BACKGROUND: Intravascular large B-cell lymphoma (IVL) is characterized by lymphoma cell proliferation in the lumina of small vessels in various organs. A high incidence of neurologic symptoms associated with the central nervous system has been reported, but peripheral nerve involvement (neurolymphomatosis [NL]) rarely has been described. METHODS: The medical records from patients who were diagnosed with IVL over the past 4 years were reviewed. A diagnosis of NL was made based on the combination of neurologic symptoms and their correspondence with imaging studies, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), 18 F-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG)-positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT), and/or the histologic confirmation of lymphoma cells within the peripheral nerves, nerve root/plexuses, or cranial nerves. RESULTS: Four patients with NL were identified among 11 patients who had IVL. All cases of NL occurred as relapsed disease during or shortly after the completion of chemotherapy. Although MRI studies of the brains and whole spines revealed nerve infiltration by gadolinium enhancement in 2 patients, the technology was not sensitive enough to detect such infiltration in the remaining 2 patients. In contrast, FDG-PET/CT studies successfully revealed cranial or peripheral nerve lesions in all 4 patients and was useful for evaluating therapeutic response. Patients received treatment with high-dose methotrexate with or without other systemic chemotherapy, which achieved varied success. Further studies will be needed to determine the optimal treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Considering the rarity of IVL and NL, the current observations suggested that IVL may have a predilection not only for the vessels but also for both the central and peripheral nervous systems. Cancer 2011;117:4512-

The purpose of this study is to investigate the risk factors and susceptibilities to antifungal agents of Candida albicans and Candida non-albicans species (spp.) in candidemia cases in Kobe University Hospital. We investigated all consecutive patients with candida bloodstream infection (BSI) from 2008-2013 for whose full data were available for analyses, examining clinical factors such as gender, general complications, postoperative status or susceptibilities to antifungal agents. These factors were also compared between Candida albicans spp. and Candida non-albicans by univariate and multivariate analyses. Univariate analyses showed a significantly higher rate of Candida non-albicans species BSI patients cancer (odds ratio (OR) (95% confidence interval (CI))=2.29 (1.04-5.06) and P=0.040), chemotherapy (OR=4.35 (1.11-17.1) and P=0.035), fluconazole (FLCZ) resistance (OR=77.3 (4.51-1324) and P=0.003), and itraconazole (ITCZ) resistance (OR=15.6 (5.39-45.1) and P<0.001) and lower rate of underlying cardiovascular diseases (OR=0.27 (0.09-0.80) and P=0.018) and postoperative status (OR=0.35 (0.16-0.77) and P=0.035) in than Candida albicans. Multivariate analyses demonstrated that Candida non-albicans spp. had significantly higher rate of chemotherapy (OR=4.44 (1.04-19.0) and P=0.045), FLCZ resistance (OR=5.87 (2.01-17.1) and P=0.001), and ITCZ resistance (OR=18.7(5.77-60.4) and P<0.001) and lower rate of underlying cardiovascular diseases (OR=0.25 (0.08-0.82) and P=0.022) than Candida albicans. In conclusion, this study revealed several risk factors for BSI with Candida albicans (underlying cardiovascular diseases and postoperative status) and Candida non-albicans spp. (cancer and chemotherapy), and demonstrated that Candida non-albicans spp. were more resistant to FLCZ and ITCZ than Candida albicans.

Background Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP)-related risk factors among patients with solid tumors are not completely defined. Thus, we aimed to characterize PCP cases with underlying solid tumors, to highlight the factors contributing to its development besides the prolonged use of moderate-to-high dose corticosteroids. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients with solid tumors diagnosed with PCP between 2006 and 2018 at a cancer center in Tokyo, Japan. Demographic and clinical data were collected, which included malignancy types, total lymphocyte count, coexisting pulmonary disease, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, corticosteroid use, and PCP-attributable mortality. Results Twenty cases of PCP with solid tumors were documented in 151,718 patients and 788,914 patient-years. Lung cancer (n = 6, 30%) was the most common underlying tumor, followed by breast cancer (n = 3, 15%). Only six (30%) patients were taking a dosage of ≥20 mg prednisone equivalents daily for ≥4 weeks from the onset of PCP. Among the remaining 14 patients, seven (50%) had coexisting pulmonary diseases, 10 (71%) had received chemotherapy within 90 days prior to PCP diagnosis, seven (50%) had undergone chest radiation therapy before PCP diagnosis, seven (50%) had received only intermittent corticosteroids, and one (7%) received no corticosteroids. Mortality attributable to PCP was 40%. Conclusions More than half of the patients were not taking a dosage of ≥20 mg prednisone equivalents daily for ≥4 weeks. Multiple other factors (e.g., lymphocytopenia, radiation to chest) may have potentially contributed to PCP in patients with solid tumors in a composite manner. We need to establish a method for estimating the likelihood of PCP taking multiple factors into account in this patient population.

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