Splenic marginal zone lymphoma with or without villous lymphocytes

The Integruppo Italiano Linfomi (IIL) carried out a study to assess the outcomes of splenic marginal zone lymphoma and to identify prognostic factors in 309 patients. The 5-year cause-specific survival (CSS) rate was 76%. In univariate analysis, the parameters predictive of shorter CSS were hemoglobin levels below 12 g/dL (P < .001), albumin levels below 3.5 g/dL (P = .001), International Prognostic Index (IPI) scores of 2 to 3 (P < .001), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels above normal (P < .001), age older than 60 years (P = .01), platelet counts below 100,000/microL (P = .04), HbsAg-positivity (P = .01), and no splenectomy at diagnosis (P = .006). Values that maintained a negative influe…

Long-lasting remission of primary hepatic lymphoma and hepatitis C virus infection achieved by the alpha-interferon treatment

Primary hepatic lymphoma is a rare but well-defined lymphoma entity that often pursues an aggressive clinical course. Most cases have been described in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related chronic liver disease patients. Although anthracycline-based chemotherapy has been reported to be highly effective, the best therapeutic strategy has not been defined yet. The prognosis is dismal especially in patients treated with chemotherapy alone or when an advanced liver disease is present. Herein, we describe a case of primary hepatic large B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, in a patient with HCV chronic infection. After a minor response with eight cycles of CHOP chemotherapy, a complete and sustained remiss…

Deoxycoformycin (pentostatin) in the treatment of splenic marginal zone lymphoma (SMZL) with or without villous lymphocytes.

: Background: Splenic marginal zone lymphoma (SMZL) is an infrequent B-cell neoplasm that pursues an indolent course. Signs and symptoms, mostly related to hypersplenism, are successfully managed by splenectomy. However, the therapy of patients who are not fit for a surgical procedure or who relapse after splenectomy, is still an unsettled issue. Patients and methods: We report a phase-II study on 16 patients with SMZL, three therapy naive and 13 pretreated, all showing systemic symptoms or progressive worsening of peripheral cytopenia, who were treated with pentostatin at a dose of 4 mg/m2 every other week for 6–10 wk. In relapsed patients, the median interval between diagnosis and treatme…

Hepatitis B Virus Reactivation and Alemtuzumab Therapy.

Abstract Reactivation of hepatitis B virus infection in subjects receiving cytotoxic treatment for haematological malignancies occurs in 21–53% of chronic HBsAg carriers and in an unknown number of HBsAg negative subjects harbouring occult HBV infection. Immunotherapy with alemtuzumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody against CD52 on lymphoid cells, produces deep immunosuppression. We describe two subjects with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and occult HBV infection who developed a virological and biochemical flare of hepatitis B following immunotherapy with alemtuzumab. One of them developed a full blown hepatitis with seroreversion from anti-HBs to HBsAg after four weeks of alemtuzumab. Lam…

Assessment of the Frequency of Additional Malignancies in Patients with Splenic Marginal Zone Lymphoma (SMZL)

Infezione occulta da HBV in pazienti con malattie linfoproliferative in trattamento chemioterapico

Are blood donors an adequate control group to ascertain HCV prevalence in non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma patients?

Splenic marginal zone lymphoma with or without villous lymphocytes

BACKGROUND Splenic marginal zone lymphoma (SMZL) is a well defined pathologic entity. However, questions regarding the bone marrow infiltration rate, the minimal diagnostic data set, and therapy remain unanswered. METHODS Clinical-pathologic features and outcomes of 57 consecutive patients who had splenomegaly with no clinically significant lymphadenomegaly and who were diagnosed with SMZL with or without (±) villous lymphocytes (VL) were reviewed. RESULTS SMVL ± VL occurred mostly in elderly males (median age, 62 years ± 10 years; male-to-female ratio, (1.85). Anemia was recorded in 49% of patients, and 30% of patients had moderate thrombocytopenia. Leukocytosis and leukopenia were found i…

Higher frequency of HCV in patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma: Is it enough to suggest an association with B-cell NHL?

Prognostic features of splenic lymphoma with villous lymphocytes