Hepatitis C virus in MALT-lymphoma of the ocular adnexa

Identifying tumor antigens and immune subtypes of gastrointestinal MALT lymphoma for immunotherapy development

MALT lymphoma is an extranodal B-cell lymphoma of the marginal zone of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT), caused by malignant transformation of B-cells in the marginal zone. In this work, we aim to explore the potential relationship between MALT lymphoma and DLBCL. Vaccines derived from messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) may provide satisfactory results. Despite being a promising treatment option, immunotherapy isn't widely used in treating renal cell carcinoma, as only a few patients respond to the treatment. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) analysis revealed gene expression profiles and clinical information. Antigen-presenting cells infiltrated the immune system using TIMER tool (http://timer.cistrome.org/). GDSC (Genomics of Drug Sensitivity in Cancer) data were used to estimate drug sensitivity. Immune-related genes were associated with a better prognosis in MALT lymphoma patients and higher levels of antigen-presenting cells. There is a significant relationship between these immune subtypes and immunological checkpoints, immunogenic cell death regulators, and prognostic variables for MALT lymphoma patients. In this study, we provide a theoretical foundation for the development of mRNA vaccines and suggest that KLHL14 could potentially be used as antigens to develop mRNA vaccines for MALT lymphoma.

Primary hepatic mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma with HP and previous HBV infection: A case report and literature review

Primary hepatic mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma is a relatively rare disease with low malignancy, and its aetiology is unclear. A 65-year-old man presented with abdominal pain. Hepatitis virus examination revealed a previous hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, and a carbon-13 urea breath test result was positive for the patient. Abdominal contrast-enhanced computed tomography revealed a patch of abnormal density in the right posterior lobe of the liver. The patient underwent VI segment hepatectomy and was pathologically diagnosed with hepatic MALT lymphoma. After the operation, he received quadruple anti-Helicobacter pylori (HP) therapy and refused other treatments. He has been followed up by telephone for 20 months after discharge and is now in a stable condition. In this study, we counted 105 cases of hepatic MALT lymphomas reported in English or Chinese since 1995 and summarised the clinical characteristics and concomitant diseases in this condition. Based on the literature review, we speculated that chronic infectious diseases, especially viral infections (including hepatitis C virus (HCV) and HBV) and HP infection, are associated with the pathogenesis of primary hepatic MALT lymphoma. In addition, autoimmune diseases might also play a role in this condition.

Prognostic Significance of CD30 in Transformed Mycosis Fungoides

OBJECTIVES

Several studies suggested that CD30 expression is a favorable prognostic marker in transformed mycosis fungoides (tMF). However, evidence in this field is still unclear. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the prognostic significance of CD30 in tMF.

METHODS

Electronic databases were searched from their inception to June 2020 for all studies assessing the prognostic value of CD30 in tMF. Pooled hazard ratio (HR) for death was calculated; a P value less than .05 was considered significant. Inconsistency index (I2) was used to assess statistical heterogeneity among studies.

RESULTS

Seven studies with 323 patients were included. CD30 expression in tMF was significantly associated with a decreased hazard of death both on univariate (HR, 0.459; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.319-0.660; P < .001) and multivariate analysis (HR, 0.503; 95% CI, 0.345-0.734; P < .001), and the statistical heterogeneity among studies was null in all analyses (I2 = 0%).

CONCLUSIONS

tMF cases with CD30 expression in large cells have a hazard of death two times lower than CD30-negative cases.

Prognostic value of Bcl2 and p53 in Hodgkin lymphoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis

AIMS

Several studies suggested that high expression of Bcl2 and/or p53 in Hodgkin/Reed-Sternberg cells is an unfavorable prognostic factor in Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). However, results in this field appear contrasting. We aimed to assess the prognostic value of p53 and Bcl2 in HL through a systematic review and meta-analysis.

METHODS

Electronic databases were searched from January 2000 to December 2020 for all studies assessing the prognostic value of p53 and Bcl2 in HL. The association of high p53 or Bcl2 expression with overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS) and response to treatment was assessed by using hazard ratio (HR) and odds ratio (OR).

RESULTS

Eighteen studies were included. Bcl2 overexpression was significantly associated with decreased PFS (HR = 2.202; p < 0.0001), while the associations with decreased OS (HR = 1.565; p = 0.257) and refractoriness to treatment (OR = 0.482; p = 0.068) were non-significant. p53 overexpression was not significantly associated with refractoriness to treatment (OR = 0.904; p = 0.155); the analysis of OS and PFS was not feasible, but published data suggested the absence of a significant association.

CONCLUSIONS

In HL, Bcl2 overexpression is associated with decreased PFS, while a significant prognostic value could not be demonstrated for p53. Defining optimal criteria for interpreting Bcl2 and p53 immunostaining is necessary to draw definitive conclusions.

HIV prevalence in primary central nervous system lymphoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis

HIV infection is considered a major risk factor for primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL). However, the percentage of PCNSL that occurs in HIV + patients is not well defined. We aimed to assess the prevalence of HIV infection in patients with PCNSL through a systematic review and meta-analysis. Electronic databases were searched for studies assessing the presence of HIV infection in series of patients with PCNSL. Pooled prevalence of HIV infection in PCNSL was calculated, with a subgroup analysis based on the geographic area. Twenty-seven studies with 6422 patients were included. Overall, pooled prevalence of HIV infection among PCNSL patients was 6.1 % with high heterogeneity. In the subgroup analysis, pooled prevalence was 3.6 % in India with low heterogeneity, 30.2 % (overall) and 16.5 % (after 2000) in the USA with high heterogeneity, 5.7 % in Europe with high heterogeneity, 2.2 % in East Asia with null heterogeneity, 7.3 % in South America with moderate heterogeneity. In conclusion, only a minor part of PCNSL occurs in patients with HIV. The results stratified by geographic area reflect the different prevalence of HIV infection in the general population, except for India, probably due to the shorter life expectancy of HIV + patients.

Involvement of Helicobacter Pylori in Ocular Adnexa Lymphoma

Helicobacter pylori has been proposed as a possible etiologic factor of ocular adnexa lymphoma (OAL), although with conflicting results. To assess the involvement of H. pylori in OAL, as (1) H. pylori DNA positivity on OAL specimens, and (2) prevalence of H. pylori gastric infection in patients with OAL. A systematic review of studies assessing H. pylori in patients with OAL was conducted by searching electronic databases from their inception to May 2019. Pooled positivity for H. pylori in OAL specimens detected by polymerase chain reaction, and pooled prevalence of H. pylori gastric infection, were calculated with 95% confidence interval (CI). Eleven studies with 308 patients were included. Pooled positivity for H. pylori was 16.8% in all OALs and 22.7% in MALT OAL, with high heterogeneity among studies. Pooled prevalence of H. pylori gastric infection in patients with OAL was 34.7%, with low statistical heterogeneity. In conclusion, H. pylori seems to be involved in a subset of OAL, but the heterogeneity found needs to be investigated in further studies. The prevalence of H. pylori gastric infection in patients with OAL does not seem to differ from that of the general population.