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BackgroundElderly patients diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) undergoing reduced intensity R-CHOP therapy are at a heightened risk of acquiring infections, notably coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) as prophylaxis against COVID-19 in this vulnerable population.MethodsA total of 125 elderly patients with DLBCL undergoing reduced intensity R-CHOP therapy were analyzed in this prospective, multicenter study. Patients with hypogammaglobulinemia were categorized into IVIG and non-IVIG groups, while those with normal immunoglobulin levels constituted the observation group. The study evaluated COVID-19 infection rates, therapy response, and safety outcomes.ResultsAmong the enrolled patients (median age: 77 years), 89 patients (71.2%) presented with hypogammaglobulinemia at diagnosis, and 56 patients enrolled in the IVIG administration group. IVIG administration remarkably reduced COVID-19 infection rates compared to non-IVIG recipients (8.9% vs. 24.6%; p =0.040). Notably, patients over 80 years old were more susceptible to COVID-19. Patients on IVIG exhibited good tolerance with manageable adverse events. Among patients with hypogammaglobulinemia who received IVIG, 40.5% of patients developed additional immunoglobulin deficiencies during chemotherapy. One or more new hypogammaglobulinemia occurred during chemotherapy in 72% of patients with hypogammaglobulinemia who did not receive IVIG, and in 61.3% of patients who did not have hypogammaglobulinemia at diagnosis.ConclusionIVIG showed promise in reducing COVID-19 infections among elderly patients with DLBCL receiving reduced intensity R-CHOP therapy. This highlights IVIG’s potential as a prophylactic measure, necessitating further investigation to optimize dosing, administration schedules, and potential interactions with vaccination strategies.

BackgroundBone marrow (BM) involvement is an indicator of a poor prognosis in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL); however, few studies have evaluated the role of immunoglobulin gene rearrangement (IgR) in detecting BM involvement.MethodsWe evaluated the clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes of patients with DLBCL based on histological BM involvement or positive BM IgR using polymerase chain reaction or next-generation sequencing. We also investigated the role of consolidative upfront autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (ASCT) in patients with DLBCL and BM involvement.ResultsAmong 624 patients, 123 (19.7%) with histological BM involvement and 88 (17.5%) with positive IgR in histologically negative BM had more advanced disease characteristics. Overall (OS) and progression-free (PFS) survival was better for patients with negative BM histology and negative IgR than that in patients with histological BM involvement (P = 0.050 and P < 0.001, respectively) and positive IgR with negative BM histology (P = 0.001 and P = 0.005, respectively). Survival rates did not differ among 82 (13.1%) patients who were treated with upfront ASCT and had histological BM involvement or positive IgR with negative BM histology. The survival outcomes were worse for patients who were not treated with upfront ASCT and for those with histological BM involvement or positive IgR, than for those with negative BM histology and negative IgR.ConclusionPatients diagnosed with DLBCL and BM involvement based on histology or IgR had aggressive clinical features and poor survival. Upfront ASCT mitigated poor prognosis due to BM involvement.

IntroductionPegylated granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) has been widely used for preventing febrile neutropenia in various types of cancer treatment. In the present study, we prospectively evaluated the safety and efficacy of pegfilgrastim as a primary prophylaxis of febrile neutropenia and infection among patients with relapsed refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) treated with pomalidomide-based regimens.MethodsThirty-three patients with RRMM who received pomalidomide and dexamethasone (Pd) with or without cyclophosphamide (PCd) were enrolled in this study. Twenty-eight patients were treated with PCd and 5 patients were treated with Pd. All patients were given pegfilgrastim subcutaneously with a single administration performed on the first day of each cycle as primary prophylaxis until the fourth cycle.ResultsThe median age of the patients was 75 (range 56-85), and the median prior line of therapy was 2 (range 2-6). Seventeen patients (51.5%) had any grade of neutropenia and 20 (60.6%) had any grade of thrombocytopenia before starting pomalidomide treatment. During the 4 cycles of treatment, grade 3 or more neutropenia occurred in 17 patients (51.5%), and 4 (12.1%) experienced grade 3 or more febrile neutropenia. Grade 3 or more infections occurred in 5 patients (15.2%). Interestingly, the patients with markedly increased ANC of more than 2 x 109/L compared to baseline ANC after 7 days of pegfilgrastim at 1st cycle of treatment showed a significantly lower incidence of grade 3-4 neutropenia. The most common adverse event of pegfilgrastim was fatigue, and all the adverse events caused by pegfilgrastim were grade 1 or 2. And there was no significant change in the immune cell population and cytokines during the administration of pegfilgrastim.DiscussionConsidering that this study included elderly patients with baseline neutropenia, pegylated G-CSF could be helpful to prevent severe neutropenia, febrile neutropenia, or infection in patients with RRMM.

IntroductionUpfront autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) has been recommended for patients who are newly diagnosed with peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL), and CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone), an anthracycline-based chemotherapy has been the frontline chemotherapy for PTCL. However, it is not clear whether anthracycline-based chemotherapies such as CHOP could be standard induction therapy for PTCL.MethodsWe conducted a randomized phase II study to compare CHOP with fractionated ifosfamide, carboplatin, etoposide, and dexamethasone (ICED) for patients eligible for ASCT. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS) and secondary endpoints included objective response rate, overall survival (OS), and safety profiles.ResultsPatients were randomized into either CHOP (n = 69) or ICED (n = 66), and the characteristics of both arms were not different. PTCL-not otherwise specified (NOS, n = 60) and angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL, n = 53) were dominant. The objective response rate was not different between CHOP (59.4%) and ICED (56.1%), and the 3-year PFS was not different between CHOP (36.7%) and ICED (33.1%). In AITL patients, CHOP was favored over ICED whereas ICED was associated with more cytopenia and reduced dose intensity. Patients who received upfront ASCT after achieving complete response to CHOP or ICED showed 80% of 3-year OS.DiscussionIn summary, our study showed no therapeutic difference between CHOP and ICED in terms of response and PFS. Thus, CHOP might remain the reference regimen especially for AITL based on its better outcome in AITL, and upfront ASCT could be recommended as a consolidation of complete response in patients with PTCL.

As the discussion of first-line anagrelide treatment is ongoing, we aimed to prospectively examine the efficacy and safety of anagrelide in cytoreduction therapy-naïve high risk essential thrombocythemia (ET) patients in Korea. Seventy patients from 12 centers were treated with anagrelide monotherapy for up to 8 weeks, followed up until 24 months. At week 8, 50.0% of the patients were able to achieve platelet < 600 x 109/L, and by 12 months, 55/70 (78.6%) patients stayed on anagrelide, and 40.0% patients showed platelet normalization. 14 patients required additional hydroxyurea (HU) for cytoreduction. The median daily dose of needed HU was 500mg (range 250mg – 1500mg). The efficacy was independent of the somatic mutation status. There were 4 thromboembolic events and 7 bleeding events during the follow-up period. The most common adverse events associated with anagrelide use were headache, followed by palpitation/chest discomfort, edema and generalized weakness/fatigue. 7 patients wished to discontinue anagrelide treatment due to adverse events (3 due to headache; 2 due to edema; 1 due to palpitation and 1 due to skin eruption). All in all, first-line anagrelide treatment showed a favorable response with tolerable safety profiles regardless of somatic mutation status.

Introduction: Pegylated granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) has been widely used for preventing febrile neutropenia in various types of cancer treatment. In the present study, we prospectively evaluated the safety and efficacy of pegfilgrastim as a primary prophylaxis of febrile neutropenia and infection among patients with relapsed refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) treated with pomalidomide-based regimens. Methods: Thirty-three patients with RRMM who received pomalidomide and dexamethasone (Pd) with or without cyclophosphamide (PCd) were enrolled in this study. Twenty-eight patients were treated with PCd and 5 patients were treated with Pd. All patients were given pegfilgrastim subcutaneously with a single administration performed on the first day of each cycle as primary prophylaxis until the fourth cycle. Results: The median age of the patients was 75 (range 56-85), and the median prior line of therapy was 2 (range 2-6). Seventeen patients (51.5%) had any grade of neutropenia and 20 (60.6%) had any grade of thrombocytopenia before starting pomalidomide treatment. During the 4 cycles of treatment, grade 3 or more neutropenia occurred in 17 patients (51.5%), and 4 (12.1%) experienced grade 3 or more febrile neutropenia. Grade 3 or more infections occurred in 5 patients (15.2%). Interestingly, the patients with markedly increased ANC of more than 2 x 109/L compared to baseline ANC after 7 days of pegfilgrastim at 1st cycle of treatment showed a significantly lower incidence of grade 3-4 neutropenia. The most common adverse event of pegfilgrastim was fatigue, and all the adverse events caused by pegfilgrastim were grade 1 or 2. And there was no significant change in the immune cell population and cytokines during the administration of pegfilgrastim. Discussion: Considering that this study included elderly patients with baseline neutropenia, pegylated G-CSF could be helpful to prevent severe neutropenia, febrile neutropenia, or infection in patients with RRMM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the discussion of first-line anagrelide treatment is ongoing, we aimed to prospectively examine the efficacy and safety of anagrelide in cytoreduction therapy-naïve high risk essential thrombocythemia (ET) patients in Korea. Seventy patients from 12 centers were treated with anagrelide monotherapy for up to 8 weeks, followed up until 24 months. At week 8, 50.0% of the patients were able to achieve platelet < 600 x 109/L, and by 12 months, 55/70 (78.6%) patients stayed on anagrelide, and 40.0% patients showed platelet normalization. 14 patients required additional hydroxyurea (HU) for cytoreduction. The median daily dose of needed HU was 500mg (range 250mg -- 1500mg). The efficacy was independent of the somatic mutation status. There were 4 thromboembolic events and 7 bleeding events during the follow-up period. The most common adverse events associated with anagrelide use were headache, followed by palpitation/chest discomfort, edema and generalized weakness/fatigue. 7 patients wished to discontinue anagrelide treatment due to adverse events (3 due to headache; 2 due to edema; 1 due to palpitation and 1 due to skin eruption). All in all, first-line anagrelide treatment showed a favorable response with tolerable safety profiles regardless of somatic mutation status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]