Chidamide,Decitabine,Cytarabine,Aclarubicin,and Granulocyte Colony-stimulating Factor Therapy for Patients with Relapsed/Refractory Acute Myeloid Leukemia:A Retrospective Study from a Single-Center

Objective Preclinical evidence and clinical trials have suggested synergistic effects of epigenetic modifiers in combination with cytotoxic agents for the treatment of leukemia.However,their efficacy in patients with relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia(R/R AML)remains unclear.Methods Clinical data of R/R AML patients who received a CDCAG regimen(chidamide,decitabine,cytarabine,aclarubicin,and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor)from July 1,2018 to October 31,2021 at our center were retrospectively assessed,and the safety and efficacy of the CDCAG regimen were evaluated.Patients were followed up until November 30,2021,with a median follow-up of 21.6 months(95%CI:10.0–33.2 months).Results A total of 67 patients were enrolled.Two patients died within 3 weeks after the initiation,and therefore only 65 patients underwent the assement for clinical response and survival.It was found that 56.9%patients achieved complete remission with a median overall survival(OS)of 9.6 months.The median OS of responders was 25.9 months,while that of non-responders was 5.0 months(P<0.0001).Patients with gene mutations had a superior overall response rate(ORR)(80.4%vs.45.5%,P=0.043)compared to those without gene mutations.The presence of DNA methyltransferase 3 A(DNMT3A),ten-eleven translocation-2(TET2),and isocitrate dehydrogenase 1/2(IDH1/2)mutations did not affect the response rate(88.2%vs.68.9%,P=0.220)and reflected a better OS(not attained vs.9.0 months,P=0.05).The most common non-hematologic adverse events were pulmonary infection(73.1%),followed by febrile neutropenia(23.9%)and sepsis(19.4%).Conclusions The CDCAG regimen was effective and well-tolerated in R/R AML patients,increasing the potential for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.Moreover,patients with DNMT3A,TET2,and IDH1/2 mutations might benefit from this regimen.

Treatment of refractory/relapsed extranodal NK/T cell lymphoma with decitabine plus anti-PD-1:A case report

BACKGROUND Extranodal natural killer/T cell lymphoma,nasal type(ENKL) is a highly aggressive malignancy characterized by its association with Epstein-Barr virus(EBV) and extranodal involvement,which shows a poor clinical outcome.Although L-asparaginase-based chemotherapy has improved the response rates of relapsed/refractory(R/R) ENKL,relapse occurs in up to 50% of patients with disseminated disease.CASE SUMMARY Immune evasion has emerged as a critical pathway for survival in ENKL and may be effectuated via STAT3-driven upregulation of programmed cell death ligand 1(PD-L1) or other molecular pathways.Anti-PD-1 is effective for R/R ENKL with EBV-driven upregulation of PD-L1 expression.Anti-PD-1 combined with decitabine showed positive preliminary results in a patient with R/R ENKL and resistance to anti-PD-1.CONCLUSION The treatment experience,in this case,demonstrated the potential ability of decitabine combined with PD-1 inhibitor to treat R/R ENKL,thus providing a new treatment strategy for this tumor.

Programmed cell death protein-1 inhibitor combined with chimeric antigen receptor T cells in the treatment of relapsed refractory non- Hodgkin lymphoma: A case report

BACKGROUND Chimeric antigen receptor T cell(CART)therapy has benefited many refractory lymphoma patients,but some patients experience poor effects.Previous studies have shown that programmed cell death protein-1(PD-1)inhibitors can improve and prolong the therapeutic effect of CAR-T cell treatment.CASE SUMMARY A 61-year-old male presented with 15-d history of diarrhea and lower-limb edema.A large mass was detected in the pelvis,and pathology indicated non-Hodgkin diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.After three cycles of the R-CHOP chemotherapeutic regimen,the patient showed three subcutaneous nodules under the left armpit and both sides of the cervical spine.Pathological examination of the nodules indicated DLBCL again.The patient was diagnosed with relapsed and refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.We recommended CAR-T cell treatment.Before treatment,the patient’s T cell function and expression of immune detection points were tested.Expression of PD-1 was obviously increased(52.7%)on cluster of differentiation(CD)3+T cells.The PD-1 inhibitor(3 mg/kg)was infused prior to lymphodepleting chemotherapy with fludarabine and cyclophosphamide.CAR-CD19 T cells of 3×10^(6)/kg and CAR-CD22 T cells 1×10^(6)/kg were infused,respectively.The therapeutic effect was significant,and the deoxyribonucleic acid copy numbers of CAR-CD19 T cells and CAR-CD22 T cells were stable.Presently,the patient has been disease-free for more than 12 mo.CONCLUSION This case suggests that the combination of PD-1 inhibitors and CAR-T cellsimproved therapeutic efficacy in B-cell lymphoma.

Phase Ⅱ open-label study of recombinant circularly permuted TRAIL as a single-agent treatment for relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma

Background: Despite the recent development of new therapies, multiple myeloma(MM) remains an incurable disease. Thus, new, efective treatments are urgently needed, particularly for relapsed or refractory MM(RRMM). In an earlier phase I study, a novel form of recombinant human Apo2L/tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand(TRAIL) that is currently in clinical development for the treatment of hematologic malignancies, i.e., circularly permuted TRAIL(CPT), was well tolerated at a dose of 2.5 mg/kg per day and showed promising preliminary activity in patients with RRMM. This phase II, open-label, multicenter study further investigated the eicacy and safety of 2.5-mg/kg per day CPT as single-agent therapy for patients with RRMM.Methods: Patients with RRMM were treated once daily with CPT(2.5 mg/kg, intravenously) for 14 consecutive days for each 21-day cycle. Clinical response and toxicity were assessed after each treatment cycle.Results: Twenty-seven patients received CPT. Using the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation criteria, we calculated the overall response rate of 33.3% with 1 near-complete response(n CR) and 8 partial responses(PRs). The clinical beneit rate(48.1%) included 1 nCR, 8 PRs, and 4 minimal responses. The most common treatmentrelated adverse events(TRAEs) were fever, aspartate aminotransferase elevation, alanine aminotransferase elevation, leucopenia, rash, neutropenia, and thrombocytopenia. We graded toxicity using the Common Toxicity Criteria for Adverse Events, version 3.0, and determined that 37.0% of patients had at least 1 grade 3–4 TRAE.Conclusions: CPT as a single agent can elicit a response in patients with RRMM and is well tolerated. Further clinical investigation is warranted.

Anti-BCMA CAR-T Cell Therapy in Relapsed or Refractory Multiple Myeloma Patients with Impaired Renal Function

Anti-B cell maturation antigen(BCMA)chimeric antigen receptor(CAR)T-cell therapyis effective and well-tolerated for refractory or relapsed multiple myeloma(RRMM).The purposcof the present study was to analyze efficacy in RRMM patients with renal impairment treated byanti-BCMA CAR-T cell therapy.A total of 59 RRMM patients were selected,and divided intoimpaired renal function(lRF)group[basclinc cstimated giomerular filtration rate(eSFR)<90 m/min/1.73 m^2(n=18)]and normal renal function(NRF)group(baseline eGFR≥90 mL/min/1.73 m,n=41).For patients with IRF,eGFR at the 6th month post-CAR-T cells infusion was significantlyhigher than the baseline(P<0.05).The multivariate analysis showed that light chain type and beta-2 micro-globulin(bcta-2M)were associated factors with the decrease of serum creatinine.Medianprogression-free survival(PFS)in the NRF group and IRF group was 266 days and 181 daysrespectively.Overall survival(OS)in the NRF group and lRF group was 877 days and 238 daysrespectively.There was no significant difference in the objective response rate(ORR)between thelRF group and the NRF group.It is suggested that CAR-T cells therapy could improve the renalfunction during the treatment of RRMM.The renal function could be more significantly improvedin RRMM patients with light chain type than with other types.

Venetoclax in combination with chidamide and dexamethasone in relapsed/refractory primary plasma cell leukemia without t(11;14):A case report

BACKGROUND Conventional therapies for primary plasma cell leukemia(pPCL)are usually ineffective,with a short remission time with the use of multiple myeloma medications,showing aggressiveness of pPCL.B-cell lymphoma-2 inhibitor venetoclax is usually used for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma(RRMM)with t(11;14).There are very few studies published on the use of venetoclax in pPCL without t(11;14).Similarly,histone deacetylase inhibitors are considered effective for the treatment of RRMM,but there are no reports on their use in pPCL.CASE SUMMARY A 57-year-old woman with severe anemia,thrombocytopenia,multiple bone destruction,impaired renal function,and 42.7%of peripheral plasma cells is reported.After multiple chemotherapy regimens and chimeric antigen receptor Tcell treatment,the disease progressed again.The patient had very good partial response and was maintained for a long time on venetoclax in combination with chidamide and dexamethasone therapy.CONCLUSION The success of venetoclax-chidamide-dexamethasone combination therapy in achieving a very good partial response suggested that it can be used for refractory/relapsed pPCL patients who have been exhausted with the use of various drug combinations and had poor survival outcomes.

Low-Dose Involved-Field Radiotherapy in Relapsed Low-Grade Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma in Elderly Patients (Mansoura University Experience)

Purpose: To assess the response rate, duration of response and prognostic factors affecting response after low-dose involved-field radiotherapy in patients with relapsed low-grade B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Patients and Methods: Forty-four patients were included. Patients were treated with a total dose of 4 Gy (2 × 2 Gy) using 6 - 15 Mv photon or electron beam. Results: most patients were above age of 60 years (59%) with male predominance. Follicular lymphoma was the most common pathological type;bulky disease (>5 cm) was presented in 61.4%. Patients who received only 2 regimens were 63.7% and 31.8% had >2 involved sites. No treatment related toxicity was observed. The overall response rate was 88.7%;complete response was reached in 59.1% and stable disease in 6.8%, progressive disease in 4.5%. Median time to local progression was 33 months (95% CI 23.70 - 42.29);2-year local progression free survival was 78%. Response rate was found to be dependent on age, number of involved sites and lymph node size but independent on sex, pathological type, number of prior regimens, LDH level and time since diagnosis. Conclusion: Short-course-low dose palliative radiotherapy (2 × 2 Gy) affords an attractive option for treatment of relapsed low-grade non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma due to high response rates. However, these results had to be confirmed in a larger number of patients.

Temozolomide plus rituximab for elderly with relapsed primary central nervous system lymphoma

Objective: The aim of our study was to analyze the long-term results of rituximab combined with temozolomide in treatment of elderly patients (> 60 years) with relapsed primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL). Methods: Twelve postoperative elderly patients (> 60 years) were treated between August 2004 and October 2009. Temozolomide 100 mg/m2 to 200 mg/m2 days 1 to 7 and 15 to 21 and rituximab 375 mg/m2 days 1, 5, 8, 22. The maximum number of rituximab cycles was two. After one or two cycles of this combination, patients with an objective response and an acceptable level of toxicity continued treatment with single agent temozolomide (days 1 to 5, every 28 days). The overall survival was analyzed by using Kaplan-Meier. Results: The overall survival was 9 months. Toxicity was very mild with no grade 3-4 neurotoxicity toxic events. Conclusion: Rituximab combined with temozolomide seems to yields substantial long-term survival with moderate toxicity for the treatment of elderly relapsed PCNSL.

Pomolidomide for relapsed/refractory light chain amyloidosis after resistance to both bortezomib and daratumumab:A case report

BACKGROUND Immunoglobulin light chain(AL)amyloidosis is a rare disease characterized by deposition of ALs essentially in any organ or tissue,with cardiac involvement being very frequent(61%).Early diagnosis is of high importance because early initiation of treatment in AL amyloidosis may improve outcomes.Despite the administration of immunotherapeutic agents,in particular bortezomib and daratumumab,which have improved the outcomes of AL amyloidosis,antiplasma cell therapy remains suboptimal for some patients.CASE SUMMARY We report the case of a 55-year-old man presenting with heart failure who was diagnosed with cardiac AL amyloidosis by an endomyocardial biopsy.He experienced a short-term hematological remission with no organ response after being administered a bortezomib-daratumumab containing regimen.The treatment was switched to pomolidomide due to pulmonary involvement and progressive pleural effusion,in which flow cytometry analysis showed abnormal plasma cells.After two cycles of this regimen,the pleural effusion was controlled effectively with no recurrence.CONCLUSION This case emphasizes the crucial role of endomyocardial biopsy in early diagnosis of cardiac amyloidosis and suggests that pomolidomide may be an effective treatment for patients with AL amyloidosis that is relapsed/refractory to both bortezomib and daratumumab.

Efficacy and safety of fourth-generation CD19 CAR-T expressing IL7 and CCL19 along with PD-1 monoclonal antibody for relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma

Objective To explore the efficacy and safety of fourthgeneration chimeric antigen receptor T-cells (CAR-T),which express interleukin 7 (IL7) and chemokine C-C motif ligand 19 (CCL19) and target CD19,in relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma.Methods Our center applied autologous 7×19 CAR-T combined with tirelizumab to treat 11 patients with relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma.The efficacy and adverse effects were explored.

Brentuximab Vedotin Monotherapy and Combined with Low Dose Donor Lymphocyte Infusion to Control Minimal Residual Disease and Sustain Clinical Remission in a Child with Relapsed Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma

Minimal residual disease (MRD) appears to have a strong negative predictive value for disease recurrence in children with anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL). Brentuximab vedotin (BV) can be a therapeutic option for MRD-positive patients to achieve molecular remission and to decrease risk of subsequent relapse. We here report a 4-year-old child with ALCL progression during relapse treatment who received BV as a bridging therapy before haploidentical hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation, and as a maintenance therapy post-transplant alone or combined with simultaneous low dose donor-lymphocyte infusions. MRD monitoring showed a complete molecular response and reflected both BV efficiency and graft-versus-lymphoma effect.

An Evaluation of the Clinical Efficacy and Safety of Ixazomib for Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma

Objective:To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of ixazomib in the treatment of relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma(RRMM).Methods:The clinical data of 20 patients with RRMM admitted to the hospital from January 2020 to January 2022 were analyzed retrospectively.All patients were treated with ixazomib-based chemotherapy regimen(IRD regimen 13 cases;ID regimen 7 cases).The objective response rate(ORR)and adverse events(AEs)were observed.Results:All 20 patients received two to seven courses of treatment,in which the median was three courses.One patient had CR,four patients had VGPR,seven patients had PR,two patients had SD,and six patients had PD.The ORR was 60.00%(12/20),and 25.00%(5/20)of them had VGPR or more.The ORR of patients with previous treatment lines≥3,ISS stage III,and high-risk cytogenetic was lower than that of patients with previous treatment lines<3,ISS stage I/II,and low-risk cytogenetics.The main AEs include anemia,thrombocytopenia,neutropenia,nausea and vomiting,diarrhea,constipation,and respiratory tract infection,most of which are grade I/II.Conclusion:Ixazomib is effective in the treatment of RRMM in some patients,and the AEs are controllable.Patients who had received less than 3 lines of treatment in the past,with ISS stage I to II and low-risk cytogenetics had better treatment effect.

Subcutaneous daratumumab in Chinese patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma:an open-label,multicenter,phase 1 study(MMY1010)

Despite recent progress in multiple myeloma(MM)treatments,most patients will relapse and require additional treatment.Intravenous daratumumab,a human IgGκmonoclonal antibody targeting CD38,has shown good efficacy in the treatment of MM.A subcutaneous version of daratumumab was formulated to reduce the burden of intravenous infusions.We aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of subcutaneous daratumumab in Chinese patients with relapsed/refractory MM based on the demonstrated noninferiority of subcutaneous daratumumab to intravenous daratumumab,with a shorter administration time and reduced infusion-related reaction rate in global studies.This phase 1,multicenter study(MMY1010;ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:NCT04121260)evaluated subcutaneous daratumumab in Chinese patients with relapsed/refractory MM after 1 prior line(n=1)or≥2 prior lines(n=20)of therapy,including a proteasome inhibitor and an immunomodulatory drug.Primary endpoints were pharmacokinetics and safety.Mean(standard deviation)maximum trough concentration of daratumumab was 826(335)μg/mL,which was consistent with prior studies of subcutaneous daratumumab and intravenous daratumumab.Safety was consistent with safety profiles observed in other daratumumab studies,with no new safety concerns identified.Incidences of infusion-related reactions and injection-site reactions were low and consistent with other subcutaneous daratumumab studies.At a median follow-up of 7.5 months,the overall response rate was 57.1%,with a very good partial response or better rate of 38.1%and complete response or better rate of 19.0%.Our results demonstrate a favorable benefit/risk profile of subcutaneous daratumumab in Chinese patients with relapsed/refractory MM,potentially impacting clinical administration of daratumumab in this population.

New risk factors and new tendency for central nervous system relapse in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma:a retrospective study

Background: In patients with difuse large B?cell lymphoma(DLBCL), central nervous system(CNS) relapse is uncom?mon but is nearly always fatal. This study aimed to determine the risk factors for CNS relapse in DLBCL patients and to evaluate the eicacy of rituximab and intrathecal chemotherapy prophylaxis for CNS relapse reduction.Methods: A total of 511 patients with newly diagnosed DLBCL treated at the Sun Yat?sen University Cancer Center between January 2003 and December 2012 were included in the study. Among these patients, 376 received R?CHOP regimen(rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone) as primary treatment, and 135 received CHOP regimen(cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone) as primary treatment. Intrathe?cal chemotherapy prophylaxis(methotrexate plus cytarabine) was administered to those who were deemed at high risk for CNS relapse. In the entire cohort and in the R?CHOP set in particular, the Kaplan–Meier method coupled with the log?rank test was used for univariate analysis, and the Cox proportional hazards model was used for multivariate analysis. Diferences were evaluated using a two?tailed test, and P < 0.05 was considered signiicant.Results: At a median follow?up of 46 months, 25(4.9%) patients experienced CNS relapse. There was a trend of reduced occurrence of CNS relapse in patients treated with rituximab; the 3?year cumulative CNS relapse rates were 7.1% in CHOP group and 2.7% in R?CHOP group(P = 0.045). Intrathecal chemotherapy prophylaxis did not confer much beneit in terms of preventing CNS relapse. Bone involvement [hazard ratio(HR) = 4.21, 95% conidence interval(CI) 1.38–12.77], renal involvement(HR = 3.85, 95% CI 1.05–14.19), alkaline phosphatase(ALP) >110 U/L(HR = 3.59, 95% CI 1.25–10.34), serum albumin(ALB) <35 g/L(HR = 3.63, 95% CI 1.25–10.51), treatment with rituxi?mab(HR = 0.34, 95% CI 0.12–0.96), and a time to complete remission ≤ 108 days(HR = 0.22, 95% CI 0.06–0.78) were independent predictive factors for CNS relapse in the entire cohort. Bone involvement(HR = 4.44, 95% CI 1.08–18.35), bone marrow involvement(HR = 11.70, 95% CI 2.24–60.99), and renal involvement(HR = 10.83, 95% CI 2.27–51.65) were independent risk factors for CNS relapse in the R?CHOP set.Conclusions: In the present study, rituximab decreased the CNS relapse rate of DLBCL, whereas intrathecal chemo?therapy prophylaxis alone was not suicient for preventing CNS relapse. Serum levels of ALB and ALP, and the time to complete remission were new independent predictive factors for CNS relapse in the patients with DLBCL. In the patients received R?CHOP regimen, a trend of increased CNS relapse was found to be associated with extranodal lesions.

Ivosidenib in Chinese patients with relapsed or refractory isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 mutated acute myeloid leukemia:a registry study

Ivosidenib,an isocitrate dehydrogenase 1(IDH1)inhibitor,has demonstrated clinical benefits in a pivotal study(AG120-C-001)in patients with IDH1-mutated(mIDH1)acute myeloid leukemia(AML).A registry study(CS3010-101:NCT04176393)was conducted to assess the pharmacokinetic(PK)characteristics,safety,and efficacy of ivosidenib in Chinese patients with relapsed or refractory(R/R)mIDH1 AML.Patients received ivosidenib 500 mg once daily for 28-day cycles until disease progression.Ten subjects underwent intensive PK/progressive disease(PD)assessments.All subjects had the clinical response assessed at screening,every 28 days through month 12,and then every 56 days.Between November 12,2019,and April 2,2021,30 patients were enrolled;26(86.7%)had de novo AML and 18(60.0%)were transfusion-dependent at baseline.Following single and repeated doses of ivosidenib,median time to maximum plasma concentration(T_(max))was 4.0 and 2.0 hours,respectively.The inter-individual variability of pharmacokinetic exposure was moderate to high(coefficient of variation[CV],25%–53%).No obvious accumulation was observed after repeated doses at cycle 2 day 1.Regarding the clinical response,the CR+CRh rate was 36.7%(95%confidence interval[CI]:19.9%–56.1%),the median duration of CR+CRh was 19.7 months(95%CI:2.9 months–not reached[NR]),and median duration of response(DoR)was 14.3 months(95%CI:6.4 months–NR).Consistent clinical benefits and safety of ivosidenib were consistently observed at the final data cutoff with median follow-up time 26.0 months,as compared with primary data cutoff,and the data from Chinese R/R mIDH1 AML patients were also consistent with results from pivotal study.

Abdominal computed tomography in refractory coeliac disease and enteropathy associated T-cell lymphoma

AIM： To evaluate computed tomography （CT） findings, useful to suggest the presence of refractory celiac disease （RCD） and enteropathy associated T cell lymphoma （EATL）. METHODS： Coeliac disease （CD） patients were divided into two groups. Group Ⅰ ： uncomplicated CD （n = 14） and RCD type Ⅰ （n = 10）. Group Ⅱ ： RCD type Ⅱ （n = 15） and EATL （n = 7）. RESULTS： Both groups showed classic signs of CD on CT. Intussusception was seen in 1 patient in group Ⅰ vs 5 in group Ⅱ （P = 0.06）. Lymphadenopathy was seen in 5 patients in group Ⅱ vs no patients in group Ⅰ （P = 0.01）. Increased number of small mesenteric vessels was noted in 20 patients in group Ⅰ vs Ⅱ in group 11 （P = 0.02）. Eleven patients （50%） in group 11 had a splenic volume 〈 122 cm^3 vs 4 in group Ⅰ （14%）, 10 patients in group Ⅰ had a splenic volume 〉 196 cm^3 （66.7%） vs 5 in group Ⅱ （33.3%） P = 0.028. CONCLUSION： CT scan is a useful tool in discriminating between CD and （Pre） EATL. RCD Ⅱ and EATL showed more bowel wall thickening, lymphadenopathy and intussusception, less increase in number of small mesenteric vessels and a smaller splenic volume compared with CD and RCD Ⅰ.

Long-term survival benefit of anti-PD-1 therapy in patients with relapsed or refractory classical Hodgkin lymphoma

Anti-programmed cell death-1(anti-PD-1)therapies have shown a favorable efficacy and good tolerance for relapsed or refractory(r/r)classical Hodgkin lymphoma(cHL).However,there are limited data on long-term outcomes among patients with r/r cHL who achieve an objective response to anti-PD-1 therapies.A total of 260 responders from four,phase 2 clinical trials were included in this study.The median age was 32 years with a male/female ratio of 1.3:1.After a median follow-up period of 31.1 months,116(44.6%)responders experienced disease progression and 18(6.9%)died.

The Lower Peripheral Blood Lymphocyte to Monocyte Ratio Following Completion of First Line Chemotherapy Is a Risk Factor for Predicting Relapse in Patients with Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma

Background and objective: During routine follow up, there is no specific predictor to ascertain relapse after standard first line chemotherapy in diffuse large cell lymphoma. Therefore, this study was designed to assess the prognostic significance of the ratio between absolute lymphocyte and monocyte counts (LMR) in the peripheral blood to verify relapse in diffuse large B cell lymphoma. Patients and methods: A total of 139 patients with newly diagnosed diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) were evaluated and treated with CHOP or R-CHOP between the years 2009 and 2016. Three months following completion of first line therapy, Lymphocyte/monocyte ratio (LMR) was calculated from the routine automated complete blood cell count (CBC) attained a plateau after the bone marrow recovery after first line chemotherapy. The absolute lymphocyte count/absolute monocyte count ratio (LMR) was calculated by dividing the ALC by the AMC. Results: ROC curve analysis of 139 patients established 2.8 as cutoff point of LMR for relapse with AUC of 0.97 (95% CI 0.93 - 0.99, P ≤ 0.001). Cox regression analysis was performed to identify factors predicting relapse. In univariate regression analysis, ALC (95% CI 0.003 - 0.03, p ≤ 0.001), AMC (95% CI 15.4 - 128.8, p ≤ 0.001), LMR (95% CI 0.001 - 0.01, p ≤ 0.001), and LDH (95% CI 0.1 - 0.5, p ≤ 0.001) following completion of therapy are significant factors for relapse. Other significant factors for relapse are Ann Arbor stage (95% CI 1.1 - 6.9, P = 0.03), extranodal sites (95% CI 1.2 - 6.1, P = 0.01), age (95% CI 1.3 - 6.5, P = 0.01) and treatment of CHOP protocol (95% CI 0.05 - 0.6, P = 0.007). In a multivariate analysis LMR following completion of therapy was predictive for relapse (95% CI 0.001 - 0.2, P = 0.005). ALC was also significant in multivariate analysis (95% CI 0.01 - 0.8, P = 0.03). LDH following completion of therapy (95% CI 0.2 - 14.9, P = 0.5), AMC following completion of therapy (95% CI 0.3 - 43.1, P = 0.3), age (95% CI 0.9 - 205.4, P = 0.06), extra-nodal sites (95% CI 0.04 - 9.8, P = 0.8), Ann Arbor stage (95% CI 0.3 - 28.7, P = 0.3), and Treatment of CHOP protocol (95% CI 0.01 - 2.4, P = 0.2) were not statistically significant. Conclusion: This study observed that LMR assessed after first line chemotherapy during routine follow up is an independent predictor of relapse and clinical outcome in DLBCL patients. LMR at follow up can be used a simple inexpensive biomarker to alert clinicians for relapse during follow up after standard first line chemotherapy in DLBCL patients.

Combination of atezolizumab and chidamide to maintain long-term remission in refractory metastatic extranodal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma:A case report

BACKGROUND The prognosis of refractory extranodal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma(ENKTL)is poor.Recent data have indicated that immune checkpoint blockade with a programmed cell death protein-1(PD-1)antibody in combination with administration of histone deacetylase inhibitors represents a potentially effective treatment strategy.Compared with PD-1 antibodies,programmed death-ligand 1 antibodies have fewer side effects.Here,we present a rare case of a patient with refractory metastatic ENKTL who achieved sustained remission of approximately 10 mo with minor adverse effects after combination therapy with atezolizumab,chidamide,and radiotherapy.CASE SUMMARY A 56-year-old woman underwent resection of a tumour in her left nasal cavity and was diagnosed with ENKTL(nasal type).Medical examination revealed tumours observed in the bilateral nasal mucosa,the subcutaneous soft tissue of the inner side of the left eye,the soft tissue of the nasopharynx,the bilateral tonsils,and the left preauricular,right hilar,bilateral neck lymph nodes and bone marrow.However,tomography/computed tomography showed increased metabolism of the bilateral nasal mucosa and subcutaneous soft tissue of the inner side of the left eye and newly increased metabolism of the left cervical lymph node after chemotherapy.Therefore,combination therapy with chidamide,atezolizumab,and radiotherapy was performed.Fortunately,the patient achieved a complete response following 10 mo of combination therapy.CONCLUSION The outcome in this case suggests that the combination of atezolizumab,chidamide,and radiotherapy is a promising regimen for treating refractory metastatic ENKTL following chemotherapy treatment failure.

Refractory lymphoma treated with chimeric antigen receptor T cells combined with programmed cell death-1 inhibitor:A case report

BACKGROUND Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma(DLBCL)is a common aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma(NHL),accounting for 30%-40%of adult NHL.Primary testicular(PT)lymphoma is an uncommon extranodal disease representing approximately 1%-2%of lymphoma.Approximately 30%–40%of patients are refractory to frontline therapy or relapse after complete remission.Refractory DLBCL responds poorly to other lines of chemotherapy,and experiences short-term survival.CASE SUMMARY We present a 41-year-old male patient who was diagnosed with PT-DLBCL.Further disease progression was observed after multiline chemotherapy.Chimeric antigen receptor T cells(CAR-T)therapy salvaged the patient.Unfortunately,a new mass was observed in the right adrenal area after six months.The patient was administered programmed cell death protein-1(PD-1)inhibitor therapy and maintained progression-free survival at more than 17 mo of follow-up.CONCLUSION Our findings support the potential benefit of CAR-T combined with PD-1 inhibitor therapies in this type of relapsed and refractory PT-DLBCL.