[Delayed diagnosis of hydroa vacciniforme-like lymphoproliferative disorder in a patient with skin rashes].

Chronic active Epstein-Barr virus (CAEBV) infection is characterized by persistent EBV infection and can lead to fatal conditions such as hemophagocytic syndrome and malignant lymphoma through the clonal expansion of EBV-infected T or natural killer (NK) cells. Hydroa vacciniforme lymphoproliferative disorder (HV) and hypersensitivity to mosquito bites (HMB) have been identified as skin diseases in EBV-associated T- or NK-cell lymphoproliferative diseases. We present the case of a 33-year-old man. The patient had frequent episodes of a facial rash for three years before he visited our hospital, he visited several dermatologists but did not receive a diagnosis of HV. He was referred to the hematology department of our hospital for assessment of atypical lymphocytes in peripheral blood. Based on routine blood and bone marrow test we were unable to diagnose HV. However, when the patient's liver function deteriorated six months later, we considered the possibility of HV after reevaluating the skin rash. After performing EBV-related tests, we were able to definitively diagnose CAEBV with HV. It is crucial to be able to connect clinical observations to EBV-related tests when diagnosing CAEBV. Hematologists must be knowledgeable of the EBV-associated skin conditions of HV and HMB.

Organoids transplantation as a new modality to design epithelial signature to create a membrane-protective sulfomucin-enriched segment.

BACKGROUND: The organoids therapy for ulcerative colitis (UC) is under development. It is important to dissect how the engrafted epithelium can provide benefits for overcoming the vulnerability to inflammation. We mainly focused on the deliverability of sulfomucin, which is reported to play an important role in epithelial function. METHODS: We analyzed each segment of colon epithelium to determine differences in sulfomucin production in both mice and human. Subsequently, we transplanted organoids established from sulfomucin-enriched region into the injured recipient epithelium following dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis and analyzed the engrafted epithelium in mouse model. RESULTS: In human normal colon, sulfomucin production was increased in proximal colon, whereas it was decreased in the inflammatory region of UC. In murine colon epithelium, increased sulfomucin production was found in cecum compared to distal small intestine and proximal colon. RNA sequencing analysis revealed that several key genes associated with sulfomucin production such as Papss2 and Slc26a1 were enriched in isolated murine cecum crypts. Then we established murine cecum organoids and transplanted them into the injured epithelium of distal colon. Although the expression of sulfomucin was temporally decreased in cecum organoids, its secretion was restored again in the engrafted patches after transplantation. Finally, we verified a part of mechanisms controlling sulfomucin production in human samples. CONCLUSION: This study illustrated the deliverability of sulfomucin in the disease-relevant grafting model to design sulfomucin-producing epithelial units in severely injured distal colon. The current study is the basis for the better promotion of organoids transplantation therapy for refractory UC.

Factors associated with employment status among mothers of survivors of childhood cancer: a cross-sectional study.

PURPOSE: To identify the factors associated with employment status among mothers of childhood cancer survivors (CCSs). METHODS: We conducted a questionnaire survey on mothers of survivors of childhood cancer to clarify practical factors such as care demands, psychological factors such as motivation to work, and support. After calculating descriptive statistics for all variables, binary logistic regression analysis was performed. RESULTS: Of 171 mothers, 129 (75.4%) were employed. The most common form of employment was non-regular (n = 83; 48.5%), including part-time, dispatched, and fixed-term workers. At the time of the survey, compared with nonworking mothers, working mothers tended to be more motivated to work and have lower scores for "Long-term Uncertainty" on the Parent Experience of Child Illness Scale. The results of the binary logistic regression analysis indicated that employment was related to higher motivation to work, the continuation of employment during treatment, more outpatient visits, and a higher amount of support. CONCLUSION: As employment of CCSs' mothers is associated with psychological factors such as motivation to work and long-term uncertainty, psychological support for CCSs' mothers might promote employment. In addition, because the continuation of employment during treatment affects the employment of mothers after the end of cancer treatment, a leave system that covers the treatment period for childhood cancer needs to be established.

Incidence of second primary cancers among survivors of childhood cancer: A population-based study, Osaka, Japan, 1975-2015.

Second primary cancer (SPC) is one of the most life-threatening late effects of childhood cancers. We investigated the incidence and survival outcomes of SPC in childhood cancer patients in Japan. Data were obtained from the population-based Osaka Cancer Registry. Individuals diagnosed with cancer at age 0-14 years during 1975-2014 and survived 2 months or longer were followed through December 2015. The risk of developing SPC was assessed with standardized incidence ratio (SIR), excess absolute risk (EAR, per 100,000 person-years), and cumulative incidence. Multivariable Poisson regression analysis was carried out to assess relative risks of SPC by treatment method. Survival analysis was undertaken using the Kaplan-Meier method. Of 7229 childhood cancer survivors, 101 (1.4%) developed SPC after a median of 11.6 years. Overall SIR was 5.0, which corresponded with 84.3 EAR. The cumulative incidence was 0.9%, 2.1%, and 3.4% at 10, 20, and 30 years, respectively. Among all SPCs, the type that contributed most to the overall burden was cancers in the central nervous system (EAR = 28.0) followed by digestive system (EAR = 15.1), thyroid (EAR = 8.3), and bones and joints (EAR = 7.8); median latency ranged from 2.0 years (lymphomas) to 26.6 years (skin cancers). Patients treated with radiotherapy alone were at a 2.58-fold increased risk of developing SPC compared to those who received neither chemotherapy nor radiotherapy. Among patients who developed SPCs, 5-year and 10-year survival probabilities after SPC diagnosis were 61.7% and 52.0%, respectively. Risk-based long-term follow-up planning is essential to inform survivorship care and help reduce the burden of SPCs in childhood cancer survivors.

A Report of a Case With Pediatric Ovarian Steroid Cell Tumor, Not Otherwise Specified, Found With Precocious Puberty.

A 4-year-old girl was admitted to our hospital because of precocious puberty. Radiologic findings revealed a fist-sized solid tumor in the left ovary without ascites, peritoneal dissemination, and distant metastasis. The patient underwent left salpingo-oophorectomy without spillage. The size of the excised tumor was 10.0×9.0×4.8 cm. On pathologic examination, the tumor was diagnosed as an ovarian steroid cell tumor, not otherwise specified. In the present case, although the diameter of the tumor (>7 cm) and three mitoses per 10 high-power fields represented some potential for malignancy, we opted for careful observation without chemotherapy as the tumor was of clinical stage Ia.

Collagen type I-mediated mechanotransduction controls epithelial cell fate conversion during intestinal inflammation.

BACKGROUND: The emerging concepts of fetal-like reprogramming following tissue injury have been well recognized as an important cue for resolving regenerative mechanisms of intestinal epithelium during inflammation. We previously revealed that the remodeling of mesenchyme with collagen fibril induces YAP/TAZ-dependent fate conversion of intestinal/colonic epithelial cells covering the wound bed towards fetal-like progenitors. To fully elucidate the mechanisms underlying the link between extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling of mesenchyme and fetal-like reprogramming of epithelial cells, it is critical to understand how collagen type I influence the phenotype of epithelial cells. In this study, we utilize collagen sphere, which is the epithelial organoids cultured in purified collagen type I, to understand the mechanisms of the inflammatory associated reprogramming. Resolving the entire landscape of regulatory networks of the collagen sphere is useful to dissect the reprogrammed signature of the intestinal epithelium. METHODS: We performed microarray, RNA-seq, and ATAC-seq analyses of the murine collagen sphere in comparison with Matrigel organoid and fetal enterosphere (FEnS). We subsequently cultured human colon epithelium in collagen type I and performed RNA-seq analysis. The enriched genes were validated by gene expression comparison between published gene sets and immunofluorescence in pathological specimens of ulcerative colitis (UC). RESULTS: The murine collagen sphere was confirmed to have inflammatory and regenerative signatures from RNA-seq analysis. ATAC-seq analysis confirmed that the YAP/TAZ-TEAD axis plays a central role in the induction of the distinctive signature. Among them, TAZ has implied its relevant role in the process of reprogramming and the ATAC-based motif analysis demonstrated not only Tead proteins, but also Fra1 and Runx2, which are highly enriched in the collagen sphere. Additionally, the human collagen sphere also showed a highly significant enrichment of both inflammatory and fetal-like signatures. Immunofluorescence staining confirmed that the representative genes in the human collagen sphere were highly expressed in the inflammatory region of ulcerative colitis. CONCLUSIONS: Collagen type I showed a significant influence in the acquisition of the reprogrammed inflammatory signature in both mice and humans. Dissection of the cell fate conversion and its mechanisms shown in this study can enhance our understanding of how the epithelial signature of inflammation is influenced by the ECM niche.

Karnofsky performance status and visual analogue scale scores are simple indicators for quality of life in long-term AYA survivors who received allogeneic hematopoietic stem cells transplantation in childhood.

The purpose of this study was to investigate Karnofsky performance status (KPS) scores and visual analogue scale (VAS) scores to explain which domains in the standardized self-reported quality of life (QOL) are instrumental for long-term hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) survivors. We conducted a nationwide cross-sectional questionnaire study on 221 survivors with allogeneic-HSCT in 28 pediatric centers. Patient-reported QOL was assessed at a single time point using the 36-item Short-Form Survey (SF-36), the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Bone Marrow Transplant (FACT-BMT), and VAS scores. KPS scores were significantly correlated with both physical and role component summary scores of the SF-36, while the VAS provided by the patient (VASpt) was significantly correlated with the mental component summary score of the SF-36 and many subscales of the FACT-BMT. The VAS provided by the participants' attending physician (VASdoc) was correlated well with KPS scores. A VASpt score more than 40% lower than KPS scores suggested mental health problems. In conclusion, KPS scores might be considered as an indicator for physical and role/social components and VASpt score as an indicator for mental components and HSCT-specific QOL.

Effect of Cryopreservation in Unrelated Bone Marrow and Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation in the Era of the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Update from the Japan Marrow Donor Program.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, donor grafts are frequently cryopreserved to ensure that a graft is available before starting a conditioning regimen. However, there have been conflicting reports on the effect of cryopreservation on transplantation outcomes. Also, the impact of cryopreservation may differ in bone marrow (BM) transplantation (BMT) and peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) transplantation (PBSCT). In this retrospective study, we analyzed the clinical data of both cryopreserved unrelated BMTs (n = 235) and PBSCTs (n = 118) and compared these with data from a large control cohort without cryopreservation including 4133 BMTs and 720 PBSCTs. Among the patients with cryopreserved grafts, 10 BMT recipients (4.3%) and 3 PBSCT recipients (2.5%) did not achieve neutrophil engraftment after transplantation, including 4 of the former and all 3 of the latter who died early before engraftment. In a multivariate analysis, cryopreservation was not associated with neutrophil engraftment in BMT but significantly delayed neutrophil engraftment in PBSCT (hazard ratio [HR], .82; 95% confidence interval [CI], .69 to .97; P = .023). There was an interaction with borderline significance between cryopreservation and the stem cell source (P = .067). Platelet engraftment was delayed by cryopreservation after both BMT and PBSCT. Only 2 cryopreserved grafts (<1%) were unused during the study period. The cryopreservation of unrelated donor BM and PBSC grafts is associated with a slight delay in neutrophil and platelet engraftment but an acceptable rate of graft failure. PBSC grafts may be more sensitive to cryopreservation than BM grafts. Cryopreservation is a reasonable option during COVID-19 pandemic, provided that the apheresis and transplantation centers are adept at cryopreservation. © 2022 American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Risk factors and prognosis of non-infectious pulmonary complications after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Non-infectious pulmonary complications (NIPCs) following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) are relatively rare, but frequently fatal. This study investigated the pre-transplant risk factors for developing NIPCs using Japanese transplant registry database entries from 2001 to 2009. Among 13,573 eligible patients, 535 experienced NIPCs (3.9%). Multivariate analysis identified high recipient age (60 + years: HR 1.85, P = 0.003), HLA mismatch (HR 1.61, P < 0.001), female to male HSCT (HR 1.54, P < 0.001), and unrelated bone marrow transplantation (UR-BMT) (HR 3.88, P < 0.001) as significantly associated with an increased risk of NIPCs. In contrast, a non-total body irradiation (TBI) regimen with reduced intensity conditioning (RIC) were associated with a decreased risk of NIPCs compared with a cyclophosphamide (CY) + TBI regimen (busulfan + CY: HR 0.67, P = 0.009, other non-TBI: HR 0.46, P < 0.001), fludarabine-based RIC (HR 0.52, P < 0.001), and other RIC (HR 0.42, P = 0.003). The mortality rate was significantly worse for patients with NIPCs than those without (HR 1.54, 71 P < 0.001). This large-scale retrospective study suggests that both allo-reactions to donor cells and conditioning regimen toxicity contributed to NIPCs following HSCT.

Successful Surgical Resection and Chemotherapy for Unresectable Hepatoblastoma With Pulmonary Metastases and for Lung Recurrence After Liver Transplantation: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND: Liver transplantation (LTx) is indicated for unresectable hepatoblastoma (HB) without distal metastasis. However, to our knowledge, there is no consensus on the management of unresectable HB with pulmonary metastases, or on the treatment of recurrent HB. We report a successful case of metastatic HB treated with repeated lung resection, chemotherapy, and LTx. This study strictly complied with the Helsinki Congress and the Istanbul Declaration regarding donor source. CASE REPORT: Our case was a 1-year-old boy who developed pre-treatment extent of disease (PRETEXT) Ⅲ HB with multiple pulmonary metastases. The liver tumor was unresectable because it involved all hepatic veins. After 3 cycles of chemotherapy (cisplatin/carboplatin plus doxorubicin), the remaining 2 pulmonary metastases were resected and living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) was performed. Five months after LDLT, a tumor recurrence was detected in the right lung. Repeat lung resection was performed followed by 1 cycle of chemotherapy (carboplatin plus doxorubicin). There has been no recurrence for 18 months since the last lung resection. DISCUSSION: Previous reports revealed that 14 patients, including the present case, underwent LTx after resection of metastatic HB pulmonary lesions. Of these patients, the 2-year survival rate after LTx was 91%. Recurrence was reported in 5 patients, 2 of whom were successfully treated with repeated resection of the metastatic lesions. LTx after resection of lung recurrence may be a potential treatment for unresectable HB with pulmonary metastases.

HLA-haploidentical peripheral blood stem cell transplantation following reduced-intensity conditioning with very low-dose antithymocyte globulin for relapsed/refractory acute leukemia in pediatric patients: a single-institution retrospective analysis.

The prognosis of relapsed/refractory (R/R) pediatric acute leukemia is extremely poor. We retrospectively reviewed 20 consecutive pediatric patients with R/R acute leukemia who underwent a first HLA-haploidentical peripheral blood stem cell transplantation following reduced-intensity conditioning (haplo-RIC-PBSCT) with very low-dose antithymocyte globulin (ATG) between 2012 and 2019. Of these 20 patients, 7 patients had acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and 13 had acute myeloid leukemia. At the time of haplo-RIC-PBSCT, 15 patients had active disease. The median follow-up duration for survivors was 56 months (range 22-108 months). Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis consisted of tacrolimus, short-term methotrexate, methylprednisolone, and ATG 1.25 mg/kg on day-2. The 2-year cumulative incidence of transplant-related mortality and relapse were 5.0% [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.7-30.5%)] and 57.8% (95% CI 37.4-79.6%), respectively. Among the 20 patients, 16 (80.0%) developed grade III-IV acute GVHD, and 2 developed severe chronic GVHD. The 2-year event-free survival and overall survival rates were 40.0% (95% CI 19.3-60.0%) and 50.0% (95% CI 27.1-69.2%), respectively. Although the sample size is small, the survival outcomes of the present study are encouraging.

Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation for Inborn Errors of Immunity Other than Severe Combined Immunodeficiency in Japan: Retrospective Analysis for 1985-2016.

PURPOSE: Hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is a curative therapy for most patients with inborn errors of immunity (IEI). We conducted a nationwide study on HCT for patients with IEI other than severe combined immunodeficiency (non-SCID) in Japan. METHODS: Data from the Japanese national database (Transplant Registry Unified Management Program, TRUMP) for 566 patients with non-SCID IEI, who underwent their first HCT between 1985 and 2016, were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: The 10-year overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS) were 74% and 64%, respectively. The 10-year OS for HCT from unrelated bone marrow (URBM), accounting for 39% of HCTs, was comparable to that for HCT from matched sibling donor (MSD), 79% and 81%, respectively. HCT from unrelated cord blood (URCB), accounting for 28% of HCTs, was also common, with a 10-year OS of 69% but less robust engraftment. The intensity of conditioning was not associated with OS or neutrophil recovery; however, myeloablative conditioning was more frequently associated with infection-related death. Patients who received myeloablative irradiation showed poor OS. Multivariate analyses revealed that HCT in 1985-1995 (hazard ratio [HR], 2.0; P = 0.03), URCB (HR, 2.0; P = 0.01), and related donor other than MSD (ORD) (HR, 2.9; P < 0.001) were associated with poor OS, and URCB (HR, 3.6; P < 0.001) and ORD (HR, 2.7; P = 0.02) showed a higher incidence of retransplantation. CONCLUSIONS: We present the 1985-2016 status of HCT for non-SCID IEI in Japan with sufficient statistical power, highlighting the potential of URBM as an alternative donor and the feasibility of reduced intensity conditioning.

Impact of chronic GVHD on QOL assessed by visual analogue scale in pediatric HSCT survivors and differences between raters: a cross-sectional observational study in Japan.

A nationwide cross-sectional survey was conducted in long-term survivors of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in childhood to investigate the effect of chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) on quality of life (QOL) and differences in QOL assessments between raters. QOL was evaluated by a visual analogue scale (VAS). Assessments were compared between the survivor, guardian, and attending pediatrician for those aged 15 years or younger, and between the survivor and attending pediatrician for those aged 16 years or older. For cGVHD, severity scores were obtained by organ and their association with the VAS score was analyzed. The average pediatrician-rated VAS score was higher than that of other raters for both patient age groups (< 15 years and > 16 years). By organ, involvement of the skin, digestive organs, and joints in GVHD affected the VAS scores. A high joint score was associated with a low VAS score, and conversely, a high lung score was associated with a low pediatrician-rated VAS score. Our results indicate that differences between raters must be considered when evaluating QOL of HSCT survivors, because patients appeared to experience grater inconvenience and difficulties due to joint GVHD than their pediatricians perceived.

Cancer in adolescents and young adults in Japan: epidemiology and cancer strategy.

According to national cancer registry data in Japan, approximately 20,000 adolescents and young adults (AYAs, age 15-39 years) are newly diagnosed with cancer each year. Improvements in treatment and care for AYAs with cancer are included in the Phase Three Basic Plan to Promote Cancer Control Programs in Japan. This article reviews current cancer incidence and survival for AYAs with cancer in Japan using population-based cancer registry data. Mortality data through 2019 from the Vital Statistics of Japan are also described. Encouragingly, the 5-year survival probability for AYA cancers has continued to improve, in parallel with childhood cancers, and the mortality rate has decreased. There has been increasing attention to these vulnerable patients and improved partnerships and collaboration between adult and pediatric oncology; however, obstacles to the care of this population still exist at multiple levels. These obstacles relate to specific areas: research efforts and enrollment in clinical trials on AYA malignancies, AYA-specific psychosocial support such as education, financial support, and oncofertility care, and cancer care systems. It is important for Japanese oncologists, health care providers, and health policy makers to recognize that the AYA population remains vulnerable and still have unmet needs.

Beta-human chorionic gonadotropin-producing neuroblastoma: an unrecognized cause of gonadotropin-independent precocious puberty.

The pathogenesis of gonadotropin-independent precocious puberty (PP) includes both congenital and acquired forms, the latter of which may be associated with neoplasms, such as sex-steroid hormone-producing tumors. Beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (ß-hCG)-producing tumors also cause gonadotropin-independent PP by stimulating the production of testosterone in Leydig cells. Germ cell tumors and hepatoblastoma both produce ß-hCG; however, there is limited evidence to show that gonadotropin-independent PP is caused by other ß-hCG-producing tumors. We herein report the first case of ß-hCG-producing neuroblastoma associated with the development of gonadotropin-independent PP. A 2-year-old boy presented with an increased penile length, enlargement of the testes, pigmentation of the external genitalia, and growth acceleration. Imaging, blood, and urinary examinations revealed the presence of neuroblastoma in the right adrenal region. Decreased levels of luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone with an increased testosterone level were indicative of gonadotropin-independent PP. Since serum ß-hCG was elevated, ß-hCG-producing neuroblastoma was suspected. Histological findings of the resected tumor were compatible with neuroblastoma. An immunohistochemical analysis using serial sections revealed staining for ß-hCG in synaptophysin-positive cells. Furthermore, immunofluorescence showed the co-staining of ß-hCG with neuron-specific enolase. These results suggested that ß-hCG was produced by tumor cells. Surgical removal of the tumor promptly normalized serum ß-hCG and testosterone levels. In conclusion, we propose the addition of neuroblastoma to the list of differential diagnoses of gonadotropin-independent PP with ß-hCG positivity in serum that includes germ cell tumors and hepatoblastoma.

Radiation-sparing reduced-intensity unrelated umbilical cord blood transplantation for rare hematological disorders in children.

Graft failure is a major pitfall of unrelated umbilical cord blood transplantation (CBT) in children with rare hematological disorders other than acute leukemia, such as acquired and inherited bone marrow failure, myelodysplastic syndrome, juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia, and chronic myeloid leukemia. We developed a less-toxic conditioning regimen for CBT that achieves a higher rate of complete donor chimerism, and retrospectively compared it against two other conditioning regimens for CBT performed at our single institution. The engraftment rate with complete donor chimerism was 100% and 5-year event-free survival (5y-EFS) was 90.9% in patients using our latest regimen (n = 11) of reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) containing fludarabine (Flu) 180 mg/m2, melphalan (MEL) 210 mg/m2, and low-dose rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin (LD-rATG) 2.5 mg/kg without irradiation (regimen C). Outcomes were better than in patients (n = 10) treated with previous regimens involving irradiation (5y-EFS 30.0%, p = 0.004): regimen A, consisting of myeloablative conditioning containing cyclophosphamide (CY) and total body irradiation (TBI) with 8-12 Gy, or regimen B, consisting of RIC with Flu, CY, horse ATG, and thoracoabdominal irradiation (TAI) with 6 Gy. In conclusion, Flu/MEL/LD-rATG (regimen C) without TBI/TAI may be preferable as RIC for unrelated CBT in children with rare hematological disorders.

Characterization of PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint expression in the pathogenesis of musculoskeletal Langerhans cell histiocytosis: A retrospective study.

ABSTRACT: Recent data suggest that programmed cell death -1 (PD-1) and programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) are involved in the pathogenesis of Langerhans cell histiocytoma (LCH); however, their contributions are not well established. Also, the involvement of PD-1/PD-L1 molecules in musculoskeletal LCH remains particularly unclear. The current study aims to characterize the involvement of PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint system in the pathogenesis of musculoskeletal LCH. PD-1/PD-L1 expression was evaluated in 6 patients, 3 men and 3 women with a mean age of 13.5 years, with musculoskeletal LCH who were treated at Kindai University Hospital and Osaka Women's and Children's Hospital between November 2005 and December 2020. The median follow-up period for all patients with musculoskeletal LCH was 41 months. We surveyed symptoms, number of lesions, treatment modality, and outcomes. Immunostaining for CD4, CD8, PD-1, and PD-L1 was also performed on pathological specimens obtained by biopsy. Multiple lesions were observed in 5 cases, and a single lesion was observed in 1 case. The chief complaint in 5 cases was pain. Four patients underwent spontaneous regression. The other 2 patients received chemotherapy. The outcomes included continuous disease-free (n = 5) and alive with the disease (n = 1). The CD4-, CD8-, PD-1-, and PD-L1-positive rates among all specimens were 100%, 100%, 16.6%, and 83.3%, respectively. The CD4/PD-L1, CD8/PD-L1, and PD-1/PD-L1 positive rates in all the specimens were 83.3%, 83.3%, and 16.6%, respectively. We believe that the PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint molecules may play some role in the microenvironment of musculoskeletal LCH.

Results of mass screening for neuroblastoma in 18-month-old infants in Osaka area, Japan.

PURPOSE: In 2004, the Japanese government halted nationwide mass screening for neuroblastoma in 6-month-old infants as it led to overdiagnosis of localized tumors with favorable prognoses and failed to reduce neuroblastoma-related mortality. However, a new mass screening program for neuroblastoma in 18-month-old infants (18MS) was conducted in the Osaka prefecture. We assessed the efficacy of the 18MS in screening unfavorable cases. METHODS: Public health centers in Osaka prefecture, excluding the Osaka city area, provided test kits to the guardians of infants who received a check-up at 18 months of age between 2004 and 2017. For patients whose standardized urinary levels of vanillylmandelic acid or homovanillic acid exceeded the threshold, they were further examined and treated in two specific hospitals Osaka University Hospital and Osaka Women's and Children's Hospital. Screening-positive patients with and without neuroblastoma were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Among 142,423 children screened during the 18MS, 85 tested positive, and 14 were diagnosed with neuroblastoma. Twelve patients were classified as very low risk, while 2 were classified as high risk, based on the International Neuroblastoma Risk Group risk classification. CONCLUSION: The 18MS did not screen unfavorable cases with neuroblastoma efficiently, although few participants benefited from it.

Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation for Severe Combined Immunodeficiency Patients: a Japanese Retrospective Study.

PURPOSE: Hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is a curative therapy for patients with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID). Here, we conducted a nationwide study to assess the outcome of SCID patients after HCT in Japan. METHODS: A cohort of 181 SCID patients undergoing their first allogeneic HCT in 1974-2016 was studied by using the Japanese national database (Transplant Registry Unified Management Program, TRUMP). RESULTS: The 10-year overall survival (OS) of the patients who received HCT in 2006-2016 was 67%. Umbilical cord blood (UCB) transplantation was performed in 81 patients (45%). The outcomes of HCT from HLA-matched UCB (n = 21) and matched sibling donors (n = 22) were comparable, including 10-year OS (91% vs. 91%), neutrophil recovery (cumulative incidence at 30 days, 89% vs. 100%), and platelet recovery (cumulative incidence at 60 days, 89% vs. 100%). Multivariate analysis of the patients who received HCT in 2006-2016 demonstrated that the following factors were associated with poor OS: bacterial or fungal infection at HCT (hazard ratio (HR): 3.8, P = 0.006), cytomegalovirus infection prior to HCT (HR: 9.4, P = 0.03), ≥ 4 months of age at HCT (HR: 25.5, P = 0.009), and mismatched UCB (HR: 19.8, P = 0.01). CONCLUSION: We showed the potential of HLA-matched UCB as a donor source with higher priority for SCID patients. We also demonstrated that early age at HCT without active infection is critical for a better prognosis, highlighting the importance of newborn screening for SCID.

Cryopreservation of Unrelated Hematopoietic Stem Cells from a Blood and Marrow Donor Bank During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Nationwide Survey by the Japan Marrow Donor Program.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, donor hematopoietic stem cell grafts are frequently cryopreserved to ensure the availability of graft before starting a conditioning regimen. However, the safety of cryopreservation has been controversial in unrelated hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), especially for bone marrow (BM) grafts. In addition, in unrelated HSCT, the effect of the time from harvest to cryopreservation of donor grafts required for the transportation of donor graft has not been fully clarified. In this study, we retrospectively analyzed the first 112 patients with available data who underwent cryopreserved unrelated blood and marrow transplantation through the Japan Marrow Donor Program during the COVID-19 pandemic. There were 112 patients, including 83 who received BM grafts and 29 who received peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) grafts. The median time from stem cell harvest to cryopreservation was 9.9 hours (range, 2.6 to 44.0 hours), and the median time from cryopreservation to infusion was 231.2 hours. The incidence of neutrophil engraftment at day 28 after HSCT was 91.1%, and among 109 patients (excluding 3 patients with early death), all but 1 patient achieved neutrophil engraftment within 60 days after HSCT. The time to neutrophil engraftment and time to platelet engraftment were shorter in PBSC transplantation compared with BM transplantation (BMT), but the differences were not statistically significant (P = .064 and .18). Multivariate analysis among BM recipients revealed that a higher number of frozen nucleated cells and the absence of HLA mismatch were associated with faster neutrophil engraftment. The time to neutrophil engraftment after unrelated cryopreserved BMT was not different from that after unrelated BMT without cryopreservation. Our findings suggest that unrelated donor BM and PBSC grafts can be safely cryopreserved even after transit from the harvest center to the transplantation center. In the current COVID-19 pandemic, cryopreservation can be considered as an option while balancing the risks and benefits of the procedure.