Graft vs host disease impacts overall survival post allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for acute lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma

AIM To examine the outcome and prognostic factors for high risk patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma(ALL/LBL) who underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation(HCT) at our center during the period of2010-2017 METHODS After due institutional review board approval, patients with high risk ALL/LBL post HCT were identified and included. All records were retrospectively collected. Time to event analysis was calculated from the date of HCT until event of interest or last follow up with Kaplan-Meir means. Cox regression model was used for multivariable analysis calculation.RESULTS A total of 69 patients were enrolled and examined with a median age of 21(14-61). After a median follow up of 15 mo(2-87.3), the 2-year cumulative incidence of relapse, cumulative incidence of non-relapse mortality, progression free survival and overall survival(OS) were 34.1%, 10.9%, 54.9% and 62.8%,respectively. In a multivariable analysis for OS; acute graft vs host disease(GVHD) and chronic GVHD were significant with corresponding hazard ratio 4.9(1.99-12; P = 0.0007) and 0.29(0.1-0.67; P = 0.0044), respectively.CONCLUSION Allogeneic-HCT for high risk ALL/LBL resulted in promising remissions particularly for patients with cGVHD.

CD34-Negative B-Lymphoblastic Leukemia/Lymphoma Presenting as Cutenous Lesions at Infancy: A Case Report

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma is a highly aggressive neoplasm of precursor lymphoid (blast) cells. There are 2 main subtypes based on lymphoid lineage;B lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma (B-ALL/LBL) and T lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma (T-ALL/LBL). B-ALL/LBL commonly presents with fever, fatigue, bone or joint pain, bleeding or anorexia (signs of bone marrow infiltration), lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly, involvement of skin, soft tissue and testes, with a predilection for the central nervous system. Immature cell markers, such as CD34 and TdT, can help to differentiate lymphoblasts from Burkitt lymphoma which, is considered a mature high-grade B cell lymphoma that mimics lymphoblastic lymphoma/leukemia. Unfavorable prognostic factors include: infancy and adult age of diagnosis, high white blood cell count, slow response to initial therapy, central nervous system involvement at the time of diagnosis and Minimal residual disease after therapy. We present a case report of a 4 months old infant seen at a Tertiary Hospital with a rare presentation of CD34 Negative B-lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma presenting as cutaneous lesions in infancy.

Novel PIKfyve/Tubulin Dual-target Inhibitor as a Promising Therapeutic Strategy for B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Objective:In B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia(B-ALL),current intensive chemotherapies for adult patients fail to achieve durable responses in more than 50%of cases,underscoring the urgent need for new therapeutic regimens for this patient population.The present study aimed to determine whether HZX-02-059,a novel dual-target inhibitor targeting both phosphatidylinositol-3-phosphate 5-kinase(PIKfyve)and tubulin,is lethal to B-ALL cells and is a potential therapeutic for B-ALL patients.Methods:Cell proliferation,vacuolization,apoptosis,cell cycle,and in-vivo tumor growth were evaluated.In addition,Genome-wide RNA-sequencing studies were conducted to elucidate the mechanisms of action underlying the anti-leukemia activity of HZX-02-059 in B-ALL.Results:HZX-02-059 was found to inhibit cell proliferation,induce vacuolization,promote apoptosis,block the cell cycle,and reduce in-vivo tumor growth.Downregulation of the p53 pathway and suppression of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase(PI3K)/AKT pathway and the downstream transcription factors c-Myc and NF-κB were responsible for these observations.Conclusion:Overall,these findings suggest that HZX-02-059 is a promising agent for the treatment of B-ALL patients resistant to conventional therapies.

Damage Mechanism of CK2 and IKAROS in Philadelphia Like Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is characterized by immature and poorly differentiated B lymphocytes in large numbers in the blood. B cells are distinct from the cell types involved in their development (common lymphoid progenitor cells, pro-B cells, pre-B cells, and mature cells). The process of B cell maturation depends on precise communication within the cell: signals activate specific genes that are essential for proper development. Errors in this intricate signaling network can lead to issues with B cell function and contribute to disease. B-lineage acute lymphoid leukemias, malignancies of precursor-stage B lymphoid cells inhibit lymphoid differentiation, leading to abnormal cell proliferation and survival. The process of developing leukemia (leukemogenesis) can be triggered by an overproduction of both hematopoietic stem cells (the cells that form all blood cells) and the immature versions of white blood cells called lymphoblasts. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) with the presence of the Philadelphia chromosome (ALL Ph) is classified as a high-risk manifestation of the disease, this chromosome is the product of the reciprocal translocation, whose product is a BCR-ABL fusion protein. It is a highly active tyrosine kinase that can transform hematopoietic cells into cytokine-independent. Hyperphosphorylation cascades inhibit the differentiating function of IKZF1 as a tumor suppressor gene which leads to an abnormal proliferation of B cells due to the presence of the Philadelphia chromosome;it inhibits the differentiating process, leukemogenesis involving immature B cells in the bloodstream can result from the uncontrolled growth and division of hematopoietic stem cells and immature lymphoblasts (the precursors to B cells).

Post-Therapy Profile of BMI-for-Age of Indian Survivors of Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

Background: Obesity in pediatric ALL survivors is a well recognized late effect. Hence the present study examines the BMI-for-age of Indian childhood ALL and NHL survivors. Method: A retrospective study of 118 ALL/NHL survivors and 138 age sex matched was carried out. From the recorded heights and weights were body mass index (BMI) was computed. The survivor data was compared with 138 controls from the data set collected by investigators previously. Results: 82.8% of patients had BMI-for-age in 5th-84th percentile (healthy) at time of diagnosis and at inclusion in the study. Comparison of BMI of survivors with matched controls was not significant. However, The mean BMI-for-age for younger patients (3 to 12 years) was significantly higher than mean BMI-for-age of matched controls. Distribution of data by time elapsed from therapy was significant. Overweight/obesity was observed among the survivors who were off therapy for two years with increase in after four years post-therapy. Conclusion: Our preliminary study indicates late effects of therapy and points to the need of long term assessment of the survivors, even though majority of them were within the normal weight range.

Acute myelomonocytic leukemia and T-lymphoblastic lymphoma as simultaneous bilineage hematologic malignancy treated with decitabine:A case report

BACKGROUND Simultaneous bilineage hematologic malignancies are rare;however,several cases of acute myeloid leukemia(AML)and T-lymphoblastic lymphoma(T-LBL)cooccurrence have been reported.A standard treatment for simultaneous AML and T-LBL has not yet been established,and its prognosis is very poor.Further studies to develop standard treatments are required to increase patient survival rates.CASE SUMMARY A 69-year-old man complaining of pleuritic chest pain visited the emergency room.Computed tomography revealed multiple enlarged lymph nodes(LNs)in the neck and groin and pulmonary thromboembolism with pulmonary infarction.Furthermore,a peripheral blood smear performed due to leukocytosis revealed circulating blasts.Acute myelomonocytic leukemia(AMML)was diagnosed after bone marrow examination,and T-LBL positivity for terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase,cluster of differentiation(CD)34,and CD4 was confirmed by cervical LN biopsy.Decitabine and dexamethasone were administered because he could not receive intensive chemotherapy due to poor performance status.Complete remission of AMML and T-LBL was achieved after 4 cycles of decitabine plus dexamethasone.CONCLUSION We report the therapeutic effect of decitabine,a hypomethylating agent(HMA),in patients with concurrent bilineage hematologic malignancies and suggest that further studies are required to evaluate the therapeutic effect of HMAs on both lymphoid and bilineage hematologic malignancies.

Resveratrol Induces Apoptosis and Autophagy in T-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Cells by Inhibiting Akt/mTOR and Activating p38-MAPK

Objective To explore the effects of resveratrol-induced apoptosis and autophagy in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia （T-ALL） cells and potential molecular mechanisms. Methods The anti-proliferation effect of resveratrol-induced, apoptosis and autophagy on T-ALL cells were detected by using MTI- test, immunofluorescence, electronic microscope, and flow cytometry, respectively. Western blotting was performed for detecting changes of apoptosis-associated proteins, cell cycle regulatory proteins and state of activation of Akt, mTOR, p70S6K, 4E-BP1, and p38-MAPK. Results Resveratrol inhibited the proliferation and dose and time-dependent manner. It also induced cyclin-dependent kinase （CDK） inhibitors p21 and induced apoptosis and autophagy in T-ALL cells in a cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase via up regulating p27 and down regulating cyclin A and cyclin D1. Western blotting revealed that resveratrol significantly decreased the expression of antiapoptotic proteins （Mcl-1 and Bcl-2） and increased the expression of proapoptotic proteins （Bax, Bim, and Bad）, and induced cleaved-caspase-3 in a time-dependent manner. Significant increase in ratio of LC3-11/LC3-1 and Beclin 1 was also detected. Furthermore, resveratrol induced significant dephosphorylation of Akt, mTOR, p70S6K, and 4E-BP1, but enhanced specific phosphorylation of p38-MAPK which could be blocked by SB203580. When autophagy was suppressed by 3-MA, apoptosis in T-ALL cells induced by resveratrol was enhanced. Conclusion Our findings have suggested that resveratrol induces cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and autophagy in T-ALL cells through inhibiting Akt/mTOR/p7OS6K/4E-BP1 and activating p38-MAPK signaling pathways. Autophagy might play a role as a self-defense mechanism in T-ALL cells treated by resveratrol. Therefore, the reasonable inhibition of autophagy in T-ALL cells may serve as a promising strategy for resveratrol induced apoptosis and can be used as adjuvant chemotherapy for T-ALL.

Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in chemotherapy-sensitive lymphoblastic lymphoma: treatment outcome and prognostic factor analysis

Objective： The study evaluated the effectiveness of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation （AHSCT） in the treatment of lymphoblastic lymphoma （LL）. Methods： We relxospectively analyzed the data from 41 patients with chemotherapy-sensitive LL who underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation （HSCT） from December 1989 to December 2009 in a single institution. Results： HSCT was conducted as first-line consolidation therapy and salvage therapy in 36 and 5 patients, respectively. The median follow-up was 97.1 months （range, 24.6-173.1 months）. The 5-year overall survival （OS） and event-free survival （EFS） rate were 64% and 47% for the initially treated patients, respectively, and were both 20% for the relapsed ones. Bone marrow （BM） involvement and chemotherapy cycles prior to transplantation were identified as significant prognostic factors for EFS in multivariate analysis. Conclusions These results confirm that AHSCT is a reasonable option for chemotherapy-sensitive LL patients in first complete remission （CR1）.

Donor-Derived CD19-Targeted T Cell Infusion Eliminates B Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Minimal Residual Disease with No Response to Donor Lymphocytes after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

Leukemia relapse is still the leading cause of treatment failure after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) for B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). Relapsed patients with BALL after allo-HSCT have a very short median survival. Minimal residual disease (MRD) is predictive of forthcoming hematological relapse after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT);furthermore, eliminating MRD effectively prevents relapse. Donor lymphoblastic infusion (DLI) is the main established approach to treat B-ALL with MRD after allo-HSCT. However, about one-third of patients with MRD are non-responsive to DLI and their prognosis worsens. Although donor-derived cluster of differentiation (CD)19-directed chimeric antigen receptor-modified (CAR) T cells (CART19s) can potentially cure leukemia, the efficiency and safety of infusions with these cells have not yet been investigated in patients with MRD after HSCT. Between September 2014 and February 2018, six patients each received one or more infusions of CART19s from HSCT donors. Five (83.33%) achieved MRD-negative remission, and one case was not responsive to the administration of CAR T cells. Three of the six patients are currently alive without leukemia. No patient developed acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD), and no patient died of cytokine release syndrome. Donor-derived CAR T cell infusions seem to be an effective and safe intervention for patients with MRD in B-ALL after allo-HSCT and for those who were not responsive to DLI.

Philadelphia chromosome-positive leukemia stem cells in acute lymphoblastic leukemia and tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy

Leukemia stem cells(LSCs),which constitute a minority of the tumor bulk,are functionally defined on the basis of their ability to transfer leukemia into an immunodeficient recipient animal.The presence of LSCs has been demonstrated in acute lymphoblastic leukemia(ALL),of which ALL with Philadelphia chromosome-positive(Ph+).The use of imatinib,a tyrosine kinase inhibitor(TKI),as part of front-line treatment and in combination with cytotoxic agents,has greatly improved the proportions of complete response and molecular remission and the overall outcome in adults with newly diagnosed Ph+ ALL.New challenges have emerged with respect to induction of resistance to imatinib via Abelson tyrosine kinase mutations.An important recent addition to the arsenal against Ph+ leukemias in general was the development of novel TKIs,such as nilotinib and dasatinib.However,in vitro experiments have suggested that TKIs have an antiproliferative but not an antiapoptotic or cytotoxic effect on the most primitive ALL stem cells.None of the TKIs in clinical use target the LSC.Second generation TKI dasatinib has been shown to have a more profound effect on the stem cell compartment but the drug was still unable to kill the most primitive LSCs.Allogeneic stem cell transplantation(SCT) remains the only curative treatment available for these patients.Several mechanisms were proposed to explain the resistance of LSCs to TKIs in addition to mutations.Hence,TKIs may be used as a bridge to SCT rather than monotherapy or combination with standard chemotherapy.Better understanding the biology of Ph+ ALL will open new avenues for effective management.In this review,we highlight recent findings relating to the question of LSCs in Ph+ ALL.

Decitabine for Relapsed Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

Relapse after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation（allo-HSCT） remains a main question on treatment failure. Current strategies for management that usually include salvage chemotherapy, donor lymphocytic infusion and second transplantation. Our study assessed the efficacy of decitabine（DAC） for treating patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia（ALL） who relapsed after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation（allo-HSCT）. We retrospectively analyzed the outcomes of 12 patients with relapsed ALL after allo-HSCT who received DAC therapy. Nine patients received DAC combined with chemotherapy and donor stem cell infusion, and 3 patients received single-agent DAC. Ten of the 12 patients achieved complete remission（CR）, 1 achieved a partial remission（PR）, and 1 had no response（NR） after treatment at the latest follow-up（LFU）, the median survival was 11.2 months（range, 3.8–34, 7 months）. The 1-and 2-year overall survival（OS） rates were 50%（6/12） and 25%（3/12）, respectively. Five patients were still alive; 4 had maintained CR and 1 was alive with disease. Patients with Philadelphia chromosome-positive ALL had higher survival rate than patients with Philadelphia chromosome-negative ALL（57.1% vs. 20%）. No aggravated flares of graft-versus-host disease（GVHD） were observed during DAC treatment. Therefore, DAC may be a promising therapeutic agent for ALL recurrence after allo-HSCT.

Rapamycin Sensitizes Glucocorticoid Resistant Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia CEM-C1 Cells to Dexamethasone Induced Apoptosis through both mTOR Suppression and Up-Regulation and Activation of Glucocorticoid Receptor

Objective To explore the role of glucocorticoid （GC） receptor （GR） in rapamycin＇s reversion of GC resistance in humanGC-resistant T-acute lymphoblastic leukemia （ALL） CEM-C1 cells. Methods CEM-C1 cells were cultured in vitro and treated with rapamycin at different concentrations with or without 1 μmol/L dexamethasone （Dex）. 3-（4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl）-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide （MTT） test was performed to assess cell proliferation. The cell cycle and cell apoptosis were analyzed by flow cytometry. The expression of GRα mRNA was determined by real-time quantitative RT-PCR. The expression of GR, p-70S6K, Mcl-1, and Bim proteins was detected by Western blot. Results When incubated with rapamycin at different concentrations, CEM-C1 cells showed significant growth inhibition in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. The growth inhibition was synergistically increased when CEM-C1 cells were treated with rapamycin plus 1 μmol/L Dex. CEM-C1 cells treated with rapamycin alone showed no apparent apoptosis, and were arrested at G0/G1 phase. After the treatment with Dex plus rapamycin, CEM-C1 cells demonstrated apparent apoptosis and increased the cell cycle arrested at G0/G1 phase. Rapamycin combined with Dex up-regulated GRα, phosphorylated GR（p-GR）, and pro-apoptotic protein Bim-EL in CEM-C1 cells, but inhibited the expression of p-p70S6K, a downstream target protein ofmTOR （mammalian target of rapamycin）. Conclusion After the treatment with rapamycin plus Dex, Dex resistant CEM-C1 cells induce growth inhibition and apoptosis. The underlying mechanism may involve inhibition of the mTOR signaling pathway and also be associated with up-regulation of GR expression and activation of GC-GR signaling pathway.

Individualized leukemia cell-population profiles in common B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients

Immunophenotype is critical for diagnosing common B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (common ALL) and detecting minimal residual disease. We developed a protocol to explore the immunophenotypic profiles of common ALL based on the expression levels of the antigens associated with B lymphoid development, including IL-7Rα (CD127), cytoplasmic CD79a (cCD79a), CD19, VpreB (CD179a), and sIgM, which are successive and essential for progression of B cells along their developmental pathway. Analysis of the immunophenotypes of 48 common ALL cases showed that the immunophenotypic patterns were highly heterogeneous, with the leukemic cell population differing from case to case. Through the comprehensive analysis of immunophenotypic patterns, the profiles of patient-specific composite leukemia cell populations could provide detailed information helpful for the diagnosis, therapeutic monitoring, and individualized therapies for common ALL.

DNA repair gene XRCC1 polymorphisms and susceptibility to childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a meta-analysis

Objective： To estimate the relationship between genetic polymorphisms of X-ray repair cross- complementing group 1 （XRCC1） and the susceptibility to childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia （ALL）. Methods： Relevant case-control studies were enrolled in the meta-analysis. We applied Rev Man 4.2 software to pool raw data and test studies＇ heterogeneity and to calculate the incorporated odds ratio （OR） and 95% confidence interval （95% CI）. Results： Our data showed that the OR for the Gln allele of the Arg399Gln polymorphism, compared with the Arg allele, was 1.35 （95% CI, 1.16-1.57; P〈0.0001） for childhood ALL patients. Similarly, the homozygous genotype Gln/Gln and heterozygous genotype Arg/Gln both significantly increased the risk of childhood ALL compared with the wild genotype Arg/Arg （OR =1.58; 95% CI, 1.13-2.21; P=0.008; OR =1.51; 95% CI, 1.21-1.87; P=0.0002）. The dominant model of Arg399Gln was associated with childhood ALL risk （OR =1.54; 95% CI, 1.25-1.89; P〈0.0001）. The ethnic subgroup analysis demonstrated that the Gln allele in all five ethnic groups was prone to be a risk factor for childhood ALL just with different degrees of correlation while Arg194Trp SNP showed a protective or risk factor or irrelevant thing in different races. Conclusions： XRCC1 399 polymorphism may increase the risk of childhood ALL. Different ethnic groups with some gene polymorphism have different disease risks.

PEG-asparaginase in BFM-90 regimen improves outcomes in adults with newly diagnosed lymphoblastic lymphoma

Objective： Although L-asparaginase（L-ASP） is a standard treatment for lymphoblastic lymphoma（LBL）,hypersensitivity reactions by some patients limit its application. Polyethylene glycol-conjugated asparaginase（PEGASP） has a lower immunogenicity and is a standard treatment in all pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia（ALL）.In this study, we investigated the efficacy and toxicity of PEG-ASP instead of L-ASP as used in the BFM-90regimen（PEG-ASP-BFM-90） for adult LBL.Methods： Between June 2012 and July 2015, we treated 30 adult patients with newly diagnosed LBL, using PEGASP-BFM-90 in a prospective, multicenter and single-arm clinical study at 5 participating institutions in China.Results： All the 30 patients, including 19 males and 11 females with a median age of 30（range： 18–62） years,completed 128 times of the PEG-ASP, with the median of 4（range： 2–6） times. Patients did not receive radiotherapy at this time. The overall response rate was 86.7%（26/30）, with 50.0%（15/30） complete response and36.7%（11/30） partial response. The 3-year overall survival was 46.0% [95% confidence interval（95% CI）,28.2%–64.8%], and the 3-year progression-free survival was 43.0%（95% CI, 25.7%–62.0%）. Major adverse events were myelosuppression, reduced fibrinogen, liver dysfunction and digestive tract toxicities. No allergic reaction and no treatment-related mortality or severe complications were recorded.Conclusions： Our clinical data and observed outcomes indicate that 1 dose of PEG-ASP can replace multiple doses of native L-ASP in BFM-90, with predominantly grade 3–4 neutropenia for adult LBL, and no therapyrelated deaths. The effect is similar to previous reports of PEG-ASP-containing regimens for adult ALL. Major advantages include less serious allergic reactions, 2–3 weeks of action duration, and convenience for patients and physicians.

Establishment of Reproducible Xenotransplantation Model of T Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in NOD/SCID Mice

T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia(T-ALL) is an aggressive leukemia.However the poor prognosis and low morbidity restrict further analysis of the disease.Therefore there is an increasing demand to develop animal models for identifying novel therapeutic approaches.In this study,we inoculated the anti-mouse CD122 monoclonal antibody conditioned NOD/SCID mice with the leukemia cells from 9 T-ALL patients and 1 cell line via the tail vein.Four of the 9 patients and the cell line were successfully engrafted.Flow cytometry detected high percentage of human CD45 + cells in recipient mice.Immunohistochemistry showed infiltration of human CD45 + cells in different organs.Serial transplantation was also achieved.In vivo drug treatment showed that dexamethasone could extend survival,which was consistent with clinical observation.These results demonstrated that we successfully established 5 xenotransplantation models of T-ALL in anti-mCD122 mAb conditioned NOD/SCID mice,which recapitulated the characteristics of original disease.

ATP binding cassette C1 (ABCC1/MRP1)-mediated drug efflux contributes to disease progression in T-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Purpose: In acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), multidrug resistance is often mediated by AT- Pase Binding Cassette (ABC) proteins, which principally involve ABCC1 (multidrug resistance protein 1, MRP1) and ABCB1 (multidrug resistance 1, MDR1). However, direct comparisons between the differential effects of ABCC1 and ABCB1 have been difficult, since identical cell lines with differential expression of these transporters have not been developed. Experimental Design: In this study, we developed and compared the biological profiles of Jurkat cell lines that selectively over-expressed ABCC1 and ABCB1. Vincristine (VCR) plays an important role in the treatment of T-lineage ALL (T-ALL), and is often the first drug given to newly-diagnosed patients. Because of its importance in treatment, we provide descalating, sub-lethal doses of VCR to Jurkat cells, and extended our observations to expression profiling of newly diagnosed patients with T-ALL. Results: We found that VCR-resistant cells over-expressed ABCC1 nearly 30-fold. The calcein AM assay confirmed that VCR-resistant cells actively extruded VCR, and that ABCC1-mediated drug resistance conferred a different spectrum of multidrug resistance than other T-ALL induction agents. siRNA experiments that blocked ABCC1 export confirmed that VCR resistance could be reversed in vitro. Analyses of T-lymphoblasts obtained from 100 newly diagnosed T-ALL patients treated on Children’s Oncology Group Phase III studies 9404 and AALL0434 that induction failure could be could be partially explained by the over-expression of ABCC1 and ABCB1. Conclusions: Taken together, these results suggest that over-expression of ABC transporters plays a contributing role in mediating treatment failure in T-ALL, and underscore the need to employ alternate treatment approaches in patients for whom induction failed or for those with relapsed disease.

T-lymphoblastic lymphoma with cutaneous involvement

To study dermatological manifestation of T-lymphoblastic lymphoma and to help clinicians in the diagnosis, we report here the case of a 75-year-old patient who presented with violaceous nodules acquired during the last 4 wk and affecting the scalp and right arm. The diagnosis of systemic lymphoma was suggested upon the appearance of cutaneous tumors, palpable lymph nodes and general symptoms including asthenia and weight-loss. The pathology features: positive immunostaining for CD3 and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase(Td T) and staging, led us to the final diagnosis of T-lymphoblastic lymphoma(T-LBL) with cutaneous involvement. He received a CHOP regimen as first-line treatment. Unfortunately, the patient relapsed and died 8 mo after the treatment initiation. T-LBL may be diagnosed by skin lesions. Additional immunostaining including Td T and experienced histopathologists are needed to correctly classify this aggressive disease and discuss the correct management including bone-marrow transplantation where appropriate.

Pneumomediastinum after acute lymphoblastic leukemia and chemotherapy?

Pneumomediastinum,pneumorachis and subcutaneous emphysema are frequently benign and most commonly result from air escaping from the upper respiratory tract,intrathoracic airways,or gastrointestinal tract.Gas can also be generated by certain infections or reach the mediastinal space from outside air after trauma or surgery.In the article presented by Showkat et al a 14-year-old male patient with acute lymphoblastic leukemia(ALL) under chemotherapy developed pneumomediastinum,pneumorachis and subcutaneous emphysema.In the author's opinion,these complications were caused by ALL or chemotherapy that progressed to severe respiratory failure until the patient finally died in the intensive care unit.I would like to underline some important points,which have been raised following a paper published in the October issue of World Journal of Clinical Cases.

Unusual presentation of Erdheim-Chester disease in a child with acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Erdheim-Chester disease(ECD) is an uncommon, nonfamilial, non-Langerhans cell histiocytosis, which involves skeletal system and soft tissue usually in middle aged and elderly patients. The characteristic radiologic features include bilateral, symmetric cortical osteosclerosis of the diaphyseal and metaphyseal parts of the long bones, or bilateral symmetrically abnormal intense 99 mTechnetium labelling of the metaphyseal-diaphyseal region of the long bones, and computed tomography scan findings of "coated aorta" or "hairy kidneys". ECD in childhood with osteolytic lesion is extremely rare. We describe an unusual case with an expansile lytic bone lesion at presentation in a case of acute lymphoblastic leukemia.