Presenting Symptoms in Newly Diagnosed Myeloma, Relation to Organ Damage, and Implications for Symptom-Directed Screening: A Secondary Analysis from the Tackling Early Morbidity and Mortality in Myeloma (TEAMM) Trial.

Multiple myeloma (MM) patients risk diagnostic delays and irreversible organ damage. In those with newly diagnosed myeloma, we explored the presenting symptoms to identify early signals of MM and their relationships to organ damage. The symptoms were recorded in patients' own words at diagnosis and included diagnostic time intervals. Those seen by a haematologist >6 months prior to MM diagnosis were classified as precursor disease (PD). Most (962/977) patients provided data. Back pain (38%), other pain (31%) and systemic symptoms (28%) predominated. Patients rarely complain of 'bone pain', simply 'pain'. Vertebral fractures are under-recognised as pathological and are the predominant irreversible organ damage (27% of patients), impacting the performance status (PS) and associated with back pain (odds ratio (OR) 6.14 [CI 4.47-8.44]), bone disease (OR 3.71 [CI 1.88-7.32]) and age >65 years (OR 1.58 [CI 1.15-2.17]). Renal failure is less frequent and associated with gastrointestinal symptoms (OR 2.23 [CI1.28-3.91]), age >65 years (OR 2.14 [CI1.28-3.91]) and absence of back pain (OR 0.44 [CI 0.29-0.67]). Patients with known PD (n = 149) had fewer vertebral fractures (p = 0.001), fewer adverse features (p = 0.001), less decline in PS (p = 0.001) and a lower stage (p = 0.04) than 813 with de novo MM. Our data suggest subgroups suitable for trials of 'symptom-directed' screening: those with back pain, unexplained pain, a general decline in health or low-impact vertebral compression fractures.

Defective T-cell response to COVID-19 vaccination in acute myeloid leukaemia and myelodysplastic syndromes.

Limited data exist on COVID-19 vaccination efficacy in patients with acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplasia with excess blasts (AML/MDS-EB2). We report results from a prospective study, PACE (Patients with AML and COVID-19 Epidemiology). 93 patients provided samples post-vaccine 2 or 3 (PV2, PV3). Antibodies against SARS-COV-2 spike antigen were detectable in all samples. Neutralization of the omicron variant was poorer than ancestral variants but improved PV3. In contrast, adequate T-cell reactivity to SARS-COV-2 spike protein was seen in only 16/47 (34%) patients PV2 and 23/52 (44%) PV3. Using regression models, disease response (not in CR/Cri), and increasing age predicted poor T cell response.

A Report of a Symptomatic Progressive Myeloma during Pregnancy and Postpartum Period from Asymptomatic State.

Multiple myeloma is a plasma cell malignancy that is most commonly observed in males in the sixth and seventh decade of life. The clinical scenario of multiple myeloma with concurrent pregnancy is considered to be very rare. We detail here the case of a young female with known IgG kappa multiple myeloma who was found to have a steady elevation of her IgG kappa paraprotein during pregnancy and symptomatic progression in the postpartum period. She delivered a healthy baby at 40 weeks gestation. We present a review of all reported cases of known multiple myeloma progressing during pregnancy and in the postpartum period, the treatments given, and their outcomes. The report also provides suggestions for diagnosis and management of myeloma during pregnancy in order to have an outcome of successful uncomplicated pregnancy with healthy offspring.

Daratumumab, bortezomib and dexamethasone at first relapse for patients with multiple myeloma: A real-world multicentre UK retrospective analysis.

Daratumumab, bortezomib and dexamethasone (DVd) is approved for patients with relapsed multiple myeloma following the CASTOR phase 3 clinical trial. This retrospective multicentre analysis assesses the overall response rate (ORR) and progression-free survival (PFS) in routine clinical practice for patients at first relapse treated with DVd incorporating weekly bortezomib. Data were collected from 296 sequential patients treated across 15 UK centres. After a median follow-up of 21 months, the ORR was 82% (26% partial response, 56% very good partial response or better) and the median PFS was 16 months [95% confidence interval (CI) 12-20 months]. Results were similar regardless of prior lenalidomide exposure. The median time to next treatment was 20 months (95% CI 15-25 months) and the estimated overall survival at two years was 74%. Patients with high-risk features (by cytogenetics, International Staging System or extramedullary disease) and those treated within 18 months of initiation of progression-free treatment, or within 12 months of autologous stem cell transplant, had significantly inferior outcomes. The grade 2 and 3 peripheral neuropathy rate was 7%. DVd with weekly bortezomib was effective in a heterogenous real-world population at first relapse with a low rate of peripheral neuropathy. However, high-risk patients had inferior outcomes and should be considered for alternative treatments.

Impaired neutralisation of SARS-CoV-2 delta variant in vaccinated patients with B cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.

BACKGROUND: Immune suppression is a clinical feature of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL), and patients show increased vulnerability to SARS-CoV-2 infection and suboptimal antibody responses. METHOD: We studied antibody responses in 500 patients following dual COVID-19 vaccination to assess the magnitude, correlates of response, stability and functional activity of the spike-specific antibody response with two different vaccine platforms. RESULTS: Spike-specific seroconversion post-vaccine was seen in 67% of patients compared to 100% of age-matched controls. Amongst responders, titres were 3.7 times lower than the control group. Antibody responses showed a 33% fall over the next 4 months. The use of an mRNA (n = 204) or adenovirus-based (n = 296) vaccine platform did not impact on antibody response. Male gender, BTKi therapy, prophylactic antibiotics use and low serum IgA/IgM were predictive of failure to respond. Antibody responses after CD20-targeted immunotherapy recovered 12 months post treatment. Post-vaccine sera from CLL patients with Spike-specific antibody response showed markedly reduced neutralisation of the SARS-CoV-2 delta variant compared to healthy controls. Patients with previous natural SARS-CoV-2 infection showed equivalent antibody levels and function as healthy donors after vaccination. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate impaired antibody responses following dual COVID-19 vaccination in patients with CLL and further define patient risk groups. Furthermore, humoural protection against the globally dominant delta variant is markedly impaired in CLL patients and indicates the need for further optimisation of immune protection in this patient cohort.

Lactate Dehydrogenase/Albumin To-Urea Ratio: A Novel Prognostic Maker for Fatal Clinical Complications in Patients with COVID-19 Infection.

Objective: To investigate lactate dehydrogenase/Albumin to-urea (LAU) ratio as a potential predictor for COVID-19-induced fatal clinical complications in hospitalized patients. Methods: This is a retrospective study involving blood analyses from 1139 hospitalised COVID-19 infection survivors and 349 deceased cases post-COVID-19 infection. Laboratory tests included complete blood picture, inflammatory markers, and routine organ function tests. Results: The non-survivor group showed lower haemoglobin (p < 0.001), platelet (p < 0.0001) and higher mean corpuscular volume, neutrophil count, neutrophil/lymphocytes ratio (NLR), and LAU (p < 0.001, p < 0.0013, p < 0.001, p < 0.0126) than the patients who survived the infection. The non-survivors also exhibited higher markers for infection-related clinical complications, such as international normalized ratio (INR), D-dimer, urea, total bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase (ALK), creatinine, c-reactive protein (CRP), and serum ferritin levels (all p < 0.05). In addition, LAU ratio was positively correlated with infection prognostic parameters including INR (r = 0.171), D-dimer (r = 0.176), serum urea (r = 0.424), total bilirubin (r = 0.107), ALK (r = 0.115), creatinine (r = 0.365), CRP (r = 0.268), ferritin (r = 0.385) and negatively correlated with serum albumin (r = −0.114) (p ≤ 0.05). LAU ratio had an area under receiver operating characteristic of 0.67 compared to 0.60 with NLR. Conclusion: Patients with a high LAU ratio are at increased risk of mortality due to COVID-19 infection. Therefore, early assessment of this parameter, intensive intervention and close monitoring could improve their prognosis.

Analysis of laboratory blood parameter results for patients diagnosed with COVID-19, from all ethnic group populations: A single centre study.

INTRODUCTION: Although factors such as age, sex, diabetes, obesity and changes in certain laboratory investigations are important prognostic factors in COVID-19 infection, these may not apply to all ethnic/racial groups. We hypothesized differences in routine biochemistry and haematology indices in Caucasian and a combined group of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) patients who tested positive for COVID-19 who died, compared to survivors. METHODS: We tested our hypothesis in 445 patients (229 Caucasian, 216 BAME) admitted to secondary care with proven COVID-19 infection, in whom standard routine laboratory indices were collected on admission. RESULTS: After 28 weeks, 190 (42.7%) had died within 28 days of COVID diagnosis (97 Caucasians [42.4%], 93 BAMEs [43.1%], P = .923). A general linear model analysis found the ethnicity interaction with mortality to be significant for fibrinogen, ferritin and HbA1 c (after controlling for age). In a multivariate analysis, a neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio > 7.4 and a urea/albumin ratio > 0.28 increased the odds of death for both the Caucasian and the BAME group. Additional factors increasing the odds ratio in the BAME group included age >60 years and being diabetic. CONCLUSION: Neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio and urea/albumin ratio are simple metrics that predict death to aid clinicians in determining the prognosis of COVID-19 and help provide early intensive intervention to reduce mortality. In the BAME groups, intensive monitoring even at younger age and those with diabetes may also help reduce COVID-19 associated mortality.

Real-world tyrosine kinase inhibitor treatment pathways, monitoring patterns and responses in patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia in the United Kingdom: the UK TARGET CML study.

Management of chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) has recently undergone dramatic changes, prompting the European LeukemiaNet (ELN) to issue recommendations in 2013; however, it remains unclear whether real-world CML management is consistent with these goals. We report results of UK TARGET CML, a retrospective observational study of 257 patients with chronic-phase CML who had been prescribed a first-line TKI between 2013 and 2017, most of whom received first-line imatinib (n = 203). Although 44% of patients required ≥1 change of TKI, these real-world data revealed that molecular assessments were frequently missed, 23% of patients with ELN-defined treatment failure did not switch TKI, and kinase domain mutation analysis was performed in only 49% of patients who switched TKI for resistance. Major molecular response (MMR; BCR-ABL1IS ≤0·1%) and deep molecular response (DMR; BCR-ABL1IS ≤0·01%) were observed in 50% and 29%, respectively, of patients treated with first-line imatinib, and 63% and 54%, respectively, receiving a second-generation TKI first line. MMR and DMR were also observed in 77% and 44% of evaluable patients with ≥13 months follow-up, receiving a second-generation TKI second line. We found little evidence that cardiovascular risk factors were considered during TKI management. These findings highlight key areas for improvement in providing optimal care to patients with CML.

Mogamulizumab versus investigator's choice of chemotherapy regimen in relapsed/refractory adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma.

Mogamulizumab, a humanized defucosylated anti-C-C chemokine receptor 4 monoclonal antibody, has been approved in Japan for the treatment of C-C chemokine receptor 4-positive adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL). This phase II study evaluated efficacy and safety of mogamulizumab in ATL patients with acute, lymphoma, and chronic subtypes with relapsed/refractory, aggressive disease in the US, Europe, and Latin America. With stratification by subtype, patients were randomized 2:1 to intravenous mogamulizumab 1.0 mg/kg once weekly for 4 weeks and biweekly thereafter (n=47) or investigator's choice of chemotherapy (n=24). The primary end point was confirmed overall response rate (cORR) confirmed on a subsequent assessment at 8 weeks by blinded independent review. ORR was 11% (95%CI: 4-23%) and 0% (95%CI: 0-14%) in the mogamulizumab and chemotherapy arms, respectively. Best response was 28% and 8% in the respective arms. The observed hazard ratio for progression-free survival was 0.71 (95%CI: 0.41-1.21) and, after post hoc adjustment for performance status imbalance, 0.57 (95%CI: 0.337-0.983). The most frequent treatment-related adverse (grade ≥3) events with mogamulizumab were infusion-related reaction and thrombocytopenia (each 9%). Relapsed/refractory ATL is an aggressive, poor prognosis disease with a high unmet need. Investigator's choice chemotherapy did not result in tumor response in this trial; however, mogamulizumab treatment resulted in 11% cORR, with a tolerable safety profile.

Analysis of ZAP70 expression in adult acute lymphoblastic leukaemia by real time quantitative PCR.

BACKGROUND: ZAP70 gene expression is associated with poor prognosis in B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders especially chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) but its role in adult B-ALL has not been established. On diagnostic samples from 76 patients with adult ALL (65 with B-ALL and 11 with T-ALL) ZAP70 mRNA expression levels were studied by real time-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) analysis. FINDINGS: A broad distribution of ZAP70 expression was observed in ALL, ranging from 0.002 to 5.3 fold that of the ZAP70 positive Jurkat reference cell line. No association was observed between expression levels and the presence of specific cytogenetic abnormalities. Five cases, including one case of T-ALL, had ZAP70 expression above the level of the Jurkat reference cell line. CONCLUSIONS: Our results confirm the frequent expression of ZAP70 in adult ALL. Limited comparisons made did highlight poor-risk patients with high ZAP70 expression, but due to lack of clinical information on patient samples we were unable to directly assess the impact on disease prognosis. ZAP-70 may be an important laboratory assay in adult ALL and further studies are warranted to study a potential correlation with cytogenetic and other genetic markers.

South Asian chronic lymphocytic leukaemia patients have more rapid disease progression in comparison to White patients.

Ethnicity has a major impact on the prevalence of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) and may also influence disease phenotype. We compared the clinical features of Southern Asian and White CLL patients managed within one UK region. Asians required treatment almost twice as often as Whites (HR, 1.94) and had a shorter time to first treatment (P = 0.0063). This difference remained significant after adjusting for stage, lymphocyte doubling time and IGHV status (P = 0.026). CLL was diagnosed at younger ages in Asians and racial-specific variations in IGHV usage were demonstrated. Our findings indicate that Southern Asian race has a negative impact on CLL phenotype.