A randomized phase 2 trial of idiotype vaccination and adoptive autologous T-cell transfer in patients with multiple myeloma.

We hypothesized that combining adoptively transferred autologous T cells with a cancer vaccine strategy would enhance therapeutic efficacy by adding antimyeloma idiotype (Id)-keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) vaccine to vaccine-specific costimulated T cells. In this randomized phase 2 trial, patients received either control (KLH only) or Id-KLH vaccine, autologous transplantation, vaccine-specific costimulated T cells expanded ex vivo, and 2 booster doses of assigned vaccine. In 36 patients (KLH, n = 20; Id-KLH, n = 16), no dose-limiting toxicity was seen. At last evaluation, 6 (30%) and 8 patients (50%) had achieved complete remission in KLH-only and Id-KLH arms, respectively (P = .22), and no difference in 3-year progression-free survival was observed (59% and 56%, respectively; P = .32). In a 594 Nanostring nCounter gene panel analyzed for immune reconstitution (IR), compared with patients receiving KLH only, there was a greater change in IR genes in T cells in those receiving Id-KLH relative to baseline. Specifically, upregulation of genes associated with activation, effector function induction, and memory CD8+ T-cell generation after Id-KLH but not after KLH control vaccination was observed. Similarly, in responding patients across both arms, upregulation of genes associated with T-cell activation was seen. At baseline, all patients had greater expression of CD8+ T-cell exhaustion markers. These changes were associated with functional Id-specific immune responses in a subset of patients receiving Id-KLH. In conclusion, in this combination immunotherapy approach, we observed significantly more robust IR in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in the Id-KLH arm, supporting further investigation of vaccine and adoptive immunotherapy strategies. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT01426828.

Idiopathic refractory ascites after allogeneic stem cell transplantation: a previously unrecognized entity.

At our center, we observed a series of patients who developed transudative refractory ascites secondary to noncirrhotic, non-veno-occlusive disease (VOD)-related portal hypertension after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). Patients were considered to have idiopathic portal hypertension-related refractory ascites (IRA) if they developed ascites secondary to intrahepatic portal hypertension (serum ascites albumin gradient ≥1.1 g/dL or hepatic venous pressure gradient [HVPG] >5 mm Hg), but did not meet the clinical criteria for classical VOD/sinusoidal obstructive syndrome (SOS) and did not have any alternate etiology of portal hypertension. From our institutional database, we identified 40 patients who developed IRA after allo-HSCT between 2004 and 2018. The patients' median age at the time of allo-HSCT was 54 years (range, 21-73 years). The median time to development of IRA after allo-HSCT was 80 days (range, 16-576 days). The median number of paracentesis was 3 (range, 1-11), and 15 (38%) patients had an intraperitoneal catheter placed for continued drainage of the rapidly accumulating ascites. Portal pressures were measured in 19 patients; 6 (15%) had moderate portal hypertension (HVPG 6-9 mm Hg), and 13 (33%) had severe portal hypertension (HVPG ≥ 10 mm Hg). Liver biopsy was performed in 24 patients. None of the patients met the criteria for classical VOD/SOS (clinical/histological) or cirrhosis (histological). The cumulative incidence of nonrelapse mortality was 63%, and the median survival duration after the development of the IRA was 7 months (range, 0.8-125.6 months). IRA is a poorly understood and often fatal complication of allo-HSCT.

Impact of Induction Therapy on the Outcome of Immunoglobulin Light Chain Amyloidosis after Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.

With the availability of immunomodulatory imide drugs (IMiDs) and proteasome inhibitors (PI), most patients with immunoglobulin light chain amyloidosis (AL) receive induction therapy before autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (auto-HCT). In this study we evaluated the type of induction therapy and its impact on the outcome of auto-HCT in AL. We identified 128 patients with AL who underwent high-dose chemotherapy and auto-HCT at our institution between 1997 and 2013. Patients were divided into 3 groups: no induction, conventional chemotherapy (CC)-based induction (melphalan, steroids), and IMiD/PI-based induction (thalidomide, lenalidomide, or bortezomib). The hematologic response (HR) and organ response were defined according to the established criteria. Median age at auto-HCT was 58 years (range, 35 to 75). Twenty patients (15.5%) received no induction, 25 (19.5%) received CC, and 83 (65%) received IMiDs/PIs. One, 2, or 3 or more organs were involved in 90 (70%), 20 (16%), and 18 (14%) patients, respectively. After auto-HCT 12 of 20 (60%), 15 of 24 (62%), and 72 of 83 (87%) assessable patients achieved HR at 100 days in no induction, CC, and IMiD/PI groups, respectively (P = .001). Organ response at 1 year after auto-HCT was seen in 7 of 18 (39%), 14 of 24 (58%), and 37 of 79 (47%) assessable patients in no induction, CC, and IMiD/PI groups, respectively (P = .3). Achieving a hematologic complete response was associated with a significantly higher probability of achieving an organ response (P = .02). After a median follow-up of 26 months, rates of 2-year progression-free survival were 67%, 56%, and 73% in no induction, CC, and IMiD/PI groups, respectively (P = .07; hazard ratio, .5; 95% confidence interval [CI], .3 to 1.1). Rates of 2-year overall survival were 73%, 76%, and 87% in no induction, CC, and IMiD/PI groups, respectively (P = .05; hazard ratio, .4; 95% CI, .2 to .9). On multivariate analysis a low ß2-microglobulin (P = .01; hazard ratio, .3; 95% CI, .1 to .7) and induction therapy with IMiD/PI (P = .01; hazard ratio, .3; 95% CI, .1 to .7) were associated with a better overall survival. Induction therapy with either CC or IMiDs/PIs is safe and feasible in selected patients with AL. IMiD/PI-based induction is associated with a longer overall survival compared with patients who received no induction or CC before auto-HCT.

Impact of Hepatitis B Core Antibody Seropositivity on the Outcome of Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation for Multiple Myeloma.

Hepatitis B core antibody (HBcAb) seropositivity has been associated with a higher rate of hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation after chemotherapy, even in patients who are hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) negative. However, little is known about the risk of HBV reactivation after autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (auto-HCT). We evaluated the incidence of HBV reactivation, liver toxicity, and survival in patients with multiple myeloma (MM) who received auto-HCT at our institution. We retrospectively identified 107 MM patients with resolved HBV infection (HBcAb positive, HBsAg negative) and 125 patients with negative HBV serology (control subjects) who were matched for age, timing of auto-HCT from diagnosis, cytogenetics, disease status at transplant, induction therapy, and preparative regimen. All patients underwent auto-HCT between 1991 and 2013. Primary endpoints were HBV reactivation, defined as HBsAg positivity or ≥10-fold increase in HBV DNA, and hepatotoxicity, as defined in the U.S. National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events v3.0. In the resolved HBV infection group, 52 patients (49%) were HBsAb positive and 24 (22%) had detectable HBV DNA before auto-HCT. Only 1 patient with resolved HBV infection received pre-emptive antiviral therapy with lamivudine, whereas 4 patients received lamivudine (n = 3) or tenofovir (n = 1) at reactivation after auto-HCT for a median duration of 12 months. HBV reactivation occurred in 7 of 107 patients (6.5%) in the resolved HBV group. Median time to HBV reactivation from auto-HCT was 16 months. The cumulative incidence of grade 2 or greater hepatotoxicity was 30% in the resolved HBV infection group and 22% in the control group (hazard ratio, 1.3; 95% confidence interval, .7 to 2.3; P = .4). Nonrelapse mortality for the 2 groups was not statistically different at 2 years (P = .06), although it trended higher in the control group than in the resolved HBV infection group (8% versus 1%). The median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) durations in the resolved HBV infection and control groups were 21 versus 18 months (P = .5) and 53 versus 67 months (P = .2), respectively. Our data suggest that resolved HBV infection in patients undergoing auto-HCT for MM is associated with a low risk of HBV reactivation and hepatotoxicity; these complications were reversible and did not adversely affect the PFS or OS.

Outcome of Patients with Multiple Myeloma and CKS1B Gene Amplification after Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.

The gain/amplification of the CKS1B gene on chromosome 1q21 region is associated with a poor outcome in patients with multiple myeloma (MM). However, there are limited data on the outcome of patients with CKS1B amplification after a single high-dose chemotherapy and autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (auto-HCT). We retrospectively evaluated the outcome of patients with CKS1B amplification who received an auto-HCT between June 2012 and July 2014 at our institution. We identified 58 patients with MM and CKS1B gene amplification detected by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). We compared their outcomes with a propensity score-matched control group of 58 patients without CKS1B amplification who were treated at approximately the same time. The primary objective was to compare the progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS) between the CKS1B and the control groups. Stratified log-rank test with the matched pairs as strata and double robust estimation under the Cox model were used to assess the effect of CKS1B gene amplification on PFS or OS in the matched cohort. Patients in the CKS1B and control groups were well matched for age, gender, disease status, year of auto-HCT, response to pretransplantation therapy, and baseline hemoglobin level. In both groups, 57% patients were in first remission and 43% had relapsed disease at auto-HCT. Twenty-seven (47%) patients with CKS1B amplification had concurrent monosomy 13 or 13q deletion; 6 (10%) by conventional cytogenetics only, 16 (28%) by FISH only, and 5 (9%) by both. Median follow-up after auto-HCT was 25.4 months. The median PFS of the CKS1B and the control groups were 15.0 months and 33.0 months (P = .002), respectively. The median OS have not been reached yet. The 2-year OS rates in the CKS1B and the control groups were 62% and 91% (P = .02), respectively. In conclusion, Patients with CKS1B amplification are more likely to have additional high-risk cytogenetic abnormalities and a shorter PFS and OS after an auto-HCT.