Long-term effectiveness and safety of high dose chemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell transplantation in daily practice in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

We retrospectively evaluated long-term outcomes of high dose chemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell transplant (HDC/ASCT) in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Between 2004 and 2020, 46 DLBCL patients received HDC/ASCT in our institution, including 12 patients (26.1%), who received as an upfront setting (UFS). At a median follow-up time of 69 months (range, 2-169 months), the 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) rates were 82.5% (95%CI, 46.1-95.3%) in the UFS, and 57.8% (95%CI, 38.1-73.2%) in the relapsed or refractory (R/R) patients (n=34), respectively. The 5-year PFS rates were 62.3% (95%CI, 34.0-81.3%) in primary resistant (n=13) or early relapsing (within 1 year from the initial diagnosis) patients (n=4), and 53.3% (95%CI, 25.9-74.6%) in those relapsing >1 year after the initial diagnosis (n=17), with no statistically significant difference (p=0.498). In R/R patients, multivariate analysis showed that the remission status before HDC/ASCT was an independent poor prognostic factor for progression-free survival (hazard ratio [HR], 17.0; 95%CI, 3.35-86.6; p=0.000630) and high-risk category in the international prognostic index for OS (HR, 9.39; 95%CI, 1.71-51.6; p=0.0100). The incidence of non-relapse mortality by 5 years, and 10 years were 12.2%, and 15.2%, respectively. Eleven patients (23.9%) developed second malignancies, which was the most frequent late complication after HDC/ASCT, with 5-year, and 10-year cumulative incidence of 16.9%, 22.5%, respectively. In conclusion, HDC/ASCT is effective for chemo-sensitive R/R DLBCL regardless of the timing and lines of therapy. However, careful observation is required, considering the long-term complications such as secondary malignancies.

Targeted therapy for medullary and extramedullary relapse of FLT3-ITD acute myeloid leukemia following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

We report a case with extramedullary tumors affecting the supraclavicular region that presented as a relapse of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with FLT3-ITD mutation after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). Treatment with gilteritinib resulted in remarkable response with disappearance of both the medullary and extramedullary tumors. Subsequently, a 2nd allo-HSCT was performed in an attempt to cure his AML and complete molecular response has been sustained with gilteritinib resumption without worsening GVHD. Targeted therapy with gilteritinib for medullary and extramedullary relapse of FLT3-ITD AML could be effective and suitable as a bridging therapy for allo-HSCT.

Epstein-Barr Virus-Induced Post-Transplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder of the Central Nervous System Successfully Treated with Chemo-immunotherapy.

Aplastic anemia is a rare blood disease characterized by the destruction of the hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) in the bone marrow that, in the majority of cases, is caused by an autoimmune reaction. Patients with aplastic anemia are treated with immunosuppressive drugs and some of them, especially younger individuals with a donor available, can be successfully treated with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). We report here a rare case of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) reactivation in a 30-year-old female patient who underwent allogeneic HSCT for severe aplastic anemia. The PTLD, which was diagnosed 230 days after transplantation, was localized exclusively in the central nervous system (specifically in the choroid plexus) and manifested with obvious signs of intracranial hypertension. After receiving three cycles of high dose methotrexate (HD-MTX) combined with rituximab, the patient achieved a complete clinical recovery with normalization of blood cell counts, no evidence of EBV reactivation, and no associated neurotoxicity.