Efficacy of bendamustine on thrombocytopenia and hemolytic anemia secondary to CD5-positive B-cell lymphoma with massive splenomegaly in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis

Chemotherapy for lymphoma may be avoided in the presence of coincident cytopenia. In case of immune cytopenia secondary to lymphoma, treatment of cytopenia is the same for primary cases, however, chemotherapy for lymphoma may be effective at the cost of severe hematological toxicity. The present study reports a complex case of thrombocytopenia and direct antiglobulin test‑negative hemolytic anemia, thus mimicking Evans syndrome, secondary to cluster of differentiation 5‑positive B‑cell lymphoma with massive splenomegaly, in a patient suffering from rheumatoid arthritis for two decades. Treatment with prednisolone, high‑dose dexamethasone, eltrombopag and rituximab for cytopenia were not effective. Chemotherapy with bendamustine subsequently resolved the cytopenia, additionally resulting in a complete remission of lymphoma. Thus, bendamustine may have a role in the management of lymphoma complicated with severe cytopenia

Comparison of Prognostic Indices in Japanese Patients with Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma in the Yonago Area

【Background】 Several prognostic indices for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) have been developed. Which index is appropriate for Japanese patients with DLBCL treated in real-world practice is unknown. 【Methods】 The prognostic performances of the original international prognostic index (IPI), age-adjusted IPI, National Comprehensive Cancer Network-IPI, elderly IPI and revised IPI were compared using patients with DLBCL treated in a single institute in the Yonago area in Japan. 【Results】 From 2005 through 2015, 182 patients with de novo DLBCL were treated with chemotherapy in Tottori University Hospital; 154 (85%) patients received R-CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisolone) although full dose was administered in 63 (35%) patients. The median age of the patients was 71 years (range 18 to 91). Three-year overall survival rate was 71.8% (95% CI, 64.1% to 78.2%). All indices significantly discriminate risk groups for overall survival of the patients (P < 0.001). Although no statistical difference of performance was found among these indices, the best scores of model fit/discrimination measures were beaten out by age-adjusted IPI, the simplest and three-factor model. 【Conclusion】 Age-adjusted IPI is still usable in real-world practice while a better predictive model is desired for Japanese patients with DLBCL

Pulmonary intravascular large B-cell lymphoma successfully treated with rituximab, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin and prednisolone immunochemotherapy: Report of a patient surviving for over 1 year

A 73-year-old man with a history of lethargy, fever and dyspnea was admitted to Tottori University Hospital. A computed tomography (CT) scan revealed splenomegaly and diffusely spreading ground‑glass opacities (GGOs) in both lungs. A video‑assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS)‑guided lung biopsy revealed intravascular proliferation of large atypical lymphoid cells in the arteries, veins and alveolar walls. The patient was diagnosed with intravascular large B‑cell lymphoma (IVLBCL); he received 6 cycles of rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisolone (R‑CHOP) immunochemotherapy and has remained in complete remission for >1 year. Although IVLBCL is a rare disease, it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of pulmonary diffuse lesions that present with GGOs on CT scans

A pristine record of outer Solar System materials from asteroid Ryugu’s returned sample

Volatile and organic-rich C-type asteroids may have been one of the main sources of Earth’s water. Our best insight into their chemistry is currently provided by carbonaceous chondritic meteorites, but the meteorite record is biased: only the strongest types survive atmospheric entry and are then modified by interaction with the terrestrial environment. Here we present the results of a detailed bulk and microanalytical study of pristine Ryugu particles, brought to Earth by the Hayabusa2 spacecraft. Ryugu particles display a close compositional match with the chemically unfractionated, but aqueously altered, CI (Ivuna-type) chondrites, which are widely used as a proxy for the bulk Solar System composition. The sample shows an intricate spatial relationship between aliphatic-rich organics and phyllosilicates and indicates maximum temperatures of ~30 °C during aqueous alteration. We find that heavy hydrogen and nitrogen abundances are consistent with an outer Solar System origin. Ryugu particles are the most uncontaminated and unfractionated extraterrestrial materials studied so far, and provide the best available match to the bulk Solar System composition

Development of a Prognostic Scoring System using MYC Expression and Soluble Interleukin Receptor -2 level for Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma

Background: Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified (DLBCL-NOS), is the most frequent type of lymphoid neoplasm. Methods: We investigated the relationships between clinical factors of DLBCL-NOS and MYC immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining. Results: A total of 110 patients diagnosed with DLBCL-NOS from 2012 to 2020 at Tottori University Hospital and treated with rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone (R-CHOP) chemotherapy were included. IHC staining of MYC in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor specimens was performed, and ROC-curve analysis revealed the cut-off value of the MYC positive rate as 55%. The 2-year overall survival (OS) rates of the MYC-negative and -positive groups were 84.7% vs 57.7% (P = 0.0091), and the progression-free survival rates were 77.8% vs 54.7% (P = 0.016), respectively. Multivariate analysis for OS showed prognostic significance of MYC positivity [hazards ratio (HR): 2.496; P = 0.032], and serum levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) > 2000 U/mL (HR: 3.950; P = 0.0019), as well as age > 75 (HR: 2.356; P = 0.068). The original scoring system was developed based on these findings. By assigning one point to each item, age (> 75), MYC positivity, and sIL-2R level (> 2000), all patients were classified into three risk categories: group 1 (0 points), group 2 (1 point), and group 3 (2–3 points). The 2-year survival rates were 100%, 83.0%, and 47.1% for the groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively (P < 0.0001). Conclusion: We suggest that a prognostic scoring system using MYC expression and soluble interleukin receptor -2 level is useful for the prediction of prognosis, contributing to further stratification in DLBCL-NOS