{"title":"Rare CNS manifestation of high-risk CLL with excellent response to triplet targeted therapy","authors":"Anusha Swaminathan, Shrinidhi Nathany, Surbhi Singh, Aastha Gupta, Ishita B Sen, Paritosh Garg, Aakriti kothari, Kanika Verma, Vikas Dua, Rahul Bhargava","doi":"10.1016/j.lrr.2026.100597","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.lrr.2026.100597","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Central nervous system (CNS) involvement in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is rare and presents major diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. We report the case of a man in his late 40s with small lymphocytic leukemia, initially managed conservatively, who presented after four years with progressive left facial numbness, diplopia, and left oculomotor nerve palsy without B symptoms or raised intracranial pressure. He had high-risk disease biology with TP53 mutation and unmutated IGHV status. Positron emission tomography-computed tomography showed mildly FDG-avid systemic lymphadenopathy but intensely avid thickened spinal nerve roots, while magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated enhancement of the bilateral oculomotor nerves, left optic nerve, and extradural tissue at the cervical level. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis showed elevated protein and 34% abnormal B-lymphoid cells with a CLL phenotype. Biopsy of the involved nerve/root tissue confirmed direct CNS and nerve-root infiltration by CLL rather than Richter transformation. The patient was treated with acalabrutinib, venetoclax, obinutuzumab, and intrathecal chemotherapy. He showed rapid neurological improvement, with early symptom resolution, progressive cerebrospinal fluid clearance, and near-complete radiologic response, followed by complete metabolic response on follow-up PET-CT. This case highlights that CNS involvement may occur even in treatment-naïve or early-stage CLL and may not correlate with systemic disease burden. It also supports the clinical activity of novel triplet CNS-penetrant targeted agents, in achieving durable remission in rare CNS manifestations of high-risk CLL.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38435,"journal":{"name":"Leukemia Research Reports","volume":"26 ","pages":"Article 100597"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13333278/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148438483","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Richter-like transformation of CLL/SLL after a temporary hold of ibrutinib: A case report","authors":"Tung-Lin Chiang , John Frater , Amanda Cashen","doi":"10.1016/j.lrr.2026.100578","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.lrr.2026.100578","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitors are used to treat chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL), providing survival benefits over traditional chemoimmunotherapy. Richter transformation is the transformation of CLL/SLL into an aggressive lymphoma, typically necessitating an immediate start of treatment. This case report presents a CLL/SLL patient developing pathology-proven Richter transformation after a short hold of the BTK inhibitor, without clinical evidence of disease progression. This case also demonstrates that the pathology-only Richter transformation after a pause of the BTK inhibitor can respond to resumption of the inhibitor, without the addition of intensive chemotherapy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38435,"journal":{"name":"Leukemia Research Reports","volume":"25 ","pages":"Article 100578"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147394909","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Therapeutic outcomes of acute promyelocytic leukemia in children","authors":"Sirine Chatti, Emna Azza, Marwa Bahri, Roua Hsasna, Yosr Ben Abdennebi, Lamia Aissaoui","doi":"10.1016/j.lrr.2026.100569","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.lrr.2026.100569","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>In children, acute promyelocytic leukemia is a distinct and underreported entity. The objective of our study is to report the therapeutic outcomes of APL in the pediatric population.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This was a descriptive, retrospective, single-center study including 30 patients diagnosed with APL over an 18-year period. Patients were treated in the Hematology Department of Aziza Othmana Hospital in Tunis.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The median age at diagnosis was 11 years, with a sex ratio of 0.87. Half of the patients were classified as high-risk. Post-induction cytologic remission was achieved in 86.6 % of patients. There were five cases of relapse, 60 % of which were early relapses. The 5-year overall survival rate was 70.6 %.The 5-year event-free survival rate was 72 %. The 5-year relapse-free survival rate was 80 %.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Although our results were satisfactory, they revealed a poor prognosis for relapsed patients. A larger study focusing on relapse characteristics is needed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38435,"journal":{"name":"Leukemia Research Reports","volume":"25 ","pages":"Article 100569"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147395026","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Christian J. Puzo , Karl Hager , Michal Rose , Ellice Wong , Christopher A. Tormey , Alexa J. Siddon
{"title":"Leukocytosis and a JAK2 mutation: The importance of expertise in somatic variant interpretation","authors":"Christian J. Puzo , Karl Hager , Michal Rose , Ellice Wong , Christopher A. Tormey , Alexa J. Siddon","doi":"10.1016/j.lrr.2026.100563","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.lrr.2026.100563","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This case details a patient presenting with a history of chronic leukocytosis with isolated eosinophilia, who was found to have a <em>JAK2</em> G571S mutation by a next generation sequencing (NGS) panel for myeloproliferative neoplasm driver mutations. Adjunct NGS testing was performed on a sample of buccal cells to demonstrate this variant was a germline alteration, occurring in the absence of additional disease-causing mutations. The result caused the patient to be re-treated for a prior Strongyloides infection with ivermectin, which resolved his eosinophilia. This patient case highlights the likely benign polymorphic nature of the rare G571S JAK2 mutation that has been previously reported. Moreover, our results stress the importance of appropriate interpretation of rare variants of uncertain significance, namely that clinical decision making should be supported by adjunct genetic testing and with appropriate reference to each patient’s clinical context.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38435,"journal":{"name":"Leukemia Research Reports","volume":"25 ","pages":"Article 100563"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146037337","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kaiqiong Liao , Chong Guo , Min Zhang , Xiaobin Lv , Jinhua Yan
{"title":"The synergistic tumor suppressor effect of CDK4/6 inhibitors and BRD4 inhibitors in acute myeloid leukemia","authors":"Kaiqiong Liao , Chong Guo , Min Zhang , Xiaobin Lv , Jinhua Yan","doi":"10.1016/j.lrr.2025.100558","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.lrr.2025.100558","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>The objective of this research is to explore the anti-leukemic properties of CDK4/6 inhibitors when used alongside BET inhibitors for treating acute myeloid leukemia (AML), as well as to clarify the molecular mechanisms involved.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Cell viability was assessed using the CCK-8 assay following treatment of AML cells with varying doses of SHR6390, a CDK4/6 inhibitor, and OTX015, a BET inhibitor.The time- and dose-dependent inhibitory effects of these two drugs on AML cells were assessed, and the respective IC50 and combination index (CI) values after co-treatment were calculated. The effects of SHR6390 and OTX015 on the growth potential of AML cells were additionally examined through soft agar colony formation assays and flow cytometry. Furthermore, RNA sequencing and Western blot analysis were conducted on cells treated with both drugs. The aim of this study is to explore the mechanism by which SHR6390 and OTX015 synergistically inhibit the proliferation of AML cells.The anti-tumor activity of SHR6390 and/or OTX015 in AML xenograft mice was also investigated through animal experiments.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>1. Either the CDK4/6 inhibitor SHR6390 or the BRD4 inhibitor OTX015, or a combination of the two, were employed to hinder both the survival and proliferation of cell lines associated with acute myeloid leukemia, showing a synergistic effect. 2. The combined application of SHR6390 and OTX015 markedly suppresses the invasive and migratory capacities of acute myeloid leukemia cells.3. The use of both SHR6390 and OTX015 induces apoptosis in acute myeloid leukemia cells while also disrupting cell cycle progression, leading to a halt before DNA replication occurs. 4. SHR6390 and OTX015 hinder the proliferation of acute myeloid leukemia cells by targeting both the PI3K-AKT-mTOR and the Wnt-β-Catenin pathway. 5. SHR6390 and OTX015 Synergistically Inhibit the Growth of AML Xenografts In Vivo.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38435,"journal":{"name":"Leukemia Research Reports","volume":"25 ","pages":"Article 100558"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145977084","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Molecularly guided venetoclax duration in older adults with AML: Lessons from the OPTI-AML trial","authors":"Jiandong Shi, Chunmeng Rong, Yiqin Weng","doi":"10.1016/j.lrr.2026.100606","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.lrr.2026.100606","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":38435,"journal":{"name":"Leukemia Research Reports","volume":"26 ","pages":"Article 100606"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148940694","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Mixed-phenotype acute leukemia: Flow cytometric analysis in a tertiary care center of Bangladesh","authors":"Shirin Tarafder, Sheikh Anisul Haque","doi":"10.1016/j.lrr.2026.100612","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.lrr.2026.100612","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Mixed-phenotype acute leukemia (MPAL) is a rare but difficult to treat hematologic malignancy.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>flow cytometry immunophenotyping method was used in EDTA bone marrow and/or peripheral blood taken from all consecutive morphologically diagnosed acute leukemia (AL) patients from November 2015 to December 2019.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Among 616 consecutive AL cases diagnosed and evaluated during this period, 22(3.57%) patients with MPAL were identified fulfilling WHO 2008 criteria for immunophenotypic characteristics of AL. Fifteen (68.2%) cases were diagnosed as B/myeloid, 5(22.72%) as T/myeloid and 2 (9.1%) as B/T MPAL. Morphologically diagnosed 15 (68.2%) AML cases were immunophenotypically B/Myeloid MPAL (12/15) and 3/15 cases were T/Myeloid MPAL. Morphologically 7 (31.8%) were ALL of which immunophenotypically 3/7 cases were B/Myeloid MPAL, 2/7 cases were T/Myeloid MPAL and 2/7 were B/T MPAL.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Multiparametric flow cytometry using comprehensive panel of monoclonal antibodies is a valuable tool to diagnose MPAL known to have a poor outcome.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38435,"journal":{"name":"Leukemia Research Reports","volume":"26 ","pages":"Article 100612"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13639598/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149116074","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Man Van Huynh , Huu Than Huynh , Thu Hanh Nguyen , Tong Thanh Tran , Xuan Tuan Ma , Nam Duy Hoang , Chi Dung Phu
{"title":"Evaluating the effectiveness of reduced-intensity conditioning regimens in acute myeloid leukemia patients after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in Vietnam","authors":"Man Van Huynh , Huu Than Huynh , Thu Hanh Nguyen , Tong Thanh Tran , Xuan Tuan Ma , Nam Duy Hoang , Chi Dung Phu","doi":"10.1016/j.lrr.2026.100590","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.lrr.2026.100590","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is an effective treatment for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients, leveraging cytotoxic conditioning regimens and graft-versus-leukemia effects. Reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) regimens extend this therapy to elderly patients and those with severe comorbidities, minimizing toxicity while maintaining efficacy. The study aims to determine the result of reduced-intensity conditioning regimens for acute myeloid leukemia patients at Blood Transfusion Hematology Hospital, Vietnam.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>The retrospective observational study included 21 AML patients who underwent RIC from January 2021 to March 2024.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Median recovery times for neutropenia and thrombocytopenia were 16 and 26 days, respectively. Complications included mucositis (95.2%), febrile episodes (85.7%), CMV reactivation (83.3%), acute GVHD (23.8%), and chronic GVHD (14.3%). The 2-year disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were 61.4% and 69.3%, respectively.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Reduced-intensity conditioning regimens are a safe and effective treatment option for elderly AML patients with comorbidities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38435,"journal":{"name":"Leukemia Research Reports","volume":"25 ","pages":"Article 100590"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147802512","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Autoimmune myelofibrosis with a TLR8 gain-of-function defect","authors":"Shiqiang Qu , Peihong Zhang , Zefeng Xu , Tiejun Qin , Bing Li , Zhijian Xiao","doi":"10.1016/j.lrr.2026.100587","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.lrr.2026.100587","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We report a case of a 25-year-old male with recurrent oral ulcers, upper respiratory tract infections, and an 8-year history of chronic neutropenia. Previously diagnosed with Behçet's disease, the patient had undergone comprehensive hematological evaluations at multiple tertiary institutions, yet the etiology of his persistent neutropenia remained undetermined. Whole-exome sequencing revealed a <em>TLR8</em>-G572D mutation, leading to a diagnosis of autoimmune myelofibrosis (AIMF) secondary to <em>TLR8</em> gain-of-function (GOF). While concurrent Behçet's disease and neutropenia may occur clinically, the underlying pathogenesis is often neglected. <em>TLR8</em>-GOF screening should be emphasized in young patients with such presentations. To our knowledge, this is the first reported association between <em>TLR8</em>-GOF mutation and AIMF, expanding the phenotypic spectrum of TLR8-related disorders.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38435,"journal":{"name":"Leukemia Research Reports","volume":"25 ","pages":"Article 100587"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147709401","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Targeting nucleotide metabolism and epigenetic regulation to overcome the differentiation blockade in AML","authors":"Shinichiro Takahashi","doi":"10.1016/j.lrr.2026.100586","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.lrr.2026.100586","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Differentiation blockade is a central pathogenic hallmark of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). While all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) achieves curative differentiation in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), this success has not extended to other AML subtypes. Recently, inhibitors targeting nucleotide metabolism—such as cytarabine, dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH) inhibitors, and DNA hypomethylating agents—have emerged as promising candidates to overcome this therapeutic barrier. These compounds promote myeloid maturation through mechanisms involving cell-cycle arrest, epigenetic reprogramming, and replication stress–activated signaling. Preclinical and early clinical evidence suggests that targeting nucleotide metabolism may induce partial differentiation of leukemic blasts, providing a metabolic and epigenetic avenue for therapy beyond APL. This mini-review summarizes current understanding of how metabolic inhibition restores differentiation in AML, focusing on representative agents and their mechanistic and translational implications. Targeting de novo nucleotide biosynthesis may offer a metabolic and epigenetic route to expand differentiation-based strategies beyond APL.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38435,"journal":{"name":"Leukemia Research Reports","volume":"25 ","pages":"Article 100586"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147709403","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}