Volume 04 · Issue 04 · 2022

Hematopoiesis is a continuous and well-regulated process requiring both the capacity for self-renewal and the potential for differentiation of hematopoietic stem cells. Multiple studies indicate that sex hormones exert significant effects on not only hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells, but also the development of hematopoietic lineages, resulting in sexual dimorphisms in normal hematopoiesis. Hematologic malignancies comprise a wide variety of cancers affecting the blood, bone marrow, and lymphatic system, such as leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, myelodysplastic syndrome, and myeloproliferative diseases. Overall, males are at greater risk and have worse prognosis for most of these malignancies compared with females. A better understanding of the differences between male and female could be of substantial value in research as well as clinical management.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a highly contagious disease that seriously affects people’s lives. Immune dysfunction, which is characterized by abnormal expression of multiple immune checkpoint proteins (ICs) on immune cells, is associated with progression and poor prognosis for tumors and chronic infections. Immunotherapy targeting ICs has been well established in modulating immune function and improving clinical outcome for solid tumors and hematological malignancies. The role of ICs in different populations or COVID-19 stages and the impact of IC blockade remains unclear. In this review, we summarized current studies of alterations in ICs in COVID-19 to better understand immune changes and provide strategies for treating COVID-19 patients, particularly those with cancer.

Several cases such as myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) with the coexistence of JAK2 and BCR-ABL have been reported. However, cases of transformation of essential thrombocythemia (ET) into chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) during the disease progression were rarely reported. Here, we report the case of a patient with JAK2 V617F- positive ET who subsequently acquired BCR-ABL1, which transformed the disease into CML after 10 years from the initial diagnosis. In this study, we dynamically monitored JAK2 V617F and BCR-ABL and observed multiple gene mutations, including IDH2, IDH1, ASXL1, KRAS, and RUNX1. It is important to be aware of this potentially clone evolution in disease progression.

Plasmablastic lymphoma (PBL) is an aggressive lymphoma with limited treatment strategies. Tuberculosis (TB) infection poses a high risk for patients with hematologic malignancies, especially those treated with immune agents but were never reported post-daratumumab treatment. Herein, we reported a TB infection in a 57-year-old male diagnosed with HIV-negative PBL receiving daratumumab-based treatment, who showed atypical lung infection and yielded Mycobacterium tuberculosis and cytomegalovirus (CMV) in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Anti-TB therapy was administered, and the following daratumumab treatment was complete with good tolerance. In this case, we demonstrated that TB infection might occur after daratumumab therapy, and adequate attention should be paid to atypical symptoms.