Rationale for the evaluation of renal functional reserve in allogeneic stem cell transplantation candidates: a pilot study

Background. The main purpose of our study was to evaluate the ability of renal functional reserve (RFR) to stratify the risk of acute kidney injury (AKI) occurrence within 100 days of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and to predict any functional recovery or the onset of chronic kidney disease. A secondary aim was to identify the clinical/laboratory risk factors for the occurrence of AKI. Methods. The study design is prospective observational. We enrolled 48 patients with normal basal glomerular filtration rate (bGFR) who underwent allogenic HSCT. A multiparameter assessment and the Renal Functional Reserve Test (RFR-T) using an oral protein load stress test were performed 15 days before the HSCT. Results. Different RFRs corresponded to the same bGFR values. Of 48 patients, 29 (60%) developed AKI. Comparing the AKI group with the group that did not develop AKI, no statistically significant difference emerged in any characteristic related to demographic, clinical or multiparameter assessment variables except for the estimated GFR (eGFR). eGFR ≤100 mL/min/1.73 m2 was significantly related to the risk of developing AKI (Fisher’s exact test, P = .001). Moreover, RFR-T was lower in AKI+ patients vs AKI– patients, but did not allow statistical significance (28% vs 40%). In AKI patients, RFR >20% was associated with complete functional recovery (one-sided Fisher’s exact test, P = .041). The risk of failure to recover increases significantly when RFR ≤20% (odds ratio = 5.50, 95% confidence interval = 1.06–28.4). Conclusion. RFR identifies subclinical functional deterioration conditions essential for post-AKI recovery. In our cohort of patients with no kidney disease (NKD), the degree of pre-HSCT eGFR is associated with AKI risk, and a reduction in pre-HSCT RFR above a threshold of 20% is related to complete renal functional recovery post-AKI. Identifying eGFR first and RFR second could help select patients who might benefit from changes in transplant management or early nephrological assessment. © The Author(s) 2022

Letter. Absence of surface CD27 distinguishes hairy cell leukemia from other leukemic B-cell malignancies

Surface expression of CD27 was evaluated in 75 mature leukemic B-cell neoplasms. All cases other than hairy cell leukemia (HCL) expressed CD27. Intensity was significantly higher in chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Lack of CD27 in 17/17 HCL contrasted with expression of this marker in 5/5 splenic lymphomas with villous lymphocytes. Lack of CD27 is a new distinctive feature of HCL among B-cell malignancies

Activity of rituximab monotherapy in refractory splenic marginal zone lymphoma complicated with autoimmune hemolytic anemia

We describe the case of a 61-year-old patient with refractory splenic marginal zone lymphoma and secondary autoimmune hemolytic anemia, both successfully treated with rituximab. This case demonstrates that rituximab monotherapy might also be a valid therapeutic approach in marginal zone lymphoma and autoimmune hemolytic anemia after failure of first-line treatment. Maintenance therapy, although expensive, could be useful to improve event-free survival in patients with unfavorable clinical behavior

Low-dose oral fludarabine plus cyclophosphamide in elderly patients with chronic lymphoproliferative disorders

A synergistic effect of fludarabine (FLU) and cyclophosphamide (CY) has been extensively demonstrated in the treatment of chronic lymphoproliferative disorders (CLD), although a high incidence of severe neutropenia and infectious complications, particularly in elderly patients, have been reported. Based on a previous clinical experience in elderly CLD patients treated with a combination of low-dose intravenous (i.v.) FLU and CY in whom we obtained good response rates and negligible toxicity, we tested efficacy and safety of the new oral formulation of FLU combined with CY at low doses. A total of 28 elderly patients with relapsed/refractory or untreated CLD were treated with oral FLU and CY (25 and 150 mg/m2 respectively, both for 4 days every 4 weeks). The treatment design consisted in four consecutive courses and the median value of courses per patient was 3. Overall, 25 out of 28 evaluable patients were responsive to the treatment (six CR and 19 PR; ORR 89%), while the remaining three patients did not show any appreciable response (two progressive and one stable disease). Hematological toxicity was low in the majority of patients (grade 2-3 neutropenia/anemia in 8/28 cases); however, two fatal infections occurred and one additional patient died because of disease progression. Extra-hematological toxicity was generally mild. This preliminary report suggests that oral combination of FLU and CY at low dose is effective as the i.v. formulation and standard doses, since it may induce rapid responses in about 90% of elderly patients with CLD, with an acceptable toxicity

Trisomy 12 and t(14;22)(q32;q11) in a patient with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Recurrent cytogenetic abnormalities are typically found in about one third of B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients (B-CLL) by standard cytogenetic analysis and their prognostic relevance is well known. We report a case of a B-CLL patient showing both trisomy 12 and a t(14;22)(q32;q11). Trisomy 12 is often associated with aggressive disease and resistance to chemotherapy, however, our patient is in good health and currently untreated after 7 years, suggesting in this case a relatively good prognosis and a questionable role for translocations involving the 14q32 locus

Efficacy of anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies (Mabthera) in patients with progressed hairy cell leukemia

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Recently, a chimeric monoclonal antibody (MoAb) directed against the CD20 antigen (rituximab) has been successfully introduced in the treatment of several CD20-positive B-cell neoplasias and particularly of follicular lymphomas. Based on these premises we evaluated the efficacy and the toxicity of chimeric anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody (MoAb) in relapsed/progressed hairy cell leukemia (HCL).DESIGN AND METHODS: Ten patients with relapsed/progressed HCL entered the study. Eight patients were males and two females with a median age of 55 years (range 41-78) and all of them had been previously treated with 2-chlorodeoxyadenosine and/or deoxycoformycin and a-interferon. Two out of 10 patients were anemic (Hb < 10 g/dL), 4 thrombocytopenic (Plt < 100 x 10(9)/L), 3 had fewer than 1.0 x 10(9)/L neutrophils and 3 had circulating hairy cells (HC). All patients received 375 mg/m2 i.v. of anti-CD20 MoAb once a week for 4 doses.RESULTS: All patients were evaluable for response, one patient showing a complete remission and 4 a partial response. Adverse reactions, such as fever, chills, bone pain, hypotension and thrombocytopenia, were transient and mild (grade 1-2) and occurred only during the first course of treatment. One month after the last infusion, patients who had had anemia, neutropenia or thrombocytopenia, recovered normal peripheral blood values. Circulating HC also disappeared within one month. Immunostained bone marrow biopsies were checked 1, 3 and 6 months after the end of therapy and in 5 out of 10 patients a >50% reduction of bone marrow HC infiltration was recorded.INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of these preliminary results observed in 10 patients with progressed HCL, it appears that treatment with anti-CD20 MoAb is safe and effective in at least 50% of patients, particularly in those with a less evident bone marrow infiltration (50%) and in those previously splenectomized

Hairy cell leukemias (HCL) with unmutated V-genes have a poorer response to single agent 2CdA than HCL with mutated V-genes

Hairy cell leukemia (HCL) is a rare B-cell neoplasm highly responsive to purine analogues 2Chlorodeossiadenosine (2CdA) or Desossicoformicin or Interferons as single agents, and only a minority are refractory. Patients who obtain any response (either complete or partial) tend to have survivals as normal healthy subjects and/or will benefit from repeating the treatments in case of relapse. Conversely, the minority of patients who do not respond to one of the drugs often do not respond to the others and have a poor prognosis. We have recently observed that the majority of HCL have mutated VH genes, while a minority have unmutated VH genes. In the most common B-cell neoplasm chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), VH gene status has prognostic impact and correlates with progression, treatment-response and surivival. In the process of identifying prognostic parameters of responsiveness to 2CdA, we prospectively investigated the VH and VL genes expressed by the tumor cells and response to treatment in patients receiving subcutaneous 2CdA. In newly diagnosed HCL requiring treatment, enrolled in an Italian multicenter trial (ICGHCL2004), peripheral blood mononuclear cells were obtained prior to treatment, and the expressed tumor VH and VL transcripts were identified by RT-PCR and cloning. Tumor sequences with > 98% homology to germline VH and VL genes were defined as “unmutated”. Patients received 0.1 mg/kg subcutaneous 2CdA (Litak) for 5 or 7 consecutive days and responses were evaluated by immunohistochemistry of trephine bone marrow biopsies 2 and/or 6 months after the end of treatment. Of 56 patients recruited, 22 patients were evaluable for response. Definition of response was according to consensus resolution criteria. We observed that 19/22 patients responded to subcutaneous 2CdA (15 CR, 4 PR), while 3/22 patients demonstrated refractory or progressive disease, indicating similar efficacy of subcutaneous to intravenous administration. Leukocytosis was observed in 2/3 refractory, but also in 2/21 responsive patients. In one of one patient in CR, molecular remission was also documented in the bone marrow by PCR and capillary electrophoresis. Most remarkably, the 3/3 refractory HCL shared the common feature of expressing unmutated VH and VL genes, in contrast to the responsive patients that all carried mutated VH and/or VL genes. From our series, there are indications that mutational status may relate with tumor burden (leukocytosis) and, more importantly, with response to 2CdA. Overall, the interim data suggest that HCL patients with unmutated VH genes may not benefit from single agent subcutaneous 2CdA and provide elements to build new clinical trials with combined strategies in cases of refractory/non responsive HCL where the immunogenenetic tumor profile is provided