Costa, Luciano J

Purpose Selinexor, a first-in-class, oral, selective exportin 1 (XPO1) inhibitor, induces apoptosis in cancer cells through nuclear retention of tumor suppressor proteins and the glucocorticoid receptor, along with inhibition of translation of oncoprotein mRNAs. We studied selinexor in combination with low-dose dexamethasone in patients with multiple myeloma refractory to the most active available agents. Patients and Methods This phase II trial evaluated selinexor 80 mg and dexamethasone 20 mg, both orally and twice weekly, in patients with myeloma refractory to bortezomib, carfilzomib, lenalidomide, and pomalidomide (quad-refractory disease), with a subset also refractory to an anti-CD38 antibody (penta-refractory disease). The primary end point was overall response rate (ORR). Results Of 79 patients, 48 had quad-refractory and 31 had penta-refractory myeloma. Patients had received a median of seven prior regimens. The ORR was 21% and was similar for patients with quad-refractory (21%) and penta-refractory (20%) disease. Among patients with high-risk cytogenetics, including t(4;14), t(14;16), and del(17p), the ORR was 35% (six of 17 patients). The median duration of response was 5 months, and 65% of responding patients were alive at 12 months. The most common grade ≥ 3 adverse events were thrombocytopenia (59%), anemia (28%), neutropenia (23%), hyponatremia (22%), leukopenia (15%), and fatigue (15%). Dose interruptions for adverse events occurred in 41 patients (52%), dose reductions occurred in 29 patients (37%), and treatment discontinuation occurred in 14 patients (18%). Conclusion The combination of selinexor and dexamethasone has an ORR of 21% in patients with heavily pretreated, refractory myeloma with limited therapeutic options.

BACKGROUNDRace/ethnicity remains an important barrier in clinical care. The authors investigated differences in the receipt of autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (AHCT) among patients with multiple myeloma (MM) and outcomes based on race/ethnicity in the United States.METHODSThe Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research database was used to identify 28,450 patients who underwent AHCT for MM from 2008 through 2014. By using data from the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results 18 registries, the incidence of MM was calculated, and a stem cell transplantation utilization rate (STUR) was derived. Post‐AHCT outcomes were analyzed among patients ages 18 to 75 years who underwent melphalan‐conditioned peripheral cell grafts (N = 24,102).RESULTSThe STUR increased across all groups from 2008 to 2014. The increase was substantially lower among Hispanics (range, 8.6%‐16.9%) and non‐Hispanic blacks (range, 12.2%‐20.5%) compared with non‐Hispanic whites (range, 22.6%‐37.8%). There were 18,046 non‐Hispanic whites, 4123 non‐Hispanic blacks, and 1933 Hispanic patients. The Hispanic group was younger (P < .001). Fewer patients older than 60 years underwent transplantation among Hispanics (39%) and non‐Hispanic blacks (42%) compared with non‐Hispanic whites (56%). A Karnofsky score <90% and a hematopoietic cell transplantation comorbidity index score >3 were more common in non‐Hispanic blacks compared with Hispanic and non‐Hispanic whites (P < .001). More Hispanics (57%) versus non‐Hispanic blacks (54%) and non‐Hispanic whites (52%; P < .001) had stage III disease. More Hispanics (48%) versus non‐Hispanic blacks (45%) and non‐Hispanic whites (44%) had a very good partial response or better before transplantation (P = .005). Race/ethnicity did not impact post‐AHCT outcomes.CONCLUSIONSAlthough the STUR increased, it remained low and was significantly lower among Hispanics followed by non‐Hispanic blacks compared with non‐Hispanic whites. Race/ethnicity did not impact transplantation outcomes. Efforts to increase the rates of transplantation for eligible patients who have MM, with an emphasis on groups that underuse transplantation, are warranted. Cancer 2017;123:3141–9. © 2017 American Cancer Society.

Key PointsIncidence of MM has increased in recent years in the United States with a tendency for younger age at diagnosis. Five- and 10-year survival of MM patients is improving among racial/ethnic minorities, but remains limited in patients ≥75 years of age.

Purpose To develop a system prognostic of outcome in those undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo HCT) for myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Patients and Methods We examined 2,133 patients with MDS undergoing HLA-matched (n = 1,728) or -mismatched (n = 405) allo HCT from 2000 to 2012. We used a Cox multivariable model to identify factors prognostic of mortality in a training subset (n = 1,151) of the HLA-matched cohort. A weighted score using these factors was assigned to the remaining patients undergoing HLA-matched allo HCT (validation cohort; n = 577) as well as to patients undergoing HLA-mismatched allo HCT. Results Blood blasts greater than 3% (hazard ratio [HR], 1.41; 95% CI, 1.08 to 1.85), platelets 50 × 109/L or less at transplantation (HR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.18 to 1.61), Karnofsky performance status less than 90% (HR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.06 to 1.28), comprehensive cytogenetic risk score of poor or very poor (HR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.14 to 1.80), and age 30 to 49 years (HR, 1.60; 95% CI, 1.09 to 2.35) were associated with increased hazard of death and assigned 1 point in the scoring system. Monosomal karyotype (HR, 2.01; 95% CI, 1.65 to 2.45) and age 50 years or older (HR, 1.93; 95% CI, 1.36 to 2.83) were assigned 2 points. The 3-year overall survival after transplantation in patients with low (0 to 1 points), intermediate (2 to 3), high (4 to 5) and very high (≥ 6) scores was 71% (95% CI, 58% to 85%), 49% (95% CI, 42% to 56%), 41% (95% CI, 31% to 51%), and 25% (95% CI, 4% to 46%), respectively (P < .001). Increasing score was predictive of increased relapse (P < .001) and treatment-related mortality (P < .001) in the HLA-matched set and relapse (P < .001) in the HLA-mismatched cohort. Conclusion The proposed system is prognostic of outcome in patients undergoing HLA-matched and -mismatched allo HCT for MDS.

Purpose Autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation, or autotransplantation, is effective in light-chain amyloidosis (AL), but it is associated with a high risk of early mortality (EM). In a multicenter randomized comparison against oral chemotherapy, autotransplantation was associated with 24% EM. We analyzed trends in outcomes after autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation for AL in North America. Patients and Methods Between 1995 and 2012, 1,536 patients with AL who underwent autotransplantation at 134 centers were identified in the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research database. EM and overall survival (OS) were analyzed in three time cohorts: 1995 to 2000 (n = 140), 2001 to 2006 (n = 596), and 2007 to 2012 (n = 800). Hematologic and renal responses and factors associated with EM, relapse and/or progression, progression-free survival and OS were analyzed in more recent subgroups from 2001 to 2006 (n = 197) and from 2007 to 2012 (n = 157). Results Mortality at 30 and 100 days progressively declined over successive time periods from 11% and 20%, respectively, in 1995 to 2000 to 5% and 11%, respectively, in 2001 to 2006, and to 3% and 5%, respectively, in 2007 to 2012. Correspondingly, 5-year OS improved from 55% in 1995 to 2000 to 61% in 2001 to 2006 and to 77% in 2007 to 2012. Hematologic response to transplantation improved in the latest cohort. Renal response rate was 32%. Centers performing more than four AL transplantations per year had superior survival outcomes. In the multivariable analysis, cardiac AL was associated with high EM and inferior progression-free survival and OS. Autotransplantation in 2007 to 2012 and use of higher dosages of melphalan were associated with a lowered relapse risk. A Karnofsky score less than 80 and creatinine levels 2 mg/m2 or greater were associated with worsened OS. Conclusion Post-transplantation survival in AL has improved, with a dramatic reduction in early post-transplantation mortality and excellent 5-year survival. The risk-benefit ratio for autotransplantation has changed, and randomized comparison with nontransplantation approaches is again warranted.

In the era of novel biological agents, multiple myeloma (MM) is often approached as a chronic condition. While survival continues to improve, population‐level data indicate that early mortality remains a substantial barrier to advances in MM outcomes. Here we provide “do's and don'ts” management recommendations that may minimize the risk of early mortality and ensure that patients have the opportunity to benefit from the long term impact of new effective MM agents. Such recommendations encompass the early introduction of novel agents even in the presence of comorbidities and advanced age and aggressive management of MM‐related complications. Am. J. Hematol. 91:101–108, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

SummarySixty‐four transplant‐eligible patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM) received carfilzomib (days 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 16), 300 mg/m2 cyclophosphamide (days 1, 8, 15), 100 mg thalidomide (days 1–28) and 40 mg dexamethasone (days 1, 8, 15, 22) in 28‐day cycles (CYKLONE regimen). Carfilzomib was dose‐escalated to 15/20, 20/27, 20/36 and 20/45 mg/m2 to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD), which was 20/36 mg/m2. Regardless of attribution, common Grade 3 or higher adverse events were lymphopenia (38%), neutropenia (23%) and anaemia (20%). All peripheral neuropathy (31%) was Grade 1 and considered most likely to be thalidomide‐related. Common cardiac or pulmonary events of any grade in ≥5% of patients included dyspnoea (20%) and cough (6%). Overall (N = 64), 91% of patients achieved a best response of partial response or better across all cycles of treatment, including five patients with complete responses. At the MTD (n = 29), 59% of patients achieved a very good partial response or better after four cycles (primary end point). Stem cell collection was successful in all patients in whom it was attempted (n = 42). Progression‐free survival and overall survival at 24 months was 76% and 96%, respectively (median follow‐up of 17·5 months). CYKLONE appears highly efficacious in NDMM patients, with manageable toxicities.

PurposeTo examine the outcomes of patients with chemotherapy-sensitive mantle-cell lymphoma (MCL) following a first hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HCT), comparing outcomes with autologous (auto) versus reduced-intensity conditioning allogeneic (RIC allo) HCT and with transplantation applied at different times in the disease course.Patients and MethodsIn all, 519 patients who received transplantations between 1996 and 2007 and were reported to the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research were analyzed. The early transplantation cohort was defined as those patients in first partial or complete remission with no more than two lines of chemotherapy. The late transplantation cohort was defined as all the remaining patients.ResultsAuto-HCT and RIC allo-HCT resulted in similar overall survival from transplantation for both the early (at 5 years: 61% auto-HCT v 62% RIC allo-HCT; P = .951) and late cohorts (at 5 years: 44% auto-HCT v 31% RIC allo-HCT; P = .202). In both early and late transplantation cohorts, progression/relapse was lower and nonrelapse mortality was higher in the allo-HCT group. Overall survival and progression-free survival were highest in patients who underwent auto-HCT in first complete response. Multivariate analysis of survival from diagnosis identified a survival benefit favoring early HCT for both auto-HCT and RIC allo-HCT.ConclusionFor patients with chemotherapy-sensitive MCL, the optimal timing for HCT is early in the disease course. Outcomes are particularly favorable for patients undergoing auto-HCT in first complete remission. For those unable to achieve complete remission after two lines of chemotherapy or those with relapsed disease, either auto-HCT or RIC allo-HCT may be effective, although the chance for long-term remission and survival is lower.