Clinicopathological features and prognostic significance of CXCL12 in blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm

Background Blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDC) is a rare hematologic neoplasm, which almost always involves the skin and shows poor prognosis. Objective The aim of our study was to enhance BPDC diagnosis and indications for prognosis. Methods This study involved 26 patients with BPDC. To investigate the histogenesis of BPDC, we reviewed the clinical features and stained markers of various hematopoietic lineages, chemokines, and their receptors. Results Bone-marrow infiltration was detected in 13 of the 19 cases examined and leukemic changes in 18. Complete remission was achieved in 14 cases, but more than half of the patients showed recurrence within a short time, and 14 patients died of the disease after 1 to 25 months (mean 8.5 months). Positivity for CD123 was detected in 18 of 24 cases and for T-cell leukemia 1 in 18 of 22 cases. Of the chemokines and their receptors, 8 of 15 skin biopsy specimens proved to be positive for CXCL12. Leukemic change subsequent to skin lesions occurred in 7 of 8 CXCL12-positive cases (87.5%) and in 3 of 6 CXCL12-negative cases (50%). Seven of the 8 CXCL12-positive patients (87.5%) and two of the 6 CXCL12-negative patients (33.3%) have died, whereas one of 8 CXCL12-positive patients (12.5%) and 4 of 6 CXCL12-negative patients (66.7%) remain alive. Limitations The number of patients was limited. Conclusions We speculate that the presence of CXCL12-positive cells in the skin may be associated with leukemic change and a poor prognosis.