible T-cell kinase (ITK), which is predominantly expressed in T-cells and a crucial enzyme for activating the downstream pathway of TCR signaling. ITK activates PLCγ2 and facilitates signaling through NF-κB, NFAT, and MAPK, leading to activation and proliferation of T-cells and enhanced cytokine production. Therefore, the TCR signaling pathway is indispensable for development of acute GVHD, and ITK inhibition by ibrutinib would be a rational therapeutic approach. Case presentation: A 56-year-old male acute myeloid leukemia patient with Myeloid neoplasms with germline DEAD-box RNA helicase 41 (DDX41) mutation underwent cord blood transplantation and developed severe gastrointestinal (GI) acute GVHD which was refractory to steroids and mesenchymal stem cell therapy. While acute GVHD accommodated by multiple life-threatening GI bleeding events persisted, chronic cutaneous GVHD developed, and ibrutinib 420 mg/day was initiated from day 147 of transplant. Although ibrutinib was commenced targeting the chronic GVHD, unexpected and abrupt remission of acute GVHD along with remission of chronic GVHD was observed. Conclusion: Ibrutinib is a promising therapeutic for treating acute GVHD, and further studies are warranted.

Case report: Ensitrelvir for treatment of persistent COVID-19 in lymphoma patients: a report of two cases.

Persistent COVID-19 is a well recognized issue of concern in patients with hematological malignancies. Such patients are not only at risk of mortality due to the infection itself, but are also at risk of suboptimal malignancy-related outcomes because of delays and terminations of chemotherapy. We report two lymphoma patients with heavily pretreated persistent COVID-19 in which ensitrelvir brought about radical changes in the clinical course leading to rapid remissions. Patient 1 was on ibrutinib treatment for mantle cell lymphoma when he developed COVID-19 pneumonia which was severe and ongoing for 2 months despite therapy with molnupiravir, multiple courses of remdesivir, one course of sotrovimab, tocilizumab, and steroids. Patient 2 was administered R-CHOP therapy for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma when he developed COVID-19 which was ongoing for a month despite treatment with multiple courses of remdesivir and one course of sotrovimab. A 5-day administration of ensitrelvir promptly resolved the persistent COVID-19 accommodated by negative conversions of RT-qPCR tests in both patients within days. Ensitrelvir is a novel COVID-19 therapeutic that accelerates viral clearance through inhibition of the main protease of SARS-CoV-2, 3-chymotrypsin-like protease, which is vital for viral replication. Ensitrelvir is a promising treatment approach for immunocompromised lymphoma patients suffering from persisting and severe COVID-19.

[Systemic chemotherapy combined with thrombopoietin receptor agonist for the treatment of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma complicated with aplastic anemia].

Immunosuppressive therapies, including antithymocyte globulin and cyclosporine (CsA), are used for the treatment of aplastic anemia, but they reportedly cause lymphoproliferative diseases. Here, we report two cases of aplastic anemia in which diffuse large B-cell lymphoma developed during treatment with CsA. In both the cases, CsA was discontinued and combination therapy with R-CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin hydrochloride, vincristine sulfate, and prednisolone) plus the thrombopoietin receptor agonist eltrombopag was initiated. Furthermore, supportive care, including blood transfusion and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, was provided. After six or eight courses of R-CHOP therapy, a complete metabolic response was achieved without serious adverse events. These cases illustrate the safety of combining R-CHOP with eltrombopag therapy in patients at a high risk of severe pancytopenia.

Advances in Allogeneic Cancer Cell Therapy and Future Perspectives on "Off-the-Shelf" T Cell Therapy Using iPSC Technology and Gene Editing.

The concept of allogeneic cell therapy was first presented over 60 years ago with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. However, complications such as graft versus host disease (GVHD) and regimen-related toxicities remained as major obstacles. To maximize the effect of graft versus leukemia, while minimizing the effect of GVHD, donor lymphocyte infusion was utilized. This idea, which was used against viral infections, postulated that adoptive transfer of virus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes could reconstitute specific immunity and eliminate virus infected cells and led to the idea of banking third party cytotoxic T cells (CTLs). T cell exhaustion sometimes became a problem and difficulty arose in creating robust CTLs. However, the introduction of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) lessens such problems, and by using iPSC technology, unlimited numbers of allogeneic rejuvenated CTLs with robust and proliferative cytotoxic activity can be created. Despite this revolutionary concept, several concerns still exist, such as immunorejection by recipient cells and safety issues of gene editing. In this review, we describe approaches to a feasible "off-the-shelf" therapy that can be distributed rapidly worldwide. We also offer perspectives on the future of allogeneic cell cancer immunotherapy.

Intravascular large B-cell lymphoma as a recurrence of primary central nervous system lymphoma after chemotherapy: A case report.

We report about a 48-year-old woman diagnosed with primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL). After chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation, she presented with a continuous high-grade fever. Positron emission tomography-computed tomography revealed prominent hepatosplenomegaly and high diffuse uptake of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose in the liver, spleen, and lungs. Intravascular large B-cell lymphoma (IVLBCL) was diagnosed using random skin biopsy. There were no symptoms of IVLBCL at the time of diagnosis of PCNSL. The histopathological features of PCNSL and IVLBCL were nearly similar. These findings suggest that IVLBCL was the recurrence of PCNSL rather than a separate entity.

[Multiple myeloma treated with haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation with the administration of post-transplant cyclophosphamide].

We report the case of a 58-year-old woman with multiple myeloma who relapsed after the first autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation. She was refractory to new drugs and underwent a haploidentical allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (haplo-HSCT) by administering post-transplantation cyclophosphamide (PTCy) after the second autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation. Neutrophil and platelet engraftment were achieved on days 22 and 55, respectively. Grade II cutaneous acute graft-versus-host disease was observed, which was resolved by systemic steroid treatment. Post-transplant bone marrow examination confirmed donor chimerism replacement and immunophenotypic complete response, and the patient is alive and disease-free. Although haplo-HSCT using PTCy for multiple myeloma has not been reported in Japan, it could be performed safely. Here, we report our results with literature review.

Significant role of magnetic resonance imaging for the diagnosis and evaluation of cardiac amyloidosis in primary light chain amyloidosis.

A 47-year-old male with macroglossia presented with dyspnea on effort and chest pain at rest. Cardiac MRI revealed diffuse global subendocardial late gadolinium enhancement below the left ventricular endocardium and a dark blood pool of intracardiac contrast medium. Tongue biopsy revealed amyloid deposition, which was limited in the myocardium. He was diagnosed with primary light chain amyloidosis. His condition was stage I according to the Mayo Clinic staging system. He underwent autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation. On Day 10, he developed chest pain and died suddenly on Day 11. Postmortem examination revealed amyloid deposition throughout the heart.

Methotrexate-associated Hodgkin Lymphoma in a Patient with Rheumatoid Arthritis Successfully Treated with Brentuximab Vedotin in Combination with Doxorubicin, Vinblastine, and Dacarbazine (BV+AVD).

A 53-year-old woman had been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in X-6. She was started on methotrexate (MTX) in X-1. She developed a cough, and chest computed tomography showed abnormalities. In X, MTX was discontinued, but the cough persisted. A lung biopsy revealed a diagnosis of nodular sclerosis classic Hodgkin lymphoma (CHL-NS). She was considered to have "other iatrogenic immunodeficiency-associated lymphoproliferative disorders" (OIIA-LPD), MTX-associated Hodgkin lymphoma (MTX-HL). She received six courses of brentuximab vedotin (BV) in addition to AVD (BV+AVD). A complete metabolic response was obtained, and the RA went into remission. This is the fourth reported case of BV+AVD for MTX-HL.

A Case of Primary Myelofibrosis in Which Ruxolitinib Therapy Ameliorated the Fibrosis, but Resulted in Fatty Marrow.

A 63-year-old woman was referred to our department in 2015 because of anemia and thrombocytosis. MPL W515/K was positive, JAK-2V617F and CALR exon 9 were negative. Bone marrow(BM)biopsy led to a diagnosis of primary myelofibrosis (PMF)in the prefibrotic/early stage(Grade 1). BMbiopsy performed in 2016 showed overt fibrotic stage(Grade 2). She was classified according to the Dynamic International Prognostic Scoring System(DIPSS)as intermediate(Int)-Ⅱrisk. Ruxolitinib 10 mg daily was initiated. Ruxolitinib was suspended for hepatic dysfunction after the dose was increased to 15 mg. Subsequently, ruxolitinib was resumed at 10 mg. BM biopsy performed in 2017 showed progression of myelofibrosis(MF)to Grade 3. BM biopsy performed in 2018 showed improved to Grade 0-1, however, BM was fatty. Currently in 2019, she continues to be on ruxolitinib. Results of immunohistochemical staining of BM biopsy specimens for cytokines and CD34 suggested the role of cytokines in the pathogenesis of the PMF. It was speculated that ruxolitinib blocked the production of cytokines to ameliorate the MF and restore the hematopoietic function of the BM. Although the pathogenesis of the fatty marrow remained unclear, the possibility of involvement of ruxolitinib cannot be denied.

Retrospective Analysis of 20 Patients with DLBCL Who Received MCVAC Followed by Autologous Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation.

Autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation(auto-PBSCT)combined with high-dose chemotherapy has been considered as the standard therapy for relapsed or induction therapy-refractory aggressive lymphomas sensitive to chemotherapy. While various regimens have been applied as the conditioning,none has yet been established as the standard. We have begun to employ high-dose ranimustine,cytarabine,etoposide and cyclophosphamide(MCVAC)regimen. The present study was undertaken to review the efficacy and safety of MCVAC. Regimen: We carried out a retrospective analysis of 20 patients diagnosed as diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. The median follow-up duration of 20 patients was 13.05 months(range, 0.57-49.5 months). The 4-year OS and PFS were 57.8% and 30.2%,respectively. Relapse was the most frequent cause of treatment failure(n=7). The major toxicities were anorexia/nausea(95%),diarrhea (75%),hypokalemia (70%). One patient died of hepatic veno-occlusive disease(VOD). The serious adverse events included hypokalemia,arrhythmia,cerebral hemorrhage,and heart failure(1 case[5%]each). There was 1 case of a late-onset adverse event: therapy-related myelo- dysplastic syndrome/acute myeloblastic leukemia(MDS/AML). MCVAC regimen was concluded as effective and well-toler- ated. However,we should carefully monitored for the possible development of VOD and MDS/AML. Further follow-up is needed to evaluate the long-term efficacy and safety.

Clinical Evaluation of the Efficacy and Safety of Anagrelide Used with or without Hydroxycarbamide in Japanese Patients with Essential Thrombocythemia-A Retrospective Single-Center Study of 35 Cases.

OBJECTIVE: The clinical features(CF), laboratory data, disease transformation pattern and drug metabolism in essential thrombocythemia(ET)differ between Japan and Western countries. The CF of ET in clinical practice(CP)are more diverse than in prospective clinical studies. We should conduct retrospective analyses in CP. The present study was aimed at evaluating the efficacy, safety and tolerability of anagrelide(ANA)monotherapy and combined ANA plus hydroxycarbamide(HC)in Japanese ET. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We have a total of 35 cases. Sixteen patients received ANA monotherapy, 10 received ANA plus HC, and 9 received ANA plus other drugs. RESULTS: Comparison among three groups revealed the absence of differences in response rate(platelet count C60×10 / / 4/mL, platelet count C40×104/mL)(43.8%, 6.3% vs. 50.0%, 10.0% vs. 44.4%, 11.1%), treatment continuation rate(81.3% vs. 40.0% vs. 55.6%), median daily dose of ANA(1.00 mg in all three groups)or median treatment period(days)(259 vs. 198.5 vs. 161.0), the treatment continuation rate tended to be lower in the combined ANA plus HC. The incidence of all adverse events(AEs)was higher in the ANA monotherapy(45.7%)than ANA plus HC(28.6%)or ANA plus other drugs(25.7%), the AEs were mild in all groups. CONCLUSION: The tolerability of ANA monotherapy, ANA plus HC, and ANA plus other drugs were good.

A Case of Philadelphia Chromosome-Positive Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia with Aspergillus Brain Abscess and Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis Successfully Treated with Voriconazole Followed by Cord Blood Transplantation.

A 59-year-old female was diagnosed as pulmonary aspergillosis(IPA)while remission induction therapy for Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Liposomal amphotericin B improved the fungal serodiagnostic markers, however,the IPA worsened. She also developed an Aspergillus brain abscess,which, while being undetectable on CT,was detected as multiple nodular lesions by MRI. A definitive diagnosis was made by polymerase chain reaction(PCR)of brain biopsy specimens. Voriconazole(VRCZ)was effective,and cord blood transplantation was performed. She has received VRCZ for a long time. There are no relapse of either the IPA or the Aspergillus brain abscess.

Breakthrough Exophiala dermatitidis infection during prophylactic administration of micafungin during second umbilical cord blood transplantation after graft failure.

Exophiala dermatitidis infections in patients with hematological malignancies are very rare. Our patient had a blood stream infection caused by E. dermatitidis following the second umbilical cord blood transplantation (UCBT) after graft failure during the first UCBT. To our knowledge, this is the first report describing a breakthrough fungal infection caused by E. dermatitidis during the prophylactic administration of micafungin (MCFG). Therefore, MCFG-treated patients should be monitored for breakthrough E. dermatitidis infection during hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

[Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia with Myelofibrosis Resulting in Sudden Massive Pleural Effusion during Cytoreductive Therapy with Hydroxycarbamide].

Pleural effusion may occur as a rare complication associated with myeloid hematological malignancies. However, it occasionally occurs in patients with myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative neoplasms(MDS/MPN), especially in chronic myelomonocytic leukemia(CMML)with marked leukocytosis. Pleural effusion can also develop in hematological disorders with bone marrow fibrosis. Here, we report a case of CMML with bone marrow fibrosis, in which massive pleural effusion developed rapidly during cytoreductive therapy with hydroxycarbamide(HU). At the same time, the patient's leukocytosis was well controlled by the HU treatment. Although the cause of the patient's pleural effusion was unclear, despite a detailed thoracoscopic investigation, it is suspected that the invasion of leukemia cells or extramedullary hematopoiesis in the thoracic cavity may have led to this complication. Our findings suggest that in MPN and hematological disorders with bone marrow fibrosis, pleural effusion should be considered as a possible complication and should be carefully monitored, even when cytoreductive therapy is effective.

Clinical benefits of bortezomib-containing regimens for newly diagnosed AL amyloidosis with severe cardiac impairment.

Cardiac amyloid light-chain amyloidosis (AL amyloidosis) is a rare disease with a very poor prognosis, associated with plasma cell dyscrasias such as monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance and multiple myeloma. Though bortezomib-containing regimens have achieved high hematologic response rates, there are still few reports describing the outcomes of Japanese patients. Six patients with severe cardiac AL amyloidosis were treated with bortezomib-containing regimens. Involved free light chain (iFLC) decreased immediately in most of these cases. However, the condition of heart failure and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) worsened in the early phase of this treatment and then improved several months later. At 29 months, the median duration of follow-up (2-47months), all patients remain alive except one who died of sudden cardiac arrest. Bortezomib-containing regimens are considered to be among the effective treatments for severe cardiac AL amyloidosis.

Various neurological symptoms by neurolymphomatosis as the initial presentation of primary testicular lymphoma.

Neurological symptoms induced by the infiltration of malignant lymphoma into the nervous systems are subsumed under the term neurolymphomatosis (NL). Here, we report the case of a 30-year-old Japanese man with primary testicular lymphoma complicated, as seen in various neurological findings, by secondary NL prior to testicular swelling. Painless right scrotal enlargement was noticed more than 1 month after the appearance of neurological complications such as right upper extremity numbness, dysarthria, facial palsy, and diplopia. Proactive investigation and biopsies of extranodal sites at high risk of central nervous system infiltration of malignant lymphoma, such as the testes, should be considered when secondary NL is suspected based on imaging findings.

A monoclonal expansion of Epstein-Barr virus-infected natural killer cells after allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation.

Here, we describe a Japanese woman showing a monoclonal expansion of EBV-infected natural killer (NK) cells after receiving allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT). The patient initially had T-cell-type chronic active EBV disease (CAEBV) and subsequently developed liver T-cell lymphoma. L-Asparaginase-containing chemotherapy led to a favorable lymphoma response. To eradicate CAEBV and the lymphoma, she further received allogeneic PBSCT from a human leukocyte antigen-matched sibling donor. After the PBSCT, the patient presented with transient lymphocytosis of NK cells, which were infected with a monoclonal EBV strain other than previously detected ones. These NK cells seemed to have been transmitted from the healthy donor to the recipient. The patient and donor remain well in spite of carrying these NK cells. This is the first report of an asymptomatic Japanese carrier harboring monoclonal EBV-infected NK cells.

T/NK cell type chronic active Epstein-Barr virus disease in adults: an underlying condition for Epstein-Barr virus-associated T/NK-cell lymphoma.

A chronic infectious mononucleosis-like illness caused by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is called 'chronic active EBV disease', which is defined as an EBV-associated lymphoproliferative disease. This lymphoproliferative disease is rare and predominantly occurs in Japanese children. Between 1998 and 2010, seven adult-onset cases (aged 20-45 years, median 39 years) were identified, which initially presented with inflammatory diseases, including hepatitis, interstitial pneumonitis, uveitis, nephritis and hypersensitivity to mosquito bites. They showed an EBV viral load in the peripheral blood and evidence of EBV infection of T or natural killer (NK) cells. Five cases (71.4%) developed EBV-positive T/NK-cell lymphoma/leukaemia at a median of 5 years (range 1-7 years) after the diagnosis. Although l-asparaginase-containing chemotherapy was effective for the lymphomas, only allogeneic haematopoietic cell transplantation eradicated EBV-infected cells. This observation indicates that persistent EBV infection of T or NK cells defines a distinct disease entity, which provides an underlying condition for EBV-positive T/NK-cell lymphoma/leukaemia.