Primary unifocal penile follicular center non-Hodgkin lymphoma:Report of a rare case and review of the literature

Dear Editor,We present a rare case of a primary penile follicular center non-Hodgkin lymphoma and a review of the available literature on this condition.A BCL2 gene transposition which was identified with fluorescent in situ hybridization(FISH)molecular analysis is a unique manifestation not previously reported to the best of our knowledge.A 67-year-old man presented with a 3-month history of a small nodule on the left side of the corona of glans penis.The patient had no significant medical or family history.The patient underwent excision and biopsy of the penile lesion with a 0.5 cm macroscopic margin under local anesthesia and sedation.He was discharged on the day of surgery,and there were no postoperative complications or adverse events.The informed consent was obtained from thepatient.

Pediatric-type follicular lymphoma in a Crohn’s disease patient receiving anti-α4β7-integrin therapy:A case report

BACKGROUND Patients with autoimmune conditions receiving immunosuppressants are at risk of non-Hodgkin lymphomas(NHL).Vedolizumab(anti-α4β7-integrin antibody),a treatment-of-choice for Crohn’s disease(CD),reduces inflammatory lymphocyte trafficking into the intestinal mucosa.This effect is believed to be confined to the colon.CASE SUMMARY We report the case of a CD patient on vedolizumab for five years who developed pediatric-type follicular lymphoma.Work-up prior to therapy revealed a reduction in circulating T-lymphocytes and their suppressed response to mitogens.Rituximab,cyclophosphamide,vincristine,and prednisone chemoimmunotherapy resulted in durable lymphoma remission,and vedolizumab treatment was continued.While the patient’s T-lymphocyte population and immunoglobulin production recovered,the T-lymphocyte mitogen response remained suppressed.CONCLUSION This patient’s NHL may be linked to receiving anti-α4β7 therapy.Further research could be beneficial to determine if proactive surveillance for NHL and other systemic diseases is indicated in patients on vedolizumab.

Recent advances in treatment of nodal and gastrointestinal follicular lymphoma

Follicular lymphoma(FL)is the most common low-grade lymphoma,and although nodal FL is highly responsive to treatment,the majority of patients relapse repeatedly,and the disease has been incurable with a poor prognosis.However,primary FL of the gastrointestinal tract has been increasingly detected in Japan,especially due to recent advances in small bowel endoscopy and increased opportunities for endoscopic examinations and endoscopic diagnosis.However,many cases are detected at an early stage,and the prognosis is good in many cases.In contrast,in Europe and the United States,gastrointestinal FL has long been considered to be present in 12%-24%of Stage-IV patients,and the number of advanced gastrointestinal cases is expected to increase.This editorial provides an overview of the recent therapeutic advances in nodal FL,including antibody-targeted therapy,bispecific antibody therapy,epigenetic modulation,and chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy,and reviews the latest therapeutic manuscripts published in the past year.Based on an understanding of the therapeutic advances in nodal FL,we also discuss future possibilities for gastroenterologists to treat gastrointestinal FL,especially in advanced cases.

Clinical features and prognostic factors in 49 patients with follicular lymphoma at a single center:A retrospective analysis

BACKGROUND Follicular lymphoma(FL)is a type of B-cell lymphoma that originates at the germinal center and has a low malignancy rate.FL has become the most common inert lymphoma in Europe and America but has a relatively low incidence in Asia.AIM To explore the clinical features,curative effects,and prognostic factors of FL.METHODS Completed medical records of 49 patients with FL who were admitted to the Ningbo First Hospital from June 2010 to June 2021 were examined.These patients were definitively diagnosed by pathological biopsy or immunohistochemical staining.The diagnostic criteria were based on the 2008 World Health Organization classification of lymphomas.Ann Arbor staging was performed according to the imaging and bone marrow examination results.Risk stratification of all patients was performed based on the International Prognostic Index(IPI),age-adjusted IPI,Follicular Lymphoma International Prognosis Index(FLIPI),and FLIPI2 to compare the efficacy of different treatment regimens and analyze the related prognostic factors.RESULTS The age of onset in patients ranged from 24 to 76 years,with a median age of 51 years.Most patients developed the disease at 40–59 years of age,and the male:female ratio was 1.6:1.No significant difference was noted in the curative effect between the non-chemotherapy,combined chemotherapy,and other chemotherapy regimens(P>0.05).Hemoglobin(Hb)level<120 g/L,Ki-67 value>50%,bone marrow involvement,and clinical stagesⅢ–IV were associated with a poor prognosis of FL(P<0.05).However,the influence of other indicators was not statistically significant.Risk grouping was performed using the FLIPI,and the results showed that 24.5%,40.8%,and 34.7%of patients were in the low-,moderate-,and high-risk groups,respectively.According to the survival analysis results,the survival rate of patients was lower in the high-risk group than in the other low-risk and moderate-risk groups(P<0.05).CONCLUSION FL mainly occurs in middle-aged and elderly men,primarily affecting lymph nodes and bone marrow.Hb level,Ki-67 value,bone marrow involvement,and clinical staging were used to evaluate prognosis.

Gene targeted and immune therapies for nodal and gastrointestinal follicular lymphomas

Follicular lymphoma(FL)is the most common indolent B-cell lymphoma(BCL)globally.Recently,its incidence has increased in Europe,the United States,and Asia,with the number of gastrointestinal FL cases expected to increase.Genetic abnormalities related to t(14;18)translocation,BCL2 overexpression,NF-κB pathway-related factors,histone acetylases,and histone methyltransferases cause FL and enhance its proliferation.Meanwhile,microRNAs are commonly used in diagnosing FL and predicting patient prognosis.Many clinical trials on novel therapeutics targeting these genetic abnormalities and immunomodulatory mechanisms have been conducted,resulting in a marked improvement in therapeutic outcomes for FL.Although developing these innovative therapeutic agents targeting specific genetic mutations and immune pathways has provided hope for curative options,FL treatment has become more complex,requiring combinatorial therapeutic regimens.However,optimal treatment combinations have not yet been achieved,highlighting the importance of a complete understanding regarding the pathogenesis of gastrointestinal FL.Accordingly,this article reviews key research on the molecular pathogenesis of nodal FL and novel therapies targeting the causative genetic mutations.Moreover,the results of clinical trials are summarized,with a particular focus on treating nodal and gastrointestinal FLs.

Efficacy and safety of Revlimid combined with Rituximab in the treatment of follicular lymphoma: A meta-analysis

Objective:To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of lenalidomide combined with rituximab for treating follicular lymphoma.Methods:We searched PubMed,Web of Science,Cochrane Library,Embase,China Medical Biological Service system(CBM),VIP database(VIP),Wan fang database(Wan Fang Data),China Knowledge Network(CNKI),and ClinicTrails.gov for literature related to lenalidomide combined with rituximab for treating follicular lymphoma(until June 23,2022).The literature that met the requirements were screened out according to the established criteria,and the data were analyzed by RevMan5.4 and Stata14.0 to conduct a meta-analysis.Results:Eight studies involving 865 patients with follicular lymphoma were included.The results of the meta-analysis showed that the objective remission rate(RR=1.43,95%CI:1.26–1.61)and complete remission rate(RR=1.67,95%CI:1.27–2.21)of lenalidomide combined with rituximab for treating follicular lymphoma were significantly higher than those of rituximab alone.However,adverse reactions(neutropenia,diarrhea,nausea and vomiting,rash)were more likely to occur in the lenalidomide combined with the rituximab group,albeit at a low level.Conclusion:Compared to rituximab alone,lenalidomide combined with rituximab could significantly improve the objective and complete remission rates of patients with follicular lymphoma.However,as combination therapy may be associated with adverse reactions,timely corresponding measures should be taken during treatment.Therefore,to confirm the efficacy and safety of lenalidomide combined with rituximab for treating follicular lymphoma,it is necessary to conduct multicenter,multi-sample,randomized double-blind controlled trials,and single-arm trials.

Diagnosis of follicular lymphoma of the gastrointestinaltract:A better initial diagnostic workup

Due to an increasing incidence and more frequent recognition by endoscopists, gastrointestinal follicular lymphoma has been established as a variant of follicular lymphoma. However, due to its rarity, there are no established guidelines on the optimal diagnostic strategy for patients with primary gastrointestinal follicular lymphoma or secondary gastrointestinal involvement of systemic follicular lymphoma. This review offers an overview and pitfalls to avoid during the initial diagnostic workup of this disease entity. Previously reported case reports, case series, and retrospective studies are reviewed and focus on the disease's endoscopic and histological features, the roles of computed tomography and positron emission tomography scanning, the clinical utility of the soluble interleukin-2 receptor, and the possible pathogenesis.

Duodenal-type follicular lymphoma more than 10 years after treatment intervention:A retrospective single-center analysis

BACKGROUND Duodenal-type follicular lymphoma(D-FL)has been recognized as a rare entity that accounts for approximately 4%of primary gastrointestinal lymphomas.D-FL follows an indolent clinical course compared with common nodal FL and is generally considered to have a better prognosis.Therefore,the“watch and wait”approach is frequently adopted as the treatment method.Alternatively,there is an option to actively intervene in D-FL.However,the long-term outcomes of such cases are poorly understood.AIM To clarify the clinical outcomes after long-term follow-up in cases of D-FL with treatment intervention.METHODS We retrospectively analyzed patients who met the following criteria:the lesion was confirmed by endoscopy,the diagnosis of D-FL was confirmed histopathologically,and the patient was followed-up for more than 10 years after the intervention at our center.RESULTS We identified 5 cases of D-FL.Two patients showed a small amount of bone marrow involvement(Stage IV).Rituximab was used as a treatment for remission in all 5 patients.It was also used in combination with chemotherapy in 2 Stage IV patients as well as for maintenance treatment.Radiation therapy was performed in 2 cases,which was followed by complete remission(CR).Eventually,all 5 patients achieved CR and survived for more than 10 years.However,3 patients experienced recurrence.One patient achieved a second CR by retreatment,and in another case,the lesion showed spontaneous disappearance.The remaining patient had systemic widespread recurrence 13 years after the first CR.Biopsy results suggested that the FL lesions were transformed into diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.The patient died 4 years later despite receiving various chemotherapies.CONCLUSION In this study,the treatment for patients of D-FL in Stage IV was successful.In the future,criteria for how to treat“advanced”D-FL should be established based on additional cases.This study of patients with D-FL indicates that whole-body follow-up examinations should continue for a long time due to a fatal recurrence 13 years after reaching CR.

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma arising from follicular lymphoma with warthin’s tumor of the parotid gland-immunophenotypic and genetic features: A case report

BACKGROUND Warthin’s tumor(WT)is composed of several cysts that are lined with tall,bilayered oncocytic columnar cells and lymphoid stroma.Within WT,the two components rarely transform into carcinoma or lymphoma,and when it does,carcinoma is the most common type.Approximately 28 cases of lymphoma with WT have been reported,most of which were non-Hodgkin lymphomas,and only a few cases were Hodgkin lymphomas.In the present report,we studied a case of diffuse large B cell lymphoma(DLBCL)arising from follicular lymphoma(FL)with WT in the parotid gland and its immunophenotypic and genetic features.CASE SUMMARY A 67-year-old man presented with a slowly enlarging right cheek mass for 12 years,and the mass began to change in size over a 2-mo time period.Over time,the patient felt mild local pain and right cheek discomfort.His medical history included a hepatitis B virus infection for 20 years and 30 years of smoking.Gross examination of the excised specimen showed a gray-red and gray-white appearance and a soft texture lobulated external surface neoplasm that measured 9 cm×8 cm×7 cm and was well circumscribed by relative normal parotid gland tissue.In cross section,the cut surfaces of the neoplasm were multicystic and had a homogeneous scaly appearance.A small fluid was discovered in the cyst.Bilateral oxyphilic,cuboidal or polygonal epithelium cells and lymphoid intraparenchymal components were observed.Many medium-to large-sized lymphoid cells were observed diffusely in part of the neoplasm,and a few secondary lymphoid follicles were observed at the center or edge of the neoplasm.Immunohistochemical staining showed that the columnar oncocytic cells were positive for AE1/AE3;neoplastic cells located in coarctate follicular were positive for CD20,Pax-5,bcl-2 and bcl-6;and the adjacent diffusely medium-to large-sized lymphoid cells were positive for Pax-5,bcl-6,CD20,MUM-1,bcl-2 and CD79a.The bcl-6(3q27)break-apart rearrangement was observed,and an Epstein Barr virus test was negative in the tumor cells.The patient survived 6 months after being diagnosed without any treatment.CONCLUSION WT-associated lymphoma is a very rare neoplasm in the parotid gland.Most cases are B cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas and involve middle-age and older males.This case highlights the extremely rare association of DLBCL arising from FL with WT and the importance of deliberate evaluation of the WT intraparenchymal stroma.Molecular detection techniques have potential advantages in the diagnosis of lymphoma with WT.

Primary follicular lymphoma in the renal pelvis:A rare case report

BACKGROUND Follicular lymphoma(FL)is more common in lymph nodes,while primary extranodal lymphomas are rare.Urinary tract lymphoid neoplasms are extremely rare,accounting for less than 5%of all extranodal lymphomas.Only one case of FL from the renal pelvis has previously been reported.CASE SUMMARY A 70-year-old male patient with a history of esophageal cancer visited our hospital for follow-up examination.Abdominal computed tomography revealed a malignant mass in the right renal pelvis.The whole-body positron emission tomography/computed tomography showed a significant increase in fluorodeoxyglucose uptake of this soft tissue mass and no abnormal fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in the esophageal wall.The patient underwent radical resection of a malignant tumor in the right kidney,which was confirmed by postoperative pathology to be FL.The patient received no radiation or chemotherapy after surgery,and no recurrence of lymphoma or other malignant tumors was found at the 1-year follow-up.CONCLUSION Extranodal FL is more common in the skin and gastrointestinal tract but rarely occurs in the urinary tract.This is the second report of primary renal FL.Localized extranodal FL is expected to have a favorable prognosis and can be cured by local resection.

Clinical observation of pediatric-type follicular lymphomas in adult:Two case reports

BACKGROUND Pediatric-type follicular lymphoma(PTFL)is a unique pathological type in the 4th edition of hematopoiesis and lymphoid tissue tumor classification revised by World Health Organization.It is unique in clinical practice and seldom seen in adult.PTFL mainly occurs in the head and neck lymph nodes.Most of the cases are short of fever,night sweat,weight loss,and other B symptoms which substitute for lymphadenopathy as the main symptom.PTFL can be disposed of surgical resection and it can achieve long-term tumor-free survival,and it has an excellent outcome.CASE SUMMARY Two cases of PTFL were reported and their clinicopathological features,differential diagnosis,therapy and prognosis were discussed.PTFL showed graybrown tough texture in general performance.The histological manifestations of PTFL were similar to that of adult-follicular lymphoma(FL).Under low power microscope,the structure of lymph nodes was destroyed in different degree,the follicles were closely arranged,expanded and irregular,and the mantle zone became thin or disappeared.In addition,the“starry sky phenomenon”could be seen.At high magnification,the follicles were mainly composed of single medium-sized central cells,and some of them mainly consisted of centroblastic cells to characterize scattered chromatin and inconspicuous nucleoli.Immunohistochemical showed the tumor cells expressed CD20,PAX5,CD79a and CD10,BCL6,FOXP-1,which were limited in germinal center;Ki-67 was highly expressed in germinal center.CD21 and CD23 showed nodular and expanded follicular dendritic cells.Immunoglobulin gene rearrangement was positive for IGH and IGK.The two patients underwent surgical resection with no complications.After discharge,the two patients with a close review for 18 mo and 5 mo respectively and showed no evidence of recurrence.CONCLUSION PTFL in adult is generally supposed to be extremely rare.PTFL displayed characteristic morphological,immunophenotypic,and molecular biological changes which are a kind of neoplasm with satisfactory prognosis after surgical excision.

A Single Fusion Signal for t(14;18)(q32;q21) Translocation Is Present in Both the Follicular Lymphoma and Local Endothelial Cells

Herein we reported a case of follicular lymphoma with 50.26% clonal malignant lymphocytes and 50% tumor cells positive for the immunoglobulin heavy chain gene and B-cell lymphoma 2 gene （IGH-BCL2）. To determine whether endothelial cells （ECs） within the tumor share the feature of advanced malignancy, we isolated and purified the ECs from the tumor by using the immunomagnetic beads conjugated with a monoclonal antibody against CD34, a surface marker of ECs. Thereafter, we identified ECs according to their morphology and found that ECs presented consistently flat and elongated appearance with a lot of Weibel-Palade bodies in the cytoplasm. Results of flow cytometry confirmed that ECs isolated from the follicular lymphoma expressed high level of both vWF and CD34 and the purity of the ECs fraction was more than 90%. Additionally, we used FISH to check chromosomal aberration in the purified ECs and found that some of the ECs had only one fusion signal for the green IGH probe and the red BCL2 probe in contrast to typical t（14;18）（q32;q21） translocation with two fusion signals. This phenomenon was also observed in the tumor cells. It might be a different breakpoint of IGH in this case, which induced the loss of the fusion signal, indicating t（14;18）（q32;q21） translocation. The positive cells accounted for 18% of the isolated ECs from the tumor, indicating that a proportion of ECs from follicular lymphoma had the same chromosome aberration as the neoplastic cells.

Absence of enhancement in a lesion does not preclude primary central nervous system T-cell lymphoma:A case report

BACKGROUND Primary central nervous system lymphoma(PCNSL)is a non-Hodgkin lymphoma that originates in the central nervous system(CNS)and is exclusively limited to the CNS.Although most PCNSLs are diffuse large B-cell lymphomas,primary CNS T-cell lymphomas(PCNSTLs)are rare.PCNSTLs typically demonstrate some degree of enhancement on contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging(MRI).To the best of our knowledge,non-enhancing PCNSTL has not been reported previously.CASE SUMMARY A 69-year-old male presented to the neurology department with complaints of mild cognitive impairment and gradual onset of left lower leg weakness over a span of two weeks.Initial MRI showed asymmetric T2-hyperintense lesions within the brain.No enhancement was observed on the contrast-enhanced T1 image.The initial diagnosis was neuro-Behçet’s disease.Despite high-dose steroid therapy,no alterations in the lesions were identified on initial MRI.The patient’s symptoms deteriorated further.An MRI performed one month after the initial scan revealed an increased lesion extent.Subsequently,brain biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of PCNSTL.The patient underwent definitive combined chemoradiotherapy.However,the patient developed bacteremia and died of septic shock approximately three months after diagnosis.CONCLUSION The absence of enhancement in the lesion did not rule out PCNSTL.A biopsy approach is advisable for pathological confirmation.

Usefulness of positron emission tomography in primary intestinal follicular lymphoma

Double-balloon enteroscopy (DBE) and video capsule endoscopy are useful for the diagnosis of lymphoma in the small intestine. However, DBE cannot be safely performed in cases with passage disturbance due to wall thickening and stenosis. Additionally, video capsule endoscopy cannot be performed in such cases because of the risk of retention. Here, we report 4 cases of primary follicular lymphoma of the gastrointestinal tract that could be detected using 18F-fluoro-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography combined with computed tomography (PET-CT). The endoscopic findings of these 4 cases included lesions with wall thickening, which comprised macroscopically clusters of nodules, dense clusters of whitish granules or small nodules, fold thickening and ulcers with irregular margins that occupied the whole lumen with edematous mucosa. All patients fulfilled the World Health Organization grade 1 criteria. 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET-CT can help predict the risks that may result from certain endoscopic examinations, such as DBE and video capsule endoscopy.

Primary intestinal follicular lymphoma:How to identify follicular lymphoma by routine endoscopy

A 69-year-old Japanese female was diagnosed with primary intestinal follicular lymphoma. Esophagogas-troduodenoscopy with high-definition imaging revealed not only the typical feature of whitish polyps of up to 2 mm in diameter in the duodenal second and third portions, but also more detailed morphology, such as enlarged whitish villi and tiny whitish depositions. These findings appeared to reflect the pathological structures; infiltration of lymphoma cells into the villi were probably seen as enlargement of the villi, and the formation of lymphoid follicles were shown as opaque white spots or tiny white depositions. Thus, the above features might contribute to the distinct diagnosis of intestinal follicular lymphoma. This case indicates that routine esophagogastroduodenoscopy can visualize microsurface structures, which can be pathognomonic and help to diagnose intestinal follicular lymphoma, even without magnifying endoscopy.

Treatment strategies for nodal and gastrointestinal follicular lymphoma:Current status and future development

In recent years,therapies for follicular lymphoma (FL) have steadily improved.A series of phase Ⅲ trials comparing the effect of rituximab with chemotherapy vs chemotherapy alone in treating FL have indicated significant improvements in progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival.Recent studies have found that prolonged response durations and PFS were obtained with maintenance therapy using rituximab or interferon after completion of first line therapy.For patients with relapsed or refractory FL,phase Ⅱ studies have assessed the effectiveness of combination therapies using a Toll-like receptor-9 agonist (1018ISS),oblimersen sodium (a Bcl-2 antisense oligonucleotide),bendamustine,and rituximab,as well as veltuzumab,a new humanized anti-CD20 antibody,and epratuzumab.In addition,the effectiveness of yttrium-90 ibritumomab tiuxetan and iodine-131 tositumomab as radioimmunotherapies has been reported.Furthermore,three phase Ⅲ studies on an idiotype vaccine are near completion.Unfortunately,these vaccines,which appeared highly effective in phase Ⅰ and Ⅱ trials,do not appear to result in prolonged PFS.This report will summarize the current knowledge on therapies for treatment of FL,and will conclude with a brief discussion of feasiblefuture options for effective treatments.Lastly,we added descriptions of the management of gastrointestinal FL,which is considered to be controversial because it is rare.

Inactivation of FOXO1 induces T follicular cell polarization and involves angioimmunoblastic T cell lymphoma

Objective:Angioimmunoblastic T cell lymphoma(AITL)is an aggressive form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma derived from mature T cells.However,the underlying pathogenesis of AITL remains unresolved.We aimed to explore the role of FOXO1-mediated signaling in the tumorigenesis and progression of AITL.Methods:FOXO1 expression was assessed using immunohistochemistry on a total of 46 AITL tissue samples.Retroviruses encoding FOXO1 shRNA were used to knockdown FOXO1 expression in CD4^+T cells.Flow cytometric assays analyzed the proliferation and survival of FOXO1 knockdown CD4^+T cells.Furthermore,we performed adoptive T-cell transfer experiments to identify whether inactivation of FOXO1 induced neoplastic follicular-helper T(Tfh)cell polarization and function.Results:Patients with low FOXO1 protein levels were prone to have an advanced tumor stage(P=0.049),higher ECOG ps(P=0.024),the presence of bone marrow invasion(P=0.000),and higher IPI(P=0.035).Additionally,the survival rates of patients in the FOXO1 high-expression group were significantly better than those in the FOXO1 low-expression group(χ^2=5.346,P=0.021).We also observed that inactivation of FOXO1 increased CD4^+T cell proliferation and altered the survival and cell-cycle progression of CD4^+T cells.Finally,we confirmed that inactivation of FOXO1 induces Tfh cell programing and function.Conclusions:Inactivation of FOXO1 in AITL plays a key role in the tumorigenesis and progression of AITL.We propose that FOXO1 expression could be a useful prognostic marker in AITL patients to predict poor survival,and to design appropriate therapeutic strategies.

Diagnosis of follicular lymphoma by laparoscopy: A case report

BACKGROUND Over the past years, only few cases of follicular lymphoma diagnosed by laparoscopy have been reported in the world. Since follicular lymphoma related ascites often causes occult disease and lacks specific clinical manifestations, it is often difficult to identify the cause by routine laboratory tests and imaging methods. Diagnostic experience is not sufficient and more cases need to be accumulated for further analysis.CASE SUMMARY Ascites due to unknown reasons often causes problems for clinical diagnosis and treatment. In this paper, we report one case with ascites in whom the reason causing ascites was not identified through routine examination. Laparoscopic examination of the celiac lesions and histological examination of the lesions were performed and the final diagnosis was peritoneal follicular lymphoma.CONCLUSION Laparoscopic abdominal examination is of great significance for the definite diagnosis of ascites due to an unknown reason.

Fc-Epsilon Receptor (CD23) Expressing Follicular Dendritic Cells as a Main Prognostic Factor in Follicular Lymphoma

Fc-epsilon receptor (CD23)-expressing follicular dendritic cells is a main prognostic factor in follicular lymphoma. Falaleeva N. A., Osmanov E. A., Tupitsyn N. N. Federal State Budgetary Institute N. N. Blokhin Russian Cancer Research Center, Health Ministry of Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia SUMMARY Follicular dendritic cells, expressing FcεRII or CD23 (FcεRIIFDCs) as a component of non-tumor environment have been studied in 232 follicular lymphoma (FL) patients. FcεRIIFDCs were found in 87.5% of follicular lymphoma cases and were associated with a nodular pattern of tumor growth (p = 0.000), but not the cytological grade of lymphoma. There were no associations of FcεRIIFDC with clinical prognostic factors (FLIPI indices) or with bone marrow involvement in FL patients by histology. The presence of FcεRIIFDCs in tumor tissue was an independent prognostic factor according to treatment results, i.e. frequency of CR, duration of OS and PFS. Bone marrow involvement significantly worsened the prognosis in FcεRIIFDC-positive group of patients. We suggest a new prognostic index (FDC-IP) that allows biochemical identification of the following patient groups: FcεRIIFDC-positive patients without bone marrow involvement (good prognosis), FcεRIIF-DC-positive patients with bone marrow involvement (intermediate prognosis), FcεRIIFDC-negative patients (poor prognosis). These 3 groups significantly differ (p = 0.000) both in OS and in PFS. This is the first evidence of the possibility to assess tumor behavior and treatment results in FL according to lymphoma biochemical and other than clinical parameters.

Rituximab maintenance in follicular lymphoma patients

Rituximab maintenance(RM)therapy following successful induction has recently emerged as a highly effective treatment for follicular lymphoma(FL).Randomized trials analyzing the impact of RM compared to observation alone have demonstrated a significantly better outcome in terms of progression-free survival(but not overall survival)in patients(pts)who received as first-line treatment single-agent rituximab,standard chemotherapy(CVP)and recently also immunochemotherapy(R-CHOP,R-CVP or R-FND),as shown by preliminary results of the PRIMA trial.Also in the setting of relapsed disease,RM has shown significant benefit either after chemotherapy or immunochemotherapy.RM has been generally well tolerated,and treated pts developed only mild toxicity,mainly a small increased rate of neutropenia,hypogammaglobulinaemia and self-limiting upper-respiratory tract infections.Moreover,no cumulative or unexpected toxicities were observed and quality of life was not affected.These data have established RM therapy as an important part of multi-modal therapeutic strategies in patients affected by FL.