Diagnosis Of Post-transplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder Research Articles

Diagnosis and treatment of neoplastic post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder following hematopoietic stem cell transplant in β-thalassemia

Introduction:Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is the most common form of lymphoproliferation in childhood and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. In this report we reviewed the case of a pediatric patient who experienced PTLD after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) from a human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-identical sibling.Methods:The clinical characteristics, diagnosis, and treatment of PTLD after sibling HSCT in a 4-year-old boy with severe β-thalassemia was retrospectively reviewed.Results:Medical records revealed the patient developed a fever and superficial lymphadenopathy and soft palate enlargement 8 months post-HSCT. Pathologic diagnosis indicated non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-cell type), which resulted in a reduced dose of immunosuppressant and the initiation of chemotherapy (administered according to the BFM95 protocol for 2 courses; 4 courses of rituximab therapy was also administered). Currently, the patient has been disease-free for over 3 years. There are no specific guidelines for the treatment of PTLD. The status of stem cell implantation after transplantation, and graft versus host disease should be evaluated jointly, and rituximab therapy and chemotherapy with BFM-95 may be used for treatment of pediatric PTLD after HSCT.Conclusion:The current case represents a unique opportunity to review a pediatric patient with β-thalassemia. The successful treatment of post-transplant non-Hodgkin B lymphoma may help other physicians in the management of similar pediatric cases.

Unilateral Facial Swelling as a Sign of Post-Transplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder: A Case Series

Introduction: Post-Transplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder (PTLD) is an unfortunate but increasingly common complication in the transplant era, occurring in up to 20% of post-transplant patients. PTLD has a strong association with Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) and commonly presents with fatigue, fever, pharyngitis, and lymphadenopathy. It rarely manifests in the head, neck and oral cavity. We present two post-transplant patients who reported unilateral facial swelling leading to a diagnosis of PTLD. Case Description: Case 1: This is a 48 year old female with past medical history of orthotopic liver transplant due to cirrhosis from biliary hypoplasia 7 months prior who presented with left-sided facial swelling and fevers. Examination showed left buccal mucosa edema and a purulent left palate lesion. Urgent surgical exploration showed a polypoid necrotic mass infiltrating the left maxilla and palate; pathology showed monomorphic B-cell lymphoproliferation. Her course was complicated by EBV and cytomegalovirus (CMV) viremia. She was treated with ganciclovir, started on rituximab for PTLD and responded well. Case 2: This is a 60 year old female with a past medical history of living unrelated donor kidney transplant due to polycystic kidney disease 9 years prior, who presented with right-sided facial swelling. She was treated with Augmentin for presumed cellulitis, however did not improve. She then presented to Otorhinolaryngology outpatient and underwent right cheek biopsy. Pathology showed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. She was started on R-CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone) for PTLD and responded well. Discussion: PTLD can occur in up to 20% of post-transplant patients. Risk factors for early-onset PTLD include seronegative EBV status, type of transplantation, young age at transplantation, Caucasian population, and CMV viremia. As shown, Case 1 had EBV and CMV viremia however Case 2 was EBV- and CMV-seronegative. Most commonly, PTLD presents with non-specific or gastrointestinal symptoms. In one study, PLTD in the head and neck comprised only 6% of the study population, and there have only been case reports detailing oral and gingival lesions as well as skin lesions. Although the mortality of PLTD can be as high as 60%, early detection will lead to improved survival. We postulate that post-transplant patients with unilateral facial swelling should be further evaluated for PTLD.

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD): single institutional experience of 141 patients

BackgroundPost-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder is a well-recognized but rare complication of hematopoietic stem cell and solid organ transplant. Due to rarity of this disease, retrospective studies from major transplant centers has been the main source to provide treatment guidelines, which are still in evolution. The sample size of this study is among one of the largest study on PTLD till date reported throughout the world.MethodsThis study was performed at University of Florida which is one of the largest transplant center in South East United States. We performed treatment and survival analysis along with univariate and multivariate analysis to identify prognostic factors.ResultsWe reviewed 141 patients diagnosed with PTLD over last 22 years with median follow-up of 2.4 years. The estimated median overall survival of the entire group was 15.0 years. Sub group analysis showed that 5-year overall survival rates of pediatric population were 88% (median not reached). For adults, median OS was 5.35 years while for elderly patients it was 1.32 years. The estimated median OS of patients with monomorphic PTLD was 9.0 years while in polymorphic PTLD was 19.3 years. Univariate analysis identified gender, age at transplant and PTLD diagnosis, performance status, IPI score, allograft type, recipient EBV status, multiple acute rejections prior to PTLD diagnosis, PTLD sub-type, extra-nodal site involvement, immunosuppressive drug regimen at diagnosis, initial treatment best response were statistically significant prognostic factors (p < 0.05). On multivariate analysis, age at PTLD diagnosis, recipient EBV status, bone marrow involvement, and initial best response were statistically significant prognostic factors (p < 0.05). Surprisingly, use of Rituximab alone as upfront therapy had poor hazard ratio in the cumulative group as well less aggressive PTLD subgroup comprising of early lesions and polymorphic PTLD.ConclusionsOur experience with treatment and analysis of outcomes does challenge current role of Rituximab use in treatment of PTLD. Currently as we define role of immunotherapy in cancer treatment, the role of acute rejections and immunosuppressant in PTLD becomes more relevant as noticed in our study. This study was also able to find new prognostic factors and also verified other known prognostic factors.

An Unusual Posttransplant T-cell Lymphoma After Liver Transplantation: A Case Report

Posttransplantation lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLDs) encompass a spectrum of heterogeneous entities ranging from benign lymphocytic proliferations to high-grade malignant lymphomas. The majority of PTLDs are associated with reactivation of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), which induces B-cell proliferation and occurs in the setting of severe immune suppression after solid organ or bone marrow transplantation. T-cell/natural killer cell PTLDs are relatively rare, constituting ∼15% of all cases. T-cell PTLDs are usually aggressive, and outcomes are poor. This article describes an unusual case of T-cell PTLD with a favorable outcome. The patient is a 57-year-old man who underwent a liver transplantation due to hepatitis C cirrhosis. He developed graft-versus-host disease with skin and gastrointestinal involvement and generalized lymphadenopathy 4 months after transplantation. Histologic sections of an excised axillary lymph node showed atypical medium and larger T-lymphocytes that were positive for CD3, CD5, CD43, and CD8 but were negative for B-cell antigens, CD56, and in situ hybridization for EBV-encoded RNA. Polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed monoclonal T-cell receptor gamma chain gene rearrangement. A diagnosis of high-grade T-cell PTLD was made. The patient was treated with 4 cycles of cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone and is currently in remission, 4 years after therapy. The rapid presentation of an EBV-negative T-cell PTLD with a nonaggressive course and complete response to treatment is an unusual presentation of posttransplantation T-cell lymphoma, which is usually associated with a high mortality rate.

Increased Incidence of Post-transplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder in Autoimmune Liver Disease: An Irish National Experience

Post-Transplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder (PTLD) is a well-recognized complication post solid organs transplant. PTLD represents a broad spectrum of abnormalities ranging from an infectious mononucleosis like illness to malignant lymphoma. A retrospective study was performed by collecting data of orthotopic liver transplant (OLT) patients in the National Liver Unit in Ireland from December 1993 to December 2014. Data was analyzed to identify PTLD patients and determine their demographic details, the indication for liver transplant, presenting symptoms, immunosuppression regimens, Epstein"Barr virus (EBV) status and PTLD outcome. From a total of 756 liver transplants recipients, 20 patients (2.6%) were diagnosed with PTLD. The median time from OLT to PTLD diagnosis was 83 months. The main primary indication for OLT of the PTLD cohort was Autoimmune Liver Disease (AiLD) (n=13, 65%, mainly primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) n=8, 40%). The combined group of auto-immune hepatitis, PSC and primary biliary cholangitis had a significantly higher incidence of PTLD compared to other etiologies (P<0.01). In AiLD PTLD subgroup, 61.5% were positive for EBV. Five patients (38.5%) had extra-nodal disease and 3 patients had CNS disease. 61% of PTLD AiLD patients (n=8) achieved complete response following their treatment. PTLD has high mortality however early diagnosis and complete remission are achievable. Our study suggests that the incidence of PTLD is increased in AiLD and notably PSC patients.

Association of allograft rejection with reduction of immunosuppression for post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder: Analysis of a 20-year single-institutional experience.

e19047 Background: Post transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is a rare, but potentially fatal complication of transplantation and therapeutic immunosuppression (IS). The cornerstone of PTLD management is reduction of IS, which carries the risk of allograft rejection. Methods: Retrospective analysis of patients diagnosed with PTLD after solid organ (SOT) or allogeneic stem cell transplant (HSCT) at the University of Florida were identified through a review of individual EMR charts. This analysis focused on rates of allograft rejection and graft failure with RI. Results: Of 138 patients diagnosed with PTLD between 1994 and 2016, 15% (n = 20) experienced allograft rejection during PTLD treatment. The primary organ of transplant and rejection included liver (35%), lung (25%), heart (10%), HSCT (15%) and kidney (15%). Median age at PTLD diagnosis was 14.5 years (range 2-59), males (50%) and median time from transplant to PTLD diagnosis was 25 months (range 0-173). RI was a documented as a component of initial PTLD treatment in 19/20 (95%) patients, with 2/20 (10%) undergoing complete withdrawal of immunosuppression, 13/20 (65%) partial RI (withdraw of one or more drugs) and 3/20 (10%) dose reductions of their established IS regimen. One lung recipient (5%) was transitioned to an alternative agent, and one patient had no documented records of IS adjustment. Treatment for acute rejection included observation 2/20 (10%), pulse steroids 11/29 (55%) or IS increase 12/20 (60%). 7/20 (35%) received combination steroids and increased IS. Allograft failure developed in 5/20 (25%) (1 kidney, 1 lung, 1 heart, 1 liver, 1 BMT). Allograft failure was not shown to correlate with RPI score at diagnosis, organ transplanted, induction therapy at transplant or 3-year OS. Of note 5/5 (100%) of patients received Rituximab as part of initial treatment, versus 5/15 patients whose grafts survived. Conclusions: RI for PTLD is associated with moderate rates of response, however acute graft rejection is common and is associated with high rates of graft failure. PTLD may still have favorable outcomes when combining partial RI with chemotherapy and Rituximab.

PTLD: Survival and analysis of prognostic factors in a cohort of 138 patients from a single institution.

e19048 Background: The outcome and prognostic factors of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) varies in currently reported literature. We present one of the largest single institution retrospective analysis from University of Florida. Methods: Patient population was identified from EMR and charts were reviewed to collect data. Primary outcome was Overall survival (OS) and secondary outcome was identification of prognostic factors. Results: We identified 138 patients with PTLD from Sept 1994 to Feb 2016 (liver 34%, Kidney 23%, heart 21%, lungs 12%, kidney-pancreas 2% and BMT 6%). After survival analysis, 131 patients were further followed for secondary outcomes. 36% (n = 47) were less than 18 years of age, 60% (n = 83) were males. The median age of PTLD diagnosis was 44 years and the median duration from transplant to PTLD was 4.4 years. Pathology was early lesion 6% (n = 8), polymorphic 17% (n = 23), Monomorphic 71% (n = 93), Hodgkin/like 4.5% (n = 6). Extra-nodal site involvement was 61% (n = 80), most common being GI tract. Ann-Arbor stage distribution was stage I/II 50% (n = 65), stage III/IV 46% (n = 60). Initial treatment was immunosuppression (IS) reduction alone in 24% (n = 31), Rituximab (R) 24% (n = 31), chemotherapy (+/- R) 46% (n = 60). Most common chemo regimen was CHOP (+/-R) 27% (N = 36). After first line, 48% patients had complete remission (CR), 18% partial remission (PR) and 15% progressive disease (PD). Second line treatment was required in 33% (n = 44) and 10% (n = 13) patients required 3rdline treatment. Final analysis showed 61% (n = 80) achieved CR, 17% (n = 22) had PD, 56% (n = 74) patients were alive and 49% (n = 64) are alive without PTLD. Median OS was 14.99 years. Multivariate analysis identified transplant age, organ transplant recipients, PTLD diagnosis age, performance status, IPI score, graft rejection, history of malignancy and recipient EBV status as prognostic factors (p &lt; .05). Conclusions: This study from a leading regional transplant center shows notable OS which is likely from improved immunosuppressive regimens, treatment modalities and large pediatric population. We identified various prognostic factors affecting survival and propose validation to generate prognostic score.

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease in lung transplantation: A nested case-control study.

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) may compromise long-term outcome of lung transplant (LTx) recipients. A case-control study was performed, comparing LTx recipients with PTLD (n=31) to matched recipients without PTLD (Controls, n=62). Risk factors for PTLD and post-transplant outcomes were assessed. PTLD prevalence was 3.9%, time to PTLD 323 (166-1132) days; and 54.8% had early-onset PTLD versus 45.2% late-onset PTLD. At LTx, more Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-seronegative patients were present in PTLD (42%) compared to Controls (5%) (P<.0001); most of whom had undergone EBV seroconversion upon PTLD diagnosis. EBV viral load was higher in PTLD versus Controls (P<.0001). Overall, lower hemoglobin and higher C-reactive protein levels were present in PTLD versus Controls (P<.0001). EBV status at LTx (P=.0073) and EBV viral load at PTLD (P=.0002) were the most important risk determinates for later PTLD. Patients with PTLD demonstrated shorter time to onset of chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD) (P=.0006) and poorer 5-year survival post-LTx (66.6% versus 91.5%), resulting in worse CLAD-free survival (HR 2.127, 95%CI 1.006-4.500; P=.0483) and overall survival (HR 3.297 95%CI 1.473-7.382; P=.0037) compared to Controls. Late-onset PTLD had worse survival compared to early-onset PTLD (P=.021). Primary EBV infection is a risk for PTLD; which is associated with worse long-term outcome post-LTx.

Posttransplant Lymphoproliferative Disorders in Irish Renal Transplant Recipients: Insights From a National Observational Study.

Posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLD) are a common malignancy after renal transplantation with a high incidence of PTLD described in the first posttransplant year. We sought to determine incidence and risk determinants of PTLD in Irish kidney transplant recipients. Retrospective observational study of 1996 adult first kidney transplant recipients between 1991 and 2010 in the Republic of Ireland. Recipients were cross-referenced with the National Cancer Registry to determine incidence of PTLD. Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed for PTLD-free survival, allograft survival, and patient survival after PTLD. Cox proportional hazards models were used to identify independent risk factors for PTLD in our population. We identified 31 cases of PTLD during the study period. Histological subgroups included: early lesions (n = 1); polymorphic PTLD (n = 1); monomorphic PTLD (n = 27), Hodgkin disease (n = 2). Median time to PTLD diagnosis was 8.3 (range, 1.2-13.9) years. Cumulative incidence (95% CI) of PTLD at 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, and 15 years was 0%, 0.16% (0.05-0.5%), 0.21% (0.08-0.57%), 0.21% (0.08-0.57%), 1.76% (1.15-2.69%), and 3.07% (2.1-4.43%), respectively. Allograft survival after PTLD diagnosis was 94.4% (66.6-99.2%) at 5 years. Patient survival after PTLD diagnosis was 64% at 1 year, 53% at 2 years, 48% at 5 years, and 37% at 10 years. No risk factors for PTLD were identified. We found a paucity of early onset PTLD in our cohort with no cases in the first posttransplant year. Potential contributing factors included a high prevalence of previous Epstein-Barr virus exposure and a relatively low immunological risk profile in our recipient cohort compared with prior studies. Further studies are required to reevaluate the epidemiology of PTLD in the modern era of transplant immunosuppression.

Epstein-Barr virus and renal transplantation.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a gamma herpesvirus associated with diseases ranging from asymptomatic viremia to post-transplant malignancies in kidney transplant recipients. EBV specifically is associated with post-transplantation lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD), in kidney transplant recipients, with increased risk in EBV seronegative patients with EBV seropositive donors on intensified immunosuppression. The diagnosis of PTLD relies on clinical suspicion plus tissue biopsy with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing of blood currently used for risk determination in high-risk recipients. Therapeutic strategies for PTLD include reduction of immunosuppression, chemotherapy and rituximab, and consideration of sirolimus-based immunosuppression. Antivirals such as ganciclovir are used to prevent reactivation of cytomegalovirus and other herpes viruses but are not onco-therapeutic. Radiation therapy or surgery is indicated for bulky, disseminated or recalcitrant disease. Prognosis varies depending on the type of malignancy identified and stage of disease.

DA-R-EPOCH in Post Transplant Lymphoproliferative Disorders (PTLD) and EBV-Positive High Grade B-Cell Lymphomas with Rearrangements of MYC and BCL2 (HGBL)

Introduction: Immunotherapy with rituximab alone or in combination with sequential chemotherapy such as CHOP, in addition to a reduction in immunosuppression (IST), has been shown to be effective in achieving long-term, disease-free survival in patients with B-cell PTLD. We have recently observed an increased incidence of HGBL in patients receiving IST following solid-organ transplant. Intensive induction regimens (ex: DA-R-EPOCH) in non-transplant HGBL has been associated with improved complete responses. Intensive regimens have not been previously evaluated in patients with PTLD. The aim of this study is to compare the tolerability of DA-R-EPOCH to R-CHOP in post-transplant patients with HGBL.Methods: Patients treated with either DA-R-EPOCH or R-CHOP were included in this study following IRB approval. Eligible patients were ≥18 years, had biopsy-confirmed B-cell PTLD, and were treated with at least one cycle of DA-R-EPOCH or R-CHOP. The primary outcome was progression-free survival (PFS); secondary outcomes were overall survival (OS), toxicities, and hospitalizations due to treatment-related toxicities. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS.22 softwareResults: Sixty-three patients had biopsy-confirmed PTLD. Of these, 26 met inclusion criteria. Among these 26 patients, 19 (73.1%) were men; median age was 57 years (18-75 years); and transplants included 3 (11.5%) lung, 4 (15.4%) heart, 9 (34.6%) kidney, 8 (30.8%) liver, 2 (7.7%) pancreas, and 1 (3.8%) stem cell. All patients were receiving IST at the time of diagnosis of PTLD. Pathology reports found that 24 (92.3%) had diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL)-like PTLD, and 11 (57.9%) had EBV-positive disease. HGBL was observed in 10 (38.5%) patients. Seven patients received DA-R-EPOCH, and 19 received R-CHOP. Baseline characteristics were similar between treatment groups. There was a significantly higher number of patients with HGBL in the DA-R-EPOCH arm compared with the R-CHOP arm (100% [7/7] vs. 15.8% [3/19]; 95% CI, -0.01-1.00; p=0.001). The median number of cycles administered was not significantly different between the groups (4.6 cycles vs. 5 cycles; 95% CI, 4.33-6.07; p=0.645). Dose intensification occurred in 8 of 32 cycles for patients who received DA-R-EPOCH. The median follow-up time for patients treated with DA-R-EPOCH was shorter (10 months) than for patients treated with R-CHOP (29 months). PFS was not found to be significantly different between the DA-R-EPOCH and R-CHOP arms (10.4 months vs. 61.4 months; 95% CI, 1.80-18.99; p=0.31). Patients with EBV-positive disease had inferior PFS compared with EBV-negative disease (7.37 months vs. NR; 95% CI, 1.02-10.2; p=0.046). In addition, OS, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, hospitalizations, and hospitalizations due to febrile neutropenia were not significantly different between groups, though trends toward higher rates of grade 3 or 4 neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, and hospitalizations was observed in the DA-R-EPOCH group.Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first study evaluating the role of intensive induction therapy in patients with HGBL with MYC and BCL2 rearrangements observed in solid organ transplant recipients. In patients with PTLD, DA-R-EPOCH is a well-tolerated regimen with concurrent taper in IST. However, this strategy may not overcome the poor prognosis of HGBL. Dose adjustments beyond level 2 were limited by cytopenias. [Display omitted] DisclosuresReddy:KITE: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; celgene: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; GILEAD: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; INFINITY: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees.

A Single-Center Retrospective Study of 140 Patients with Post-Transplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder Following Solid Organ Transplantation

Background: Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is an uncommon, heterogeneous disease that occurs in the setting of immune suppression following solid organ transplantation. As the transplant population ages over time, the spectrum of PTLD histologies and their treatment has evolved; we report here our recent experience with PTLD from a large multi-organ transplant program.Methods: We identified patients from the Multi-Organ Transplant Program at University Health Network (UHN) who were diagnosed with PTLD between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2015. We describe the characteristics and outcomes of this cohort, with a focus on the outcome of patients with the diffuse large B cell (DLBCL) subtype of PTLD treated in the rituximab era.Results: A total of 140 patients were diagnosed with PTLD at UHN during this time period (Table 1): 38% were female and median age at time of diagnosis was 50 (interquartile range, IQR Q1/Q3, 37 to 62 years). The most commonly implicated transplants were liver and kidney (33% and 32%), as well as lung (20%) and heart (7%). The median time from organ transplantation to PTLD diagnosis was 61 months (IQR 9 to 136), with 70% of cases occurring more than 12 months following solid organ transplant. Pathologically, the majority of the patients had monomorphic PTLD, with DLBCL (n = 86) being most common. Where classifiable by the Hans algorithm (n = 68), the majority of the DLBCL types were of the non-germinal center B cell type (non-GCB, 76.5%). Of 24 DLBCL patients with available FISH, 7 had a MYC translocation (29%).Treatment and outcome varied by PTLD subtype (Table 2). For the overall cohort (n = 140), the median OS was 5.1 years. Highlighting competing risks, less than half of patients died of PTLD, with the remainder of mortality due to complications of solid organ transplantation, or less commonly, due to treatment-related mortality. Polymorphic PTLD (n = 17) was treated in a variety of ways ranging from reduction in immunosuppression (RIS) alone to R-CHOP; median OS was 10.3 years. Less common histologic subtypes (Hodgkin, Burkitt, T cell) were treated with therapies specific to those lymphomas. For DLBCL (n = 86), treatment consisted of RIS alone (10.5%; OS 4.4 years) or RIS followed by local treatment (involved field radiation or surgical resection) (7.0%; OS not reached); single agent rituximab (R) (22.1%; OS not reached); sequential R followed by CHOP (11.6%; OS 1.5 years), or upfront R-CHOP (43.0%; OS 3.4 years). Median OS for patients classified as non-GCB was not worse than those classified as GCB (OS 6.2 vs. 4.7 years, p = 0.93).In the DLBCL cohort, 20 patients had progression during or after first line therapy, with 14 patients receiving additional treatment. Patients with early relapse during initial therapy or within the first 3 months (n = 13) did poorly compared to patients with later relapse occurring after 3 months (n = 7; median OS 0.7 vs 5.6 years, p < 0.01). This was similar to the entire cohort, where 40 patients relapsed and early relapsed/refractory patients also had poor outcomes compared to late relapsing patients (median OS 0.8 vs. 5.1 years, p <0.01). Six patients in the overall cohort had an autologous stem cell transplant for progressive disease; 4 remain in remission after 5 years (range, 1.3 to 5.8 years follow-up).Conclusion: In this recent retrospective cohort, PTLD was generally late onset and the median OS of all patients was 5 years. The most common histology was DLBCL (non-GCB subtype), but cell of origin did not influence outcome. Patients with early relapse or refractory disease had poor overall survival. Due to competing risks and comorbidities, many PTLD patients continue to have poor outcomes despite modern treatment strategies. [Display omitted] [Display omitted] DisclosuresJain:Roche Canada: Research Funding. Prica:Janssen: Honoraria. Kukreti:Celgene: Honoraria; Amgen: Honoraria; Lundbeck: Honoraria. Kuruvilla:Abbvie: Consultancy, Honoraria; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria; Gilead: Consultancy, Honoraria; BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria; Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria; Amgen: Honoraria; Roche Canada: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Merck: Honoraria; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Honoraria; Lundbeck: Honoraria.

Management of Epstein-Barr Virus infections and post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders in patients after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: Sixth European Conference on Infections in Leukemia (ECIL-6) guidelines.

Epstein-Barr virus-related post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders are recognized as a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. To better define current understanding of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders in stem cell transplant patients, and to improve its diagnosis and management, a working group of the Sixth European Conference on Infections in Leukemia 2015 reviewed the literature, graded the available quality of evidence, and developed evidence-based recommendations for diagnosis, prevention, prophylaxis and therapy of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders exclusively in the stem cell transplant setting. The key elements in diagnosis include non-invasive and invasive methods. The former are based on quantitative viral load measurement and imaging with positron emission tomography; the latter with tissue biopsy for histopathology and detection of Epstein-Barr virus. The diagnosis of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder can be established on a proven or probable level. Therapeutic strategies include prophylaxis, preemptive therapy and targeted therapy. Rituximab, reduction of immunosuppression and Epstein-Barr virus-specific cytotoxic T-cell therapy are recommended as first-line therapy, whilst unselected donor lymphocyte infusions or chemotherapy are options as second-line therapy; other methods including antiviral drugs are discouraged.

Epstein-Barr Virus-related Posttransplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder in Children: A Single-institution Experience.

We report 4 pediatric cases of biopsy-proven posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) in the context of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). All cases showed diffuse staining with latent membrane protein-1 in immunohistochemistry. The median age at transplant of 4 patients with PTLD was 10.1 years (range, 2.2 to 13.2 y). The median interval between HSCT and the diagnosis of PTLD was 5.5 months (range, 4 to 8 mo). All patients were treated with rituximab at dosage of 375 mg/m at weekly intervals. Reduction of immunosuppression was warranted in all cases. All patients survived with median follow-up duration of 27 months. Although PTLD has been rare following allogeneic HSCT, reduction of immunosuppression combined with rituximab yielded significant response rates in patients with this infrequent but potentially lethal complication. The preliminary finding of this study demonstrated that severe aplastic anemia is closely associated with the development of PTLD in children.

Role of Epstein‐Barr virus status and immunophenotypic studies in the evaluation of exfoliative cytology specimens from patients with post‐transplant lymphoproliferative disorders

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLDs) are well characterized in tissue sections, but their evaluation in exfoliative cytology specimens is limited. This study reports a 25-year experience with PTLDs in exfoliative cytology specimens. All solid organ or allogeneic stem cell transplant recipients with PTLDs and exfoliative cytology specimens from 1987 to 2011 were identified. The cytomorphology, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) status, flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry, and molecular studies were reviewed from all exfoliative cytology specimens previously diagnosed as atypical lymphoid proliferations or PTLDs. A total of 55 patients (age range, 1-72 years) with PTLDs had 434 exfoliative cytology specimens. Thirty-six of the 55 patients (65%) had 54 specimens with abnormal lymphoid proliferations (12% of the specimens), and 26 of these patients had 37 specimens available for review (15 cerebrospinal fluid specimens, 12 peritoneal fluid specimens, 9 pleural fluid specimens, and 1 bronchoalveolar lavage fluid specimen). Thirty percent of the reviewed cytology specimens were diagnostic of PTLDs, including 8 cases of monomorphic post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (M-PTLD) with abnormal B/T-cell populations identified with flow cytometry/immunohistochemistry and 3 EBV-positive specimens with a differential diagnosis of polymorphic PTLD versus M-PTLD. All cases diagnostic of a PTLD had 1 to 3 ancillary studies performed. Forty percent of the cytology specimens (15 of 37) were suspicious for a PTLD, but ancillary studies were performed for only a third of them, and they did not support a definitive diagnosis of a PTLD. Thirty percent of the cytology specimens (11 of 37) appeared reactive, but they lacked sufficient ancillary studies to exclude a PTLD. Atypical lymphoid proliferations are common in exfoliative cytology specimens from patients with PTLDs, and they require ancillary studies at least including immunophenotyping and EBV evaluations for a definitive diagnosis. Cancer Cytopathol 2016;124:425-35. © 2016 American Cancer Society.

Incidence and Long-Term Prognosis of Cancer After Kidney Transplantation

BackgroundMalignancy is an important cause of mortality in renal transplants recipients. The incidence of cancer is increased by immunosuppressive treatment and longer kidney graft survival. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence, prognosis and survival of posttransplant malignancies: solid organ cancer (SOC), posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD), and nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC). MethodsWe retrospectively studied the development of cancers among kidney transplants patients in our hospital from January 1979 to January 2015. We analyzed demographic and clinical characteristics, risk factors, and patient survival after tumor diagnosis. ResultsWe included 1450 kidney transplants recipients with a mean follow-up was 10 years; among them, 194 developed malignancies. The mean age at presentation was 59 ± 10 years. The SOC, PTLD, and NMSC incidences were 6.2%, 1.2%, and 6%, respectively. The most common tumors were kidney (16.6%), colon (11%), bladder (10%), breast (10%), prostate (10%), and lung (8.8%). The median times to development of a SOC, PTLD, and NMSC were 6.86 (range, 3.7–12), 4.43 (range, 1.8–5.7), and 8.19 (range, 3.8–12.2) years, respectively. Risk factors associated with developing SOC and PTLD were patient age (odds ratio [OR], 1.03; P < .001) and time posttransplant (OR, 1.05; P = .02), whereas for NMSC were to be male (OR, 3.61; P < .001), to take calcineurin inhibitors (OR, 2.17; P = .034), patient age (OR, 1.05; P < .001) and time posttransplant (OR, 1.15; P < .01). The mean survival time from the diagnosis of SOC, PTLD, and NMSC were 2.09 (range, 0.1–5.3), 0.22 (range, 0.05–1.9), and 7.68 (range, 3.9–10.5) years, respectively (P < .001). ConclusionsSOC occurs more frequently than other malignancies among renal transplant patients. NMSC has better survival and prognosis. Older patients and prolonged graft function have a greater risk of developing malignancies.

Genotypic Detection of Epstein Barr Virus in Pediatric Transplant Recipients From India.

To determine the rate of occurrence and genotypes of Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) among pediatric renal and liver transplants recipients. Observational study. Vision Research Foundation referral center and Institute of Liver Disease and Transplantation, Chennai, India. 70 pediatric solid organ transplant recipients and 60 voluntary healthy donors. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for detection and genotyping of EBV were carried out using genes targeting Viral capsid antigen, Nuclear antigen 1, 2 and 3, followed by real time PCR for viral load determination and further confirmed by phylogenetic analysis. EBV was detected in 35 (51.4%) samples (32 liver and 4 renal transplants) with high viral load. Type A was detected in 33 samples, Type B in 2 liver transplant patients, and co-infection in one liver transplant patient who developed Post-transplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder (PTLD). Real time PCR results correlated with conventional PCR. The mean viral load for patients who did not develop PTLD was 50,424 copies/mL. Overall EBV load in patient with PTLD ranged from 1,40,392 copies/mL prior to PTLD diagnosis to 62,124 copies /mL post treatment. EBV infection is the high risk factor for PTLD after liver transplantation. PCR targeting of EBV can be applied to diagnose EBV infections and monitor treatment for EBV in pediatric solid organ transplant recipients.

HLA Associations and Risk of Posttransplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder in a Danish Population-Based Cohort.

Posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is a feared complication to organ transplantation, associated with substantial morbidity and inferior survival. Risk factors for PTLD include T cell-depleting induction therapy and primary infection or reactivation of Epstein-Barr virus. Possible associations between certain HLA types and the risk of developing PTLD have been reported by other investigators; however, results are conflicting. We conducted a retrospective, population-based study on 4295 Danish solid organ transplant patients from the Scandiatransplant database. Having identified 93 PTLD patients in the cohort, we investigated the association of HLA types with PTLD, Epstein-Barr virus status and time to PTLD onset. The outcomes survival and PTLD were evaluated using Cox regression; mismatching, and the PTLD-specific mortality were evaluated in a competing risk analysis. Risk of PTLD was associated with male sex (odds ratio, 1.70; 95% confidence interval, 1.07-2.71), and, in women, HLA-DR13 conferred an increased risk (odds ratio, 3.22; 95% confidence interval, 1.41-7.31). In multivariate analysis, HLA-B45 and HLA-DR13 remained independent predictive factors of PTLD. Mismatching in the B locus was associated with a reduced risk of PTLD (P < 0.001). Overall survival was poor after a PTLD diagnosis and was significantly worse than that in the remaining transplant cohort (P < 0.001). Our data indicate risk-modifying HLA associations, which can be clinically useful after transplantation in personalized monitoring schemes. Given the strong linkage disequilibrium in the HLA region, the associations must be interpreted carefully. The large size, virtually complete ascertainment of cases and no loss to follow-up remain important strengths of the study.

Radioimmunotherapy (90Y-Ibritumomab Tiuxetan) for Posttransplant Lymphoproliferative Disorders After Prior Exposure to Rituximab

Posttransplantation lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLDs) are life-threatening complications after solid organ and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Only half of CD20-positive PTLDs respond to rituximab monotherapy, and outcomes remain poor for patients with relapsed/refractory disease, especially those who do not qualify for an anthracycline containing regimen due to frailty or comorbidities. Radioimmunotherapy (RIT) might be an option in this particular setting. We report a panel of eight patients with rituximab refractory/relapsed CD20-positive PTLDs including three ineligible for subsequent CHOP-like chemotherapy who received (90) Y-Ibritumomab tiuxetan as a single agent (n = 7) or combined to chemotherapy (n = 1). Five out of eight patients were kidney transplant recipients, while 2/8 had a liver transplant and 1/8 had a heart transplant. Patients received a median of two previous therapies. Overall response rate was 62.5%. Importantly, all responders achieved complete response. At a median follow-up of 37 months [5; 84], complete response was ongoing in four patients. Toxicity was predominantly hematological and easily manageable. No graft rejection was noticed concomitantly or following RIT administration despite immunosuppression reduction after diagnosis of PTLDs. This report emphasizes the potential efficiency of salvage RIT for early rituximab refractory PTLDs without any unexpected toxicity.

Human leukocyte antigen type and posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder.

Posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is an infrequent but serious complication of solid organ transplantation. Early detection and initiation of therapy may improve outcomes. The purpose of this study was to identify human leukocyte antigen (HLA) type as risk and prognostic factors for PTLD. A review was undertaken to identify PTLD cases treated at our institution over the past 25 years. Logistic regression and Cox Proportional Hazards were used to model risk factors for PTLD and clinical outcomes in patients with PTLD. One hundred six cases of PTLD were identified with 1392 solid-organ transplant recipient controls. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) seronegative status pretransplant (odds ratio [OR] = 7.61, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 3.83-15.1) and receipt of a nonkidney transplant were associated with an increased risk of PTLD. Being African American and receipt of a living-related kidney transplant were associated with a decreased risk of PTLD. The HLA-B40 group was a risk factor for PTLD in EBV-seronegative individuals (OR = 8.38, 95% CI = 2.18-32.3), whereas HLA-B8 was a risk factor for PTLD in EBV-seropositive individuals (OR = 3.29, 95% CI = 1.52-7.09). Specific HLA types were not associated with graft failure or mortality after PTLD diagnosis. In PTLD patients, central nervous system (CNS) involvement, bone marrow involvement, T-cell PTLD, and age were associated with increased mortality. Human leukocyte antigen-B40 group and HLA-B8 were identified as novel susceptibility factors for PTLD in EBV-seropositive and EBV-seronegative individuals, respectively. Multicentered, large prospective studies of PTLD with correlative immunologic work are needed to test the significance of these observed associations.