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Abstract Proteinuria selectivity index (PSI) is a potential tool for histological classification and prediction of treatment response in nephrotic syndrome, but evidence is insufficient. Clinical relevance of fractional excretion of sodium (FENa) in nephrotic syndrome remains largely unexplored. This multicenter retrospective study included patients with nephrotic syndrome who underwent kidney biopsy between January 2012 and June 2022. Optimal cutoffs for predicting complete remission based on PSI and FENa were determined using receiver operating characteristic curves. Patients were divided into two groups using these cutoffs and followed until complete remission. Of the 611 patients included, 177 had minimal change disease (MCD), 52 had focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), and 149 had membranous nephropathy (MN). Median (interquartile range) PSI were 0.14 (0.09–0.19) for MCD, 0.33 (0.23–0.40) for FSGS, and 0.20 (0.14–0.30) for MN. FENa were 0.24 (0.09–0.68), 1.03 (0.50–2.14), and 0.78 (0.41–1.28). Patients with low PSI and FENa had a higher incidence of complete remission. Cox regression analyses demonstrated that both parameters were associated with achieving complete remission (HR 2.73 [95% CI 1.97–3.81] and HR 1.93 [95% CI 1.46–2.55], respectively). PSI and FENa may be useful for histological classification and predicting remission in nephrotic syndrome.

Abstract Objective To investigate the efficacy and safety of belimumab in the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in a real-world setting and provide a valuable reference for clinical treatment. Methods In this retrospective study, 101 patients with SLE who came to our hospital from March 2020 to September 2022, 56 of whom with lupus nephritis (LN), were selected. All patients received belimumab in combination with standard of care(SoC)therapy regimen for more than 52 weeks and their clinical/laboratory data, assessment of disease activity, glucocorticoids dosage and occurrence of adverse events were recorded. Lupus Low Disease Activity State (LLDAS) and DORIS remission as a primary goal in the treatment of SLE. The groups were classified according to the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index 2000 (SLEDAI-2 K): SLEDAI-2 K

Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS) is a soft tissue lesion that resembles a hyperpigmented angiosarcoma and is typically associated with human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) infection. It is most frequently observed in immunocompromised patients, particularly those with AIDS, and is also referred to as HIV-associated Kaposi’s sarcoma (AIDS-KS). The disease progresses rapidly, is challenging to manage, and has a high mortality rate. This case report presents a patient with AIDS-KS who experienced relapse after chemotherapy with anthracyclines. Subsequent chemotherapy with the same method had no significant effect. However, complete remission was achieved after the addition of a programmed cell death protein 1(PD-1) inhibitor, as confirmed by pathological biopsy. The PD-1 inhibitor was well-tolerated and had few adverse effects. It also helped to improve the immune reconstitution of the patient. The report highlights the remarkable efficacy of the PD-1 inhibitor in treating AIDS-KS. This provides case support for PD-1 inhibitors for AIDS-KS.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of the combination of venetoclax and hypomethylating agents with the HAG regimen.Methods: We studied 52 cases of newly diagnosed AML and 26 cases of relapsed refractory AML, (including AML patients with treatment-related and ELN-adverse risk disease (n = 50)). These patients were treated with venetoclax and hypomethylating agents and HAG regimens, respectively.Results: Twenty-nine patients newly diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia were treated with VEN-HMA (venetoclax-hypomethylating agent), while 23 patients were treated with HAG. The median age of the VEN-HMA group was 70 years, while the HAG group had a median age of 69 years. The VEN-HMA group achieved a significantly higher rate of complete remission (82.7%) compared to the cohort treated with the HAG regimen (21.7%) (P 0.99). The median overall survival was similar between the VEN-HMA and HAG groups, with 4 and 3.67 months, respectively (P = 0.290).Conclusions: In conclusion, our analyses indicated that VEN-HMA resulted in better therapeutic outcomes compared to HAG for newly diagnosed AML patients, with higher rates of complete remission and overall survival. In relapsed/refractory AML patients, there was no significant difference in the efficacy of the two treatments and further studies with larger sample sizes are warranted.

The use of metal-on-metal bearing couples in total hip arthroplasty can lead to an increased release of metal ions, particularly cobalt and chromium over time. This can lead to local and systemic metallosis, which has cytotoxic, genotoxic, and immunotoxic effects and can cause a host of secondary disorders. We describe the case of a 37-year-old female patient that was diagnosed with warm-antibody autoimmune hemolytic anemia (WAIHA) one and a half years after bilateral large-diameter head metal-on-metal total hip arthroplasty. For 11 years, it was refractory to all therapy, including splenectomy and rituximab, requiring long-term oral prednisone for disease control. Ultimately, systemic metallosis and periprosthetic joint infection were diagnosed, requiring explantation of the prostheses. By the sixth week postoperatively, she experienced complete spontaneous remission of her WAIHA. In conclusion, WAIHA can be associated with systemic metallosis in patients with metal-on-metal prosthetic joint replacements. Both hematologists and orthopedic surgeons should be aware of this.

Abstract Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo‐HSCT) is considered for patients with high‐risk B‐cell lymphoma and relapsed or refractory disease. This study aimed to analyze the long‐term follow‐up data of patients who underwent allo‐HSCT in Taiwan. This was a retrospective observational study using data from the Taiwan Society of Blood and Marrow Transplantation database. A total of 105 patients who underwent allo‐HSCT because of high‐risk, relapsed, or refractory disease between 2010 and 2019 were included. Forty‐five percent of the patients previously underwent autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). The median follow‐up duration was 18.6 months. The probability of 3‐year progression‐free survival and overall survival (OS) was 34.5% and 37%, respectively. The probability of 1‐year non‐relapse mortality was 31.4%, and the major cause was infection (75.8%). The multivariable analysis showed that not in remission at the time of transplantation and the absence of graft‐versus‐host disease (GVHD) were factors associated with inferior OS. The probability of 3‐year OS in patients with diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma who underwent allo‐HSCT and allo‐HSCT after ASCT was 40.2% and 25.2%, respectively. Allo‐HSCT could be a salvage therapeutic option for relapsed or refractory B‐cell lymphoma. Complete remission at the time of allo‐HSCT and the presence of GVHD are independent variables for overall survival.

Örs Péter Horváth,1 Szabolcs Bellyei,2 Éva Pozsgai,3,4 András Vereczkei1 1Department of Surgery, University of Pécs Clinical Center, Pécs, 7624, Hungary; 2Department of Oncotherapy, University of Pécs Clinical Center, Pécs, 7624, Hungary; 3Department of Public Health, University of Pécs Medical School, Pécs, 7624, Hungary; 4Department of Primary Health Care, University of Pécs Medical School, Pécs, 7623, HungaryCorrespondence: Örs Péter Horváth, Department of Surgery, University of Pécs Clinical Center, Ifjúság Street 13, Pécs, 7624, Hungary, Tel +3672535806, Email horvath.ors.peter@pte.huAbstract: From a surgical point of view, the development of preoperative oncological treatment has had a profound effect on the surgical treatment trends of cancer as well as on the outcomes of cancer patients. Consequently, these changes have challenged formerly entrenched oncological surgical principles. In our short report, we aimed to summarize the main shifts regarding the surgical principles of cancer treatment due to the development of preoperative oncological therapy in recent years. As a result of successful preoperative treatment, surgeons may perform less radical surgeries, the required free resection margin has been narrowed down to a few millimeters in dimension and preoperative treatment is justified in both definitely resectable tumors and in oligometastatic tumors as well. For prognosis assessment, the post-preoperative oncological treatment stage is now considered decisive, rather than the pretreatment stage as previously thought. Other changes include the introduction of the watch and wait strategy and the reverse order of treatment of the primary tumor and metastasis. Observing the continuously improving outcomes of cancer patients and the developments in oncological treatment modalities, a further expansion of the indication of preoperative treatments is to be expected.Keywords: preoperative oncological therapy, neoadjuvant, downstaging, complete remission, surgical principles

Chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR T) targeting CD7 for T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma (T-ALL/LBL) showed promising efficacy and safety in some clinical trials. However, most of them were bridged with allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). We described successful treatment with preventive donor-derived anti-CD7 CAR-T therapy in a case of refractory T lymphoblastic lymphoma following allo-HSCT, who could not receive autologous anti-CD7 CAR-T products due to the low-quality of T lymphocytes. To date, the patient’s complete remission has persisted for 20 months after HSCT.

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is one of the most malignant tumors in digestive system due to its highly invasive and metastatic properties. At present, conventional treatment strategies for PC show the limited clinical efficacy. Therefore, novel effective therapeutic strategies are urgently needed. Here, we report a case of complete remission of advanced PC induced by claudin18.2-targeted CAR-T cell therapy. The patient was a 72-year-old man who was diagnosed with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma 2 years ago, and he experienced tumor recurrence and multiple metastases after pancreaticoduodenectomy and multi-line chemotherapies, including liver, peritoneum, and cervical lymph node metastases. Then, the patient was referred to our department for further treatment of metastatic PC, and he was enrolled in a clinical trial of claudin18.2-targeted CAR-T cell therapy. After lymphodepleting chemotherapy, the patient received claudin18.2-targeted CAR-T cell infusion at a dose of 1.2 × 106 cells/kg on November 21, 2022. During CAR-T cell therapy, the patient experienced grade 2 cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and gastric mucosa injury, which were controlled by tocilizumab and conventional symptomatic and supportive treatment. The patient achieved a complete response (CR) 1 month after claudin18.2-targeted CAR-T cell therapy, and remained in clinical remission for 8 months. Unfortunately, the patient experienced claudin18.2-negative relapse in July, 2023. Despite antigen-negative relapse after claudin18.2-targeted CAR-T cell infusion, the patient achieved sustained remission for 8 months, which indicates that claudin18.2-targeted CAR-T cell therapy is an extremely effective therapeutic strategy for the treatment of advanced PC.

Abstract Background The hypomethylating agent decitabine is the standard therapy for intermediate or high risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Methods In this trial, 191 adult patients with intermediate/high risk MDS (IPSS score ≥ 0.5) randomly received decitabine using a standard regimen (20 mg/m2/day for 5 consecutive days; n = 94) or an extended regimen with lower daily dose (12 mg/m2/day for 8 consecutive days; n = 97) every 4 weeks, for a total of 4 cycles. Results The median follow‐up was 14 months (range 2–36). The primary end point of overall response rate in the intent‐to‐treat analysis was 41.5% and 38.1% in the standard and extended dosing arms, respectively (p = 0.660). Complete remission and marrow complete remission also did not differ between the two arms. Cytopenia was the most frequent adverse event (76.4%). The median duration of neutropenia per cycle did not differ between the two arms during the first two cycles, but significantly shorter in the extended dosing arm in the third cycle (8.5 vs. 15.5 days, p = 0.049) and in the fourth cycle (8 vs. 14 days, p = 0.294). Conclusion The 5‐day 20‐mg/m2/day and 8‐day 12‐mg/m2/day decitabine regimens have similar efficacy and safety in patients with intermediate or high risk MDS.

Abstract Background The prognosis for recurrence cases of hormone receptor-positive HER2-negative breast cancer remains poor, and treatment strategies that emphasize quality of life have often been chosen, with few physicians aiming for a cure. Our objective is to assess the validity of such current treatment strategies. Case presentation A 74-year-old Asian woman with multiple lung and liver metastases after local recurrence of breast cancer was treated with two different cyclin-dependent kinases 4/6 inhibitors sequentially in combination with endocrine therapy. Flow cytometric analysis of the patient’s peripheral blood mononuclear cells was also performed to evaluate the host’s immune status. Complete remission was achieved without cytotoxic agents and the patient remains disease free to this day, 6 years after the initial relapse. Additionally, no increase in the population of the immunosenescent T cells with a phenotype of CD8+CD28− was observed in the patient’s peripheral blood mononuclear cells, suggesting that the immune system was well maintained. Conclusions We present this case study to develop new treatment strategies for recurrent breast cancer that is not only bound to misinterpretations of the Hortobagyi algorithm, but also aim for a cure with noncytotoxic agents to maintain the host’s immune system and early detection of recurrence.

BackgroundGallbladder neuroendocrine carcinoma (GB-NEC) is an extremely rare cancer with a poor prognosis in the clinic. Although surgical resection remains the primary and preferred therapeutics, many patients are in a late stage and lose the opportunity for surgery. However, due to the extremely low morbidity, the specific treatment guidelines for GB-NEC have not been established.Case presentationA 52-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with the chief complaint of “almost 1 month after palliative surgery for metastatic gallbladder carcinoma.” According to the results of pathological findings and imaging manifestations, the patient was diagnosed with GB-NEC with a clinical stage of pT3N1M1 (IVB). The patient then received tislelizumab plus EP chemotherapy (etoposide 100 mg + cisplatin 30 mg, d1–3) every 3 weeks for 8 cycles from 12 November, 2021, followed by maintenance therapy (tislelizumab alone) every 3 weeks until now. The tumor response was evaluated as complete remission since 13 February, 2023. As of the last follow-up, the patient remains alive, with no complaints of discomfort.ConclusionsGallbladder NEC has no specific symptoms, and the diagnosis is based on pathological and immunohistochemical results. The therapeutic course and efficacy of the case in this study indicates that the application of PD-1 inhibitor might be a feasible therapeutic option for GB-NEC. However, this potential strategy needs validation by further clinical studies in the future.

Background: Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is a promising biomarker for disease prediction in many cancers, including acute leukemia (acute myeloid leukemia [AML] and acute lymphoblastic leukemia [ALL]). This study investigated the role of cfDNA in predicting relapse or unfavorable outcomes in acute leukemia patients upon initial diagnosis.Methods: Paired peripheral blood samples of 25 patients with ALL and AML were compared at baseline and induction/follow-up and clinically correlated with clinicopathological and outcome variables according to the risk category. cfDNA was isolated using commercial cfDNA extraction kits. The probability of poor outcomes in high-risk groups and a cut-off value for risk stratification minimal residual disease (MRD) positivity and outcome prediction were derived.Results: Twenty-five patients diagnosed with AML and ALL were risk-stratified based on NCI risk stratification, and of these 25 patients, 4 patients were of standard risk (SR) and 1 patient was of intermediate risk (IR), while a majority of patients (80%) were of high risk (HR). Of these, four HR patients passed away. The ratio of cfDNA reduction at baseline and the end of induction was a strong predictor of poor outcomes in high-risk patients, regardless of the MRD status. A cfDNA ratio score of 2.6 or higher at diagnosis/remission predicted poor outcomes, with higher accuracy than conventional MRD detection by flow cytometry.Conclusion: A higher cfDNA ratio at diagnosis/remission or at baseline predicts poor outcomes in acute leukemia patients. This pilot study suggests that cfDNA ratio scoring may be a useful tool for predicting prognosis in acute leukemia patients, regardless of the MRD status.

Key clinical message Nivolumab has been clinically successful in prolonging the overall survival of patients with recurrent and metastatic head and neck cancer, complete remission is rare. Synergistic combinations of immunotherapy and conventional cancer treatments, such as radiotherapy or chemotherapy, are likely to be the most viable strategies for improving patient responses. Abstract Immune checkpoint inhibitors have revolutionized recurrent, metastatic oral cancer treatment; however complete remission in advanced stages is unusual. We present a case of complete remission of advanced oral squamous cell carcinoma for >4 years in a 64‐year‐old Japanese woman, that responded poorly to chemoradiotherapy but well to subsequent nivolumab treatment.

AbstractBackground The treatment of refractory nephrotic syndrome (RNS) is full of challenges and the role of rituximab (RTX) is not well-established, thus this study aims to demonstrate the role of RTX in RNS.Methods This was a multicenter retrospective study of all adult patients receiving RTX for RNS. Patients enrolled were divided into two groups according to pathological pattern: 20 patients as a group of podocytopathy (including minimal change disease [MCD] and focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis [FSGS]), and 26 patients as membranous nephropathy (MN) group. The remission rate, relapse rate, adverse effects, and predictors of remission were analyzed.Results A total of 75 patients received RTX for RNS and 48 were available for analysis after exclusion criteria. No significant difference in the remission rate at 6 or 12 months was observed between the MCD/FSGS and MN cases (p > 0.05). The median duration of the first complete remission (CR) was 1 month in the podocytopathy group and 12.5 months in the MN group. Three relapses were associated with infection as the ultimate outcome, and 6 out of 48 remained refractory representing a response rate of 87.5% in RNS. Clinical predictors of cumulative CR were estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)

AbstractObjective Glomerular basement membrane (GBM) thickening is a typical and essential histopathological characteristic for the diagnosis of primary membranous nephropathy (PMN). The present study aimed to explore the relationship between GBM thickness and treatment response in PMN patients.Methods A total of 128 patients with nephrotic syndrome concurrent with PMN were studied. The highest GBM thickness was measured from at least five glomerular capillary loops using an electron microscope, and the mean value was obtained. Patients were categorized into three groups according to the tertiles of GBM thickness as follows: Group 1 (GBM thickness ≤ 1100 nm, n = 48), Group 2 (1100 nm 1300 nm, n = 40). Clinicopathological features and treatment response were compared among the three groups. The associations of GBM thickness with complete remission (CR) were assessed by Cox proportional hazard analyses and a cubic spline curve.Results During a median follow-up period of 25.80 months, 69 (53.9%) patients achieved CR. Kaplan–Meier analysis showed that the non-CR probability was significantly higher in the highest tertile of GBM thickness (p˂0.001). Univariate Cox proportional hazard analysis indicated that GBM thickness was associated with CR (HR per SD 0.617, 95% CI [0.471–0.809], p˂0.001). After adjusting for age, duration of PMN, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), urinary protein excretion, grade of C3 deposition, and titer of serum anti-phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R) antibody, GBM thickness remained an independent predictor of CR (HR per SD 0.580, 95% CI [0.436–0.772], p˂0.001). Further multivariable-adjusted restricted cubic spline analysis confirmed a significant reverse linear association between GBM thickness and CR (p for nonlinear = 0.1261).Conclusions GBM thickness is an independent risk factor of CR. PMN patients with an increased level of GBM thickening at diagnosis have a lower probability of achieving CR.

A woman in her 50s had recurrent renal cell carcinoma six years after nephrectomy. The patient was treated with nivolumab plus ipilimumab therapy starting in May 2022. She was rushed to hospital due to melena and severe anemia in September 2022. CT showed massive leakage of contrast medium into the gastrointestinal tract and mild enlargement of the metastatic tumors. Nivolumab was discontinued and she was started on cabozantinib as second-line therapy. After cabozantinib therapy, the anemia subsided. The metastatic tumors have shrunk significantly, with no further recurrence being observed as of September 2023.

IntroductionFor years, standard treatment for locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) has included neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT), followed by surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy. Although CRT has helped reduce local recurrence rates, it hasn’t consistently improved overall survival. Recent trials have unveiled a different approach called total neoadjuvant treatment (TNT), involving pre-surgery radiotherapy followed by chemotherapy (CAPOX/FOLFOX). TNT shows promise with improved treatment response and lower distant metastasis rates without compromising local control. Consequently, many healthcare institutions have adopted TNT as their preferred neoadjuvant treatment. This study, conducted at a tertiary center, compares the real-world outcomes of both CRT and TNT protocols.MethodsIn this retrospective study of 390 patients treated between 2015 and 2021, aged 18 or older with LARC and tumors within 12 cm of the anal verge, we compared treatment outcomes. We assessed factors like pathological complete remission (pCR), three-year event-free survival (EFS), and overall survival (OS) between the two treatment groups using the Chi-squared test.ResultsOut of the 390 eligible patients, 256 underwent CRT, while 84 received TNT. Surgery was performed on 215 (84%) patients in the CRT group, compared to 55 (65.5%) in the TNT group. Notably, 33 (12.8%) achieved pCR in the CRT group, whereas 23 (27.7%) achieved pCR in the TNT group (P

Cardiac tamponade with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a rare but fatal complication. Although cardiac tamponade is typically managed with pericardiocentesis and medication, there is no definitive treatment for this condition. Herein, we report a case of cardiac tamponade with SLE in a 15-year-old girl. The patient had fever, chest pain, and fatigue for 1 month. She was diagnosed with SLE, and hence, prednisolone treatment was initiated. Her symptoms had alleviated on the 4th day of treatment; however, the following day, she was admitted to our hospital with fever and vomiting. The patient did not show chest pain or dyspnea. She developed hypotension, chest pain, and dyspnea the day after admission. She was diagnosed with cardiac tamponade using echocardiography. After pericardiocentesis, she was administered belimumab and hydroxychloroquine following intravenous methylprednisolone pulses and was maintained with complete remission for 2 years after the discontinuation of prednisolone and mycophenolate mofetil. This case highlights the potential for successful treatment of lupus cardiac tamponade with intravenous methylprednisolone pulses followed by administration of belimumab and hydroxychloroquine.

BACKGROUND: Angiopoietin-2 (ANG-2) regulates angiogenesis and enhances the formation of new vessels in tumors by boosting the effect of vascular endothelial growth factor as part of dynamic neovascularization. ANG-2 is a marker of disease progression and therapy response in multiple myeloma (MM). OBJECTIVES: The study aimed to assess the level of ANG-2 in MM patients at diagnosis and in remission state and elaborate on its correlation with interleukin-6 (IL-6) and beta-2 microglobulin (B2M) levels. PATIENTS, MATERIALS, AND METHODS: Sixty MM patients; 20 newly diagnosed (ND), and 40 patients in remission were included. Twenty healthy individuals were included as a control group. Plasma levels of ANG-2, B2M, and IL-6 were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: There are significant statistical differences between ND patients and those in remission in hemoglobin, neutrophil count, blood urea, serum creatinine, glomerular filtration rate, B2M, IL6, and ANG-2 (P = 0.001, 0.033, 0.005, 0.001, 0.001, 0.001, 0.004, and 0.001, respectively). ANG-2 showed significant positive correlations with B2M (P = 0.001) and IL-6 (P = 0.012). CONCLUSION: The low ANG-2 level in the remission group with an insignificant difference from that in the control group with a high level in the untreated patients renders it a useful indicator for treatment response follow-up in MM. The positive correlation of ANG-2 with B2M and IL-6 reflects the active angiogenesis with a high tumor burden and disease progression.

Abstract Background Achieving complete remission (CR) is the main goal in AML treatment and a prerequisite for successful autologous stem cell transplantation (ACT). Methods Comparing results of peripheral blood ACT in patients with AML in CR1 attained following 1 versus 2 chemotherapy courses transplanted in 2000–2019. Results Patients 1532 (84%) with one and 293 (16%) patients with two induction chemotherapies courses (a total of 1825 patients) were included in the study. Follow‐up was 7.9 (95% CI: 7.4–8.4) and 7.7 (95% CI: 7.0–8.6) years (p = 0.8). Time from diagnosis to ACT was 4.7 (range, 3.9–5.8) versus 5.7 (range, 4.7–7.1) months (p

Theproteasome inhibitor bortezomib (Velcade) has demonstrated clinical activity in patients with multiple myeloma (MM). We report the activity of borte-zomib plus dexamethasone in 60patients with relapsed and refractory myeloma. The patients had a median age of 65 years (range, 38—79 years). The median number of previous treatments was 3 (range, 1-9). For patients who received bortezomib plus dexamethasone the overall response rate was 73%. 38% patients achieved CR. CR in patients receiving bortezomib plus dexamethasone earlier vs later (≤ 3 и ≥ 4 line chemotherapy) were: 48% vs 27,5%. Bortezomib is active in patients with relapsed MM, including elderly patients. Side effects were predictable and manageable; principal toxicities were hematological, gastrointestinal, and peripheral neuropathy. The most common adverse events reported were asthenia (52%), neuropathy (53%), thrombocytopenia (32%), anemia (30%). Neuropathy greater than grade 2 was more frequent in patients who received 3 or more prior therapy regimens.

We used the bortezomib (velcade) plus MP (VMP) in 24 previously untreated patients with multiple myeloma (MM). The patients had a median age of 73 years (range, 65–83 years). For patients who received velcade plus MP the overall response rate was 62.4 %. 33.2 % patients achieved complete remission (CR+n-CR). The median duration of the CR was 10.3 months. Side effects were predictable and manageable. The most common adverse events reported were asthenia, neuropathy, neutropenia and anemia. Serious adverse events were rare. These results establish VMP as a new standard of care in elderly untreated patients with multiple myeloma. VMP is highly active and well tolerated in elderly patients (> 75 years) with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma.

Efficiency of alemtuzumab (Campath) in 8 patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) was reported. Patients treated with alemtuzumab or alemtuzumab in combination with fludarabine (FluCam). Therapy response, overall survival and incidence of side effects were estimated. Among 5 patients with primary CLL, therapy response was 100%. Alemtuzumab was high effective in patients with relapsed and refractory CLL too. The main complications were myelosupression and infections. High efficacy of alemtuzumab in CLL therapy was shown.

We used the bortezomib plus dexamethasone (VD) and bortezomib plus MP (VMP) in 56 previously untreated elderly patients with multiple myeloma. The patients were 65–89 years old. For patients who received bortezomib plus MP the overall response rate was 83%. 33.3% of patients achieved complete response (near-complete response + complete response) (based on EBMT criteria). For patients who received bortezomib plus dexamethasone the overall response rate was 73%. 34.6% of patients achieved complete response. Median overall survival in patients treated with bortezomib plus dexamethasone and bortezomib plus MP has not been reached. Median event-free survival was 15 and 17 months respectively. Side effects of bortezomib were predictable and manageable. The most common adverse events reported were asthenia, neuropathy, neutropenia and anemia. Serious adverse events were rare. These results establish VMP and VD as modern strategies in therapy of elderly untreated patients with multiple myeloma. VMP and VD is highly effective and well tolerated in elderly patients (> 65 years) with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma.

Introduction Complete remission of cerebral metastasis is a rare consequence of tyrosine kinase inhibitor monotherapy in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma. Case presentation A 68‐year‐old woman, who presented with dyspnea, was diagnosed with left renal cell carcinoma with multiple brain and pleural metastases. Although nivolumab and ipilimumab combination treatment was initiated, it was discontinued because of an immune‐related adverse event. Two months after treatment cessation, brain metastases progressed regardless of shrinkage of primary renal tumor and pleural metastases. Therefore, axitinib was started as a second‐line treatment, which resulted in the complete disappearance of the brain metastases along with the stable disease of the other tumor lesions. Conclusion This is the first report of complete remission of brain metastases in renal cell carcinoma treated by axitinib.

Advanced intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is a rare malignant tumor of biliary epithelial cells, known for its extremely unfavorable prognosis. In the absence of intervention, patients typically survive for less than 5 months. Current guidelines from the Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO), National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), and European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) recommend chemotherapy-based systemic therapy as the standard treatment for advanced ICC. However, the first-line regimen, consisting of gemcitabine in combination with cisplatin, generally results in a median survival of approximately one year, which is considered suboptimal. Significant progress has been made in radiotherapy techniques, molecular diagnostics, and tumor immune microenvironments. The integration of immune and radiation therapies has revolutionized treatment strategies for cholangiocarcinoma. Moreover, combined therapeutic regimens have shown promising results in improving survival rates among patients with advanced ICC. In this study, we present a case report of a 70-year-old male patient diagnosed with stage IV ICC, featuring metastases to the retroperitoneal, left adrenal, and left supraclavicular lymph nodes. The patient exhibited a high tumor mutational load, significant microsatellite instability, and hyper-expression of PD-L1 (90%), along with positive Epstein-Barr virus-encoded RNA (EBER). Pembrolizumab, a programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) inhibitor, was administered in conjunction with radiotherapy. As a result, considerable shrinkage and inactivation of the primary foci were observed, accompanied by the disappearance of metastases. Ultimately, the patient achieved complete remission and maintained progression-free survival for 41 months following the initial treatment. To the best of our knowledge, this represents the longest case of complete remission using a combination of immunotherapy and radiotherapy as a first-line regimen for the high tumor mutational load, microsatellite instability, and PD-L1 expression (90%) subtype of Epstein-Barr virus-associated ICC (EBVaICC). These findings suggest that the combination of PD-1 inhibitors with radiotherapy may serve as a promising therapeutic strategy for treating this particular cancer subtype.

Background: In its severe form, where possible, asthma is treated using biological drugs in order to reduce, as much as possible, the use of systemic steroids. Mepolizumab is effective for severe asthma based on key outcomes such as exacerbation and steroid dependence. Its efficacy in terms of the criteria for clinical remission in the short and long term has become of interest. Objective: We aimed to evaluate the effect of mepolizumab in the achievement of clinical remission after 3 years of administration. Methods: In this study, 71 patients who continued mepolizumab for 3 years were assessed for clinical remission according to six different published sets of remission criteria. Results: According to the criteria, 39–52% of patients experienced complete remission in the first year, increasing to 51–73% at 3 years. By classifying patients according to partial and complete remission criteria, proposed by the SANI, we observe 22% of patients in partial remission at one year, achieving complete remission after three years. The baseline factors associated with earlier remission were a higher FEV1, if we consider classifications requiring an FEV1 ≥ 80%, a low OCS dose, and low FeNO levels, in the patients requiring FEV1 stabilization. Conclusions: Clinical remission is possible for patients treated with mepolizumab. The observations at three years compared with the first year indicated that the factors negatively affecting remission delayed rather than prevented it. Earlier treatment could increase the chances of remission.

Through December 2019, novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) pneumonia (COVID-19) was reported in Wuhan and has since rapidly spread throughout China. Hodgkin lymphoma represents a heterogeneous hematological malignancy, which is characterized by immunosuppression. There are no clearly defined risk factors for the development of this disease and the cause of remains unknown. Factors shown to be associated with Hodgkin include familial factors, viral exposures, and immune suppression. An electronic search was performed to identify all studies reporting on the management of Hodgkin lymphoma patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. The PubMed/MEDLINE database was searched on October 30th, 2019, to January 30th. 2022. The search strategy was SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19 and Hodgkin lymphoma. We aimed to clarify the clinical outcome of COVID-19 in patients with Hodgkin lymphoma through systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: Long noncoding RNA small nucleolar RNA host gene 1 (lnc-SNHG1) is involved in leukemogenesis via mediating multiple pathways. The current study aimed to further explore its clinical roles in disease risk, clinical features, and prognosis in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Materials and Methods: A total of 161 adult AML patients, 50 patients as a disease control (DC) group, and 50 healthy individuals as a healthy control (HC) group were enrolled and bone marrow mononuclear cells were collected. Subsequently, reverse transcriptionquantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was performed to measure lnc-SNHG1 expression. Results: Lnc-SNHG1 expression was higher in AML patients than in the DC and HC groups (both p0.05). Lnc-SNHG1 expression was also associated with a lower complete remission (CR) rate (p=0.001). Patients with lnc-SNHG1 expression in the fourth quantile had the worst CR rates compared to patients with lnc-SNHG1 expressions in the first, second, and third quantiles (all p

Aim. The primary objective of the interim analysis of the MULTISPECT study was to evaluate the short-term efficacy of the treatment and long-term outcomes in cohorts of primary and pretreated patients with multiple myeloma (MM) receiving treatment in actual clinical practice in various regions of the Russian Federation. Secondary objectives were a description of the main characteristics of patients; analysis of the most commonly used therapy regimens of the 1st and later lines and the sequence of their changes; evaluation of the response to therapy. Additional objectives included evaluation of the effect of the new COVID-19 coronavirus infection on the course of MM in patients. Materials and methods. The study is an observational retrospective-prospective multicenter cohort study. For its implementation, a structured database of patients with MM was used, provided by hematologists of the centers affiliated for the study. Results. The study included 1,294 patients (cohort 1 806, cohort 2 488). In both cohorts, patients aged 6069 years were in the majority. 3 lines of therapy (L1, L2, L3) were used for cohort 1; in cohort 2, the 4th line of therapy was also used in 2 patients. The therapy regimens were analyzed for 290 (22.41%) of all patients in the study. Responses to therapy were analyzed for 214 patients of cohort 1 and 109 patients of cohort 2. Autologous and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantations were carried out for a limited proportion of patients in both cohorts. At the end of the study and upon presentation of its results, the status of patients was the following: 96% of patients in cohort 1 and 89% in cohort 2 were alive. The therapy regimens in both cohorts were characterized by variability. The most commonly used regimens in each of the lines of therapy have been identified. The most used therapy regimen in patients with MM of both cohorts was the VCD-regime. Rd-regime in cohort 1 and RD-regime in cohort 2 were the second most frequent used regimens. In patients of both cohorts, the therapy regimens including Bortezomib were most often used. Conclusion. The variety of therapy regimens used to treat MM in actual clinical practice may be due to the factors of availability of new medicines and updated recommendations for the treatment of the disease. Further, in the context of this study, a more detailed analysis of the efficacy of certain therapy regimens in the 1st and later lines on progression free survival and overall survival of MM patients should be carried out.

Abstract Background Endocapillary hypercellularity (ECHC) is commonly seen in class IV lupus nephritis (LN), the most common and severe LN in children. Factors influencing early complete remission (CR) in pediatric class IV LN have been poorly described. We investigated the relationship between ECHC levels and early CR in pediatric class IV LN. Methods Patients with newly, simultaneously diagnosed systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and class IV LN by renal biopsy from 2012 to 2021 were studied. In this retrospective study, two pathologists who were blind to clinical information reviewed all pathological data retrospectively and classified glomerular lesions according to the revised criteria of the International Society of Nephrology and the Renal Pathology Society (ISN/RPS). The demographics, baseline clinical characteristics, laboratory parameters, renal histopathological findings, treatment regimen and CR at 6 months after immunosuppressive therapy were analyzed. ECHC was categorized as: > 50% (group A), 25–50% (group B) and

Administering myelosuppressive chemotherapy to patients with aggressive malignant hematologic disorders typically poses serious infectious complications, which can be exacerbated by the presence of active COVID-19 infection. We report on a case of a successfully treated fit elderly woman with refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who also had mild COVID-19 infection and detectable viral load at the time she was found to have recurrent disease. Prior to initiation of reinduction treatment with cytarabine/idarubicin, this 2-dose COVID-19-vaccinated patient received antiviral therapy with remdesivir with resolution of upper respiratory symptoms. This was followed by sotrovimab on the third day of chemotherapy. Throughout her hospital course, she remained hemodynamically stable with one episode of neutropenic fever without other identified infections. Symptomatic reactivation of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causing COVID-19 was not observed. After achieving biopsy-confirmed morphologic remission of AML and with neutrophil recovery, the patient gradually cleared the virus, eventually testing negative on polymerase chain reaction test of the nasopharynx. This case underlines the importance of considering initiation of timely chemotherapy, although myelosuppressive, in appropriate patients with aggressive hematologic malignancies and concomitant SARS-CoV-2. It demonstrates management of active COVID-19 infection in this group of patients and the dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 viral load during leukemia treatment.

In March 2022, a 58-year-old man was admitted to the local hospital for nausea and vomiting. His blood routine indicated that he had leukocytosis and anemia. The patient was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML)-M5b accompanied by DNMT3A, FLT3-TKD, and IDH2 mutations, chest CT revealed pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). Acid-fast bacillus (AFB) was detected in sputum. The patient then received anti-TB treatment with isoniazid + rifampicin + pyrazinamide + ethambutol. On April 8, he was transferred to our hospital's Hematology Department after three consecutive negative sputum smears. He was administered the VA (Venetoclax + Azacytidine) regimen of anti-leukemia treatment and also received levofloxacin + isohydrazide + pyrazinamide + ethambutol anti-TB treatment. After one course of VA therapy, there was no remission in the bone marrow. Therefore, the patient received the HVA (Homeharringtonine + Venetoclax + Azacytidine) regimen of anti-leukemia treatment. On May 25, the bone marrow smear revealed that the original mononuclear cells were 1%. Moreover, bone marrow flow cytometry revealed the absence of any abnormal cells. mNGS showed DNMT3A (mutation rate 44.7%), but no mutations were detected in FLT3-TKD and IDH2. The patient then received the HVA regimen three consecutive times, resulting in complete remission. Repeated chest CT examinations revealed progressive regression of pulmonary TB foci, no AFB was detected in the sputum. This AML patient with DNMT3A, FLT3-TKD, and IDH2 mutations and active TB is difficult to treat. It is very necessary for him to administer prompt anti-leukemia treatment under the premise of active anti-TB treatment. The HVA regimen is effective for this patient.

The prognosis for patients with advanced gastric cancer (AGC) is poor, with limited treatment options available due to the difficulty of resection. In recent years, chemotherapy and immunotherapy for AGC have shown promising efficacy. However, there is a controversy regarding the surgery of primary tumors and/or metastases in patients with stage IV gastric cancer after systematic therapy. Here, we present a 63-year-old retired female of AGC with supraclavicular metastasis with positive PD-L1 and tumor mutational burden-high (TMB-H). After receiving 8 cycles of capecitabine and oxaliplatin (XELOX) in combination with tislelizumab, the patient achieved complete remission (CR). No evidence of recurrence was identified during follow-up. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of AGC with supraclavicular metastasis who achieved CR after treatment with tislelizumab. The mechanism of CR was discussed by genomic and recent clinical studies. The results indicated that programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) combined positive score (CPS) ≥5 may serve as a clinical indication and standard for chemo-immune combination therapy. In combination with other similar reports, patients with microsatellite instability-high/defective mismatch repair (MSI-H/dMMR), (TMB-H), and positive PD-L1 had better sensitivity to tislelizumab. The patient recovered successfully except for symptoms of gastrointestinal hemorrhage during treatment, which may be associated with the treatment cycle and age. Immunotherapy with tislelizumab has been well-established in the treatment of malignant melanoma, lung cancer, and clear-cell kidney cancer, but its efficacy and safety for esophageal and gastric cancers remain to be validated. The CR of our patient suggested the prospects of tislelizumab in the immunotherapy of gastric cancer. Additionally, a watch-and-wait (WW) method maybe offered for patients with AGC who achieved complete clinical remission (CCR) after immune combination therapy if the patient was older or in poor physical condition.

Abstract Background Ewing sarcoma (ES) is sensitive to systemic therapy, including chemotherapy and anti-angiogenesis Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors(aaTKIs). However, the prognosis of patients with metastatic disease remains poor. Recurrence or distant metastasis after a complete response (CR) or near-CR due to systemic therapy is not rare. Methods We reviewed data from 187 ES patients between 2014–2019 treated at a single institute in China. Patients with extensive lung/pleural metastases (L/Pmeta) who had a CR or near-CR after first- or second-line chemotherapy with or without aaTKIs were retrospectively enrolled. Event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) were determined using the Kaplan–Meier method. For patients who had L/P recurrence, images were reviewed to define the exact location of each recurrent lesion, compared with the primary L/P lesion before chemotherapy and summarized as the relapse pattern. Results Seventeen patients and 21 cases of CR/nCR (5 by VDC/IE, 3 by VIT, and 13 by AVI) were finally analyzed. Median follow-up for surviving patients was 39.6 (range, 14.5–60.9) months. Median EFS and OS were 9.3 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.0–16.6) months and 37.5 (95% CI, 21.8–53.1) months, respectively. The 2-year EFS was 19% and the 2-year OS was 70.6%, respectively. Most patients (82.4%) received whole lung irradiation (WLI). Lung/pleural relapse occurred in 71.4% (15/21) of CR/nCR cases. Most notably, all recurrent lesions exactly coincided with the original metastatic lesions before chemotherapy (exactly in situ) in 9 of the 15 recurrent cases, which was thus the major relapse pattern, whereas 42.9% had distant metastases other than L/Pmeta. Conclusions Survival of ES patients with extensive L/Pmeta remains poor, even if they have a CR after systemic therapy. Recurrence exactly in situ is the major relapse pattern. WLI is not sufficient to prevent local recurrence in lung or pleura. More aggressive local treatment for metastatic lesions is warranted.

Gehad Hamed,1 Hisham M Omar,1 Abbas M Sarhan,2 Hossam E Salah1 1Department of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Al-Sharkia, Egypt; 2Department of Clinical Oncology and Nuclear Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Al-Sharkia, EgyptCorrespondence: Gehad Hamed, Department of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Al-Sharkia, 44519, Egypt, Tel +201092034529, Email gehadmahmodhamed@gmail.comPurpose: This study aimed to assess PIM-2 gene expression level as a prognostic marker in AML patients and to correlate the results with their clinical outcome.Patients and Methods: This study was conducted on 50 de novo younger AML patients (median age 44). Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (QRT-PCR) was used to assess the expression level of the PIM-2 gene. The transcription level of the target gene (PIM-2) was normalized to that of the reference gene (GAPDH). Twenty control samples were withdrawn from 20 age- and sex-matched individuals for the analysis of the results using the 2−ΔΔCT method. On day 28 following induction chemotherapy, patients’ bone marrow (BM) was examined for evaluation of their remission status.Results: PIM-2 gene expression was higher among AML patients who did not achieve complete remission (CR); also, it was higher in patients in the intermediate and poor cytogenetic risk groups. A significant positive correlation was found between PIM-2 level and BM blasts on day 28. In AML patients, PIM-2 has been discovered to be an independent predictive factor for achieving CR following standard induction treatment. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) and area under the curve (AUC) were performed for PIM-2 level at diagnosis to evaluate its role in achieving remission after induction. It was found that PIM-2 at cutoff ≤ 1.6 had an AUC (0.903) with a sensitivity (90.48%) and specificity (86.21%), P < 0.001.Conclusion: Overexpression of the PIM-2 gene is associated with induction failure and low CR.Keywords: AML, PIM-2 gene, QRT-PCR, induction chemotherapy, complete remission

The prognosis of patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with tumor thrombus extending to the inferior vena cava (IVC) is extremely poor. Herein, we present a rare case of advanced HCC that was treated with sorafenib and radiotherapy, leading to complete remission. This patient had a 9 cm infiltrative HCC occupying almost the entire left lobe with a tumor thrombus extending through the hepatic vein, IVC, and left portal vein. The patient received 400 mg sorafenib twice daily. One year after the start of sorafenib, intensity-modulated radiation therapy for viable HCC and tumor thrombus was performed with a dose of 5,500 cGy. Twenty-seven months after the starting date of sorafenib, there was no intratumoral arterial enhancement, which suggested a complete response according to the modified RECIST criteria. This case suggests that the combination of sorafenib and radiotherapy might provide clinical benefits in patients with advanced HCC with IVC tumor thrombus.

BackgroundSplanchnic vein thrombosis due to co-existing metastatic pancreatic neuroendocrine tumour (pNET) and JAK2V617F mutation is a rare condition.Case reportHere we present a case of a young woman with complete remission of a non-functioning grade 2 pNET with unresectable liver metastases, coexisting with JAK2V617F mutation. Splenectomy and distal pancreatectomy were performed. Neither surgical removal, nor radiofrequency ablation of the liver metastases was possible. Therefore, somatostatin analogue (SSA) and enoxaparine were started. Peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) was given in 3 cycles 6-8 weeks apart. Genetic testing revealed no multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN-1) gene mutations. After shared decision making with the patient, she gave birth to two healthy children, currently 2 and 4 years old. On pregnancy confirmation, SSA treatment was interrupted and resumed after each delivery. Ten years after the diagnosis of pNET, no tumour is detectable by MRI or somatostatin receptor scintigraphy. PRRT followed by continuous SSA therapy, interrupted only during pregnancies, resulted in complete remission and enabled the patient to complete two successful pregnancies.

Objectives No clear consensus has been reached about the clinical features in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) patients. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to explore the clinical characteristics and prognosis of NHL patients with chronic HBV infection (HBsAg+). Methods Seven electronic databases were searched for relevant studies up to 31 January 2021. Hazard ratio (HR) or odds ratio (OR) corresponding to 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated to estimate the outcomes. The primary outcome was survival outcome, including overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Subgroup analysis was performed in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients. Results Twenty-three retrospective studies, comprising of 1202 HBsAg+ NHL patients and 4448 HBsAg− NHL patients, were included. Twenty-two studies were conducted on Chinese patients. Compared with HBsAg− NHL patients, significantly shorter OS (HR 1.68; 95% CI 1.48–1.91) and PFS (HR 1.80; 95% CI 1.20–2.71), lower rate of complete remission (OR 0.59, 95% CI 0.44–0.80) and higher frequency of hepatic dysfunction during chemotherapy (OR 3.46; 95% CI 2.61–4.57) were demonstrated in HBsAg+ NHL patients. Moreover, HBsAg+ patients were characterized by a younger age of disease onset, advanced disease stage, higher level of LDH and more frequent presence of B symptoms, and involvement of spleen and liver at diagnosis. Furthermore, subgroup analysis in DLBCL patients was also showed similar results. Conclusion Our study implicated that NHL patients, especially DLBCL, with chronic HBV infection displayed inferior prognosis, higher incidence of hepatic dysfunction during chemotherapy and distinct clinical features.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors became the treatment of choice, in monotherapy or in association with platinum-based doublet chemotherapy, in first-line therapy for advanced-stage non-small-cell lung cancer without oncogenic driver. Nevertheless, it can be associated with diverse immune-related adverse events; several immune-related adverse events can also follow each other involving multiple organ systems, leading to immune checkpoint inhibitors discontinuation and immunosuppressive therapy that could compromise the prognosis of patients, with the exception of rare situations such as this clinical case.This case report illustrates a succession of immune-related adverse events including a rare and severe pembrolizumab-induced immune-related encephalitis in a patient with metastatic lung adeno-squamous carcinoma in whom we could observe a long-term and complete remission despite discontinuation of treatment and high-dose corticosteroids.In metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer, a disease with a poor initial prognosis, some patients can benefit from immune checkpoint inhibitors and can even now present a long-term and complete remission and this despite severe and rare immune-related adverse events, high-dose corticosteroids and an early discontinuation of treatment.

BackgroundPrimary cardiac lymphoma (PCL) is a rare and aggressive cardiac tumor with very poor prognosis that occurs mostly in the right cardiac cavity. Early diagnosis and treatment may improve its prognosis. In the present report, we describe the diagnosis and treatment of a primary cardiac diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (PC-DLBCL) with atypical location and clinical presentation. Additionally, a literature review was conducted to summarize the current knowledge of the disease.Case PresentationA 71-year-old man visited his local hospital because of syncope, recurrent chest tightness, shortness of breath, palpitations, and profuse sweating for more than 20 days. Chest radiography revealed a mediastinal mass. Cardiac computed tomography (CT) showed multiple enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes. Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) showed a cardiac mass in the posterior–inferior wall of the left atrium. He was then transferred to our hospital for positron emission tomography-CT (PET-CT) which showed active uptake of fluorodeoxyglucose both in the cardiac mass and in the multiple enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes. Biopsy of the enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes was carried out by using video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) technique, and pathological examination confirmed the subtype of PC-DLBCL, Stage IV, NCCN IPI 3. Therefore, the patient received a combination of chemotherapy and immunotherapy with R-CDOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, liposome doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone). After four courses of treatment in 4 months, the cardiac lymphoma and the enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes achieved complete remission with mild side effects of the chemotherapy.ConclusionEarly diagnosis and a precise choice of chemotherapy and immunotherapy based on cardiac imaging and pathological examination may improve the prognosis of PC-DLBCL in an atypical location.

Gastric cancer is an extremely burdensome and challenging malignant tumor with a high incidence and a high mortality rate, which seriously results in a thorny prognosis for oncology patients. Surgical treatment combined with postoperative adjuvant therapy are currently the most regular methods for the treatment of locally advanced gastric cancer (LAGC), but long-term efficacy is not an ideal outcome. Therefore, herein we report a case of a pathologically confirmed complete remission of LAGC treated by the administration of neoadjuvant therapy combined with fluorescence laparoscopic surgery with more significant long-term survival. With that being mentioned, a 60-year-old man was diagnosed as moderately differentiated gastric antrum adenocarcinoma (T3N1M0). Moreover, after three cycles of SOXAP regimen (Oxaliplatin + S-1+Apatinib + Camrelizumab), and it was found out that the gastric lesion was smaller in size than before, total laparoscopic radical resection of the distal gastric cancer was performed at the time. Furthermore, no tumor cells were seen in gross specimen post operatively, achieving complete remission of the case. In addition, he also underwent three cycles of SOXAP regimen postoperatively. Interestingly and assuredly, he was in good health after an almost 2-year follow up period. These results suggest that this therapeutic regimen is a promising treatment modality for the management of locally advanced gastric cancers.

Next Generation Flow (NGF) represents a gold standard for the evaluation of Minimal Residual Disease (MRD) in Multiple Myeloma (MM) patients at any stage of treatment. Although the assessment of MRD is still not universally employed in clinical practice, numerous studies have demonstrated the strength of MRD as a reliable predictor of long-term outcome, and its potential to supersede the prognostic value of CR. The possibility to acquire millions of events, in combination with the use of standard reagents and a good expertise in the analysis of rare populations, led to high chance of success and a sensitivity of 10-6 that is superimposable to the one of Next Generation Sequencing molecular techniques. Some minor bias, correlated to the protocols applied, to the quality of samples and to the high heterogeneity of plasma cells phenotype, may be overcome using standard protocols and having at disposition personnel expertise for MRD analysis. With the use of NGF we can today enter a new phase of the quantification of residual disease, switching from the definition of “minimal” residual disease to “measurable” residual disease. This review takes account of the principle “friends and foes” of Myeloma “Measurable” Residual Disease evaluation by NGF, to give insights into the potentiality of this technique. The optimization of the quality of BM samples and the analytic expertise that permits to discriminate properly the rare pathologic clones, are the keys for obtaining results with a high clinical value that could be of great impact and relevance in the future.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a highly heterogeneous hematologic malignancy characterized by the proliferation of myeloid blasts. Bone marrow fibrosis (BMF), characterized by increased deposition of reticulin or collagen fibers, can occur in AML. International authoritative guidelines do not mention AML patients with BMF and the reported studies are inconsistent. Therefore, we retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of newly diagnosed AML patients in our hospital and compared the clinical characteristics, gene mutations and prognosis of AML patients with or without BMF. We found AML patients with BMF tended to be older, were more prone to hepatosplenomegaly, their level of β2-MG was higher and they often had karyotypes associated with a poor prognosis. The proportion of AML patients without BMF was high in the intermediate-risk group and low in the high-risk group. The mutation rates of ASXL1 and TET2 genes were higher and that of CEBPA was lower in the BMF group. Multivariate analysis showed BMF had independent prognostic significance. AML patients without BMF had higher CR/CRi rate, and the time of hematopoietic recovery in patients achieving CR/CRi was longer in BMF group. The degree of BMF, prognostic level and blasts in peripheral blood were independent risk factors for CR/CRi in newly diagnosed AML. AML patients in the BMF group, especially those with BMF ≥ 2, had a lower OS rate. In age

IntroductionSinonasal mucosal melanoma (SNMM) originates from melanocytes. Currently, the main treatment methods, including surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, have little effect on the recurrence and metastasis of SNMM. However, targeted therapy may be a breakthrough in treating SNMM.MethodsA SNMM patient with ROS1 fusion received 250mg Crizotinib capsule (2 times a day, 1 tablet each time) therapy.ResultsThe patient achieved partial remission after 4 months of treatment and complete remission after 8 months of treatment.ConclusionOur findings suggest that crizotinib can be an option to improve overall survival and quality of life of patients with metastatic ROS1-fusion SNMM. We believe that our report will provide insights for the application of crizotini in the treatment of melanoma.

Abstract Background To date, almost all studies regarding chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)‐T cell therapy for B‐cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B‐ALL) were performed in refractory/relapsed (r/r) or minimal residual disease‐positive patients. CAR‐T therapy in remission patients has not been reported. Aim To observe the treatment outcome of CAR‐T cells for remission B‐ALL patients with poor prognosis. Methods and Results CAR‐T treatment was applied to two B‐ALL patients in remission status who had poor prognostic factors and refused transplantation, and one case was unable to accept standard chemotherapy owing to multiple complications. The procedure of CAR‐T therapy in these two remission patients was the same as that in r/r B‐ALL patients. Lentiviral vectors encoding second generation CARs composed of CD3ζ and 4‐1BB were used to produce CAR‐T cells. Lymphodepleting agents fludarabine and cyclophosphamide were administered prior to cell infusion. Grade I cytokine release syndrome occurred after each T‐cell infusion and there was no neurotoxicity. CAR‐T treatment followed by non‐intensive maintenance chemotherapy and targeted drugs allowed both patients to obtain a long‐term event‐free survival of more than three and a half years without transplantation. Conclusions CAR‐T therapy could be used in high‐risk B‐ALL patients as a consolidation to avoid transplantation, the combination of CAR‐T and following maintenance therapy may be better than CAR‐T alone for durable remission.

Chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapy has emerged as highly effective in relapsed/refractory (R/R) diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), but only about 40% patients have achieved sustained responses. Here, we conducted a phase II clinical trial testing efficacy and toxicities of CAR-T therapy in R/R non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma patients (NCT03196830). Among enrolled patients, 33 R/R DLBCL patients pretreated with DFC (decitabine, fludarabine plus cyclophosphamide) lymphodepletion chemotherapy and infused with tandem CD19-CD22 based CAR-T cells were drawn out for efficacy and toxicities of CAR-T therapy evaluation. With a median follow-up of 10.9(0.6-29.0) months, the best overall response and complete remission (CR) rates were 90.9% and 63.6%, respectively. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 10.2 months and overall survival (OS) was undefined. The 2-year OS and PFS rates were 54.3% and 47.2%, respectively. No severe grade 4 cytokine release syndrome (CRS) was observed and grade 3 CRS was observed in only 7 patients; 3 patients developed mild immune effect or cell-associated neurotoxic syndrome. All toxicities were transient and reversible and no CAR-T-related mortality. Further subgroup analysis showed that achieving CR was an independent prognostic factor associated with favorable PFS and OS. The 2-year OS and PFS for patients who achieved CR within 3 months (undefined versus undefined P=0.021 and undefined versus undefined P=0.036) or during the follow-up period were significantly longer than those who did not (undefined versus 4.6 months P < 0.0001 and undefined versus 2.0months P

There are only 13 cases of complete remission after sorafenib use in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) worldwide. We herein report a rarer case in which the patient was cured after only 20 days of sorafenib use. A 61-year-old male patient was diagnosed with a huge HCC. The mass occupied almost the whole of the right hepatic lobe and a portion of segment 4. We performed extended right hepatectomy for cure. However, 3.5-cm-sized subcarinal lymph node metastasis was detected at 15 months after operation. We prescribed sorafenib 400 mg bid for palliative treatment. The patient had severe fever, pain, and blisters on the hands and feet, so the patient stopped taking it after 20 days. Subcarinal lymph node disappeared on chest computed tomography after 3 months, and there was no evidence of recurrence for a year.