CNS Involvement by North American-Adult T-cell Leukemia/Lymphoma Is Associated With Discrete Dissemination Patterns and Molecular Profiles, Involving XPO1 E571 and KLF2/PI3KCD in Selected Cases

Abstract

Purpose: CNS involvement in North American adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (NA-ATLL) remains poorly understood. This study examined the CNS involvement in patients with ATLL treated at a tertiary hospital in New York City.

Methods: CNS involvement was defined by positive cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cytology, flow cytometry, positive CNS imaging, or neurological examination findings.

Results: Among 94 patients with NA-ATLL, 21 (22.3%) had CNS involvement. CSF was involved in 13 patients at diagnosis and five at relapse. Magnetic resonance imaging detected brain and spinal involvement in 24% and 14% of the patients, respectively. Results of neurological examinations were abnormal in 33% and 14% of the patients at diagnosis and relapse, respectively. The XPO1 E571K mutation was found in two patients with extensive, treatment-refractory CNS disease, with a median overall survival (OS) of 2 months. Other mutations, including KLF2 and PI3KCD, were noted in two patients. The median OS was 8.5 months, and the median relapse-free survival (RFS) was 6.5 months in our series. In most cases (5/21), the lymphomatous phenotype appeared to have a direct mass-like extension, whereas in patients with predominant blood involvement tended to spread to the CSF by traversing the blood-brain barrier.

Conclusion: In this report, we describe the patterns of CNS involvement in ATLL and their association with mutations. We also describe two rapidly fatal cases with the XPO1 E571K mutation, which may represent a novel therapeutic target for T-cell lymphomas.

FIG A1.

Correlation of peripheral circulating ATLL cell and CSF ATLL cells (t = 0.42; P = .68). ATLL, adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma; CSF, cerebrospinal fluid.