Successful Steroid Therapy for Lipoid Pneumonia Developing After Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant: A Case Report.

Lipoid pneumonia is an uncommon noninfectious inflammatory lung disease characterized by lipid deposition in the alveoli, and its etiology and treatment have not been elucidated. We report the case of a 32-year-old woman who developed lipoid pneumonia 9 months after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant for chronic myelogenous leukemia in lymphoid blast crisis. She complained of progressive cough and dyspnea shortly after discontinuation of immunosuppressive therapy given for graft-vs-host disease. Computed tomography demonstrated diffuse ground-glass opacities in the lungs, and pulmonary function test revealed restrictive impairment. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid showed milky appearance, and transbronchial lung biopsy specimen revealed foamy macrophages infiltrating the alveoli. Based on these findings, she was diagnosed as having lipoid pneumonia. Prednisolone (1 mg/kg/d) promptly improved the symptoms, pulmonary shadows, and pulmonary function. The findings and clinical course of this case suggest that lipoid pneumonia should be recognized as one of the pulmonary complications of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder of the adrenal gland after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: report of two cases and literature review.

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is one of the life-threatening complications after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and solid organ transplantation (SOT), and it is associated almost exclusively with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). We herein report 2 cases of EBV-associated PTLD after allogeneic HSCT localized in the adrenal gland. Both patients developed adrenal tumor within 3 months after HSCT and were successfully treated with rituximab or tapering immunosuppressive agents. Both remained alive without recurrence. A literature review revealed 12 reported cases of PTLD involving the adrenal gland, but the adrenal gland was involved as one of the lesions of advanced-stage PTLD after SOT. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report to show cases of isolated EBV-associated adrenal PTLD after HSCT. PTLD should be recognized as one of the causes of isolated adrenal tumor after HSCT.

Severe weight loss in 3 months after allogeneic hematopoietic SCT was associated with an increased risk of subsequent non-relapse mortality.

Patients after allogeneic hematopoietic SCT (HSCT) are at risk of malnutrition. To assess the impact of malnutrition after allogeneic HSCT on transplant outcomes, we conducted a retrospective study. Adult patients who received allogeneic HSCT from 2000 to 2009 for standard-risk leukemia and achieved disease-free survival up to 3 months after allogeneic HSCT were included. From participating centers, 145 patients were enrolled. Median age was 46 years (19-68). Patients were classified based on weight loss during 3 months after allogeneic HSCT as follows: normal group (weight loss <5%, n=53), mild malnutrition group (5%⩽weight loss<10%, n=47), severe malnutrition group (10% ⩽weight loss, n=45). The cumulative incidences of 2-year nonrelapse mortality (NRM) were 3.8% in the normal group, 8.5% in the mild malnutrition group and 27.3% in the severe malnutrition group. The probabilities of a 2-year OS were 73.2% in the normal group, 74.5% in the mild malnutrition group and 55.3% in the severe malnutrition group. In multivariate analysis, severe malnutrition was associated with an increased risk of NRM and a worse OS. In conclusion, weight loss ⩾10% was associated with a worse clinical outcome. Prospective studies that identify patients at risk of malnutrition and intervention by a nutritional support team are warranted.

Nephrotoxicity of concomitant use of tacrolimus and teicoplanin in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients.

Both tacrolimus and glycopeptide antibiotics are known to be nephrotoxic, and are often concomitantly given after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) or solid organ transplantation. The aim of this study is to evaluate the nephrotoxicity of concomitant use of tacrolimus and glycopeptide antibiotics in HSCT recipients. We retrospectively evaluated 67 patients who received intravenous tacrolimus and teicoplanin concomitantly for >4 days after allogeneic HSCT for hematologic diseases. Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) was performed in all patients for both tacrolimus and teicoplanin. The median age of the patients was 48 years (range: 16-62), and the median duration of the co-administration of tacrolimus and teicoplanin was 11 days (range: 4-40). The mean serum creatinine (sCr) level tended to be elevated after the co-administration (from 0.69 ± 0.26 to 0.75 ± 0.30 mg/dL; P = 0.08); however, a 2-fold or greater increase in sCr was observed only in 2 (3.0%) patients. Increased sCr was reversible, and no patient required hemodialysis. These results suggest that the incidence of clinically significant nephrotoxicity can be minimized if the TDM of each drug is properly applied.

Persistent parvovirus B19 infection resulting in red cell aplasia after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Persistent parvovirus B19 (PVB) infection has been reported sporadically in immunocompromised patients including hematopoietic stem cell and solid organ transplant recipients. However, the pathogenesis of persistent infection has yet to be fully elucidated. We report here a patient with multiple myeloma developing red cell aplasia during the hematopoietic recovery after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) caused by PVB. The patient had already had PVB viremia before transplantation and remained asymptomatic. The route of PVB transmission was considered to be direct contact with the patient's family member with primary PVB infection 1 month before transplantation. Treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin resulted in prompt resolution of anemia. These findings suggest that monitoring of PVB DNA is recommended for patients undergoing HSCT and having contact with individuals with documented PVB infection, even if they are asymptomatic.

Tumor stage and postoperative survival in invasive colon cancer.

Most of the prognostic factors of invasive colon cancer are controversial, and tumor stage is accepted worldwide in relation to survival. In this study, relationships between the 5-year survival rate and prevailing tumor stages were investigated, and pathological factors relating to nodal involvement which is an important determinant of staging were analyzed. The pTNM system, Borrmann classification and the Japanese microscopic stage were significantly related to the survival rates, as well as the presence or absence of nodal involvement. Accuracy of intraoperative diagnosis of nodal involvement was poor; 11.7% of patients with macroscopic negative-nodes and 36% of those with positive-nodes were microscopically found to be false. Complete resection of primary tumor with adequate nodal-dissection can contribute to better survival of colon cancer patients.

[The study of chemotherapy via the reservoir to colo-rectal cancer patients with liver metastases].

From January 1986 to December 1994, we administered intra-arterial chemotherapy via the reservoir to 26 colo-rectal cancer patients with liver metastases. The protocol of this chemotherapy was administration of ADM 30 mg/body/4 wks, MMC 10 mg/body/2 wks and 5-FU 500 mg/body/2 wks. Responses to this chemotherapy were PR in 8 cases, NC 3 cases, PD 14 cases and unknown 1 case. The rate of response was 32.0%. Side effects were shown in 12 cases (46.2%), and trouble with the reservoir in 5 cases (20.8%). Survival times of patients were from 5 months to 42 months (average 13.6). We think that this intra-arterial chemotherapy via the reservoir was effective for patients with liver metastases from colo-rectal cancer.