Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy associated with a lymphoproliferative disorder treated with pembrolizumab.

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a demyelinating disease affecting the central nervous system as a result of reactivation of the John Cunningham (JC) polyomavirus and occurs almost exclusively in immunosuppressed individuals. The disease course of PML is variable but usually progressive and often fatal. Treatment is predominantly focused on immune restoration, although this is difficult to do outside of human immunodeficiency virus-associated PML.

Quality of life is maintained with ixazomib maintenance in post-transplant newly diagnosed multiple myeloma: The TOURMALINE-MM3 trial.

Objectives: Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is particularly important during maintenance therapy (MT) in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma post-transplant, when disease symptoms are limited.

Methods: We assessed HRQoL in patients randomised to 26 cycles of MT (ixazomib vs placebo) in TOURMALINE-MM3 (NCT02181413).

Results: The characteristics at study entry were well-balanced between ixazomib (n = 386) and placebo (n = 251) arms.

Outpatient rituximab, ifosfamide, etoposide (R-IE) in patients older than 60 years with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma who are not candidates for stem cell transplantation.

Patients with relapsed-refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (RR-DLBCL) ineligible for autologous stem cell transplantation (autoSCT) have poor survival. Thirty transplant-ineligible patients older than 60 years were administered rituximab 375 mg/m2 day 1, ifosfamide 1333 mg/m days 1 to 3, and etoposide 80 mg/m days 1 to 3 (R-IE) every 21 days for 6 cycles plus 2 doses of rituximab. Revised international prognostic index 3-4 was seen in 53% and prior rituximab exposure in 60%.

Clinical use of SNP-microarrays for the detection of genome-wide changes in haematological malignancies.

Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) microarrays are commonly used for the clinical investigation of constitutional genomic disorders; however, their adoption for investigating somatic changes is being recognised. With increasing importance being placed on defining the cancer genome, a shift in technology is imperative at a clinical level. Microarray platforms have the potential to become frontline testing, replacing or complementing standard investigations such as FISH or karyotype.

Detection of complex genomic signatures associated with risk in plasma cell disorders.

Plasma cell disorders (PCD) range from benign to highly malignant disease. The ability to detect risk-stratifying aberrations based on cytogenetic and molecular genetic assays plays an increasing role in therapeutic decision making. In this study, 58 patients were chosen for screening by comparative genomic hybridisation microarray (aCGH) to identify the new high-risk prognostic markers of chromothripsis and chromoanasynthesis.