Myeloma with t(11;14) and CD20+ Plasma Cells: Response to Rituximab.

Background: Multiple myeloma (MM) is a plasma cell malignancy involving complex cytogenetic dysregulation of genes and heterogeneous expression of multiple B cell and plasma cell (PC) surface antigens. 60% of MM patients have cytogenetic translocations of the IGH locus. In 16% of myeloma patients, the partner oncogene is cyclin D1 on 11q13 causing t(11;14)(q13;q32) (Fonseca et al. Blood. 2002). This translocation is more common in patients with a lymphoplasmacytic morphology and confers a more favorable prognosis (Fonseca et al. Blood. 2003).

A subset of MM patients (20%) harbor a clonotypic population of CD20+ bone marrow plasma cells (BMPC). These patients have a shortened survival time (SanMiguel et al. Br J Haematol. 1991). There is a strong association with CD20+ surface expression and t(11;14)(Robillard et al. Blood. 2003) and CD20+ PC has been suggested to be clonogenic and important in the pathogenesis of MM.

A small Phase II study showed only a modest response to the humanized anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody rituximab in MM patients with CD20+PC (1 PR and 5SD) (Treon et al. J. Immunother. 2002). We report a response to treatment with rituximab in a MM patient with CD20+ BMPC and t(11;14)(q13;q32) by FISH.

Case: The patient is a 68 year old male with a 1.5 year history of MM. Initial diagnosis of ISS stage I disease was made after a three year history of IgA kappa monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS). At diagnosis of MM, he had symptomatic anemia Hgb10.5g/dL, rising serum IgA of 3950 mg/dL, serum m-spike of 4.1 g/dL (IgA kappa), PCLI (plasma cell labeling index) of 1%, and a small monoclonal IgA kappa with kappa fragment in the urine. BM showed 44% monoclonal kappa plasma cells with 90% CD20+,clonal PC on flow cytometry. Karyotype was normal; 46, XY, but FISH showed evidence of an IGH translocation t(11;14)(q13;q32) in 60% of PC. Immunohistochemical staining was positive for cyclin D1.

Given the marked elevation of CD20+ PC and early stage of disease, initial treatment was employed with four weekly cycles of rituximab (375mg/m2). IgA fell from 4750 mg/dL to a nadir of 2990 mg/dL, (m-spike; 4.5g/dL to 3.2 g/dL) five weeks after completion of treatment. The monoclonal protein (MP) in the urine disappeared. Hgb improved to 12.5g, with erythropoietin. Three months later, IgA rose to 3260mg/dL (m-spike 3.2 g/dL) and urinary MP returned. The patient remained asymptomatic. A second course of weekly rituximab was started. IgA level and serum m-spike remained fairly stable over the next 7 months. All treatment was tolerated well except for initial transient rigors, fever, and nausea.

Despite bi-monthly maintenance rituximab, the patient devloped a rising IgA of 4940 mg/dL, m-spike of 4.7, falling Hgb and a rising PCLI of 1.5%, 15 months after his original diagnosis of MM. Of particular concern is the development of new, unfavorable, cytogenetic aberrations by FISH with BMPC now showing deletion 13 in 93% and mutation of p53 (17p13) in 98%.100% show fusion of CCND1 and IGH and PC now only partially express CD20.

Conclusion: This report suggests that MM patients with CD20+ BMPC and t(11;14)(q13;q32) may represent a target population for anti-CD20 therapy. Our report supports the concept proposed that targeting this clonotypic subset of B cells possibly interrupts a critical oncogenic pathway that is important in the pathogenesis of the clonogenic development of MM.