[A Case of Advanced Breast Cancer with Liver Metastasis Successfully Treated with Multi-Disciplinary].

We report a case of advanced breast cancer with liver metastasis(T2N1M1, Stage IV )achieving a significant improvement of QOL by multi-disciplinary therapy. The patient was 37-year-old woman who had breast lump and axillary lymph nodes swelling with liver metastasis. A core needle biopsy for breast tumor led to a diagnosis of an invasive ductal carcinoma, negative for estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor, and positive for HER2/neu protein expression. The Ki-67 positive cell index was 40%. She received 16 courses of DOC plus HER plus PER(docetaxel 75mg/m / 2, trastuzumab 6 mg/kg, pertu- zumab 450mg/body, and received 4 courses of EC(epirubicin 90mg/m / 2, cyclophosphamide 600 mg/m2). The breast lesion and liver metastatic lesion disappeared after chemotherapy. We checked up whole body. There was no metastatic lesion. Therefore, we diagnosed a clinical complete response. We performed muscle preserving mastectomy and axillary lymph nodes dissection. The pathological diagnosis from resected specimens were pathological complete response. The surgical margin was negative. She was started the endocrine therapy by tamoxifen(20mg/day). Three years after surgery, she was well without metastases. Multi-disciplinary therapy can improve patient QOL and the clinical outcomes in Stage IV advanced breast cancer.

Clinical effect of immunophenotyping on the prognosis of multiple myeloma patients treated with bortezomib.

In the present study, the effect of immunophenotyping on the prognoses of patients with multiple myeloma (MM) treated with bortezomib plus dexamethasone was investigated. The study involved 46 patients with MM, and analyzed the prognostic significance of the expression of cluster of differentiation (CD)45, CD56 and mature plasma cell (MPC)-1, and other factors including the International Staging System (ISS) stage, age, gender, the immunoglobulin subtype and the treatment line number prior to bortezomib treatment. Although CD56 and MPC-1 expression did not appear to affect the time to next treatment (TNT) or overall survival rate (OS), the univariate analysis determined that CD45 positivity was an adverse prognostic factor for TNT and OS, and that being male was significantly associated with inferior TNT and OS. Multivariate analyses determined that CD45 expression was prognostically significant for TNT and OS. In conclusion, CD45 positivity is an adverse prognostic factor in MM patients treated with bortezomib. The data from the present study demonstrate the clinical importance of classifying MM cells immunophenotypically to determine the prognoses of patients.

A clinical prediction model for infusion-related reactions to rituximab in patients with B cell lymphomas.

Background Infusion-related reactions (IRRs) are a major adverse event of rituximab. Objective To develop a prediction model for IRRs to rituximab among patients with B cell non- Hodgkin's lymphomas (B-NHL). Setting A 1000-bed university hospital in Tokyo. Methods Patients with B-NHL treated with rituximab at our institution from 2004 to 2014 were retrospectively analysed. Chills, fever, rash, nausea, asthenia, headache, cardiovascular symptoms, and respiratory symptoms of any grade, in association with rituximab infusion, were identified as IRRs. Risk factors for IRRs to rituximab found in the intergroup analysis were subsequently evaluated by using multivariate analysis. Main outcome measure Occurrence of IRRs to rituximab. Results A total of 140 patients with various types of B-NHL, including 74% with diffuse large Bcell lymphoma, were analysed. Among them, 55 and 85 patients were assigned to the IRR group and the non-IRR group, respectively. Indolent histological subtypes, bulky disease (>10 cm), B symptoms, higher serum soluble interleukin-2 receptor concentration, and bone marrow involvement were more common in the IRR group. The multivariate logistic regression analysis identified low-grade lymphomas [odds ratio (OR) 2.81, p = 0.017] and bulky disease (OR 2.52, p = 0.037) as independent risk factors for IRRs to rituximab. The incidence rates of IRRs to rituximab among patients with neither, one, or both of these risk factors were 26, 54, and 78%, respectively (χ2 = 16.4, p < 0.001). Conclusions A simple combination of histopathological subtype and bulkiness of disease could predict the risk of IRRs to rituximab among patients with B-NHL.

A cyclin D1-negative mantle cell lymphoma with an IGL-CCND2 translocation that relapsed with blastoid morphology and aggressive clinical behavior.

Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is a B cell neoplasm characterized by cyclin D1 overexpression; its prognosis is poor, especially when it exhibits a blastoid morphology. Cyclin D1-negative MCL is rare, and its pathogenesis and progression remain unclear. Herein, we describe a cyclin D1-negative, cyclin D2-positive MCL with a CCND2 and immunoglobulin lambda light chain (IGL) translocation. The patient was initially diagnosed with cyclin D1-negative MCL and achieved complete remission via combination chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation. After relapsing, he was diagnosed with a blastoid variant of MCL that showed lymphoid cells with dispersed chromatin and more mitotic figures and higher p53 expression compared with the initial MCL. Despite salvage therapies, the disease became refractory, and the patient died 28 months after initiating chemotherapy. This case demonstrates that blastoid morphology in cyclin D1-negative MCL with IGL-CCND2 translocation indicates progression to a more aggressive neoplasm, similar to cyclin D1-positive MCL.

Plasma cell maturity as a predictor of prognosis in multiple myeloma.

In this study, the impact of plasma cell maturity on the prognoses of multiple myeloma (MM) patients in the era of novel agents was investigated. Myeloma cell maturity was classified via immunophenotyping: myeloma cells showing mature plasma cell 1 (MPC-1)-positive and CD49e-positive cells were considered mature type; MPC-1-positive and CD49e-negative cells were considered intermediate type; and MPC-1-negative cells were considered immature type. This study included 87 newly diagnosed MM patients who were initially treated with bortezomib and/or chemotherapy. Myeloma cell maturity was a critical factor affecting overall survival (OS) in the cohort, with median OS not reached in mature-type, 50 months in intermediate-type, and 20 months in immature-type cells. Multivariate analysis showed that immature type and stage III according to the International Staging System were both independent prognostic factors affecting OS. The findings of this study demonstrate the clinical importance of myeloma cell classification according to immunophenotyping using MPC-1 and CD49e antibodies to determine patient prognosis in this era of novel therapeutic agents.

Negative impact of concurrent overexpression of MYC and BCL2 in patients with advanced diffuse large B-cell lymphoma treated with dose-intensified immunochemotherapy.

Co-expression of MYC and BCL2 proteins in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), or 'double-expressor lymphoma' (DEL), results in poor patient prognosis, but the significance of DEL when aggressive treatments are applied remains uncertain. We performed a retrospective analysis of 40 patients with de novo DLBCL, who were categorized as being at high/high-intermediate risk according to the age-adjusted International Prognostic Index. Patients underwent an R-Double-CHOP regimen, a dose-intensified immunochemotherapy with or without consolidative high-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell transplantation. According to immunohistochemical analysis, 10 (25%) patients were categorized as having DEL, showing positivity for MYC (≥40%) and BCL2 (≥50%). The 3 year progression-free survival and overall survival of the DEL group were significantly worse compared with those of the non-DEL group (30% vs. 63%, p = 0.019 and 40% vs. 82%, p = 0.006, respectively). These results suggest that advanced DEL may need discrete treatment strategies.

Clinical efficacy and safety of arbekacin for high-risk infections in patients with hematological malignancies.

We performed a clinical trial to investigate the efficacy and safety of arbekacin (ABK), a unique aminoglycoside with activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), in patients with hematological malignancies complicated by high-risk infections. ABK was administered intravenously at a dose of approximately 5 mg/kg with various broad-spectrum ß-lactams, followed by therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM). A total of 54 febrile or infectious episodes were registered, and TDM was performed in 44 (81%) cases. The absolute neutrophil count was below 500/µl in 49 (91%) cases, and cytotoxic chemotherapy was being administered in 47 (87%) cases. Before initiation of ABK, 52 (96%) patients had received fluoroquinolones (n = 37) and/or broad-spectrum ß-lactams (n = 34). There were 10 cases of documented infections including one of MRSA pneumonia, and 44 cases of febrile neutropenia. The efficacy at the end of treatment was 80% for all patients, and efficacy was significantly higher in patients attaining maximum concentrations ≥ 16 µg/ml or receiving TDM-guided dose-adjustment of ABK (n = 19, 95 vs. 71%, P = 0.039). Renal toxicity was observed in six cases (11%) but was generally acceptable. This study demonstrated that TDM-guided ABK administration may be applicable under limited conditions for patients with hematological malignancies.

Clinical significance of co-expression of MYC and BCL2 protein in aggressive B-cell lymphomas treated with a second line immunochemotherapy.

The clinical significance of concurrent expression of MYC and BCL2 protein, known as "double-expressor lymphoma" (DEL), among patients with relapsed or refractory aggressive B-cell lymphomas, remains unclear. A retrospective analysis was performed of 38 patients treated with a salvage treatment consisting of rituximab, ifosfamide, etoposide, cytarabine and dexamethasone followed by consolidative high-dose chemotherapies. A total of 17 cases (45%) were categorized as DEL using immunohistochemical assay with a cut-off value of positivity of 40% for MYC and 50% for BCL2, respectively. DEL was associated with a lower overall response rate (35% vs 71%, p = 0.0481), worse 2-year progression-free survival (9% vs 67%, p = 0.001) and overall survival (35% vs 71%, p = 0.037). This analysis suggests that DEL is common among patients with relapsed/refractory aggressive B-cell lymphomas and that such patients require novel treatment strategies.

Dose-intensified CHOP with rituximab (R-Double-CHOP) followed by consolidation high-dose chemotherapies for patients with advanced diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

Even after the advent of rituximab, clinical outcomes of conventional immuno-chemotherapy for high-risk diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) remain unsatisfactory. We retrospectively evaluated the efficacy and safety of R-Double-CHOP (R-D-CHOP), consisting of rituximab (375 mg/m(2), day -2), cyclophosphamide (750 mg/m(2), day 1, 2), doxorubicin (50 mg/m(2), day 1, 2), vincristine [1.4 mg/m(2) (maximum 2.0 mg/body), day 1], and prednisolone (50 mg/m(2), day 1-5), followed by consolidation high-dose chemotherapy. This treatment was given to 51 de novo DLBCL patients with a median age of 54 (range 19-65), who were categorized as high/high-intermediate risk by the age-adjusted International Prognostic Index. Treatment was given every 3 weeks up to three courses. The overall response and the complete response rate for R-D-CHOP were 94 and 78 %, respectively. A total of 30 responders proceeded to high-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell transplantation (HDC/ASCT), whereas 16 received high-dose methotrexate (HD-MTX) alternatively. The 3-year overall survival and the event-free survival for all patients were 78 and 61 %, respectively. Major adverse events included hematological toxicities, but there were no treatment-related deaths during the observation period. We conclude that the R-D-CHOP regimen followed by HDC/ASCT or HD-MTX is a promising treatment option for younger patients with highly advanced DLBCL.

[Axillary Lymph Nodes Metastases from Occult Breast Cancer Recurrence at Ten Years after Resection--Case Report].

We encountered a case of axillary lymph nodes metastases from occult breast cancer recurrence at 10 years after resection. Ten years previously, a 71-year-old woman had undergone surgery (dermabrasion+full thickness skin graft+axillary lymph node dissection) for axillary lymph nodes metastases from occult breast cancer. After the operation, she had received chemotherapy and hormone therapy for 5 years. Then, in the recent 5 years, she had stopped attending our hospital. Ten years after the first operation, she came back to our hospital with a lump in her axillary region. She underwent resection for the subcutaneous mass and the axillary lymph nodes. The pathological diagnosis implied metastases from breast carcinoma. We checked up a hole her body. However, we could not detect the original lesion.

[Diagnostic value of brain biopsy in intravascular large B-cell lymphoma mimicking progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy: case report].

We report a 68-years-old woman with systemic sclerosis and interstitial pneumonia (IP). She had developed subacute progressively encephalopathy and dementia while treated with oral cyclophosphamide and prednisolone. She admitted to our hospital because of syncope. Laboratory tests indicated slight elevated cerebrospinal fluid protein, and levels of serum C-reactive protein (CRP), levels of soluble IL-2 receptor was normal. But, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain showed multiple infarct-like lesions mainly in the white matter, which mimics progressive multiple leukoencephalopathy (PML). Twenty days after admission, the retested MRI of the brain disclosed initial lesions progressively enlarged and numbers of the lesions were increased. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for JC virus of cerebrospinal fluid was negative. To make diagnosis, brain biopsy was performed. Microscopic examination revealed that small vessels were filled with lymphoma cells (CD20+, CD79+, CD3-), and intravascular lymphoma (IVL) was diagnosed. She treated with regimens of R-CHOP. After chemotherapy her consciousness and dementia were gradually improved. IVL of central nerve system (CNS) is a rare disease, and its common symptoms are ischemia, infarction and dementia. Diagnosis of IVL of CNS is difficult when the lesion mimics PML, and patient with similar laboratory examinations and radiographic findings of PML should undergo brain biopsy detected malignant cell in small vessels, which is a value of diagnosis.

[Synchronous and ipsilateral invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast occurring near a phyllodes tumor - a case report].

We report 2 cases of invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast occurring near a phyllodes tumor. The first case was ofa 58- year-old woman who had a tumor in her right breast and visited our hospital. Following a core needle biopsy (CNB), a malignant phyllodes tumor was diagnosed. We performed a lumpectomy for the phyllodes tumor, with 1.5-cm surgical margins. Pathological diagnosis of the resected specimen confirmed the malignant phyllodes tumor. A ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) was also discovered near the phyllodes tumor. The second case was of another 58-year-old woman who had a big tumor in her right breast and visited our hospital. CNB resulted in pathological diagnosis ofa benign phyllodes tumor. The tumor was removed by a lumpectomy with 1.5-cm surgical margins. The pathological diagnosis from the resected specimen was borderline phyllodes tumor with invasive ductal carcinoma in the proximity. In both cases, DCIS could not have been diagnosed preoperatively.