Radiotherapy or Autologous Stem-Cell Transplantation for Primary CNS Lymphoma in Patients Age 60 Years and Younger: Long-Term Results of the Randomized Phase II PRECIS Study.

JCO We previously reported the results of a randomized phase II study in patients with newly diagnosed primary CNS lymphoma (age 18-60 years). Patients were treated with high-dose methotrexate-based induction chemotherapy followed by whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) or high-dose chemotherapy (thiotepa-busulfan-cyclophosphamide) with autologous stem-cell transplantation (ASCT). The median follow-up was 33 months.

Radiotherapy or Autologous Stem-Cell Transplantation for Primary CNS Lymphoma in Patients 60 Years of Age and Younger: Results of the Intergroup ANOCEF-GOELAMS Randomized Phase II PRECIS Study.

Purpose: To determine the efficacy and toxicity of chemoimmunotherapy followed by either whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) or intensive chemotherapy and autologous stem-cell transplantation (ASCT) as a first-line treatment of primary CNS lymphoma (PCNSL).

Patients And Methods: Immunocompetent patients (18 to 60 years of age) with untreated PCNSL were randomly assigned to receive WBRT or ASCT as consolidation treatment after induction chemotherapy consisting of two cycles of R-MBVP (rituximab 375 mg/m day (D) 1, methotrexate 3 g/m D1; D15, VP16 100 mg/m D2, BCNU 100 mg/m D3, prednisone 60 mg/kg/d D1-D5) followed by two cycles of R-AraC (rituximab 375 mg/m D1, cytarabine 3 g/m D1 to D2). Intensive chemotherapy consisted of thiotepa (250 mg/m/d D9; D8; D7), busulfan (8 mg/kg D6 through D4), and cyclophosphamide (60 mg/kg/d D3; D2).

Prevalence of monoclonal gammopathy in HIV patients in 2014.

Introduction: In non-HIV patients, Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance (MGUS) is associated with an increased risk of subsequent development of haematologic malignancies, especially multiple myeloma (MM) and it has been recently demonstrated that MM is always preceded by a MGUS phase. A higher prevalence of MGUS and MM has been observed in HIV patients compared to the general population. Nevertheless, it has been shown that MGUS in the context of HIV can disappear with antiretroviral therapy (ART).

MELISSE, a large multicentric observational study to determine risk factors of venous thromboembolism in patients with multiple myeloma treated with immunomodulatory drugs.

Immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs) are associated with an increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in multiple myeloma (MM) patients. We designed MELISSE, a multicentre prospective observational study, to evaluate VTE incidence and identify risk factors in IMiDs-treated MM. Our objective was to determine the real-life practice of VTE prophylaxis strategy.

High-output cardiac failure revealing primary plasma cell leukemia.

High-output cardiac failure in multiple myeloma (MM) is related to arteriovenous shunting in bone infiltrate disease. We describe such a complication in a patient with primary plasma cell leukemia (pPCL) without bone disease. We review the mechanisms that could be involved.

Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma Occurring in an HIV-Positive Patient.

Cases of anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (ALCL) of T phenotype are sparse in the setting of HIV patients. We report herein a case of T-ALCL, with an advanced stage, pulmonary involvement, high HIV viral load, and low CD4 level. Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) protein expression was negative.

Detection of Aspergillus galactomannan antigenemia to determine biological and clinical implications of beta-lactam treatments.

Detection of Aspergillus galactomannan (GM) in serum with the Platelia Aspergillus enzyme immunoassay (EIA) is useful for diagnosing invasive aspergillosis. From May 2003 to November 2004, 65 patients who did not develop aspergillosis had at least two positive sera while receiving a beta-lactam treatment (GM index [GMI], >or=0.5).

NK-cell reconstitution after haploidentical hematopoietic stem-cell transplantations: immaturity of NK cells and inhibitory effect of NKG2A override GvL effect.

Natural killer (NK) cell alloreactivity is reported to mediate strong GvL (graft versus leukemia) effect in patients after haploidentical stem-cell transplantation (SCT) for acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Because subsequent immune reconstitution remains a major concern, we studied NK-cell recovery in 10 patients with AML who received haplomismatched SC transplants, among whom no GvL effect was observed, despite the mismatched immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) ligand in the GvH direction for 8 of 10 patients. NK cells generated after SCT exhibited an immature phenotype: the cytotoxic CD3- CD56(dim) subset was small, expression of KIRs and NKp30 was reduced, while CD94/NKG2A expression was increased.

Small-bowel infarction from disseminated aspergillosis.

Introduction: Despite the use of new, effective drugs, the disseminated invasive aspergillosis often remains lethal in neutropenic patients. Diagnosis is difficult because early symptoms are nonspecific. New tools could help in diagnosis and lead to early surgery when needed.

A case of multicentric Castleman's disease associated with advanced systemic amyloidosis treated with chemotherapy and anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody.

Multicentric Castleman's disease (MCD) is a rare systemic lymphoproliferative disorder with too few patient series reported in the literature to have a clear idea about the etiology, outcome and the best treatment available. Systemic reactive amyloidosis is a very rare complication of MCD and its presence worsens the prognosis. We report a case of a 28-year-old patient with plasma-cell type, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-negative and human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8)-negative MCD who responded to treatment with chemotherapy and the anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, rituximab.