The impact of renal function on initial therapy in transplant-ineligible multiple myeloma patients.

The prognosis for multiple myeloma (MM) patients has improved with the advent of new drugs, but the prognosis with renal impairment (RI) is poor. The choice of treatment in such cases is critical, but there are no set criteria. We examined the impact of RI on initial therapy in transplant-ineligible MM patients.

The lymphocyte/monocyte ratio predicts the efficacy of isatuximab plus pomalidomide in multiple myeloma patients.

Background: Isatuximab, an anti-CD38 antibody, has been widely used in treatments for patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (MM). Despite its high efficacy, not all patients achieve a lasting therapeutic response with isatuximab.

Objective: We tried to identify biomarkers to predict the effectiveness of isatuximab by focusing on the host's immune status before treatment.

Real-world efficacy of letermovir prophylaxis for cytomegalovirus infection after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: A single-center retrospective analysis.

Introduction: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is a common complication following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (aHSCT) and is associated with increased mortality. Letermovir (LET) is a novel antiviral drug used to prevent CMV infection.

Methods: We analyzed 111 consecutive patients who underwent aHSCT, retrospectively, to evaluate the efficacy of LET prophylaxis for clinically significant CMV infection (csCMVi) in real-world situations.

Elevation of Early Plasma Biomarkers in Patients with Clinical Risk Factors Predicts Increased Nonrelapse Mortality after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.

Early prediction of nonrelapse mortality (NRM) in patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) based on the results of laboratory tests is challenging. Thus, there is a need to evaluate biomarkers for prediction of NRM, a major problem that offsets the advantages of allo-HSCT. We tested the validity and efficacy of 2 plasma biomarkers, ST2 and Reg3α, based on the Mount Sinai Acute GVHD International Consortium (MAGIC) algorithm, for early prediction of NRM in Japanese patients who underwent allo-HSCT.

Multiple Myeloma with Central Nervous System Relapse Early after Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Few reports have so far described central nervous system (CNS) involvement in multiple myeloma (MM), which shows a poor prognosis owing to its resistance to several treatments. We herein describe a 45-year-old woman who had MM (diagnosed with IgA-κ type) with CNS relapse early after undergoing autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Because no standard treatment for CNS lesions of MM has been established, we conducted a literature review on the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) transferability of drugs for MM, since it was considered to be a useful tool for CNS involvement.

Refractory Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia with Central Nervous System Involvement: A Case Report with Literature Review.

There have been few reports on central nervous system (CNS) involvement in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). This is an extremely rare disease with poor prognosis, owing to resistance to various treatments. We describe a 33-year-old man with intractable CLL with CNS involvement.

Clinical efficacy of mogamulizumab for relapsed/refractory aggressive adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma: A retrospective analysis.

Objectives: Although phase 2 studies have confirmed the efficacy of mogamulizumab for adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL), real-world data on its benefits are limited. We assessed the benefits of mogamulizumab for relapsed/refractory ATL in clinical practice.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed patients with acute- and lymphoma-type ATL.

Comparison of starting doses of anagrelide as a first-line therapy in patients with cytoreductive therapy-naïve essential thrombocythemia: difference between starting at 0.5 and 1.0 mg/day.

Anagrelide is widely used for cytoreductive therapy in patients with essential thrombocythemia who are at high risk for thrombosis. The recommended starting dose in the package insert of anagrelide varies by country. A high starting dose leads to an early onset of action, but causes a higher incidence of adverse events.

Evaluation of azacitidine in patients with transplant-ineligible myelodysplastic syndromes and acute myeloid leukemia with myelodysplasia-related changes in a Japanese clinical setting.

Patients with high-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) treated with azacitidine (AZA) have exhibited improved overall survival. However, information on AZA in real-world settings is limited. The present study retrospectively analyzed 85 patients with MDS treated with AZA.

Effects of recombinant thrombomodulin on long-term prognosis after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

We investigated the effects of early recombinant thrombomodulin (rTM) treatment on long-term prognosis after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Subjects included 300 patients who underwent allogeneic HSCT (131 in the rTM(+) group and 169 in the rTM(-) group). The control group received heparin or no anti-coagulation therapy.

A variant of acute promyelocytic leukemia with t(4;17)(q12;q21) showed two different clinical symptoms.

A 63-year-old man was diagnosed with a rare variant of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) with t(4;17)(q12; q21) that showed atypical morphological features and two different clinical symptoms. He was started on standard induction chemotherapy for acute myeloid leukemia, which decreased myeloblast numbers; however, APL-like blasts remained. He then received a salvage therapy that added all retinoic acid (ATRA).

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) fails to predict outcome of diffuse large B cell lymphoma.

Background: Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has been recognized as a poor prognostic indicator in various solid tumors.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 530 patients with de novo DLBCL who were diagnosed from April 2002 to November 2017.

Results: The median age of patients was 69 (range, 20-95) years, and 59% were male.

Efficacy and safety of anagrelide as a first-line drug in cytoreductive treatment-naïve essential thrombocythemia patients in a real-world setting.

Objective: This study aimed to retrospectively assess the efficacy and safety of anagrelide in cytoreduction therapy-naïve essential thrombocythemia (ET) patients in a real-world setting.

Method: Data from 53 ET patients who received anagrelide as a first-line therapy were reviewed for patient characteristics, antiplatelet status, cytoreduction status, therapeutic effects, adverse events, thrombohemorrhagic event development, progression to myelofibrosis or acute leukemia, and cause of death.

Results: The rate of achieving a platelet count of <600 × 10 /L during anagrelide monotherapy was 83.

Evaluation of eltrombopag in patients with aplastic anemia in real-world experience.

Background: Although eltrombopag has recently been approved for treating AA, the effects of its clinical use remain unknown.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 11 patients with AA, who had been treated with eltrombopag from August 2017 to May 2018.

Results: Overall response rate was 55%.

Myodesopsia is a symptom of central nervous system blast crisis in chronic myeloid leukemia.

A 49-year-old woman diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia in the chronic phase was started on dasatinib treatment, after which she complained of myodesopsia. Nineteen months after diagnosis, the patient again complained of myodesopsia and developed bilateral optic neuritis. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis revealed an increase in blasts, although peripheral blood and bone marrow examination confirmed that the patient remained in a molecular response to tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy.

GM-CSF therapy inhibits chronic graft-versus-host disease via expansion of regulatory T cells.

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) attenuate excessive immune responses, making their expansion beneficial in immune-mediated diseases, including allogeneic bone marrow transplantation associated with graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). In addition to interleukin-2, Tregs require T-cell receptor and costimulatory signals from antigen-presenting cells, such as DCs, for their optimal proliferation. Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) increases DC number and may promote DC-dependent Treg proliferation.

Clinical significance of dasatinib-induced pleural effusion in patients with de chronic myeloid leukemia.

Dasatinib is currently approved for clinical use as a first-line treatment agent for newly diagnosed chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). However, only a few clinical trials have been performed to evaluate dasatinibinduced PE following first-line therapy. We investigated the incidence and clinical features of dasatinib-induced PE following first-line therapy in Japanese CML patients of real world clinical practice settings.

Combined Use of Ninjin'yoeito Improves Subjective Fatigue Caused by Lenalidomide in Patients With Multiple Myeloma: A Retrospective Study.

Lenalidomide is an immunomodulating derivative of thalidomide, which shows anti-tumor activity against myeloma cells with immunomodulation including augmentation of T-cell and natural killer cell function. Continuous treatment with this agent shows better survival benefit in patients with multiple myeloma and combined lenalidomide with dexamethasone (LEN-DEX) is a standard treatment regimen. However, fatigue is a frequent symptom resulting from lenalidomide administration.

Blastic Epstein-Barr virus associated post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder after allogeneic stem cell transplantation for severe aplastic anemia.

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is a well-recognized complication of organ transplantation. Progress has recently been made in the pathological classification of PTLD. However, the clinical course has not been clarified because of the rarity of this disease.

Secondary pure red cell aplasia in multiple myeloma treated with lenalidomide.

Pure red cell aplasia (PRCA) is a rare disorder characterized by marked erythroid hypoplasia with maturation arrest in the bone marrow. Secondary acquired PRCA may be associated with hematologic disorders. A few case reports have described PRCA associated with multiple myeloma (MM).