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%.

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).

Evaluation of thrombosis-related biomarkers before and after therapy in patients with multiple myeloma.

Background: Thrombosis is one of the complications in the clinical course of multiple myeloma (MM). Vascular endothelial cells and/or the hemostatic-coagulatory system are thought to play an important role in thrombosis of MM. In addition to melphalan-prednisone (Mel-P) therapy, several new therapeutic drugs such as lenalidomide or bortezomib have been developed and show effectiveness against MM.

Tyrosine kinase inhibitor and rituximab-CHOP treatment for concurrent chronic myeloid leukemia and non-Hodgkin lymphoma: a case report.

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma can occur concurrently with chronic phase-chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) at initial diagnosis. Combination treatment with second-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors and rituximab-CHOP for patients newly diagnosed with CML and non-Hodgkin lymphoma is effective for both diseases. However, we found that this treatment combination may induce severe myelosuppression.

Transplant-Ineligible Symptomatic but Indolent Multiple Myeloma Shows Better Prognosis with Conventional Agents.

The survival of multiple myeloma patients has improved significantly over the last several decades. However, the median overall survival of these patients remains less than 5 years. In this report, we discuss 4 cases of multiple myeloma patients that showed long survival.

Upfront high-dose chemotherapy combined with autologous stem cell transplantation: Potential survival benefit for patients with high-risk diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

In patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) classified as high-intermediate risk or high risk using the International Prognosis Index, the efficacy of high-dose chemotherapy combined with upfront autologous stem cell transplantation (HDT/ASCT) remains controversial in the rituximab era. In the present study, 27 patients who had been treated with HDT/ASCT in an upfront setting were retrospectively analyzed, and compared with 77 patients with similar characteristics who had received conventional chemotherapy without HDT/ASCT (the non-upfront setting). The 3-year overall survival and progression-free survival rates in the upfront setting were 88.