Kristina Forsterova

Chromosomal translocation t(11;14)(q13;q32) is a characteristic molecular marker of mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) and leads to the fusion of the immunoglobulin heavy chain enhancer-promoter with the cyclin D1 gene. Both aberrant cyclin D1 expression and underlying chromosomal aberration may be used as molecular targets for monitoring minimal residual disease (MRD). The present study aims to assess the usefulness of quantitative cyclin D1 gene expression compared to the standardised but more technologically demanding DNA-based method for immunoglobulin heavy chain (IGH) or t(11;14) clone-specific gene rearrangement quantification in a cohort of bone marrow (BM) and peripheral blood (PB) samples from patients with MCL. We simultaneously evaluated DNA-MRD and cyclin D1 expression levels in 234 samples from 57 patients. We observed that both in DNA-MRD positive and negative BM/PB pairs from the same time points the expression levels of cyclin D1 are lower in PB than in BM (median 19×, BM/PB range 0.41–352). The correlation of cyclin D1 transcript levels with DNA-MRD or with flow cytometry was good only in samples with a very high infiltration. In DNA-MRD-negative BM samples, we observed a significant heterogeneity of cyclin D1 expression (in the range of more than three orders of magnitude). This is in contrast to previous reports demonstrating the usefulness of cyclin D1 for MRD monitoring that did not use DNA-based method as a reference. In PB, the specificity of cyclin D1 expression was better due to a lower physiological background. In conclusion, we show that cyclin D1 is unsuitable for MRD monitoring in BM.

Implementation of cytarabine into induction therapy became standard of care for younger patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). On the basis of its beneficial impact, many centers incorporated cytarabine at lower doses also into first‐line treatments of elderly patients. We conducted a multicenter observational study that prospectively analyzed safety and efficacy of alternating 3 + 3 cycles of R‐CHOP and R‐cytarabine for newly diagnosed transplant‐ineligible MCL patients. A total of 73 patients were enrolled with median age 70 years. Most patients had intermediate (39.7%) and high‐risk (50.7%) disease according to MCL international prognostic index. Rituximab maintenance was initiated in 58 patients. Overall response rate reached 89% by positron emission tomography–computed tomography, including 75.3% complete remissions. Two patients (2.7%) did not complete the induction therapy because of toxicity. Three patients (4.1%) were considered nonresponders, which led to therapy change before completion of induction. Estimated progression‐free survival and overall survival were 51.3% and 68.6% at 4 years, respectively. Mantle cell lymphoma international prognostic index, bulky disease (≥ 5 cm), and achievement of positron emission tomography–negativity independently correlated with progression‐free survival. Grade 3 to 4 hematologic and nonhematologic toxicity was documented in 48% and 20.5% patients, respectively. Alternation of R‐CHOP and R‐cytarabine represents feasible and very effective regimen for elderly/comorbid MCL patients. This study was registered at GovTrial (clinicaltrials.gov) NCT03054883.

Richter syndrome represents the transformation of the chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) into an aggressive lymphoma, most frequently the diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). In this report we describe a patient with CLL, who developed a clonally-related pleomorphic highly-aggressive mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) after five cycles of a fludarabine-based second-line therapy for the first relapse of CLL. Molecular cytogenetic methods together with whole-exome sequencing revealed numerous gene alterations restricted to the MCL clone (apart from the canonical t(11;14)(q13;q32) translocation) including gain of one copy of ATM gene or emergence of TP53, CREBBP, NUP214, FUBP1 and SF3B1 gene mutations. Similarly, gene expression analysis revealed vast differences between the MCL and CLL transcriptome, including overexpression of cyclin D1, downregulation of cyclins D2 and D3, or downregulation of IL4R in the MCL clone. Backtracking analysis using quantitative PCR specifically detecting an MCL-restricted focal deletion of TP53 revealed that the pre-MCL clone appeared in the bone marrow and peripheral blood of the patient approximately 4 years before the clinical manifestation of MCL. Both molecular cytogenetic and sequencing data support the hypothesis of a slow development of the pre-MCL clone in parallel to CLL over several years, and thereby exclude the possibility that the transformation event occurred at the stage of the CLL relapse clone by mere t(11;14)(q13;q32) acquisition.

Background: Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is an aggressive type of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma characterized by frequent relapses and adverse prognosis. Implementation of high-dose cytarabine (HDAC) and incorporation of anti-CD20 antibody rituximab (R) into induction and maintenance, and consolidation with high-dose therapy and autologous stem cell transplantation (HDT-ASCT) significantly improved pt´s outcome. Therapy of the elderly or comorbid (not eligible for HDT-ASCT) is largely based on R-CHOP or R-bendamustin induction with or without R maintenance. Minimal residual disease (MRD) assessment by quantitative PCR (qPCR) from peripheral blood or bone marrow (BM) has emerged as a powerful molecular marker of outcome. Based on the results of the younger pts some centers adopted the use of HDAC in elderly as well, but no data has been presented yet. Aim: We initiated the observational study as a non-intervention, multi-center trial with the primary objectives to prospectively evaluate efficacy of alternating R-CHOP21 and R-HDAC (1 or 2 g / m2, 2 doses a 24 hours) in newly diagnosed MCL pts not eligible for HDT-ASCT. Methods: Primary endpoints were overall response rate (ORR) by PET-CT, and MRD assessment by qPCR after completion of induction. Secondary endpoints included progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and toxicity. The choice between 1 and 2 g / m2 cytarabine was left at investigator´s discretion, as well as the rituximab maintenance. Patients with known cardiac co-morbidity could be treated with R-COEP (etoposid 50 mg / m2, D1-D3) instead of R-CHOP. Exclusion criteria included eligibility to HDT-ASCT, ECOG≥ 4, and CNS involvement. Results: Altogether 61 pts (38 men and 23 women, ratio 1.7:1) were enrolled into the study between 16-JUN-2011 and 18-MAR-2014. Median age was 70 years both for men and women. 91.5%, and 80% pts presented with stage 3/4 disease, and infiltration of BM, resp. According to the MIPI, 55.7%, 39.4%, and 4.9% pts had high, intermediate and low risk disease, resp. B-symptoms were recorded in 33.3% of pts. 76.8% and 24.2% pts were diagnosed from the lymph node, and trephine biopsy, resp. 62.8%, 27.9%, and 9.3% pts presented with classical, pleomorphic and blastoid variant MCL, resp. Ki67/MIB1 ≥ 30% was observed in 38% of pts. Bulky disease >5cm, and >10cm, was noticed in 31% and 13% pts. Spleen involvement was observed in 53% pts. Extra-nodal involvement other than BM was histologically confirmed in 11.5% pts. R-CHOP was used in 88% pts (12% pts received R-COEP), 86% pts received 2g / m2 cytarabine (14% pts 1g / m2). 86.3% pts with response were treated with R maintenace. Only one patient was excluded from the study due to unacceptable toxicity. 57.7% pts developed grade 3/4 hematologic toxicity (neutropenia, anemia or thrombocytopenia). Grade 3/4 non-hematologic toxicity occurred in 27.3% pts. All pts had PET-CT restaging after completion of induction. Overall response rate (CR+PR) reached 91.7%. CR and PR rate by PET was 76.7%, and 15%, resp. SD, and progression on therapy was noticed in 3.3%, and 5.0%, resp. Samples for MRD assessment were collected from 41 out of 54 pts, who completed induction and achieved response (CR or PR). At the time of abstract submission 21, 7, and 7 (out of 36 so far evaluated pts) were MRD negative, MRD positive-not quantifiable, and MRD positive-quantifiable, resp. With the median follow-up 19.1 month, there were 7 progressions and 6 deaths. 2-year PFS and OS probability were 83.9% and 88.1%. Conclusion: Alternation of R-CHOP and R-HDAC in newly diagnosed elderly or co-morbid MCL pts represents a promising, very effective and well-tolerated treatment approach that induces high ORR, and MRD negativity. Grant Support: IGA-MZ NT/13072-4, PRVOUK-27/LF1/1

The objective of this retrospective, multicenter study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of micafungin as empirical antifungal therapy during febrile neutropenia (FN) in 73 hematological patients from six centers in two countries. All patients received 100 mg of micafungin/day. The overall favorable response rate (RR) was 64.8% when the resolution of fever during neutropenia was included in the response criteria and 84.5% when excluded. A significantly lower favorable RR in patients with persistent fever and non-specific pulmonary infiltrates compared to patients with persistent fever only (82.8 vs. 52.4%, respectively; p = 0.011) was not found when resolution of fever was not included in the composite endpoint criteria (93.1 vs. 78.6%, respectively; p = 0.180). Breakthrough fungal disease developed in 2.7% of patients. Treatment was discontinued in 16.4% of cases. Only one patient (1.4%) discontinued therapy due to an adverse event. Posaconazole prophylaxis improved favorable RR when defervescence was included as composite endpoint criterion (p = 0.047), but not when it was excluded (p = 0.485). However, neutrophil recovery did not influence favorable RR (p = 0.803 and p = 0.112, respectively). These data suggest that micafungin is safe and effective as an empirical therapy in patients with FN.

The Hans algorithm failed to predict outcome in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma treated with rituximab

Primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma (PMBL) seems to be reliably distinguished from diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) with microarray technology. We measured expression of Fcer2, Pdl2 and Blk genes using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RTqPCR) on formalin fixed, paraffin embedded material (FFPE) and suggested a formula to discriminate PMBL from DLBCL. For 39/82 included patients the diagnosis of PMBL was expected clinico-pathologically. Diagnosis of 10/39 and 2/43 of clinically considered PMBLs and DLBCLs, respectively, was not genetically confirmed. Compared to confirmed PMBLs, unconfirmed ones showed clinical features similar to DLBCLs, e.g. spleen infiltration (p=0,028) and decreased invasiveness in pericardium (p=0,045). They tended to have more common infradiaphragmatic involvement, less often tumor sclerosis or fluidothorax. There were no immunohistochemical differences between genetically confirmed and unconfirmed PMBLs. New approach of distinguishing PMBL and DLBCL is presented. It is based on expression of three genes in routinely available FFPE material using RTqPCR.

Hypermethylation of CpG islands within gene promoters is one of various mechanisms of gene silencing involved in the pathogenesis of human cancer. By using methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction we explored aberrant promoter methylation of five tumour suppressor genes in 29 patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. Aberrant methylation of DLC1 , SHP1 , p15 and p16 occurred, respectively, in 89.7 %, 70 %, 62.1 % and 31 % of patients at diagnosis. Lamin A/C was unmethylated in all the samples. Hypermethylation of at least one gene was detected in 96.6 % of patients. Concurrent methylation of two or more genes correlated with Rai stage at diagnosis.