Mastocytosis in Adults: A Retrospective Analysis of the Clinical Course and Treatment of 58 Patients

Background. Mastocytosis is a disease caused by proliferation and accumulation of clonal mast cells in one or more organs. It is often associated with other hematological tumors. Aggressive forms of mastocytosis (AFM) require specific therapy. In non-aggressive forms of mastocytosis (NFM) symptomatic treatment is needed. NFMs prevail, therefore, the disease often goes unrecognized.

Aim. To analyze the clinical course and treatment outcomes in different forms of adult mastocytosis.

Materials & Methods. The retrospective analysis was based on the records of patients who received in-person and distance consultation within the period from 11/2008 to 11/2020. The analysis of complaints in disease onset and over time was carried out using questionnaires. NFM patients received symptomatic treatment with antihistamines. To all AFM patients chemotherapy was administered.

Results. The analysis includes the data of 58 patients: 39 (67.2 %) women and 18 (32.8 %) men. The median age was 40 years (range 18–79 years), the median age on diagnosis was 39 years (range 1–79 years). In all patients skin rashes were reported. The median age of the first skin manifestations was 25 years (range 0.1–70 years). In-person monitoring was conducted in 34 (58.6 %) patients, 24 (41.4 %) patients received distance consultations. Median follow-up was 56.5 months (range 3–564 months). In 8 (13.7 %) patients mastocytosis was diagnosed in childhood with the median of 9 years (range 0–15 years). The diagnosis was morphologically confirmed in 46 (79.3 %) patients. Main complaints included pruritus (67.2 %), edema and erythema response to various irritants (62 %). In 45 (77.5 %) patients NFMs were reported. The regular symptomatic treatment of 78.8 % of NFM patients consisted only of antihistamines (57.9 %), and 2 (4.4 %) patients noted poor disease symptom control. One (2.2 %) patient died of associated chronic myelomonocytic leukemia. None of NFM patients required cytoreductive treatment. AFMs were diagnosed in 13 (22.4 %) patients, 5 (38.4 %) out of them had mast cell leukemia. The indications for starting chemotherapy were cytopenia (n = 3; 23 %), extensive osteolysis (n = 7; 53.8 %), ascitic syndrome with portal hypertension (n = 6; 46,1 %). Overall survival of AFM patients was 84.6 % (n = 11) with median follow-up of 80 months (range 12–131 months).

Conclusion. NFM prognosis is favorable. Antihistamines are effective in relieving complaints of most patients. Cytostatic treatment of AFM in some patients provides long-lasting antitumor response.

• Vsevolod Gennadevich Potapenko Municipal Clinical Hospital No. 31, 3 Dinamo pr-t, Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation, 197110; RM Gorbacheva Scientific Research Institute of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Transplantation; IP Pavlov First Saint Petersburg State Medical University, 6/8 L’va Tolstogo str., Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation, 197022 ; ГБУЗ «Городская клиническая больница № 31», пр-т Динамо, д. 3, Санкт-Петербург, Российская Федерация, 197110; НИИ детской онкологии, гематологии и трансплантологии им. Р.М. Горбачевой, ФГБОУ ВО «Первый Санкт-Петербургский государственный медицинский университет им. акад. И.П. Павлова» Минздрава России, ул. Льва Толстого, д. 6/8, Санкт-Петербург, Российская Федерация, 197022
• V.V. Baikov RM Gorbacheva Scientific Research Institute of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Transplantation; IP Pavlov First Saint Petersburg State Medical University, 6/8 L’va Tolstogo str., Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation, 197022 ; НИИ детской онкологии, гематологии и трансплантологии им. Р.М. Горбачевой, ФГБОУ ВО «Первый Санкт-Петербургский государственный медицинский университет им. акад. И.П. Павлова» Минздрава России, ул. Льва Толстого, д. 6/8, Санкт-Петербург, Российская Федерация, 197022
• I.E. Belousova SM Kirov Military Medical Academy, 6 Akademika Lebedeva str., Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation, 194044 ; ФГБВОУ ВО «Военно-медицинская академия им. С.М. Кирова» Минобороны России, ул. Академика Лебедева, д. 6, Санкт-Петербург, Российская Федерация, 194044
• E.A. Belyakova II Mechnikov North-Western State Medical University, 41 Kirochnaya str., Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation, 191015 ; ФГБОУ ВО «Северо-Западный государственный медицинский университет им. И.И. Мечникова» Минздрава России, ул. Кирочная, д. 41, Санкт-Петербург, Российская Федерация, 191015
• M.V. Barabanshchikova RM Gorbacheva Scientific Research Institute of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Transplantation; IP Pavlov First Saint Petersburg State Medical University, 6/8 L’va Tolstogo str., Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation, 197022 ; НИИ детской онкологии, гематологии и трансплантологии им. Р.М. Горбачевой, ФГБОУ ВО «Первый Санкт-Петербургский государственный медицинский университет им. акад. И.П. Павлова» Минздрава России, ул. Льва Толстого, д. 6/8, Санкт-Петербург, Российская Федерация, 197022
• D.V. Zaslavsky Saint-Petersburg State Pediatric Medical University, 2 Litovskaya str., Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation, 194100 ; ФГБОУ ВО «Cанкт-Петербургский государственный педиатрический медицинский университет» Минздрава России, ул. Литовская, д. 2, Санкт-Петербург, Российская Федерация, 194100
• I.S. Zyuzgin NN Petrov National Medical Cancer Research Center, 68 Leningradskaya str., Pesochnyi settlement, Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation, 197758 ; ФГБУ «НМИЦ онкологии им. Н.Н. Петрова» Минздрава России, ул. Ленинградская, д. 68, пос. Песочный, Санкт-Петербург, Российская Федерация, 197758
• A.V. Klimovich Municipal Clinical Hospital No. 31, 3 Dinamo pr-t, Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation, 197110 ; ГБУЗ «Городская клиническая больница № 31», пр-т Динамо, д. 3, Санкт-Петербург, Российская Федерация, 197110
• Yu.A. Krivolapov II Mechnikov North-Western State Medical University, 41 Kirochnaya str., Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation, 191015 ; ФГБОУ ВО «Северо-Западный государственный медицинский университет им. И.И. Мечникова» Минздрава России, ул. Кирочная, д. 41, Санкт-Петербург, Российская Федерация, 191015
• T.G. Kulibaba Saint Petersburg State University, 7/9 Universitetskaya emb., Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation, 199034 ; ФГБОУ ВО «Санкт-Петербургский государственный университет», Университетская наб., д. 7/9, Санкт-Петербург, Российская Федерация, 199034
• E.V. Lisukova RM Gorbacheva Scientific Research Institute of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Transplantation; IP Pavlov First Saint Petersburg State Medical University, 6/8 L’va Tolstogo str., Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation, 197022 ; НИИ детской онкологии, гематологии и трансплантологии им. Р.М. Горбачевой, ФГБОУ ВО «Первый Санкт-Петербургский государственный медицинский университет им. акад. И.П. Павлова» Минздрава России, ул. Льва Толстого, д. 6/8, Санкт-Петербург, Российская Федерация, 197022
• E.E. Leenman II Mechnikov North-Western State Medical University, 41 Kirochnaya str., Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation, 191015 ; ФГБОУ ВО «Северо-Западный государственный медицинский университет им. И.И. Мечникова» Минздрава России, ул. Кирочная, д. 41, Санкт-Петербург, Российская Федерация, 191015
• L.A. Mazurok Kurgan Regional Clinical Hospital, 63 Tomina str., Kurgan, Russian Federation, 640002 ; ГБУ «Курганская областная клиническая больница», ул. Томина, д. 63, Курган, Российская Федерация, 640002
• A.M. Maksimova SM Kirov Military Medical Academy, 6 Akademika Lebedeva str., Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation, 194044 ; ФГБВОУ ВО «Военно-медицинская академия им. С.М. Кирова» Минобороны России, ул. Академика Лебедева, д. 6, Санкт-Петербург, Российская Федерация, 194044
• E.V. Morozova RM Gorbacheva Scientific Research Institute of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Transplantation; IP Pavlov First Saint Petersburg State Medical University, 6/8 L’va Tolstogo str., Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation, 197022 ; НИИ детской онкологии, гематологии и трансплантологии им. Р.М. Горбачевой, ФГБОУ ВО «Первый Санкт-Петербургский государственный медицинский университет им. акад. И.П. Павлова» Минздрава России, ул. Льва Толстого, д. 6/8, Санкт-Петербург, Российская Федерация, 197022
• A.S. Nizamutdinova Aleksandrov Hospital, 4 bld. 3 pr-t Solidarnosti, Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation, 193312 ; ГБУЗ «Александровская больница», пр-т Солидарности, д. 4, корп. 3, Санкт-Петербург, Российская Федерация, 193312
• K.A. Skoryukova Municipal Clinical Hospital No. 31, 3 Dinamo pr-t, Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation, 197110 ; ГБУЗ «Городская клиническая больница № 31», пр-т Динамо, д. 3, Санкт-Петербург, Российская Федерация, 197110
• E.A. Ukrainchenko Aleksandrov Hospital, 4 bld. 3 pr-t Solidarnosti, Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation, 193312 ; ГБУЗ «Александровская больница», пр-т Солидарности, д. 4, корп. 3, Санкт-Петербург, Российская Федерация, 193312
• N.V. Medvedeva Municipal Clinical Hospital No. 31, 3 Dinamo pr-t, Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation, 197110 ; ГБУЗ «Городская клиническая больница № 31», пр-т Динамо, д. 3, Санкт-Петербург, Российская Федерация, 197110

1. Branford WA. Edward Nettleship (1845–1913) and the description of urticaria pigmentosa. Int J Dermatol. 1994;33(3):214–6. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-4362.1994.tb04957.x. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-4362.1994.tb04957.x
2. Unna PG. Beitrage zur Anatomie und Pathogenese der Urticaria simplex und pigmentosa. Monatschr Prakt Dermatol. 1887;3:9.
3. Brockow K. Epidemiology, prognosis, and risk factors in mastocytosis. Immunol Allergy Clin N Am. 2014;34(2):283–95. doi: 10.1016/j.iac.2014.01.003. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iac.2014.01.003
4. Потапенко В.Г., Скорюкова К.А., Лисукова Е.В. и др. Мастоцитоз у детей. Клиническая и лабораторная характеристика группы 111 пациентов. Педиатрия. 2018;97(4):135–40. DOI: https://doi.org/10.24110/0031-403X-2018-97-4-135-140
5. [Potapenko VG, Skoryukova KA, Lisukova EV, et al. Mastocytosis in children. Clinical and laboratory characteristics of a group of 111 patients. Pediatriya. 2018;97(4):135–40. (In Russ)]
6. Kristensen T, Vestergaard H, Bindslev-Jensen C, et al. Sensitive KIT D816V mutation analysis of blood as a diagnostic test in mastocytosis. Am J Hematol. 2014;89(5):493–8. doi: 10.1002/ajh.23672. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ajh.23672
7. Akin C, Valent P, Metcalfe DD. Mast cell activation syndrome: proposed diagnostic criteria. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2010;126(6):1099–104.e4. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2010.08.035. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaci.2010.08.035
8. Carter MC, Metcalfe DD. Paediatric mastocytosis. Arch Dis Child. 2002;86(5):315–9. doi: 10.1136/adc.86.5.315. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/adc.86.5.315
9. Van Der Veer E, Van Der Goot W, De Monchy JGR, et al. High prevalence of fractures and osteoporosis in patients with indolent systemic mastocytosis. Allergy Eur J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2012;67(3):431–8. doi: 10.1111/j.1398-9995.2011.02780.x. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1398-9995.2011.02780.x
10. Vaughan ST, Jones GN. Systemic mastocytosis presenting as profound cardiovascular collapse during anaesthesia. Anaesthesia. 1998;53(8):804–7. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2044.1998.00536.x. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2044.1998.00536.x
11. Galen BT, Rose MG. Darier’s sign in mastocytosis. Blood. 2014;123(8):1127. doi: 10.1182/blood-2013-11-538355. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1182/blood-2013-11-538355
12. Scherber RM, Borate U. How we diagnose and treat systemic mastocytosis in adults. Br J Haematol. 2018;180(1):11–23. doi: 10.1111/bjh.14967. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/bjh.14967
13. Heide R, Beishuizen A, De Groot H, et al. Mastocytosis in children: a protocol for management. Pediatr Dermatol. 2008;25(4):493–500. doi: 10.1111/j.1525-1470.2008.00738.x. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1525-1470.2008.00738.x
14. Doyle LA, Sepehr GJ, Hamilton MJ, et al. A clinicopathologic study of 24 cases of systemic mastocytosis involving the gastrointestinal tract and assessment of mucosal mast cell density in irritable bowel syndrome and asymptomatic patients. Am J Surg Pathol. 2014;38(6):832–43. doi: 10.1097/PAS.0000000000000190. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/PAS.0000000000000190
15. Arock M, Valent P. Pathogenesis, classification and treatment of mastocytosis: state of the art in 2010 and future perspectives. Expert Rev Hematol. 2010;3(4):497–516. doi: 10.1586/ehm.10.42. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1586/ehm.10.42
16. Valent P, Akin C, Escribano L, et al. Standards and standardization in mastocytosis: consensus statements on diagnostics, treatment recommendations and response criteria. Eur J Clin Invest. 2007;37(6):435–53. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2362.2007.01807.x. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2362.2007.01807.x
17. Sperr WR, Kundi M, Alvarez-Twose I, et al. International prognostic scoring system for mastocytosis (IPSM): a retrospective cohort study. Lancet Haematol. 2019;6(12):e638–e649. doi: 10.1016/S2352-3026(19)30166-8. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S2352-3026(19)30166-8
18. Lim KH, Tefferi A, Lasho TL, et al. Systemic mastocytosis in 342 consecutive adults: survival studies and prognostic factors. Blood. 2009;113(23):5727–36. doi: 10.1182/blood-2009-02-205237. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1182/blood-2009-02-205237
19. Hartmann K, Escribano L, Grattan C, et al. Cutaneous manifestations in patients with mastocytosis: Consensus report of the European Competence Network on Mastocytosis; the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma &Immunology; and the European Academy of Allergology and Clinical Immunology. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2016;137(1):35–45. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2015.08.034. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaci.2015.08.034
20. Laroche M, Livideanu C, Paul C, et al. Interferon alpha and pamidronate in osteoporosis with fracture secondary to mastocytosis. Am J Med. 2011;124(8):776–8. doi: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2011.02.038. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjmed.2011.02.038
21. Rossini M, Zanotti R, Viapiana O, et al. Zoledronic acid in osteoporosis secondary to mastocytosis. Am J Med. 2014;127(11):1127.e1–1127.е4. doi: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2014.06.015. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjmed.2014.06.015
22. Wang SA, Hutchinson L, Tang G, et al. Systemic mastocytosis with associated clonal hematological non-mast cell lineage disease: clinical significance and comparison of chomosomal abnormalities in SM and AHNMD components. Am J Hematol. 2013;88(3):219–24. doi: 10.1002/ajh.23380. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ajh.23380
23. Barete S, Lortholary O, Damaj G, et al. Long-term efficacy and safety of cladribine (2-CdA) in adult patients with mastocytosis. Blood. 2015;126(8):1009–16. doi: 10.1182/blood-2014-12-614743. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1182/blood-2014-12-614743
24. Gotlib J, Kluin-Nelemans HC, George TI, et al. Efficacy and Safety of Midostaurin in Advanced Systemic Mastocytosis. N Engl J Med. 2016;374(26):2530–41. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1513098. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1513098
25. DeAngelo DJ, Quiery AT, Radia D, et al. Clinical activity in a phase 1 study of Blu-285, a potent, highly-selective inhibitor of KIT D816V in advanced systemic mastocytosis (AdvSM). Blood. 2017;130(Suppl 1):2. doi: 10.1182/blood.V130.Suppl_1.2.2.
26. Vega-Ruiz A, Cortes JE, Sever M, et al. Phase II study of imatinib mesylate as therapy for patients with systemic mastocytosis. Leuk Res. 2009;33(11):1481–4. doi: 10.1016/j.leukres.2008.12.020. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leukres.2008.12.020
27. Longley B, Metcalfe DD, Tharp M, et al. Activating and dominant inactivating c-KIT catalytic domain mutations in distinct clinical forms of human mastocytosis. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 1999;96(4):1609–14. doi: 1073/pnas.96.4.1609. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.96.4.1609
28. Horny HP, Akin C, Arber DA, et al. In: Swerdlow S, Campo E, Harris N, et al. (eds.). WHO classification of tumours of haematopoietic and lymphoid tissues. Revised 4th edition. Lyon: IARC Press; 2017.
29. Gotlib J, Pardanani A, Akin C, et al. International Working Group-Myeloproliferative Neoplasms Research and Treatment (IWG-MRT) & European Competence Network on Mastocytosis (ECNM) consensus response criteria in advanced systemic mastocytosis. Blood. 2013;121(13):2393–401. doi: 10.1182/blood-2012-09-458521. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1182/blood-2012-09-458521
30. Elmaagacli AH, Jehn C, Shikova Y, et al. Advanced systemic mastocytosis with strong expression of signaling lymphocyte activation marker family member 7 (SLAMF7) responsive to therapy with elotuzumab and lenalidomide. Leuk Lymphoma. 2020;61(2):485–7. doi: 10.1080/10428194.2019.1668939. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10428194.2019.1668939
31. Meni C, Bruneau J, Georgin-Lavialle S, et al. Paediatric mastocytosis: a systematic review of 1747 cases. Br J Dermatol. 2015;172(3):642–51. doi: 10.1111/bjd.13567. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/bjd.13567
32. Middelkamp Hup MA, Heide R, Tank B, et al. Comparison of mastocytosis with onset in children and adults. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2002;16(2):115–20. doi: 10.1046/j.1468-3083.2002.00370.x. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1468-3083.2002.00370.x
33. Brockow K, Scott LM, Worobec AS, et al. Regression of urticaria pigmentosa in adult patients with systemic mastocytosis: correlation with clinical patterns of disease. Arch Dermatol. 2002;138(6):785–90. doi: 10.1001/archderm.138.6.785. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1001/archderm.138.6.785
34. Wolff K, Komar M, Petzelbauer P. Clinical and histopathological aspects of cutaneous mastocytosis. Leuk Res. 2001;25(7):519–28. doi: 10.1016/s0145-2126(01)00044-3. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0145-2126(01)00044-3
35. Valent P, Oude Elberink JNG, Gorska A, et al. The Data Registry of the European Competence Network on Mastocytosis (ECNM): Set Up, Projects, and Perspectives. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2019;7(1):81–7. doi: 10.1016/j.jaip.2018.09.024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaip.2018.09.024
36. Merante S, Ferretti VV, Elena C, et al. The Italian Mastocytosis Registry: 6-year experience from a hospital-based registry. Fut Oncol. 2018;14(26):2713–23. doi: 10.2217/fon-2018-0291. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2217/fon-2018-0291
37. Gotlib J, Gerds AT, Bose P, et al. Systemic Mastocytosis, Version 2.2019. NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology. J Natl Compr Canc Netw. 2018;16(12):1500–37. doi: 10.6004/jnccn.2018.0088. DOI: https://doi.org/10.6004/jnccn.2018.0088
38. Matito A, Morgado JM, Sanchez-Lopez P, et al. Management of Anesthesia in Adult and Pediatric Mastocytosis: A Study of the Spanish Network on Mastocytosis (REMA) Based on 726 Anesthetic Procedures. Int Arch Allergy Immunol. 2015;167(1):47–56. doi: 10.1159/000436969. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1159/000436969
39. Pardanani A, Elliott M, Reeder T, et al. Imatinib for systemic mast cell disease. Lancet. 2003;362(9383):535–6. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(03)14115-3. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(03)14115-3
40. Droogendijk HJ, Kluin-Nelemans HJ, van Doormaal JJ, et al. Imatinib mesylate in the treatment of systemic mastocytosis: a phase II trial. Cancer. 2006;107(2):345–51. doi: 10.1182/blood.v104.11.1516.1516. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.21996
41. Kluin-Nelemans HC, Oldhoff JM, Van Doormaal JJ, et al. Cladribine therapy for systemic mastocytosis. Blood. 2003;102(13):4270–6. doi: 10.1182/blood-2003-05-1699. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1182/blood-2003-05-1699