Real-world analysis of teclistamab in 123 RRMM patients from Germany.

Teclistamab, a B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) × CD3 directed bispecific antibody, has shown high response rates and durable remissions in the MAJESTEC-1 trial in patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM). We retrospectively assessed efficacy and tolerability in 123 patients treated at 18 different German centers to determine whether outcome is comparable in the real-world setting. Most patients had triple-class (93%) or penta-drug (60%) refractory disease, 37% of patients had received BCMA-directed pretreatment including idecabtagene vicleucel (ide-cel) CAR-T cell therapy (21/123, 17.1%). With a follow-up of 5.5 months, we observed an overall response rate (ORR) of 59.3% and a median progression-free survival (PFS) of 8.7 months. In subgroup analyses, we found significantly lower ORR and median PFS in patients with extramedullary disease (37%/2.1 months), and/or an ISS of 3 (37%/1.3 months), and ide-cel pretreated patients (33%/1.8 months). Nonetheless, the duration of response in ide-cel pretreated patients was comparable to that of anti-BCMA naive patients. Infections and grade ≥3 cytopenias were the most frequent adverse events. In summary, we found that teclistamab exhibited a comparable efficacy and safety profile in the real-world setting as in the pivotal trial.

Prognostic factors for survival after allogeneic transplantation in acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) offers a curative option in adult patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Prognostic factors for survival after allo-SCT have not been sufficiently defined: pheno-/genotype, patients´ age, conditioning regimens and remission at allo-SCT are under discussion. We analyzed the outcome of 180 consecutive adult ALL-patients undergoing allo-SCT at our center between 1995 and 2018 to identify specific prognostic factors. In our cohort 19% were older than 55 years, 28% had Philadelphia-positive B-ALL, 24% T-ALL. 54% were transplanted in first complete remission (CR1), 13% in CR2 after salvage therapy, 31% reached no remission (8% within first-line, 23% within salvage therapy). In 66% conditioning contained total body irradiation (TBI). With a median follow-up of 10 years, we observed an overall survival of 33% at 10 years, and a progression free survival of 31%. The cumulative incidence of relapse was 41% at 10 years, the cumulative incidence of non-relapse mortality 28%. Acute graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) II°-IV° occurred in 31%, moderate/severe chronic GvHD in 27%. Survival was better in patients reaching CR before allo-SCT and in those receiving TBI. No difference between patients younger/older than 55 years and between different phenotypes was observed. Survival after allo-SCT improved considerably over the last decades.

Prevention, monitoring and treatment of cardiovascular adverse events in myeloma patients receiving carfilzomib A consensus paper by the European Myeloma Network and the Italian Society of Arterial Hypertension.

BACKGROUND: The novel proteasome inhibitor carfilzomib alone or in combination with other agents is already one of the standard therapies for relapsed and/or refractory multiple myeloma (MM) patients and produces impressive response rates in newly diagnosed MM as well. However, carfilzomib-related cardiovascular adverse events (CVAEs) - including hypertension (all grades: 12.2%; grade ≥3: 4.3%), heart failure (all grades: 4.1%; grade ≥3: 2.5%) and ischemic heart disease (all grades: 1.8%; grade ≥3: 0.8%) - may lead to treatment suspensions. At present, there are neither prospective studies nor expert consensus on the prevention, monitoring and treatment of CVAEs in myeloma patients treated with carfilzomib. METHODS: An expert panel of the European Myeloma Network in collaboration with the Italian Society of Arterial Hypertension and with the endorsement of the European Hematology Association aimed to provide recommendations to support health professionals in selecting the best management strategies for patients, considering the impact on outcome and the risk-benefit ratio of diagnostic and therapeutic tools, thereby achieving myeloma response with novel combination approaches whilst preventing CVAEs. RESULTS: Patients scheduled to receive carfilzomib need a careful cardiovascular evaluation before treatment and an accurate follow-up during treatment. CONCLUSIONS: A detailed clinical assessment before starting carfilzomib treatment is essential to identify patients at risk for CVAEs, and accurate monitoring of blood pressure and of early signs and symptoms suggestive of cardiac dysfunction remains pivotal to safely administer carfilzomib without treatment interruptions or dose reductions.

Long-term follow-up of therapy-related myelodysplasia and AML patients treated with allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation.

The outcome of patients with therapy-related myelodysplasia (t-MDS) or t-AML is very poor. The only curative treatment option implements allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (aHCT); however, long-term follow-up data beyond 5 years are scarce. Here we report on a cohort of 79 consecutive patients with a median age of 58 years (range (r): 20-76) at transplantation and a median follow-up of 7.5 years (r: 0.07-19.0). Only 19 (24.1%) patients were in CR before aHCT. Non-relapse mortality and relapse rates were 23% (95% confidence interval, 15-35%) and 42% (32-55%) at 5 years, and 32% (22-46%) and 44% (34-57%) at 10 years, respectively. Disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were 35% (24-46%) and 38% (27-49%) at 5 years, and 24% (14-36%) and 24% (13-36%) at 10 years, respectively. Although cytogenetic aberrations were associated with shorter DFS and higher relapse risk, persistent disease at the time of transplantation, an unrelated donor and patient age were not associated with shorter OS. In conclusion, long-term survival beyond 10 years of t-MDS/t-AML patients after aHCT is possible, even for refractory patients. Therefore, early donor search and rapid transplantation are warranted, also to decrease the risk of disease-related deterioration of patients' performance status.

The role of APC/C(Cdh1) in replication stress and origin of genomic instability.

It has been proposed that the APC/C(Cdh1) functions as a tumor suppressor by maintaining genomic stability. However, the exact nature of genomic instability following loss of Cdh1 is unclear. Using biochemistry and live cell imaging of single cells we found that Cdh1 knockdown (kd) leads to strong nuclear stabilization of the substrates cyclin A and B and deregulated kinetics of DNA replication. Restoration of the Cdh1-dependent G2 DNA damage checkpoint did not result in G2 arrest but blocked cells in prometaphase, suggesting that these cells enter mitosis despite incomplete replication. This results in DNA double-strand breaks, anaphase bridges, cytokinesis defects and tetraploidization. Tetraploid cells are the source of supernumerary centrosomes following Cdh1-kd, leading to multipolar mitosis or centrosome clustering, in turn resulting in merotelic attachment and lagging chromosomes. Whereas some of these events cause apoptosis during mitosis, surviving cells may accumulate chromosomal aberrations.

Ruxolitinib in corticosteroid-refractory graft-versus-host disease after allogeneic stem cell transplantation: a multicenter survey.

Despite major improvements in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation over the past decades, corticosteroid-refractory (SR) acute (a) and chronic (c) graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) cause high mortality. Preclinical evidence indicates the potent anti-inflammatory properties of the JAK1/2 inhibitor ruxolitinib. In this retrospective survey, 19 stem cell transplant centers in Europe and the United States reported outcome data from 95 patients who had received ruxolitinib as salvage therapy for SR-GVHD. Patients were classified as having SR-aGVHD (n=54, all grades III or IV) or SR-cGVHD (n=41, all moderate or severe). The median number of previous GVHD-therapies was 3 for both SR-aGVHD (1-7) and SR-cGVHD (1-10). The overall response rate was 81.5% (44/54) in SR-aGVHD including 25 complete responses (46.3%), while for SR-cGVHD the ORR was 85.4% (35/41). Of those patients responding to ruxolitinib, the rate of GVHD-relapse was 6.8% (3/44) and 5.7% (2/35) for SR-aGVHD and SR-cGVHD, respectively. The 6-month-survival was 79% (67.3-90.7%, 95% confidence interval (CI)) and 97.4% (92.3-100%, 95% CI) for SR-aGVHD and SR-cGVHD, respectively. Cytopenia and cytomegalovirus-reactivation were observed during ruxolitinib treatment in both SR-aGVHD (30/54, 55.6% and 18/54, 33.3%) and SR-cGVHD (7/41, 17.1% and 6/41, 14.6%) patients. Ruxolitinib may constitute a promising new treatment option for SR-aGVHD and SR-cGVHD that should be validated in a prospective trial.

Trained clinical nurse specialists proficiently obtain bone marrow aspirates and trephine biopsies in a nearly painless procedure--a prospective evaluation study.

Patients often experience bone marrow examinations (BMEs) as frightening and painful. Varying operators and uncertainty about who will perform the BME worsen their anxiety. In our study, clinical nurse specialists (CNSs) were trained to perform BMEs to ensure continuity and to test the feasibility, patient satisfaction, and biopsy quality. This exploratory evaluation assessed 574 BMEs at our tertiary center between January 2012 and February 2013, 398 BMEs performed by CNS and 176 by physicians. Our aims were to determine whether BMEs by CNS yield results similar to those of physicians, analyzing (1) patient satisfaction with the BME (a) consent and (b) performance, (2) induced pain, and (3) quality of aspirates and length of trephine biopsies. When performed by CNS, 100 % of the patients were satisfied with the consent procedure and 99 % with the BME performance (physicians 99 and 91 %, respectively). The median pain score was low when both CNS and physicians performed the BME, with no or only mild pain in 92 and 76 % of patients, respectively. Bone marrow (BM) aspirates by CNS and physicians were assessed as technically evaluable in ~70 %; moreover, the median length of trephine biopsies was similar when performed by CNS or physicians with 12 and 13 mm, respectively. In conclusion, BMEs conducted by motivated CNS and within a structured training program are feasible and yield equal outcomes compared to physicians. The use of adequate pain management during BMEs by trained and experienced operators results in an extremely rare use of sedatives, low pain scores, and high patient satisfaction.

5-Azacytidine and DLI can induce long-term remissions in AML patients relapsed after allograft.

UNLABELLED: DNA-hypomethylating agents are a viable treatment option for AML/myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) relapse after allograft by upregulating Ags on blasts before DLI. Seventy-two patients with relapsed AML (n=62), MDS (n=8) and other myeloid neoplasms (n=2) after allograft were treated with low-dose 5-azacytidine and, if feasible, DLI. PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: median age 62 years (range 20-75), 42% with adverse cytogenetics, 82% not in remission at transplant and 83% received fludarabine-based reduced-toxicity conditioning. Median duration from transplant to 5-azacytidine was 289 days (range 59-2133). Response criteria: CR, temporary disease control or treatment failure. A median of 2.7 courses (range 1-10) were administered; 65 out of 72 patients also received DLI (41 already before 5-azacytidine). Ten patients developed acute GVHD and two succumbed to treatment-related sepsis. CR rate was 9.7% (in two patients lasting >5 years), 44% had temporary disease control (median duration 71 days, range 31-380). Median survival from 5-azacytidine was 108 days, 21 patients proceeded to subsequent transplant. In multivariate analysis, peripheral blood blasts <1% were predictive of longer OS (P=0.03). Taken together, long-term remissions can be induced by this well-tolerated outpatient treatment, particularly in patients without peripheral blood blasts.

Incidence, risk factors, and implemented prophylaxis of varicella zoster virus infection, including complicated varicella zoster virus and herpes simplex virus infections, in lenalidomide-treated multiple myeloma patients.

In the era of high-dose chemotherapy and novel antimyeloma agents, the survival of multiple myeloma (MM) patients has substantially improved. Adverse effects, including infections, may however arise in the era of combination antimyeloma therapies. In general, MM patients have shown a risk of varicella zoster virus (VZV) infection of 1-4 %, increasing with bortezomib treatment or transplants, but whether immunomodulatory drugs also bear a risk of VZV/complicated herpes simplex virus (HSV) (e.g., VZV-encephalitis [VZV-E], disseminated VZV-infection [d-VZV-i], or conus-cauda syndrome [CCS]) has not been elucidated. We here assessed VZV, VZV-E, d-VZV-i, and CCS in 93 lenalidomide-treated MM patients, consecutively seen and treated in our department. Patients' data were analyzed via electronic medical record retrieval within our research data warehouse as described previously. Of the 93 MM patients receiving lenalidomide, 10 showed VZV or other complicated VZV/HSV infections. These VZV patients showed defined risk factors as meticulously assessed, including suppressed lymphocyte subsets, substantial cell-mediated immune defects, and compromised humoral immune response. Due to our findings-and in line with an aciclovir prophylaxis in bortezomib and stem cell transplant protocols-we introduced a routine aciclovir prophylaxis in our lenalidomide protocols in May 2012 to minimize adverse events and to avoid discontinuation of lenalidomide treatment. Since then, we have observed no case of VZV/complicated HSV infection. Based on our data, we encourage other centers to also focus on these observations, assess viral infections, and-in those centers facilitating a research data warehouse-advocate an analogue data review as an appropriate multicenter approach.

Reduced-intensity conditioning with fludarabine and thiotepa for second allogeneic transplantation of relapsed patients with AML.

A second allograft was offered to 58 relapsed AML patients after conditioning with fludarabine 90-150 mg/m(2) and thiotepa 15 mg/kg, in most cases with active disease. Median age was 53 years (range 23-69), median time to relapse after the first allo-SCT was 326 (47-2189) days and median follow-up was 6.7 years. GVHD prophylaxis consisted mainly of CsA and alemtuzumab. Response rates at 1 month were CR in 50 and persistent disease in 3/53 evaluable patients. At 3 years, the relapse incidence (95% confidence interval) was 56 (45-71)%, the TRM 31 (21-46)%, the OS rate was 18 (9-29)% and the EFS rate was 13 (5-23)%. OS improved with younger patient age, longer relapse-free interval after the first allo-SCT and the development of chronic GVHD. Patients ≥ 65 years old who relapsed >12 months after the first allograft (n=20) had a 3-year OS rate of 41 (19-62)%. Conventional cytogenetics and FLT3 mutation status did not affect outcome. Our regimen is feasible and provides at least for a subgroup of patients with AML recurrence after allo-SCT a reasonable therapeutic option in an otherwise fatal situation. Further modifications and a better understanding of the underlying biology could help lower the risk of relapse.

Identification of risk factors for bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome after reduced toxicity conditioning before hematopoietic cell transplantation.

Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) of older or patients with comorbidities has become possible due to new regimens for reduced-intensity conditioning. The use of fludarabine, carmustine and melphalan as the preparative regimen (FBM) reduces toxicity while providing substantial anti-leukemic activity. Chronic GVHD (cGVHD) of the lung or bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS) remains a serious non-infectious complication contributing to treatment-related morbidity. We conducted a retrospective analysis of 259 patients (median age: 61.5, range: 24-76 years) transplanted after FBM conditioning to identify and characterize clinical risk factors for developing BOS. The cumulative incidence rate of BOS was 4.2% (95% confidence interval (CI): 2.4-7.6%) at 1 year and 8.5% (95% CI: 5.6-12.9%) at 5 years after allo-HCT with a median follow-up of 36.5 (range: 3-136) months. In multivariate analysis, age <55 years at allo-HCT (who received 25% higher carmustin-dose in preparative regimen), pulmonary complications after allo-HCT and GVHD prophylaxis without in-vivo T-cell depletion (cyclosporine-A/ATG or cyclosporine-A/alemtuzumab) were associated with BOS. We observed no significant differences in clinical variables such as smoking or lung diseases before allo-HCT. In contrast to cGVHD affecting other organs, BOS showed no impact on overall survival. In conclusion, we identified risk factors associated with developing BOS after conditioning with a reduced toxicity protocol.

Soluble HLA-G molecules and HLA-G 14-base pair polymorphism after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation.

HLA-G 14-base pair (bp) polymorphism and soluble human leukocyte antigen G were previously reported to be implicated in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) outcome. However, soluble HLA-G blood levels and the 14-bp insertion-deletion polymorphism were separately assessed in the context of allo-HSCT. The aim of the present study was to examine the influence of the 14-bp insertion/deletion polymorphism of the HLA-G gene together with the soluble HLA-G plasma levels on allo-HSCT complications. We investigated the possible impact of HLA-G 14-bp polymorphism together with the pretransplantation and posttransplantation concentration of soluble HLA-G in 59 patients undergoing allo-HSCT. No association was found between the HLA-G 14-bp polymorphism, the soluble HLA-G level and acute graft-versus-host disease (GvHD), disease recurrence, or death. In contrast with previous reports the present data suggest a weak or negligible involvement of both 14-bp polymorphism on HLA-G gene and sHLA-G concentration in posttransplantation complications such as acute or chronic GvHD, relapse, or death.

[Current approaches in multiple myeloma and other cancer-related bone diseases]. / Prophylaxe und Therapie beim multiplen Myelom und anderen tumorbedingten Knochenveränderungen.

Multiple myeloma (MM) ranges second of all hematological malignancies and occurs most commonly in elderly patients. Almost all MM patients develop bone lesions in the course of their disease or have evidence of bone loss at initial diagnosis. Whole-body conventional radiography remains the gold standard in the diagnostic evaluation, albeit computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are increasingly used as complementary techniques in the more sensitive detection of osteolytic processes. Bisphosphonates like zoledronate or pamidronate represent the cornerstone therapeutics in osteolytic disease, and are effective supportives to potent anti-myeloma therapies, including novel agents such as the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib or immunomodulatory drugs (IMIDs, e. g. thalidomide or lenalidomide). Several studies are ongoing to investigate the effects of alternative bone-seeking agents and their therapeutic potential for the management of myeloma bone disease, such as denosumab (RANKL-neutralizing antibody), anti-sclerostin (monoclonal antibody, generated against sclerostin) or sotatercept (potent activin-A inhibitor). This review summarizes the most prominent data on myeloma bone disease pathogenesis, the role of imaging techniques as well as therapy and prevention of lytic complications in myeloma which may similarly or equally be true for other bone metastases-inducing solid tumors.

Induction of graft versus malignancy effect after unrelated allogeneic PBSCT using donor lymphocyte infusions derived from frozen aliquots of the original graft.

To evaluate safety and efficacy of donor lymphocyte infusions (DLI), derived from frozen aliquots of the original G-CSF-stimulated graft after allogeneic PBSCT from unrelated donors, data of 121 patients with hematological malignancies treated with DLIs were retrospectively analyzed. Indications for PBSCT were AML/myelodysplastic syndrome (n=63/8), ALL (n=17), lymphoma (n=13), multiple myeloma (n=10) and myeloproliferative syndrome (n=10). Reasons for DLI were hematological relapse (n=81), molecular and/or cytogenetic relapse (n=5), mixed chimerism (n=22) and prophylactic DLI in high-risk patients (n=13). DLIs were well tolerated with no acute adverse reactions. DLI-induced acute-type GvHD (aGvHD) was observed in 19 patients and chronic-type GvHD (cGvHD) developed in 14 patients. Three patients died of GvHD complications. DLI induced CR, complete chimerism or PR in 34 patients; 24 patients had stable disease, 50 patients progressed and 13 patients were not evaluable for response. Objective response was more obvious for molecular relapse (5/5) or mixed chimerism (14/22) compared with hematological relapse (13/81). Median survival after first DLI was 10.4 months (95% confidence interval: 4.4-26.0). Cryopreserved G-CSF-stimulated DLI, derived from allogeneic grafts are safe and immunoreactive, and can be applied early in case of mixed chimerism and molecular or cytogenetic relapse.

[Current treatment concepts of lung cancer]. / Aktuelle Therapiekonzepte des Lungenkarzinoms.

Lung cancer occurs with a median age of 69 years. The main cause is cigarette smoking. For both genders lung cancer is the third-most frequent tumor in Germany. While in an operable tumor stage 30-80% of the patients can reach long-term survival, the prognosis in the metastasised stage is unfavourable with a 5-year overall survival rate of 6% for small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and 18% for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Lung cancer is subject of intense research to improve the outcome. This article gives an overview of current treatment options.

Comorbidity as a prognostic variable in multiple myeloma: comparative evaluation of common comorbidity scores and use of a novel MM-comorbidity score.

Comorbidities have been demonstrated to affect progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS), although their impact in multiple myeloma (MM) patients is as yet unsettled. We (1) assessed various comorbidities, (2) compared established comorbidity indices (CIs; Charlson comorbidity index (CCI), hematopoietic cell transplantation-specific comorbidity index (HCT-CI)), Kaplan Feinstein (KF) and Satariano index (SI) and (3) developed a MM-CI (Freiburger comorbidity index, FCI) in 127 MM patients. Univariate analysis determined moderate or severe pulmonary disease (hazard ratio (HR): 3.5, P<0.0001), renal impairment (via estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR); HR: 3.4, P=0.0018), decreased Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS, HR: 2.7, P=0.0004) and age (HR: 2, P=0.0114) as most important variables for diminished OS. Through multivariate analysis, the eGFR ⩽30 ml/min/1.73m(2), impaired lung function and KPS ⩽70% were significant for decreased OS, with HRs of 2.9, 2.8 and 2.2, respectively. Combination of these risk factors within the FCI identified significantly different median OS rates of 118, 53 and 25 months with 0, 1 and 2 or 3 risk factors, respectively, (P<0.005). In light of our study, comorbidities are critical prognostic determinants for diminished PFS and OS. Moreover, comorbidity scores are important treatment decision tools and will be valuable to implement into future analyses and clinical trials in MM.