Sequence of Splenectomy and Rituximab for the Treatment of Steroid-Refractory Immune Thrombocytopenia: Does It Matter?

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of the sequence of treatment with rituximab and/or splenectomy on time to relapse for patients with steroid-refractory immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients 18 years or older with steroid-refractory immune thrombocytopenia who underwent treatment with splenectomy or rituximab from January 1, 2002, through December 31, 2015, at Mayo Clinic. Evaluation included freedom from relapse (FFR) and response rates after treatment with rituximab or splenectomy as single or sequential interventions. RESULTS: A total of 218 eligible patients with ITP who were treated according to standard of care were included in this analysis. Patients failing steroids treated with splenectomy had a higher 5-year FFR than did those treated with rituximab (67.4% vs 19.2%; P<.001, propensity-score matched). Patients who failed splenectomy and were then treated with rituximab had a 2-year FFR similar to that of patients who failed rituximab and were then treated with splenectomy (73.4% vs 59.9%; P=.52). Patients treated with rituximab after splenectomy had a longer 2-year FFR than did patients treated with rituximab as a second-line treatment (73.4% vs 29.0%; P<.001). CONCLUSION: For patients with ITP that relapse after treatment with steroids, splenectomy provides longer FFR than rituximab as a second-line therapy. Among patients who fail second-line treatment with splenectomy or rituximab, those who end up receiving sequential splenectomy-rituximab or rituximab-splenectomy therapy seem to derive similar benefit in the long term. Patients who received rituximab after splenectomy seem to derive superior benefit than do those who are treated with rituximab with an intact spleen.

Biphenotypic Acute Leukemia versus Myeloid Antigen-Positive ALL: Clinical Relevance of WHO Criteria for Mixed Phenotype Acute Leukemia.

Updated WHO criteria define mixed phenotype acute leukemia (MPAL) with more stringent diagnostic criteria than the formerly described entity biphenotypic acute leukemia (BAL). The changes in diagnostic criteria influence management by assigning weight to aberrantly expressed markers and minimizing expression of myeloid markers other than myeloperoxidase (MPO), potentially foregoing consolidative allogeneic transplant for an otherwise "favorable" lymphoid phenotypic leukemia. We present a case of MPO-negative, myeloid antigen-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia who progressed with refractory phenotypic acute myeloid leukemia while receiving lymphoid-directed therapy and discuss concerns raised by the adoption of the new, more stringent diagnostic criteria for BAL.

Hairy Cell Lymphoma: A Potentially Under-Recognized Entity.

Hairy cell leukemia (HCL) is a low grade B-cell lymphoproliferative disorder that typically presents with splenomegaly, cytopenias, and diffuse bone marrow infiltration. There have been few cases in the literature of HCL presenting as lymphomas in extra-nodal locations, such as soft tissues and bones without circulating leukemic cells, splenomegaly, or iliac crest bone marrow involvement. We present an additional case presenting as a thoracic mass, and discuss potential diagnostic pitfalls and management of these rare cases.

Pharmacologic resistance in colorectal cancer: a review.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) persists as one of the most prevalent and deadly tumor types in both men and women worldwide. This is in spite of widespread, effective measures of preventive screening, and also major advances in treatment options. Despite advances in cytotoxic and targeted therapy, resistance to chemotherapy remains one of the greatest challenges in long-term management of incurable metastatic disease and eventually contributes to death as tumors accumulate means of evading treatment. We performed a comprehensive literature search on the data available through PubMed, Medline, Scopus, and the ASCO Annual Symposium abstracts through June 2015 for the purpose of this review. We discuss the current state of knowledge of clinically relevant mechanisms of resistance to cytotoxic and targeted therapies now in use for the treatment of CRC.

Genomic profiling of high-grade large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the colon.

High-grade neuroendocrine carcinoma (HGNEC) of the colon is a rare and aggressive cancer that has a poor prognosis. Currently no standard treatment exists, and published case series report an overall survival of approximately one year with treatment. Typically patients receive treatment similar to that recommended for small-cell lung cancer, extrapolating from the similarity in cancer biology. Here we report a case of HGNEC of the colon with genomic profiling that identified a KRAS G12D mutation and a PI3K mutation that has not yet been reported in the literature for this tumor type.

Current state of anti-PD-L1 and anti-PD-1 agents in cancer therapy.

Immunotherapy for the treatment of cancer is rapidly evolving from therapies that globally and non-specifically simulate the immune system to more targeted activation of individual components of the immune system. The net result of this targeted approach is decreased toxicity and increased efficacy of immunotherapy. More specifically, therapies that inhibit the interaction between programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1), present on the surface of tumor or antigen-presenting cells, and programmed death 1 (PD-1), present on the surface of activated lymphocytes, are generating much excitement and enthusiasm, even in malignancies that are not traditionally considered to be immunogenic. Herein, we review the current landscape of anti-PD-1 and anti-PD-L1 therapies in the world of oncology. We have performed a comprehensive literature search on the data available through PubMed, Medline, Scopus, the ClinicalTrials.gov registry, and abstracts from major oncology meetings in order to summarize the clinical data of anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapies.