Plasmablastic lymphoma: current knowledge and future directions

Front Immunol. 2024 Feb 13:15:1354604. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1354604. eCollection 2024.

Abstract

Plasmablastic lymphoma (PBL) is an aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma associated with HIV infection and immunodeficiency. However, PBL can also be seen immunocompetent individuals in recent studies. PBL was characterized by distinct clinical and pathological features, such as plasmablastic morphology and universal expression of plasma cell markers. The clinicopathologic features were different between HIV-negative and HIV-positive patients. Gene expression analysis identified the unique molecular feature in PBL, including frequent c-MYC rearrangement and downregulation of BCR signaling pathway. Despite the recent advances in the treatment of PBL, the prognosis of PBL patients remains dismal. The objectives of this review are to summarize the current knowledge on the epidemiology, molecular profiles, clinical and pathological features, differential diagnosis, treatment strategies, prognostic factors, and potential novel therapeutic approaches in PBL patients.

Keywords: HIV; immunotherapy; molecular profiles; plasmablastic lymphoma; treatment.

Publication types

  • Review
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • HIV Infections* / complications
  • HIV Infections* / epidemiology
  • HIV Seropositivity*
  • Humans
  • Plasma Cells / pathology
  • Plasmablastic Lymphoma* / diagnosis
  • Plasmablastic Lymphoma* / genetics
  • Plasmablastic Lymphoma* / therapy
  • Prognosis

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. This study was supported by the Scientific Research Launch Project for new employees of the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Beijing Xisike Clinical Oncology Research Foundation (Grant No. Y-Young2023-0175), the Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province (Grant No. 2023JJ60429), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 81470353, 81870155, 81700195), Innovation Group Project of Shanghai Municipal Health Commission (Grant No. 2019CXJQ03), Shanghai Science and Technology Development Fund (Grant No. 19MC1911000), Shanghai Municipal Key Clinical Specialty (Grant No. shslczdzk01301), Innovation Program of Shanghai Science and Technology Committee (Grant No. 20Z11900300) and Clinical Research Plan of Shanghai Hospital Development Center (Grant No. SHDC2020CR3046B).