Annual Report 2024
Department of Hematology
Yosuke Minami, Junichiro Yuda, Hirotaka Nakamura, SungGi Chi, Ryo Yoshimaru, Isamu Harima, Yongmei Guo
Introduction
The staff-physicians and residents of the Department of Hematology conduct clinical and research activities related to multi-disciplinary treatment of patients with hematological malignancies, including more than 100 disease entities classified by the WHO. Our department focuses on the early and late phases of clinical trials in collaboration with the Research Center for Innovative Oncology on hematological malignancies.
The Team and What We Do
The number of patients with newly diagnosed hematologic malignancies in our department is increasing, and approximately 300 patients with newly diagnosed hematologic malignancies including non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Hodgkin's lymphoma, multiple myeloma, acute/chronic leukemia, and myelodysplastic syndrome were cared for this year. Our department is currently providing routine outpatient chemotherapy for an increasing number of relatively aged patients with hematologic malignancies. All patients undergoing intensive chemotherapy and autologous peripheral blood hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (APBSCT) are managed in laminar airflow rooms at the designated ward on the eighth floor. In addition to managing patients, our department provides consultations on hematological abnormalities detected by the Department of Clinical Laboratories. Morning case conferences on the inpatient care of our department are held from Mondays to Fridays, while weekly case conferences for new patients visiting our clinic are held every Thursday evening. Joint conferences on lymphoid malignancies with expert pathologists and educational cytology conferences on bone marrow specimens are held every Wednesday evening.
Research Activities
Ancillary studies associated with retrospective case series and clinical trials have been continuously conducted at this department, focusing on several kinds of hematologic malignancies and their complications. Recently, our nationwide survey of human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-1) associated adult T-cell leukemia-lymphoma (ATL) is ongoing under a grant for Cancer Research from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare to elucidate the pathophysiology, including geographical findings, as compared to the previous surveys. We also conduct translational research regarding hematologic malignancies.
Clinical Trials
Our department performed clinical trials on hematological malignancies, including protocols prepared in-house and in participation with the Japan Clinical Oncology Group-Lymphoma Study Group (JCOG-LSG), the Japan Adult Leukemia Study Group (JALSG) and others.
The Department participated in pharmaceutical company-sponsored and investigator-initiated new-agent trials, including international ones, for hematological malignancies. The following JCOG clinical trials are ongoing:
1. A randomized phase III trial of rituximab administered weekly or triweekly with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin,vincristine and prednisone (CHOP) in patients with newly diagnosed CD20+ diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) (JCOG0601) in which a dose-intense schedule of rituximab is evaluated.
2. A randomized phase II trial comparing biweekly rituximab-CHOP or biweekly rituximab-CHOP/cyclophosphamide, cytarabine, dexamethasone, etoposide and rituximab (CHASER) followed by high dose melphalan, cyclophosphamide, etoposide and dexamethasone (LEED) with APBSCT in patients with newly diagnosed poor risk CD20+ DLBCL (JCOG0908).
3. A randomized phase II study of two induction treatments of melphalan, prednisolone, plus bortezomib (MPB), JCOG-MPB versus modified PETHEMA-MPB, in elderly patients or non-elderly patients refusing transplants with untreated symptomatic myeloma (JCOG1105).
4. A single armed phase III study of mLSG15 chemotherapy followed by allo-HSCT, comparing the results with historical control in JCOG9801 of mLSG15 alone to evaluate the promising efficacy of allo-HSCT, possibly associated with a graft-versus-ATL effect, especially in view of a comparison with intensive chemotherapy(JCOG0907).
5. A phase III study evaluating the efficacy of the combination of interferon-alpha (IFN) and zidovudine (AZT) as compared to watchful-waiting for indolent ATL (JCOG1111) is ongoing under a highly advanced medical technology assessment system because IFN and AZT are not covered for ATL by National Health Insurance in Japan.
6. A single armed phase III study of interim-PET response adapted a switch-strategy from ABVD to ABVD/DE-BEACOP for advanced Hodgkin Lymphoma (JCOG1305).
Education
The purpose is to promote understanding about patients with hematologic malignancies, including non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Hodgkin's lymphoma, multiple myeloma, acute/chronic leukemia, and myelodysplastic syndrome for residents. To disseminate knowledge about hematologic malignancies, we held several workshops for medical staff at the National Cancer Center Hospital East (NCCHE).
Future Prospects
Our department will continue the above activities and develop new research to improve management of patients with hematologic malignancies including non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Hodgkin's lymphoma, multiple myeloma, acute/chronic leukemia, and myelodysplastic syndrome.
List of papers published in 2024
Journal
1. Matsuda K, Nagai S, Sugimoto K. Characteristics of Drugs from Non-Global Companies for Hematologic Malignancies and Impact on Global Regulatory Approval. Clinical pharmacology and therapeutics, 117:232-239, 2025
2. Yuda J, Wang C, Terasawa T, Tajimi M, Osaga S, Miura M, Takaoka S, Tanizawa Y. Treatment selection and influencing factors for chronic lymphocytic leukemia: a physician survey in Japan. International journal of clinical oncology, 30:157-167, 2025
3. Arai H, Hosono N, Chi S, Fukushima K, Ikeda D, Iyama S, Gotoh A, Ikezoe T, Yoshida C, Yoshimoto G, Kanda J, Takahashi N, Sakaida E, Usuki K, Yamauchi T, Minami Y. A practice-oriented genome-profiling study for acute myeloid leukemia using the novel HANDLE system: HM-screen-JAPAN02. International journal of hematology, 121:378-387, 2025
4. Ri M, Iida S, Saito K, Saito Y, Maruyama D, Asano A, Fukuhara S, Tsujimura H, Miyazaki K, Ota S, Fukuhara N, Negoro E, Kuroda J, Yoshida S, Ohtsuka E, Norifumi T, Tabayashi T, Takayama N, Saito T, Suzuki Y, Harada Y, Mizuno I, Yoshida I, Maruta M, Takamatsu Y, Katsuya H, Yoshimitsu M, Minami Y, Kanato K, Munakata W, Nagai H. Lipidomic profiling of plasma from patients with multiple myeloma receiving bortezomib: an exploratory biomarker study of JCOG1105 (JCOG1105A1). Cancer chemotherapy and pharmacology, 95:29, 2025
5. Iyama S, Chi S, Idogawa M, Ikezoe T, Fukushima K, Utsu Y, Kanda J, Yoshimoto G, Kobayashi T, Hosono N, Yamauchi T, Kondo T, Nakamura Y, Kojima K, Yoshida C, Gotoh A, Yamamoto K, Kuroda J, Ishitsuka K, Sakaida E, Horiguchi H, Takada K, Ohnishi H, Kobune M, Minami Y. Prognostic impact of TET2 mutations in patients with acute myeloid leukemia: HM-SCREEN-Japan 01 and 02 study. Annals of hematology, 104:275-284, 2025
6. Shimada K, Yamaguchi M, Kuwatsuka Y, Matsue K, Sato K, Kusumoto S, Nagai H, Takizawa J, Fukuhara N, Nagafuji K, Miyazaki K, Ohtsuka E, Okamoto A, Sugita Y, Uchida T, Kayukawa S, Wake A, Ennishi D, Kondo Y, Meguro A, Kin Y, Minami Y, Hashimoto D, Nishiyama T, Shimada S, Masaki Y, Okamoto M, Atsuta Y, Kiyoi H, Suzuki R, Nakamura S, Kinoshita T. Rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone combined with high-dose methotrexate plus intrathecal chemotherapy for newly diagnosed intravascular large B-cell lymphoma (PRIMEUR-IVL): long-term results of a multicentre, single-arm, phase 2 trial. EClinicalMedicine, 80:103078, 2025
7. Matsuda K, Nonami A, Shinohara K, Nagai S. Regulatory Approval of CAR-T Cell and BsAb Products for Lymphoid Neoplasms in the US, EU, and Japan. Clinical pharmacology and therapeutics, 118:118-127, 2025
8. Arai H, Matsui H, Chi S, Utsu Y, Masuda S, Aotsuka N, Minami Y. Germline Variants and Characteristic Features of Hereditary Hematological Malignancy Syndrome. International journal of molecular sciences, 25:652, 2024
9. Hashimoto T, Nakamura Y, Oki E, Kobayashi S, Yuda J, Shibuki T, Bando H, Yoshino T. Bridging horizons beyond CIRCULATE-Japan: a new paradigm in molecular residual disease detection via whole genome sequencing-based circulating tumor DNA assay. International journal of clinical oncology, 29:495-511, 2024
10. Konishi T, Matsuda K, Itonaga H, Doki N, Nishida T, Matsuoka KI, Ikeda T, Kanda Y, Fukuda T, Kanda J, Nakamae H, Imada K, Ueda Y, Ichinohe T, Atsuta Y, Ishiyama K. Impact of Early Cytomegalovirus Reactivation After Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation on Relapse in Patients With Myelodysplastic Syndrome: A Nationwide Retrospective Study From Adult Myelodysplastic Syndrome Working Group of the JSTCT. Transplantation and cellular therapy, 30:685.e1-685.e12, 2024
11. Jabbour E, Kantarjian HM, Aldoss I, Montesinos P, Leonard JT, Gómez-Almaguer D, Baer MR, Gambacorti-Passerini C, McCloskey J, Minami Y, Papayannidis C, Rocha V, Rousselot P, Vachhani P, Wang ES, Wang B, Hennessy M, Vorog A, Patel N, Yeh T, Ribera JM. Ponatinib vs Imatinib in Frontline Philadelphia Chromosome-Positive Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA, 331:1814-1823, 2024
12. Honda A, Masuda Y, Oyama Y, Matsuda K, Mizuno H, Saito AM, Katayama Y, Komatsu N, Toyama K, Kurokawa M. Prognostic factors of idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome: A nationwide survey in Japan. British journal of haematology, 205:967-977, 2024
13. Minami Y, Doki N, Matsuoka H, Yokota T, Tomita A, Takahashi N, Kubo K, Goto T, Kirito K, Maki A, Aoki M, Dawson MK, Matsumura I. Asciminib in Patients With CML-CP Previously Treated With ≧ 2 Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors: 96-Week Results From the Japanese Subgroup Analysis of the ASCEMBL Study. International journal of hematology, 120:305-313, 2024
14. Tsushima T, Sato N, Guo YM, Nakamura H, Kunisada K, Chi SG, Akie K, Takahashi Y, Nakamura S, Shimada K, Ishii G, Minami Y, Yuda J. Richter transformation acquiring PLCG2 mutation during Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitors treatment. EJHaem, 5:642-645, 2024
15. Peterlin P, Saada-Bouzid E, Moskovitz M, Pigneux A, Yuda J, Sinnollareddy M, Henner WR, Chen D, Freise KJ, Leibman RS, Avigdor A, Shimizu T. First-in-human clinical trial results with ABBV-184, a first-in-class T-cell receptor/anti-CD3 bispecific protein, in adults with previously treated AML or NSCLC. Expert review of anticancer therapy, 24:893-904, 2024
16. Matsumura I, Ohtake S, Atsuta Y, Kurata M, Minami Y, Takahashi N, Nakaseko C, Iriyama N, Fujimaki K, Kakihana K, Ogasawara Y, Ono T, Okada M, Tauchi T, Miyamoto T, Ohnishi K, Sakaida E, Fujisawa S, Kobayashi Y, Asou N, Naoe T, Kiyoi H, Miyazaki Y. Nilotinib vs dasatinib in achieving MR4.5 for de novo chronic myeloid leukemia: the randomized JALSG CML212 study. Blood advances, 8:5237-5247, 2024
17. Hashimoto T, Nakamura Y, Fujisawa T, Imai M, Shibuki T, Iida N, Ozaki H, Nonomura N, Morizane C, Iwata H, Okano S, Yamagami W, Yamazaki N, Kadowaki S, Taniguchi H, Ueno M, Boku S, Oki E, Komatsu Y, Yuki S, Makiyama A, Otsuka T, Hara H, Okano N, Nishina T, Sakamoto Y, Miki I, Kobayashi S, Yuda J, Kageyama SI, Nagamine M, Sakashita S, Sakamoto N, Yamashita R, Koga Y, Bando H, Ishii G, Kuwata T, Park WY, Ohtsu A, Yoshino T. The SCRUM-MONSTAR Cancer-Omics Ecosystem: Striving for a Quantum Leap in Precision Medicine. Cancer discovery, 14:2243-2261, 2024
18. Yoshimaru R, Minami Y. Achievement of deep molecular response and treatment-free remission with asciminib treatment in CML. International journal of hematology, 120:512-514, 2024
19. Tagami N, Yuda J, Goto Y. Current status of BAFF targeting immunotherapy in B-cell neoplasm. International journal of clinical oncology, 29:1676-1683, 2024
20. Maruyama D, Jacobsen E, Porcu P, Allen P, Ishitsuka K, Kusumoto S, Narita T, Tobinai K, Foss F, Tsukasaki K, Feldman T, Imaizumi Y, Izutsu K, Morishima S, Yamauchi N, Yuda J, Brammer JE, Kawamata T, Ruan J, Nosaka K, Utsunomiya A, Wang J, Zain J, Kakurai Y, Yamauchi H, Hizukuri Y, Biserna N, Tachibana M, Inoue A, Horwitz SM. Valemetostat monotherapy in patients with relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma: a first-in-human, multicentre, open-label, single-arm, phase 1 study. The Lancet. Oncology, 25:1589-1601, 2024
21. Uchiyama S, Fukushima K, Katagiri S, Tsuchiya J, Kubo T, Chi S, Minami Y. Clinical application of single-cell PCR technology to count chromosomal copy numbers. Ther Adv Hematol, 15:1-4, 2024