Seven-year follow-up of allogeneic transplant using BCNU, etoposide, cytarabine and melphalan chemotherapy in patients with Hodgkin lymphoma after autograft failure: importance of minimal residual disease.

Abstract Allogeneic transplant using reduced intensity conditioning is a therapeutic option for patients with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) who relapse after an autograft. This was a prospective study of 31 consecutive eligible patients with HL who relapsed after an autograft and underwent an allograft using BEAM (BCNU, etoposide, cytarabine, melphalan) conditioning. At a median follow-up of 7 years the progression-free survival (PFS) was 36% (95% confidence interval [CI] 19-54%) and overall survival (OS) was 42% (95% CI 23-59%). In multivariate analysis only residual disease at the time of transplant predicted outcome, with a 4-year PFS and OS of 62% and 75% for patients with minimal residual disease versus 8% and 8% for patients with gross residual disease, respectively (p = 0.005 and p = 0.001, respectively). This benefit seemed to be irrespective of chemosensitivity, with an OS for patients with chemorefractory yet minimal disease of 71% at 4 years. BEAM allogeneic transplant is effective in producing long-term remissions after autograft failure. Regardless of chemosensitivity, minimizing tumor burden pre-transplant may improve long-term outcome.

Neurologic aspects of plasma cell disorders.

Plasma cell disorders make up a broad spectrum of diseases that are characterized by the appearance of an abnormal clone of plasma cells, which typically manifests as a production of monoclonal immunoglobulin protein (monoclonal gammopathy). The overproduction of plasma cells and subsequent monoclonal gammopathy may be malignant or a premalignant process. Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) is an example of a benign process with a malignant potential. Multiple myeloma, Waldenström macroglobulinemia, POEMS (polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, monoclonal gammopathy, and skin changes) syndrome, and AL amyloidosis (immunoglobulin light chain amyloidosis) are examples of malignant plasma cell disorders which require treatment. Neurologic manifestations of an underlying plasma cell disorder can be variable and typically challenging to treat. They can range from mild symptoms resulting from therapy to treat the disorder to clinically significant and life-threatening complications related to the disease itself. The peripheral nervous system is more commonly affected than the central nervous system. Peripheral neuropathy is a frequent manifestation and is associated with all of the plasma cell disorders (MGUS, multiple myeloma, POEMS syndrome, Waldenström macroglobulinemia and AL amyloidosis) with notable differences in the signs and symptoms among the different groups. Examples of central nervous system manifestations include spinal cord pathology, such as spinal cord compression from vertebral collapse or plasmacytoma. Intracranial involvement is rare but can occur from brain parenchyma infiltration, leptomeningeal involvement, and tumor-like lesions, such as amyloidoma in AL amyloidosis and plasmacytoma in multiple myeloma. Encephalopathy can occur due to metabolic disturbances related to the underlying plasma cell disorder, including hypercalcemia and uremia in multiple myeloma and hyperviscosity in Waldenström macroglobulinemia. Included in this chapter is a detailed discussion of the various plasma cell disorders and their spectrum of neurologic manifestations.

Age-related differences in disease characteristics and clinical outcomes in polycythemia vera.

The natural history and prognosis for young patients with polycythemia vera (PV) in the post-JAK2 V617F era are not well defined. Therefore, we retrospectively analyzed disease characteristics and clinical outcomes in 120 patients ≤ 45 years and 84 patients ≥ 65 years at diagnosis. Despite lower white blood counts (9.2 vs. 13.4 × 10(9)/L, p = 0.004) and a lower JAK2 V617F allele burden (51% vs. 66%, p = 0.015), younger patients with PV had comparable rates of vascular complications compared to older patients (27% vs. 31%, p = 0.64). However, splanchnic vein thrombosis occurred more frequently in younger patients (13% vs. 2%, p = 0.0056). Myelofibrotic and leukemic transformation, the most serious complications of myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN), occurred with similar frequencies in young versus older patients (15% vs. 10%, p = 0.29). Prevention or delay of these complications is currently the most urgent challenge in the care of younger patients with PV.

Sweet's syndrome with neurologic manifestations in a patient with esophageal adenocarcinoma: case report and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Sweet's syndrome, also known as febrile neutrophilic dermatosis, can occur in patients with an underlying malignancy and can present with extracutaneous manifestations, including neurologic symptoms. METHODS: This report describes a 62-year-old man with adenocarcinoma of the esophagus who developed Sweet's syndrome and whose postoperative course was complicated by encephalitis. RESULTS: A diagnosis of Sweet's syndrome with neurologic manifestations was made, and the patient was treated with oral corticosteroids. His symptoms improved markedly within 12 h. CONCLUSION: Neurologic symptoms in Sweet's syndrome are infrequently reported and have not been described previously in a patient with adenocarcinoma of the esophagus.