Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLD) after renal transplantation: management and evolution of seven cases among 1002 renal transplants in São Paulo, Brazil

Leuk Lymphoma. 2000 Sep;39(1-2):145-50. doi: 10.3109/10428190009053548.

Abstract

We reported seven cases (0.7%) of PTLD among 1002 renal transplants performed at Renal Transplant Service from Hospital São Paulo-Universidade Federal de São Paulo/Escola Paulista de Medicina, São Paulo, Brazil, between 1976 and 1997. There were three male and four female patients with median age of 37 year-old. According to Ann Arbor staging system there were four localized extra-nodal intermediate-grade NHL, one disseminated low-grade NHL and two polyclonal lymphoid hyperplasia. Four patients received cadaveric, two received related and one received unrelated renal transplant. PTLD occurred after a median latency period of 36 months (ranging from 5 to 84 months). In situ hybridization for EBER1 was performed in five patients and molecular evidence of EBV was found in 3 cases (two DLCL and one lymphoplasmocytoid lymphoma). All patients were treated with immunosuppression withdrawal, four patients received anthracyclin-based chemotherapy for control of localized or systemic clonal disease and three were treated with resection of primary PTLD. Four of seven patients (57%) are in complete remission 11, 20, 25 and 79 months after PTLD onset. One patient lost follow-up and two patients died due to lymphoma relapse, respectively 4 and 10 months after completion of treatment. In conclusion, our experience with this small group of patients showed that: 1) immunosuppression withdrawal is not necessarily associated with loss of renal transplant and can be used as the only treatment for polyclonal PTLD; 2) chemotherapy can simultaneously lead to clonal PTLD remission and periodic immunosuppression, avoiding graft rejection after immunosuppression withdrawal.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / administration & dosage
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / toxicity
  • Brazil
  • Combined Modality Therapy
  • Disease Management
  • Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / chemically induced
  • Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / complications
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / administration & dosage
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / toxicity
  • Kidney Transplantation / adverse effects*
  • Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / chemically induced
  • Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / etiology
  • Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / virology
  • Lymphoproliferative Disorders / chemically induced
  • Lymphoproliferative Disorders / etiology*
  • Lymphoproliferative Disorders / virology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • RNA, Viral / blood
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Epstein-Barr virus encoded RNA 1
  • Immunosuppressive Agents
  • RNA, Viral