Rituximab-induced acute thrombocytopenia: a case report and review of the literature

Rituximab is a chimeric monoclonal antibody directed against the phosphoprotein CD20. Because of its efficacy and acceptable toxicity profile, rituximab is now commonly used for the treatment of CD20-positive B-cell malignancies, including B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. However, rituximab-induced acute thrombocytopenia is an extremely rare side effect. We report a case of acute thrombocytopenia occurring immediately after rituximab infusion in a mantle cell lymphoma patient with bone marrow involvement and massive splenomegaly. Although the mechanism of thrombocytopenia is still unclear, it is possible that tumor burden, bone marrow involvement, the presence of infusion-related symptoms, and mantle cell histology are related to this rare complication of rituximab therapy. Hence, rituximab should be used with caution in patients who have these factors, and clinicians must be aware of this rare, but serious, side effect.     

Cost of chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia among patients with lymphoma or solid tumors

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to estimate the mean incremental cost of chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia and the drivers of cost. Another goal was to estimate the impact of depth and duration of thrombocytopenia on the cost of thrombocytopenia. METHODS: A retrospective cohort, consisting of a random sample of 75 solid tumor or lymphoma patients who developed chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia (相似文献   

急性白血病化疗后血小板减少症治疗进展

急性白血病(AL)是一种以贫血、感染、出血为特征的常见恶性血液疾病。化疗是AL的主要治疗方法,而化疗所致的血小板减少症(TCP)发生率高,后果严重,故临床中早期对其进行预防及治疗相当重要。文章就AL化疗后TCP的治疗方法及其进展进行综述。     

Primary breast lymphoma: an uncommon but curable disease

Primary malignant breast lymphoma (PBL) is a rare disease with an incidence of 0.04-0.5% of all malignant breast neoplasms. The majority of cases are B-cell lymphomas and the most common histologic type is diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLCL). In this study, we report our experience with three cases of PBL. The treatment was the same currently indicated for early stage aggressive NHL, i.e. anthracycline based chemotherapy followed by the involved field radiation therapy. Unfortunately, two patients underwent mastectomy to carry out correct diagnosis. The three patients are alive without any evidence of relapse after 24, 67 and 135 months of follow-up. Considering that aggressive NHL is very sensitive to chemotherapy, mastectomy should be avoided to preserve the quality of life of these patients, once surgery does not change the good prognosis of PBL.     

重组人血小板生成素治疗老年人急性髓细胞白血病化疗后重度血小板减少20例

 目的　研究重组人血小板生成素（rhTPO）对老年急性髓细胞白血病（AML）化疗后所致血小板减少的治疗效果及患者不良反应。方法　20例老年AML完全缓解（CR）患者予连续2个周期巩固化疗。第1个周期（对照周期）出现重度血小板减少后仅输注血小板悬液;第2个周期（治疗周期）在前述治疗基础上,当血小板≤50×109／L时每日给予rhTPO 1.0 μg／kg,皮下注射,连用14 d,或血小板计数≥80×109／L后停药。观察患者疗效及不良反应。结果　治疗周期血小板<100×109／L的持续时间为（23.1±4.5）d,≤20×109／L的持续时间为（6.8±2.6）d,与对照周期的（25.8±5.7）d、（11.7±3.2）d比较,差异有统计学意义（P＜0.005）;血小板最低值治疗周期为（13.2±4.4）×109／L与对照周期的（12.2±3.1）×109／L比较,差异无统计学意义（P＝0.0967）;治疗周期血小板最高值为（239.3±48.7）×109／L,显著高于对照周期的（163.5±32.4）×109／L（P＜0.005）;治疗周期血小板输注量为（22.8±6.8）U,明显少于对照周期的（30.0±6.3）U（P＜0.05）;血红蛋白、白细胞计数、尿常规、肝功能、肾功能及凝血功能治疗周期与对照周期比较差异无统计学意义（P＝0.0872）。治疗周期5例患者出现不良反应（25％）,均为一过性,未出现血栓栓塞事件。结论　在老年AML巩固化疗中应用rhTPO,可以明显加速血小板的恢复,减轻化疗引起的血小板降低程度和持续时间,减少输注血小板,并且安全有效,值得临床推广应用。     

淋巴瘤免疫化疗后急性肝炎再活动挽救性抗病毒治疗的临床观察

目的:初步分析挽救性抗病毒治疗对于淋巴瘤免疫化疗后急性肝炎再活动的价值。方法:回顾性分析19例经免疫化疗后出现急性肝炎再活动的淋巴瘤患者的临床特征、挽救性抗病毒治疗方案及治疗效果,使用受试者工作特征(ROC)及Kap-lan-Meier曲线分析病毒应答时间及不同抗病毒策略的价值。结果:在19例患者中,10例肝炎活动治愈,13例达到病毒应答,病毒应答时间≤7周,联合抗病毒治疗策略组患者总生存较病毒应答时间>7周,单药抗病毒治疗组患者可能提高,但是差异无统计学意义。结论:病毒应答时间较短的挽救性抗病毒治疗对于经免疫化疗后急性肝炎再活动的淋巴瘤患者可能具有一定治疗价值。     

Impact of aspirin therapy in cancer patients with thrombocytopenia and acute coronary syndromes

BACKGROUND.

Patients with cancer who have thrombocytopenia may experience acute coronary syndromes (ACS), and the use of aspirin (ASA) poses an increased risk of bleeding. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that the benefit of ASA therapy in the treatment of ACS would extend to cancer patients with thrombocytopenia and outweigh the risks of severe bleeding.

METHODS.

The records of all cancer patients diagnosed with an ACS in 2001 and referred for cardiology consultation were reviewed. Patients were divided into 2 groups on the basis of platelet count, >100 cells k/μL and ≤100 cells k/μL. Data were collected on the use of ASA therapy, bleeding complications, and survival rates. The authors assessed group differences by using the Wilcoxon rank sum test or 2‐tailed Fisher exact test, as appropriate. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to assess factors potentially associated with 7‐day survival.

RESULTS.

In cancer patients with ACS and thrombocytopenia, those who did not receive ASA had a 7‐day survival rate of 6% compared with 90% in those who did receive ASA (P < .0001). There were no severe bleeding complications. Patients with a platelet count (>100 cells k/μL) who received ASA had a 7‐day survival rate of 88% compared with 45% in those who did not receive ASA (P = .0096).

CONCLUSIONS.

Therapy with ASA was associated with a significantly improved 7‐day survival after ACS in cancer patients, with or without thrombocytopenia, and not associated with more severe bleeding. Cancer 2007;109:621–627. © 2006 American Cancer Society.     

Serum C-reactive protein as an important prognostic variable in patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma

C-reactive protein (CRP) is an acute-phase reactant that is a promising biomarker in patients with cancer of many kinds. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate significant changes in CRP levels as a parameter for the response effect and long-term survival of patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Serum CRP data were collected in 94 patients with DLBCL from October 2006 to August 2009 in Cancer Center, Sun Yat-Sen University. Results were correlated with clinical data. The median CRP serum level in patients with DLBCL was 30.91 ± 53.35 in male and 22.39 ± 29.89 mg/L in female. Base line CRP levels were correlated with International Prognostic Index (IPI) scores (p = 0.03). Among the patients with an IPI score of 1-2, base line CRP levels were correlated with long-term survival (p = 0.001). Base line CRP levels were also correlated with OS (p = 0.001) and varied with different clinical stages (p = 0.03). The corresponding CRP levels in the patients with 2 cycles of chemotherapy were correlated with short-term treatment response (p = 0.003) and OS (p = 0.04) or TTP (p = 0.03). CRP serum levels can be used as additional prognostic parameter in patients with diffuse large B cell type lymphoma.     

Enoxaparin can be used safely in patients with severe thrombocytopenia due to intensive chemotherapy regimens

Treatment with intensive chemotherapy regimens is frequently complicated by severe thrombocytopenia. During the period of severe thrombocytopenia, anticoagulant treatment is not uncommonly indicated for thromboembolic events or thromboprophylaxis in these patients. We report 10 hematological patients treated with intensive chemotherapy protocols that were anticoagulated with enoxaparin for catheter related central venous thrombosis and thromboprophylaxis. During the period of severe thrombocytopenia the dosages of enoxaparin were reduced and no major bleeding occurred. Based on our experience we suggest that reduced dosages of low molecular weight heparins may be used relatively safely during transient severe thrombocytopenia.     

Rituximab-induced HMGB1 release is associated with inhibition of STAT3 activity in human diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

Treatment with rituximab plus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (R-CHOP) has greatly improved clinical outcomes in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) compared with CHOP. The mechanism of rituximab-induced cell death is poorly understood. We found that rituximab does not enhance the directly killing efficacy of CHOP, as tested on a panel of DLBCL cell lines. Rituximab induced a rapid release of HMGB1 (High mobility group protein B 1). This release is independent of cell death but significantly correlated with an inhibition on STAT3 activity. In the resting state, HMGB1 co-localizes and interacts with STAT3 in the nucleus of DLBCL cells. Treatment with rituximab breaks this binding and triggers HMGB1 release. Treatment with R-CHOP but not CHOP significantly increased plasma HMGB1 and decreased IL-10 concentrations in DLBCL patients compared with controls. The conditioned medium from rituximab-treated DLBCL cells is able to trigger dendritic cell maturation, phagocytosis, and IFN-g secretion by cytotoxic T cells. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that rituximab induces an inhibition on STAT3 activity, leading to increased HMGB1 release and decreased IL-10 secretion, which elicits immune responses, suggesting that indirect effects on the immune system rather than direct killing contribute to elimination of DLBCL.     

非霍奇金淋巴瘤患者乙型肝炎病毒感染情况分析

目的 分析非霍奇金淋巴瘤(NHL)患者乙型肝炎病毒(HBV)感染发生情况.方法 采用全自动微粒子化学发光免疫分析法检测2014年1月至2016年12月西南医科大学附属医院确诊的305例NHL患者血清中HBV标志物,并与同期住院的312例大肠癌患者及81775名全国普通人群HBV检出率进行比较.结果 305例NHL患者的乙型肝炎病毒表面抗原(HBsAg)阳性率、乙型肝炎病毒表面抗体(HBsAb)阳性率、乙型肝炎病毒核心抗体(HBcAb)阳性率与全国普通人群比较,差异均有统计学意义[19.0％(58/305)比7.2％(5888/81775),44.3％(135/305)比50.1％(40969/81775),45.9％(140/305)比34.1％(27885/81775),χ2值分别为63.1、4.1、18.8,均P<0.05],且NHL患者的HBsAg阳性率与大肠癌患者及全国普通人群比较,差异有统计学意义(χ2=65.7,P<0.01).B细胞NHL(B-NHL)和T细胞NHL(T-NHL)患者的HBsAg阳性率比较,差异有统计学意义[21.3％(51/239)比10.6％(7/66),χ2=3.869,P<0.05],而两组患者的HBsAb、HBcAb阳性率比较,差异无统计学意义(均P>0.05).133例NHL患者进行HBV DNA检测,其中44例(33.1％)阳性,58例HBsAg阳性患者中43例(74.1％)HBV DNA阳性,HBsAg阴性但HBcAb阳性的24例患者中1例(4.2％)HBV DNA阳性.结论NHL患者的HBV感染率高于大肠癌患者及全国普通人群,其中HBV的隐匿性感染是值得重视的问题.T-NHL患者的HBsAg阳性率低于B-NHL患者.如果NHL患者合并HBV感染,为预防HBV激活应在抗肿瘤治疗前给予抗病毒治疗.