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Aim. To study the risk factors, symptoms and outcomes of candidemia caused by C. albicans and C. non - albicans in patients with hematological malignancies. Materials and methods. The study included patients with hematological malignancies and candidemia. The diagnosis of candidemia was established according to the single isolation of Candida spp. from blood culture and the presence of symptoms of infection. Results and discussion. Over 12 years (2006-2017), candidemia was diagnosed in 75 patients aged 17 to 77 years (median 48 years). The causative agents of candidemia were C. albicans in 34.7% of patients, C. non - albicans - in 65.3%. Candidemia caused by C. albicans prevailed in patients of the older age group (median 56.5 years, p=0.04) and in patients with lymphoma (61.5%, p=0.01) with colonization of the gut by the same species of Candida (88.5%, p=0.002). Isolation of C. non - albicans from blood culture was more common in patients with acute leukemia (51%, p=0.01) and in recipients of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cells (22.5%, p=0.01). The ability to form biofilms was observed more frequently among C. non - albicans (59.2%) than C. albicans (19.2%, p=0.001). The clinical symptoms of candidemia were non - specific (fever was in 97%). Septic shock developed in 25 (33%) patients with comparable frequency in both groups. Concomitant infections was also comparable (73% vs. 73.5%). Overall 30-day survival in patients with candidemia caused by C. albicans and C. non - albicans was 61.2% and 61.5%. Treatment with echinocandin was associated with increase of survival compared to other antifungal agents among patients with C. albicans candidaemia (88.9% versus 40%, p=0.02) and among C. non - albicans (77.3% versus 47.8%). Conclusion. C. non - albicans constituted a high proportion among causative agents of candidemia. High mortality rate was observed in both groups. Initial therapy with echinocandin was associated with increase of survival.

Follicular lymphoma (FL) is a tumor that develops from the B cells of the germinal center; characterized by recurrent and remitting course of the disease, the transformation of a tumor into diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is possible. In generalized lesions and progression of FL, the most commonly used courses are R-CHOP and R-B. The choice of therapy for different cytological types, clinical and laboratory parameters remains disputable. Aim. To analyze the clinical, laboratory, morphological parameters of patients with FL, who got R-B and R-CHOP therapy; determine the criteria for selecting induction therapy. Materials and methods. The study included 203 patients with FL from 2000 to 2018. R-CHOP treatment was initiated in 126 patients, 14 of whom later received high - dose therapy (HDT) (R-DHAP: rituximab, dexamethasone, cisplatin, cytarabine) without autologous stem cell transplantation (autoSCT), 21 - HDT with autoSCT; treatment of 89 patients was limited to courses of R-CHOP and maintenance therapy with rituximab, two patients (in whom the disease progressed, despite R-CHOP therapy) were assigned the mNHL-BFM-90 program. The efficacy of treatment on various treatment regimens was evaluated primarily by overall survival. Results and discussion. R-B. 77 patients received R-B therapy. Complete remission of the disease was achieved in 47/77 (61%) patients (3 of them later developed a relapse of the disease), partial remission was achieved in 15/77 (19%) patients, in 13/77 (17%) cases progression was recorded tumors. 70 patients had 1-2 cytological type of tumor, 6 patients - 3A cytological type. In cases of progression, 3 of 13 patients (46%) were diagnosed with 3A cytological type FL. Median observation (at the time of analysis) - 34 months. R-CHOP. 89 patients with FL received high - dose therapy with R-CHOP (6-8 courses) and maintenance therapy with rituximab. In 39 (44%) patients, the disease remained in remission, and in 50 (56%), a relapse of the disease developed. 50 patients had 1-2 cytological types, 39 - 3 cytological types. In cases of recurrence of FL, a 3A cytologic type (36%) was diagnosed in 18/50 patients. Median observation - 93 months. R-CHOP + HDT and autoSCT. 21 patients after the R-CHOP courses continued (due to insufficient antitumor response) high - dose chemotherapy (HDT) and auto-SCT were performed. In 18/21 (86%) cases, complete remission of the disease was achieved and maintained, in 3 (14%) cases relapse developed. 16 patients had 1-2 cytological types, 5 - 3 cytological types. Median observation - 81 months. R-CHOP + HDT without autoSCT. 14 patients started therapy under the R-CHOP program as induction therapy, but then (due to insufficient antitumor response), the treatment was continued according to the HDT without autoSCT. 11 (79%) patients are currently in remission of the disease, in 3 (21%) - there was a relapse. 10 patients had 2 cytological types of PL, 4 - 3 cytological types. 11 (79%) patients are currently in remission of the disease, in 3 (21%) - there was a relapse. Median observation - 80 months. 7-year OS of patients with FL on RB therapy was 89% (95% CI 75-99), on R-CHOP therapy - 85% (95% CI 73-90), on R-CHOP + HDT and autoSCT - 87% (95% CI 57-100), on R-CHOP + HDT without autoSCT - 82%. 7-year PFS of FL patients on RB therapy was 70% (95% CI 75-99), on R-CHOP therapy - 44% (95% CI 73-90), on R-CHOP + HDT and autoSCT - 74% (95% CI 57-100), on R-CHOP + HDT without autoSCT - 80%. Conclusion. The R-B is most effective in FL 1 and 2 cytological types. The cytological type does not correspond to the type of tumor growth: at 3A and 3A + 3B cytological types, nodular / nodular - diffuse and diffuse types of growth are found. When choosing an induction course, one should look at the cytological type of FL. A high proliferative activity index (according to Ki67) is a predictor of resistance to R-B therapy. The absence of an interfollicular T-cell reaction in tumor tissue FL is associated with tumor chemoresistance. The presence of the bulky factor is associated (in most patients) with the FLIPI index with values from 3 to 5, and is a predictor of a poor response to therapy. Patients with bulky, high (more than 35%) Ki67 index and FLIPI from 3 to 5 in the debut of the disease as the first line therapy, it is preferable to choose the R-CHOP mode, and in the absence of (after 4-6 courses) to complete or partial remission to continue conducting the HDT.

Aim of the issue was to determine indications for intratecal chemotherapy drugs administration to prevent relapse of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) with central nervous system (CNS) involvement. Materials and methods. Since January 2009 to December 2018 102 patients with primary nodal DLBCL over 18 years old were treated in the National Research Center for Hematology, Moscow, Russian Federation. Diagnosis were established in all cases according to histological and immunohistochemical studies which made it possible to exclude the transformation of mature B-cell lymphoma into DLBCL. Results. Isolated leptomeningeal involvement of CNS in the debut of the disease was detected in 1 (0.98%) out of 102 patients with DLBCL. Focal brain tissue involvement was not detected in any patient. More than half of the patients (54%) had a high risk of disease recurrence or progression with CNS involvement: in 8 (7.8%) patients had kidney/adrenal involvement, in the same proportion - bone marrow involvement, paranasal sinuses involvement - in 5 (4.9 %), epidural space - in 7 (6.9%) and breast - in 5 (4.9%) of patients. In 82 (80%) patients, a non-GCB (postgerminal differentiation of B-cell analog) molecular subtype of DLBCL was determined. Conclusion. The introduction of chemotherapy drugs into the spinal canal is recommended in isolated cases of leptomeningeal involvement of CNS at the time of DLBCL onset and is carried out according to standard recommendations. Prevention of relapse with involvement of central nervous system using intratecal chemotherapy in patients with nodal form of DLBCL is not indicated due to the absence of cases with disease progression or recurrence into CNS when patients were treated with R-m-NHL-BFM-90, R-DA-EPOCH and R-CHOP protocol.

Aim of the issue was to compare clinical characteristics and treatment results of patients with follicular lymphoma (FL) with translocations involving loci of c-MYC/8q24, BCL2/18q21 and/or BCL6/3q27 genes and patients with high - grade B-cell lymphoma [High - grade B-cell lymphoma (HGBL), double - hit (DH)]. Materials and methods. Since 2004 to 2017 years in National Research Center for Hematology 12 patients with high - grade B-cell lymphoma double - hit (HGBL DH) and 6 FL patients with translocations involving c-MYC and BCL2 and/or BCL6 had been treated. We performed a comparative analysis of clinical characterisctics in both groups. As primary endpoints was assessed frequency of complete remission (CR) or progressive disease (PD); as secondary endpoints - overall (OS) and event - free survival (EFS). Results. 5 patients with HGBL DH had c-MYC/BCL6, 7 - c-MYC/BCL2 rearrangements; 2 patients with FL had c-MYC/BCL2, 3 - c-MYC/BCL6, 1 - c-MYC/BCL2/BCL6 rearrangements. FL was represented by grade 3A in 2, grade 3B - in 4 cases, 3 of them had large - cell transformation. In HGBL DH and FL patients had no significant differences in clinical characteristics. The majority of patients had a widespread tumour, increased LDH activity, high frequency of extranodal and bone marrow involvement. Ki-67 expression level was lower in patients with FL (p

Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is aggressive B-cell neoplasm diagnosed predominantly among older men. R-CHOP-like regimens allow to achieve high response rate, but the overall survival (OS) are disappointingly short - 3-4 years. An addition of high - dose cytarabine to the upfront therapy and autoSCT significantly improved outcomes but remain feasible largely for medically fit patients. Based on the activity and good tolerance of gemcitabine - oxaliplatin schemes in relapsed and refractory MCL patients, we developed an alternative first - line course for patients who are not eligible for R-HD-MTX-AraC. Aim. Assess toxicity and efficacy of R-DA-EPOCH/ R-HD-MTX-AraC and R-DA-EPOCH/R-GIDIOX schemes, autoSCT and R-maintenance in untreated MCL patients. Materials and methods. 47 untreated MCL patients from 6 centers were enrolled in prospective study between April 2008 and September 2013. All patients have stage II-V; ECOG 0-3; median age 55 years (29-64); Male/Female 76%/24%. MIPIb: 28% low, 33% intermediate and 39% high risk. Following 1st R-EPOCH patients were assigned to receive either R-DA-EPOCH/ R-HD-MTX-AraC or R-DA-EPOCH/ R-GIDIOX regimen. In the absence of renal failure, hematological toxicity grade 4 more than 3 days and severe infections patients received R-HD-MTX-AraC scheme (R 375 mg/m2 Day 0, Methotrexate 1000 mg/m2/24 hours Day 1, AraC 3000 mg/m2 q 12 hrs Days 2-3). Patients who had at least one of these complications received R-GIDIOX scheme (R 375 mg/m2 day 0, gemcitabine 800 mg/m2 days 1 and 4, ifosfamide 1000 mg/m2 days 1-5, dexamethasone 10 mg/m2 IV days 1-5, irinotecan 100 mg/m2 day 3, oxaliplatin 120 mg/m2 day 2). Subsequently these courses were alternating with R-DA-EPOCH in each arm of the protocol. Depending on the time of achieving CR patients received 6 or 8 courses, unless they progressed on therapy. Those patients who achieved PR/CR/CRu underwent autoSCT (BEAM-R). Post - transplant R-maintenance was administered for 3 years (R - 375 mg/m2 every 3 months). Results. 29/47 patients were treated on R-HD-MTX-AraC arm (median 50 years; MIPIb: 35.7% low, 28.6% intermediate, 35.7% high risk) and 18/47 patients were on R-GIDIOX arm (median 60 years; MIPIb: 16.7% low, 38.9% intermediate, 44.4% high risk). In R-HD-MTX-AraC arm CR rate was 96.5%. In R-GIDIOX arm OR and CR rates were 94.4% and 77.7% respectively. Main hematological toxicity of R-GIDIOX was leukopenia gr. 4 occurred in 74.1%. With median follow - up of 76 months, the estimated 7-years OS and EFS in R-HD-MTX-AraC arm are 76% and 57% respectively. In R-GIDIOX arm the estimated 7-years OS and EFS are 59% and 44%, respectively. There are no statistical differences in EFS (p=0.47) and OS (p=0.06) between two arms. Conclusions. The use of a risk - adapted strategy allowed 95.7% of patients achieve PR/CR/CRu, performed autoSCT and begun R-maintenance therapy with rituximab. None of the patients needed a premature discontinuation of therapy because of unacceptable toxicity. The performance of autoSCT and R-maintenance apparently allowed to partially offset differences in the intensity of induction therapy and to maintain comparable results of therapy in both induction arms.

Mediastinal gray-zone lymphoma (MGZL, lymphoma with features intermediate between classical Hodgkin lymphoma and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma) was declared as a separate entity in WHO classification of Tumors of Haematopoetic and Lymphoid Tissues in 2008 and 2017 years. Despite of similar pathomorphological characteristics between primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma and Hodgkin lymphoma, clinical features and optimal therapeutic approach to MGZL are not clearly defined. Usually MGZL manifests with mediastinal lymphadenopathy, although extranodal lesions often occur (grey-zone lymphoma, GZL). Patients with MGZL have unfavorable prognosis, taking into account high rate of relapse. This article describes two cases of MGZL. First case manifested by arrhythmias due to primary heart involvement. In spite of cardiac failure antracycline-containing chemotherapy (6 courses of R-DA-EPOCH) it allowed to achieve a complete remission and resolving of arrhythmias. Second case was represented by metachronous tumors: primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma at the time of disease onset and classical Hodgkin lymphoma, NS II, diagnosed after disease progression. Thus, we demonstrated two examples of MGZL that differ by clinical manifestation, response to chemotherapy, which emphasizes an importance of pathogenesis studying, and using of new therapeutic approaches.

Aim. To characterize a group of patients with follicular lymphoma (FL) with leukemization and to evaluate the efficiency of different therapy options (R-CHOP/R-FMC/high-dose chemotherapy (HDCT)). Subjects and methods. 18 (7.2%) out of 250 patients diagnosed with FL, who were examined and treated at the National Research Center for Hematology, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, were found to have leukemic FL (tumor cells in the peripheral blood smears were detected by cytology and flow cytofluorometry. Eight of the 18 patients had extranodal foci of involvement: lung, stomach, spleen, lumbar muscles, upper jaw, and vertebrae. Bone marrow was involved in 17 of the 18 patients. Tumor biopsy specimens displayed a morphological pattern of indolent FL in the majority of patients (10 of the 18 patients had cytological grade 1—2 tumors and 14 patients had a nodular or nodular-diffuse tumor growth pattern). The patients underwent R-CHOP/R-FMC) or HDCT cycles as first-line therapy, followed by autologous stem cell transplantation (auto-SCT). Results. The median follow-up was 66 months (range 12—217 months). The 5-year overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) rates were 70% (10% SEM) and 35% (15% SEM), respectively. The median OS was not reached; the median PFS was 3 years. Conclusion. Leukemic FL is characterized by low OS and PFS rates. The most effective chemotherapy regimens were R-CHOP, followed by HDCT and auto-SCT in first remission or R-FMC. These cycles can to a greater extent achieve a complete eradication of the bone marrow tumor clone. Due to the relapsing course of FL and the aggressiveness of leukemic FL, it is expedient to carry out auto-SCT in first remission.

Aim. To identify a parameter predicting a collection of at least 2·106 CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells (HSC)/kg body weight per leukapheresis (LA) procedure. Subjects and methods. The investigation included 189 patients with hematological malignancies and 3 HSC donors, who underwent mobilization of stem cells with their subsequent collection by LA. Absolute numbers of peripheral blood leukocytes and CD34+ cells before a LA procedure, as well as a number of CD34+ cells/kg body weight (BW) in the LA product stored on the same day were determined in each patient (donor). Results. There was no correlation between the number of leukocytes and that of stored CD34+ cells/kg BW. There was a close correlation between the count of peripheral blood CD34+ cells prior to LA and that of collected CD34+ cells calculated with reference to kg BW. Conclusion. The optimal absolute blood CD34+ cell count was estimated to 20 per µl, at which a LA procedure makes it possible to collect 2·106 or more CD34+ cells/kg BW.

Aim. To analyze the efficiency and reproducibility of the ALL-2009 protocol within the Russian prospective multicenter study based on different principles of cytostatic effects (non-intensive, but continuous cytotoxic treatment and a small number of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cells). Subjects and methods. The ALL-2009 (NCT01193933) study conducted in April 2009 to December 2016 included 194 patients (95 males and 99 females) aged 15 to 55 years (median age 28 years) with Ph-negative B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). There was early pre-B-cell ALL in 54 patients, common ALL in 101, pre-B ALL in 39, initial leukocytosis in 9.4·109/l (0.4-899.0), lactate dehydrogenase in 901 IU (31-13 059), an initial central nervous system lesion in 17 (8.7%), mediastinal injury in 3 (1.5%), and splenomegaly in 111 (57.2%). The results of standard cytogenetic analysis are known in 113 (60.4%) patients. Normal karyotypes were detected in 49 (54.5%) out of the patients; t(4;11) in 9 (5.4%), t(1;19) in 2 (1.2%), and other karyotypic abnormalities in 53 (46.9%). Thirteen (7.8%) patients underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in first complete remission (CR); their proportion did not differ in the federal and regional centers. Results. The frequency of CR achievement was the same in the federal and regional centers and generally amounted to 87.5%. Early (8.8%) and CR (9.6%) mortality rates remained high despite the low aggressiveness of cytotoxic action, necessitating the improvement of auxiliary treatment. The five-year overall survival (OS) rates vary considerably in the federal and regional centers (72.6 and 43.8%), the relapse-free survival (RFS) (70.2 and 53.4%) and recurrence risk (23.1 and 36.5%) are comparable. This suggests that the non-intensive, but continuous exposure principle built in the ALL-2009 protocol makes it possible to reproduce the envisaged treatment program and to achieve satisfactory results. Conclusion. The ALL-2009 protocol allows both the federal and regional centers to obtain the long-term results comparable with those of current foreign studies: OS (54.2%), RFS (56.5%); and relapse risk (35.4%). Multivariate analysis has identified age (over 30 years), initial leukocytosis (30·109/l and more) and t(4;11) among the main clinical prognostic factors. Gene mutation detection evaluated in a small number of patients (8/36) is not a poor prognostic sign. There is a need for further investigations with centralized evaluation of the mutation status of leukemic cells and the clearance of minimal residual disease.

Primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma (PMBCL) is a distinct type of large B-cell lymphoma. In this type of the disease, the neoplastic process is located in the anterior and superior mediastinum, frequently with compression of the superior vena cava and with tumor invasion into the adjacent organs and tissues: the pericardium, lung, pleura, etc. Despite the fact that in PMBCL progression, there may be involvement of extranodal organs, such as the kidney, adrenal glands, liver, and central nervous system, bone marrow (BM) injury is generally absent. Since BM injury in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma is an independent poor prognostic indicator, there is reason to believe that BM involvement in PMBCL affects the prognosis. These cases may need intensified induction therapy followed by autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation; and BM injury should be monitored during the therapy. The paper gives reports of clinical cases of bone marrow involvement in 2 PMBCL patients treated at the National Research Center for Hematology, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation.

Aim. To estimate the number of early progenitors of bone marrow (BM) hematopoiesis in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in the late period after high-dose chemotherapy (HDCT) according to the mNHL-BFM-90 program. Subjects and methods. The investigators analyzed the results of BM immunophenotypic and histological studies in 40 patients (median age, 57 years) with DLBCL who received HDCT according to the mNHL-BFM-90 program at the Hematology Research Center (HRC), Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation (MHRF), in the period 2002 to 2009. A comparison group consisted of 19 patients (median age, 70 years) treated according to the CHOP/R-CHOP program at HRC, MHRF, in the same period. The median follow-up period was 6 years. The results of BM examination were analyzed before and 5—10 years after the end of HDCT. Immunophenotypic study determined the number of early CD34+ hematopoietic progenitors. BM cellularity, the size of erythroid, granulocytic and megakaryocytic lineages, their ratio, the presence of dysplasia signs, and secondary stromal changes were histologically determined. The BM toxic injury signs found for the first time were evaluated as manifestations of late myelotoxicity. Results. At 5-to-10-year follow-ups after the end of HDCT according to the mNHL-BFM-90 program, the patients showed a smaller number of early CD34+ progenitors of BM hematopoiesis in 31 (78%) cases than those treated according to the CHOP/R-CHOP-21 program (n=8 (2%)) (p=0.005). Myelopoiesis with decreased CD34+ cell count was characterized by hypocellularity in 8 (26%) patients (p=0.07), the narrowing of megakaryocytic lineage in 14 (45%) (p=0.006), erythroid one in 7 (23%) (p=0.01), and granulocytic one in 8 (26%) (p=0.92), pronounced secondary stromal changes in 15 (48%) (p=0.03), and grade 1 thrombocytopenia in 13 (42%); p=0.02). Conclusion. There is evidence that the number of early CD34+ progenitors of BM hematopoiesis decreased in patients with DLBCL in the late period after HDCT. The investigation shows the relationship of the reduction in the number of early CD34+ progenitors of BM hematopoiesis in the late follow-up period to the presence of pronounced secondary changes in the BM stroma (p=0.02). There was no statistically significant relationship of the decreased number of CD34+ cells to the age younger or older than 60 years, to the period after the end of chemotherapy, to gender or presence of specific BM injury.

Aim. To evaluate late myelotoxicity (MT) relate to high-dose chemotherapy (CT) according to the modified NHL-BFM-90 (mNHL-BFM-90) program in adult patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Subjects and methods. The results of a complex clinical, laboratory, and instrumental examination, including cytologic, histologic, and routine cytogenetic studies of the bone marrow (BM), were analyzed in 40 DLBCL patients treated according to the mNHL-BFM-90 program in the National Research Center for Hematology (NRCH), Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation (MHRF), in 2002 to 2009; among them, there were 20 men and 20 women (median age, 57 years). A comparison group consisted of 19 patients who had received high-dose СНОР/R-СНОР-21 CT in HRC, MHRF, in the same period of time; out of them, there were 8 men and 11 women (median age, 70 years). The median posttherapy follow-up period was 6 years. The results of BM studies were analyzed before and 5-10 years after treatment in complete remission. The cytological and histological studies of BM determined its cellularity, the sizes of erythroid, granulocytic, and megakaryocytic lineages, their ratios, the signs of dysplasia, and stromal dysplastic changes. Routine BM cytogenetic study was conducted to identify karyological problems. Only myelopoietic changes that had been revealed for the first time 5-10 years after completion of CT were kept in mind as late MT. Cases of baseline and post-CT changes and those of baseline and no post-CT changes were not taken into account. Results. Cytopenic syndromes (having no signs of myelopoietic lineage dysplasia or needing no blood component replacement transfusions) were revealed in 52% of the patients in the high-dose CT; thrombocytopenia amounted to 46%. In the late follow-up period, the patient group after high-dose mNHL-BFM-90 CT were found to have BM hypocellularity in 15 (38%) cases, a narrowing of erythroid and megakaryocytic lineages in 13 (33%) and 19 (48%) cases, respectively, and obvious secondary stromal changes in 17 (43%). The first 6 patients underwent routine BM cytogenetic study; all the patients were ascertained to have a normal karyotype; in this connection further BM study was stopped. Conclusion. The late MT of high-dose mNHL-BFM 90 CT is statistically significantly higher than that of the standard CHOP/R-CHOP-21 therapy. However, signs of myelodysplastic syndromes and those of cytopenia requiring blood component transfusions were observed in none patient.

Aim. To evaluate the efficiency of the R-DA-EPOCH-21 + R-DHAP protocol and autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (a BEAM conditioning mode) in first-line therapy for primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma (PMBCL). Subjects and methods. In 2013 to 2016, the investigation enrolled 57 patients with newly diagnosed PMBCL (according to the 2008 WHO criteria). The results were analyzed in 40 patients who had completed their treatment. Results. All the 40 patients (14 men and 26 women) (median age, 27 years (19 to 67 years)) received 6 cycles of polychemotherapy (PCT) in accordance with the R-DA-EPOCH-21 regimen. After induction PCT cycles, 32/40 (80%) patients achieved complete remission. Partial remission was stated in 8/40 (20%) patients who had further 2 cycles of chemotherapy using the R-DHAP program and autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (a BEAM conditioning mode). Two-year overall and relapse-free survival rates were 100% and 96%, respectively; the median follow-up was 17 months. Conclusion. The R-DA-EPOCH regimen allows complete remission in 80% of the cases and two-year survival in 100%. If there are unfavorable factors at onset and in partial remission, it is appropriate to intensify treatment at early stages, by using high-dose chemotherapy and autologous hematopoietic stem transplantation.

Aim: To evaluate the efficiency of high-dose chemotherapy (HDCT) with further autologous blood stem cell transplantation (auto-BSCT) in the first-line therapy of patients with follicular lymphoma (FL) and poor prognostic factors. Subjects and methods. In 2000 to 2015, the National Research Center for Hematology, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, performed therapy in 39 patients with FL and poor prognostic factors (a total of 215 patients with FL). The R-CHOP treatment was done as induction therapy. Sequential HCT and further auto-BSCT were performed in 29 (74%) of the 39 patients, who had shown a partial tumor response to the induction therapy or achieved partial remission after 4-6 cycles of CT, but had poor prognostic factors. 22 of the 29 patients underwent auto-BSCT in first-line therapy after induction R-CHOP regimens. Among them, there were 17 men with a median age of 46 years (31-68 years). 21 of the 22 patients were recorded to have Stage IV by the Ann Arbor staging classification. Bulky peritoneal and retroperitoneal tumors larger than 7 cm were detectable at disease onset in 14 of the 22 cases. Two patients were noted to have phenomena of leukemization. 16 patients had bone marrow (BM) involvement. According to the Follicular Lymphoma International Prognostic Index-1 (FLIPI-1), the patients were divided into 3 groups: 1) a low risk (n=5); 2) an intermediate risk (n=3); a high risk (n=14). B-symptoms were observed in 16 cases. 16 patients were diagnosed with cytological grade I-II FL and 6 had grade IIIA. According to the tumor proliferative pattern, the distribution turned out to be as follows: nodular (n=6), nodular-diffuse (n=13), and diffuse (n=3). The proliferative activity index averaged 30% (8-90%). Serum and urine proteins were immmunochemically assayed in 18 cases, out of them 8 patients were diagnosed as having serum β2-microglobulin concentrations above normal as a poor prognostic factor. In 14 of the 22 patients, the activity of lactate dehydrogenase was greater than normal (266-7806 U/l). Results. Out of the 22 patients, 20 who have undergone auto-BSCT in first-line therapy are survivors and have remission of the underlying disease: 18 and 2 patients achieved complete and partial remission, respectively. The follow-up period was 7 to 178 months (median, 32 months). After auto-BSCT in the first remission, 2 patients developed disease recurrences: an early recurrence after 9 months in one case and a late recurrence 6 years after completion of therapy in the other. Conclusion. The first prospective study of intensive therapy for FL in Russia has demonstrated that HDCT with further auto-BSCT in first-line therapy allows complete remission in patients with poor prognostic factors and higher overall and progression-free survival rates.

Aim. To provide the clinical characteristics of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) with monoclonal immunoglobulin secretion and to evaluate the efficiency of intensified mNHL-BFM-90 or R-DA-EPOCH/R-HMA therapy programs in patients with Ig-secreting DLBCL. Subjects and methods. A clinical trial was conducted in 93 patients with newly diagnosed DLBCL, among whom 21 (22.6%) were found to have monoclonal immunoglobulin secretion. Results. Ig-secreting DLBCL is shown to be characterized by bone marrow involvement (p

Aim. To analyze well-known risk factors (RFs), such as age, immunophenotype, baseline leukocytosis, enhanced lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity, time to achieve complete remission, a risk group, and cytogenetic abnormalities) in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in the use of the ALL-2009 protocol. Subjects and methods. The protocol covered 298 patients (137 women (including 13 pregnant women) and 161 men) aged 15 to 55 years (median age 28 years) with Ph-negative ALL. The phenotype was unknown in 6 patients. Three (1%) were ascertained to have a biphenotypic variant. 182 (62.4%) patients were found to have B-cell ALL (early pre-B ALL (n=51); common ALL (n=92), and pre-B ALL (n=39); 107 (36.6%) patients had T-cell ALL (early T-ALL (n=56); thymic T-ALL (n=41), and mature T-ALL (n=10). According to the baseline clinical and laboratory parameters (leukocytosis of 30·109/l and more for B-ALL; and that of 100·109/l and more for T-ALL; phenotype В-I for B-ALL, phenotype Т-I-II-IV for T-ALL; LDH activity was more than twice the normal values; the presence of translocation t(4;11)), the high-risk group included most patients with B-ALL (n=110 (72.8%)) and T-ALL (n=76 (76%)). Thirty-five patients with T-ALL underwent autologous bone marrow transplantation (BMT). Allogeneic BMT was performed in 18 (7%) of the 258 patients who had undergone an induction phase. Results. Five-year overall survival for all the patients included in the investigation was 59%; relapse-free survival was 65%, which was significantly different in the patients with B-ALL and in those with T-ALL: the overall survival rates were 53.3 and 67.5% (p=0.1); the relapse-free survival was 56 and 79% (p=0.005), respectively. Multivariate analysis including the well-known RFs demonstrated that the latter for T-ALL were of no independent prognostic value and only the patient’s age was identified for B-ALL (p=0.013). Conclusion. A lower chemotherapeutic load and a small number of allogeneic BMTs did not affect total positive treatment results in adult patients with ALL, by complying with the principle achieving the continuity of cytostatic effects and by preserving the total cytostatic loading dose. The results of the Russian investigation casts some doubt on the necessity of using very intensive consolidation cycles and performing a large number of allogeneic BMTs in adult patients with ALL.

In the past decade, a notable advance has been made in the understanding of the pathogenesis of NK/T-cell lymphomas; however, their diagnosis remains difficult because of their rarity and clinical and morphological variabilities. The paper generalizes the ten-year experience of the Hematology Research Center, Ministry of Health of Russia, in diagnosing and treating hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma (HSTL), considers the problems of differential diagnosis with other hematological diseases occurring with similar clinical and laboratory symptoms, and lays down current approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of this condition. A clinician’s view of the problem of diagnosis and treatment of this disease is given. HSTL is shown to be a heterogeneous group of diseases differing in a T-cell receptor chain gene rearrangement, the clinical course of the disease, and overall survival (OS). According to our data, 3-year OS was 12%; the median survival was 26 months. Two-year OS for γδ and αβ HSTL was equal to 25 and 70%, respectively. The difference in OS for the variants of HSTL failed to reach statistical significance (because the sample might be insufficient).

Aim. To describe the clinical and morphological features of the rare Hodgkin’s lymphoma (HL) subtype — nodular lymphocyte-predominant HL (NLPHL). Subjects and methods. Forty-two patients were diagnosed with NLPHL in 2010 to 2014. The male to female ratio was 2.2:1; the median age was 37 years (range 17—68 years). NLPHL was diagnosed on the basis of the histological and immunohistochemical examinations of tumor biopsy specimens; disease stages were determined by standard HL studies. Results. Before NLPHL was detected, 23 (55%) patients were diagnosed as having HL in 13 cases, follicular lymphoma in 2, lymphofollicular hyperplasia in 3, angioimmunoblastic lymphoma in 1, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in 3, and B-cell lymphoma (non-HL) in 1. Long-term (3—21-year; median 8 years) persistent lymphadenopathy was observed in 16 (38%) patients. Seventeen (40.5%) patients had early (I—II) stages of the disease and 25 (59.5%) had advanced stages. B symptoms were noted in 24% of cases. There was involvement of extranodal sites (salivary gland, tonsil) in 2 patients, spleen in 14 (33%), bone marrow in 8, and bulky disease in 2. Cycles of ABVD ± rituximab ± radiotherapy (RT) were used in early-stage NLPHL; those of R-ВЕАСОРР-14 ± RT were performed in the advanced stages of the disease or its transformation to diffuse large B-cell lymphoma with excessive T cells. Conclusion. When patients have a history of long-term asymptomatic lymphadenopathy, it is necessary to rule out NLPHL, for which purpose an immunohistochemical examination of a biopsy specimen and its reexamination in a laboratory having experience in diagnosing NLPHL must necessarily be done. Lower RT doses and rituximab incorporated into the cycle of treatment are indicated to reduce its toxicity and to preserve therapeutic efficiency.

Aim. To characterize a group of patients with B-cell lymphoma (BCLU) unclassified that is intermediate between diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and Burkitt’s lymphoma, to identify poor prognostic factors, and to evaluate therapeutic efficiency in patients with BCLU. Subjects and methods. Twenty-five patients with BCLU were examined. Double-hit lymphoma (DHL) was diagnosed in 8 (32%) patients. According to the Ann-Arbor classification of lymphoma, its stages II, III, and IV were diagnosed in 3 (12%), 2 (8%), and 20 (80%) patients, respectively. MYC rearrangement was observed in 11 (48%) out of 23 patients: single-hit lymphoma in 3 patients and DHL in 8 (BCL2+/MYC+ in 6 cases and BCL6+/MYC+ in 2). The expression of с-MYC (cut off ≥40%) was revealed in 17 (74%) out of 23 patients; that of BCL2 (cut off ≥50%) was detected in 14 (58%) out of 24 patients; coexpression of both proteins was seen in 12 (52%) out of 23 patients. The DHL group showed a correlation between the rearrangement of the BCL2+/MYC+ genes and the expression of MYC and BCL2 proteins in 5 out of 6 patients. Taking into account the heterogeneity of the entire patient group, DHL and non-DHL subgroups were considered separately. Both subgroups were comparable by clinical characteristics. BCLU patients younger than 60 years of age received treatment according to the LB-M-04 ± rituximab; those aged 60 or older had CHOP-like regimens ± rituximab. Autologous stem cell transplantation (auto-SCT) was performed in 5 patients belonging to a high-risk group. Results. The 3-year overall survival (OS) was 62% and the 3-year event-free survival (EFS) was 51%. The 3-year OS was lower for the DHL group than that for the non-DHL group (43 and 75%, respectively). Conclusion. In the DHL group, both OS and EFS are significantly lower (the risk of poor outcome, including death, is higher) than those in the non-DHL group. It is conceivable that intensified chemotherapy with auto-SCT increases treatment results in patients with BCLU; however, a larger number of observations are needed to obtain valid data.

Aim. To evaluate the late cardiotoxicity (CT) of high-dose chemotherapy (CT) according to the modified NHL-BFM-90 (mNHL-BFM-90) protocol in adult patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Subjects and methods. The results of electrocardiography (ECG) and echocardiography (echoCG) were analyzed in 40 DLBCL patients treated according to the mNHL-BFM-90 program in the Hematology Research Center (HRC), Russian Academy of Medical Sciences (RAMS), in 2002 to 2009. A study group consisted of 20 men and 20 women whose age was 31 to 76 years; median age was 56.5 years at the time of their examination and the median follow-up time after therapy was 6 years. The individual cumulative dose of doxorubicin was 150-300 mg/m2. A comparison group included 19 patients receiving СНОР/R-СНОР CT in HRC, RAMS, in 2002 to 2009. Out of them, there were 8 men and 11 women whose age was 39 to 78 years median age was 70 years at the time of their examination. The individual cumulative dose of doxorubicin was 200—400 mg/m2. ECG and echoCG were carried out before and 5 years or more after CT. Results. Out of the 40 patients with DLBCL, the signs of subclinical cardiomyopathy (CMP) were detected in 24 (60%) patients; no clinical manifestations of congestive heart failure (CHF) were found in any patient. In the comparison group of 19 patients receiving СНОР/R-СНОР CT, 14 (74%) patients were found to have signs of subclinical CMP and no clinical signs of CHF. The summary toxicity index significantly depended on age (p=0.03) and a history of heart disease (p=0.3); it was significantly higher after CHOP/R-CHOP CT (p=0.05). There was a statistically significant relationship of the risk of subclinical CMP to the history of heart diseases (p=0.05). Conclusion. Late cardiotoxicity of the mNHL-BFM-90 program does not exceed the toxicity of standard CHOP/R-CHOP therapy. Post-CT Echo-CG and ECG findings showed that the patients with the most marked subclinical signs of CMP in both groups had cardiotoxicity risk factors, such as coronary heart disease, hypertensive disease, or diabetes in their history. No clinically significant CHF was identified in any patient.

Aim. To evaluate the efficiency and toxicity of the intensive Burkitt’s lymphoma (BL) therapy protocol BL-M-04. Subjects and methods. A total of 70 patients diagnosed with BL, including 45 men and 25 women whose age was 15 to 62 years (median age 31 years), were followed up in 2003 to 2014. Stage I (according to S. Murphy) was diagnosed in 4 (5.7%) patients; II in 9 (12.9%), III in 25 (35.7%), IV in 11 (15.7%), and Burkitt’s leukemia in 21 (30%). There were tumor involvements of the bone marrow and central nervous system in 23 (32.9%) and 15 (21.4%) patients, respectively. B symptoms were detected in 56 (80%) patients; enhanced lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity was found in 50 (78.1%) out of 64 patients; moreover, in 34 (56.2%) out of 64 patients, LDH activity was more than twice as high as the reference values. The median LDH activity was 2398 (238-20,300) U/l. Acute renal failure at disease onset was identified in 17 (24.2%) patients; chemotherapy was initiated in 8 patients during renal replacement therapy. The treatment was performed using the BL-M-04±R protocol (4 successive blocks of A-C-A-C±R). Six blocks of A-C-A-C-A-C with rituximab has been carried out in patients with bone marrow involvement since 2011. Results. Sixty-two (89%) patients achieved complete remission. At this time, 6 patients died from therapy complications during remission induction; 2 patients were observed to have disease progression; 3 developed disease recurrence (2 patients had early recurrence; 1 patient developed recurrence 2 years after treatment). Five-year overall survival (OS) was 85%; 5-year relapse-free survival (RFS) was 95%. The Cox multivariate regression analysis revealed that Burkitt’s leukemia and bone marrow involvement were independent factors that influenced OS and RFS. The poor somatic status (3—4 ECOC scores versus 0—2 scores) proved to be statistically significant for OS rather than RFS. Conclusion. Despite the optimistic results obtained by our study group, there is a need to further improve BL treatment protocols and to elaborate novel approaches to therapy particularly for older patients and patients with Burkitt’s leukemia.

Aim. To evaluate the efficiency of the treatment policy for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and hyperleukocytosis (HL), which is aimed at preventing rapid hypercytolysis and massive tumor lysis (cytolysis) syndrome and/or at reducing the degree of the latter at the start of induction polychemotherapy. Subjects and methods. In 2010 to 2014, the Hematology Research Center, Ministry of Health of Russia, treated 92 patients with AML, out of them 18 patients were found to have white blood cell counts of 100 to 408∙109/l (median, 130∙109/l) at the onset of the disease. All the examinees received cytoreductive therapy with hydroxyurea and, in presence of leukostasis and/or leukocytosis (≥150∙109/l), with leukocytapheresis. In case of reduced leukocytosis, plasmapheresis was carried out to prevent (treat) cytolysis. Daunorubicin was injected on days 3—5 of the 7+3 induction cycle. Results. The signs of leukostases were detected in more than half of the 18 patients with higher white blood cell counts: 13 (72%) with lung injury, including 5 of them with signs of respiratory distress syndrome, 6 (27.8%) with neurological symptomatology, 7 (38.9%) with disseminated intravascular coagulation syndrome, including 1 with intracranial hemorrhage. Cytoreduction therapy with hydroxyurea (10 mg/kg/day) was performed 1—5 (median 2) days before initiating induction chemotherapy in 17 patients; 9 patients underwent 1—2 (median 2) leukocytapheresis sessions. Sixteen patients received 1—4 (median 2) plasmapheresis sessions prior to and within the first days of the 7+3 treatment regimen. Daunorubicin (60 mg/m2) was administered to 16 patients on days 5—7 of the 7+3 cycle and to 2 patients on days 3—5 of the cycle. There were no signs of severe cytolysis with the development of multiple organ dysfunction in any patient. 50% (9/18) achieved remission after the first 7+3 cycle and 7 more examinees did after the second cycle. Thus, the remission rate was 89%; early mortality was 5.5% (1/18), three-year overall and relapse-free survival rates were 50%. Conclusion. Adequate cytoreductive and accompanying therapies for AML with HL can virtually completely prevent massive tumor cytolysis syndrome and early mortality during the first days of induction chemotherapy.

Aim. To study the factors influencing the results of treatment for candidemia (CE) in patients with blood system tumors. Subjects and methods. The investigation enrolled patients with hemoblastoses and CE. 30-day all-cause mortality was analyzed. Results. In an 8-year period (2006—2013), CE was diagnosed in 55 patients (median age, 50 years); there was a preponderance of patients with lymphomas (47%) and acute leukemias (27%). The causative agents of CE were C. albicans (38%), С. parapsilosis (17%), С. krusei (11%), C. guilliermondii (11%), C. lusitaniae (6%), C. tropicalis (6%), С. glabrata (3%), С. famata (3%), C. pelliculosa (3%), and C. kefyr (2%). 30-day all-cause mortality was 43.6%. Recovery was statistically significantly more frequently seen following removal of a central venous catheter (67% versus 13%; p=0.004; odds ratio (OR), 14); after use of an antifungal drug on day 1 of isolation of Candida spp. from blood cultures (62% versus 13%; p=0.01; OR, 12); and that of echocandin as a first-line agent (86% versus 42%; p=0.005; OR, 8.4). The poor predictors were septic shock (5% recovery rate versus 86% in the patients without this factor; p

Aim. To analyze the efficiency of the ALL-2009 protocol (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01193933) in patients with T-cell leukemias, particularly the role of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (auto-HSCT) after non-myeloablative BEAM conditioning, followed by maintenance therapy. Subjects and methods. Since 2009, the ALL-2009 study has enrolled 90 patients with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL), the treatment results were assessed in 86 patients: 6 and 28 patients underwent allogeneic HSCT and auto-HSCT, respectively. A landmark analysis was used to compare survival rates in patients who had undergone auto-HSCT and in those who had not. For this, the median time from complete remission to the date of auto-HSCT was determined (the median was 6 months). Then to compare with the auto-HSCT group, only 27 patients who had been in complete remission for 6 months or more were included in a chemotherapy group. Results. The achievement of complete remission in patients with thymic T-ALL (100%) was significantly higher than in those with early (85.7%) or mature (70%) variants. The patients with early and mature T-ALL as compared to those with thymic T-ALL showed high death rates in the remission induction (7.4 and 10% versus 0) and the patients with mature T-ALL had a higher proportion of refractory forms (20% versus 0). The 5-year overall and relapse-free survival rates in all the T-ALL patients were 66 and 76%, respectively. After auto-HSCT, the risk of recurrence was 0% versus 21% after chemotherapy (p=0.03). The relapse-free survival rates significantly differed in the auto-HSCT and non-auto-HSCT groups: 100 and 66%, respectively (p=0.047). Conclusion. The long-term survival rates obtained during this multicenter study in the T-ALL patients treated according to the ALL-2009 protocol, the basis for which is the principle of continuity of cytostatic effects, are exclusively optimistic. Late consolidation with auto-HSCT following non-myeloablative BEAM conditioning, followed by maintenance therapy, considerably reduces the risk of recurrence.

B-cell lymphoma that is unclassifiable and intermediate between diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and Burkitt’s lymphoma (BL) — (UBL) is an aggressive lymphoma that has simultaneously morphological, immunophenotypical, and cytogenetic signs of both DLBCL and LB. At the same time due to its biological characteristics and clinical manifestations, UBL cannot be referred to as one of the above nosological entities. UBL has been first identified as an individual nosological entity in the 2008 World Health Organization classification. The review details the epidemiology, clinical manifestations, morphological pattern, immunophenotypic and karyotypic features, as well as therapeutic approaches and prognostic factors.

Splenic marginal zone B-cell lymphoma (SMZBCL) is a rare non-Hodgkin B-cell lymphoma that presents with morphologically mature lymphoid cells corresponding in their immunological characteristics to secondary follicular marginal zone lymphocytes. It is clinically characterized by splenomegaly, moderate lymphocytosis, usually focal bone marrow lesion, sometimes moderate of monoclonal immunoglobulin in the serum (generally IgM or IgG) and/or urea, and a relatively benign course. Leishmaniasis is a transmissible natural focal infectious endemic disease that has a great diversity of clinical manifestations. The authors describe Russia’s first case of SMZBCL concurrent with visceral leishmaniasis in a 52-year-old female patient admitted to a hematology hospital with weakness, splenomegaly, and lymphadenopathy. The simultaneous detection of lymphoma and leishmaniasis in the same biopsy specimen is extremely rare. Visceral leishmaniasis should be borne in mind as an opportunistic infection in patients with malignancies, particularly in immunocompromised persons who live or have stayed in the endemic areas.

Primary bone lymphoma (PBL) is a rare disease. In this article two cases of primary diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of bones are described, one case of solitary lesion and the other of multiple lesions. Both patients were treated with courses CHOEP in combination with radiotherapy and achieved a complete remission (CR). The patient with solitary lesion is still in CR with the follow-up of 33 months. The patient with multiple lesions where partial remission has been received died in 3 months after the end of therapy from disease progression. The authors discuss differential diagnosis and present a review of literature concerning PBL.

Monoclonal anti-CD20 antibodies in lymphomas therapy during the COVID-19 pandemic: pro and contraThe review presents the results of a combined analysis of literature data and own clinical observations regarding the safety and feasibility of using monoclonal anti-CD20 antibodies in the treatment of B-cell lymphoproliferative diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic. The main points of the pathogenesis of the influence of monoclonal anti-CD20 antibodies on the course of COVID-19 are described. The current trends in the modification of the accepted algorithms of lymphoproliferative diseases therapy with the inclusion of monoclonal anti-CD20 antibodies are summarized, and the possibilities of specific prevention by vaccination against COVID-19 are also considered.

Background. The study of genetic predictors of non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas prognosis is one of the most relevant areas of oncohematology. It is extremely interesting to search for integral markers that reflect the most important stages of tumor pathogenesis. DNA repair system plays one of the key roles in genomic instability. Aberrations of microsatellite repeats such as microsatellite instability (MSI), in particular elevated microsatellite alterations at selected tetranucleotide repeats (EMAST) is characteristic for mismatch repair system and loss of heterozygosity (LOH) is an integral feature of genomic instability.Objective. Analysis of MSI, EMAST, LOH significance in follicular lymphoma (FL), diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), and high-grade B-cell lymphoma (HGBL) patients.Materials and methods. The study was performed by multiplex PCR and fragment analysis with diagnostic panels COrDIS Plus and COrDIS MSI in 85 FL patients, 32 DLBCL patients, and 37 HGBL patients.Results. The frequency of LOH in the general FL group was 40/81 (49.4 %), MSI – 10/82 (12.2 %), EMAST – 15/81 (18.5 %). The frequency of LOH in the HGBL group was 21/31 (67.8 %), MSI – 11/37 (29.7 %), EMAST – 13/31 (41.9 %). The frequency of LOH in the DLBCL group was 18/29 (62.0 %), MSI – 5/32 (15.6 %), EMAST – 14/32 (43.8 %). When considering the morphological types of FL, it was noted that a higher frequency of genetic aberrations was characteristic of lymphomas with a more aggressive morphology (p

Background. Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is one of the most common and aggressive tumors of the lymphatic system. Despite the frequency of occurrence, there is no single algorithm for treating DLBCL patients with poor prognostic factors. R-CHOP therapy does not allow achieving long-term complete remissions. Therefore, there is a need for second and subsequent lines of therapy. At the same time, the effectiveness of each subsequent therapy is low, while the toxicity increases. There are many randomized trials of the DLBCL treatment; however, there are only a few studies on the comparative efficacy of high-dose chemotherapy at the induction stage.The objective of the study: the evaluation of the effectiveness and toxicity of R-DA-EPOCH and R-mNHL-BFM-90 induction courses in DLBCL patients with poor prognostic factors in a randomized multicenter clinical trial “DLBCL-2015”.Materials and methods. As of April 2021, 140 patients from 13 medical institutions in Russia were included in the randomized multicenter clinical trial DLBCL-2015. As part of this study, the analysis of pharmacoeconomic factors and effectiveness of combined immunochemotherapy R-DA-EPOCH and R-mNHL-BFM-90 in patients with prognostically unfavorable DLBCL had been performed. From January 2018 to April 2021, this study included 41 patients (21 men, 20 women) with a newly diagnosed DLBCL, with 2 or more factors of an unfavorable prognosis, who were treated at the National Research Center for Hematology of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation. Of these, 21 patients received R-DA-EPOCH, and 20, R-mNHL-BFM-90 therapy. Median age for R-DA-EPOCH patients was 52 years (range 30–64); for R-mNHL-BFM-90 patients, 40 years (range 18–60). All patients had high-intermediate and high risk according to the international (IPI) and age-adjusted (aaIPI) prognostic index. The primary protocol endpoints were rates of complete remission, partial remission, disease progression, and hematologic and non-hematologic toxicity. Side effects were assessed in accordance with the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) criteria.Results. By the end of 6 induction courses, the frequency of achieving complete remission on R-mNHL-BFM-90 therapy was 100 % (20/20) compared to R-DA-EPOCH, where the complete remission rate was 71.4 % (15/21) (p = 0.0097), partial remission and progression were 14.3 % (n = 3) and 14.3 % (n = 3), respectively. Hematological toxicity on therapy according to the R-mNHL-BFM-90 scheme exceeded that on R-DA-EPOCH in terms of myelotoxic agranulocytosis (p = 0.0536), anemia (p = 0.0464) and thrombocytopenia grade III–IV (p = 0.0206). When assessing non-hematological toxicity at the compared courses, no statistically significant differences were noted, all complications occurred with the same frequency.Conclusion. Treatment according to the R-mNHL-BFM-90 protocol is highly effective as first line therapy in high-intermediate and high-risk DLBCL patients. The hematologic toxicity is higher on the R-mNHL-BFM-90 than on the R-DA-EPOCH therapy, but it is acceptable. Non-hematological toxicity in both programs is comparable.

Background. Genetic instability, an important phenomenon involved in oncogenic transformation and tumor progression, is associated with the insufficiency of the multicomponent DNA repair complex, in particular, the nucleotide mismatch repair (MMR) system. The MMR defect manifests itself as abnormalities in DNA microsatellite repeats, or microsatellite instability (MSI). In the studies of colorectal cancer, the role of MSI in prognostication of the disease, and defining the choice of specific therapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors has been proven.However, in lymphatic system tumors, the significance of this phenomenon is poorly understood. Determination of genetic instability in the onset of follicular lymphoma, a disease characterized by a heterogeneous course, may have prognostic value.Objective: to determine the genetic instability at the onset of follicular lymphoma.Materials and methods. Here we report an analysis of 24 microsatellite repeats and amelogenin loci in tumor cells of 46 follicular lymphoma patients.Results. In the studied cohort, lesions in microsatellite repeats were presented by MSI in 9 cases (19.6 %) and the loss of heterozygosity (LOH) in 19 cases (41.3 %). Most frequent lesions were found for the SE33 marker located at the q14 locus of chromosome 6. A significant association was shown between MSI and the double-hit follicular lymphoma group with rearrangements of the MYC and BCL2/BCL6 genes.Conclusion. Thus, our data indicate that the MSI phenomenon might be involved in the pathogenesis of the lymphatic tumors and particularly follicular lymphoma. However further studies on the expanded cohorts of patients are required to define the possible prognostic value of MSI in lymphatic tumors.

Oncolytic viruses are promising agents for the treatment of various types of tumors, including malignant non-Hodgkin lymphomas. In order to identify the most effective candidates from a wide panel of non-pathogenic antitumor strains, a study was carried out of their ability to reproduce in short-term cultures of lymphoid tumor cells. Also, tumor cell cultures were characterized in relation to the presence of specific viral receptors CD54, CD55, CD155 on their surface.

The study objective is to investigate the features of subpopulational composition of mobilized hematopoietic stem cells in peripheral blood (PB) and leukocyte concentrates (LC) in adult patients with oncohematological pathology and donors.Materials and methods. In 80 patients with hemoblastoses, expression of CD38, HLA-DR and CD143 (angiotensin-converting enzyme) was measured in PB and LC CD34+CD45low cells. The control group included 10 PB and 14 LC samples from healthy donors. Analysis of PB was performed prior to mobilization of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) and on the day of leukapheresis prior to HSC collection. LC samples were examined at day 1 after HSC collection.Results. CD143 is expressed on CD34+CD45low cells both prior to mobilization and after it in all patients and donors, but CD34+CD45lowCD143+ cell counts varied depending on diagnosis and mobilization regimen. CD143+ expression on CD34+CD45low cells was significantly higher in patients who received combination of chemotherapy and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor compared to donors and patients with multiple myeloma who received only granulocyte colony-stimulating factor. Along with elevated CD34+CD45low cell count after hematopoiesis stimulation, CD34+CD45lowCD143+ cell counts also increased. It was shown that mobilized HSC almost completely lacks a fraction of early CD34+CD45low progenitor cells not expressing CD38, HLA-DR. Prior to hematopoiesis stimulation among CD34+CD45low cells, CD38+HLADR–cell fractions are prevalent, but after mobilization CD38–HLA-DR+ cell counts increased. No differences between CD34+CD45lowCD143+cell counts in patients with multiple myeloma depending on disease status, sex, age or number of chemotherapy courses prior to HSC mobilizationwere observed.Conclusion. Expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme on CD34+ cells in PB before and after HSC mobilization and in LC was observed. The cell counts varied depending on diagnosis and mobilization regimen.

Background. Follicular lymphoma (FL) is the most common type of indolent lymphomas and accounts for 20–30 % of all non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas detected. High risk of recurrence and elderly patients make it difficult to choose induction therapy for FL. The R–B course in comparison with the R–CHOP course increases the progressive free survival (PFS) of FL patients and is less toxic. International studies have not studied the efficacy and toxicity of the R–B course due to various cytological types of FL.Aim of the study – assessment of the effectiveness and toxicity of the R–B course (with R support) in general and depending on the different cytological types of FL, the assessment of overall survival (OS) and PFS (adverse events: progression, relapse, death); identification of risk factors for an adverse event in general and death, in particular. The main endpoint of this study is selected BPV.Materials and methods. We performed a prospective, multicenter, open-label trial in Russia since June 1, 2013 till June 1, 2018. The study included 74 patients with FL. Median age of patients was 59 years (from 30 to 78 years). Treatment was completed in 66 patients, so this group of patients was analyzed. Ratio between men and women was 1:2. 32/66 of patients (48 %) were older than 60 years old. Patients received rituximab 375 mg/m2 on day 1 and bendamustine 90 mg/m2 on days 1 and 2 of a 4-week cycle (6 cycles). 49/66 (74 %) of patients were diagnosed with FL grade 1, 10/66 (15 %) – grade 2, 7/66 (11 %) – grade 3A. 34/66 (52 %) patients had nodular tumor growth type, 28/66 (42 %) – nodular-diffuse, 4/66 (6 %) – diffuse. High risk according to FLIPI had 25/59 (42 %) of patients with cytologic grade of FL 1–2 and 7/7 (100 %) of patients with FL grade 3A. Extranodal lesions were revealed in 26/66 (39 %) of cases: in 4/66 of cases – orbit, in 2/66 – parotid gland, in 5/66 – lungs, in 4/66 – intestines, in 2/66 – stomach, 2/66 – pancreas, 2/66 – uterus, 2/66 – skin, 1/66 – subcutaneous tissue, 3/66 – vertebrae, in 1/66 – latticed maze and nasal passages, 1/66 – kidneys, 1/66 – root of the tongue. In 23/26 (88 %) of cases extranodal lesion was revealed in generalized stage of FL (including lymph nodes and bone marrow). Extranodal lesions were found in 37 % of patients with FL grade 1–2, and 57 % with FL grade 3A. Bulky also was observed more frequently in pts with FL grade 3 3/7 (43 %) than in patients with FL grade 1–2 20/59 (34 %). (The risk factors of an adverse event are also its predictors in this study.)Results. Complete remission of disease was achieved in 40/66 (61 %) patients, partial remission – 13/66 (19 %) patients. Tumor progression observed in 11/66 (17 %) cases, patients were withdrawn from the protocol. А partial tumor response was achieved in 2/66 cases (3 %) and patients received high-dose therapy after 4 courses of R–B. Five-year (as well as the 3-year) overall survival (OS) of all patients (n = 66) in R–B was 90 % (95 % confidence interval (CI) 78–96), 5-year PFS – 70 % (95 % CI 55–85) and a 3-year PFS – 75 % (95 % CI 60–89). The cumulative incidence of relapse (considering competing risks of progression and death) at the 3th year after initiation of treatment was 11 % (95 % CI 3–19). The following independent statistically significant (p ≤0.05) predictors of PFS (measured in the onset of the disease) were determined (as a result of a stepwise multivariate cox regression analysis): 1) cytological type of tumor (only type 3A is significant); 2) involvement of nodal zones (more than 4); 3) presence of a conglomerate of tumor lymph nodes larger than 6 cm (bulky); 4) Ki-67 protein expression (more than 35 %). The first 3 characteristics (as well as the sign «presence of extranodal foci», close to the level of significance) are independent statistically significant predictors of OS. In the single factor analysis the following characteristics (besides the above) were significant: index FLIPI (significant only 5 points against all others), bone marrow damage, β2-microglobulin (more than 2.2 mg/L), age (over 68 years) and hemoglobin (less than 110 g/dL).Conclusion 1. The independent negative predictors of OS and PFS in follicular lymphoma were determined. 2. Of the predictors of an adverse event identified, the greatest risk (as a result of a multivariate analysis) is associated with a 3A cytological type of tumor. 3. The FLIPI index has a predictive value not only for the determination of OS, but also for the PFS (moreover, in reduced dichotomous form: 5 points against all the others combined). 4. An increase in the time interval between the first manifestations of follicular lymphoma (lymph node enlargement / appearance of a tumor formation) and the start of therapy beyond a certain threshold value (estimated to be approximately 22 months) is associated (according to the results of univariate analysis) with an increased risk of an adverse event. One of the reasons for the increase in this time interval is associated with expectant medical tactics adopted during the slow development of the clinical picture of the disease. The obtained result shows that the low rate of development of the clinical picture of the disease does not correlate with the low risk of adverse events, and, therefore, cannot be a determining factor when deciding whether to start treatment. 5. The morphology of the tumor is the determining factor in the choice of induction therapy. 6. After achieving full/partial remission of FL, there is a constant risk of recurrence of the disease (by the age of 3 from the termination of treatment, the risk is 11 % (95 % CI 3–19)). 7. The R–B course effectively sanitizes the bone marrow. 8. The R–B allows performing stem cells mobilization and autoSCT that is actual in FL patients with bone marrow involvement. 9. The treatment regimen of R–B is effective and has a relatively low toxicity, so it is advisable in the treatment of elderly patients.

Background. Extramediastinal and bone marrow involvement in PMBCL patients in the onset of the disease is an exception to the rules and complete information, except for the word “rare”, in Russian and international literature is not available.Objective: to characterize PMBCL patients with extramediastinal involvement.Materials and methods. From 2007 to 2017 diagnosis of PMBCL was established in 157 patients according to WHO criteria with extramediastinal involvement in 16 (10.2 %) patients, 3 of them were at different stages of pregnancy. The median age was 27 years (23–69). Patients received different therapy protocols: m-NHL-BFM-90, R-DA-EPOCH и VACOP-B.Results. One extramediastinal lesion was verified in 11/16 (68.7 %) patients, multiple – in 5/11 (31.3 %). The most common localizations were: pancreas – 6 (37.5 %), kidneys – 5 (31.2 %), ovaries – 3 (18.7 %), liver – 3 (18.7 %), bone marrow – 3 (18.7 %) and breast – 2 (12 %) cases. Involvement of stomach, bones, soft tissues, spleen, pelvis, adrenal gland was revealed in one case each. In 15/16 cases, extramediastinal lesions were combined with antero-superior mediastinum involvement and only in 1 cases an isolated lesion of the soft thorax tissues without involvement of mediastinal structures was revealed. Five-year overall survival in the group of patients with classical PMBCL who received R-DA-EPOCH, m-NHL-BFM-90 and cohort of patients with extramediastinal lesions was comparable and was 93 %. As a result of the analysis, in 10.2 % (16/157) of cases extramediastinal involvement was revealed. In all cases, there is involvement of organs and tissues, but not the lymph nodes. In 18.7 % (3/16) of cases there was bone marrow involvement, confirmed by molecular and histological studies.Conclusion. Involvement of the antero-superior mediastinum and the presence of extramediastinal lesion, bone marrow involvement is not excluding criterion for PMBCL, but requires differential diagnosis with DBCL, including standard and molecular methods. Is isolated extramediastinal involvement in PMBCL a poor prognostic factor, is uncertain because of the small number of observations.

Peripheral T-cell lymphoma not otherwise specified (PTCL-NOS) is a rare subgroup of lymphomas. This disease is predominantly found in older people and often has extranodal involvement including skin and soft tissues. To verify the diagnosis, it is necessary to perform histological and immunohistochemical tests, which show the expression of CD30 activation antigen in different proportions (less than 10 %, not more than 80 %) in addition to the expression of other T-cell antigens (CD2, CD4, CD5, CD7). When choosing the induction regimen in older people with relevant cardiac history, it is preferable to use non-anthracycline-containing chemotherapy courses. However, despite the low intensity of such regimens, treatment of elderly patients is associated with high risk of side effects. Using new drugs (monoclonal antibodies, epigenetic agents) in combination with polychemotherapy is a promising direction opening a possibility of successful management for all patients including those older than 65 years. In the described clinical case of PTCL-NOS, the patient had primary refractory disease. Significant clinical response (complete remission) was achieved as a result of targeted therapy with brentuximab vedotin containing anti-CD30 chimeric antibody conjugated to a microtubuledisrupting agent (monomethyl auristatin E) without toxicity and any infections. In case of ambiguous situation (an increase in the size of one of the tumor sites with regression of others, signs of infection – hyperemia, perifocal edema, the spread of the necrosis zone), histological verification is necessary to confirm the disease progression.

In present study were compared characteristics of rituximab produced by Hoffmann–La Roche (Mabtera®) and first domestic biosimilar Acellbia® from Biocad Company. Concentration of protein was measured using Bradford, s method. According to our results, protein concentration in formulations was the same. We electrophoresed formulations in denaturing conditions. Protein from formulations was denatured into fragments. Heavy and light chains of immunoglobulin were observed in gel. Finally, we performed flow cytometry where rituximab was used as primary antibody to detect CD20-positive B-cells of patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Both Mabtera® and Acellbia® recognized the same number of cells. Thus, assays performed in vitro submitted identity of Mabtera® and Acellbia® characteristics.