A higher percentage of leukemic blasts with vacuoles predicts unfavorable outcomes in patients with acute myeloid leukemia.

Cytoplasmic vacuoles, which are a morphological feature of dysplasia, can be observed under a microscope at initial diagnosis. Recently, this typical morphological feature has been found to be associated with impaired survival. To investigate the clinical significance of the grading of blasts with vacuoles in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), we retrospectively studied 152 patients newly diagnosed with non-M3 AML. The patients were categorized into three groups according to the percentage of blasts with vacuoles (>20 %, 11-20 %, 0-10 %). A high percentage of blasts with vacuoles (>20 %) was positively associated with the European Leukemia Net (2017-ELN) high-risk AML, a complex karyotype, TP53 and IDH1/2 mutations, and CD71 expression and negatively associated with the ELN low-risk category. Importantly, patients who had a higher percentage of blasts with vacuoles had a lower complete remission rate in response to first-cycle induction chemotherapy. The overall survival and event-free survival of patients who had a higher percentage of blasts with vacuoles were significantly shorter. Moreover, multivariate analysis showed that blast vacuolization was an independent high prognostic factor for AML. In conclusion, a higher percentage of leukemic blasts with vacuoles predicts worse outcomes in AML and may have potential as a prognostic marker.

Clinical Outcomes and Complications of Pituitary Blastoma.

CONTEXT: Pituitary blastoma is a rare, dysontogenetic hypophyseal tumor of infancy first described in 2008, strongly suggestive of DICER1 syndrome. OBJECTIVE: This work aims to describe genetic alterations, clinical courses, outcomes, and complications in all known pituitary blastoma cases. DESIGN AND SETTING: A multi-institutional case series is presented from tertiary pediatric oncology centers. PATIENTS: Patients included children with pituitary blastoma. INTERVENTIONS: Genetic testing, surgery, oncologic therapy, endocrine support are reported. OUTCOME MEASURES: Outcome measures included survival, long-term morbidities, and germline and tumor DICER1 genotypes. RESULTS: Seventeen pituitary blastoma cases were studied (10 girls and 7 boys); median age at diagnosis was 11 months (range, 2-24 months). Cushing syndrome was the most frequent presentation (n = 10). Cushingoid stigmata were absent in 7 children (2 with increased adrenocorticotropin [ACTH]; 5 with normal/unmeasured ACTH). Ophthalmoplegia and increased intracranial pressure were also observed. Surgical procedures included gross/near-total resection (n = 7), subtotal resection (n = 9), and biopsy (n = 1). Six children received adjuvant therapy. At a median follow-up of 6.7 years, 9 patients were alive; 8 patients died of the following causes: early medical/surgical complications (n = 3), sepsis (n = 1), catheter-related complication (n = 1), aneurysmal bleeding (n = 1), second brain tumor (n = 1), and progression (n = 1). Surgery was the only intervention for 5 of 9 survivors. Extent of resection, but neither Ki67 labeling index nor adjuvant therapy, was significantly associated with survival. Chronic complications included neuroendocrine (n = 8), visual (n = 4), and neurodevelopmental (n = 3) deficits. Sixteen pituitary blastomas were attributed to DICER1 abnormalities. CONCLUSIONS: Pituitary blastoma is a locally destructive tumor associated with high mortality. Surgical resection alone provides long-term disease control for some patients. Quality survival is possible with long-term neuroendocrine management.

Early peripheral blast cell clearance predicts minimal residual disease status and refines disease prognosis in acute myeloid leukemia.

Minimal residual disease (MRD) assessment in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is increasingly used in risk stratification. However, several issues around this use are unresolved, including, among others, the most suitable time-point(s) for its application. Overall, late assessments appear more effective at distinguishing outcome but, in some studies, the early evaluations were already highly informative, anticipating the value of later ones. Our work integrated MRD with peripheral blast clearance (PBC), a treatment-related biomarker previously demonstrated to be a powerful predictor of response. From 2007 to 2014, we have studied 120 patients treated according to the NILG 02-06 trial and who achieved CR after induction. Patients in PBC-defined categories (separated by a 1.5-log threshold) showed significantly different probabilities of attaining MRD negativity, after either induction (MRD1) or consolidation (MRD2). Peripheral blast clearance combined with MRD1 largely anticipated MRD2-related information: when both biomarkers predicted chemosensitive disease (PBChigh /MRD1neg ), the rate of MRD2-negativity was 90%, and DFS and OS estimates were 68% and 76% at 3 years, respectively. When both markers were unfavorable (PBClow /MRD1pos ), rates of MRD2 negativity, DFS, and OS were 20%, 34%, and 24%, respectively, at 3 years. In fact, MRD2 added prognostic value only in cases with discordant PBC/MRD1 data. Our data support a reasoned timing for MRD-based therapeutic decisions, modulated on individual chemosensitivity, an approach we have implemented in a forthcoming prospective multi-center trial by Gruppo Italiano Malattie EMatologiche dell'Adulto (GIMEMA).

Phase I/II study of dasatinib in combination with decitabine in patients with accelerated or blast phase chronic myeloid leukemia.

Treatment of advanced-phase chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) remains unsatisfactory. Single-agent tyrosine kinase inhibitors have modest and short-lived activity in this setting. We conducted a phase I/II study to determine safety and efficacy of the combination of dasatinib and decitabine in patients with advanced CML. Two different dose schedules were investigated with a starting decitabine dose of either 10 mg/m2 or 20 mg/m2 daily for 10 days plus dasatinib 100 mg daily. The target dose level was decitabine 10 mg/m2 or 20 mg/m2 daily for 10 days plus dasatinib 140 mg daily. Thirty patients were enrolled, including seven with accelerated-phase CML, 19 with blast-phase CML, and four with Philadelphia-chromosome positive acute myeloid leukemia. No dose-limiting toxicity was observed at the starting dose level with either schedule. Grade ≥3 treatment emergent hematological adverse events were reported in 28 patients. Thirteen patients (48%) achieved a major hematologic response and six (22%) achieved a minor hematologic response, with 44% of these patients achieving a major cytogenetic response and 33% achieving a major molecular response. Median overall survival (OS) was 13.8 months, with significantly higher OS among patients who achieved a hematologic response compared to non-responders (not reached vs 4.65 months; P < .001). Decitabine plus dasatinib is a safe and active regimen in advanced CML. Further studies using this combination are warranted.

Venetoclax and BCR-ABL Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Combinations: Outcome in Patients with Philadelphia Chromosome-Positive Advanced Myeloid Leukemias.

BACKGROUND: Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+) advanced leukemias, including acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in myeloid blast phase (MBP), have poor outcomes. Venetoclax has shown synergism with BCR-ABL1 tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) in preclinical studies. However, clinical activity of venetoclax and TKI-based regimens is unknown. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study on patients with Ph+ AML (n = 7) and CML-MBP (n = 9) who received venetoclax combined with TKI-based regimens at our institution. RESULTS: Median patient age was 42 years, and the median number of prior therapy cycles was 5 (range 2-8). Nine patients received decitabine-based, and 7 received intensive chemotherapy-based regimens. Ten patients (63%) received ponatinib. The overall response rate (ORR) in 15 evaluable patients was 60% (1 complete remission [CR], 6 CR with incomplete hematologic recovery [CRi], 1 morphologic leukemia-free state, and 1 partial response). The ORR was 43% in Ph+ AML and 75% in CML-MBP. The median overall survival (OS) for all patients was 3.6 months, for AML OS was 2.0 months, and for CML-MBP OS was 10.9 months. The median relapse-free survival for AML and CML-MBP was 3.6 and 3.9 months, respectively. Compared to nonresponders, patients achieving CR/CRi had higher baseline Ph+ metaphases and BCR-ABL1 PCR. CONCLUSIONS: Combination therapy of venetoclax with TKI-based regimens shows encouraging activity in very heavily pretreated, advanced Ph+ leukemias, particularly CML-MBP.

Risk factors for progression to blast phase and outcome in 589 patients with myelofibrosis treated with ruxolitinib: Real-world data.

The impact of ruxolitinib therapy on evolution to blast phase (BP) in patients with myelofibrosis (MF) is still uncertain. In 589 MF patients treated with ruxolitinib, we investigated incidence and risk factors for BP and we described outcome according to disease characteristics and treatment strategy. After a median follow-up from ruxolitinib start of 3 years (range 0.1-7.6), 65 (11%) patients transformed to BP during (93.8%) or after treatment. BP incidence rate was 3.7 per 100 patient-years, comparably in primary and secondary MF (PMF/SMF) but significantly lower in intermediate-1 risk patients (2.3 vs 5.6 per 100 patient-years in intermediate-2/high-risk patients, P < .001). In PMF and SMF cohorts, previous interferon therapy seemed to correlate with a lower probability of BP (HR 0.13, P = .001 and HR 0.22, P = .02, respectively). In SMF, also platelet count <150 × 109 /l (HR 2.4, P = .03) and peripheral blasts ≥3% (HR 3.3, P = .004) were significantly associated with higher risk of BP. High-risk category according to dynamic International Prognostic Score System (DIPSS) and myelofibrosis secondary to PV and ET Collaboration Prognostic Model (MYSEC-PM predicted BP in patients with PMF and SMF, respectively. Median survival after BP was 0.2 (95% CI: 0.1-0.3) years. Therapy for BP included hypomethylating agents (12.3%), induction chemotherapy (9.2%), allogeneic transplant (6.2%) or supportive care (72.3%). Patients treated with supportive therapy had a median survival of 6 weeks, while 73% of the few transplanted patients were alive at a median follow-up of 2 years. Progression to BP occurs in a significant fraction of ruxolitinib-treated patients and is associated with DIPSS and MYSEC-PM risk in PMF and SMF, respectively.

Identification of CD318 (CDCP1) as novel prognostic marker in AML.

Genetic and morphological markers are well-established prognostic factors in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). However, further reliable markers are urgently needed to improve risk stratification in AML. CD318 (CDCP1) is a transmembrane protein which in solid tumors promotes formation of metastasis and correlates with poor survival. Despite its broad expression on hematological precursor cells, its prognostic significance in hematological malignancies so far remains unclear. Here, we evaluated the role of CD318 as novel prognostic marker in AML by immunophenotyping of leukemic blasts. Flow cytometric evaluation of CD318 on leukemic cells in 70 AML patients revealed a substantial expression in 40/70 (57%) of all cases. CD318 surface levels were significantly correlated with overall survival in patients receiving anthracycline-based induction therapy or best available alternative therapy. Using receiver-operating characteristics, we established a cut-off value to define CD318lo and CD318hi expression in both cohorts. Notably, high CD318 expression correlated inversely as prognostic marker in both treatment cohorts: as poor prognostic marker in patients receiving intense therapy, whereas upon palliative care it correlated with better outcome. In conclusion, FACS-based determination of CD318 expression may serve as novel prognostic factor depending on implemented therapy in AML patients.

Impact of marrow blasts percentage on high-grade myelodysplastic syndrome assessed using revised international prognostic scoring system.

Clinical trials and treatment guidelines for myelodysplastic syndrome depend on several prognostic scoring systems to stratify patients by risk. These include different variables: the degree of cytopenia, percentage of bone marrow blasts, and cytogenetics. Little is known about the impact of bone marrow blasts in patients with adverse cytogenetics. In this retrospective study, we analyzed 536 patients with high-grade myelodysplastic syndrome to examine the differences in survival for patients with different percentages of bone marrow blasts. The median overall survival in patients with ≥ 5% marrow blasts was not statistically different from that for patients with < 5% marrow blasts; however, the former group had a higher risk of progression to acute myeloid leukemia (p < 0.001). Therefore, cytogenetics is the most important factor in our prognostic tools to determine survival outcomes for patients with myelodysplastic syndrome, and patients with high-risk disease have poor prognosis irrespective of their marrow blasts percentage.

Prognosis of patients with chronic myeloid leukemia presenting in advanced phase is defined mainly by blast count, but also by age, chromosomal aberrations and hemoglobin.

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is usually diagnosed in chronic phase, yet there is a small percentage of patients that is diagnosed in accelerated phase or blast crisis. Due to this rarity, little is known about the prognosis of these patients. Our aim was to identify prognostic factors for this cohort. We identified 283 patients in the EUTOS population-based and out-study registries that were diagnosed in advanced phase. Nearly all patients were treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Median survival in this heterogeneous cohort was 8.2 years. When comparing patients with more than 30% blasts to those with 20-29% blasts, the hazard ratio (HR) was 1.32 (95%-confidence interval (CI): [0.7-2.6]). Patients with 20-29% blasts had a significantly higher risk than patients with less than 20% blasts (HR: 2.24, 95%-CI: [1.2-4.0], P = .008). We found that the blast count was the most important prognostic factor; however, age, hemoglobin, basophils and other chromosomal aberrations should be considered as well. The ELTS score was able to define two groups (high risk vs non-high risk) with an HR of 3.01 (95%-CI: [1.81-5.00], P < .001). Regarding the contrasting definitions of blast crisis, our data clearly supported the 20% cut-off over the 30% cut-off in this cohort. Based on our results, we conclude that a one-phase rather than a two-phase categorization of de novo advanced phase CML patients is appropriate.

Intracellular cytarabine triphosphate in circulating blasts post-treatment predicts remission status in patients with acute myeloid leukemia.

Cytarabine remains the backbone of therapy in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The ability to assess intracellular cytarabine triphosphate (ara-CTP) levels in patients receiving cytarabine represents a major goal in the prediction of treatment response. This study, conducted within a clinical setting, aimed to assess ara-CTP levels in circulating peripheral blasts from non-M3 AML patients receiving cytarabine at one of three dosing levels, using a novel biosensor assay. Results from the initial 72 hours post-commencement were correlated with day 28 remission status, with feasibility parameters concurrently assessed. Intracellular ara-CTP was detectable in ex vivo blasts post-treatment for standard-dose (SD) and high-dose (HD) patients (p < 0.05), and quantification revealed a 27-fold increase in intracellular steady-state concentration between the two dosing levels. For low-dose cytarabine, high rates of patient discharge and low intracellular concentrations limited analysis; however, assessment of intracellular ara-CTP concentration was achievable in a dwindling population of blasts for SD and HD treatment cohorts, with 4 hours post-treatment commencement potentially being most predictive of clinical response (r = -0.912, p = 0.0113). Concurrent assessment of peripheral leukemia-associated immunophenotype (LAIP)-positive cells revealed a decline in burden (0-72 hours), which correlated with remission status (p < 0.05). Unexpectedly high rates of night sampling led to challenges associated with sampling rates, but did not have an impact on patient compliance. Additional training of night staff improved feasibility substantially. Multiple peripheral sampling during the initial 72 hours of treatment is feasible in newly diagnosed patients, and ara-CTP is detectable over the initial 24 hours, facilitating prediction of chemosensitivity of leukemic blasts to cytarabine.

Comparison of blast percentage calculated based on bone marrow all nucleated cells and non-erythroid cells in myelodysplastic syndromes with erythroid hyperplasia.

It is controversial whether blast percentage based on all nucleated cells (ANC) or non-erythroid cells (NEC) more accurately reflects the prognosis of patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). We considered that the impact of blast percentage on survival should be similar in MDS with erythroid hyperplasia (MDS-E) and MDS with no erythroid hyperplasia (MDS-NE), and from this perspective, we retrospectively analyzed 322 patients, including 44 with MDS-E and 278 with MDS-NE. Overall survival was similar between the MDS-E and MDS-NE groups (P = 0.94). In a subgroup of patients with bone marrow (BM) blasts of < 5%, no difference in survival was found between MDS-E and MDS-NE by either calculation method. However, in patients with a blast percentage between 5 and 10%, a significant difference in survival was observed only when the blast percentage in MDS-E was calculated from ANC (P < 0.001 by ANC and P = 0.66 by NEC). A similar result was observed when we analyzed the remaining patients with higher blasts together with those with blasts between 5 and 10%. These results suggest that the calculation of the BM blast percentage based on NEC in MDS-E provides a blast percentage value with a clinical impact consistent with that in MDS-NE.

Azacitidine with or without lenalidomide in higher risk myelodysplastic syndrome & low blast acute myeloid leukemia.

Standard treatment for higher risk myelodysplastic syndromes, chronic myelomonocytic leukemia and low blast acute myeloid leukemia is azacitidine. In single arm studies, adding lenalidomide had been suggested to improve outcomes. The ALLG MDS4 phase II trial randomized such patients to standard azacitidine or combination azacitidine (75mg/m2/d days 1 to 5) with lenalidomide (10mg days 1-21 of 28-day cycle from cycle 3) to assess clinical benefit (alive without progressive disease) at 12 months. A total of 160 patients were enrolled; median age 70.7 years (range 42.5-87.2), 31.3% female with 14% chronic myelomonocytic leukemia, 12% acute myeloid leukemia and 74% myelodysplastic syndromes. Adverse events were similar in both arms. There was excellent delivery of protocol therapy (median azacitidine cycles 11 both arms) with few dose reductions, delays or early cessations. At median follow up 33.1 months (range 0.7-59.5), the rate of clinical benefit at 12 months was 65% azacitidine arm and 54% lenalidomide+azacitidine arm (P=0.2). There was no difference in clinical benefit between each arm according to WHO diagnostic subgroup or IPSS-R. Overall response rate was 57% in azacitidine arm and 69% in lenalidomide+azacitidine (P=0.14). There was no difference in progression- free or overall survival between the arms (each P>0.12). Although the combination of lenalidomide and azacitidine was tolerable, there was no improvement in clinical benefit, response rates or overall survival in higher risk myelodysplastic syndrome, chronic myelomonocytic leukemia or low blast acute myeloid leukemia patients compared to treatment with azacitidine alone. This trial was registered at www.anzc-tr.org.au as ACTRN12610000271000.

Validation of the 2017 revision of the WHO chronic myelomonocytic leukemia categories.

The 2017 revision of the World Health Organization (WHO) classification includes substantial changes to the subclassification of chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML): (1) a 3-tiered blast-based scheme including a novel "CMML-0" category replacing a 2-tiered system in place since 2001 and (2) 2 CMML subtypes, myelodysplastic (MDS-CMML) and myeloproliferative (MP-CMML), based on a white blood cell count cutoff of 13 × 109/L. The clinical utility of this subclassification scheme, particularly the expansion of blast-based subgroups, has not been validated. In this study, a large single-institution CMML patient cohort (n = 629) was used to assess the prognostic impact of the newly proposed categories. Patients were risk stratified according to the CMML-specific Prognostic Scoring System (CPSS) and the MD Anderson Prognostic Scoring System. MP-CMML patients had significantly shorter overall survival (OS; P < .0001; hazard ratio: 0.53, 95% confidence interval: 0.42-0.65) and median duration to acute myeloid leukemia (AML) transformation (P < .0001; 15.2 vs 22.0 months) compared with MDS-CMML patients. The CMML-0 group included 36.4% patients with higher risk CPSS categories and 11.2% of patients with high-risk cytogenetics. Among treatment-naïve patients (n = 499), there was a marginal difference in OS between the CMML-0 and CMML-12017 subgroups (P = .0552). The WHO 2017 blast-based categories were not associated with AML-free survival. Incorporation of the WHO 2017 blast-based subgroups in a modified CPSS scheme had a neutral effect and did not improve its prognostic strength. Our data support the inclusion of MP-CMML and MDS-CMML subtypes in the WHO 2017 revision. Although of some utility in MP-CMML, the 3-tiered blast-based system is not well supported in this study.

Outcome of Ph negative myeloproliferative neoplasms transforming to accelerated or leukemic phase.

Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) are chronic disorders that can sometimes evolve into accelerated or leukemic phases. We retrospectively identified 122 patients with such blastic phases. The overall median survival was four months: 10.2 months for patients treated with intensive treatments compared to three months for best supportive care (p = .005). Azacytidine, intensive chemotherapies, or allogeneic stem cell transplantation gave the highest median survivals with 9, 10.2, and 19.4 months, respectively. Accelerated phases (AP) had a longer median survival compared to acute leukemia (4.8 months vs. 3.1 months; p = .02). In this retrospective and observational study, we observe that the longest survivals are seen in patients eligible for intensive treatments. Azacytidine shows interesting results in patients non-fit for intensive chemotherapy. Supportive care should probably be restricted to elderly patients and those with unfavorable karyotype. An early diagnosis of AP could also result in a better survival rate.

Targeted next-generation sequencing in blast phase myeloproliferative neoplasms.

Among 248 consecutive patients with blast phase myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN-BP), DNA collected at the time of blast transformation was available in 75 patients (median age, 66 years; 64% men). MPN-BP followed primary myelofibrosis in 39 patients, essential thrombocythemia in 20 patients, and polycythemia vera in 16 patients. A myeloid neoplasm-relevant 33-gene panel was used for next-generation sequencing. Driver mutation distribution was JAK2 57%, CALR 20%, MPL 9%, and triple-negative 13%. Sixty-four patients (85%) harbored other mutations/variants, including 37% with ≥3 mutations; most frequent were ASXL1 47%, TET2 19%, RUNX1 17%, TP53 16%, EZH2 15%, and SRSF2 13%; relative mutual exclusivity was expressed by TP53, EZH2, LNK, RUNX1, SRSF2, and NRAS/KRAS mutations. Paired chronic-blast phase sample analysis was possible in 19 patients and revealed more frequent blast phase acquisition of ASXL1, EZH2, LNK, TET2, TP53, and PTPN11 mutations/variants. In multivariable analysis, RUNX1 and PTPN11 mutations/variants were associated with shorter survival duration; respective hazard ratios (HRs) (95% confidence interval [CI]) were 2.1 (95% CI, 1.1-3.8) and 3.0 (95% CI, 1.1-6.6). An all-inclusive multivariable analysis confirmed the prognostic relevance of RUNX1 mutations (HR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.5-5.5) and also showed additional contribution from a treatment strategy that includes transplant or induction of complete or near-complete remission (HR, 0.3; 95% CI, 0.2-0.5). The current study points to specific mutations that might bear pathogenetic relevance for leukemic transformation in MPN and also suggest an adverse survival effect of RUNX1 mutations.

Imatinib in myeloid/lymphoid neoplasms with eosinophilia and rearrangement of PDGFRB in chronic or blast phase.

We evaluated clinical characteristics and outcome on imatinib of 22 patients with myeloid/lymphoid neoplasms with eosinophilia and rearrangement of PDGFRB. Median age was 49 years (range 20-80), 91% were male. Fifteen different PDGFRB fusion genes were identified. Eosinophilia was absent in 4/19 (21%) cases and only 11/19 (58%) cases had eosinophils ≥1.5×109/L. On imatinib, 17/17 (100%) patients in chronic phase achieved complete hematologic remission after median 2 months (range 0-13)​. Complete cytogenetic remission and/or complete molecular remission by RT-PCR were achieved in 12/13 (92%) and 12/14 patients (86%) after median 10 (range 3-34) and 19 months (range 7-110), respectively. In patients with blast phase (myeloid, n = 2; lymphoid, n = 3), treatment included combinations of imatinib (n = 5), intensive chemotherapy (n = 3), and/or allogeneic stem cell transplantation (n = 3). All 3 transplanted patients (complex karyotype, n = 2) experienced early relapse. Initially, patients were treated with imatinib 400 mg/day (n = 15) or 100 mg/day (n = 7), the dose was reduced from 400 mg/day to 100 mg/day during follow-up in 9 patients. After a median treatment of 71 months (range 1-135), the 5-year survival rate was 83%; 4/22 (18%) patients died (chronic phase; n = 2; blast phase, n = 2) due to progression (n = 3) or comorbidity while in remission (n = 1). Of note, 3/4 patients had a complex karyotype. In summary, the most important characteristics of myeloid/lymphoid neoplasms with rearrangement of PDGFRB include (a) male predominance, (b) frequent lack of hypereosinophilia,