Lung cancer in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia: does the HER-2 oncogene play a role?

Adenoid cystic carcinoma and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia: synchronous presentations in the lung

A 59-year-old male active smoker presented with a 6-month history of cough and breathlessness and was found to have a right upper lobe mass. Histology revealed this to be an adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) of the lung, while local lymph node dissection revealed a synchronous diagnosis of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). The connection between CLL and solid organ malignancy is well documented, but the reporting of ACC in this context is novel. Mechanisms linking the two processes are revealed with the possibility of causality, and heightened vigilance for the development of primary lung tumours in CLL, and their management, is recommended.

Second malignancy risks after non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia: differences by lymphoma subtype

PURPOSE

Previous studies have shown increased risks of second malignancies after non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL); however, no earlier investigation has quantified differences in risk of new malignancy by lymphoma subtype.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We evaluated second cancer and leukemia risks among 43,145 1-year survivors of CLL/small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL), diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), or follicular lymphoma (FL) from 11 Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) population-based registries during 1992 to 2006.

RESULTS

Among patients without HIV/AIDS-related lymphoma, lung cancer risks were significantly elevated after CLL/SLL and FL but not after DLBCL (standardized incidence ratio [SIR], CLL/SLL = 1.42, FL = 1.28, DLBCL = 1.00; Poisson regression P for difference among subtypes, P(Diff) = .001). A similar pattern was observed for risk of cutaneous melanoma (SIR: CLL/SLL = 1.92, FL = 1.60, DLBCL = 1.06; P(Diff) = .004). Acute nonlymphocytic leukemia risks were significantly elevated after FL and DLBCL, particularly among patients receiving initial chemotherapy, but not after CLL/SLL (SIR: CLL/SLL = 1.13, FL = 5.96, DLBCL = 4.96; P(Diff) < .001). Patients with HIV/AIDS-related lymphoma (n = 932) were predominantly diagnosed with DLBCL and had significantly and substantially elevated risks for second anal cancer (SIR = 120.50) and Kaposi's sarcoma (SIR = 138.90).

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that differing immunologic alterations, treatments (eg, alkylating agent chemotherapy), genetic susceptibilities, and other risk factors (eg, viral infections, tobacco use) among lymphoma subtypes contribute to the patterns of second malignancy risk. Elucidating these patterns may provide etiologic clues to lymphoma as well as to the second malignancies.