Vitamin D deficiency and supplementation in patients with aggressive B-cell lymphomas treated with immunochemotherapy.

Vitamin D deficiency has been reported to be a negative prognostic factor in elderly patients with aggressive B-cell lymphomas. In vitro data suggest that vitamin D supplementation may enhance rituximab-mediated cytotoxicity. We prospectively assessed 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels at diagnosis in a cohort of 155 patients with aggressive B-cell lymphomas of whom 128 had diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) not otherwise specified. 25(OH)D levels were deficient (<20 ng/mL) in 105 (67%), insufficient (20-29 ng/mL) in 32 (21%), and normal (≥30 ng/mL) in 18 (12%) patients with a seasonal variation. Patient characteristics associated with lower 25(OH)D levels were poor performance status, overweight, B-symptoms, elevated LDH, lower albumin and hemoglobin levels. As a result of a change in practice pattern, 116 patients received vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) supplementation that included a loading phase with daily replacement and subsequent maintenance phase with a weekly dose of 25,000 IU until end of treatment. This resulted in a significant increase in 25(OH)D levels, with normalization in 56% of patients. We analyzed the impact of 25(OH)D levels on event-free survival in patients treated with Rituximab-CHOP. 25(OH)D levels below 20 ng/mL at diagnosis and IPI were independently associated with inferior EFS. Moreover, patients with normalized 25(OH)D levels following supplementation showed better EFS than patients with persistently deficient/insufficient 25(OH)D levels. Our study provides the first evidence that achievement of normal 25(OH)D levels after vitamin D3 supplementation is associated with improved outcome in patients with DLBCL and deficient/insufficient 25(OH)D levels when receiving rituximab-based treatment.

Iron in Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Anemia is a frequent finding of Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) diagnosis. It is usually mild, with hemoglobin levels between 10 and 12 g/dl; it is rarely (<10% of cases) a result of bone marrow infiltration; and it displays the characteristics of the anemia of chronic disease due to abnormalities in iron metabolism. The inflammatory cytokine IL-6 is frequently up-regulated in Hodgkin's lymphoma, and IL-6 levels are strongly associated with hepcidin, the main regulator of iron metabolism. Elevated hepcidin levels result in iron restriction and signs of anemia of chronic disease. In addition, the abundant microenvironment surrounding the neoplastic Hodgkin's and Reed-Sternberg cells may contribute to alterations in iron metabolism. Tumor-infiltrating macrophages can sequester iron using scavenger receptors. Iron-restricted anemia at HL diagnosis can be aggravated by intensive chemotherapy, and iron overload may become clinically relevant in heavily treated patients with relapsed or refractory disease undergoing high-dose chemotherapy and stem cell transplantation.