Cardiovascular diseases after high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplant for lymphoma: A Danish population-based study.

Cardiovascular diseases, especially congestive heart failure (CHF), are known complications of anthracyclines, but the risk for patients undergoing high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplant (HDT-ASCT) is not well established. With T-cell therapies emerging as alternatives, studies of long-term complications after HDT-ASCT are warranted. Danish patients treated with HDT-ASCT for aggressive lymphoma between 2001 and 2017 were matched 1:5 on sex, birth year and Charlson comorbidity score to the general population. Events were captured using nationwide registers. A total of 787 patients treated with HDT-ASCT were identified. Median follow-up was 7.6 years. The risk of CHF was significantly increased in the HDT-ASCT population compared to matched comparators with an adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of 5.5 (3.8-8.1). The 10-year cumulative incidence of CHF was 8.0% versus 2.0% (p < 0.001). Male sex, ≥2 lines of therapy, hypertension and cumulative anthracycline dose (≥300 mg/m2 ) were risk factors for CHF. In a separate cohort of 4089 lymphoma patients, HDT-ASCT was also significantly associated with increased risk of CHF (adjusted HR of 2.6 [1.8-3.8]) when analysed as a time-dependent exposure. HDT-ASCT also increased the risk of other cardiac diseases. These findings are applicable for the benefit/risk assessment of HDT-ASCT versus novel therapies.

Overexpression of the key metabolic protein CPT1A defines mantle cell lymphoma patients with poor response to standard high-dose chemotherapy independent of MIPI and complement established highrisk factors.

The variable outcome to standard immunochemotherapy for mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) patients is a clinical challenge. Established risk factors, including high MCL International Prognostic Index (MIPI), high proliferation (Ki-67), non-classic (blastoid/pleomorphic) morphology, and mutated TP53, only partly identify patients in need of alternative treatment. Deepened understanding of biological factors that influence time to progression and relapse would allow for an improved stratification, and identification of novel targets for high-risk patients. We performed gene expression analyses to identify pathways and genes associated with outcome in a cohort of homogeneously treated patients. In addition to deregulated proliferation, we show that thermogenesis, fatty acid degradation and oxidative phosphorylation are altered in patients with poor survival, and that high expression of carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A (CPT1A), an enzyme involved in fatty acid degradation, can specifically identify high-risk patients independent of the established high-risk factors. We suggest that complementary investigations of metabolism may increase the accuracy of patient stratification and that immunohistochemistry- based assessment of CPT1A can contribute to defining high-risk MCL.

Clonal hematopoiesis in elderly twins: concordance, discordance, and mortality.

Clonal hematopoiesis (CH) of indeterminate potential (CHIP) is defined by mutations in myeloid cancer-associated genes with a variant allele frequency of at least 2%. Recent studies have suggested a possible genetic predisposition to CH. To further explore this phenomenon, we conducted a population-based study of 594 twins from 299 pairs aged 73 to 94 years, all with >20 years' follow-up. We sequenced DNA from peripheral blood with a customized 21-gene panel at a median coverage of 6179X. The casewise concordance rates for mutations were calculated to assess genetic predisposition. Mutations were identified in 214 (36%) of the twins. Whereas 20 twin pairs had mutations within the same genes, the exact same mutation was only observed in 2 twin pairs. No significant difference in casewise concordance between monozygotic and dizygotic twins was found for any specific gene, subgroup, or CHIP mutations overall, and no significant heritability could be detected. In pairs discordant for CHIP mutations, we tested if the affected twin died before the unaffected twin, as a direct measurement of the association of having CH when controlling for familial factors. A total of 127 twin pairs were discordant for carrying a mutation, and in 61 (48%) cases, the affected twin died first (P = .72). Overall, we did not find a genetic predisposition to CHIP mutations in this twin study. The previously described negative association of CHIP mutations on survival could not be confirmed in a direct comparison among twin pairs that were discordant for CHIP mutations.

Protein phosphatase, Mg2+/Mn2+-dependent 1D (PPM1D) mutations in haematological cancer.

Until recently, the protein phosphatase, Mg2+/Mn2+-dependent 1D (PPM1D) gene had not been examined in haematological cancer, but several studies have now explored the functional role of this gene and its aberrations. It is often mutated in the context of clonal haemopoiesis (including in patients with lymphoma, myeloproliferative neoplasms and myelodysplastic syndrome) and mutations have been associated with exposure to cytotoxic and radiation therapy, development of therapy-related neoplasms and inferior survival. The vast majority of PPM1D mutations found in haematopoietic cells are of the nonsense or frameshift type and located within terminal exon 6. These genetic defects are rarely found in the blood of healthy individuals. PPM1D encodes the PPM1D phosphatase [also named wild-type p53-induced phosphatase 1 (WIP1)], which negatively regulates signalling molecules within the DNA damage response pathway, including tumour suppressor p53. Clonal expansion of PPM1D mutant haematopoietic cells can potentially be prevented with inhibitors; however, human trials are awaited. In the present review, we provide a review of the literature regarding PPM1D and its role in haematological cancer.

Prevention of trauma-related mental health problems among refugees: A mixed-methods evaluation of the MindSpring group programme in Denmark.

MindSpring (MS) is a community group intervention for refugees with the purpose of strengthening the participants' ability to cope with psychosocial problems, thereby preventing that premigration trauma and postmigratory stressors evolve into psychiatric disorders. The aim of the present project was to study the acceptability and impacts of MS. The study was a mixed-methods observational study including 92 Arabic speaking refugees. Participants completed a baseline demographic questionnaire, an outcome questionnaire and the World Health Organization (WHO)-5 well-being questionnaire (which is also validated as a depression screening tool) before and after the intervention. The paired t test showed a highly significant prepost difference on 12.84 points on the WHO-5. Participants' satisfaction was very high with a 98% overall satisfaction rate. The focus groups results supported these findings. The MS programme is an acceptable intervention for refugees. The significant improvement on WHO-5 suggests a positive impact on depressive symptoms and well-being.

TP53 mutations identify younger mantle cell lymphoma patients who do not benefit from intensive chemoimmunotherapy.

Despite recent advances in lymphoma treatment, mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) remains incurable, and we are still unable to identify patients who will not benefit from the current standard of care. Here, we explore the prognostic value of recurrent genetic aberrations in diagnostic bone marrow (BM) specimens from 183 younger patients with MCL from the Nordic MCL2 and MCL3 trials, which represent current standard-of-care regimens. In the univariate model, mutations of TP53 (11%) and NOTCH1 (4%), and deletions of TP53 (16%) and CDKN2A (20%), were significantly associated with inferior outcomes (together with MIPI, MIPI-c, blastoid morphology, and Ki67 > 30%); however, in multivariate analyses, only TP53 mutations (HR, 6.2; P < .0001) retained prognostic impact for overall survival (OS), whereas TP53 mutations (HR, 6.9; P < .0001) and MIPI-c high-risk (HR, 2.6; P = .003) had independent prognostic impact on time to relapse. TP53-mutated cases had a dismal outcome, with a median OS of 1.8 years, and 50% relapsed at 1.0 years, compared to a median OS of 12.7 years for TP53-unmutated cases (P < .0001). TP53 mutations were significantly associated with Ki67 > 30%, blastoid morphology, MIPI high-risk, and inferior responses to both induction- and high-dose chemotherapy. In conclusion, we show that TP53 mutations identify a phenotypically distinct and highly aggressive form of MCL with poor or no response to regimens including cytarabine, rituximab, and autologous stem-cell transplant (ASCT). We suggest patients with MCL should be stratified according to TP53 status, and that patients with TP53 mutations should be considered for experimental frontline trials exploring novel agents.

Molecular Monitoring after Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation and Preemptive Rituximab Treatment of Molecular Relapse; Results from the Nordic Mantle Cell Lymphoma Studies (MCL2 and MCL3) with Median Follow-Up of 8.5 Years.

The main objectives of the present study were to monitor minimal residual disease (MRD) in the bone marrow of patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) to predict clinical relapse and guide preemptive treatment with rituximab. Among the patients enrolled in 2 prospective trials by the Nordic Lymphoma Group, 183 who had completed autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) and in whom an MRD marker had been obtained were included in our analysis. Fresh samples of bone marrow were analyzed for MRD by a combined standard nested and quantitative real-time PCR assay for Bcl-1/immunoglobulin heavy chain gene (IgH) and clonal IgH rearrangements. Significantly shorter progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) was demonstrated for patients who were MRD positive pre-ASCT (54 patients) or in the first analysis post-ASCT (23 patients). The median PFS was only 20 months in those who were MRD-positive in the first sample post-ASCT, compared with 142 months in the MRD-negative group (P < .0001). OS was 75% at 10 years and median not reached in the MRD-negative group, compared with only 35 months in the MRD-positive group (P < .0001). Of the 86 patients (47%) who remained in continuous molecular remission, 73% were still in clinical remission after 10 years. For all patients, the median time from ASCT to first molecular relapse was 55 months, with a continuous occurrence of late molecular relapses. Fifty-eight patients who experienced MRD relapse received rituximab as preemptive treatment on 1 or more occasions, and in this group, the median time from first molecular relapse to clinical relapse was 55 months. In most cases, rituximab converted patients to MRD negativity (87%), but many patients became MRD-positive again later during follow-up (69%). By multivariate analysis, high-risk Mantle Cell Lymphoma International Prognostic Index score and positive MRD status pre-ASCT predicted early molecular relapse. In conclusion, preemptive rituximab treatment converts patients to MRD negativity and likely postpones clinical relapse. Molecular monitoring offers an opportunity to select some patients for therapeutic intervention and to avoid unnecessary treatment in others. MRD-positive patients in the first analysis post-ASCT have a dismal prognosis and thus are in need of novel strategies.

miR-18b overexpression identifies mantle cell lymphoma patients with poor outcome and improves the MIPI-B prognosticator.

Recent studies show that mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) express aberrant microRNA (miRNA) profiles; however, the clinical effect of miRNA expression has not previously been examined and validated in large prospective homogenously treated cohorts. We performed genome-wide miRNA microarray profiling of 74 diagnostic MCL samples from the Nordic MCL2 trial (screening cohort). Prognostic miRNAs were validated in diagnostic MCL samples from 94 patients of the independent Nordic MCL3 trial (validation cohort). Three miRNAs (miR-18b, miR-92a, and miR-378d) were significantly differentially expressed in patients who died of MCL in both cohorts. MiR-18b was superior to miR-92a and miR-378d in predicting high risk. Thus, we generated a new biological MCL International Prognostic Index (MIPI-B)-miR prognosticator, combining expression levels of miR-18b with MIPI-B data. Compared to the MIPI-B, this prognosticator improved identification of high-risk patients with regard to cause-specific, overall, and progression-free survival. Transfection of 2 MCL cell lines with miR-18b decreased their proliferation rate without inducing apoptosis, suggesting that miR-18b may render MCL cells resistant to chemotherapy by decelerating cell proliferation. We conclude that overexpression of miR-18b identifies patients with poor prognosis in 2 large prospective MCL cohorts and adds prognostic information to the MIPI-B. MiR-18b may reduce the proliferation rate of MCL cells as a mechanism of chemoresistance.

15-year follow-up of the Second Nordic Mantle Cell Lymphoma trial (MCL2): prolonged remissions without survival plateau.

In recent decades, the prognosis of Mantle Cell Lymphoma (MCL) has been significantly improved by intensified first-line regimens containing cytarabine, rituximab and consolidation with high-dose-therapy and autologous stem cell transplantation. One such strategy is the Nordic MCL2 regimen, developed by the Nordic Lymphoma Group. We here present the 15-year updated results of the Nordic MCL2 study after a median follow-up of 11·4 years: For all patients on an intent-to-treat basis, the median overall and progression-free survival was 12·7 and 8·5 years, respectively. The MCL International Prognostic Index (MIPI), biological MIPI, including Ki67 expression (MIPI-B) and the MIPI-B including mIR-18b expression (MIPI-B-miR), in particular, significantly divided patients into distinct risk groups. Despite very long response durations of the low and intermediate risk groups, we observed a continuous pattern of relapse and the survival curves never reached a plateau. In conclusion, despite half of the patients being still alive and 40% in first remission after more than 12 years, we still see an excess disease-related mortality, even among patients experiencing long remissions. Even though we consider the Nordic regimen as a very good choice of regimen, we recommend inclusion in prospective studies to explore the benefit of novel agents in the frontline treatment of MCL.

Mosaic chromosomal alterations in hematopoietic cells and clinical outcomes in patients with multiple myeloma.

Mosaic chromosomal alterations (mCAs) in hematopoietic cells increase mortality and risk of hematological cancers and infections. We investigated the landscape of mCAs and their clinical consequences in 976 patients with multiple myeloma undergoing high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell support (ASCT) with median 6.4 years of follow-up. mCAs were detected in the stem cell harvest product of 158 patients (16.2%). Autosomal aberrations were found in 60 patients (6.1%) and affected all chromosomes. Loss of chromosome X was found in 51 females (12.7%) and loss of chromosome Y in 55 males (9.6%). Overall survival and progression were similar between carriers of autosomal mCAs and non-carriers. In contrast, female patients with loss of the X chromosome had longer overall survival (age-adjusted[a.a.] HR 0.54, 95% CI 0.32-0.93, p = 0.02), lower risk of progression (a.a. HR 0.55, 95% CI 0.35-0.87; p = 0.01), and better post-transplant response (higher degree of complete response (CR) or very good partial response (VGPR)). The reason for this substantial effect is unknown. Additionally, myeloma clones in the stem cell product was confirmed by mCA analysis in the few patients with multiple mCAs (n = 12 patients). Multiple mCAs conferred inferior overall survival (a.a. HR 2.0, 95% CI 1.02-3.84; p = 0.04) and higher risk of myeloma progression (a.a. HR 3.36, 95% CI 1.67-6.81; p < 0.001), which is presumed to be driven by suspected myeloma contaminants.

Second primary malignancies in patients with lymphoma in Denmark after high-dose chemotherapy and autologous haematopoietic stem-cell transplantation: a population-based, retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Second primary malignancies (SPMs) are known complications after chemotherapy, but the risk is not well characterised for patients with lymphoma treated with high-dose chemotherapy and autologous haematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT). We aimed to investigate the rate of SPMs in this population relative to matched control individuals from the general population. METHODS: In this retrospective, population-based cohort study, patients aged 18 years or older with an aggressive lymphoma who received high-dose chemotherapy and autologous HSCT in Denmark between Jan 1, 2001, and Dec 31, 2017, were included from the Danish Lymphoma Registry and matched (1:5) to control individuals from the general population on birth year and sex via the Danish Civil Registration System. Patients were eligible if they had a registered date of autologous HSCT and patients with primary CNS lymphoma were excluded. Exclusion criteria for both patients and matched control individuals were HIV infection, organ transplantation, or other malignancies before inclusion. The key endpoint was the incidence of SPMs assessed in all study participants. The effect of treatment on SPMs was also investigated in patients who were followed up from first lymphoma diagnosis, with high-dose chemotherapy and autologous HSCT as a time-dependent exposure. FINDINGS: Of 910 patients with lymphoma assessed, 803 were included (537 [67%] were male and 266 [33%] were female); 4015 matched control individuals were included (2685 [67%] were male and 1330 [33%] were female). Ethnicity data were not available. Median follow-up was 7·76 years (IQR 4·77-11·73). The SPM rate was higher among patients receiving high-dose chemotherapy and autologous HSCT than matched control individuals (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 2·35, 95% CI 1·93-2·87, p<0·0001). Patients receiving high-dose chemotherapy and autologous HSCT had a higher rate of non-melanoma skin cancer (2·94, 2·10-4·11, p<0·0001) and of myelodysplastic syndrome or acute myeloid leukaemia (AML; 41·13, 15·77-107·30, p<0·0001) than matched control individuals, but there was no significant difference in the rate of solid tumours (1·21, 0·89-1·64, p=0·24). The cumulative risk of SPMs at 10 years was 20% (95% CI 17-23) in patients compared with 14% (13-15) in matched control individuals. High-dose chemotherapy and autologous HSCT was associated with an increased risk of SPMs when analysed as a time-dependent exposure from first lymphoma diagnosis (adjusted HR 1·58, 95% CI 1·14-2·17, p=0·0054). INTERPRETATION: High-dose chemotherapy and autologous HSCT was associated with an increased risk of non-melanoma skin cancer and myelodysplastic syndrome or AML but not with increased risk of solid tumours in patients treated for lymphoma. These findings are relevant for future individualised risk-benefit assessments when choosing between high-dose chemotherapy and autologous HSCT and chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy in this setting. FUNDING: Danish Cancer Society.

Exploring new prognostic biomarkers in Mantle Cell Lymphoma: a comparison of the circSCORE and the MCL35 score.

Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is a biologically and clinically heterogeneous disease, emphasizing the need for prognostic biomarkers. In this study we aimed at comparing the prognostic value of two RNA-based risk scores, circSCORE and MCL35, in 149 patients from the MCL2 (ISRCTN87866680) and MCL3 (NCT00514475) patient cohorts. Both risk scores provided significant stratification of high versus low risk for progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). The circSCORE retained significant prognostic value in adjusted multivariable Cox regressions for PFS, but not for OS. Furthermore, circSCORE added significant prognostic value to MIPI in the pooled cohort (MCL2 and MCL3) for PFS and OS, and for PFS in MCL3 alone, outperforming Ki67 and MCL35. We suggest a new, combined MIPI-circSCORE with improved prognostic value, and with potential for future clinical implementation, if validated in a larger, independent cohort.

Expression patterns and prognostic potential of circular RNAs in mantle cell lymphoma: a study of younger patients from the MCL2 and MCL3 clinical trials.

Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is characterized by marked differences in outcome, emphasizing the need for strong prognostic biomarkers. Here, we explore expression patterns and prognostic relevance of circular RNAs (circRNAs), a group of endogenous non-coding RNA molecules, in MCL. We profiled the circRNA expression landscape using RNA-sequencing and explored the prognostic potential of 40 abundant circRNAs in samples from the Nordic MCL2 and MCL3 clinical trials, using NanoString nCounter Technology. We report a circRNA-based signature (circSCORE) developed in the training cohort MCL2 that is highly predictive of time to progression (TTP) and lymphoma-specific survival (LSS). The dismal outcome observed in the large proportion of patients assigned to the circSCORE high-risk group was confirmed in the independent validation cohort MCL3, both in terms of TTP (HR 3.0; P = 0.0004) and LSS (HR 3.6; P = 0.001). In Cox multiple regression analysis incorporating MIPI, Ki67 index, blastoid morphology and presence of TP53 mutations, circSCORE retained prognostic significance for TTP (HR 3.2; P = 0.01) and LSS (HR 4.6; P = 0.01). In conclusion, circRNAs are promising prognostic biomarkers in MCL and circSCORE improves identification of high-risk disease among younger patients treated with cytarabine-containing chemoimmunotherapy and autologous stem cell transplant.

Clinical impact of clonal hematopoiesis in patients with lymphoma undergoing ASCT: a national population-based cohort study.

Clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP) is suspected of being a risk factor for patients with cancer. This study aimed to assess the clinical consequences of CHIP in patients with lymphoma intended for high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem-cell transplantation (ASCT) in a population-based setting. We identified 892 lymphoma patients who had undergone stem cell harvest at all transplant centers in Denmark. A total of 565 patients had an available harvest sample, which was analysed for CHIP by next-generation sequencing, and the median follow-up was 9.1 years. Of the patients who were intended for immediate ASCT, 25.5% (112/440) carried at least one CHIP mutation. In contrast to previous single-center studies CHIP was not associated with inferior overall survival (OS) in multivariate analyses. However, patients with mutations in genes of the DNA repair pathway (PPM1D, TP53, RAD21, BRCC3) had a significant inferior OS (HR after 1 year of follow-up 2.79, 95% confidence interval 1.71-4.56; p < 0.0001), which also was evident in multivariate analysis (p = 0.00067). These patients had also increased rates of therapy-related leukemia and admission to intensive care. Furthermore, in patients who did not undergo immediate ASCT, a significant inferior OS of individuals with DNA repair mutations was also identified (p = 0.003).

Mature lymphoid malignancies: origin, stem cells, and chronicity.

The chronic behavior of mature lymphoid malignancies, with relapses occurring years apart in many patients, has until recently been unexplained. Patterns of relapse also differ vastly between disease entities, with some being highly curable by chemotherapy whereas others are destined to reemerge after treatment. Lately, the use of next-generation sequencing techniques has revealed essential information on the clonal evolution of lymphoid malignancies. Also, experimental xenograft transplantation point to the possible existence of an ancestral (stem) cell. Such a malignant lymphoid stem cell population could potentially evade current therapies and be the cause of chronicity and death in lymphoma patients; however, the evidence is divergent across disease entities and between studies. In this review we present an overview of genetic studies, case reports, and experimental evidence of the source of mature lymphoid malignancy and discuss the perspectives.

[The cause of cytopenia of undetermined significance can often be found by using next generation sequencing].

Patients with persistent cytopenia are frequently referred to the haematological departments , and a diagnosis of myelodysplastic syndrome is often suspected. After routine assessment including a broad range of blood tests, bone marrow biopsy, and cytogenetics, a definite diagnosis can still not be found for some patients, although they have symptomatic cytopenia. In these cases, next generation sequencing is a valuable supplement in identifying patients with early stages of myeloid cancer.