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Biomedical subjects

J C Kluin-Nelemans

Publications and source records attributed to J C Kluin-Nelemans.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Primary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of bone: a clinicopathological investigation of 60 cases.

A retrospective analysis of patients presenting with primary lymphoma of bone (PLB) was performed to determine clinical factors affecting prognosis in relation to histological subtype and treatment outcome. Data from 106 patients, presenting with a PLB between 1943 and 1996, were retrieved from the files of the Netherlands Committee on Bone Tumours and Leiden University Medical Centre. The lymphomas were reclassified according to the REAL and updated Kiel classification. The clinical presentation, survival and prognostic factors were investigated. Sixty patients had sufficient clinical information and adequate follow-up to be included in the study. All 33 PLB that could be immunophenotyped were of B cell origin. According to the REAL classification, most PLB were large (B) cell lymphomas (92%) and according to the Kiel classification 45% of the tumours were centroblastic multilobated. PLB presented most often in the long bones (48%), with Ann Arbor stage I (46%), II (16%), IV (16%) and unknown (20%). Stage IV disease was exclusively caused by the presence of multiple bone lesions. Notwithstanding the heterogeneous treatment, the 5-year overall survival was 61%; 46% of patients were progression free at 5 years. Patients at presentation older than 60 had a worse overall survival (76% vs 37%, P = 0.0002) and a worse progression-free period (58% vs 28%, P = 0.0073). Patients with the immunoblastic subtype had a worse survival than the centroblastic mono/polymorphic subtype or the centroblastic multilobated subtype (P = 0.015). Primary lymphoma of bone represents an uncommon bone tumour with a relatively homogeneous morphology and clinical behaviour. Compared to other aggressive lymphomas, PLB have a favourable prognosis.

Adolescent↗

Secondary T-acute lymphoblastic leukaemia mimicking blast crisis in chronic myeloid leukaemia.

A 34-year-old man with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) firstly developed a lymphoid blast crisis of B-cell type. After a second chronic phase which lasted for > 4 years with maintenance chemotherapy of hydroxyurea, 6-mercaptopurine and methotrexate, he developed a T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia of TcR-gammadelta+ type. Cytogenetic analysis revealed disappearance of the t(9;22) translocation and appearance of new abnormalities consistent with the diagnosis secondary acute leukaemia. To our knowledge, secondary leukaemia in CML has not previously been reported.

Adult↗

Serum interleukin-6 has no discriminatory role in paraproteinaemia nor a prognostic role in multiple myeloma.

We determined interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels in the serum of 212 well-defined patients with newly diagnosed paraproteinaemia and evaluated its discriminatory value and prognostic role in multiple myeloma (MM). Results were compared with serum neural cell adhesion molecule and beta-2-microglobulin, both established prognostic MM markers. Paraproteinaemia-related diagnoses were: MM (60), other haematological diseases (46), solid tumours (35), autoimmune diseases (17) and monoclonal gammopathy of unknown significance (MGUS) (54). The range of IL-6 levels in all diagnostic groups overlapped widely and did not serve as a discriminatory marker in newly diagnosed paraproteinaemia even when patients with infection or fever (42) were excluded. In MM high IL-6 levels (>/= 50 pg/ml) were not associated with a shorter survival (P = 0.24). We compared our results with 20 published studies on serum IL-6 in paraproteinaemia and/or MM. IL-6 data have to be related to the assay used (bio- or immunoassay) and to the status of MM (newly diagnosed, during therapy, progressive disease). We conclude that serum IL-6 is not specific for paraproteinaemia-related diseases and will not serve as a reliable discriminatory or prognostic marker in paraproteinaemia and MM.

C-Reactive Protein↗

[The risk of a multiple myeloma in patients with paraproteinemia: a myeloma risk score developed in the region of the Comprehensive Cancer Center West].

Diagnoses in patients with paraproteinaemia are diverse; few (mostly single centre based) studies are known that describe incidence, diagnoses and follow-up in patients with paraproteinaemia. In the region of the Comprehensive Cancer Centre West in the Netherlands (population 1.6 million, 1992) a population-based registry was set up in the period 1991-1993. Patients (n = 1464; median age: 72 years; range: 16-102) were entered by clinical chemists, internists, haematologists, and pathologists. Multiple myeloma and plasmacytoma were diagnosed in 261 patients (18%), paraprotein-related haematological diseases in 159 patients (11%) and paraprotein-related internal diseases in 210 patients (14%). After bone marrow examination monoclonal gammopathy of unknown significance (MGUS) was diagnosed in 207 (14%) patients. No further diagnosis could be made in 627 (43%) patients mostly for lack of supplementary bone marrow and (or) X-ray examinations. Consequently, more than two-thirds of all patients with a newly found paraprotein did not show any sign of a haematological malignancy. Using these data a 'myeloma risk score' was developed to predict the presence of a multiple myeloma based on paraprotein type and concentration, aiding the physician in determining which patients should undergo further bone marrow and skeletal examinations.

Adolescent↗

A new prognostic score for survival of patients with chronic myeloid leukemia treated with interferon alfa. Writing Committee for the Collaborative CML Prognostic Factors Project Group.

BACKGROUND: Interferon alfa is a conservative and widely used alternative to bone marrow transplantation in treatment of patients with early chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). A meta-analysis was conducted to develop a reliable prognostic scoring system for estimation of survival of patients with CML treated with interferon alfa. METHODS: Patients treated in prospective studies, including major randomized trials, were separated into learning and validation samples. Cox regression analysis and the minimum P-value approach were used to identify prognostic factors for patient survival and to discover groups in the learning sample with the greatest differences in survival. These findings were then validated by applying the new scoring system to patients in the validation sample. RESULTS: We collected data on 1573 patients who were participants in 14 studies involving 12 institutions; 1303 patients (learning sample, n = 981; validation sample, n = 322) were eligible for inclusion in this analysis, and their median survival time was 69 months (range, 1-117 months). Because two previously described prognostic scoring systems failed to discriminate risk groups satisfactorily, we developed a new scoring system that utilizes the following covariates: age, spleen size, blast count, platelet count, eosinophil count, and basophil count. Among 908 patients with complete data in the learning sample, three distinct risk groups were identified (median survival times of 98 months [n = 369; 40.6%], 65 months [n = 406; 44.7%], or 42 months [n = 133;14.6%]; two-sided logrank test, P< or =.0001). The ability of the new scoring system to discriminate these risk groups was confirmed by analysis of 285 patients with complete data in the validation sample (two-sided logrank test, P = .0002). CONCLUSIONS: A new prognostic scoring system for estimating survival of patients with CML treated with interferon alfa has been developed and validated through use of a large dataset.

Adult↗

Selective response of CD5+ B cell malignancies to activation of the CD72 antigen.

The function of the simultaneous expression of CD5 and its ligand CD72 on B cell malignancies like chronic lymphocytic leukemia and mantle cell lymphoma was assessed. It is unknown if reciprocal interactions between CD72 and CD5 exert an autocrine growth-promoting or -inhibiting effect. CD5+ (n = 13) and CD5- (n = 9) B cell malignancies were cultured with the anti-CD72 mAb WL225. For comparison, five other anti-CD72 mAbs were tested. Only CD5+ B cell malignancies proliferated upon CD72 activation (9 out of 13 cases). A strong suppressive effect of IL-4 on the anti-CD72-induced [3H]thymidine incorporation, partially caused by downmodulation of the CD72 expression, was seen. Stimulation of the CD5 antigen by L cells transfected with human CD72 (LhCD72) and the anti-CD5 mAb 1C12 exerted no (n = 9) or a minor effect (2 out of 8 cases), respectively. Finally, the results of CD72 stimulation were compared with CD40 stimulation, as this "CD40 system" is an effective method for stimulating B cell malignancies. In 4 of the 7 anti-CD72 responsive cases a costimulatory effect was seen.

Antigens, CD↗

Elderly patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: population-based results in The Netherlands.

BACKGROUND: To compare characteristics, treatment and outcome of patients > or = 70 years with patients < 70 years in a population-based non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) registry. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All new patients with NHL (n = 1168) in a geographically defined region in the western part of The Netherlands were registered during a nearly 10-year period. Patient, tumour and treatment characteristics, response to therapy and survival were analysed for both age groups. An age-adjusted prognostic index was determined for elderly patients with aggressive lymphoma. RESULTS: The elderly comprised 41% of the registered patients. There were significantly more females, a preponderance of intermediate-grade histology (diffuse large B-cell lymphoma) and a lower performance status. Incomplete staging in the elderly was mostly due to the omission of a bone marrow biopsy. With respect to WF grading the complete remission rate (except for patients with low-grade/stage I NHL, patients with extranodal NHL and for patients with intermediate grade/extensive NHL) and overall survival at five years (except for patients with low-grade/stage I NHL and for patients with intermediate-grade/extensive NHL) were significantly inferior in the elderly. With respect to the R.E.A.L. Classification the exceptions were in patients with high grade MALT lymphomas (elderly good) and patients with mantle-cell and peripheral T-cell lymphomas (younger group bad too). However, once complete remission was reached, the disease-free survival did not differ significantly between the two age groups, emphasising the importance of achieving complete remission. Although 65% of the classified elderly patients presented with intermediate-grade NHL, only 26% of the elderly patients treated with chemotherapy received anthracycline-based chemotherapy. In the elderly, lymphoma (treatment-related toxicity included) contributed to death in 70% and concomitant disease (other malignancy included) in 30%, versus 78% and 22%, respectively, for the younger group (P = 0.04). The age-adjusted prognostic index, made up of the factors serum LDH, stage and Karnofsky index, showed a clear distinction between the four risk categories low, low/intermediate, intermediate/high and high, with a median survival time of 43, 20, seven and four months, respectively. For the younger group the respective numbers were 144, 45, 19 and 11 months. CONCLUSIONS: In a population-based NHL registry the elderly, predominately female patients, formed a larger proportion of the patient group than the one usually reported in the literature. In this population-based cohort inferior remission and overall survival rates were seen in the elderly. However, obtaining complete remission was beneficial for the prognosis of this disease in the elderly. By the application of the R.E.A.L. Classification important subgroups emerge.

Aged↗

Pregnancy and severe aplastic anaemia: causal relation or coincidence? .

The relationship between aplastic anaemia (AA) and pregnancy remains uncertain. To assess whether an association between pregnancy and severe aplastic anaemia (SAA) exists, we compared the frequency of pregnancy in 35 young women with newly diagnosed SAA with the expected frequency in the general population. The observed pregnancy rate in the SAA group was 3-6%. This percentage approximates the expected pregnancy rate of 4.4% in the general population and is not compatible with a strong association between pregnancy and SAA.

Adolescent↗

CHOP is the standard regimen in patients > or = 70 years of age with intermediate-grade and high-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: results of a randomized study of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Lymphoma Cooperative Study Group.

PURPOSE: We report the results of a randomized study of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Lymphoma Group, which compared a chemotherapy regimen specifically devised for elderly patients, ie, etoposide, mitoxantrone, and prednimustine (VMP), versus the standard regimen of cyclophosphamide, doxorobucin, vincristine, and prednisone (CHOP) in patients older than 70 years of age with intermediate- and high-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients older than 70 years of age with stage II, III, or IV intermediate- and high-grade NHL, with an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status less than 4 and acceptable cardiac, renal, and liver function were randomized to receive six courses of VMP or six courses of CHOP. Between February 1989 and June 1994, 130 patients aged 70 to 93 years (median, 75) were enrolled and 120 were assessable for response, 60 patients in each arm. RESULTS: Overall objective response rates were 50% and 77% in VMP- and CHOP-treated patients, respectively (P = .01), while complete response (CR) rates were borderline significant (27% v 45%; P = .06). At 2 years, the progression-free survival (PFS) rate was 25% with VMP versus 55% with CHOP (P = .002) and the overall survival (OS) rate was 30% with VMP versus 65% with CHOP (P = .004). Statistically significant more alopecia and neurologic and gastrointestinal toxicities were reported with CHOP. CONCLUSION: CHOP is the standard regimen for patients > or = 70 years of age with stage II to IV intermediate- and high-grade NHL.

Aged↗

T-cell dysfunction in hairy cell leukemia: an updated review.

Hairy cell leukemia (HCL) is clinically associated with severe T-cell dysfunction. Several new observations have given more insight into the abnormal T-cell responses seen in this disease. T-lymphocytes in the spleen of patients with HCL seem to be abnormally activated. On the other hand, they are non-responsive, possibly as a result of monocytopenia which may lead to inadequate antigen presentation. This, together with the lack of CD28 on T-cells, may cause T-cell dysfunction. Furthermore, there is a very restricted repertoire of the T-cell receptor-beta family, which may also result in non-responsiveness. Otherwise, T-cell clonal excess may be indicative for activated, possibly autoreactive T-cells.

Cell Adhesion↗

[Stage I or II Hodgkin's disease: more chemotherapy and less irradiation].

In Hodgkin's disease stage I or II, excellent survival rates have been reached by radiotherapy alone as well as by the combination of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Unfortunately, patients surviving for longer than 10 to 15 years are at risk for late complications due to the irradiation, such as myocardial infarction and lung and breast cancer. The current treatment strategy is aimed at minimising these late effects without jeopardizing the good survival rates. Randomized trials, such as the Hodgkin trials of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC), are the only way to ultimately determine the relative values of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Every Hodgkin patient deserves being included in such a trial, because the survival results are optimal. In future clinical trials, radiotherapy alone will probably be replaced by chemotherapy combined with radiotherapy as the principal treatment modality.

Combined Modality Therapy↗

Activated cytotoxic T cells as prognostic marker in Hodgkin's disease.

Although the results of treatment of Hodgkin's disease (HD) have improved considerably in the last decades, the disease remains fatal in a minority of patients. We have recently shown that numbers of activated cytotoxic T cells (CTLs), present in tumor biopsy specimens, differ considerably among individual HD patients. Because CTLs are the major effector cells in elimination of neoplastic cells, we investigated whether the number of activated CTLs is related to the clinical outcome of the individual patient with HD. Activated CTLs present in tumor biopsy specimens of patients with nodular sclerosis or mixed cellularity HD were identified by immunohistochemistry using an antibody directed against granzyme B (GrB), a major constituent of the cytotoxic granules of activated CTLs and natural killer cells, and an antibody directed against CD8. The presence of a high percentage of GrB+ lymphocytes was found to be an unfavorable prognostic marker. The large majority of GrB+ cells were also CD8+, indicating that these cells are activated CTLs. Prognosis was found to decrease with increasing percentages of GrB+ lymphocytes. Optimal discrimination between patients with good and poor prognosis was obtained when the threshold was set at 15% GrB+ cells; 6 of 10 patients with > or = 15% GrB+ lymphocytes died as a result of the disease, as compared with 6 of 70 patients with less than 15% GrB+ lymphocytes (P < .0001). In stage-2 patients, the percentage of GrB+ lymphocytes retained its predictive value in a multivariate analysis including histology, sex, age, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and the presence of B symptoms as covariables. In addition, patients with > or = 15% GrB+ lymphocytes had a shortened progression-free survival time (P = .002). We conclude that a high percentage of activated CTLs present in biopsy material of HD patients is a strong indicator for an unfavorable clinical outcome.

Adolescent↗

Central nervous system relapse in non-Hodgkin lymphoma. A single-center study of 532 patients.

OBJECTIVES: To define the cumulative risk of central nervous system (CNS) relapse in systemic non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL); to assess the risk factors of age, sex, malignancy grade, stage, localization, and response to initial therapy; and to evaluate the effect of CNS prophylaxis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: An unselected group of 532 patients with systemic NHL. A retrospective analysis. RESULTS: Eleven patients presented with systemic as well as CNS localization, whereas in 55 patients, CNS relapse occurred later. The cumulative risk of CNS relapse at 4 years for all 532 patients was 19%. High-grade NHL carried a 39% risk of CNS relapse, with the vast majority of relapses occurring in the first 14 months after the initial diagnosis. The cumulative risk in patients with intermediate-grade NHL was considerable (22%) and dispersed throughout a much longer period (6 years). Patients with low-grade NHL still carried a 7% risk of CNS relapse; in all these patients, low malignancy grade was transformed into a higher malignancy grade at that time. In a multivariate analysis, high- and intermediate-grade NHL and advanced stage were independent risk factors for CNS relapse. There was not any strong evidence for a beneficial role of CNS prophylaxis in patients with intermediate- and high-grade NHL, but a retrospective analysis cannot be conclusive with regard to the effect of therapy. Systemic relapse occurred rapidly after CNS relapse, resulting in a median survival time after CNS relapse of only 2 months. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with high- and intermediate-grade NHL carry a considerable risk of CNS relapse. Advanced stage is an additional independent risk factor. The role of CNS prophylaxis seems to be disappointing, but a retrospective analysis cannot be conclusive. Prognosis after CNS relapse is poor.

Adolescent↗

Developing a population-based registry for patients with paraproteinemias or multiple myeloma.

The development of a population-based registry on paraproteinemia and multiple myeloma is described. A unique feature of this registry is the multidisciplinary approach to obtain and collect new cases. Clinical chemists, internists, hematologists, and pathologists could all enter patients. All patients newly diagnosed in the mid-western part of The Netherlands (1.7 million inhabitants in 1992) with a paraproteinemia or multiple myeloma in 1991, 1992, and 1993 were included. The project was composed of a registry of clinical and laboratory data extracted from the patient's records, storage of 1 ml serum at diagnosis, and a yearly follow-up. A total of 1832 entries was received, of which 83% met the inclusion criteria. Comparison of this database with the Regional Cancer Registry showed that the paraprotein registry was successful as far as registration of myeloma patients was concerned. We conclude that the multidisciplinary approach used in this paraprotein registry is feasible and has resulted in a unique collection of patients for studying potential pre-malignant conditions such as paraproteinemia.

Diagnosis, Differential↗

TCR gamma delta+ cells expressing Vgamma 9V delta2, which normally predominate the blood, are found in the spleens of patients with hairy cell leukemia.

T cell receptor gamma delta+ (TCR gamma delta+) cells are present in all lymphoid tissues, but at lower frequencies than TCR alpha beta+ cells. In normal spleens, they account for about 15-20% of CD3+ cells. In hairy cell leukemia (HCL), a B cell malignancy with a characteristic involvement of the spleen, splenic T cells of approximately 40% of the examined patients showed a remarkable increase in CD3+ TCR gamma delta+ cells. Therefore, we studied the TCR gamma delta phenotypes in blood and spleen of 12 HCL patients in comparison with normal samples. In normal blood (n= 6) the majority of TCR gamma delta+ cells expressed the Vgamma 9V delta2 phenotype, while in normal spleens (n = 9) a different population was found expressing Vdelta1. In contrast, six of eight paired blood and spleen samples of individual HCL patients demonstrated the same phenotype with predominantly Vgamma 9V delta2 expression. This change in splenic TCR gamma delta usage in patients with HCL might be the result of cell-trapping, or an infiltration of TCR gamma delta+ cells from the blood.

Humans↗

A population-based registry on paraproteinaemia in The Netherlands. Comprehensive Cancer Centre West, Leiden, The Netherlands.

Patients with monoclonal gammopathies comprise a heterogenous group. The few studies on incidence and follow-up are single-centre-based and may reflect referral bias. To avoid this, all patients (n=1275) in midwestern Netherlands with a newly discovered paraproteinaemia in 1991, 1992 and 1993 were included in a population-based registry and divided into four major diagnostic groups: multiple myeloma and plasmacytoma (n=230, 18%), other haematological diseases (n=141, 11%), paraprotein-related internal diseases (n=191, 15%) and monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS, n=713, 56%). To avoid a possibly erroneous diagnosis, patients who were classified as having MGUS but who did not undergo confirmatory bone marrow examination were included in a separate group 'provisional MGUS' (n=524, 41%), whereas patients who did were classified as having 'definite MGUS' (n=189, 15%). The 'provisional MGUS' patients were relatively older and had more often a poor performance status, but differences between this and the 'definite MGUS' group were otherwise small. Patients complaining of general malaise more often had a full work-up of their paraproteinaemia. Bone pain, hypercalcaemia, high total protein, and high ESR occurred predominantly in the myeloma group, whereas fever or infection was less often seen in these patients. This registry of patients with paraproteinaemias provided valuable data related to all different diseases associated with paraproteinaemia.

Adult↗