Mutations in the transcription factor FOXO1 mimic positive selection signals to promote germinal center B cell expansion and lymphomagenesis.

The transcription factor forkhead box O1 (FOXO1), which instructs the dark zone program to direct germinal center (GC) polarity, is typically inactivated by phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) signals. Here, we investigated how FOXO1 mutations targeting this regulatory axis in GC-derived B cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas (B-NHLs) contribute to lymphomagenesis. Examination of primary B-NHL tissues revealed that FOXO1 mutations and PI3K pathway activity were not directly correlated. Human B cell lines bearing FOXO1 mutations exhibited hyperactivation of PI3K and Stress-activated protein kinase (SAPK)/Jun amino-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling, and increased cell survival under stress conditions as a result of alterations in FOXO1 transcriptional affinities and activation of transcriptional programs characteristic of GC-positive selection. When modeled in mice, FOXO1 mutations conferred competitive advantage to B cells in response to key T-dependent immune signals, disrupting GC homeostasis. FOXO1 mutant transcriptional signatures were prevalent in human B-NHL and predicted poor clinical outcomes. Thus, rather than enforcing FOXO1 constitutive activity, FOXO1 mutations enable co-option of GC-positive selection programs during the pathogenesis of GC-derived lymphomas.

Critical care management of chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy recipients.

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy is a promising immunotherapeutic treatment concept that is changing the treatment approach to hematologic malignancies. The development of CAR T-cell therapy represents a prime example for the successful bench-to-bedside translation of advances in immunology and cellular therapy into clinical practice. The currently available CAR T-cell products have shown high response rates and long-term remissions in patients with relapsed/refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia and relapsed/refractory lymphoma. However, CAR T-cell therapy can induce severe life-threatening toxicities such as cytokine release syndrome, neurotoxicity, or infection, which require rapid and aggressive medical treatment in the intensive care unit setting. In this review, the authors provide an overview of the state-of-the-art in the clinical management of severe life-threatening events in CAR T-cell recipients. Furthermore, key challenges that have to be overcome to maximize the safety of CAR T cells are discussed.

Burkitt lymphoma risk shows geographic and temporal associations with Plasmodium falciparum infections in Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya.

Endemic Burkitt lymphoma (eBL) is a pediatric cancer coendemic with malaria in sub-Saharan Africa, suggesting an etiological link between them. However, previous cross-sectional studies of limited geographic areas have not found a convincing association. We used spatially detailed data from the Epidemiology of Burkitt Lymphoma in East African Children and Minors (EMBLEM) study to assess this relationship. EMBLEM is a case-control study of eBL from 2010 through 2016 in six regions of Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. To measure the intensity of exposure to the malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, among children in these regions, we used high-resolution spatial data from the Malaria Atlas Project to estimate the annual number of P. falciparum infections from 2000 through 2016 for each of 49 districts within the study region. Cumulative P. falciparum exposure, calculated as the sum of annual infections by birth cohort, varied widely, with a median of 47 estimated infections per child by age 10, ranging from 4 to 315 infections. eBL incidence increased 39% for each 100 additional lifetime P. falciparum infections (95% CI: 6.10 to 81.04%) with the risk peaking among children aged 5 to 11 and declining thereafter. Alternative models using estimated annual P. falciparum infections 0 to 10 y before eBL onset were inconclusive, suggesting that eBL risk is a function of cumulative rather than recent cross-sectional exposure. Our findings provide population-level evidence that eBL is a phenotype related to heavy lifetime exposure to P. falciparum malaria and support emphasizing the link between malaria and eBL.

Hodgkin lymphoma: A review and update on recent progress.

Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is a unique hematopoietic neoplasm characterized by cancerous Reed-Sternberg cells in an inflammatory background. Patients are commonly diagnosed with HL in their 20s and 30s, and they present with supradiaphragmatic lymphadenopathy, often with systemic B symptoms. Even in advanced-stage disease, HL is highly curable with combination chemotherapy, radiation, or combined-modality treatment. Although the same doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine chemotherapeutic regimen has been the mainstay of therapy over the last 30 years, risk-adapted approaches have helped de-escalate therapy in low-risk patients while intensifying treatment for higher risk patients. Even patients who are not cured with initial therapy can often be salvaged with alternate chemotherapy combinations, the novel antibody-drug conjugate brentuximab, or high-dose autologous or allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The programmed death-1 inhibitors nivolumab and pembrolizumab have both demonstrated high response rates and durable remissions in patients with relapsed/refractory HL. Alternate donor sources and reduced-intensity conditioning have made allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation a viable option for more patients. Future research will look to integrate novel strategies into earlier lines of therapy to improve the HL cure rate and minimize long-term treatment toxicities. CA Cancer J Clin 2018;68:116-132. © 2017 American Cancer Society.

Association between Epstein-Barr virus LMP-1 and Hodgkin lymphoma LMP-1 mechanisms in Hodgkin lymphoma development.

Hodgkin lymphoma is histologically characterised by the presence of Hodgkin (H) and Reed-Sternberg (RS) cells originating from germinal centre B-cells rearranged in the IgV gene. The formation of multinucleated RS cells is a product of telomere organisation in a process initiated by telomere aggregate accumulation in mononuclear H cells and may be mediated by latent membrane protein 1 (LMP-1) expression. LMP-1 is the main oncoprotein of EBV and supports several tumourigenic processes. LMP-1 may rescue proapoptotic B-cells through downregulation of B-cell receptor (BCR) components, mimicking and inducing multiple distinct B-cell signalling pathways to promote proliferation and survival, such as Janus kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK-STAT), nuclear factor-kappa b (NF-кB), and cellular MYC (c-MYC), and inducing telomere instability mainly through Telomere repeat binding factor 2 (TRF2) downregulation to promote the formation of multinucleated RS cells. This review presents recent discoveries regarding the influence of LMP-1 on the surviving cellular signalling, genomic instability and mecanical formation of HRS cells.

Novel OX40 and 4-1BB derived spacers enhance CD30 CAR activity and safety in CD30 positive lymphoma models.

The chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) derived from the CD30 specific murine antibody, HRS-3, has produced promising clinical efficacy with a favorable safety profile in the treatment of relapsed or refractory CD30-positive lymphomas. However, persistence of the autologous CAR-T cells was brief, and many patients relapsed a year after treatment. The lack of persistence may be attributed to the use of a wild-type immunoglobulin (Ig)G1 spacer that can associate with Fc receptors. We first identified the cysteine-rich domain (CRD) 5 of CD30 as the primary binding epitope of HRS-3 and armed with this insight, attempted to improve the HRS-3 CAR functionality with a panel of novel spacer designs. We demonstrate that HRS-3 CARs with OX40 and 4-1BB derived spacers exhibited similar anti-tumor efficacy, circumvented interactions with Fc receptors, and secreted lower levels of cytokines in vitro than a CAR employing the IgG1 spacer. Humanization of the HRS-3 scFv coupled with the 4-1BB spacer preserved potent on-target, on-tumor efficacy, and on-target, off-tumor safety. In a lymphoma mouse model of high tumor burden, T cells expressing humanized HRS-3 CD30.CARs with the 4-1BB spacer potently killed tumors with low levels of circulating inflammatory cytokines, providing a promising candidate for future clinical development in the treatment of CD30-positive malignancies.

Bispecific antibodies and autologous chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapies for treatment of hematological malignancies.

In recent years, the therapeutic landscape for hematological malignancies has markedly advanced, particularly since the inaugural approval of autologous chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapy in 2017 for relapsed/refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Autologous CAR-T therapy involves the genetic modification of a patient's T cells to specifically identify and attack cancer cells, while bispecific antibodies (BsAbs) function by binding to both cancer cells and immune cells simultaneously, thereby triggering an immune response against the tumor. The subsequent approval of various CAR-T therapies and BsAbs have revolutionized the treatment of multiple hematological malignancies, highlighting high response rates and a subset of patients achieving prolonged disease control. This review explores the mechanisms underlying autologous CAR-T therapies and BsAbs, focusing on their clinical application in multiple myeloma, ALL, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. We provide comprehensive insights into their individual efficacy, limitations concerning broad application, and the potential of combination therapies. These upcoming strategies aim to propel the field forward, paving the way for safer and more effective therapeutic interventions in hematological malignancies.

Modulation of SK Channels via Calcium Buffering Tunes Intrinsic Excitability of Parvalbumin Interneurons in Neuropathic Pain: A Computational and Experimental Investigation.

Parvalbumin-expressing interneurons (PVINs) play a crucial role within the dorsal horn of the spinal cord by preventing touch inputs from activating pain circuits. In both male and female mice, nerve injury decreases PVINs' output via mechanisms that are not fully understood. In this study, we show that PVINs from nerve-injured male mice change their firing pattern from tonic to adaptive. To examine the ionic mechanisms responsible for this decreased output, we used a reparametrized Hodgkin-Huxley type model of PVINs, which predicted (1) the firing pattern transition is because of an increased contribution of small conductance calcium-activated potassium (SK) channels, enabled by (2) impairment in intracellular calcium buffering systems. Analyzing the dynamics of the Hodgkin-Huxley type model further demonstrated that a generalized Hopf bifurcation differentiates the two types of state transitions observed in the transient firing of PVINs. Importantly, this predicted mechanism holds true when we embed the PVIN model within the neuronal circuit model of the spinal dorsal horn. To experimentally validate this hypothesized mechanism, we used pharmacological modulators of SK channels and demonstrated that (1) tonic firing PVINs from naive male mice become adaptive when exposed to an SK channel activator, and (2) adapting PVINs from nerve-injured male mice return to tonic firing on SK channel blockade. Our work provides important insights into the cellular mechanism underlying the decreased output of PVINs in the spinal dorsal horn after nerve injury and highlights potential pharmacological targets for new and effective treatment approaches to neuropathic pain.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Parvalbumin-expressing interneurons (PVINs) exert crucial inhibitory control over Aß fiber-mediated nociceptive pathways at the spinal dorsal horn. The loss of their inhibitory tone leads to neuropathic symptoms, such as mechanical allodynia, via mechanisms that are not fully understood. This study identifies the reduced intrinsic excitability of PVINs as a potential cause for their decreased inhibitory output in nerve-injured condition. Combining computational and experimental approaches, we predict a calcium-dependent mechanism that modulates PVINs' electrical activity following nerve injury: a depletion of cytosolic calcium buffer allows for the rapid accumulation of intracellular calcium through the active membranes, which in turn potentiates SK channels and impedes spike generation. Our results therefore pinpoint SK channels as potential therapeutic targets for treating neuropathic symptoms.

Multicenter, Prospective, Randomized Controlled Trial of High-Sensitivity Cardiac Troponin I-Guided Combination Angiotensin Receptor Blockade and Beta-Blocker Therapy to Prevent Anthracycline Cardiotoxicity: The Cardiac CARE Trial.

BACKGROUND: Anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity has a variable incidence, and the development of left ventricular dysfunction is preceded by elevations in cardiac troponin concentrations. Beta-adrenergic receptor blocker and renin-angiotensin system inhibitor therapies have been associated with modest cardioprotective effects in unselected patients receiving anthracycline chemotherapy. METHODS: In a multicenter, prospective, randomized, open-label, blinded end-point trial, patients with breast cancer and non-Hodgkin lymphoma receiving anthracycline chemotherapy underwent serial high-sensitivity cardiac troponin testing and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging before and 6 months after anthracycline treatment. Patients at high risk of cardiotoxicity (cardiac troponin I concentrations in the upper tertile during chemotherapy) were randomized to standard care plus cardioprotection (combination carvedilol and candesartan therapy) or standard care alone. The primary outcome was adjusted change in left ventricular ejection fraction at 6 months. In low-risk nonrandomized patients with cardiac troponin I concentrations in the lower 2 tertiles, we hypothesized the absence of a 6-month change in left ventricular ejection fraction and tested for equivalence of ±2%. RESULTS: Between October 2017 and June 2021, 175 patients (mean age, 53 years; 87% female; 71% with breast cancer) were recruited. Patients randomized to cardioprotection (n=29) or standard care (n=28) had left ventricular ejection fractions of 69.4±7.4% and 69.1±6.1% at baseline and 65.7±6.6% and 64.9±5.9% 6 months after completion of chemotherapy, respectively. After adjustment for age, pretreatment left ventricular ejection fraction, and planned anthracycline dose, the estimated mean difference in 6-month left ventricular ejection fraction between the cardioprotection and standard care groups was -0.37% (95% CI, -3.59% to 2.85%; P=0.82). In low-risk nonrandomized patients, baseline and 6-month left ventricular ejection fractions were 69.3±5.7% and 66.4±6.3%, respectively: estimated mean difference, 2.87% (95% CI, 1.63%-4.10%; P=0.92, not equivalent). CONCLUSIONS: Combination candesartan and carvedilol therapy had no demonstrable cardioprotective effect in patients receiving anthracycline-based chemotherapy with high-risk on-treatment cardiac troponin I concentrations. Low-risk nonrandomized patients had similar declines in left ventricular ejection fraction, bringing into question the utility of routine cardiac troponin monitoring. Furthermore, the modest declines in left ventricular ejection fraction suggest that the value and clinical impact of early cardioprotection therapy need to be better defined in patients receiving high-dose anthracycline. REGISTRATION: URL: https://doi.org; Unique identifier: 10.1186/ISRCTN24439460. URL: https://www.clinicaltrialsregister.eu/ctr-search/search; Unique identifier: 2017-000896-99.

CD16+ as predictive marker for early relapse in aggressive B-NHL/DLBCL patients.

Assessing the prognosis of patients with aggressive non-Hodgkin B cell lymphoma mainly relies on a clinical risk score (IPI). Standard first-line therapies are based on a chemo-immunotherapy with rituximab, which mediates CD16-dependent antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC). We phenotypically and functionally analyzed blood samples from 46 patients focusing on CD16+ NK cells, CD16+ T cells and CD16+ monocytes. Kaplan-Meier survival curves show a superior progression-free survival (PFS) for patients having more than 1.6% CD16+ T cells (p = 0.02; HR = 0.13 (0.007-0.67)) but an inferior PFS having more than 10.0% CD16+ monocytes (p = 0.0003; HR = 16.0 (3.1-291.9)) at diagnosis. Surprisingly, no correlation with NK cells was found. The increased risk of relapse in the presence of > 10.0% CD16+ monocytes is reversed by the simultaneous occurrence of > 1.6% CD16+ T cells. The unexpectedly strong protective function of CD16+ T cells could be explained by their high antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity as quantified by real-time killing assays and single-cell imaging. The combined analysis of CD16+ monocytes (> 10%) and CD16+ T cells (< 1.6%) provided a strong model with a Harrell's C index of 0.80 and a very strong power of 0.996 even with our sample size of 46 patients. CD16 assessment in the initial blood analysis is thus a precise marker for early relapse prediction.

Hysterectomy, oophorectomy and risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Hysterectomy is associated with an increased risk for adverse health outcomes. However, its connection to the risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) remains unclear. The aims of our study were to investigate the associations between hysterectomy, oophorectomy and risk of NHL and its major subtypes (eg, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma [DLBCL]), and whether these associations were modified by exogenous hormone use. Postmenopausal women (n = 141,621) aged 50-79 years at enrollment (1993-1998) from the Women's Health Initiative were followed for an average of 17.2 years. Hysterectomy and oophorectomy were self-reported at baseline. Incident NHL cases were confirmed by central review of medical records and pathology reports. During the follow-up period, a total of 1719 women were diagnosed with NHL. Hysterectomy, regardless of oophorectomy status, was associated with an increased risk of NHL (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.23, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.05-1.44). Oophorectomy was not independently associated with NHL risk after adjusting for hysterectomy. When stratified by hormone use, the association between hysterectomy and NHL risk was confined to women who had never used hormone therapy (HR = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.06-1.71), especially for DLBCL subtype (P for interaction = .01), and to those who had undergone hysterectomy before the age of 55. Our large prospective study showed that hysterectomy was a risk factor of NHL. Findings varied by hormone use. Future studies incorporating detailed information on the types and indications of hysterectomy may deepen our understanding of the mechanisms underlying DLBCL development and its potential interactions with hormone use.

Coronary artery calcium and cardiovascular outcomes in patients with lymphoma undergoing autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Patients undergoing autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) have a >2-fold risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD; heart failure, myocardial infarction, and stroke), compared to the general population. Coronary artery calcium (CAC) is predictive of CVD in nononcology patients but is not as well studied in patients who underwent HCT and survivors of HCT.The objective of this study was to examine the association between CAC and CVD risk and outcomes after HCT in patients with lymphoma. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of 243 consecutive patients who underwent a first autologous HCT for lymphoma between 2009 and 2014. CAC (Agatston score) was determined from chest computed tomography obtained <60 days from HCT. Multivariable Cox regression analysis was used to calculate hazard ratio (HR) estimates and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), adjusted for covariates (age, conventional risk factors [e.g., hypertension and dyslipidemia], and cancer treatment). RESULTS: The median age at HCT was 55.7 years (range, 18.5-75.1 years), 59% were male, and 60% were non-Hispanic White. The prevalence of CAC was 37%. The 5-year CVD incidence for the cohort was 12%, and there was an incremental increase in the incidence according to CAC score: 0 (6%), 1-100 (20%), and >100 (32%) (p = .001). CAC was significantly associated with CVD risk (HR, 3.0; 95% CI, 1.2-7.5) and worse 5-year survival (77% vs. 50%; p < .001; HR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.1-3.4), compared to those without CAC. CONCLUSIONS: CAC is independently associated with CVD and survival after HCT. This highlights the importance of integrating readily available imaging information in risk stratification and decision-making in patients undergoing HCT, which sets the stage for strategies to optimize outcomes after HCT.

Safety and efficacy of ibrutinib in combination with rituximab and lenalidomide in previously untreated follicular and marginal zone lymphoma: An open label, phase 2 study.

BACKGROUND: Follicular lymphoma (FL) and marginal zone lymphoma (MZL) are indolent non-Hodgkin lymphomas (iNHL). Median survival for iNHL is approximately 20 years. Because standard treatments are not curative, patients often receive multiple lines of therapy with associated toxicity-rationally designed, combination therapies with curative potential are needed. The immunomodulatory drug lenalidomide was evaluated in combination with rituximab for the frontline treatment of FL in the phase 3 RELEVANCE study. Ibrutinib, an oral Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor, is active in NHL and was evaluated in combination with lenalidomide, rituximab, and ibrutinib (IRR) in a phase 1 study. METHODS: The authors conducted an open-label, phase 2 clinical trial of IRR for previously untreated FL and MZL. The primary end point was progression-free survival (PFS) at 24 months. RESULTS: This study included 48 participants with previously untreated FL grade 1-3a (N = 38), or MZL (N = 10). Participants received 12, 28-day cycles of lenalidomide (15 mg, days 1-21 cycle 1; 20 mg, cycles 2-12), rituximab (375 mg/m2 weekly in cycle 1; day 1 cycles 2-12), and ibrutinib 560 mg daily. With a median follow-up of 65.3 months, the estimated PFS at 24 months was 78.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 68.0%-91.4%) and 60-month PFS was 59.7% (95% CI, 46.6%-76.4%). One death occurred unrelated to disease progression. Grade 3-4 adverse events were observed in 64.6%, including 50% with grade 3-4 rash. CONCLUSIONS: IRR is highly active as frontline therapy for FL and MZL. Compared to historical results with lenalidomide and rituximab, PFS is similar with higher grade 3-4 toxicity, particularly rash. The study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02532257).

Effect of body mass index on the prognosis of children and adolescents with high-grade mature B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

BACKGROUND: Little progress has been made in determining the prognostic factors for children and adolescents with high-grade mature B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (HG B-NHL). Based on the important role of body mass index (BMI) in cancer, this study explored the effect of BMI on the prognosis of patients with HG B-NHL. METHODS: Patients aged <18 years with newly diagnosed HG B-NHL were enrolled. Patients were divided into normal, overweight, obese, and emaciated BMI groups according to the growth criteria for children and adolescents. RESULTS: In total, 435 patients were enrolled in this study. There were 329 (75.6%), 46 (10.6%), 13 (3.0%), and 47 (10.8%) patients stratified into the normal, overweight, obese, and emaciated BMI groups, respectively. The event-free survival and overall survival rates of the entire cohort were 89.3% and 92.4%, respectively. The 5-year event-free survival rate for the patients with obese BMI was worse than those with overweight BMI (76.2% vs. 95.6%, p = .04). The 5-year overall survival rate for the patients with emaciated BMI was worse than those with normal (84.5% vs. 93.1%, p = .04) or overweight BMI (84.5% vs. 97.7%, p = .03). Cox multivariate analysis showed that obese or emaciated BMI at diagnosis was associated with an increased risk of death (p = 0.04; HR, 2.26) and was identified as an independent adverse prognostic factor in pediatric HG B-NHL. CONCLUSION: Obese or emaciated BMI at diagnosis is associated with poor prognosis in pediatric HG B-NHL and can be used for risk stratification.

Infection risk and antimicrobial prophylaxis in bendamustine-treated patients with indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma: An Australasian Lymphoma Alliance study.

Infection and lymphopenia are established bendamustine-related complications. The relationship between lymphopenia severity and infection risk, and the role of antimicrobial prophylaxis, is not well described. This multicentre retrospective study analysed infection characteristics and antimicrobial prophylaxis in 302 bendamustine-treated indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients. Lymphopenia (<1 × 109/L) was near universal and time to lymphocyte recovery correlated with cumulative bendamustine dose. No association between lymphopenia severity and duration with infection was observed. Infections occurred in 44% of patients (50% bacterial) with 27% hospitalised; 32% of infections occurred ≥3 months post bendamustine completion. Infection was associated with obinutuzumab and/or maintenance anti-CD20 therapy, prior therapy and advanced stage. Twenty-four opportunistic infections occurred in 21 patients: ten varicella zoster virus (VZV), seven herpes simplex virus (HSV), one cytomegalovirus, one progressive multifocal leucoencephalopathy, one nocardiosis, one Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia (PJP) and three other fungal infections. VZV/HSV and PJP prophylaxis were prescribed to 42% and 54% respectively. Fewer VZV/HSV infections occurred in patients receiving prophylaxis (HR 0.14, p = 0.061) while PJP prophylaxis was associated with reduced risk of bacterial infection (HR 0.48, p = 0.004). Our study demonstrates a significant infection risk regardless of lymphopenia severity and supports prophylaxis to mitigate the risk of early and delayed infections.

Long-term efficacy and safety of dose-dense and dose-intense ABVD without consolidation radiotherapy in patients with advanced Hodgkin lymphoma: A 15-year follow-up of the ABVDDD-DI phase II study.

We demonstrated that dose-densified and dose-intensified ABVD (doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, dacarbazine; ABVDDD-DI) was safe and effective. Here, we present a post hoc long-term analysis of the 82 patients enrolled in the original study. The median observation time was 175 months (IQR 159-197). At 15 years, progression-free and overall survival rates were 81.2% (95% CI, 69.9%-88.7%) and 92.7% (95% CI, 82.6%-97.0%), respectively. Four patients with multiple cardiovascular risk factors experienced delayed G3 cardiac events. The cumulative incidence of second malignancies at 20 years was 6.1%. Fertility and childbearing potential were unaffected. Data support an ongoing benefit for ABVDDD-DI without uneven late toxicities.

Radiological follow-up of osteonecrosis lesions in children and adolescents with Hodgkin lymphoma.

Osteonecrosis (ON) is a common complication of glucocorticoid-based Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) treatment, but the natural evolution and prognosis of ON lesions remain poorly understood. We describe the radiological evolution of ON lesions identified in a Nordic population-based cohort of paediatric HL patients. Magnetic resonance images of suspected ON lesions were centrally reviewed to confirm ON diagnosis and grade the ON lesions according to the Niinimäki classification. The study included 202 ON lesions in 46 patients, of which 77 were joint lesions. Follow-up images were available for 146/202 lesions, with a mean follow-up time of 28 months. During follow-up, 71% of the lesions remained stable, 26% improved or resolved, and 3% progressed. A higher ON grade at diagnosis was associated with a lower likelihood of spontaneous resolution. The likelihood for resolution of ON decreased by 50% for each year of added patient age, when adjusted for sex, ON location, and symptoms. Hip ON showed less spontaneous improvement compared with other joints, and the risk for surgery was 13-fold in hip ON. Grades 3-4 joint ON has the potential to either progress or resolve, warranting follow-up in patients with severe symptoms. Research on secondary prevention should be directed at grade 3-4 joint ON.

Considerations for anti-PD1-based first-line treatment of Hodgkin lymphoma.

Anti-PD1-based first-line treatment holds great promise in classical Hodgkin lymphoma. The management of immune-related adverse events in the context of time-limited combined checkpoint blockade and chemotherapy administered in curative intent is a challenge. Kuczmarski and Lynch provide a case-based approach to key toxicities observed in this setting. Commentary on: Kuczmarski et al. Managing common toxicities associated with checkpoint inhibitor and chemotherapy combinations for untreated classic Hodgkin lymphoma. Br J Haematol 2024;205:100-108.

Clinical and clonal characteristics of monoclonal immunoglobulin M-associated type I cryoglobulinaemia.

Monoclonal immunoglobulin M-associated type I cryoglobulinaemia is poorly characterised. We screened 534 patients with monoclonal IgM disorders over a 9-year period and identified 134 patients with IgM type I cryoglobulins. Of these, 76% had Waldenström macroglobulinaemia (WM), 5% had other non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and 19% had IgM monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS). Clinically relevant IgM-associated disorders (including cold agglutinin disease [CAD], anti-MAG antibodies, amyloidosis and Schnitzler syndrome) coexisted in 31%, more frequently in MGUS versus WM/NHL (72% vs. 22%/29%, p < 0.001). The majority of those with cryoglobulins and coexistent CAD/syndrome had the molecular characteristics of a CAD clone (wild-type MYD88 in 80%). A half of all patients had active manifestations at cryoglobulin detection: vasomotor (22%), cutaneous (16%), peripheral neuropathy (22%) and hyperviscosity (9%). 16/134 required treatment for cryoglobulin-related symptoms alone at a median of 38 days (range: 6-239) from cryoglobulin detection. At a median follow-up of 3 years (range: 0-10), 3-year cryoglobulinaemia-treatment-free survival was 77% (95% CI: 68%-84%). Age was the only predictor of overall survival. Predictors of cryoglobulinaemia-related treatment/death were hyperviscosity (HR: 73.01; 95% CI: 15.62-341.36, p < 0.0001) and cutaneous involvement (HR: 2.95; 95% CI: 1.13-7.71, p = 0.028). Type I IgM cryoglobulinaemia is more prevalent than previously described in IgM gammopathy and should be actively sought.

Baseline circulating tumour DNA and interim PET predict response in relapsed/refractory classical Hodgkin lymphoma.

Reliable biomarkers for early identification of treatment failure in relapsed/refractory (r/r) classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) are lacking. Circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) profiling has emerged as a powerful predictive and prognostic tool in several haemopoietic and non-haemopoietic malignancies and may guide rational treatment choices in r/r cHL. To assess the predictive and prognostic value of ctDNA, we performed a retrospective analysis on 55 r/r cHL patients treated with the bendamustine, gemcitabine and vinorelbine (BEGEV) regimen and additionally evaluated the potential utility of integrating ctDNA with interim [18 F]-FDG positron emission tomography (iPET). Baseline ctDNA genotyping in r/r cHL mirrored gene mutations and pathways involved in newly diagnosed cHL. We found that baseline ctDNA quantification and serial ctDNA monitoring have prognostic value in r/r cHL receiving salvage chemotherapy. Lastly, integrating ctDNA quantification with iPET evaluation may improve the early identification of patients at high risk of failing standard salvage therapy, who may benefit from an early switch to immunotherapeutic agents. Collectively, our results support the implementation of non-invasive methods to detect minimal residual disease in recurrent cHL and justify its prospective evaluation in appropriately designed clinical trials.