Integrative immunophenotypic and genetic characterization of acute myeloid leukemia with CBFB rearrangement.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to characterize the immunophenotype of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with CBFB rearrangement and correlate the results with cytogenetic and molecular data. METHODS: Sixty-one cases of AML with CBFB rearrangement were evaluated. RESULTS: The sample population consisted of 33 men and 28 women, with a median age of 49 years. Flow cytometry immunophenotypic analysis showed that myeloblasts were positive for CD34 and CD117 in all cases, and myeloperoxidase was positive in 52 of 55 (95%) cases. The most common abnormalities included decreased CD38 in 90%, increased CD13 in 85%, increased CD123 in 84%, and decreased HLA-DR in 84% of cases. Monocytes were increased, with a mature immunophenotype, and accounted for 23.7% of total cells. Among 60 cases with available karyotype, inv(16)(p13.1q22) was most common in 50 (83%) cases, followed by t(16;16) (p13.1;q22) in 6 (10%). Type A CBFB::MYH11 transcript was most common, detected in 84% of cases. Mutational analysis showed mutations of NRAS in 37%, FLT3 in 25%, and KIT in 24% of cases. Comparing cases with type A vs non-type A transcripts, blasts in type A cases more frequently exhibited CD64 positivity and increased CD13 levels while showing a lower frequency of CD7 and CD56 expression. Trisomy 22 and mutations in KIT, NF1, and TET2 were identified only in cases with type A transcript. CONCLUSIONS: Myeloblasts of AML with CBFB rearrangement are positive for CD34, CD117, and myeloperoxidase. These neoplasms most frequently carry inv(16)(p13.1q22) and type A fusion transcript. NRAS mutation was the most common mutation. Some immunophenotypic and genetic correlations occurred with different types of transcripts.

Effects of Pyrolysis Temperature and Acid-Base Pre-Treatment on the Synthesis of Biochar-Based Slow-Release Selenium Fertilizer and Its Release in Soil.

Plant-derived selenium is an important source of selenium (Se) for humans, which, however, has been restricted by a low content of Se in soil. Traditional Se fertilizers have tended to result in low selenium utilization. Thus, it was necessary to develop a new slow-release material to control Se fertilizer release. In this study, biochar pyrolyzed at 300 °C and 800 °C was cross-linked with polyethyleneimine (PEI) after being treated with HNO3 or NaOH (which were labeled Acid-W300, Acid-W800, Alkali-W300, and Alkali-W800). The results showed that the maximum adsorption capacities of Acid-W300, Alkali-W300, Acid-W800, and Alkali-W800 were 329.16 mg/g, 321.93 mg/g, 315.04 mg/g, and 344.33 mg/g, respectively. Among them, Acid-W800 and Alkali-W800 were mainly imine- and amide-bonded with SO32-, while Acid-W300 and Alkali-W300 were loaded with SO32- by forming the C-Se bonding as well as through imine- and amide-bonding. The release of four biochar-based selenium fertilizers in the red soil and brown soil extracts conformed to the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The release rate and release amount of four biochar-based selenium fertilizers in the red soil extract were higher than those in the brown soil extract. Alkali-W800-Se had a higher proportion of Se-exchangeable release, accounting for 87.5% of the total loaded selenium, while Acid-W300-Se had the lowest proportion at 62.2%. However, the Se releases of Alkali-W800-Se were more than 42.49% and 37.67% of the total Se-loading capacity during 5 days of continuous red soil extraction and brown soil extraction, respectively. Acid-W300-Se released less than 20% of the total Se-loading capacity. Thus, Acid-W300-Se was the recommended slow-release Se fertilizer in red soil and brown soil.

Effect of biochars on the immobilization and form of Cadmium (Cd) in simulated Cd deposition of iron rich soils.

Atmospheric deposition of Cd poses a serious threat to ecosystem security. Biochar is widely used for polluted soil remediation, however, whether biochar already applied to the soil can reduce the hazards of newly deposited Cd remains to be studied. Thus, an indoor cultural experiment and static adsorption method were conducted to study the isothermal and kinetic adsorption processes of three types of biochar (rice husk, rubber wood, and tobacco stem biochars) on Cd in iron rich soils and the effect of biochar on the morphological distribution of Cd in the soil and the soil pH. The results showed that the soil with biochar in our study could quickly fix "the new deposited Cd" in the soil in 3 h with the maximum adsorption capacity in rubber wood biochar-treated sample (3227.34 mg/kg）. The addition of all three biochar treatments significantly increased the soil pH and reduced the soil exchange state Cd content, with a 13.69-17.32% increase in the pH and a 13.22-54.39% reduction in the exchange state Cd content when contrasted with the control, which could promote those Cd converting into unavailable Cd (carbonate-bound form Cd, Fe-Mn oxide-bound form Cd, or residual form Cd) for crops. In summary, the addition of three kinds of biochar treatments could effectively reduce the ecological and environmental risk of soil that was contaminated by Cd and could provide a reliable theoretical basis for the effect of biochar on the improvement of the quality of soil that is contaminated by heavy metals.

Detection of clinically actionable gene fusions by next-generation sequencing-based RNA sequencing of non-small cell lung cancer cytology specimens: A single-center experience with comparison to fluorescence in situ hybridization.

BACKGROUND: Genomic profiling is needed to identify actionable alterations in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Panel-based testing such as next-generation sequencing (NGS) is often preferred to interrogate multiple alterations simultaneously. In this study, we evaluate the utility of an RNA-based NGS assay to detect genomic alterations in NSCLC cytology specimens and compare these results to fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) testing. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed of 264 NSCLC cytology specimens that were concurrently tested for gene fusions by RNA-based NGS and ALK, RET, and/or ROS1 by FISH. RESULTS: Genomic alterations were detected in 29 cases by NGS, including ALK, RET, ROS1, NTRK, NUTM1, and FGFR3 fusions and MET exon 14 skipping alterations. Of the 20 cases with ALK, RET, and ROS1 fusions detected by NGS, 16 (80%) were concordant with the corresponding FISH results. Three cases showed discordance, where EML4::ALK (n = 2) and SLC34A2::ROS1 (n = 1) fusions were not detected by the corresponding FISH assay; one case with EZR::ROS1 was inadequate for FISH. No gene fusions were detected in 181 cases by NGS and 54 cases failed testing. The concordance rates for detecting ALK, RET, and ROS1 fusions using NGS and FISH were 97%, 100%, and 99.5%, respectively. CONCLUSION: RNA-based NGS can be used to detect gene fusions in NSCLC cytology cases with high concordance with FISH results. However, RNA-based NGS may have high failure rates and therefore a low threshold for reflexing inadequate cases to an orthogonal testing method is essential for comprehensive genomic profiling.

Cytogenetic Profile in Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance, Smoldering and Symptomatic Multiple Myeloma: A Study of 1087 Patients with Highly Purified Plasma Cells.

The aim of this study was to examine the cytogenetic profiles of plasma cell neoplasms (PCNs) at various disease stages, encompassing 1087 patients with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM), newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM), and refractory/relapsed multiple myeloma (RRMM). Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analyses were conducted on highly purified plasma cell samples, revealing that 96% of patients exhibited at least one cytogenetic abnormality. The genomic complexity escalated from MGUS to SMM and further to NDMM and RRMM, largely driven by 1q gain, del(17p), MYC-rearrangement (MYC-R), del(1p), and tetraploidy. Elevated frequencies of high-risk cytogenetics (59%), 1q gain (44%), and del(17p) (23%), as well as the presence of subclones (48%), were particularly notable in RRMM cases. IGH::CCND1 was observed in 26% of the cases, with no apparent variations across races, ages, or disease groups. Concurrent chromosomal analysis with FISH revealed that the incidence of abnormal karyotypes was strongly correlated with the extent of neoplastic plasma cell infiltration, genomic complexity, and the presence of specific abnormalities like del(17p) and MYC-R. Approximately 98% of the cases with abnormal karyotypes were complex, with most featuring five or more abnormalities. Chromosome 1 structural abnormalities were the most prevalent, found in 65% of cases. The frequent presence of subclones and composite karyotypes underscored the genomic heterogeneity and instability in this cohort.

Optical Genome Mapping Helps to Identify BCR::JAK2 Rearrangement Arising from Cryptic Complex Chromosomal Aberrations: A Case Report and Literature Review.

We report a case of myeloproliferative neoplasm, not otherwise specified (MPN-NOS)-transformed AML with BCR::JAK2 rearrangement. Chromosomal analysis indicated a simple abnormal karyotype 46,XY,t(7;17)(q21;q24),t(9;22)(p24;q11.2). Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) using a BCR/ABL1/ASS1 probe set suggested a possible BCR rearrangement and a reflex JAK2 breakapart probe indicated JAK2 rearrangement, most likely partnered with BCR. Optical genome mapping (OGM) analysis confirmed BCR::JAK2 derived through an inv(9)(p24p13) after a t(9;22)(p13;q11.2) in this case. Due to the complexity of chromosomal aberrations, disruption and/or rearrangement of other genes such as KIF24::BCR, JAK2::KIF24/UBAP1, and CDK6:SOX9 were also identified by OGM. Although the functionality and clinical importance of these novel rearrangements were unknown, disruption of these genes might be associated with a poorer response to chemotherapy and disease progression. We also reviewed all cases with BCR::JAK2 rearrangement reported in the literature. In conclusion, a suspected t(9;22)/BCR::JAK2 rearrangement warrants further characterization with genomic assays such as OGM, whole chromosome sequencing, and RNA sequencing to explore other gene disruptions and/or rearrangements.

Recurrent Somatic Copy Number Alterations and Their Association with Oncogene Expression Levels in High-Grade Ovarian Serous Carcinoma.

Somatic copy number alterations (SCNAs) are frequently observed in high-grade ovarian serous carcinoma (HGOSC). However, their impact on gene expression levels has not been systematically assessed. In this study, we explored the relationship between recurrent SCNA and gene expression using The Cancer Genome Atlas Pan Cancer dataset (OSC, TCGA, PanCancer Atlas) to identify cancer-related genes in HGOSC. We then investigated any association between highly correlated cancer genes and clinicopathological parameters, including age of diagnosis, disease stage, overall survival (OS), and progression-free survival (PFS). A total of 772 genes with recurrent SCNAs were observed. SCNA and mRNA expression levels were highly correlated for 274 genes; 24 genes were classified as a Tier 1 gene in the Cancer Gene Census in the Catalogue of Somatic Mutations in Cancer (CGC-COSMIC). Of these, 11 Tier 1 genes had highly correlated SCNA and mRNA expression levels: TBL1XR1, PIK3CA, UBR5, EIF3E, RAD21, EXT1, RECQL4, KRAS, PRKACA, BRD4, and TPM4. There was no association between gene amplification and disease stage or PFS. EIF3E, RAD21, and EXT1 were more frequently amplified in younger patients, specifically those under the age of 55 years. Patients with tumors carrying PRKACA, BRD4, or TPM4 amplification were associated with a significantly shorter OS. RECQL4 amplification was more frequent in younger patients, and tumors with this amplification were associated with a significantly better OS.

From the archives of MD Anderson Cancer Center: Sporadic Burkitt lymphoma with a complex karyotype and SOX11 expression.

Burkitt lymphoma (BL) is a mature B-cell neoplasm arising from germinal center B-cells. There are three epidemiological variants of which the sporadic variant is most prevalent in developed countries representing 1-2 % of all lymphomas in adults. Patients usually present with bulky abdominal masses and ~ 30 % have bone marrow involvement. BL is characterized by a germinal center B-cell immunophenotype and usually has a simple karyotype. Here we report an unusual case of sporadic BL in a 44-year-old man and we use this case to review sporadic BL in adults. The patient presented with a cecal mass and bone marrow involvement. Biopsy of the cecal mass and bone marrow evaluation showed infiltration by intermediate-size lymphoma cells positive for monotypic kappa, CD10, CD19, CD20, CD22, CD38 bright, CD43, CD45, Bcl6 and ROR1, and negative for CD11c, CD23, CD30, CD44, CD200 and Bcl2. As expected, the lymphoma cells were strongly positive for MYC and Ki-67 showed a proliferation rate of nearly 100 %, but the cells were also positive for SOX11 and cytoplasmic LEF1. Conventional chromosomal analysis revealed t(8;14) as part of a complex karyotype. Based on our literature review, and is shown in this case, sporadic BL in adults shows some differences with the classic description of BL in children. We also discuss the differential diagnosis of BL.

Plasma cell myeloma with RAS/BRAF mutations is frequently associated with a complex karyotype, advanced stage disease, and poorer prognosis.

BACKGROUND: Mutations in the RAS-MAPK pathway, such as KRAS, NRAS, and BRAF, are known as high-risk factors associated with poor prognosis in patients with various cancers, but studies in myeloma have yielded mixed results. METHODS: We describe the clinicopathologic, cytogenetic, molecular features, and outcomes of 68 patients with RAS/BRAF-mutated myeloma, and compare with 79 patients without any mutations. RESULTS: We show that KRAS, NRAS, and BRAF were mutated in 16%, 11%, and 5% of cases, respectively. RAS/BRAF-mutated patients had lower hemoglobin and platelet counts, higher levels of serum lactate dehydrogenase and calcium, higher percentage of bone marrow plasma cells, and more advanced R-ISS stage. RAS/BRAF mutations were associated with complex karyotype and gain/amplification of CKS1B. The median overall survival and progression-free survival were significantly shorter for RAS/BRAF-mutated patients (69.0 vs. 220.7 months, p = 0.0023 and 46.0 vs. 60.6 months, p = 0.0311, respectively). Univariate analysis revealed that KRAS mutation, NRAS mutation, lower hemoglobin, elevated lactate dehydrogenase, higher R-ISS stage, complex karyotype, gain/amplification of CKS1B, monosomy 13/RB1 deletion and lack of autologous stem cell transplantation were associated with poorer prognosis. Multivariate analysis showed that KRAS mutation, lower hemoglobin level, higher level of serum calcium, higher ISS stage, and lack of autologous stem cell transplantation predict inferior outcome. CONCLUSIONS: RAS/BRAF mutations occur in 30%-40% of myeloma cases and are associated with higher tumor burden, higher R-ISS stage, complex karyotype, and shorter overall survival and progression-free survival. These findings support testing for RAS/BRAF mutations in myeloma patients and underscore the potential therapeutic benefits of RAS/BRAF inhibitors.

Immune evasion phenotype is common in Richter transformation diffuse large B-cell lymphoma variant.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (PD-1 inhibitors) have shown clinical activity in Richter transformation-diffuse large B-cell lymphoma variant (RT-DLBCL), thus providing for a novel therapeutic approach. The study group consists of 64 patients with RT-DLBCL. Expression of PD-1, PD-L1, CD30, and microsatellite instability (MSI) status (hMLH1, hMSH2, hMSH6, PMS1) was assessed using immunohistochemistry. EBV-encoded RNA (EBER) was evaluated using colorimetric in situ hybridization. PD-1 and PD-L1 expression levels were categorized on the basis of tumor cell expression as follows: negative (< 5%), positive to low-positive (5-50%), or high-positive (> 50%). An "immune evasion phenotype" (IEP) was defined as RT-DLBCL cases having high-positive expression of PD-1 and/or PD-L1 on tumor cells. The level of PD1-positive tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) was estimated as a fraction of total lymphocytes and categorized as negative/low vs. brisk (> 20%). 28/64 (43.7%) patients were characterized as IEP+ RT-DLBCL. A brisk level of PD1+ TILs was significantly more common in IEP1+ compared with IEP- tumors (17/28, 60.7% vs. 5/34, 14.7%; p = 0.001). In addition, CD30 expression was significantly more common in IEP+ compared with IEP- RT-DLBCL (6/20, 30% vs. 1/27, 3.7%; p = 0.0320). Two (2/36; 5.5%) cases were positive for EBER, both IEP+. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of age, sex, or time to transformation. Assessment of mismatch repair proteins demonstrated absence of microsatellite instability (MSI) in all cases (18/18; 100%). Notably, patients with brisk PD1+ TILs had a significantly better OS compared to those with a negative/low infiltrate (p = 0.0285).

Breast Cancer With a HER2 FISH Group 2 Result: Should HER2 Tests be Repeated?

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer with fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) group 2 pattern (HER2 <4 and HER2/CEP17 ratio ≥2, a subset of monosomy CEP17) was historically considered HER2-positive, but mostly HER2-negative according to updated 2018 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)/College of American Pathologists (CAP) guidelines unless 3+ by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Therapeutic relevance of this group remained elusive, therefore we assessed if repeat IHC and FISH can assist final HER2 classification. PATIENT AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed HER2 FISH performed at our institution from 2014 to 2018 and identified 23 of 3554 (0.6%) breast cancer cases with at least one-time measurement of HER2 FISH categorized as group 2. Repeat HER2 tests were performed for cases with available alternative tumor samples and compared with initial testing following 2018 ASCO/CAP guidelines. RESULTS: Only 1 of 23 group 2 cases was HER2-positive, 0/18 in primary and 1/5 in metastatic/recurrent tumors. Of 13 primary tumors with repeat HER2 results; 10 (77%) remained HER2-negative; 3 (23%) changed from HER2-negative (group 2 and IHC 2+) to HER2-positive (group 1 and IHC 2+). Among 8 of these 13 patients receiving neoadjuvant systemic therapy containing anti-HER2 agent, 3 (38%) achieved pathologic complete response (pCR). Two of 3 pCR cases were HER2-positive converters on repeat testing. Three pCR cases were ER-negative or -low positive and Ki67 ≥40%, while 5 partial responders were ER-positive and Ki67 <40% (P < .05). CONCLUSION: Breast cancer with HER2 FISH group 2 result may represent heterogeneous populations of tumor cells being originated de novo or preferentially selected secondary to therapy. Repeat HER2 tests on alternative samples may be considered to guide anti-HER2 therapy.

T-Cell Prolymphocytic Leukemia With t(X;14)(q28;q11.2): A Clinicopathologic Study of 15 Cases.

OBJECTIVES: T-cell prolymphocytic leukemia (T-PLL) is a rare mature T-cell leukemia usually characterized by inv(14)(q11.2q32)/t(14;14)(q11.2;q32). In this study, we aimed to investigate the clinicopathologic features and molecular profile of T-PLL associated with t(X;14)(q28;q11.2). METHODS: The study group included 10 women and 5 men with a median age of 64 years. All 15 patients had a diagnosis of T-PLL with t(X;14)(q28;q11.2). RESULTS: All 15 patients had lymphocytosis at initial diagnosis. Morphologically, the leukemic cells had features of prolymphocytes in 11 patients, small cell variant in 3, and cerebriform variant in 1. All 15 patients had hypercellular bone marrow with an interstitial infiltrate in 12 (80%) cases. By flow cytometry, the leukemic cells were surface CD3+/CD5+/CD7+/CD26+/CD52+/TCR α/ß+ in 15 (100%) cases, CD2+ in 14 (93%) cases, CD4+/CD8+ in 8 (53%) cases, CD4+/CD8- in 6 (40%) cases, and CD4-/CD8 + in 1 (7%) case. At the cytogenetic level, complex karyotypes with t(X;14)(q28;q11.2) were seen in all 15 patients assessed. Mutational analysis showed mutations of JAK3 in 5 of 6 and STAT5B p.N642H in 2 of 6 patients. Patients received variable treatments, including 12 with alemtuzumab. After a median follow-up of 17.2 months, 8 of 15 (53%) patients died. CONCLUSIONS: T-PLL with t(X;14)(q28;q11.2) frequently shows a complex karyotype and mutations involving JAK/STAT pathway, and it is an aggressive disease with a poor outcome.

Lymphomatoid papulosis with DUSP22-IRF4 rearrangement: A case report and literature review.

Lymphomatoid papulosis (LyP) with DUSP22-IRF4 rearrangement is a rare, recently described variant of LyP histopathologically characterized by a biphasic growth pattern, with epidermotropic small-to-medium-sized atypical T-cells and dermal large and transformed T-cells diffusely expressing CD30. LyP with DUSP22-IRF4 rearrangement can mimic other cutaneous lymphoproliferative disorders, particularly primary cutaneous anaplastic large cell lymphoma (PCALCL) or transformed mycosis fungoides (MF). Unlike PCALCL or transformed MF, LyP with DUSP22-IRF4 rearrangement shows an indolent clinical behavior, with frequent spontaneous regression of untreated lesions. Thus, it is important to recognize this rare variant of LyP to avoid misclassification, which may potentially lead to unnecessarily aggressive patient management. To our knowledge, only 13 cases of LyP with DUSP22-IRF4 rearrangement have been reported to date in the English literature. Herein, we describe an additional case of LyP with DUSP22-IRF4 rearrangement in a 63-year-old man and provide a comprehensive literature review with regards to the clinical, histopathologic, and molecular features of this novel entity.

Immunophenotypic and genomic landscape of Richter transformation diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

Integrated clinicopathological and molecular analyses of Richter transformation of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma subtype (RT-DLBCL) cases remain limited. This study group included 142 patients with RT-DLBCL. Morphological evaluation and immunophenotyping, using immunohistochemistry and/or multicolour flow cytometry, were performed. The results of conventional karyotyping, fluorescence in situ hybridisation analysis and mutation profiling performed using next generation sequencing were reviewed. Patients included 91 (64.1%) men and 51 (35.9%) women with a median age of 65.4 years (range 25.4-84.9 years) at the time of RT-DLBCL diagnosis. Patients had CLL for a median of 49.5 months (range 0-330 months) before onset of RT-DLBCL. Most cases (97.2%) of RT-DLBCL had immunoblastic (IB) morphology, the remainder had a high grade morphology. The most commonly expressed markers included: CD19 (100%), PAX5 (100%), BCL2 (97.5%), LEF1 (94.7%), CD22 (90.2%), CD5 (88.6%), CD20 (85.7%), CD38 (83.5%), MUM1 (83.3%), CD23 (77%) and MYC (46.3%). Most (51/65, 78.4%) cases had a non-germinal centre B-cell immunophenotype. MYC rearrangement was detected in 9/47 (19.1%) cases, BCL2 rearrangement was detected in 5/22 (22.7%) cases, and BCL6 rearrangement was detected in 2/15 (13.3%) cases. In comparison to CLL, RT-DLBCL had higher numbers of alterations involving chromosomes 6, 17, 21, and 22. The most common mutations detected in RT-DLBCL involved TP53 (9/14, 64.3%), NOTCH1 (4/14, 28.6%) and ATM (3/14, 21.4%). Among RT-DLBCL cases with mutant TP53, 5/8 (62.5%) had TP53 copy number loss, and among those, such loss was detected in the CLL phase of the disease in 4/8 (50%) cases. There was no significant difference in overall survival (OS) between patients with germinal centre B-cell (GCB) and non-GCB RT-DLBCL. Only CD5 expression correlated significantly with OS (HR=2.732; 95% CI 1.397-5.345; p=0.0374). RT-DLBCL has distinctive morphological and immunophenotypic features, characterised by IB morphology and common expression of CD5, MUM1 and LEF1. Cell-of-origin does not seem to have prognostic implications in RT-DLBCL.

3q26.2/MECOM Rearrangements by Pericentric Inv(3): Diagnostic Challenges and Clinicopathologic Features.

MECOM rearrangement (MECOM-R) resulting from 3q26.2 aberrations is often associated with myeloid neoplasms and inferior prognosis in affected patients. Uncommonly, certain 3q26.2/MECOM-R can be subtle/cryptic and consequently overlooked by karyotyping. We identified 17 acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients (male/female: 13/4 with a median age of 67 years, range 42 to 85 years) with a pericentric inv(3) leading to MECOM-R, with breakpoints at 3p23 (n = 11), 3p25 (n = 3), 3p21 (n = 2) and 3p13 (n = 1) on 3p and 3q26.2 on 3q. These pericentric inv(3)s were overlooked by karyotyping initially in 16 of 17 cases and later detected by metaphase FISH analysis. Similar to the patients with classic/paracentric inv(3)(q21q26.2), patients with pericentric inv(3) exhibited frequent cytopenia, morphological dysplasia (especially megakaryocytes), -7/del(7q), frequent NRAS (n = 6), RUNX1 (n = 5) and FLT-3 (n = 4) mutations and dismal outcomes (median overall survival: 14 months). However, patients with pericentric inv(3) more frequently had AML with thrombocytopenia (n = 15, 88%), relative monocytosis in peripheral blood (n = 15, 88%), decreased megakaryocytes (n = 11, 65%), and lower SF3B1 mutation. We conclude that AML with pericentric inv(3) shares some similarities with AML associated with classic/paracentric inv(3)/GATA2::MECOM but also shows certain unique features. Pericentric inv(3)s are often subtle/cryptic by chromosomal analysis. A reflex FISH analysis for MECOM-R is recommended in myeloid neoplasms showing -7/del(7q).

DUSP22 rearrangement is associated with a distinctive immunophenotype but not outcome in patients with systemic ALK-negative anaplastic large cell lymphoma.

DUSP22 rearrangement (R) has been associated with a favorable outcome in systemic ALK-negative anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL). However, a recent study found that patients with DUSP22-R ALK-negative ALCL have a poorer prognosis than was reported initially. In this study, we compared the clinicopathological features and outcomes of patients with ALKnegative ALCL with DUSP22-R (n=22) versus those without DUSP22-R (DUSP22-NR; n=59). Patients with DUSP22-R ALCL were younger than those with DUSP22-NR neoplasms (P=0.049). DUSP22-R ALK-negative ALCL cases were more often positive for CD15, CD8, and less frequently expressed pSTAT3Tyr705, PD-L1, granzyme B and EMA (all P<0.05). TP63 rearrangement (TP63-R) was detected in three of the 66 (5%) ALK-negative ALCL cases tested and none of these cases carried the DUSP22-R. Overall survival of patients with DUSP22-R ALCL was similar to that of the patients with DUSP22-NR neoplasms regardless of International Prognostic Index score, stage, age, or stem cell transplantation status (all P>0.05), but was significantly shorter than that of the patients with ALK-positive ALCL (median overall survival 53 months vs. undefined, P=0.005). Five-year overall survival rates were 40% for patients with DUSP22-R ALCL versus 82% for patients with ALK-positive ALCL. We conclude that DUSP22-R neoplasms represent a distinctive subset of ALK-negative ALCL. However, in this cohort DUSP22-R was not associated with a better clinical outcome. Therefore, we suggest that current treatment guidelines for this subset of ALK-negative ALCL patients should not be modified at present.

Clinical impact of 5'MYC or 3'MYC gain/loss detected by FISH in patients with aggressive B-cell lymphomas.

FISH analysis using MYC break-apart probes is a widely used technique to assess for MYC rearrangement (MYC-R). Occasionally, FISH results in atypical signal patterns, such as gain or loss of 5'MYC or 3'MYC. The clinical impact and/or relationship of these atypical signal patterns to MYC-R are unknown. In this study, we assessed 35 patients who had aggressive B-cell lymphomas and exhibited atypical FISH signal patterns: 3'MYC deletion (n = 16) or 3'MYC deletion plus 5'MYC amplification (n = 5), 5'MYC gain (n = 10), 5'MYC deletion (n = 3), and 3'MYC gain (n = 1). For comparison, we also included 9 patients who showed an unbalanced MYC-R. Patients with 5'MYC gain showed MYC expression and were often refractory to chemotherapy (n = 7) or had early relapse (n = 2). By contrast, lymphomas with 3'MYC deletion were negative or had low expression of MYC (16 of 18), and patients often responded to chemotherapy (16 of 19). The median event-free survival was 24, 6, and 4 months for patients with 3'MYC deletion, 5'MYC gain and unbalanced MYC-R, respectively (p = 0.0048). We conclude that 5'MYC gain is associated with MYC expression and a poorer prognosis and likely represents an unbalanced MYC-R. By contrast, 3'MYC deletions are not associated with MYC expression or a poorer prognosis and this finding may be unrelated to MYC-R.