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Introduction Chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL) occasionally undergoes Richter transformation, mostly to diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, but its evolution to other types of B-cell lymphoma is rare. We report a CLL evolved to mantle cell lymphoma by acquiring t(11;14)(q13;q32); CCND1-IGH. Method Retrospective review of clinical and laboratory data. Result A 39-year-old male patient was diagnosed with CLL/SLL, and was initially followed without specific treatment, but subsequently received chlorambucil/fludarabine/rituximab due to exacerbated lymphocytosis. While his CLL/SLL waned and waxed, the immunophenotype and genotype of neoplastic B-cells remained unchanged, without cyclin D1 expression and CCND1-IGH fusion. Eleven years after the diagnosis, the patient's disease showed evidence of progression. Bone marrow examination demonstrated “CLL” with the morphology and immunophenotype similar to those seen in the previous biopsies. Unexpectedly, the neoplastic B-cells demonstrated cyclin D1 expression and harbored t(11;14)(q13;q32); CCND1-IGH, suggesting a clonal evolution to mantle cell lymphoma. He subsequently received cytoreductive chemotherapy followed by allogenic bone marrow transplant and remained in remission since then. Conclusion The retention of immunophenotype suggests a clonal relationship between CLL/SLL and mantle cell lymphoma. While the acquisition of t(11;14)(q13;q32); CCND1-IGH likely alters the disease course, the pathogenesis of this illegitimate translocation in CLL remains to be studied.

The discrimination of benign from malignant lymphoproliferative disorders is sometimes difficult because there can be overlap in their histological and immunophenotypic features. In such situations, molecularly based clonality testing is often used to discriminate benign (polyclonal) from malignant (monoclonal) processes. Clonality testing by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has a number of pitfalls that may result in spurious results. Here we report the case of a woman diagnosed by 2 major academic institutions with hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma based on a dense infiltration of the spleen by a γδ T-cell population with mild cytologic atypia, resulting in expansion of the splenic red pulp, and a positive T-cell receptor clonality test by PCR. There was likewise mild involvement of the liver and bone marrow by the "atypical" T-cell population. Close attention to her uncharacteristically well clinical appearance led to repeat T-cell receptor clonality testing using next-generation sequencing. Definitive demonstration of polyclonality by this test showed that she in fact did not have hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma but rather a reactive condition, and allogeneic stem cell transplantation could be safely avoided. As molecular clonality testing is widely used in the practice of hematology, this case brings attention to the pitfalls of clonality testing by PCR that practitioners may encounter. It is therefore a cautionary tale highlighting the need for critical interpretation of test results in full clinical context.

AimsMyeloid neoplasms occur in the setting of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL)/CLL-like disease. The underlying pathogenesis has not been elucidated.MethodsRetrospectively analysed 66 cases of myeloid neoplasms in patients with CLL/CLL-like disease.ResultsOf these, 33 patients (group 1) had received treatment for CLL/CLL-like disease, while the other 33 patients (group 2) had either concurrent diagnoses or untreated CLL/CLL-like disease before identifying myeloid neoplasms. The two categories had distinct features in clinical presentation, spectrum of myeloid neoplasm, morphology, cytogenetic profile and clinical outcome. Compared with group 2, group 1 demonstrated a younger age at the diagnosis of myeloid neoplasm (median, 65 vs 71 years), a higher fraction of myelodysplastic syndrome (64% vs 36%; OR: 3.1; pConclusionsMyeloid neoplasm in the setting of CLL/CLL-like disease can be divided into two categories, one with prior treatment for CLL/CLL-like disease and the other without. CLL-type treatment may accelerate myeloid leukaemogenesis. The risk is estimated to be 13-fold higher in patients with treatment than those without. The causative agent could be attributed to fludarabine in combination with alkylators, based on the latency of myeloid leukaemogenesis and the cytogenetic profile.

We determined the impact of bone marrow fibrosis (BMF) on the clinical outcomes of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM) patients in the current era of myeloma therapy. A total of 393 MM patients were included in the final analysis. The median followup was 83 months (range: 3.9 to 212 months). BMF was noted in 122 (48.2%) evaluable patients. Median progression free survival (PFS) in patients without BMF was 30.2 (95% CI: 24.7‐38.0) months, and 21.1 (95% CI: 18.8‐27.5) months in patients with BMF present (P = .024). Median overall survival (OS) was 61.2 (95% CI: 51.5‐81.2) months in patients without BMF, and 45.1 (95% CI: 38.7‐57.0) months in patients with BMF (P = .0048). A subset of 99 patients had their bone marrow biopsies stained for JAK1 and JAK2 by immunohistochemistry. Of these samples 67 (67.7%) patients had detectable JAK2 expression predominantly noted on bone marrow megakaryocytes. JAK2 expression correlated with myeloma disease stage (P = .0071). Our study represents the largest dataset to date examining the association of BMF with prognosis in the era of novel therapies and widespread use of hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT). Our data suggest that MM patients with BMF (particularly those with extensive BMF) have a poorer prognosis even when treated with immunomodulatory agents and proteasome inhibitors., We determined the impact of bone marrow fibrosis (BMF) on the clinical outcomes of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients in the current era of myeloma therapy. We found that BMF is common in myeloma and MM patients with BMF (particularly those with extensive BMF) have a poorer prognosis even when treated with immunomodulatory agents and proteasome inhibitors.

Fusion partners of KMT2A affect disease phenotype and influence the current World Health Organization classification of hematologic neoplasms. The t(11;16)(q23;p13)/KMT2A-CREBBP is considered presumptive evidence of a myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and a MDS-related cytogenetic abnormality in the classification of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Here, we report 18 cases of hematologic neoplasms with t(11;16). There were 8 males and 10 females with a median age of 51.9 years at time of detection of t(11;16). Of 17 patients with enough clinical information and pathological materials for review, 16 had a history of cytotoxic therapies for various malignancies including 12/15 patients who received topoisomerase II inhibitors, and 15 were classified as having therapy-related neoplasms. The median interval from the diagnosis of primary malignancy to the detection of t(11;16) was 23.2 months. Dysplasia, usually mild, was observed in 7/17 patients. Blasts demonstrated monocytic differentiation in 8/8 patients who developed AML at the time or following detection of t(11;16). t(11;16) was observed as the sole chromosomal abnormality in 10/18 patients. KMT2A rearrangement was confirmed in 11/11 patients. The median survival from the detection of t(11;16) was 15.4 months. In summary, t(11;16)(q23;p13) is rare and overwhelmingly associated with prior exposure of cytotoxic therapy. Instead of being considered presumptive evidence of myelodysplasia, we suggest that the detection of t(11;16) should automatically prompt a search for a history of malignancy and cytotoxic therapy so that proper risk stratification and clinical management are made accordingly. The dismal outcome of patients with t(11;16) is in keeping with that of therapy-related neoplasms.

Objectives Use of fine-needle aspiration/needle core biopsy (FNA/CNB) in evaluating hematolymphoid processes has been debated. We investigate its applicability in various clinicopathologic settings. Methods We retrospectively analyzed 152 cases of FNA/CNB. Results Of 152 FNA/CNBs, 124 (81.6%) resulted in diagnoses without excisional biopsies, while 28 required subsequent excisional biopsies. Of these, 43 FNA/CNBs performed for suspected lymphoma relapse demonstrated 95.4% diagnostic rate (41/43), which was significantly better than those without history of lymphoma (77/109, 71%; odds ratio [OR], 8.5; confidence interval, 1.9-37.4). Patients with immunodeficiency also showed a high rate of diagnosis by FNA/CNB (100%). When stratified by types of disease, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma/high-grade B-cell lymphoma demonstrated a higher success rate (92.7%) than small B-cell lymphoma (79.2%), though the difference was not statistically significant (OR, 3.3; P value = .07). A subsequent excisional biopsy was required in 28 cases, 23 of which resulted in diagnoses concordant with the FNA/CNB. Five cases showed diagnostic discordance, reflecting pitfalls of FNA/CNB in unusual cases with complex pathology. Conclusions FNA/CNB is practical in evaluating most hematolymphoid lesions, with high efficacy in recurrent disease and some primary neoplasms with homogeneous/ aggressive histology, or characteristic immunophenotype.

Context.— Concomitant BCR-ABL1 and JAK2V617F in myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) is rare, and its pathogenesis and clinical significance are unclear. Objective.— To investigate the clonal relationship between the 2 genomic alterations, as well as the clinicopathologic impact. Design.— Retrospective analysis of MPNs with sequential development of BCR-ABL1 and JAK2V617F. Results.— Of 6 cases, 5 had JAK2V617F-positive MPN diagnosed before acquiring BCR-ABL1 years later, and 1 had BCR-ABL1+ chronic myeloid leukemia before JAK2V617F-positive myelofibrosis completely replaced the BCR-ABL1+ clone 1 year after tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy. Among the former group, treatment for the initial MPN involved hydroxyurea, ruxolitinib, and/or supportive care, and the latency to the development of JAK2V617F ranged from 4 to 13 years (median of 9 years). Four cases showed retention of JAK2V617F, whereas BCR-ABL1 emerged as the major clone, including 2 cases that exhibited parallel increases in JAK2V617F and BCR-ABL1 burdens, with both genomic markers exceeding 50%. Three patients received stem cell transplants and demonstrated sustained engraftment, with the genomic markers below detectable levels. Conclusions.— Most MPNs with concomitant JAK2V617F and BCR-ABL1 are actually composite MPNs with a “second hit” residing on a different clone. Rare cases demonstrate a subclone harboring a “double-hit” in a background of a JAK2V617F-positive stem line clone. The probability of a “double-hit” with a BCR-ABL1+ stem line clone is probably reduced by effective tyrosine kinase inhibitor treatment. The treatment often involves combined kinase inhibitors and/or hydroxyurea, but the outcome is unpredictable; hematopoietic stem cell transplantation may be the ultimate therapeutic option for this complicated disease.

Context.— In the 2017 revised World Health Organization classification of tumors of hematopoietic and lymphoid tissues, some mature T-cell lymphomas were reclassified and a few new provisional entities were established based on new data from clinical and laboratory studies. T follicular helper cell lymphoma is identified by T follicular helper cell markers. Anaplastic large cell lymphoma, ALK negative, is a better-defined entity based on genetic abnormalities, and breast implant–associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma is recognized as a provisional entity. The gastrointestinal T-cell lymphomas are reclassified, with addition of a new provisional entity, indolent T-cell lymphoproliferative disorder of the gastrointestinal tract, characterized by an indolent clinical course. Objective.— To review the diagnostic approaches to reclassified and newly established entities of mature T-cell lymphomas, focusing on significant immunophenotypic features and molecular genetic abnormalities. Relevant new discoveries after the publication of the 2017 World Health Organization classification are included. Data Sources.— Information from the literature most relevant to the 2017 World Health Organization revised classification and publications after 2016. Conclusions.— Incorporating clinical, morphologic, and immunophenotypic features usually provides sufficient evidence to reach a preliminary diagnosis of mature T-cell lymphoma. Molecular genetic studies can be very helpful for the final diagnosis and classification, especially in challenging cases. Some molecular genetic features have been found in breast implant–associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma, distinct from anaplastic large cell lymphoma, ALK negative. Immunohistochemical staining of 4 markers may enable further subtyping of peripheral T-cell lymphomas.

Introduction Infantile leukemia encompasses a heterogeneous group which needs stratifying for treatment selection. Methods We collected 78 cases of infantile leukemia and retrospectively analyzed their clinicopathological data. Results Infantile leukemia featured a ratio of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) to B-lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) of 1:2, with a better survival for AML than B-ALL (median survival 36 vs 24 months). When stratified by age, "early" infantile B-ALL (2-6 months) showed a high rate of KMT2A rearrangement (100%), similar to the rate seen in congenital B-ALL (1 month) (100%) and higher than seen in "late" infantile B-ALL (≥7 months) (68%). The three categories of infantile B-ALL exhibited an age-dependent increase in survival (median survival 8.5, 24, and >24 months, respectively). The age-dependent survival benefit remained after excluding the cases negative for KMT2A rearrangement. Conversely, infantile AML lacked an age-dependent pattern of survival. Conclusion The clinical outcome of infantile leukemia depends on the type of leukemia. Given the age-dependent survival, infantile B-ALL can be divided into three subcategories.

Simple Summary Primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) is a rare HHV8 driven large B-cell lymphoma. It is often associated with HIV infection and seldom occurs in HIV-negative immunocompromised patients. Patients with PEL usually present with effusion only, but occasionally with an extracavitary mass, or both. This retrospective study aimed to better characterize the clinicopathological features of PEL by comparing effusion-only PEL versus the extracavitary-only PEL and HIV-positive versus HIV-negative cases in a large cohort of 70 patients. All 70 (100%) cases were positive for HHV8. Fifty-six (80%) patients had HIV infection. Patients presenting with effusion only versus extracavitary disease were associated with different clinicopathologic features. After a median follow-up time of 40 months (range 0–96), 26 of 52 (50%) patients with clinical follow-up died, and the median survival was 42.5 months. PEL is an aggressive lymphoma with a poor prognosis, regardless of extracavitary presentation or HIV status. Abstract Primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) is a rare type of large B-cell lymphoma associated with human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8) infection. Patients with PEL usually present with an effusion, but occasionally with an extracavitary mass. In this study, we reported a cohort of 70 patients with PEL: 67 men and 3 women with a median age of 46 years (range 26–91). Of these, 56 (80%) patients had human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, eight were HIV-negative, and six had unknown HIV status. Nineteen (27%) patients had Kaposi sarcoma. Thirty-five (50%) patients presented with effusion only, 27 (39%) had an extracavitary mass or masses only, and eight (11%) had both effusion and extracavitary disease. The lymphoma cells showed plasmablastic, immunoblastic, or anaplastic morphology. All 70 (100%) cases were positive for HHV8. Compared with effusion-only PEL, patients with extracavitary-only PEL were younger (median age, 42 vs. 52 years, p = 0.001), more likely to be HIV-positive (88.9% vs. 68.6%, p = 0.06) and EBV-positive (76.9% vs. 51.9%, p = 0.06), and less often positive for CD45 (69.2% vs. 96.2%, p = 0.01), EMA (26.7% vs. 100%, p = 0.0005), and CD30 (60% vs. 81.5%, p = 0.09). Of 52 (50%) patients with clinical follow-up, 26 died after a median follow-up time of 40.0 months (range 0–96), and the median overall survival was 42.5 months. The median OS for patients with effusion-only and with extracavitary-only PEL were 30.0 and 37.9 months, respectively (p = 0.34), and patients with extracavitary-only PEL had a lower mortality rate at the time of last follow-up (35% vs. 61.5%, p = 0.07). The median OS for HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients were 42.5 and 6.8 months, respectively (p = 0.57), and they had a similar mortality rate of 50% at last follow-up. In conclusion, patients presenting with effusion-only versus extracavitary-only disease are associated with different clinicopathologic features. PEL is an aggressive lymphoma with a poor prognosis, regardless of extracavitary presentation or HIV status.

Background Lymphoma is a malignancy of hematopoietic and lymphoid tissues. Early diagnosis of lymphoma is very important and could save patients' lives. Nevertheless, the diagnosis of lymphoma could be difficult in the presence of complex manifestations and a lack of convincing laboratory findings. Here we report a case of large B cell lymphoma misdiagnosed as hemophagocytic syndrome during the hospitalization and treatment course. Methods and results Retrospective review of patient's clinical data, differential diagnosis, and treatment were performed. Patient's disease course was followed and the final diagnosis, along with relevant discussions and summaries were documented. Conclusions This report may be helpful in the diagnosis of lymphoma with complex manifestations differentiated from hemophagocytic syndrome, and may facilitate early diagnosis and treatment.

Background Non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) infection is on the rise worldwide. Chronic pulmonary infection can be difficult to diagnose, and thus easily misdiagnosed and mistreated in clinical practice, leading to serious complications. Case presentation, methods and results: A patient with NTM pulmonary infection, who had undergone a lengthy treatment course in two different hospitals, resulting in drug related multi-organ damage, was presented. The patient was ultimately diagnosed with NTM infection via a culture of lymph node biopsy, a diagnosis was further confirmed by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. The patient's condition improved gradually and was discharged from hospital. Conclusions Clinicians are advised to be cautious of the likelihood of NTM pulmonary infection in febrile patients with patchy shadows in pulmonary imaging, especially after a failure to respond to a diagnostic anti-tuberculosis treatment. A lung biopsy for pathologic diagnosis and culture is necessary in order to avoid misdiagnosis and subsequent serious consequences.

Rationale Pulmonary artery intimal sarcoma is a rare tumor with exceptionally high mortality and easily misdiagnosed as pulmonary thromboembolism pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) due to the nonspecific clinical presentation and symptom. Misdiagnosis or untimely diagnosis makes the disease progress to an advanced stage and eventually leads to a poor prognosis. Patient concerns A 37-year-old Chinese female presented with chest tightness and dyspnea for 3 months. Echocardiography and chest computed tomography revealed an intraluminal obstruction of the pulmonary arteries. Tests of serum tumor makers showed slight elevation for carbohydrate antigen-125, and α-fetoprotein. PTE was suspected according to the radiological and laboratory findings. Diagnosis Microscopic findings of the presumed thrombus showed prominent myxoid and edematous background with atypical spindled cells and curvilinear vascularity. Immunohistochemical staining demonstrated that the atypical spindled cells were positive for vimentin but negative for CK, S100, SMA, desmin, CD68, STAT6, CD34, β-catenin, ALK-p80, p53, and MDM2. According to the radiological and pathological findings, the diagnosis of fibrosarcoma of pulmonary artery was made. Interventions The patient underwent surgical resection and the mass was excised as completely as possible. Outcome Follow-up information showed no evidence of recurrence or metastasis after 3 months postresection. Lessons Because of the low incidence rate, nonspecific clinical symptoms, and radiological findings, primary fibrosarcoma of the pulmonary artery is commonly misdiagnosed as PTE. Pathological examination is necessary to confirm the diagnosis.

Objectives Therapy-related chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) has been reported, but its clinical presentation and pathologic features have not yet been well characterized. Methods Twenty-one cases of CML following treatment for primary diseases were collected and retrospectively analyzed. Results The clinical presentation, pathologic features, and cytogenetic profile were similar to de novo CML. In particular, those with an isolated Philadelphia chromosome constituted 88.9% of our cases, and additional aberrations characteristic of therapy-related acute myeloid leukemia/myelodysplastic syndrome (AML/MDS) were not identified in this study. The patients responded to imatinib/derivatives and survived with limited follow-up. Conclusions Therapy-related CML has a clinical presentation, pathologic features, and cytogenetic profile akin to de novo CML. Absence of additional significant aberrations seems to suggest a pathogenesis different from therapy-related AML/MDS. Therapy-related CML exhibits a robust therapeutic response to imatinib/derivatives and favorable clinical outcomes similar to de novo CML.

Background To recognize the growing list of recurrent genetically defined eosinophilia driven by constitutively active tyrosine kinase fusion genes, the World Health Organization (WHO) created a provisional entity of myeloid/lymphoid neoplasms with eosinophilia (MLN-Eo) with rearrangement of PFGFRA, PDGFRB or FGFR1, or with PCM1- JAK2. These eosinophilic disorders are clinically and genetically heterogeneous. Annotating additional somatic mutations and relevant clinical features may have an impact on treatment selection and refine prognostication. In this study, we aim to describe the clinicopathologic characteristics and outcome with upfront targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy in patients (pts) with MLN-Eo. Methods We retrospectively reviewed clinical and molecular data on 39 pts with newly diagnosed MLN-Eo with PDGFRA, PDGFRB, FGFR1, JAK2 or FLT3 rearrangement at Moffitt Cancer Center, Duke Cancer Center, and the UCSF Comprehensive Cancer Center. Clinical data was abstracted in accordance with institutional review board approved protocol. Pts were divided to two categories based on morphologic classification of the disease at diagnosis or at transformation: chronic phase and blastic phase disease. Each category was then divided into two subgroups: Cohort A) upfront TKI +/- other systemic therapy and Cohort B) no upfront TKI arm. Median time from chronic phase disease to blastic phase and median overall survival (mOS) (in whole cohort) were calculated using Kaplan Meier method and compared with log-rank test. Cox proportional hazards (PH) model was used to calculate hazard ratio (HR) in univariate analyses. Result Among the 39 pts included in the analysis, 22 pts had PDGFRA fusion (20)/activating mutations (2), 4 had PDGFRB, 7 had FGFR1, 2 had JAK2 (PCM1-JAK2 and BCR-JAK2), and 4 had FLT3 (3 ETV6-FLT3 and 1 FLT-3-TRIP11). Median age at first diagnosis of myeloid/lymphoid neoplasm was 54.5 years (range 9-76). Seventy-seven percents (30/39) were male. Chronic eosinophilic leukemia (CEL) was the most common clinical diagnosis and occurred in 11 pts (28%). Seven (18%) pts had both myeloid and lymphoid neoplasms either concurrently or sequentially. Sixteen (41%) pts presented with de-novo blastic phase at time of initial diagnosis. Among 23 pts who presented with chronic phase disease at diagnosis, nine patients did not receive TKI upfront. Five out of the nine patients (55%) developed blastic phase disease with a median follow up of 73 months. The median time to blastic phase was 45 months. No patients in the upfront TKI arm (n=14) had blastic transformation during follow up (Figure 1a, p Among 21 pts who had blastic phase disease (16 pts with de-novo diagnosis and 5 pts with blastic transformations), 95% of them (20/21 pts) had treatment information and follow-up data available. At a median follow up of 37 months, 11 pts (55%) were deceased, and median OS was 44 months. Seven pts (35%) underwent allogeneic stem cell transplant (alloHSCT). Four patients received upfront TKI, and all of them achieved complete remission and were alive at the time of the study (Figure 1b). Among those pts, 2 had FLT3-ETV6 rearrangement, 1 with PDGFRA rearrangement and 1 with FGFR1 rearrangement. Two pts received single agent TKI only and two pts received TKIs followed by alloHSCT. In the univariate analysis, upfront TKI use was significantly associated with improved OS (HR 0.067, 95% CI [0.009-0.512], p=0.009). Complex cytogenetics at the time of initial diagnosis was associated with inferior OS, though statistical significance was not reached (table II). Conclusion Our data suggests that upfront TKI therapy is associated improved survival outcomes in pts with MLN-eo and is effective in preventing blastic transformation from chronic phase disease. As proposed, the driver oncogene most likely occurs in hematopoietic stem cells/progenitor cells in this entity. Upfront TKI can potentially suppress, even in some cases eradicate the malignant clone. The study is limited due to small sample size and retrospective nature, and larger study is needed to validate our observation. Figure 1 Figure 1. Disclosures Sokol: Kyowa-Kirin: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Dren Bio: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Shah: Novartis: Consultancy, Other: Expenses; Pfizer: Consultancy, Other: Expenses; Amgen: Consultancy; Precision Biosciences: Consultancy; Kite, a Gilead Company: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Expenses, Research Funding; Pharmacyclics/Janssen: Honoraria, Other: Expenses; Acrotech/Spectrum: Honoraria; BeiGene: Consultancy, Honoraria; Incyte: Research Funding; Jazz Pharmaceuticals: Research Funding; Servier Genetics: Other; Bristol-Myers Squibb/Celgene: Consultancy, Other: Expenses; Adaptive Biotechnologies: Consultancy. Lancet: Agios: Consultancy; AbbVie: Consultancy; Celgene/BMS: Consultancy; Daiichi Sankyo: Consultancy; Astellas: Consultancy; BerGenBio: Consultancy; Millenium Pharma/Takeda: Consultancy; ElevateBio Management: Consultancy; Jazz: Consultancy. Kuykendall: Protagonist: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; BluePrint Medicines: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Prelude: Research Funding; Abbvie: Honoraria; Incyte: Consultancy; Novartis: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; PharmaEssentia: Honoraria; Celgene/BMS: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; CTI Biopharma: Honoraria. Padron: Stemline: Honoraria; BMS: Research Funding; Kura: Research Funding; Blueprint: Honoraria; Incyte: Research Funding; Taiho: Honoraria.

Objectives Myeloid neoplasms (MNs) after solid organ transplant are rare, and their clinicopathologic features have not been well characterized. Methods We retrospectively analyzed 23 such cases. Results The ages ranged from 2 to 76 years, with a median of 59 years at the diagnosis. The median interval between the transplant and diagnosis was 56 months (range, 8-384 months). The transplanted organs included liver in five, kidney in six, lung in five, heart in six, and heart/lung in one case(s). The types of MN included acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in 12, myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) in five, chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) in four, and myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) in two cases. Cytogenetics demonstrated clonal abnormalities in 18 (78.3%) cases, including unbalanced changes in 10 (55.6%), Philadelphia chromosome in four (22.2%), and other balanced aberrations in four (22.2%) cases. Thirteen (56.5%) patients died, with an estimated median survival of 9 months. With disease stratification, AML and MDS have short median survivals (3.5 and 7 months, respectively), with an initial precipitous decline of the survival curve. Conclusions Posttransplant MNs have a latency period between that seen in AML/MDS related to alkylators and that associated with topoisomerase II inhibitors. The cytogenetic profile suggests a mutagenic effect on leukemogenesis. The clinical outcome for AML/MDS is dismal, with death occurring at an early phase of treatment.

Objectives Lineage switch occurs in rare leukemias, and the mechanism is unclear. We report two cases of B-lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) relapsed as acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Methods Retrospective review of clinical and laboratory data. Results Complex cytogenetic abnormalities were detected in B-ALL for both cases with subclone heterogeneity. Postchemotherapy marrow biopsies showed trilineage hematopoiesis without detectable B-ALL. Cytogenetics in both showed stemline abnormalities. The cases were considered "occult" myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) preceding B-ALL. The patients relapsed 6.5 and 9 months following induction, respectively. Case 1 relapsed as AML-M5 initially, was treated as such, and then relapsed again as B-ALL. Case 2 relapsed as AML-M6. Cytogenetics demonstrated persistent abnormalities. Both patients died soon after relapse. Conclusions Lineage switch between B-ALL and AML could be intermediated by occult MDS. A pluripotent progenitor likely undergoes neoplastic transformation, resulting in a genomically unstable clone. This leads to a repertoire of heterogeneous subclones that may be selected by chemotherapy. Lineage switch heralds a dismal clinical outcome.

A bone marrow biopsy sometimes demonstrates two hematolymphoid neoplasms. In a majority of these cases, a second neoplasm is discovered unexpectedly when examining the marrow for a known or suspected hematolymphoid neoplasm. There are several possible combinations of neoplastic components, but in practice, many cases show a myeloid neoplasm along with a nonmyeloid neoplasm such as plasma cell neoplasm (PCN), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), other small mature B-cell leukemia/lymphoma, T-cell large granular lymphocytic leukemia (T-LGL), or other T-cell lymphomas. The myeloid neoplasm, usually myelodysplastic syndrome, may occur as a consequence of therapy given for the lymphoid neoplasm, and such cases are covered in Chapter 25. In addition, two different nonmyeloid neoplasms can be seen together, including PCN with CLL, PCN with lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma, CLL with T-LGL, CLL with B-lymphoblastic leukemia, etc. Diagnosis of these concomitant hematolymphoid neoplasms is challenging in that one neoplastic component can potentially mask the other in the bone marrow examination. Here, we highlight the diagnostic approach to correctly identify more than one neoplastic components by using ancillary test on the marrow as well as other laboratory studies, discuss potential etiologies of the concurrency, and emphasize the clinical significance of the phenomenon for treatment and prognosis. Bone marrow involvement by solid tumors, with or without concurrent hematolymphoid neoplasm, is discussed in Chapter 28.

Excisional biopsy of lymph node is a routine procedure for evaluating lymphoid pathology in patients with lymphadenopathy. A standard workup to rule out lymphoma is a comprehensive study, including histologic evaluation, immunohistochemical analysis, flow cytometry, cytogenetic study (i.e., FISH for targeted cytogenetic abnormalities), and/or molecular diagnostic tests. This chapter covers some general principles for handling specimens of lymphoma workup, clinical correlation with types of lymphoma, common morphological patterns of lymphomas or mimics, and judicial application of ancillary tests, based on clinical presentations and initial morphologic evaluation.

ObjectivesTo characterize the clinical and pathologic features of mantle cell lymphoma with mantle zone growth pattern (MCL-MZGP).MethodsThe clinicopathologic data from 35 cases of MCL-MZGP obtained in 12 centers were analyzed.ResultsThe patients with MCL-MZGP typically sought treatment at high clinical stages (81%). Intriguingly, 40% (14/35) of cases were incidentally noted. The lymph nodes with MCL-MZGP showed preserved architecture and expanded mantles containing lymphoma cells with classic or small cell cytology. MCL-MZGP was positive for BCL2 (96%, bright), CD5 (82%, moderate), cyclin D1 (100%), and SOX11 (89%). Clinically, our study revealed no significant difference in the overall survival between patients managed with observation alone and those who received chemotherapy.ConclusionsMCL-MZGP was often incidentally identified and resembled reactive mantles. Therefore, recognition of this unusual morphology emphasizes the utility of cyclin D1 immunostain in the cases with suspicious morphology. However, the clinical significance of these findings is still unclear.

Myeloid neoplasms occasionally occur in patients with sickle cell disease, and the underlying connection between the two diseases is unclear. Herein, we retrospectively analyzed four cases of sickle cell disease patients who developed myeloid neoplasm. Age at time of diagnosis ranged from 27 to 59 years with a median of 35.5 years. Two patients were treated with hydroxyurea and the other two with supportive care alone, with one out of the four patients receiving additional treatment with hematopoietic stem cell transplant. Three patients presented with leukocytosis, and the remaining patient presented with pancytopenia. Two patients were diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome/myeloproliferative neoplasm, one with myelodysplastic syndrome, and the other with acute myeloid leukemia. All four cases demonstrated certain degrees of myelodysplasia and complex cytogenetic abnormalities with - 7/7q- and/or - 5/5q- or with 11q23 (KMT2A) rearrangement. This cytogenetic profile resembles that seen in therapy-related myeloid neoplasm, suggesting that myeloid neoplasm in the setting of sickle cell disease may represent a subcategory of the disease distinct from de novo myeloid neoplasm in general. Extensive literature review further demonstrates this similarity in cytogenetic profile, as well as in other associated pathologic features. Potential etiology includes therapy for sickle cell disease, disease-related immunomodulation, or disease-related chronic inflammation. We hypothesize that constant hematopoietic hyperplasia, stimulated by a hemolysis-induced cytokine storm, may increase the chance of somatic mutations/cytogenetic aberrations, resulting in transformation of myeloid precursors. This group of myeloid neoplasms seems to herald a dismal clinical outcome, with median survival

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is an indolent mature B-cell neoplasm. During a prolonged disease course, a secondary B-cell neoplasm may arise in some patients, the most common example being the clonal evolution of CLL to diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, which is referred to as Richter transformation. Secondary de novo mature B-cell neoplasms arising in a patient with pre-existing CLL have been described; however, B-lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) developing in untreated CLL is rare, and its clonal relationship to the primary neoplasm has been an interesting issue. Herein, we report an unusual case of the sequential development of CLL and B-ALL over a 23-year period in a 64-year-old male. Examination of the peripheral blood smear and bone marrow biopsy demonstrated dual neoplastic populations: small mature lymphocytes consistent with those seen in CLL and a population of blasts that were confirmed to be B-ALL by immunophenotyping. The biclonality of these two B-cell neoplasms was supported by cytogenetic studies. While an intrinsic immunodeficiency in patients with CLL may predispose them to the development of other malignancies, the pathogenesis of this unusual phenomenon remains to be further investigated.

Patients with common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) have a higher incidence of autoimmune disease, which may mark the disease onset; however, anemia secondary to pure red cell aplasia is an uncommon presenting feature. Here, we describe a case of CVID-like humoral immune deficiency in a child who initially presented with red cell aplasia and ultimately developed progressive bone marrow failure. Although bone marrow transplantation (BMT) has been associated with high mortality in CVID, our patient was successfully treated with a matched sibling BMT and engrafted with >98% donor chimerism and the development of normal antibody titers to diphtheria and tetanus toxoids.

Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease (KFD) is a rare lymphohistiocytic disorder which can cause prolonged fever and other systemic B symptoms including diffuse lymphadenopathy. Given its clinical presentation, there is often initial concern for lymphoma and diagnosis requires lymph node biopsy. It most frequently affects young women of Asian descent; it is less commonly encountered in paediatric patients. KFD is typically a benign, self-limited process, however, there is an association with development of systemic lupus erythematosus. Given its rarity, it remains unclear if KFD is associated with other chronic conditions. Here we present the third case of KFD occurring in a paediatric patient with sickle cell disease.

Splenosis refers to ectopic splenic implants that are often found incidentally years after splenic rupture/splenectomy, and the nodules of splenosis are usually small, less than 3 cm for the majority. We report a case of splenosis with a 5-centimeter large mass in the anterior abdomen in a 79 year-old male with a remote history of splenic rupture/splenectomy. Unexpectedly, needle core biopsy of the abdominal mass demonstrated splenic tissue with a mononucleated cell infiltrate blurring the splenic architecture that was highlighted only by CD8 stain. This finding prompted a bone marrow examination resulting in the diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia in the patient. Retrospectively, enlargement of this ectopic spleen may have been caused by this leukemic infiltrate. This case underscores the importance of being aware of this rare pathological condition and its retained vulnerability for involvement by hematolymphoid neoplasms, as well as significance of identifying splenic architecture highlighted by CD8 stain to reach a correct diagnosis.

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in infants

Aberrant expression of CD3 on diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is rare, and its mechanism and biological significance are currently unclear. Herein we report a case of Epstein-Barr virus-negative, CD3-positive DLBCL in a 53 year-old male, who had a remote history of renal transplantation. After standard chemotherapy, the patient was in clinical remission. He relapsed three years later, but at this time with apparent loss of CD3 expression. PCR-based IGK gene rearrangement studies demonstrated clonal amplicons with an identical nucleotide size between the primary and secondary DLBCL, confirming the clonal relationship despite their phenotypic differences. To our knowledge, this is the first case of CD3-positive DLBCL that demonstrated a loss of aberrant CD3 on relapse. The chronologic change in phenotype seen in this case suggests that the source of the patient’s lymphoma relapse may arise from either a quiescent subclone without CD3 expression, or from an upstream neoplastic precursor cell.

Rationale: Primary testicular natural killer (NK)/T-cell lymphoma is an extremely rare and highly aggressive lymphoid malignancy. At present, only 20 cases have been reported. Patient concerns: A 32-year-old Chinese man complained of discomfort and swelling of his right testicle for 3 months. Physical examination revealed a 10 × 10 × 9.5 cm mass on the right side of the scrotum area. Diagnoses: Pathologic evaluation showed effacement of normal testicular parenchymal architecture by small-to-medium-sized lymphoid cells with irregular nuclear profiles, and immunohistochemical studies positively expressed CD2, CD56, cytoplasmic CD3, granzyme B, perforin, and TIA-1. Therefore, the patient was diagnosed with primary testicular NK/T-cell lymphoma. Interventions: The patient underwent CHOP (cyclophosphamide (CTX), pirarubicin (THP-ADM), vincristine (VCR), and prednisolone (PDN)) chemotherapy. Outcomes: The patient relapsed 5 months after his initial presentation and died after an infection and gastrointestinal bleed. Lessons: Clinicopathological assessment of this rare case highlights the clinical and pathological features required to diagnose testicular NK/T-cell lymphoma. In addition, it highlights the dismal survival of these patients. We hope it may serve as a reference aiding prompt clinical diagnosis, which can hopefully improve the survival and quality of life of these patients.

Background We previously reported that Axin1 (Axin) is down-regulated in many cases of lung cancer, and X-ray irradiation increased Axin expression and inhibited lung cancer cells. The mechanisms, however, were not clear. Methods Four lung cancer cell lines were used to detect the methylation status of Axin with or without X-ray treatment. Real-time PCR was used to quantify the expression of Axin, and western blot analysis was applied to measure protein levels of Axin, β-catenin, Cyclin D1, MMP-7, DNMTS, MeCP2 and acetylated histones. Flow cytometric analysis, colony formation assay, transwell assay and xenograft growth experiment were used to study the biological behavior of the cells with hypermethylated or unmethylated Axin gene after X-ray treatment. Results Hypermethylated Axin gene was detected in 2 of 4 cell lines, and it correlated inversely with Axin expression. X-ray treatment significantly up-regulated Axin expression in H446 and H157 cells, which possess intrinsic hypermethylation of the Axin gene (P

Blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm is a rare entity grouped with the acute myeloid leukemia–related precursor neoplasms in the 2008 World Health Organization classification. It was previously postulated to originate from natural killer cells, T cells, or monocytes but is now believed to arise from the plasmacytoid dendritic cell. The pathogenesis of blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm is not well understood, although the neoplasm demonstrates frequent deletion of tumor suppressor genes, including RB1, CDKN1B, CDKN2A, and TP53. Blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm is a clinically aggressive tumor that often initially presents as cutaneous lesions and subsequently progresses to bone marrow involvement and leukemic dissemination. It is characterized by enhanced expression of CD56, CD4, and CD123, which can be detected by flow cytometry/immunohistochemistry. The differential diagnoses include myeloid sarcoma/acute myeloid leukemia, T-cell lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma, NK-cell lymphoma/leukemia, and some mature T-cell lymphomas/leukemias. Patients usually respond to initial chemotherapy but often relapse. Stem cell transplant may improve survival.

Hematolymphoid neoplasms, including lymphoma and myeloid neoplasms, can occur in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) or equivalent hemoglobinopathy, but an underlying connection between the two conditions has yet to be fully determined. Herein, we report a unique case of sequential development of two separate hematolymphoid neoplasms, human herpes virus 8 (HHV8)-positive diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia, in a 59 year-old African American female with hemoglobin SC disease. While etiology of immunodeficiency is unknown, the potential causes include hydroxyurea therapy, disease related immunomodulation, chronic inflammation, and relatively old age. The leukemia cells demonstrated profound trilineage dysplasia and harbored complex cytogenetic abnormalities with loss of chromosome 5q and 7q, which are often observed in therapy-related myeloid neoplasms. Besides the potential causes listed above, we propose that myeloid leukemia in this setting may result from genomic changes due to excessive hematopoietic replication triggered by a hemolysis-induced cytokine storm. While myeloid neoplasms in the setting of SCD seems to herald a dismal clinical outcome per the literature, the HHV8-positive DLBCL in our case was apparently indolent, opposing the current perception of its clinical outcome.

Introduction Plasma cell neoplasm (PCN) is rarely associated with Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia (WM)/lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma (LPL), and its clonal relationship to WM/LPL is unclear. Methods We retrospectively analyzed five cases of PCN concomitant with WM/LPL for clinicopathologic features. Results Of five patients, three were female and two were male with a median age of 75 years at diagnosis of concurrent PCN-WM/LPL. Three cases presented with serum paraprotein of IgM type and had a diagnosis of WM/LPL before identifying concurrent PCN, with an interval of 1 to 10 years. In the remaining two cases, PCN and WM/LPL were concurrently diagnosed. All patients demonstrated biclonal M-spikes with distinct heavy chain isotypes but concordant light chain isotype (kappa or lambda) by immunofixation electrophoresis. In all four cases, two neoplastic populations were highlighted with immunohistochemistry, including expression of CD56/cyclin D1 (1), cyclin D1 (2), and IgA (1) in neoplastic plasma cells and negativity of CD56/cyclin D1 in LPL. Of three patients with clinical information available, two were treated with chemotherapy, and the other was treated with autologous stem cell transplant. At follow-up, one patient died of PCN progression at 24 months, one had recurrent WM/LPL at 144 months, and the other was alive with disease 5 months after the diagnosis of concurrent neoplasms. Conclusion Discordant heavy chain isotype restrictions between PCN and WM/LPL suggest biclonal B-cell neoplasms, which is supported by PCN’s phenotypic distinction, such as expression of cyclin D1 and/or CD56, from coexisting WM/LPL. However, our cases had WM/LPL either preceding or concurring with PCN, and all exhibited concordant light chain restrictions, raising a possibility that PCN may be evolved from WM/LPL with class switching. This issue of clonal relationship between the two B-cell neoplasm and underlying pathogenesis remains to be investigated with sequencing analysis on sorted PCN or WM/LPL and comparison of mutation profiles between them.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a hereditary blood disorder that often has multiple comorbidities. Patients occasionally develop malignant neoplasms, but the risk of lymphoma in SCD is currently unknown. Here, we report a unique case of subcutaneous panniculitis-like T-cell lymphoma (SPTCL) in a 25-year-old male patient with SCD. The patient suffered from episodes of sickling crisis since his initial SCD diagnosis and had been treated with supportive care. Hydroxyurea was added at the age of 23 years old. Two years later, he presented with right cheek swelling, and the biopsy showed a lymphohistiocytic infiltrate within adipose tissue resembling lobular panniculitis. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated CD8/β-F1-positive T-cells around the fat vacuoles, with a high proliferative index. The histopathologic features suggested a diagnosis of SPTCL. A subsequent TCRβ gene rearrangement analysis detected a clonal amplicon, confirming the diagnosis. Because of the lack of systemic symptoms, the patient received conservative therapy with prednisone and responded well with resolution of his right cheek swelling within one month. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of SPTCL associated with SCD. The proposed lymphomagenesis in the setting of SCD is also discussed.