Survival signals and targets for therapy in breast implant-associated ALK--anaplastic large cell lymphoma.

[PURPOSE] Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-negative, T-cell, anaplastic, non-Hodgkin lymphoma (T-ALCL) in patients with textured saline and silicone breast implants is a recently recognized clinical entity for which the etiology and optimal treatment remain unknown.

[EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN] Using three newly established model cell lines from patient biopsy specimens, designated T-cell breast lymphoma (TLBR)-1 to -3, we characterized the phenotype and function of these tumors to identify mechanisms of cell survival and potential therapeutic targets.

[RESULTS] Cytogenetics revealed chromosomal atypia with partial or complete trisomy and absence of the NPM-ALK (2;5) translocation. Phenotypic characterization showed strong positivity for CD30, CD71, T-cell CD2/5/7, and antigen presentation (HLA-DR, CD80, CD86) markers, and interleukin (IL)-2 (CD25, CD122) and IL-6 receptors. Studies of these model cell lines showed strong activation of STAT3 signaling, likely related to autocrine production of IL-6 and decreased SHP-1. STAT3 inhibition, directly or by recovery of SHP-1, and cyclophosphamide-Adriamycin-vincristine-prednisone (CHOP) chemotherapy reagents, effectively kill cells of all three TLBR models in vitro and may be pursued as therapies for patients with breast implant-associated T-ALCLs.

[CONCLUSIONS] The TLBR cell lines closely resemble the primary breast implant-associated lymphomas from which they were derived and as such provide valuable preclinical models to study their unique biology.