Reduced Corticosteroid Exposure Is Safe and Does Not Reduce Disease Control among Hodgkin Lymphoma Patients Treated with Escalated BEACOPP (eBEACOPP).

Background and Objectives: eBEACOPP is the most effective chemotherapy regimen for younger patients with early unfavorable (EU) and advanced-stage (AS) Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), albeit with significant toxicities. The 14-day/cycle prednisone course contributes to side effects, including osteoarticular events like avascular bone necrosis (AVN). Our center has been using eBEACOPP since 2009 for AS and 2014 for EU patients. In 2016, we reduced prednisone treatment to 7-10 days to lessen AVN risk. We analyzed the effects of this approach. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively collected data on patients who received at least two cycles of eBEACOPP for first-line HL treatment. Results: A total of 162 patients (33 EU, 129 AS) were included. Their median age was 31 (range 19-59 years), and 88 were males. A total of 94 patients received full corticosteroid courses, and 68 received reduced corticosteroid courses. The overall response rate (ORR) was 98%. Different corticosteroid dosings had no significant effect on ORR, febrile neutropenia episodes, or hospital admissions. After a median follow-up (mFU) of 58 months, the 5yPFS for the entire cohort was 98% vs. 95% for the standard course vs. the short corticosteroids course, respectively (p = 0.37), while the 5yOS was 98% vs. 99% for the standard course vs. short corticosteroids course, respectively (p = 0.87). In AS patients intended to be treated with six eBEACOPP cycles, 5yPFS and 5yOS were 100% vs. 97% and 100% vs. 99% for standard vs. short corticosteroid courses, respectively (p = 0.56 and p = 0.17). In EU patients, 5yPFS was 97% (standard) vs. 95% (short) (p = 0.98) and 5yOS 100% vs. 93.3% (p = 0.87). Osteoarticular events were numerically lower in patients receiving the shorter prednisone course, both in the whole cohort and in the subgroup of patients treated with six cycles of eBEACOPP, but this difference failed to reach statistical significance. Conclusions: eBEACOPP provides excellent and durable first-line disease control. Shortening the corticosteroid course does not compromise efficacy, potentially reducing toxicity. However, longer follow-ups and larger studies are needed for confirmation.

R-CHOEP14 in younger high-risk patients with large B cell lymphoma: an effective front-line regimen with cardiac toxicity: a real-life, single-center experience.

Currently, there is no consensus regarding optimal front-line treatment for younger high-risk patients with large B cell lymphoma. American recommendations list only R-CHOP as standard, while European also include R-ACVBP and R-CHOEP14. We have been routinely using the latter regimen at our institution since 2011 and performed this retrospective real-life single-center study to analyze outcomes. Between September 2011 and April 2019, 66 newly diagnosed patients aged 18 to 60 years with B-large cell lymphoma and high-risk age-adjusted International Prognostic Index score were scheduled to receive 6 or 8 cycles of bi-weekly chemoimmunotherapy with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, etoposide, steroids, and rituximab (R-CHOEP14). After a median follow-up of 4.7 years, the estimated 3-year progression-free survival was 87% (95% CI 80-96%) and 3-year overall survival 90% (95% CI 83-98%). Grade ≥ 3 hematological side effects occurred in 83% and infectious in 41% of patients; one patient died of toxicity. Grade ≥ 2 cardiac toxicity occurred in 21% of patients, more frequently than previously reported. The cumulative 5-year risk of congestive heart failure with all-cause mortality as the competing risk was 17%. R-CHOEP14 is a very effective and manageable regimen for younger high-risk patients with B-large cell lymphoma, but the risk of cardiotoxicity warrants further investigations.

Glomerular filtration rate is an independent prognostic factor in patients with B-large cell lymphoma.

Chronic kidney dysfunction is associated with increased mortality in multiple cancer types. Preliminary evidence suggests the same to be true for B-large cell lymphomas (B-LCL). To analyze the relationship of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and outcome of B-LCL in detail we collected data on outcomes of 285 consecutive patients with newly diagnosed B-LCL treated at our institution with standard rituximab-containing regimens who did not have preexisting kidney disease or urinary tract obstruction at presentation. Median age was 59, range 18 to 87, 145 were male and 140 females. Forty-four had GFR < 60 mL/min, 123 had 60 to 90 mL/min, and 118 > 90 mL/min. Median follow-up of surviving patients was 49 months and estimated 3-year survival 76%. In univariate analysis age (P < .001), GFR (P = .014), stage (P < .001), performance status (P = .044), chemotherapy regimen (P < .01), and international prognostic index (IPI) (P < .001) were statistically significant prognostic factors. In multivariate analysis, age and GFR remained the only independent prognostic factors. Subtracting 1 from the IPI score of patients who had GFR > 90 mL/min and IPI > 1 resulted in a prognostic index that divides patients into 3 prognostic groups (low risk = 0-1, intermediate risk = 2-3 and high risk = 4-5) with an acceptable patient distribution frequency (38%, 39%, and 23%, respectively) and improved statistical significance and separation in comparison to IPI (5-year survival rates of 92%, 74%, and 42%, respectively). GFR is an important independent prognostic factor for B-LCL that should be taken into account in clinical decision making and data analysis and probably be incorporated in prognostic indices.

F-18 FDG PET/CT in pulmonary artery sarcoma: clinical vignette.

Pulmonary artery sarcomas (PAS's) are extremely rare malignant tumors that arise from the endothelial lining of the pulmonary arteries. On CT scans PAS's appear as intraluminal filling defects in the pulmonary arteries, mimicking pulmonary embolism (PE). Due to the similarities in radiographic features as well as in clinical presentation, PAS's are usually misdiagnosed as pulmonary embolism. Since PASs are F-18 FDG avid, F-18 FDG PET/CT scan is a useful imaging tool for differentiating between these two conditions, as shown in this case report. We report a case of a 60-year-old woman presented with a 6-month history of chest pain, dyspnea on exertion, non-productive cough and weight loss. The initial CT pulmonary artery angiography showed extensive intraluminal mass in the pulmonary trunk and left pulmonary artery, diagnosed as massive pulmonary embolism. Since there was no clinical improvement after anticoagulant therapy, CT pulmonary angiography was repeated, and with no change observed in the intraluminal filling defect in pulmonary trunk, the possibility of tumor was raised. For further evaluation of a possible malignancy, F-18 FDG PET/CT was performed. It showed increased FDG uptake, suspicious for an aggressive tumor, in the intraluminal lesion of the pulmonary trunk and along the wall of the left pulmonary artery. There was no extrathoracic abnormality seen on PET/CT scan. Histopathological finding after complete pulmonary artery resection showed high grade undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma. F-18 FDG PET/CT is a useful tool for differentiating between pulmonary embolism and malignant intraluminal mass, and at the same time it enables the proper staging of the malignancy. < p > < /p >.

Parathyroid carcinoma in pregnancy.

A 24-year-old female patient with parathyroid carcinoma, the rarest endocrine malignancy, had two pregnancies. In the first pregnancy, she had severe nausea and fatigue. Hypercalcemia and hyperparathyroidism were diagnosed in the postpartum period. Hyperemesis gravidarum masked a diagnosis of hypercalcemia. Neck ultrasound and Tc-99m sestamibi found an enlarged lower right parathyroid gland. The gland was surgically removed, and an initial pathology report described atypical adenoma. Shortly afterward, she became pregnant again. During the second pregnancy, her calcium level was frequently controlled but was always in the normal range. Normocalcemia is explained by the specific physiology of pregnancy accompanied by hemodilution, hypoalbuminemia and maternal hypercalciuria (mediated by increased glomerular filtration). During lactation, calcium levels rose, and a new neck ultrasound showed a solitary mass in the area of prior surgery and an enlarged pretracheal lymph node. Fine needle aspiration of the solitary mass and node showed parathyroid carcinoma cells. The tumor mass was resected en bloc with the contiguous tissues and surrounding lymph nodes (pathology report; parathyroid carcinoma with metastases). Over the next five years, four consecutive surgeries were performed to remove malignant parathyroid tissue, lymph nodes and local metastases. Following the surgical procedures, no hypocalcemia was observed. More serious hypercalcemia recurred; the calcium level was difficult to control with a combination of pamidronate, cinacalcet and loop diuretic. No elements of multiple endocrine neoplasia were present.

Usefulness of low iodine diet in managing patients with differentiated thyroid cancer - initial results.

BACKGROUND: Low iodine diet (LID) is recommended in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer before radioiodine administration. Patients with increased thyroglobulin (Tg) level, but negative (131)I whole body scan present diagnostic and therapeutic dilemma. This study was designed to evaluate the benefit of a two-week LID in patients with elevated serum Tg levels and negative (131)I whole body scans. PATIENTS AND METHODS.: For the impact assessment of two-week LID on radioiodine tissue avidity, radioiodine scans before and after LID were compared. Sixteen patients with serum Tg > 2 µg/L, negative Tg-antibodies, and negative radioiodine scans underwent two-week LID before the (131)I administration. Fourteen patients underwent diagnostic scanning and two patients received radioiodine therapy. Iodine concentration in the morning urine specimens were measured in each patient, a day before and 15(th) day after starting LID. RESULTS: Following self-managed LID, patients were able to significantly reduce their iodine body content by 50% (range 28-65%, p<0,001). 13 patients (82%) accomplished mild iodine deficiency (50-99 µg/L) and one patient (6%) achieved targeted moderate iodine deficient state (<50 µg/L). All diagnostic post-LID scans were negative. Both post-therapy (131)I scans showed radioiodine accumulation outside of normal (131)I distribution (neck region and diffuse hepatic uptake). This study demonstrated that two-week LID is effective way to decrease total body iodine content, although without a visible effect on post-LID diagnostic (131)I scans. CONCLUSIONS: A more stringent dietary protocol and longer iodine restriction period are probably needed to achieve targeted moderate iodine deficiency in patients preparing for (131)I administration. This might result in higher radioiodine avidity of thyroid remnant/metastases.