Clinical significance of CD81 expression by clonal plasma cells in high-risk smoldering and symptomatic multiple myeloma patients.

The presence of CD19 in myelomatous plasma cells (MM-PCs) correlates with adverse prognosis in multiple myeloma (MM). Although CD19 expression is upregulated by CD81, this marker has been poorly investigated and its prognostic value in MM remains unknown. We have analyzed CD81 expression by multiparameter flow cytometry in MM-PCs from 230 MM patients at diagnosis included in the Grupo Español de Mieloma (GEM)05>65 years trial as well as 56 high-risk smoldering MM (SMM). CD81 expression was detected in 45% (103/230) MM patients, and the detection of CD81(+) MM-PC was an independent prognostic factor for progression-free (hazard ratio=1.9; P=0.003) and overall survival (hazard ratio=2.0; P=0.02); this adverse impact was validated in an additional series of 325 transplant-candidate MM patients included in the GEM05 <65 years trial. Moreover, CD81(+) SMM (n=34/56, 57%) patients had a shorter time to progression to MM (P=0.02). Overall, our results show that CD81 may have a relevant role in MM pathogenesis and represent a novel adverse prognostic marker in myeloma.

TCRgammadelta+ large granular lymphocyte leukemias reflect the spectrum of normal antigen-selected TCRgammadelta+ T-cells.

T-cell large granular lymphocytes (LGL) proliferations range from reactive expansions of activated T cells to T-cell leukemias and show variable clinical presentation and disease course. The vast majority of T-LGL proliferations express TCRalphabeta. Much less is known about the characteristics and pathogenesis of TCRgammadelta+ cases. We evaluated 44 patients with clonal TCRgammadelta+ T-LGL proliferations with respect to clinical data, immunophenotype and TCR gene rearrangement pattern. TCRgammadelta+ T-LGL leukemia patients had similar clinical presentations as TCRalphabeta+ T-LGL leukemia patients. Their course was indolent and 61% of patients were symptomatic. The most common clinical manifestations were chronic cytopenias - neutropenia (48%), anemia (23%), thrombocytopenia (9%), pancytopenia (2%) - and to a lesser extent splenomegaly (18%). Also multiple associated autoimmune (34%) and hematological (14%) disorders were found. Leukemic LGLs were predominantly positive for CD2, CD5, CD7, CD8, and CD57, whereas variable expression was seen for CD16, CD56, CD11b, and CD11c. The Vgamma9/Vdelta2 immunophenotype was found in 48% of cases and 43% of cases was positive for Vdelta1, reflecting the TCR-spectrum of normal TCRgammadelta+ T-cells in adult PB. Identification of the well-defined post-thymic Vdelta2-Jdelta1 selection determinant in all evaluable Vgamma9+/Vdelta2+ patients, is suggestive of common (super)antigen involvement in the pathogenesis of these TCRgammadelta+ T-LGL leukemia patients.

Quality of life assessment in patients undergoing reduced intensity conditioning allogeneic as compared to autologous transplantation: results of a prospective study.

The aim was to analyze quality-of-life (QOL) during the first year post transplant in 47 patients undergoing reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) allotransplantation, and to compare these with a similar subgroup of patients receiving autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). We used self-reported questionnaires. Each answer scored from 0 (not at all) to 4 (very much), with higher scores indicating worse functioning. Mean value of physical categories among RIC transplants ranged between 1.23 and 0.77 indicating that patients scored very low for physical symptoms. Patients undergoing ASCT had higher scores in questionnaires performed early after transplant and then gradually improved (P < 0.001). Overall, when we compared physical functioning scores, allo-RIC did significantly better (P = 0.049). Nevertheless, while allo-RIC scores were significantly better for the first three questionnaires, ASCT patients did better in the last two questionnaires. These findings are in accordance with the toxicities observed in both subgroups which are lower in the RIC group early after transplant. No significant differences were observed between either subgroup for any of the functional, social/ family, psychological distress and satisfaction with doctor/nurse relationship items. We have observed similar QOL among patients undergoing RIC-allo as compared to ASCT although GVHD remains an important 'event' in QOL.

Results of autologous transplantation in lymphoma are not improved by increasing the dose of etoposide in the BEAM regimen: a single-centre sequential-cohort study.

We have undertaken a retrospective sequential-cohort analysis of 131 lymphoma patients treated with the BEAM regimen and autologous stem cell transplantation, to compare BEAM at standard doses (sBEAM; n = 67 from May 1990 to April 1995) and BEAM with escalated etoposide dose from 800 to 1600 mg/m(2) (eBEAM; n = 64 from May 1995 to June 1999). Transplant-related mortality and incidence of secondary malignancies were similar in both groups. Disease progression was significantly lower in indolent lymphoma (IL) patients receiving eBEAM (7 vs 43%), although survival was comparable due to a higher toxic mortality in the eBEAM group. The 5-year event-free survival and overall survival were better in Hodgkin's disease (HD) patients treated with eBEAM (70 and 77%, respectively) compared to sBEAM (58 and 69%, respectively), but the difference was not statistically significant. In aggressive lymphomas, no difference was detected between groups. Our results indicate that while escalation of the etoposide doses in the BEAM conditioning regimen does not appear to improve outcome, encouraging results in IL and HD may warrant further studies.