Acalabrutinib with or without obinutuzumab versus chlorambucil and obinutuzmab for treatment-naive chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (ELEVATE TN): a randomised, controlled, phase 3 trial.

BACKGROUND: Acalabrutinib is a selective, covalent Bruton tyrosine-kinase inhibitor with activity in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. We compare the efficacy of acalabrutinib with or without obinutuzumab against chlorambucil with obinutuzumab in patients with treatment-naive chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. METHODS: ELEVATE TN is a global, phase 3, multicentre, open-label study in patients with treatment-naive chronic lymphocytic leukaemia done at 142 academic and community hospitals in 18 countries. Eligible patients had untreated chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and were aged 65 years or older, or older than 18 years and younger than 65 years with creatinine clearance of 30-69 mL/min (calculated by use of the Cockcroft-Gault equation) or Cumulative Illness Rating Scale for Geriatrics score greater than 6. Additional criteria included an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status score of 2 or less and adequate haematologic, hepatic, and renal function. Patients with significant cardiovascular disease were excluded, and concomitant treatment with warfarin or equivalent vitamin K antagonists was prohibited. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1:1) centrally via an interactive voice or web response system to receive acalabrutinib and obinutuzumab, acalabrutinib monotherapy, or obinutuzumab and oral chlorambucil. Treatments were administered in 28-day cycles. To reduce infusion-related reactions, acalabrutinib was administered for one cycle before obinutuzumab administration. Oral acalabrutinib was administered (100 mg) twice a day until progressive disease or unacceptable toxic effects occurred. In the acalabrutinib-obinutuzumab group, intravenous obinutuzumab was given on days 1 (100 mg), 2 (900 mg), 8 (1000 mg), and 15 (1000 mg) of cycle 2 and on day 1 (1000 mg) of cycles 3-7. In the obinutuzumab-chlorambucil group, intravenous obinutuzumab was given on days 1 (100 mg), 2 (900 mg), 8 (1000 mg), and 15 (1000 mg) of cycle 1 and on day 1 (1000 mg) of cycles 2-6. Oral chlorambucil was given (0·5 mg/kg) on days 1 and 15 of each cycle, for six cycles. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival between the two combination-therapy groups, assessed by independent review committee. Crossover to acalabrutinib was allowed in patients who progressed on obinutuzumab-chlorambucil. Safety was assessed in all patients who received at least one dose of treatment. Enrolment for this trial is complete, and the study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02475681. FINDINGS: Between Sept 14, 2015, and Feb 8, 2017, we recruited 675 patients for assessment. 140 patients did not meet eligibility criteria, and 535 patients were randomly assigned to treatment. 179 patients were assigned to receive acalabrutinib-obinutuzumab, 179 patients were assigned to receive acalabrutinib monotherapy, and 177 patients were assigned to receive obinutuzumab-chlorambucil. At median follow-up of 28·3 months (IQR 25·6-33·1), median progression-free survival was longer with acalabrutinib-obinutuzumab and acalabrutinib monotherapy, compared with obinutuzumab-chlorambucil (median not reached with acalabrutinib and obinutuzumab vs 22·6 months with obinutuzumab, hazard ratio [HR] 0·1; 95% CI 0·06-0·17, p<0·0001; and not reached with acalabrutinib monotherapy vs 22·6 months with obinutuzumab, 0·20; 0·13-0·3, p<0·0001). Estimated progression-free survival at 24 months was 93% with acalabrutinib-obinutuzumab (95% CI 87-96%), 87% with acalabrutinib monotherapy (81-92%), and 47% with obinutuzumab-chlorambucil (39-55%). The most common grade 3 or higher adverse event across groups was neutropenia (53 [30%] of 178 patients in the acalabrutinib-obinutuzumab group, 17 [9%] of 179 patients in the acalabrutinib group, and 70 [41%] of 169 patients in the obinutuzumab-chlorambucil group). All-grade infusion reactions were less frequent with acalabrutinib-obinutuzumab (24 [13%] of 178 patients) than obinutuzumab-chlorambucil (67 [40%] of 169 patients). Grade 3 or higher infections occurred in 37 (21%) patients given acalabrutinib-obinutuzumab, 25 (14%) patients given acalabrutinib monotherapy, and 14 (8%) patients given obinutuzumab-chlorambucil. Deaths occurred in eight (4%) patients given acalabrutinib-obinutuzumab, 12 (7%) patients given acalabrutinib, and 15 (9%) patients given obinutuzumab-chlorambucil. INTERPRETATION: Acalabrutinib with or without obinutuzumab significantly improved progression-free survival over obinutuzumab-chlorambucil chemoimmunotherapy, providing a chemotherapy-free treatment option with an acceptable side-effect profile that was consistent with previous studies. These data support the use of acalabrutinib in combination with obinutuzumab or alone as a new treatment option for patients with treatment-naive symptomatic chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. FUNDING: Acerta Pharma, a member of the AstraZeneca Group, and R35 CA198183 (to JCB).

INEXAS: A Phase 2 Randomized Trial of On-demand Inhaled Interferon Beta-1a in Severe Asthmatics.

BACKGROUND: Upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) are important triggers for asthma exacerbations. We hypothesized that inhalation of the anti-viral cytokine, interferon (IFN)-ß, during URTI, could prevent these exacerbations. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of on-demand inhaled IFN-ß1a (AZD9412) to prevent severe asthma exacerbations following symptomatic URTI. METHODS: This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in which patients with severe asthma (GINA 4-5; n = 121) reporting URTI symptoms were randomized to 14 days of once-daily nebulized AZD9412 or placebo. The primary endpoint was severe exacerbations during treatment. Secondary endpoints included 6-item asthma control questionnaire (ACQ-6) and lung function. Exploratory biomarkers included IFN-response markers in serum and sputum, blood leucocyte counts and serum inflammatory cytokines. RESULTS: Following a pre-planned interim analysis, the trial was terminated early due to an unexpectedly low exacerbation rate. Asthma worsenings were generally mild and tended to peak at randomization, possibly contributing to the lack of benefit of AZD9412 on other asthma endpoints. Numerically, AZD9412 did not reduce severe exacerbation rate, ACQ-6, asthma symptom scores or reliever medication use. AZD9412 improved lung function (morning peak expiratory flow; mPEF) by 19.7 L/min. Exploratory post hoc analyses indicated a greater mPEF improvement by AZD9412 in patients with high blood eosinophils (>0.3 × 109 /L) at screening and low serum interleukin-18 relative change at pre-treatment baseline. Pharmacodynamic effect of AZD9412 was confirmed using IFN-response markers. CONCLUSIONS & CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Colds did not have the impact on asthma patients that was expected and, due to the low exacerbation rate, the trial was stopped early. On-demand AZD9412 treatment did not numerically reduce the number of exacerbations, but did attenuate URTI-induced worsening of mPEF. Severe asthma patients with high blood eosinophils or low serum interleukin-18 response are potential subgroups for further investigation of inhaled IFN-ß1a.

Introducing patient-reported outcome in the acute leukemia quality registries in Sweden.

OBJECTIVES: The use of patient-reported outcome (PRO) measured outside clinical trials is not well defined. We report the first analysis of the prospective PRO study within the Swedish acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and the acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) registries. METHODS: PRO was requested 6 months after diagnosis. The EORTC Quality of life Questionnaire Core 30-item, the Patient Health Questionnaire-8 (PHQ-8), and questions from a Swedish National Cancer Questionnaire were used. RESULTS: An invitation letter was sent to 398 patients; 255 (64%) responded, 60% web-based, and 40% on paper. The ALL cohort had lower physical, role and social functioning, higher symptom burden, and more financial difficulties compared to the AML cohort. A PHQ-8 score ≥ 10p, which indicates depression, was reported in 18% of the patients; 33% of these patients reported being prescribed antidepressants. The patients' overall experience of care was satisfying, but more psychological and practical support was desired. There was no difference in survival between patients who reported their PRO and those who did not. Follow-up at 2 and 4 years is ongoing. CONCLUSIONS: PRO collected in a registry-based setting is feasible, but the selection of time points and questionnaires are delicate in a diverse patient population.

First-line therapy in chronic lymphocytic leukemia: a Swedish nation-wide real-world study on 1053 consecutive patients treated between 2007 and 2013.

The aim of this study was to investigate long-term outcome following first-line therapy in consecutive chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients in a well-defined geographic area: Sweden. All patients diagnosed with CLL (2007-2013) (n=3672) were identified from national registries, screening of patient files identified all (100%) treated first line (n=1053) and for those, an in-depth analysis was performed. End points were overall response rate, progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and safety. Median age was 71 years; 53% had Rai stage III-IV and 97% had performance status grade 0-2. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was performed in 57% of patients: 15% had del(17p). Chlorambucil + prednisone was used in 39% (5% also received rituximab). Fludarabine+cyclophosphamide+rituximab or fludarabine+cyclophosphamide was used in 43% and bendamustine + rituximab in 6%. Overall response rate was 64%; chlorambucil 43%, fludarabine+cyclophosphamide+rituximab 84%, fludarabine+cyclophosphamide 75% and bendamustine + rituximab 75%. Median PFS and OS was 24 and 58 months, respectively, both were significantly associated (multivariate analysis) with type of treatment, del(17p), performance status, gender, age and geographical region (OS only). Chlorambucil-treated patients had a median PFS and OS of only 9 and 33 months, respectively. Chlorambucil usage declined gradually throughout the study period, but one-third of patients still received chlorambucil + rituximab in 2013. Infections ≥grade III were significantly associated with treatment; chlorambucil 19% versus fludarabine+cyclophosphamide+rituximab 30%. Richter transformation occurred in 5.5% of the patients, equally distributed across therapies. This is the largest retrospective, real-world cohort of consecutive first-line treated CLL patients with a complete follow up. In elderly patients, an unmet need for more effective, well-tolerated therapies was identified.

Survival in adult acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL): A report from the Swedish ALL Registry.

OBJECTIVES: As new, effective therapies emerge for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), the results of clinical trials need to relate to standard of care. METHODS: We used the population-based Swedish ALL Registry to evaluate characteristics, treatment and long-term outcome in 933 patients with diagnosis between 1997 and 2015. RESULTS: The median age was 53 years. The frequency of Philadelphia (Ph)-positive leukaemia was 34% of examined B-ALL with a peak incidence at 50-59 years. Five-year overall survival (OS) improved between 1997-2006 and 2007-2015; in patients 18-45 years from 50% (95% CI 43-57) to 65% (95% CI 58-72), 46-65 years from 25% (95% CI 18-32) to 46% (95% CI 37-55) and >65 years from 7% (95% CI 2.6-11) to 11% (95% CI 5.9-16) (P < 0.05). Men with Ph-neg B-ALL 46-65 years had inferior OS compared with women (P < 0.01). Standardised mortality ratio was 5.7 (95% CI 5.0-6.3) for patients who survived 5 years from diagnosis. In multivariable analysis, Ph-positive disease was not associated with impaired prognosis but with lower risk of death in 2007-2015. CONCLUSIONS: In a population-based cohort, OS has improved in adult ALL, especially for Ph-positive disease but for middle-aged men with Ph-negative B-ALL outcome was poor. Cure without late toxicity or relapse is still desired.

Age but not Philadelphia positivity impairs outcome in older/elderly patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in Sweden.

OBJECTIVES: Older/elderly patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) are poorly represented in clinical trials. METHODS: Using Swedish national leukemia registries, we investigated disease/patient characteristics, treatment choices, outcome, and the impact of an age-adapted protocol (introduced in 2009) in this population-based study of patients aged 55-85 years, diagnosed with ALL 2005-2012. RESULTS: Of 174 patients, 82% had B-phenotype, 11% Burkitt leukemia (excluded), and 7% T-phenotype. Philadelphia chromosome positivity (Ph+) occurred in 35%. Of the 155 B- and T-ALL patients, 80% were treated with intensive protocols, and 20% with a palliative approach. Higher age and WHO performance status ≥2 influenced the choice of palliation. Intensive, palliative, and both approaches resulted in complete remission rate 83/16/70% and 3-year overall survival (OS) 32/3/26%. The age-adapted protocol did not improve outcome. With intensive treatment, platelet count ≤35×109 /L and age ≥75 years were adverse prognostic factors for OS, Ph+ was not. Male sex was an adverse prognostic factor in the 55-64 year age-group. CONCLUSIONS: We report a high frequency of Ph+ in older/elderly patients, with no evidence of poorer outcome compared to Ph-negative disease. Overall prognosis for elderly patients with ALL remains dismal, despite the use of age-adapted treatment.

Real-world results of ibrutinib in patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia: data from 95 consecutive patients treated in a compassionate use program. A study from the Swedish Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Group.

Ibrutinib, a Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitor is approved for relapsed/refractory and del(17p)/TP53 mutated chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Discrepancies between clinical trials and routine health-care are commonly observed in oncology. Herein we report real-world results for 95 poor prognosis Swedish patients treated with ibrutinib in a compassionate use program. Ninety-five consecutive patients (93 chronic lymphocytic leukemia, 2 small lymphocytic leukemia) were included in the study between May 2014 and May 2015. The median age was 69 years. 63% had del(17p)/TP53 mutation, 65% had Rai stage III/IV, 28% had lymphadenopathy ≥10cm. Patients received ibrutinib 420 mg once daily until progression. At a median follow-up of 10.2 months, the overall response rate was 84% (consistent among subgroups) and 77% remained progression-free. Progression-free survival and overall survival were significantly shorter in patients with del(17p)/TP53 mutation (P=0.017 and P=0.027, log-rank test); no other factor was significant in Cox proportional regression hazards model. Ibrutinib was well tolerated. Hematomas occurred in 46% of patients without any major bleeding. Seven patients had Richter's transformation. This real-world analysis on consecutive chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients from a well-defined geographical region shows the efficacy and safety of ibrutinib to be similar to that of pivotal trials. Yet, del(17p)/TP53 mutation remains a therapeutic challenge. Since not more than half of our patients would have qualified for the pivotal ibrutinib trial (RESONATE), our study emphasizes that real-world results should be carefully considered in future with regards to new agents and new indications in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Novel gene targets detected by genomic profiling in a consecutive series of 126 adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

In contrast to acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children, adult cases of this disease are associated with a very poor prognosis. In order to ascertain whether the frequencies and patterns of submicroscopic changes, identifiable with single nucleotide polymorphism array analysis, differ between childhood and adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia, we performed single nucleotide polymorphism array analyses of 126 adult cases, the largest series to date, including 18 paired diagnostic and relapse samples. Apart from identifying characteristic microdeletions of the CDKN2A, EBF1, ETV6, IKZF1, PAX5 and RB1 genes, the present study uncovered novel, focal deletions of the BCAT1, BTLA, NR3C1, PIK3AP1 and SERP2 genes in 2-6% of the adult cases. IKZF1 deletions were associated with B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (P=0.036), BCR-ABL1-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (P<0.001), and higher white blood cell counts (P=0.005). In addition, recurrent deletions of RASSF3 and TOX were seen in relapse samples. Comparing paired diagnostic/relapse samples revealed identical changes at diagnosis and relapse in 27%, clonal evolution in 22%, and relapses evolving from ancestral clones in 50%, akin to what has previously been reported in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia and indicating that the mechanisms of relapse may be similar in adult and childhood cases. These findings provide novel insights into the leukemogenesis of adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia, showing similarities to childhood disease in the pattern of deletions and the clonal relationship between diagnostic and relapse samples, but with the adult cases harboring additional aberrations that have not been described in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

High relapse rate of T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia in adults treated with Hyper-CVAD chemotherapy in Sweden.

BACKGROUND: Hyper-CVAD is widely used to treat acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and aggressive lymphomas. This multicenter, population-based study assessed the efficacy of Hyper-CVAD as first-line therapy in patients with T-cell ALL (T-ALL). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between October 2002 and September 2006, 24 patients were diagnosed with T-ALL in Sweden; 19 were eligible for treatment with the protocol. RESULTS: The median age was 32 yr (range 18-72 yr). Complete remission (CR) was obtained in 17 of 19 (89%) patients, and the treatment was relatively well tolerated. Allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT) was recommended in high-risk disease and was performed in four patients upfront. Two- and 5-yr leukemia-free survivals (LFS) in 17 patients with CR achievement were identical, at 29% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 8-51). Two- and 5-yr overall survival (OS) in whole cohort was 63% (95% CI: 42-85) and 47% (95% CI: 26-69), respectively. The 5-yr LFS for 15 patients who did not receive allogeneic SCT upfront were 20% (95% CI: 0-40), although 14 of 15 completed the protocol (eight cycles). Relapse occurred in 2 of 4 upfront-transplanted patients and in 12 of 15 patients treated with chemotherapy alone, six of whom received allogeneic SCT in CR2. Age ≥35 yr influenced OS negatively in univariate analysis (HR 5.1, 95% CI: 1.55-16.7). CONCLUSIONS: Hyper-CVAD treatment resulted in a high CR rate and appeared safe, but it showed poor efficacy at preventing relapse. Therefore, this treatment is no longer recommended for adults with T-ALL in Sweden.

Sodium content in processed food items in Sweden compared to other countries: a cross-sectional multinational study.

Background: Dietary sodium has a dose-response relationship with cardiovascular disease, and sodium intake in Sweden exceeds national and international recommendations. Two thirds of dietary sodium intake comes from processed foods, and adults in Sweden eat more processed foods than any other European country. We hypothesized that sodium content in processed foods is higher in Sweden than in other countries. The aim of this study was to investigate sodium content in processed food items in Sweden, and how it differs from Australia, France, Hong Kong, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States. Methods: Data were collected from retailers by trained research staff using standardized methods. Data were categorized into 10 food categories and compared using Kruskal-Wallis test of ranks. Sodium content in the food items was compared in mg sodium per 100 g of product, based on the nutritional content labels on the packages. Results: Compared to other countries, Sweden had among the highest sodium content in the "dairy" and "convenience foods" categories, but among the lowest in "cereal and grain products," "seafood and seafood products" and "snack foods" categories. Australia had the overall lowest sodium content, and the US the overall highest. The highest sodium content in most analyzed countries was found in the "meat and meat products" category. The highest median sodium content in any category was found among "sauces, dips, spreads and dressings" in Hong Kong. Conclusion: The sodium content differed substantially between countries in all food categories, although contrary to our hypothesis, processed foods overall had lower sodium content in Sweden than in most other included countries. Sodium content in processed food was nonetheless high also in Sweden, and especially so in increasingly consumed food categories, such as "convenience foods".

High curability via intensive reinduction chemotherapy and stem cell transplantation in young adults with relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia in Sweden 2003-2007.

BACKGROUND: A minority of patients with adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia who relapse are rescued. The aim of this population-based study was to assess the results of reinduction treatment and allogeneic stem cell transplantation in patients in second complete remission. DESIGN AND METHODS: Between 2003-2007, 76 adults (<66 years) with relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Burkitt's leukemia excluded) were prospectively reported to The Swedish Adult Acute Leukemia Registry and later evaluated. RESULTS: Reinduction with: (i) mitoxantrone, etoposide, and cytarabine (MEA); (ii) fludarabine, cytarabine, pegylated-asparaginase plus granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (FLAG-Asp); and (iii) cytarabine, betamethasone, cyclophosphamide, daunorubicin, and vincristine (ABCDV) resulted in complete remission in 6/9 (67%), 10/16 (63%) and 9/21 (43%) of the patients, respectively. Allogeneic stem cell transplantation was performed during second complete remission in 29 patients. Multivariate analysis regarding overall survival after relapse revealed that age over 35 years at diagnosis and relapse within 18 months were negative prognostic factors. Overall survival rates at 3 and 5 years were 22% (95% CI: 13-32) and 15% (95% CI: 7-24). Of 19 patients less than 35 years at diagnosis who underwent allogeneic stem cell transplantation in second remission, ten (53%) are still alive at a median of 5.5 years (range, 4.2-8.3) after relapse, whereas all patients over 35 years old at diagnosis have died. CONCLUSIONS: Allogeneic stem cell transplantation remains the treatment of choice for young adults with relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Both (i) mitoxantrone, etoposide, and cytarabine and (ii) fludarabine, cytarabine, pegylated-asparaginase plus granulocyte colony-stimulating factor seem effective as reinduction treatments and should be further evaluated. New salvage strategies are needed, especially for patients over 35 years old at diagnosis.

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation rates and long-term survival in acute myeloid and lymphoblastic leukemia: real-world population-based data from the Swedish Acute Leukemia Registry 1997-2006.

BACKGROUND: Allogeneic stem cell transplantation (alloSCT) reduces relapse rates in acute leukemia, but outcome is hampered by toxicity. Population-based data avoid patient selection and may therefore substitute for lack of randomized trials. METHODS: We evaluated alloSCT rates within the Swedish Acute Leukemia Registry, including 3899 adult patients diagnosed from 1997 through 2006 with a coverage of 98% and a median follow-up of 6.2 years. RESULTS: AlloSCT rates and survival decreased rapidly with age >55 years. The 8-year overall survival (OS) was 65% in patients <30 years and 38% in patients <60 years and was similar for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Among 1073 patients <60 years, alloSCT was performed in 42% and 49% of patients with AML and ALL, respectively. Two-thirds of the alloSCTs were performed in first complete remission, and half used unrelated donors, the same in AML and ALL. Regional differences in management and outcome were found: 60% of AML patients <40 years received alloSCT in all parts of Sweden, but two-thirds of AML patients 40-59 years had alloSCT in one region compared with one-third in other regions (P<.001), with improved 8-year OS among all AML patients in this age cohort (51% vs 30%; P = .005). CONCLUSIONS: More Swedish AML patients received alloSCT, and long-term survival was better than in recently published large international studies, despite our lack of selection bias. There was no correlation between alloSCT rate and survival in ALL. In adult AML patients <60 years of age, a high alloSCT rate was associated with better long-term survival, but there was no such correlation in ALL.

Array-based genomic screening at diagnosis and during follow-up in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

BACKGROUND: High-resolution genomic microarrays enable simultaneous detection of copy-number aberrations such as the known recurrent aberrations in chronic lymphocytic leukemia [del(11q), del(13q), del(17p) and trisomy 12], and copy-number neutral loss of heterozygosity. Moreover, comparison of genomic profiles from sequential patients' samples allows detection of clonal evolution. DESIGN AND METHODS: We screened samples from 369 patients with newly diagnosed chronic lymphocytic leukemia from a population-based cohort using 250K single nucleotide polymorphism-arrays. Clonal evolution was evaluated in 59 follow-up samples obtained after 5-9 years. RESULTS: At diagnosis, copy-number aberrations were identified in 90% of patients; 70% carried known recurrent alterations, including del(13q) (55%), trisomy 12 (10.5%), del(11q) (10%), and del(17p) (4%). Additional recurrent aberrations were detected on chromosomes 2 (1.9%), 4 (1.4%), 8 (1.6%) and 14 (1.6%). Thirteen patients (3.5%) displayed recurrent copy-number neutral loss of heterozygosity on 13q, of whom 11 had concurrent homozygous del(13q). Genomic complexity and large 13q deletions correlated with inferior outcome, while the former was linked to poor-prognostic aberrations. In the follow-up study, clonal evolution developed in 8/24 (33%) patients with unmutated IGHV, and in 4/25 (16%) IGHV-mutated and treated patients. In contrast, untreated patients with mutated IGHV (n=10) did not acquire additional aberrations. The most common secondary event, del(13q), was detected in 6/12 (50%) of all patients with acquired alterations. Interestingly, aberrations on, for example, chromosome 6q, 8p, 9p and 10q developed exclusively in patients with unmutated IGHV. CONCLUSIONS: Whole-genome screening revealed a high frequency of genomic aberrations in newly diagnosed chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Clonal evolution was associated with other markers of aggressive disease and commonly included the known recurrent aberrations.

High-density screening reveals a different spectrum of genomic aberrations in chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients with 'stereotyped' IGHV3-21 and IGHV4-34 B-cell receptors.

BACKGROUND: The existence of multiple subsets of chronic lymphocytic leukemia expressing 'stereotyped' B-cell receptors implies the involvement of antigen(s) in leukemogenesis. Studies also indicate that 'stereotypy' may influence the clinical course of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, for example, in subsets with stereotyped IGHV3-21 and IGHV4-34 B-cell receptors; however, little is known regarding the genomic profile of patients in these subsets. DESIGN AND METHODS: We applied 250K single nucleotide polymorphism-arrays to study copy-number aberrations and copy-number neutral loss-of-heterozygosity in patients with stereotyped IGHV3-21 (subset #2, n=29), stereotyped IGHV4-34 (subset #4, n=17; subset #16, n=8) and non-subset #2 IGHV3-21 (n=13) and non-subset #4/16 IGHV4-34 (n=34) patients. RESULTS: Over 90% of patients in subset #2 and non-subset #2 carried copy-number aberrations, whereas 75-76% of patients in subset #4 and subset #16 showed copy-number aberrations. Subset #2 and non-subset #2 patients also displayed a higher average number of aberrations compared to patients in subset #4. Deletion of 13q was the only known recurrent aberration detected in subset #4 (35%); this aberration was even more frequent in subset #2 (79%). del(11q) was more frequent in subset #2 and non-subset #2 (31% and 23%) patients than in subset #4 and non-subset #4/16 patients. Recurrent copy-number neutral loss-of-heterozygosity was mainly detected on chromosome 13q, independently of B-cell receptor stereotypy. CONCLUSIONS: Genomic aberrations were more common in subset #2 and non-subset #2 than in subset #4. The particularly high frequency of del(11q) in subset #2 may be linked to the adverse outcome reported for patients in this subset. Conversely, the lower prevalence of copy-number aberrations and the absence of poor-prognostic aberrations in subset #4 may reflect an inherently low-proliferative disease, which would prevent accumulation of genomic alterations.

MDM2 SNP309 promoter polymorphism, an independent prognostic factor in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

BACKGROUND: The single nucleotide polymorphism SNP309 with a change from T to G in the promoter region of the MDM2 gene is shown to increase the MDM2 protein levels and attenuate the p53 levels and associates with disease progression in several tumors. OBJECTIVE: In this study, the role of the polymorphism was investigated with regard to the clinical outcome in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL). PATIENTS: A total of 210 patients with B-CLL were followed for up to 19 yr. RESULTS: The overall survival (OS) of patients with at least one G-allele was significantly shorter when compared with those with two T-alleles (P = 0.024) with a more pronounced difference in patients below the median age. Age at onset of B-CLL was similar irrespective of MDM2 status. The presence of a G-allele in combination with TP53 mutations or unmutated IgVH gene status resulted in an additive risk of death. CONCLUSION: In this report, with a high proportion of B-CLL patients with an advanced Binet stage and with an unmutated IgVH gene, MDM2 SNP309 was found to be independently associated with OS. The survival difference was more pronounced in younger patients.

Preceptors' and nursing students' experiences of peer learning in a psychiatric context: A qualitative study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate preceptors' and nursing students' experiences of peer learning in a psychiatric context during their clinical education. DESIGN: A qualitative research design was used in this study. Data were analysed with qualitative content analysis. The study was conducted in 2017 with 17 preceptors and 11 students, constituting four focus groups with preceptors and four focus groups with nursing students. PARTICIPANTS: The preceptors were nurses and specialist nurses who worked in inpatient psychiatric care. Nursing students seeking their bachelor's degrees were placed in clinical settings at different psychiatric units for 4 weeks during the fourth semester. RESULTS: One theme emerged: Knowledge acquisition as an interactive process from the two shared categories for students and preceptors: the importance of a supportive relationship and reciprocal learning by communication, doing and reflection. CONCLUSIONS: The result of this study suggested that peer learning in clinical education in psychiatric care promoted the learning process for nursing students.

The GNAS1 T393C polymorphism and lack of clinical prognostic value in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a clinically heterogeneous disease with no known single predisposing genetic factor shown in all cases. Recently, a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) T393C in the GNAS1 gene has been reported to have a clinical impact on CLL progression and overall survival. In order to further investigate the T393C SNP in CLL, we have genotyped 279 CLL cases and correlated the genotypes to clinical outcome and other known prognostic factors such as the immunoglobulin heavy chain variable (IGHV) gene mutation status and CD38 expression. In the present study, no difference in overall survival or time to treatment was observed in the CLL patients with the different genotypes in contrast to the previous report. Furthermore, no correlation was observed with the T393C genotypes and IGHV mutational status, Binet stage or CD38 in this cohort. In summary, our data does not support the use of the T393C GNAS SNP as a clinical prognostic factor in CLL.

An investigation into whether deletions in 9p reflect prognosis in adult precursor B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a multi-center study of 381 patients.

In acute lymphoblastic leukemia, besides age and white cell count at diagnosis, the cytogenetic abnormalities t(9;22)/BCR-ABL and t(4;11)/MLL-AF4 are important prognostic markers and are often included in the treatment stratification of patients with adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Deletions in 9p are seen in about 9% of cases of adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia, but their prognostic impact has been controversial. Cytogenetic data from 381 patients diagnosed with B-precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia were reviewed. Chromosomal analysis was successful in 240 cases. Of these cases, 18 (8%) had abnormalities in 9p and they were compared with patients with normal karyotypes and patients with t(9;22)/BCR-ABL. Patients with abnormalities of chromosome 9 showed significantly shorter overall survival compared with patients with normal karyotypes. In fact, overall survival was similar to that in the poor prognosis t(9;22)/BCR-ABL-positive group. Our data suggest that chromosomal abnormalities involving 9p may have a significant negative impact on survival in adult B-precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Repair of radiation-induced heat-labile sites is independent of DNA-PKcs, XRCC1 and PARP.

Ionizing radiation induces a variety of different DNA lesions; in addition to the most critical DNA damage, the DSB, numerous base alterations, SSBs and other modifications of the DNA double-helix are formed. When several non-DSB lesions are clustered within a short distance along DNA, or close to a DSB, they may interfere with the repair of DSBs and affect the measurement of DSB induction and repair. We have shown previously that a substantial fraction of DSBs measured by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) are in fact due to heat-labile sites within clustered lesions, thus reflecting an artifact of preparation of genomic DNA at elevated temperature. To further characterize the influence of heat-labile sites on DSB induction and repair, cells of four human cell lines (GM5758, GM7166, M059K, U-1810) with apparently normal DSB rejoining were tested for biphasic rejoining after gamma irradiation. When heat-released DSBs were excluded from the measurements, the fraction of fast rejoining decreased to less than 50% of the total. However, the half-times of the fast (t(1/2) = 7-8 min) and slow (t(1/2) = 2.5 h) DSB rejoining were not changed significantly. At t = 0, the heat-released DSBs accounted for almost 40% of the DSBs, corresponding to 10 extra DSBs per cell per Gy in the initial DSB yield. These heat-released DSBs were repaired within 60-90 min in all cells tested, including M059K cells treated with wortmannin and DNA-PKcs-defective M059J cells. Furthermore, cells lacking XRCC1 or poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1) rejoined both total DSBs and heat-released DSBs similarly to normal cells. In summary, the presence of heat-labile sites has a substantial impact on DSB induction and DSB rejoining rates measured by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, and heat-labile sites repair is independent of DNA-PKcs, XRCC1 and PARP.