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Objective and Importance: Gamma heavy chain diseases (γHCD) and large granular lymphocyte (LGL) leukemia are two rare lymphoproliferative diseases, respectively with B and T phenotype. Both γHCD and LGL leukemia share some similar clinical features, such as cytopenias, splenomegaly, and recurrent infections. Association of these two diseases is exceptional and suggest pathogenic link. We report two cases of γHCD associated with T-LGL leukemia., Clinical Presentation: Patient 1 was a 70-year-old woman, with lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma, refractory to chlorambucil-rituximab treatment. She developed during the follow up a γHCD with T-LGL leukemia, unresponsive to melphalan, thalidomide, and steroids, requiring supportive care. Patient 2 was a 40-year-old man with chronic severe asymptomatic neutropenia, revealing both γHCD and T-LGL leukemia. He is still well without any treatment nor complications, with 7 years follow up., Conclusion: Several types of B lymphoproliferative disease are associated with LGL leukemia. Although exceptional, this association of two rare lymphoproliferative disorders, with a different phenotype, does not seem fortuitous.

Few data are available on the efficacy of the combination of lenalidomide plus dexamethasone (Len/Dex) in very elderly patients above 75 years of age with relapsed multiple myeloma (MM). We report here a single-center series of 45 consecutive patients aged 75 years or older with relapsed MM treated with this combination. The overall response rate was 62% and the median progression-free survival was 14 months, which compares favorably to that described in the two pivotal prospective studies that formed the basis for the approval of Len/Dex in the relapse setting. Our study confirms that Len/Dex is an effective combination in very elderly patients with relapsed MM.

The role of reduced-intensity conditioning allogeneic stem cell transplant (RIC allo-SCT) in aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) remains a matter of debate. This single-center analysis aimed to assess the potential benefit of RIC allo-SCT in 19 consecutive patients with relapsed or transformed aggressive B-cell NHL. Aggressive transformation (primary or secondary) was documented for these patients by pathological examination. In this series, all patients but two (n = 17; 89.5%) could actually receive autologous stem cell transplant (auto-SCT) prior to RIC allo-SCT. At the time of allo-SCT, eight patients (42%) were in first complete remission (CR), six (31.5%) were beyond first CR, and five (26.5%) were in partial remission. With a median follow-up of 32 (range, 3-86) months, nine patients experienced grade 2-4 acute GVHD (47.5%) and 10 patients had extensive chronic GVHD (52.5%). Overall, the incidence of non-relapse mortality was 26% (95% CI, 8-44%). At last follow-up, 12 patients (63%) were in sustained CR. The Kaplan-Meier estimates of progression-free and overall survival rates were 68% and 68%, respectively, at 4 years. We conclude that RIC allo-SCT after auto-SCT is feasible and a potentially efficient therapy for relapsed or transformed aggressive B-cell NHL, warranting further prospective evaluation.

Thirty-five adult patients with high-risk HD (HD) defined by (1) Ann Arbor stage IV or bulky nodal disease (tumor/thorax ratio > 0.45) and (2) no or partial response (PR) (< 75%) to the initial 3 courses of ABVD, received an early intensive therapy with autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). Thirty patients were considered as partial responders and 5 as refractory to initial chemotherapy. Conditioning regimen consisted of chemotherapy alone (CBV in 11 patients before 1993, BEAM in 13 patients since 1993) followed by adjuvant radiotherapy: 40 Gy) on the initial sites of bulky disease, or 12 Gy total body irradiation plus 120 mg/kg cyclophosphamide in 11 patients with disseminated extra-nodal disease. All 30 patients in PR at the time of ASCT experienced prolonged complete remission (CR). One patient died in CR from an acute myocardial infarction 48 months after ASCT. Four out of the 5 patients with refractory disease at the time of ASCT experienced rapid progression of HD leading to death in 3 cases. After 6 years of CR post-ASCT, the last refractory patient died of myelodysplastic syndrome diagnosed 2 years after intensive therapy. With a median follow-up for surviving patients of 51 months (range: 11-111), the cumulative probability of 8-year overall survival is 75.6% for the entire group of patients, 94.1% for the chemosensitive ones, and 0% for the primary refractory (P < .0001). The cumulative probability of 8-year event-free survival is 79.9% for the entire group of patients, 94.1% for the chemosensitive ones, and 0% for the primary refractory (P < .0001). We conclude that early intensive therapy with ASCT is feasible in patients with high-risk HD and induces a high cure rate in chemosensitive patients. In primary refractory patients, new therapeutic approaches are warranted.

The purpose of this trial was to evaluate the efficacy and the tolerance of high-dose therapy with autologous stem cell transplantation as part of front-line therapy in Hodgkin's disease for patients with both adverse prognostic factors: high tumor burden at presentation and slow response to initial chemotherapy. In a prospective one-center study, 20 consecutive patients with slow response (tumor reduction < 75%) (16 pts) or refractory (4 pts) to 3-4 courses of conventional HD chemotherapy received high-dose therapy followed with autologous bone marrow (14 pts) or peripheral blood stem cell (6 pts) transplantation. They were 13 males, 7 females, median age 26 years (8-45). At the time of initial diagnosis, all but one of the patients had B symptoms, all had high-risk HD defined as Ann Arbor stage IV (7 pts) or large mediastinal involvement (LMI = tumor/thorax > 0.45 at T5-T6) (6 pts) or both stage IV+LMI (7 pts). Median time between diagnosis and autotransplantation was 5 months. Intensive therapy consisted of either CBV (cyclophosphamide 1.5 g/m2 x 4, BCNU 300 mg/m2, etoposide 200 mg/m2 x 3) (12 pts) or cyclophosphamide 120 mg/kg + 12 Gy total body irradiation for 8 patients with diffuse bone or lung involvement. For pts treated with CBV, 40 Gy involved field radio-therapy was performed after hematological recovery. Median duration of neutropenia was 16 days (9-21). Neither veno-occlusive disease, nor interstitial pneumonitis nor toxic death were observed. Seventeen pts are alive with no progression of the disease (16/16 in partial response after initial chemotherapy, 1/4 with refractory disease).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)