Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Epidemiology and treatment outcome of invasive fungal infections in patients with hematological malignancies

  • Original Article
  • Published:
International Journal of Hematology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Invasive fungal infection (IFI) causes morbidity and mortality among patients with hematological malignancies who receive cytotoxic chemotherapy or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). We evaluated the incidence and treatment outcomes of proven and probable IFI in 22 institutions between 2006 and 2008 following the recent European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer/Mycosis Study Group (EORTC/MSG) consensus criteria. We analyzed 2,821 patients with hematological malignancies, including 597 who had undergone HSCT; these included patients with acute leukemia (n = 697), myelodysplastic syndrome (n = 284), lymphoma (n = 1465), or multiple myeloma (n = 375). IFIs were diagnosed in 38 (1.3%) patients (18 proven and 20 probable), including 20 patients who underwent HSCT and 18 who received chemotherapy alone; these included patients with aspergillosis (n = 23), candidiasis (n = 6), mucormycosis (n = 6), trichosporonosis (n = 2), and geotrichosis (n = 1). The incidence of IFI was 5.4 % in allogeneic HSCT patients, 0.4 % in autologous HSCT patients, and 0.8 % in patients receiving chemotherapy alone. Eighteen patients with aspergillosis were diagnosed with probable pulmonary IFI as determined by computed tomography scan and positive galactomannan assay. Overall, antifungal targeted therapies resulted in successful outcomes in 60.0 % of patients. IFI-attributable mortality rate was higher in HSCT patients than in those receiving chemotherapy alone, but the difference was not statistically significant.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Pagano L, Caira M, Candoni A, Offidani M, Fianchi L, Martino B, et al. The epidemiology of fungal infections in patients with hematologic malignancies: the SEIFEM-2004 study. Haematologica. 2006;91:1068–75.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Chamilos G, Luna M, Lewis RE, Bodey GP, Chemaly R, Tarrand JJ, et al. Invasive fungal infections in patients with hematologic malignancies in a tertiary care cancer center: an autopsy study over a 15-year period (1989–2003). Haematologica. 2006;91:986–9.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Pagano L, Caira M, Nosari A, Van Lint MT, Candoni A, Offidani M, et al. Fungal infections in recipients of hematopoietic stem cell transplants: results of the SEIFEM B-2004 study–Sorveglianza Epidemiologica Infezioni Fungine Nelle Emopatie Maligne. Clin Infect Dis. 2007;45:1161–70.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Neofytos D, Horn D, Anaissie E, Steinbach W, Olyaei A, Fishman J, et al. Epidemiology and outcome of invasive fungal infection in adult hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients: analysis of Multicenter Prospective Antifungal Therapy (PATH) Alliance registry. Clin Infect Dis. 2009;48:265–73.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Orasch C, Weisser M, Mertz D, Conen A, Heim D, Christen S, et al. Comparison of infectious complications during induction/consolidation chemotherapy versus allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Bone Marrow Transpl. 2010;45:521–6.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Kontoyiannis DP, Lionakis MS, Lewis RE, Chamilos G, Healy M, Perego C, et al. Zygomycosis in a tertiary-care cancer center in the era of Aspergillus-active antifungal therapy: a case-control observational study of 27 recent cases. J Infect Dis. 2005;191:1350–60.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Marr KA, Seidel K, Slavin MA, Bowden RA, Schoch HG, Flowers ME, et al. Prolonged fluconazole prophylaxis is associated with persistent protection against candidiasis-related death in allogeneic marrow transplant recipients: long-term follow-up of a randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Blood. 2000;96:2055–61.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Kume H, Yamazaki T, Togano T, Abe M, Tanuma H, Kawana S, Okudaira M. Epidemiology of visceral mycoses in autopsy cases in Japan: comparison of the data from 1989, 1993, 1997, 2001, 2005 and 2007 in annual of pathological autopsy cases in Japan. Med Mycol J. 2011;2011(52):117–27.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Auberger J, Lass-Flörl C, Ulmer H, Nogler-Semenitz E, Clausen J, Gunsilius E, et al. Significant alterations in the epidemiology and treatment outcome of invasive fungal infections in patients with hematological malignancies. Int J Hematol. 2008;88:508–15.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. De Pauw B, Walsh TJ, Donnelly JP, Stevens DA, Edwards JE, Calandra T, et al. Revised definitions of invasive fungal disease from the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer/Invasive Fungal Infections Cooperative Group and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Mycoses Study Group (EORTC/MSG) Consensus Group. Clin Infect Dis. 2008;46:1813–21.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Ikuta K, Torimoto Y, Yamamoto M, Okamura N, Hosoki T, Sato K, et al. Successful treatment of systemic Geotrichum capitatum infection by liposomal amphotericin-B, itraconazole, and voriconazole in a Japanese man. Intern Med. 2010;49:2499–503.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Ascioglu S, Rex JH, de Pauw B, Bennett JE, Bille J, Crokaert F, et al. Defining opportunistic invasive fungal infections in immunocompromised patients with cancer and hematopoietic stem cell transplants: an international consensus. Clin Infect Dis. 2002;34:7–14.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Yonezumi M, Kurosawa M, Fukuhara T. Low sensitivity of the (1-3)-beta-D-glucan assay for diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis in hematologic malignancy patients [abstract]. Blood. 2009;114: 884. Abstract 2242.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Pazos C, Pontón J, Del Palacio A. Contribution of (1– >3)-beta-D-glucan chromogenic assay to diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring of invasive aspergillosis in neutropenic adult patients: a comparison with serial screening for circulating galactomannan. J Clin Microbiol. 2005;43:299–305.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Hachem RY, Kontoyiannis DP, Chemaly RF, Jiang Y, Reitzel R, Raad I. Utility of galactomannan enzyme immunoassay and (1, 3) beta-D-glucan in diagnosis of invasive fungal infections: low sensitivity for Aspergillus fumigatus infection in hematologic malignancy patients. J Clin Microbiol. 2009;47:129–33.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Kawazu M, Kanda Y, Nannya Y, Aoki K, Kurokawa M, Chiba S, et al. Prospective comparison of the diagnostic potential of real-time PCR, double-sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for galactomannan, and a (1– >3)-beta-D-glucan test in weekly screening for invasive aspergillosis in patients with hematological disorders. J Clin Microbiol. 2004;42:2733–41.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Kontoyiannis DP, Lewis RE. How I treat mucormycosis. Blood. 2011;118:1216–24.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Pagano L, Mancinelli M, Caira M, Valentini CG. Antifungal treatments for proven invasive fungal diseases in patients with hematological malignancy. Eur J Clin Med Oncol. 2011;3:16–24.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Richardson M, Lass-Flörl C. Changing epidemiology of systemic fungal infections. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2008;14(Suppl 4):5–24.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Nivoix Y, Velten M, Letscher-Bru V, Moghaddam A, Natarajan-Amé S, Fohrer C, et al. Factors associated with overall and attributable mortality in invasive aspergillosis. Clin Infect Dis. 2008;47:1176–84.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Upton A, Kirby KA, Carpenter P, Boeckh M, Marr KA. Invasive aspergillosis following hematopoietic cell transplantation: outcomes and prognostic factors associated with mortality. Clin Infect Dis. 2007;44:531–40.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Pagano L, Caira M, Offidani M, Martino B, Candoni A, Valentini CG, et al. Adherence to international guidelines for the treatment of invasive aspergillosis in acute myeloid leukaemia: feasibility and utility (SEIFEM-2008B study). J Antimicrob Chemother. 2010;65:2013–8.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Perkhofer S, Lass-Flörl C, Hell M, Russ G, Krause R, Hönigl M, et al. The Nationwide Austrian Aspergillus Registry: a prospective data collection on epidemiology, therapy and outcome of invasive mould infections in immunocompromised and/or immunosuppressed patients. Int J Antimicrob Agents. 2010;36:531–6.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Michallet M, Ito JI. Approaches to the management of invasive fungal infections in hematologic malignancy and hematopoietic cell transplantation. J Clin Oncol. 2009;27:3398–409.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Yoshida M, Tsubaki K, Kobayashi T, Tanimoto M, Kuriyama K, Murakami H, et al. Infectious complications during remission induction therapy in 577 patients with acute myeloid leukemia in the Japan Adult Leukemia Study Group studies between 1987 and 1991. Int J Hematol. 1999;70:261–7.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Asano-Mori Y. Fungal infections after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Int J Hematol. 2010;91:576–87.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Fukuda T, Boeckh M, Carter RA, Sandmaier BM, Maris MB, Maloney DG, et al. Risks and outcomes of invasive fungal infections in recipients of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplants after nonmyeloablative conditioning. Blood. 2003;102:827–33.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Imataki O, Kami M, Kim SW, Gotoh M, Komaba S, Kasai M, et al. A nationwide survey of deep fungal infections and fungal prophylaxis after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in Japan. Bone Marrow Transpl. 2004;33:1173–9.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Kontoyiannis DP, Marr KA, Park BJ, Alexander BD, Anaissie EJ, Walsh TJ, et al. Prospective surveillance for invasive fungal infections in hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients, 2001–2006: overview of the Transplant-Associated Infection Surveillance Network (TRANSNET) Database. Clin Infect Dis. 2010;50:1091–100.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Marr KA, Crippa F, Leisenring W, Hoyle M, Boeckh M, Balajee SA, et al. Itraconazole versus fluconazole for prevention of fungal infections in patients receiving allogeneic stem cell transplants. Blood. 2004;103:1527–33.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. van Burik JA, Ratanatharathorn V, Stepan DE, Miller CB, Lipton JH, Vesole DH, et al. Micafungin versus fluconazole for prophylaxis against invasive fungal infections during neutropenia in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Clin Infect Dis. 2004;39:1407–16.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Walsh TJ, Anaissie EJ, Denning DW, Herbrecht R, Kontoyiannis DP, Marr KA, et al. Treatment of aspergillosis: clinical practice guidelines of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. Clin Infect Dis. 2008;46:327–60.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Cornely OA, Maertens J, Bresnik M, Ebrahimi R, Ullmann AJ, Bouza E, et al. Liposomal amphotericin B as initial therapy for invasive mold infection: a randomized trial comparing a high-loading dose regimen with standard dosing (AmBiLoad trial). Clin Infect Dis. 2007;44:1289–97.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Pappas PG, Kauffman CA, Andes D, Benjamin DK Jr, Calandra TF, Edwards JE Jr, et al. Clinical practice guidelines for the management of candidiasis: 2009 update by the Infectious Diseases Society of America. Clin Infect Dis. 2009;48:503–35.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Marr KA, Boeckh M, Carter RA, Kim HW, Corey L. Combination antifungal therapy for invasive aspergillosis. Clin Infect Dis. 2004;39:797–802.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Chamilos G, Lewis RE, Kontoyiannis DP. Delaying amphotericin B-based frontline therapy significantly increases mortality among patients with hematologic malignancy who have zygomycosis. Clin Infect Dis. 2008;47:503–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Rieger CT, Huppmann S, Peterson L, Rieger H, Ostermann H. Classification of invasive fungal disease in patients with acute myeloid leukaemia. Mycoses. 2011;54:e92–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Tsitsikas DA, Morin A, Araf S, Murtagh B, Johnson G, Vinnicombe S, et al. Impact of the revised (2008) EORTC/MSG definitions for invasive fungal disease on the rates of diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis. Med Mycol. 2012;50:538–42.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the members of the Hokkaido Hematology Study Group.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mitsutoshi Kurosawa.

About this article

Cite this article

Kurosawa, M., Yonezumi, M., Hashino, S. et al. Epidemiology and treatment outcome of invasive fungal infections in patients with hematological malignancies. Int J Hematol 96, 748–757 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12185-012-1210-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12185-012-1210-y

Keywords

Navigation