Gangat, Naseema

AbstractThe World Health Organization (WHO) classification system categorizes advanced systemic mastocytosis (SM‐Adv) into aggressive SM (ASM), mast cell leukemia (MCL), and SM with associated hematological neoplasm (SM‐AHN). By contrast, the International Consensus Classification (ICC) requires “immature” MC cytomorphology for the diagnosis of MCL and limits SM‐AHN to myeloid neoplasms (SM‐AMN). The current study includes 329 patients with SM‐Adv (median age 65 years, range 18–88; males 58%): WHO subcategories SM‐AHN (N = 212; 64%), ASM (N = 99; 30%), and MCL (N = 18; 6%); ICC subcategories SM‐AMN (N = 190; 64%), ASM (N = 99; 33%), and MCL (N = 9; 3%); WHO‐defined MCL with “mature” MC cytomorphology and SM‐AHN associated with lymphoid neoplasms were operationally labeled as “MCL‐mature” (N = 9) and SM‐ALN (N = 22), respectively, and distinguished from ICC‐defined MCL and SM‐AMN. Multivariable analysis that included the Mayo alliance risk factors for survival in SM (age >60 years, anemia, thrombocytopenia, increased alkaline phosphatase) revealed more accurate survival prediction with the ICC versus WHO classification order: (i) survival was significantly worse with MCL‐immature versus MCL‐mature (hazard ratio [HR] 15; p < .01), (ii) prognostic distinction between MCL and SM‐AHN/AMN was confirmed in the context of ICC (HR 9.3; p < .01) but not WHO classification order (p = .99), (iii) survival was similar between MCL‐mature and SM‐AMN (p = .18), and (iv) SM‐AMN (HR 1.7; p < .01) but not SM‐ALN (p = .37) was prognostically distinct from ASM. The current study provides evidence for the independent prognostic contribution of both the ICC system for SM‐Adv and the Mayo alliance risk factors for survival in SM.

SummaryVenetoclax (VEN) is an FDA‐approved selective inhibitor of B‐cell leukaemia/lymphoma‐2 (BCL‐2), used for treating elderly or unfit acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) patients unable to undergo intensive chemotherapy. Combining VEN with hypomethylating agents (HMAs) has shown impressive response rates in high‐risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and relapsed/refractory AML. However, the efficacy of VEN and HMAs in treating DDX41‐mutated (mDDX41) MDS/AML patients remains uncertain. Despite the favourable prognostic nature of mDDX41 MDS/AML patients, there is a lack of clinical experience regarding their response to different treatment regimens, leading to an unknown optimal therapeutic approach.

Abstract We examined the individual prognostic contribution of absolute neutrophil (ANC), lymphocyte (ALC), and monocyte (AMC) counts, on overall (OS), leukemia‐free (LFS), and myelofibrosis‐free (MFFS) survival in essential thrombocythemia (ET). Informative cases ( N = 598; median age 59 years; females 62%) were retrospectively accrued from a Mayo Clinic database: JAK2 59%, CALR 27%, triple‐negative 11%, and MPL 3%; international prognostic scoring system for ET (IPSET) risk high 21%, intermediate 42%, and low 37%; 7% (37/515) had abnormal karyotype and 10% (21/205) adverse mutations ( SF3B1/SRSF2/U2AF1/TP53 ). At median 8.4 years, 163 (27%) deaths, 71 (12%) fibrotic, and 20 (3%) leukemic transformations were recorded. Multivariable analysis resulted in HR (95% CI) of 16.5 (9.9–27.4) for age > 70 years, 3.7 (2.3–6.0) for age 50–70 years, 2.4 (1.7–3.3) for ANC ≥8 × 10 9 /L, and 1.9 (1.4–2.6) for ALC <1.7 × 10 9 /L. The corresponding HR‐based scores were 4, 2, 1, and 1, resulting in an new 4‐tiered AgeAncAlc (AAA; triple A) risk model: high (5–6 points; median survival 8 years; HR 30.1, 95% CI 17.6–54), intermediate‐2 (4 points; median 13.5 years; HR 12.7, 95% CI 7.1–23.0), intermediate‐1 (2–3 points; median 20.7 years; HR 3.8, 95% CI 2.3–6.4) and low (0–1 points; median 47 years). The AAA model (Akaike Information Criterion [AIC] 621) performed better than IPSET (AIC 647) and was subsequently validated by an external University of Florence ET cohort ( N = 485). None of the AAA variables predicted LFS while ALC <1.7 × 10 9 /L was associated with inferior MFFS ( p = .01). Adverse mutations ( p < .01) and karyotype ( p < .01) displayed additional prognostic value without disqualifying the prognostic integrity of the AAA model. This study proposes a simple and globally applicable survival model for ET, which can be used as a platform for further molecular refinement. This study also suggests a potential role for immune‐related biomarkers, as a prognostic tool in myeloproliferative neoplasms.