Durable responses in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia with the use of FLT3 and IDH inhibitors.

Data regarding the use of FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) and isocitrate dehydrogenase 1/2 (IDH1/2) inhibitors in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) are lacking. We identified 14 patients with FLT3- or IDH1/2-mutated ALL. Three early T-cell precursor-ALL patients received FLT3 or IDH2 inhibitors. Patient 1 maintains a complete remission (CR) with enasidenib after intolerance to chemotherapy. Patient 2 maintained a CR for 27 months after treatment with enasidenib for relapsed disease. Patient 3 was treated with venetoclax and gilteritinib at the time of relapse and maintained a CR with gilteritinib for 8 months. These cases suggest that FLT3 and IDH inhibitors could represent a viable therapeutic option for ALL patients with these mutations.

Expedited evaluation of hereditary hematopoietic malignancies in the setting of stem cell transplantation.

Not available.

Prognostic impact of 'multi-hit' versus 'single hit' TP53 alteration in patients with acute myeloid leukemia: results from the Consortium on Myeloid Malignancies and Neoplastic Diseases.

While there is clear evidence to suggest poorer outcome associated with multi-hit (MH) TP53 mutation compared to single-hit (SH) in lower-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), data are conflicting in both higher-risk MDS and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). We conducted an indepth analysis utilizing data from 10 US academic institutions to study differences in molecular characteristics and outcomes of SH (n= 139) versus MH (n= 243) TP53MTAML. Complex cytogenetics (CG) were more common in MH compared to SH TP53MT AML (p <0.001); whereas ASXL1 (p= <0.001), RAS (p<0.001), splicing factor (p= 0.003), IDH1/2 (p= 0.001), FLT3 ITD (p= <0.001) and NPM1 (p= 0.005) mutations significantly clustered with SH TP53MT AML. Survival after excluding patients who received best supportive care alone was dismal but not significantly different between SH and MH (event free survival [EFS]: 3.0 vs 2.20 months, p= 0.22/ overall survival [OS]: 8.50 vs 7.53 months, respectively, p= 0.13). In multivariable analysis, IDH1 mutation and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HCT) as a time-dependent covariate were associated with superior EFS (HR; 0.44, 95% CI: 0.19-1.01, p= 0.05/ HR; 0.34, 95% CI: 0.18-0.62, p<0.001) and OS (HR; 0.24, 95% CI: 0.08-0.71, p= 0.01/ HR; 0.28, 95% CI: 0.16-0.47, p<0.001). While complex CG (HR; 1.56, 95% CI: 1.01-2.40, p= 0.04) retained unfavorable significance for OS. Our analysis suggests that unlike in MDS, multihit TP53MT is less relevant in independently predicting outcomes in patients with AML.

Disparities in receiving disease-directed therapy, allogeneic stem cell transplantation in non-Hispanic Black patients with TP53-mutated acute myeloid leukemia.

BACKGROUND: Although the clinical outcomes of patients with TP53-mutated acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are dismal, subsets of patients eligible for curative-intent therapies may fare better. Because racial disparities are known to affect outcome in hematologic malignancies, the authors sought to explore disparities among patients with TP53-mutated AML. METHODS: A multicenter, retrospective study was conducted in a cohort of 340 patients who had TP53-mutated AML (275 non-Hispanic White [NHW] and 65 non-Hispanic Black [NHB]) to analyze differences in treatment and outcome among NHW and NHB patients. RESULTS: The median patient age was comparable between NHW and NHB patients (p = .76). A higher proportion of NHB patients had therapy-related AML (31% vs. 20%; p = .08) and had co-mutations (74% vs. 61%; p = .06). A higher proportion of NHW patients received intensive chemotherapy compared with NHB patients (47% vs. 31%; p = .02). Conversely, a higher proportion of NHB patients received low-intensity chemotherapy (9% vs. 5.5%; p = .02) or best supportive care (22% vs. 7%; p < .001). The complete response rate (including complete responses with or without complete count recovery) was 31% versus 24.5% (p = .39) in NHW and NHB patients, respectively. Only 5% of NHB patients received allogeneic stem cell transplantation compared with 15.5% of NHW patients (p = .02). The proportion of patients who were event-free (18.5% vs. 8.5%; p = .49) or who remained alive (24.9% vs. 8.3%; p = .13) at 18 months was numerically higher in NHW versus NHB patients, respectively, but was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: The current study highlights disparities between NHW and NHB patients with TP53-mutated AML. Efforts are warranted to eliminate treatment disparities in minority populations.

Primary ovarian insufficiency secondary to chemotherapy with inotuzumab ozogamicin and other agents.

Recent advances in targeted therapy with monoclonal antibodies have significantly improved outcomes for people with cancer, sometimes allowing patients to avoid ovotoxic agents altogether. The current understanding is that monoclonal antibody cancer therapies that are not targeted to ovarian antigens should not impact ovarian reserve or increase the risk of primary ovarian insufficiency (POI). We present a case of rapid onset POI in a 23-year-old patient following chemotherapy for relapse/refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia with a monoclonal antibody drug-conjugate, inotuzumab ozogamicin, that targets CD22. She was also treated with intrathecal methotrexate, cytarabine, and vincristine which are typically considered low risk for ovotoxicity. She was ovulatory with an AMH of 1.0 ng/mL prior to treatment and 2 months later was found to have an undetectable AMH. The patient experienced a canceled fertility preservation cycle due to an absent response to gonadotropins during ovarian stimulation. Consideration should be given to potential gonadal effects of monoclonal antibody therapies that may not have previously been explored.

Solution-focused brief therapy for adolescent and young adult cancer patients in China: a pilot randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: This pilot clinical trial investigated solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) for psychological distress among adolescent and young adult (AYA) patients with cancer in China. METHODS: Fifty Chinese AYA patients diagnosed with cancer were randomized into the treatment group (SFBT) and control group (active control). Psychological distress was measured by the brief symptom inventory and hope was measured by the Herth-Hope-Index. Treatment effects were analyzed using analysis-of-covariance and between-group small-sample-size corrected Hedges' g. RESULTS: The results indicated that SFBT resulted in a significant reduction in the psychological distress and improvement in hope of AYA patients with cancer. Analyses of the 4-week posttreatment score suggest the short-term sustainability of SFBT for psychological distress among AYAs diagnosed with cancer. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: This study has demonstrated that SFBT's impact is statistically significant and clinically meaningful. The inclusion of positive emotions, i.e., hope, as part of the investigation also highlighted the significance of promoting positive emotions among AYA patients with cancer.

Gaps in Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Education in Oncology Fellowship Training.

Purpose: Adolescents and young adults (AYAs, 15-39 years) with cancer experience disparities in care and outcomes compared with older/younger patients. AYAs receive care from medical and pediatric oncologists, however, little is known about the extent of training fellows receive. This needs assessment evaluating current AYA oncology (AYA-O) education in pediatric and medical oncology fellowship programs to identify knowledge gaps for curricular development. Methods: An anonymous, cross-sectional, web-based survey developed by pediatric and medical oncologists was sent to medical (n = 178) and pediatric (n = 119) hematology/oncology program directors (PDs) at 251 sites in the United States. PDs were asked to participate and distribute the survey to their fellows. Survey questions addressed current AYA curriculum, provider comfort, and priorities for future AYA educational content. Results: Participants from 69/251 programs responded (program response rate = 27%), including 51 PDs (32 pediatric, 19 medical oncology) and 58 fellows (33 pediatric, 25 medical oncology). Eighty-five percent of PDs (44/51) reported lacking formal AYA curricula. Of these, 80% (35/44) offer some topic-specific lectures, while 20% (9/44) provide little/no education for any topics. For nearly all topics, at least 45% of combined respondents reported little/no education. Respondents believe AYA topics are important for inclusion in future curricula. The most important topics for inclusion reported were oncofertility (82%), survivorship (78%), and communication (77%). Conclusions: There are large and actionable gaps in AYA-O education during fellowship training. Efforts are underway to develop AYA-O curriculum to provide both medical and pediatric oncology fellows with the knowledge and skills required to provide optimal AYA care.

Health Care Resource Utilization and Total Costs of Care for Adult Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in the United States: A Retrospective Claims Analysis.

PURPOSE: Although immunotherapies such as blinatumomab and inotuzumab have led to improved outcomes, financial burden and health resource utilization (HRU) have increased for adult patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (R/R B-ALL). This study assessed real-world HRU and costs of care among adult patients with R/R B-ALL by line of therapy (LoT) in the United States. METHODS: We selected patients from the MarketScanⓇ Database (January 1, 2016 through December 31, 2020) as follows: ≥1 claims of ALL-indicated first-line (1L) therapies, ≥1 diagnosis of ALL before the index date (1L initiation date), 6-month continuous enrollment before the index date, second-line (2L) therapy initiation, ≥18 years old at 2L, no clinical trial enrollment, no diagnosis of other forms of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and no claim for daratumumab or nelarabine during the study period. Outcome measures included claim-based time to next treatment (TTNT), all-cause and adverse event (AE)-related HRU, and all-cause and AE-related costs. FINDINGS: The R/R B-ALL cohort (N = 203) was 60% male, median age of 41 years, and median Charlson Comorbidity Index score of 3.0. Mean (SD) follow-up was 17.8 (11.8) months. Of those who received 2L, 55.7% (113/203) required 3L, and 15% (30/203) initiated 4L+. Patients relapsed quickly, with a median TTNT of 170 days, 169 days, and 205 days for 2L, 3L, and 4L+, respectively. Hospitalization rates were high across each LoT (2L, 88%; 3L, 73%; 4L+, 73%), and the mean (SD) inpatient length of stay increased by LoT as follows: 8.6 (6.8) days for 2L, 10.6 (13.3) for 3L, and 11.6 (13.6) for 4L+. Mean (SD) overall costs were substantial within each LoT at $513,279 ($599,209), $340,419 ($333,555), and $390,327 ($332,068) for 2L, 3L, and 4L+, respectively. The mean (SD) overall/per-patient-per-month AE-related costs were $358,676 ($497,998) for 2L, $202,621 ($272,788) for 3L, and $210,539 ($267,814) for 4L+. Among those receiving blinatumomab or inotuzumab within each LoT, the mean (SD) total costs were $566,373 ($621,179), $498,070 ($376,260), and $512,908 ($159,525) for 2L, 3L, and 4L+, respectively. IMPLICATIONS: These findings suggest that adult patients with R/R B-ALL relapse frequently with standard of care and incur a substantial HRU and cost burden with each LoT. Those treated with blinatumomab or inotuzumab incurred higher total costs within each LoT compared with the overall R/R B-ALL cohort. Alternative therapies with longer duration of remission are urgently needed, and HRU should be considered for future studies examining the optimal sequencing of therapy.

Socioeconomic determinants of the biology and outcomes of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in adults.

ABSTRACT: Various socioeconomic and biologic factors affect cancer health disparities and differences in health outcomes. To better characterize the socioeconomic vs biologic determinants of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) outcomes, we conducted a single-institution, retrospective analysis of adult patients with ALL treated at the University of Chicago (UChicago) from 2010 to 2022 and compared our outcomes with the US national data (the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results [SEER] database). Among 221 adult patients with ALL treated at UChicago, BCR::ABL1 was more frequent in patients with higher body mass index (BMI; odds ratio [OR], 7.64; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.17-49.9) and non-Hispanic Black (NHB) ancestry (59% vs 24% in non-Hispanic White (NHW) and 20% in Hispanic patients; P = .001). In a multivariable analysis, age (hazard ratio [HR], 6.93; 95% CI, 2.27-21.1) and higher BMI at diagnosis (HR, 10.3; 95% CI, 2.56-41.5) were independent predictors of poor overall survival (OS). In contrast, race or income were not predictors of OS in the UChicago cohort. Analysis of the national SEER database (2010-2020) demonstrated worse survival outcomes in Hispanic and NHB patients than in NHW patients among adolescent and young adults (AYAs) but not in older adults (aged >40 years). Both AYA and older adult patients with higher median household income had better OS than those with lower income. Therefore, multidisciplinary medical care coupled with essential supportive care services offered at centers experienced in ALL care may alleviate the socioeconomic disparities in ALL outcomes in the United States.

Developing Targeted Therapies for T Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia/Lymphoma.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Largely, treatment advances in relapsed and/or refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) have been made in B cell disease leaving T cell ALL reliant upon high-intensity chemotherapy. Recent advances in the understanding of the biology of T-ALL and the improvement in immunotherapies have led to new therapeutic pathways to target and exploit. Here, we review the more promising pathways that are able to be targeted and other therapeutic possibilities for T-ALL. RECENT FINDINGS: Preclinical models and early-phase clinical trials have shown promising results in some case in the treatment of T-ALL. Targeting many different pathways could lead to the next advancement in the treatment of relapsed and/or refractory disease. Recent advances in cellular therapies have also shown promise in this space. When reviewing the literature as a whole, targeting important pathways and antigens likely will lead to the next advancement in T-ALL survival since intensifying chemotherapy.

Disparities in care and outcomes for adolescent and young adult lymphoma patients.

Though survival outcomes among adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with lymphoma have improved over the last three decades, socially vulnerable populations including non-White, low-income, and publicly insured groups continue to trail behind on survival curves. These disparities, while likely the result of both biological and non-biological factors, can be largely attributed to inequities in care over the full cancer continuum. Nationally representative studies have demonstrated that from diagnosis through therapy and into long-term survivorship, socially vulnerable AYAs with lymphoma face barriers to care that impact their short and long-term survival. Thus, improving outcomes for all AYAs with lymphoma requires dedicated study to understand, and then address the unique challenges faced by non-White and low-income lymphoma populations within this age group.

Health resource utilization and costs of care for adult patients with relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma in the United States: a retrospective claims analysis.

OBJECTIVES: We assessed real-world healthcare resource utilization (HRU) and costs among US patients with relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma (R/R MCL) by line of therapy (LoT). METHODS: We selected patients from MarketScan® (1/1/2016-12/31/2020): ≥1 claims of MCL-indicated first line (1L) therapies, ≥1 diagnoses of MCL pre-index date (1L initiation date), ≥6-month continuous enrollment pre-index date, second line (2L) therapy initiation, ≥18 years old at 2L, and no clinical trial enrollment. Outcomes included time to next treatment (TTNT), all-cause HRU, and costs. RESULTS: The cohort (N = 142) was 77.5% male, aged 62 years (median). Sixty-six percent and 23% advanced to 3L and 4L+, respectively. Mean (median) TTNT was 9.7 (5.9), 9.3 (5.0), and 6.3 (4.2) months for 2L, 3L, and 4L+, respectively. Mean (median) per patient per month (PPPM) costs were $29,999 ($21,313), $29,352 ($20,033), and $30,633 ($23,662) for 2L, 3L, and 4L+, respectively. Among those who received Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitors, mean (median) PPPM costs were $24,702 ($17,203), $31,801 ($20,363), and $36,710 ($25,899) for 2L, 3L, and 4L+, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: During the period ending in 2020, patients relapsed frequently, incurring high HRU and costs across LoTs. More effective treatments with long-lasting remissions in R/R MCL may reduce healthcare burden.

Mantle cell lymphoma is a rare blood cancer of white blood cells. This type of cancer can be hard to treat, even with new treatments. In about 15% to 20% of people, the cancer will not get better or will come back within 2 years of starting treatment. When this happens, there are few good options for treatments that work. Using medical claims data, we looked at healthcare use and costs among US patients with mantle cell lymphoma that came back after treatment or did not respond to treatment. We found 142 patients who met the study criteria. Of these, 77.5% were men with a median age of 62 years. Sixty-six percent got a third of the treatment and 23% got a fourth treatment or more. The time until the next treatment was about 9­10 months for patients who got a second and third treatments.. It was about 6 months for people who got a fourth or more treatment. The average monthly cost of treatment was about $30,000 for those receiving a second or fourth or more treatment. It was slightly less for those who got a third treatment. For those who got Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitors, the monthly costs went up with each treatment they needed. Overall, we found that during the study period, patients with mantle cell lymphoma worsened quickly, received multiple treatments, and had high costs of care. Better treatments that work longer are needed.

Survival of TP53-mutated acute myeloid leukemia patients receiving allogeneic stem cell transplantation after first induction or salvage therapy: results from the Consortium on Myeloid Malignancies and Neoplastic Diseases (COMMAND).

We conducted a multi-center study to analyze factors predicting survival among patients with TP53-mutated (m) AML receiving allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (allo-HSCT) in the recent era. Out of 370 TP53m AML patients, 68 (18%) patients were bridged to allo-HSCT. The median age of the patients was 63 years (range, 33-75), 82% of patients had complex cytogenetics and 66% of patients had multi-hit TP53m. Forty three percent received myeloablative conditioning and 57% received reduced intensity conditioning. The incidence of acute graft versus host disease (GVHD) was 37% and chronic GVHD was 44%. The median event-free survival (EFS) from the time of allo-HSCT was 12.4 months (95% CI: 6.24-18.55) and median overall survival (OS) was 24.5 months (95% CI: 21.80-27.25). In multivariate analysis utilizing variables that showed significance in univariate analysis, complete remission at day 100 post allo-HSCT retained significance for EFS (HR: 0.24, 95% CI: 0.10-0.57, p = 0.001) and OS (HR: 0.22, 95% CI: 0.10-0.50, p ≤ 0.001). Similarly, occurrence of chronic GVHD retained significance for EFS (HR: 0.21, 95% CI: 0.09-0.46, p ≤ 0.001) and OS (HR: 0.34, 95% CI: 0.15-0.75, p = 0.007). Our report suggests that allo-HSCT offers the best opportunity to improve long-term outcome among patients with TP53m AML.

Dual Targeting of Apoptotic and Signaling Pathways in T-Lineage Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

PURPOSE: Relapsed T-acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) has limited treatment options. We investigated mechanisms of resistance to BH3 mimetics in T-ALL to develop rational combination strategies. We also looked at the preclinical efficacy of NWP-0476, a novel BCL-2/BCL-xL inhibitor, as single agent and combination therapy in T-ALL. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: We used BH3 profiling as a predictive tool for BH3 mimetic response in T-ALL. Using isogenic control, venetoclax-resistant (ven-R) and NWP-0476-resistant (NWP-R) cells, phosphokinase array was performed to identify differentially regulated signaling pathways. RESULTS: Typical T-ALL cells had increased dependence on BCL-xL, whereas early T-precursor (ETP)-ALL cells had higher BCL-2 dependence for survival. BCL-2/BCL-xL dual inhibitors were effective against both subtypes of T-lineage ALL. A 71-protein human phosphokinase array showed increased LCK activity in ven-R cells, and increased ACK1 activity in ven-R and NWP-R cells. We hypothesized that pre-TCR and ACK1 signaling pathways are drivers of resistance to BCL-2 and BCL-xL inhibition, respectively. First, we silenced LCK gene in T-ALL cell lines, which resulted in increased sensitivity to BCL-2 inhibition. Mechanistically, LCK activated NF-κB pathway and the expression of BCL-xL. Silencing ACK1 gene resulted in increased sensitivity to both BCL-2 and BCL-xL inhibitors. ACK1 signaling upregulated AKT pathway, which inhibited the pro-apoptotic function of BAD. In a T-ALL patient-derived xenograft model, combination of NWP-0476 and dasatinib demonstrated synergy without major organ toxicity. CONCLUSIONS: LCK and ACK1 signaling pathways are critical regulators of BH3 mimetic resistance in T-ALL. Combination of BH3 mimetics with tyrosine kinase inhibitors might be effective against relapsed T-ALL.

Effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy in improving functional health in cancer survivors: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Cancer survivors suffer from health deficits caused by their disease and treatment. This study conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis on how, and to what extent, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) impacts functional health outcomes in cancer survivors. METHODS: We searched 7 electronic databases, 91 published review articles, and 4 professional websites for eligible randomized and non-randomized controlled trials focusing on cancer survivors. RESULTS: We included 95 studies published between 1986 and 2021. Risk of bias across studies was low overall. We identified an overall statistically significant treatment effect size across functional health categories, d = 0.391, p < 0.001, and significant moderators associated with CBT's treatment effect, i.e., treatment phase and type of comparison. CONCLUSIONS: CBT was effective at improving functional health outcomes of cancer survivors, regardless of therapy delivery modality or number of cancer diagnoses patients had, but not for newly diagnosed patients or those currently benefiting from an active comparator intervention.

Evaluating the Feasibility and Acceptability of an Artificial-Intelligence-Enabled and Speech-Based Distress Screening Mobile App for Adolescents and Young Adults Diagnosed with Cancer: A Study Protocol.

Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) diagnosed with cancer are an age-defined population, with studies reporting up to 45% of the population experiencing psychological distress. Although it is essential to screen and monitor for psychological distress throughout AYAs' cancer journeys, many cancer centers fail to effectively implement distress screening protocols largely due to busy clinical workflow and survey fatigue. Recent advances in mobile technology and speech science have enabled flexible and engaging methods to monitor psychological distress. However, patient-centered research focusing on these methods' feasibility and acceptability remains lacking. Therefore, in this project, we aim to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of an artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled and speech-based mobile application to monitor psychological distress among AYAs diagnosed with cancer. We use a single-arm prospective cohort design with a stratified sampling strategy. We aim to recruit 60 AYAs diagnosed with cancer and to monitor their psychological distress using an AI-enabled speech-based distress monitoring tool over a 6 month period. The primary feasibility endpoint of this study is defined by the number of participants completing four out of six monthly distress assessments, and the acceptability endpoint is defined both quantitatively using the acceptability of intervention measure and qualitatively using semi-structured interviews.

Updates in the Management of Relapsed and Refractory Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: An Urgent Plea for New Treatments Is Being Answered!

The treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) has dramatically changed over the past three decades. However, relapsed and/or refractory ALL still remains with a very low survival and high morbidity associated with its treatment. Here, we will review the outstanding progress that has been made in the treatment of relapsed and/or refractory ALL and discuss future directions and challenges that require further investigation.