Palmisiano, Neil

Background With the advent of tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI)-based therapy the outcome of Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph +) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) has significantly improved. Moreover, patients (pts) who achieved undetectable (u) BCR::ABL1 at 3 months (mo) from the time of initiating therapy, tend to have improved outcomes (Short et al. Blood 2016; 128 [4];504-507). We conducted a retrospective multicenter study to analyze the predictors of achieving uBCR::ABL1 in adult (> 18 years) Ph + ALL pts. Methods A total of 458 adult Ph + ALL pts from 10 US academic institutions, who were diagnosed between May 2003 and April 2023, were evaluated to assess the rates of uBCR::ABL1 at 3 mo after initiating therapy and factors that predict the achievement of molecular response. Continuous variables were summarized as median (range), while categorical variables were reported as frequency (percentage). Unadjusted comparisons of patient/ treatment related characteristics and molecular response were made using a non-parametric test (continuous variables) or Fisher's exact test (categorical variables). Survival curves were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared between molecular responses via the log-rank test. Results Baseline characteristics The median age of the pts was 53 years (range [R] 19-85), median white blood cell count (WBC) was 17.6 (10 9/L) (R, 1.2-571), 249 (55%) pts had additional cytogenetic (CG) abnormalities, 98 (22%) pts had p210 fusion protein, and 35 (8%) pts had CNS disease at diagnosis. A higher proportion of pts received TKI in combination with intensive chemotherapy (IC) (69%), than TKI + steroids (15%), TKI + low intensity chemotherapy (LC; combination of vincristine, steroids +/- rituximab) (9%), TKI + blinatumomab (3%) and IC without TKI (4%) during induction. During induction, the highest proportion of pts received 2 nd generation TKI combinations (67%; majority dasatinib 98%), compared to imatinib (19%) or ponatinib (10%): 4% of pts did not receive TKI with induction. The complete remission (CR) rate was 94%; measurable residual disease (MRD) negative by flow cytometry 51% (181/352 evaluable pts) and 58.5% (209/354 evaluable pts) of pts had uBCR::ABL1 by PCR at 3 mo from induction. A total of 212 (46%) pts received allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-HCT) in CR1, among them 61% of pts received TKI maintenance post allo-HCT. Predictors of uBCR::ABL1 at 3 months Predictors for uBCR::ABL1 at 3 mo are summarized in Table 1. The proportion of pts with WBC > 100 (45% vs 60%, p= 0.04), p210 fusion protein (35% vs 85%, p= <0.001), additional CG abnormality with monosomy 7 (40% vs 61%, p= 0.03), additional somatic myeloid co-mutation (39% vs 61%, p= 0.09; 94 pts evaluable), received induction with steroid plus TKI (41% vs 63%, p= 0.002) or received imatinib based induction (47% vs 61%,p= 0.07) had inferior uBCR::ABL1 rates at 3 mo. Conversely pts who received ponatinib based induction had significantly better uBCR::ABL1 rates (79% vs 57%, p= 0.009). Survival The median relapse free survival (RFS) was 72.3 mo (95% CI; 50.1-94.4), RFS was numerically higher among pts who achieved uBCR::ABL1 at 3 mo but not statistically significant (84.2 mo vs 62.9 mo, p= 0.20). The median overall survival (OS) was 129.2 mo (95% CI; 81.2-177.2), OS was not significantly different among pts who achieved uBCR::ABL1 at 3 mo (129.2) versus no uBCR::ABL1 (not reached; 50% alive at 94 mo), p= 0.47. In sub-set analysis, among non-transplanted pts, RFS was not statistically significant between those who achieved uBCR::ABL1 vs those who did not (38.9 vs 22.0 mo, respectively p= 0.24). However, the median OS was significantly higher in pts who achieved uBCR::ABL1 at 3 mo compared to pts who did not achieve uBCR::ABL1 at 3 mo: 149.3 vs 77.5 mo, p= 0.04 ( Figure 1). Conclusion In this large multicenter study, we observed significantly inferior uBCR::ABL1 rates among pts with WBC > 100, p210 fusion protein, monosomy 7 CG abnormality, pts receiving induction with steroid plus TKI or imatinib based induction. Conversely, uBCR::ABL1 rates were significantly better in pts receiving ponatinib based induction therapy. Overall, we did not see significant impact of uBCR::ABL1 at 3 mo, on RFS or OS. It is likely subsequent therapies and allo-HCT abrogates the negative impact of not achieving uBCR::ABL1 at 3 mo. However, among non-transplanted pts achievement of uBCR::ABL1 at 3 mo showed a significantly improved OS.

Background TP53-mutated (m) acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an adverse risk disease, which continues to have dismal outcome in the contemporary era of novel therapies. Venetoclax (VEN) in combination with hypomethylating agents (HMA; azacitidine or decitabine) have shown to improve complete remission (CR) rates compared to HMA alone, however no significant differences in overall survival (OS) have been observed. Methods We conducted a retrospective study through the COMMAND consortium (a collaboration of acute leukemia experts from 10 US academic institutions) to analyze the impact on survival outcomes of HMA plus (+) VEN compared to HMA-based therapies in adult (≥18 years) pts with TP53m AML. The AML Database of 381 pts with TP53m AML diagnosed between 2012-2022 was queried and 154 (40%) (HMA [n=50] and HMA +VEN [n=104]) pts were identified eligible for this analysis. Continuous variables were summarized as median (range) while categorical variables were reported as frequency (percentage). The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate OS, defined as time from diagnosis to death or last follow-up. Logistic regression models were used to determine the univariate and multivariate of OS. Multivariable models included all significant univariate predictors. All tests were two-sided with a p value <0.05 considered statistically significant. Results Baseline characteristics and responses The median age (years [yrs]) was 74 (range [R], 38-87) and 71 (R,29-88) yrs in the HMAand HMA + VEN groups (gps) (p= 0.23), respectively ( Table 1). Thirty-four (68%) and 57 (55%) patients (pts) were ≥ 70 yrs in the HMA and HMA + VEN gps, respectively (p= 0.16). Twenty-six percent vs 31% ( p=0.57), 86% vs 90% ( p=0.58) and 68% vs 73% ( p=0.56) of pts had secondary AML, had complex cytogenetics (CG), and had multi-hit TP53m in the HMA and HMA + VEN gps, respectively. The proportion of pts with most frequently occurring (> 5%) myeloid co-mutations ( RUNX1, ASXL1, TET2, DNMT3A, RAS, PTPN11 and JAK2) were not significantly (NS) different between the HMA and HMA + VEN gps, as shown in Table 1. The early treatment related mortality in first 30 days of induction was higher in the HMA+VEN gp (25%) when compared with the HMA gp (6%), p=0.004. The complete remission rates (CR/CRi) were higher in the HMA + VEN gp compared to the HMA gp (35% vs 18%, p=0.05). Similarly, the proportion of pts receiving allogeneic stem cell transplant (allo-HCT) after induction was higher in the HMA + VEN gp when compared with the HMA gp (13% vs 4%; p=0.14). Duration of response and overall survival The median follow up was 9.8 months (mo) (R, 1-56) and 5.80 mo (R, 1-30.4) in the HMA and HMA + VEN gps, respectively ( p=0.12). The median duration of response (DOR) was higher in the HMA +VEN gp (15.6 mo) when compared with the HMA gp (7.93 mo), but NS ( p=0.26). The median OS was NS different when comparing the HMA and HMA + VEN gps (9.23 vs 7.3 mo, p=0.80 [ Figure 1]). Multivariable analysis for duration of response and overall survival We did multivariable analysis (MVA) for DOR and OS using baseline variables ( Table 1) that showed significance/trend towards significance in univariate analysis ( p<0.1). Allo-HCT (HR; 0.11, 95% CI: 0.02-0.52, p=0.005) retained significance for better DOR, whereas age ≥ 70 yrs (HR; 1.7, 95% CI: 0.63-4.65, p=0.28) and complex CG (HR; 3.05, 95% CI: 0.79-11.73, p=0.10) did not retain significance in MVA. In MVA for OS, achievement of CR/CRi (HR; 0.35, 95% CI; 0.20-0.59, p=<0.001) and allo-HCT after induction (HR; 0.06, 95% CI; 0.09-0.46, p=0.007) retained favorable significance for OS, whereas complex CG (HR; 2.36, 95% CI: 1.11-4.99, p=0.02) retained significance for shorter OS. PTPN11m (HR; 1.57, 95%CI: 0.75-3.28, p=0.23) and TET2m (HR; 1.02, 95% CI: 0.56-1.87, p= 0.92) did not retain significance in MVA. Conclusion In this multi-center real-world study, while HMA+VEN led to improvement in CR rates and a higher proportion of pts were bridged to allo-HCT, it did not associate with an improvement in OS when compared with HMA monotherapy. More effective treatment strategies are warranted to improve outcome of pts with TP53m AML.

Abstract Blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN) is a rare hematological malignancy with a poor prognosis and considered incurable with conventional chemotherapy. Small observational studies reported allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) offers durable remissions in patients with BPDCN. We report an analysis of patients with BPDCN who received an allo-HCT, using data reported to the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR). We identified 164 patients with BPDCN from 78 centers who underwent allo-HCT between 2007 and 2018. The 5-year overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), relapse, and nonrelapse mortality (NRM) rates were 51.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 42.5-59.8), 44.4% (95% CI, 36.2-52.8), 32.2% (95% CI, 24.7-40.3), and 23.3% (95% CI, 16.9-30.4), respectively. Disease relapse was the most common cause of death. On multivariate analyses, age of ≥60 years was predictive for inferior OS (hazard ratio [HR], 2.16; 95% CI, 1.35-3.46; P = .001), and higher NRM (HR, 2.19; 95% CI, 1.13-4.22; P = .02). Remission status at time of allo-HCT (CR2/primary induction failure/relapse vs CR1) was predictive of inferior OS (HR, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.14-3.06; P = .01) and DFS (HR, 1.75; 95% CI, 1.11-2.76; P = .02). Use of myeloablative conditioning with total body irradiation (MAC-TBI) was predictive of improved DFS and reduced relapse risk. Allo-HCT is effective in providing durable remissions and long-term survival in BPDCN. Younger age and allo-HCT in CR1 predicted for improved survival, whereas MAC-TBI predicted for less relapse and improved DFS. Novel strategies incorporating allo-HCT are needed to further improve outcomes.

AbstractBackgroundAlthough the clinical outcomes of patients with TP53‐mutated acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are dismal, subsets of patients eligible for curative‐intent therapies may fare better. Because racial disparities are known to affect outcome in hematologic malignancies, the authors sought to explore disparities among patients with TP53‐mutated AML.MethodsA multicenter, retrospective study was conducted in a cohort of 340 patients who had TP53‐mutated AML (275 non‐Hispanic White [NHW] and 65 non‐Hispanic Black [NHB]) to analyze differences in treatment and outcome among NHW and NHB patients.ResultsThe median patient age was comparable between NHW and NHB patients (p = .76). A higher proportion of NHB patients had therapy‐related AML (31% vs. 20%; p = .08) and had co‐mutations (74% vs. 61%; p = .06). A higher proportion of NHW patients received intensive chemotherapy compared with NHB patients (47% vs. 31%; p = .02). Conversely, a higher proportion of NHB patients received low‐intensity chemotherapy (9% vs. 5.5%; p = .02) or best supportive care (22% vs. 7%; p < .001). The complete response rate (including complete responses with or without complete count recovery) was 31% versus 24.5% (p = .39) in NHW and NHB patients, respectively. Only 5% of NHB patients received allogeneic stem cell transplantation compared with 15.5% of NHW patients (p = .02). The proportion of patients who were event‐free (18.5% vs. 8.5%; p = .49) or who remained alive (24.9% vs. 8.3%; p = .13) at 18 months was numerically higher in NHW versus NHB patients, respectively, but was not statistically significant.ConclusionsThe current study highlights disparities between NHW and NHB patients with TP53‐mutated AML. Efforts are warranted to eliminate treatment disparities in minority populations.

Abstract We conducted a multi-center study to analyze factors predicting survival among patients with TP53-mutated (m) AML receiving allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (allo-HSCT) in the recent era. Among 370 patients, 68 (18%) patients were bridge to allo-HSCT. The median age of the patients was 63 years (range, 33–75), 82% of patients had complex cytogenetics and 66% of patients had multi-hit TP53m. Forty three percent received myeloablative conditioning (MAC) and 57% received reduced intensity conditioning (RIC). The incidence of acute graft versus host disease (GVHD) was 37% and chronic GVHD was 44%. The median event-free survival (EFS) from the time of allo-HSCT was 12.4 months (95% CI: 6.24–18.55) and median overall survival (OS) was 24.5 months (95% CI: 21.80-27.25). In multivariate analysis utilizing variables that showed significance in univariate analysis, complete remission at day 100 post allo-HSCT retained significance for EFS (HR: 0.24, 95% CI: 0.10–0.57, p = 0.001) and OS (HR: 0.22, 95% CI: 0.10–0.50, p = < 0.001). Similarly, occurrence of chronic GVHD retained significance for EFS (HR: 0.21, 95% CI: 0.09–0.46, p = < 0.001) and OS (HR: 0.34, 95% CI: 0.15–0.75, p = 0.007). Our report suggests that allo-HSCT offers the best opportunity to improve long-term outcome among patients with TP53m AML.