Diagnostic and management considerations in the modern patient with AIDS: a case of concurrent disseminated Kaposi sarcoma and colesional Cryptococcus neoformans

In the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), disseminated Kaposi sarcoma (KS) has become much rarer in the USA. We report a case of a 34-year-old man with KS of the skin, oropharynx, lung and rectum. Within the same lung nodule, we discovered significant burden of colesional Cryptococcus neoformans, in the context of a positive asymptomatic cryptococcal antigenemia, which was a previously unreported occurrence. The gold standard of treatment for KS continues to be HAART. The role of chemotherapy is still controversial. In addition, a cryptococcal antigen screen-and-treat approach with fluconazole is still not routinely recommended in the USA to prevent serious meningeal disease despite recent studies showing efficacy and applicability. We discuss both issues here and the outcome of our patient. We also present the patient’s own unique perspective in dealing with the ramifications of these diagnoses.

Identification of Neoplastic Infiltration of the Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) in Patients with Aggressive B-Cell Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (B-NHL) without Clinical Evidence of Leptomeningeal Disease: A Comparative Analysis of the Utility of Flow Cytometry (FCM) Versus Conventional Cytology (CC).

Introduction: CC analysis of the CSF is considered as the reference method to diagnose meningeal disease in patients with B-NHL. However, recent studies suggest that in patients with B-NHL who are at high risk of CNS relapse, FCM could be more sensitive than CC for detecting meningeal disease in CSF. Objective: To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of a standardized FCM immunophenotypic approach vs CC for detecting the presence of neoplastic cells in CSF, in patients with aggressive B-NHL who are at high risk of CNS relapse. Patients and methods: A total of 29 CSF samples were analysed (total volume: 0.8 to 4ml; median: 2.4) in newly diagnosed patients with aggressive B-NHL, from a total of 14 different hospitals (diffuse large B cell lymphoma-DLBCL: 17; Burkitt’s lymphoma-BL: 9; follicular lymphoma transformed to DLBCL -tFL: 2; and T-cell-rich B-NHL: 1). Of the 29 patients studied, 15 were men (52%) and 14 women (48%) with a mean age of 55 ± 19 years (range: 16–86). In all cases, the CSF samples were analysed simultaneously by CC at the institution of origin and FCM, centrally one institution. For the FCM analysis of the CSF, stabilised samples (Transfix, CYTOMARK) were systematically stained with the following combination of monoclonal antibodies: CD8-sIgl/CD56-sIgk/CD4-CD19/CD3/CD20/CD45 (FITC/PE/PERCPCY5.5/PECY7/APC/APCCY7). If the FCM test showed infiltration, an additional 6-color antibody panel was used for full phenotypic characterisation of the disease. Results: Haematopoietic cells were detected in all cases (mean: 2.2 ± 4 cells/μl; range: 0.2–14). Systematically, these cells included T cells (mean: 0.6±0.8/μl; range: 0.1–4) and monocytes (mean: 1±2/μl; range: 0.1–9). Furthermore, in 31%, 3%, 3% and 14% of cases the following cell populations were also detected: polyclonal B-lymphocytes (mean: 0.06±0.07/μl; range: 0.01–0,2), plasma cells (0.09/μl), natural killer cells (0.03/μl) and neutrophils (mean: 0.6±1/μl; range: 0.03–2), respectively. Of the 29 cases studied, 5 (17%) showed infiltration by neoplastic B-cells by FCM, while CC only showed infiltration in two of these patients (7%). Cases with CNS infiltration by both methods included one tFL (82%; 14 neoplastic cells/μl by FCM) and one BL (68%; 8 neoplastic cells/μl using FCM). The three patients with FCM+/CC- presented a lower percentage of pathological B-cells (2% in one DLBCL and 1% and 0.1% in two BL, respectively). One of these three patients presented neurological symptoms (meningism). Conclusion: Although preliminary, these results suggest that FCM is more sensitive that CC in detecting CSF infiltration by neoplastic B-cells in aggressive B-NHL, especially when these cells are present in a relatively low numbers.

Intrathecal Liposomal Cytarabine (Depocyt) Is Safe and Effective for Prevention of Meningeal Disease in Patients with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and High-Grade Lymphoma Treated with the HyperCVAD Regimen.

Patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and high-grade lymphoma have a 10–20% risk of meningeal disease during induction and in remission when given standard-dose chemotherapy. This risk has been reduced to about 1% using intrathecal prophylaxis with cytarabine and methotrexate in addition to the systemic regimen of hyperfractionated cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin and dexamethasone (hyperCVAD) alternating with high-dose methotrexate-cytarabine (MA). The discomfort and potential adverse events with frequent lumbar punctures may impair patient compliance. Liposomal cytarabine (Depocyt) is an intrathecal preparation of cytarabine with a prolonged half-life. Use of Depocyt could potentially reduce the number of lumbar punctures needed for routine neuroprophylaxis. We reviewed the tolerability and activity of Depocyt for neuroprophylaxis in 15 patients treated with the hyperCVAD regimen. The cohort included 12 males and 3 females of median age 48 years (range, 23–72 years) with precursor B-cell ALL (8), T-cell ALL (3), Burkitt lymphoma and HIV (2), Ph-positive ALL (1), and lymphoblastic lymphoma (1). The patients received a total of 65 cycles of systemic chemotherapy, 36 with hyperCVAD and 29 with MA. Depocyt was given IT or IO in 33 cycles, methotrexate IT in 5, and no intrathecal therapy in 27. When treated with Depocyt, patients also received dexamethasone pre- and postmedication.. The planned dose of Depocyt was 50 mg for all patients, but after one serious adverse event, the dose was reduced to 25 mg when administered by Omaya. Depocyt was instilled on a median of day 8 of the cycle (range, −4 to 13). To date, a meningeal relapse has not occurred in any of the patients. Although minor neurological events (transient headache or neckache) were not uncommon, there were two serious adverse events. One patient developed a severe but transient headache during the fourth cycle and was readmitted for pain control. A second patient received Depocyt four days prior to MA. Shortly after completing chemotherapy, this patient developed hyponatremia and somnolence. The neurological status normalized after several days with supportive care alone. Since leakage of Depocyt into the peripheral blood might cause myelosuppression, hematologic recovery was also assessed. There was a significant difference in time to ANC>500 (p=0.02) and platelets >20,000 (p=0.005) between hyperCVAD and MA cycles, so hematologic recovery was assessed separately for these regimens, as shown in the Table. Median Day of Hematopoietic Recovery Cycle Outcome All Cycles Depocyt No IT PX MTX IT “1” indicates the platelet count did not fall below 20,000 during that cycle. HyperCVAD ANC>500 15 15 14 16.5 Plts>20,000 1 1 1 1 MA ANC>500 16 16 16 15 Plts>20,000 13 13 14 15 There were no significant differences in time to neutrophil or platelet recovery between neuroprophylaxis regimens. Three patients received cranial or craniospinal radiation to compete neuroprophylaxis prior to allogeneic stem cell transplantation without notable neurotoxicity after transplantation. We conclude that it is safe to use a single dose of Depocyt (50 mg IT or 25 mg IO) following completion of administration of chemotherapy (around Days 6 – 8) during each cycle of the hyperCVAD regimen. This approach should be studied in a randomized trial to further assess its efficacy in comparison to more frequent instillations of methotrexate/cytarabine.