Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells represent a revolutionary immunotherapy that allows specific tumor recognition by a unique single-chain fragment variable (scFv) derived from monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). scFv selection is consequently a fundamental step for CAR construction, to ensure accurate and effective CAR signaling toward tumor antigen binding. However, conventional in vitro and in vivo biological approaches to compare different scFv-derived CARs are expensive and labor-intensive.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFConcern has emerged about the prevalence of second cancers among patients with hairy cell leukemia (HCL) treated with purine analogs. We investigated 513 patients with HCL treated with cladribine over the last 30 years at 18 Italian centers and calculated their standardized incidence ratios (SIRs). We identified 24 patients with a second cancer diagnosed at a median time from treatment with cladribine of 59.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDistinct outcomes of BRAF inhibition in BRAF-mutated hairy cell neoplasms with wild-type or mutant TP53, and alternative strategies to overcome mutant TP53.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFirst-line purine nucleoside analogues (PNAs) in hairy cell leukaemia (HCL) allow deep and long-lasting responses. We retrospectively analysed 53 HCL patients treated frontline with cladribine and assessed for response at 2 and 6 months after treatment to evaluate the kinetics of response. The estimated median progression-free survival was significantly different according to the degree of residual HCL infiltrate detected by immunohistochemistry at the bone marrow biopsy at 2 months (≤5% vs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma (NLPHL) is a Hodgkin lymphoma expressing functional B-cell receptors (BCR). Recently, we described a dual stimulation model of IgD+ lymphocyte-predominant cells by Moraxella catarrhalis antigen RpoC and its superantigen MID/hag, associated with extralong CDR3 and HLA-DRB1*04 or HLADRB1* 07 haplotype. The aim of the present study was to extend the antigen screening to further bacteria and viruses.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIt has been estimated that 15%-20% of human cancers are attributable to infections, mostly by carcinogenic viruses. The incidence varies worldwide, with a majority affecting developing countries. Here, we present a comparative analysis of virus-positive and virus-negative tumors in nine cancers linked to five viruses.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLittle is known of the course of COVID-19 and the antibody response to infection or vaccination in patients with hairy-cell leukaemia (HCL). Among a total of 58 HCL cases we studied in these regards, 37 unvaccinated patients, mostly enjoying a relatively long period free from anti-leukaemic treatment, developed COVID-19 between March 2020 and December 2021 with a usually favourable outcome (fatality rate: 5/37, 14%); however, active leukaemia, older age and more comorbidities were associated with a worse course. Postinfection (n = 11 cases) and postvaccination (n = 28) seroconversion consistently developed, except after recent anti-CD20 or venetoclax therapy, correlating with perivaccine B-cell count.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA significant body of literature has been generated related to the detection of measurable residual disease (MRD) at the time of achieving complete remission (CR) in patients with hairy cell leukemia (HCL). However, due to the indolent nature of the disease as well as reports suggesting long-term survival in patients treated with a single course of a nucleoside analog albeit without evidence of cure, the merits of detection of MRD and attempts to eradicate it have been debated. Studies utilizing novel strategies in the relapse setting have demonstrated the utility of achieving CR with undetectable MRD (uMRD) in prolonging the duration of remission.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNPM 1-mutated acute myeloid leukemia (AML) shows unique features. However, the characteristics of "therapy-related" NPM1-mutated AML (t-NPM1 AML) are poorly understood. We compared the genetics, transcriptional profile, and clinical outcomes of t-NPM1 AML, de novo NPM1-mutated AML (dn-NPM1 AML), and therapy-related AML (t-AML) with wild-type NPM1 (t-AML).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHairy cell leukemia (HCL) is a rare lymphoproliferative disorder, comprising only 2% of all leukemias. The Hairy Cell Leukemia Foundation (HCLF) has developed a patient data registry to enable investigators to better study the clinical features, treatment outcomes, and complications of patients with HCL. This system utilizes a centralized registry architecture.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTγδ large granular lymphocyte leukemia (Tγδ LGLL) is a rare lymphoproliferative disease, scantily described in literature. A deep-analysis, in an initial cohort of 9 Tγδ LGLL compared to 23 healthy controls, shows that Tγδ LGLL dominant clonotypes are mainly public and exhibit different V-(D)-J γ/δ usage between patients with symptomatic and indolent Tγδ neoplasm. Moreover, some clonotypes share the same rearranged sequence.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCD4+ T-cell large granular lymphocyte leukemia (T-LGLL) is a rare subtype of T-LGLL with unknown etiology. In this study, we molecularly characterized a cohort of patients (n = 35) by studying their T-cell receptor (TCR) repertoire and the presence of somatic STAT5B mutations. In addition to the previously described gain-of-function mutations (N642H, Y665F, Q706L, S715F), we discovered six novel STAT5B mutations (Q220H, E433K, T628S, P658R, P702A, and V712E).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: To evaluate choroidal vascularity index (CVI) in patients developing mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) inhibitor-associated retinopathy (MEKAR).
Methods: In this prospective observational study, extensive ophthalmic examination was performed, including enhanced-depth-imaging-optical coherence tomography (EDI-OCT). EDI-OCT scans of patients receiving Cobimetinib, taken at baseline and at MEKAR manifestation, were considered for choroid analysis.
Hairy cell leukemia (HCL) responds very well to frontline chemotherapy with purine analogs (cladribine and pentostatine). However, approximately half of patients experience 1 or more relapses, which become progressively resistant to these myelotoxic and immunosuppressive agents. At progression, standard therapeutic options include a second course of purine analogs alone or in combination with rituximab and, upon second relapse, therapy with the anti-CD22 immunotoxin moxetumomab pasudotox.
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