Landau, Heather

Background: 24-hour urine (24HRU) assessments are a key component of International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) response criteria for multiple myeloma (MM) and are requested longitudinally in clinical trials even if not routinely used in real-world practice. Several analyses have suggested a limited role for 24HRU if serum immunofixation or free light chain (LC) testing is abnormal (Dejoie Blood 2016, Lahuerta Blood 2023). Adopting urine-free response criteria (with 24HRU removal from every level of IMWG response) may change responses in <5% of patients (Natsuhara et al, Leuk Lymph 2023) but not have been studied in terms of progression-free survival (PFS) in a larger population. Methods: This was a secondary analysis of data from the Phase 3 BMT CTN 0702 (STaMINA) trial (Stadtmauer et al, JCO 2019) studying post-autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) strategies. Only patients evaluable for Day +56 response following ASCT were included, and patients with progressive disease (PD, n=8) at this timepoint were excluded. Post-ASCT responses relative to diagnosis were calculated by two sets of criteria. First, traditional responses were calculated per IMWG criteria (Kumar et al, Lancet Onc 2016) as stable disease (SD), partial response (PR), very good PR (VGPR), or complete response (CR, including stringent CR). Second, urine-free response assessments were calculated as follows: negative 24HRU immunofixation no longer required for CR, 24HRU M-protein < 100 milligrams (mg) per day no longer required for VGPR, and no 24HRU M-protein thresholds (e.g., < 200 mg per day or > 90% reduction) required for PR. PFS was estimated (using PD by traditional IMWG criteria or death as events) using proportional hazard models. Results: Of 636 evaluable patients (84% of all BMT CTN 0702 participants), LC-only disease was noted in 18.9% (n=120). Pre-enrollment 24HRU testing at diagnosis was done in 28.9% of patients (n=184). IMWG responses were as follows: CR, 29.4% (n=187) traditional vs 29.7% (n=189) urine-free; VGPR, 37.0% (n=235) traditional vs 36.6% (n=233) urine-free; PR, 30.7% (n=195) for both; SD, 3.0% (n=19) for both. A total of 4 responses (0.6%) changed with urine-free criteria. Three patients were ‘upgraded’ (VGPR to CR, n=2, PR to VGPR, n=1) because 24HRU requirements for CR/VGPR were no longer required. One patient without a measurable serum paraprotein was ‘downgraded’ from a traditional VGPR (with negative 24HRU immunofixation) to a urine-free PR based on LC-only criteria. Among the subset of 184 patients with 24HRU electrophoresis results at diagnosis, there were no differences between traditional and urine-free IMWG responses. Median PFS and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were the same at each depth of both traditional and urine-free criteria: 63.0 months (50.8 - 71.4 months) for CR, 49.6 months (42.6 - 55.1 months) for VGPR, 44.9 months (37.2-54.8 months) for PR, and 34.4 months (14.0-51.5 months) for SD. Urine-free IMWG criteria were highly prognostic for PFS (p = 0.006, 95% CI 1.05-1.36). The achievement of urine-free CR vs urine-free ≤CR was also prognostic (p = 0.005, 95% CI 0.54 - 0.89). Urine-free VGPR vs urine-free ≤VGPR was of borderline significance (p = 0.102, 95% CI 0.66 - 1.04), with median PFS 53.8 months (48.0 - 57.6 months) vs 44.6 months (36.3 - 54.7 months) respectively. Discussion: In this secondary analysis of a Phase 3 trial, omitting 24HRU assessments from IMWG criteria changed <1% of responses and had no impact on PFS prediction at any response depth. 24HRU assessments had been performed for less than a third of patients as standard of care prior to study entry, underscoring its infrequent use outside of trials. Urine-free IMWG assessments would reduce time toxicity and discomfort for patients, particularly for those with limited dexterity. If implemented in trials, they would also simplify study logistics and lower operational costs. Outside of situations such as AL amyloidosis where 24HRU assessments remain critical or for patients with urine as their only measurable MM biomarker, our results support the removal of 24HRU assessments from future iterations of IMWG response criteria. Funding: Grants #U10HL069294 and #U24HL138660 to the BMT CTN from the NHLBI and the NCI; contributions by Celgene Corporation and Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; funding by The Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology, the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group and SWOG.

Background and significance: Light chain (AL) amyloidosis is a plasma cell malignancy characterized by the production of amyloidgenic clonal light chains that deposit in various tissues. The addition of daratumumab to bortezomib, cyclophosphamide and dexamethasone (Dara-VCD) has improved the depth of hematologic and organ responses and is an approved induction therapy in newly diagnosed AL amyloid patients (DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2028631). However, this approach has not yet demonstrated an overall survival (OS) benefit and follow up remains short. With strict adherence to eligibility criteria, in particular severity of cardiac involvement, autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) as consolidative therapy is safe with transplant related mortality on par with multiple myeloma. This approach generates deep and sustained responses, but it is unclear if it offers an additional survival benefit following Dara-VCD induction. The only randomized trial evaluating the role of ASCT in AL amyloid is outdated (DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa070484) and no randomized data exist to inform the optimal use of ASCT in the era of Dara-VCD induction. Furthermore, multi-organ involvement in AL amyloid drives morbidity and mortality thus the impact of any consolidative therapy on cardiac and renal involvement in addition to overall survival but must be defined. Finally, the approval of Dara-VCD therapy was based on complete hematologic response rates but there is increasing data demonstrating that achieving minimal residual disease (MRD) negativity by either bone marrow next generation flow cytometry (DOI: 10.1002/ajh.26562) or peripheral blood mass spectrometry (DOI: 10.1038/s41408-020-0291-8) generates improved organ response, hematologic progression free survival, and possibly OS. Methods: This randomized phase 3 SWOG led intergroup trial (S2213; NCT06022939) is being conducted within the United States and will accrue a total of 143 participants per arm. The primary endpoint will compare MOD-PFS (major organ deterioration progression free survival: defined as time from randomization to death, cardiac/renal progression, or hematologic progression) between participants receiving an ASCT with those receiving 3 cycles of Dara-VCD consolidation following 3 cycles of uniform Dara-VCD induction. Following the assigned consolidation, all patients will receive 18 months of daratumumab maintenance therapy. A median MOD-PFS of 31 months is anticipated in the non-ASCT arm. This study has 90% power and a two-sided significance level of 0.05 to detect a hazard ratio of 0.62 corresponding to a MOD-PFS of 50 months in the ASCT arm. Important additional endpoints include OS, hematologic PFS, cardiac and renal responses, MRD negativity both by peripheral blood mass spectrometry and bone marrow next generation flow cytometry, delayed utilization of ASCT, and quality of life. Key inclusion criteria include non-severe cardiac AL amyloid (NT-proBNP <5000; TnT < 0.06; NYHA I or II, EF ≥ 40%), CrCl ≥30 mL/min, serum dFLC > 2 mg/dL, and supine systolic BP ≥ 90 mmHg. Importantly, patients are permitted to have up to one full cycle or 28 days of any plasma cell directed therapy prior to enrollment. This trial was activated on 12/1/2023 with the first patient enrolled 07/01/2024. Funding: NIH/NCI/NCTN grants U10CA180888, U10CA180819; and in part by Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc. of Johnson & Johnson (now J&J Innovative Medicine).

Abstract Artificial intelligence (AI)–enabled interpretation of electrocardiogram (ECG) images (AI-ECGs) can identify patterns predictive of future adverse cardiac events. We hypothesized that such an approach would provide prognostic information for the risk of cardiac complications and mortality in patients undergoing hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). We retrospectively subjected ECGs obtained before HCT to an externally trained, deep-learning model designed to predict the risk of atrial fibrillation (AF). Included were 1377 patients (849 autologous [auto] HCT and 528 allogeneic [allo] HCT recipients). The median follow-up was 2.9 years. The 3-year cumulative incidence of AF was 9% (95% confidence interval [CI], 7-12) in patients who underwent auto HCT and 13% (10%-16%) in patients who underwent allo HCT. In the entire cohort, pre-HCT AI-ECG estimate of AF risk correlated highly with the development of clinical AF (hazard ratio [HR], 7.37; 95% CI, 3.53-15.4; P < .001), inferior survival (HR, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.3-4.5; P = .004), and greater risk of nonrelapse mortality (NRM; HR, 95% CI, 3.36; 1.39-8.13; P = .007), without increased risk of relapse. Association with mortality was only noted in allo HCT recipients, where the risk of NRM was greater. The use of cyclophosphamide after transplantation resulted in greater 90-day incidence of AF (13% vs 5%; P = .01) compared to calcineurin inhibitor–based graft-versus-host disease prophylaxis, corresponding to temporal changes in AI-ECG AF prediction after HCT. In summary, AI-ECG can inform risk of posttransplant cardiac outcomes and survival in HCT patients and represents a novel strategy for personalized risk assessment.

ImportanceKidney light chain (AL) amyloidosis is associated with a risk of progression to kidney replacement therapy (KRT) and death. Several studies have shown that a greater reduction in proteinuria following successful anticlonal therapy is associated with improved outcomes.ObjectiveTo validate graded kidney response criteria and their association with kidney and overall survival (OS).Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis retrospective, multicenter cohort was conducted at 10 referral centers for amyloidosis from 2010 to 2015 and included patients with kidney AL amyloidosis that was evaluable for kidney response and who achieved at least hematologic partial response within 12 months of diagnosis. The median follow-up was 69 (54-88) months. Data analysis was conducted in 2023.ExposureFour kidney response categories based on the reduction in pretreatment 24-hour urine protein (24-hour UP) levels: complete response (kidCR, 24-hour UP ≤200 mg), very good partial response (kidVGPR, >60% reduction in 24-hour UP), partial response (kidPR, 31%-60% reduction), and no response (kidNR, ≤30% reduction). Kidney response was assessed at landmark points (6, 12, and 24 months) and best kidney response.Main Outcomes and MeasuresCumulative incidence of progression to KRT and OS.ResultsSeven-hundred and thirty-two patients (335 women [45.8%]) were included, with a median (IQR) age of 63 (55-69) years. The median (IQR) baseline 24-hour proteinuria and estimated glomerular filtration rate was 5.3 (2.8-8.5) g per 24 hours and 72 (48-92) mL/min/1.73m2, respectively. In a competing-risk analysis, the 5-year cumulative incidence rates of progression to KRT decreased with deeper kidney responses as early as 6 months from therapy initiation (11%, 12%, 2.1%, and 0% for kidNR, kidPR, kidVGPR, and kidCR, respectively; P = .002) and were maintained at 12 months and 24 months and best kidney response. Patients able to achieve kidCR/kidVGPR by 24 months and at best response had significantly better OS compared with kidPR/kidNR. Kidney progression, defined as a 25% or greater decrease in estimated glomerular filtration rate, was associated with cumulative incidence of progression to KRT and OS.Conclusions and RelevanceThe results of this cohort study suggest that graded kidney response criteria offers clinically and prognostically meaningful information for treating patients with kidney AL amyloidosis. The response criteria potentially inform kidney survival based on the depth of reduction in 24-hour proteinuria levels and demonstrate an OS advantage for those able to achieve kidCR/kidVGPR compared with kidPR/kidNR. Taken together, achievement of at least kidVGPR by 12 months is needed to ultimately improve kidney and patient survival.

TPS7575 Background: Light chain (AL) amyloidosis is a plasma cell malignancy characterized by the production of amyloidgenic clonal light chains that deposit in various tissues. The addition of daratumumab to bortezomib, cyclophosphamide and dexamethasone (Dara-VCD) has improved depth of hematologic and organ responses. However, this approach has not yet demonstrated an overall survival (OS) benefit with short follow-up. Autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) consolidation remains safe and is associated with deep and durable hematologic responses with an 83% 2-year progression free survival (PFS) and up to 72% of patients achieving a VGPR or better, comparable to Dara-VCD (79%). In multiple myeloma, ASCT improved PFS even in patients who are MRD negative at the end of standard induction therapy. It is thus reasonable to consider that ASCT might provide similar benefits in AL patients. No randomized data exist to inform the optimal use of ASCT in the era of Dara-VCD. Methods: This randomized phase 3 SWOG led intergroup trial will accrue a total of 143 participants per arm and compare MOD-PFS (major organ deterioration progression free survival: defined as time from randomization to death, cardiac/renal progression, or hematologic progression) between participants receiving an ASCT with those receiving Dara-VCD consolidation following uniform Dara-VCD induction. A median MOD-PFS of 31 months is anticipated in the non-ASCT arm. This study has 90% power and a two-sided significance level of 0.05 to detect a hazard ratio of 0.62 corresponding to a MOD-PFS of 50 months in the ASCT arm. Important additional endpoints include OS, hematological PFS, cardiac and renal responses and progression, MRD negativity both by peripheral blood mass spectrometry and bone marrow next generation flow cytometry, delayed utilization of ASCT, and quality of life. This trial was activated on 12/1/2023. Funding: NIH/NCI/NCTN grants and in part by Janssen Pharmaceuticals. Clinical trial information: NCT06022939 . [Table: see text]

Introduction: High dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is one of the most effective therapies in light chain (AL) amyloidosis. It is associated with a high hematologic response rate and leads to durable remissions. High dose melphalan is the most frequently used conditioning chemotherapy, as has been used in multiple myeloma (MM). Melphalan dose is based on renal function, age, degree of cardiac involvement and patients' frailty and is predictive of outcomes. While studies that assessed the conditioning schedule have been conducted in MM, with variable results, no such studies were done in AL amyloidosis. Methods: In this retrospective study, we explored the impact of the conditioning schedule on post-transplant outcomes in a large multicenter study. Patients with AL amyloidosis who underwent ASCT for the primary diagnosis of AL amyloidosis between January 1, 2003, and December 31, 2020, were included in this study. Results: One thousand seven hundred and eighteen (n=1718) patients from 9 centers are included. The median age was 58 years, and 61% were male. Most patients had one (43%) or two (33%) involved organs, with the most involved organs were the kidneys (69%) followed by the heart (52%). Induction therapy was given to 52% of patients. The conditioning regimen was almost exclusively melphalan (99.2%), with 65% receiving full dose melphalan (≥170 mg/m 2). Melphalan was given over two days in most patients (80%). A rest day between conditioning and stem cell infusion was provided in 53% of patients, mostly in those who received melphalan on a single day rather than over 2 days (87% vs 44%, P<0.001). Post-transplant hematologic response was available for 1569 patients (91% of patients) and were assessed from baseline. Complete response (CR) and very good partial responses (VGPR) were achieved post-ASCT in 33.7% of patients each. Low dFLC-partial response (PR) was achieved in 2.7% and PR in 18% of patients. Altogether, satisfactory post-ASCT response (CR, VGPR, or low-dFLC PR combined) was achieved in 70% of patients. Compared to no induction, less than a PR to induction was associated with a lower probability of achieving satisfactory post-ASCT response, while PR or better to induction had higher chances of satisfactory post-ASCT response (65% vs 46% vs 84%, P<0.001). A single day of melphalan conditioning was associated with a higher probability of satisfactory post-ASCT response compared to two days of conditioning (82% vs 67%, P<0.001). Omitting a day of rest between conditioning and stem cell infusion was also associated with higher satisfactory post-ASCT response compared to having a rest day (76% vs 65%, P<0.001). The Table lists other predictors for a post-ASCT satisfactory hematologic response. In a nominal multivariate logistic regression analysis, independent predictors for higher post-ASCT satisfactory hematological response rate included: PR or better to induction therapy, female gender, kappa light chain isotype, lower dFLC at baseline, and kidney and liver involvement. In addition, full dose melphalan, conditioning given over a single day and having no rest day between conditioning and stem cell infusion were also associated with a higher likelihood of satisfactory post-ASCT response. Post-ASCT hematologic CR rate was higher in those receiving full dose conditioning (36% vs 28%, P<0.001), in those having no rest day (40% vs 28%, P<0.001) but not in those who received one day of conditioning versus two days (35% vs 33%, P=0.5). The rate of ICU admission was higher in those receiving no day rest (17.7% vs 12.6%), P=0.003) and among those who received reduced dose melphalan (18.1% vs 13.3%, P=0.008) but not based on number of conditioning days (P=0.56). Day 100 mortality was significantly higher in the no rest day group (5.6% vs 3.2%, P=0.01) and among those receiving reduced dose melphalan (6.8% vs 3.1%, P=0.004) compared to their counterparts, but not based on the number of days of conditioning (P=0.89). The median follow-up in the entire cohort was 104 months (95% CI 98-110). In a multivariate analysis for overall survival (OS), the conditioning dose but not the conditioning schedule was independently associated with OS. Conclusions: This study is the first to demonstrate the effect of melphalan conditioning schedule on post-transplant response. This study supports a single day melphalan conditioning in AL amyloidosis to improve post-ASCT response.

Background: Liver involvement in light chain amyloidosis (AL) is seen in up to 20% of patients and is typically encountered as part of multi-organ involvement. Liver involvement is associated with a poor prognosis. The goal of this study was to assess the prognostic impact of the hepatic response criteria, which were published in 2005 and were not broadly assessed for their prognostic value. Patients and methods: Ten centers across the USA and Europe participated in this study.AL amyloidosis patients who were diagnosed between 2010 and 2015, had liver involvement with serum alkaline phosphatase (AP) >1.5 upper reference limit (URL), and achieved hematologic response to therapy were included in this study. Hepatic response was assessed at 6, 12, and 24 months from therapy initiation and at best response. Based on a receiver operation characteristic analysis, a 50% reduction in AP was set as the optimal cut point for discrimination of 5-year overall survival (OS) in the 12-months response assessment landmark (area under the curve 0.67). Therefore, hepatic response was defined as a reduction in AP >50% from baseline value in addition to AP normalization, regardless of AP percentage reduction. Hepatic progression was defined as >50% increase in serum AP. OS was assessed from therapy initiation until death or last follow-up and was plotted using the Kaplan-Meier method. The log-rank test used to compare survival between groups. For fixed-time point survival analysis, patients who died before the landmark were excluded. Hepatic response at a fixed time points, when missing, was imputed based on available data from adjacent time points (imputation of hepatic response was performed in 15%, 23%, and 22% of evaluable patients at 6-, 12-, and 24-month landmarks, respectively). Multivariate Cox proportional models were set to determine independent prognostic factors for OS using variables with p-value <0.1 in a univariate analysis. P-values <0.05 were considered significant. Results: One hundred and sixteen patients (n=116) are included. The median age was 60 years, and the median serum AP was X2.6 URL. Concomitant kidney involvement was present in 63.8% of patients, while coexisting heart involvement was seen in 56% of patients. Hematologic VGPR or better was achieved in 69% of patients. AP decrease deepened with time, with a median reduction at 6-, 12-, 24-months and best response being 22%, 34%, 53%, and 56%, respectively. Overall, 65% of patients (n=75) achieved hepatic response, of whom 71 patients based on reduction in AP >50% and 4 patients for reaching AP within normal reference but not meeting >50% reduction in AP (40- 46% reduction in AP). The median time to hepatic response was 13.8 months, longer for patients undergoing autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) as their primary therapy compared to non-transplant therapies (24 vs 12.6 months, P=0.1). With a median follow-up of 105 months, 42 patients died (36.2% of the study cohort). The 2-, 5- and 10-year OS rates were 83%, 67%, and 61%, respectively. Achievement of hepatic response as early as 12 months and at best response was associated with a longer survival (Figure). Hepatic response was an independent prognostic factor in a multivariate analysis, after adjusting for other known prognostic factors (age, cardiac stage, hematologic response, and primary therapy). Predictors of hepatic response include higher baseline AP level, lower total bilirubin, hematologic ≥VGPR, and cardiac and renal responses, when applicable. Hepatic progression was borderline associated with inferior OS (5-year OS 47% vs 70% among non-progressors, P=0.08). Conclusions: Hepatic response and progression measured by the change in alkaline phosphatase are prognostic in AL amyloidosis. These criteria are independent of other prognostic markers, and thus may have clinical implications for patients' care.