Leung, Nelson

ABSTRACT Light chain multiple myeloma (LCMM) is a subtype of multiple myeloma (MM) characterized by the exclusive production of immunoglobulin light chains and accounts for 15%–20% of newly diagnosed MM. A comprehensive comparison of LCMM with MM producing intact immunoglobulin (non‐LCMM) remains limited. In this retrospective study, we described distinct clinical and cytogenetic features and assessed long‐term outcomes in 852 LCMM patients diagnosed between 01/01/2004 and 12/31/2022, compared with non‐LCMM controls matched for age, sex, and year of diagnosis. On univariable analysis, LCMM patients were more likely to present with elevated creatinine (> 2 mg/dL), beta‐2‐microglobulin ≥ 5.5 mg/L, elevated LDH, hypercalcemia, t(11;14), del(13q), and t(6;14). Conversely, IMS‐IMWG high‐risk disease, hyperdiploidy, t(4;14), and serum albumin < 3.5 g/dL were less common. On multivariable analysis, elevated creatinine (OR: 5.1, 95% CI: 1.2–27, p = 0.04), t(11;14) (OR: 2.6, 95% CI: 1.3–5.2, p = 0.006), and del(13q) (OR: 4.1, 95% CI: 2.1–8.2, p < 0.001) were independently associated with LCMM, while IMS‐IMWG high‐risk disease (OR: 0.3, 95% CI: 0.1–0.8, p = 0.02) and hyperdiploidy (OR: 0.3, 95% CI: 0.1–0.7, p = 0.002) were less frequent. Despite these differences, progression‐free survival with frontline treatment (HR: 0.97, 95% CI: 0.84–1.11, p = 0.63) and overall survival (HR: 0.99, 95% CI: 0.87–1.13, p = 0.94) were similar between LCMM and non‐LCMM patients. This study highlights the distinct clinical and cytogenetic features of LCMM, marked by higher rates of renal failure, t(11;14), and del(13q), lower prevalence of IMS‐IMWG high‐risk disease, and comparable survival outcomes.

Abstract This retrospective analysis examined 15 years of autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) for light chain (AL) amyloidosis at the Mayo Clinic (2010-2024). We aimed to assess ASCT utilization trends, factors influencing practice changes, and current indications amid newer therapies. Four hundred and forty-one ASCTs were divided into cohort 1 (2010-2019) and cohort 2 (2020-2024), revealing a significant ASCT reduction in cohort 2 (385 vs 56, average 71% annual decrease). Cohort 2 patients were older, more likely to have relapsed/refractory disease, and had higher baseline bone marrow plasma cell burden compared to cohort 1. Pre-ASCT induction was more frequent in cohort 2 (89.3% vs 56.4%), with daratumumab (Dara)–cyclophosphamide-bortezomib-dexamethasone (CyBorD) replacing CyBorD as the predominant induction regimen. Lymphoma-based regimens were also more common in cohort 2 (15.1% vs 5.3%, P = .02). Day-100 satisfactory hematological response improved in cohort 2 (91.1% vs 72.7%, P = .001), although hematological complete response rates did not significantly differ (50.9% vs 38.8%, P = .09). In summary, there is a decrease in the utilization of ASCT in AL amyloidosis. This procedure is primarily reserved for patients with suboptimal responses, relapsed/refractory disease, lymphoplasmacytic clones (predominantly immunoglobulin M amyloidosis), or high bone marrow plasma cell burden (myeloma phenotype). This study underscores a significant shift in ASCT practice, driven by novel therapies, emphasizing more personalized management in AL amyloidosis.

Disease response and progression assessment in multiple myeloma (MM) is based on various measurements of monoclonal protein (serum and urine protein electrophoresis, serum free light chain (FLC, and or quantitative immunoglobulins). Currently, the IMWG consensus response criteria require two sequential assessments of any one marker made at any time before confirmation of disease progression and the institution of any new therapy. However, this can be cumbersome in clinical trials. Herein, we hypothesized that if two markers meet the progression criteria simultaneously, a repeat of either will not be necessary for confirmation. We retrospectively studied all sequential patients with myeloma enrolled in clinical trials at Mayo Clinic. We identified 583 episodes of confirmed progression in our study. Among the 583 progression episodes, nearly 70% (sensitivity of the simultaneous criteria) met the two simultaneous variable criteria at the first testing, indicating progression. Conversely, among 413 patients who met progression criteria by two simultaneous values, 98% (specificity of the simultaneous criteria) of patients subsequently had confirmed progression by sequential values. In summary, for patients with two disease burden markers meeting the simultaneous progression criteria, sequential assessment either one for confirmation may not be necessary to determine disease progression.

ABSTRACT An increasing number of cancer patients are benefiting from long term cancer-directed therapy with an ever-expanding arsenal of novel agents from monoclonal antibodies to small molecules and cellular therapies in addition to the mainstay cytotoxic chemotherapy. All these therapies are accompanied by a unique array of adverse events, which include kidney toxicity. In this context, the need for onco-nephrology expertise continues to grow. Oncologists and hematologists collaborate closely with onco-nephrologists to determine: (i) treatment options for special populations based on accurate assessment of patients’ glomerular filtration rate, (ii) supportive therapies for those whose treatment course is complicated by acute kidney injury, and (iii) pharmacologic strategies to continue or restart cancer therapy during kidney dysfunction. Here we outline 10 tips for common clinical scenarios in an outpatient onco-nephrology clinic.

e19545 Background: Cytogenetic abnormalities (CA) at diagnosis are important prognostic factors in multiple myeloma (MM), but there is limited information on how these abnormalities evolve at first relapse and their significance. Methods: This retrospective study included patients aged ≥18 years, with a confirmed diagnosis of MM who experienced at least one disease relapse and had fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis within six months of both diagnosis and relapse. Data on CA and clinical outcomes were collected. High-risk (HR) secondary CA were defined as the presence of deletion of chromosome 17p (del17p) or gain or amplification of chromosome 1q. The primary objective was to evaluate changes in HR secondary CA at first relapse, while the secondary objective was to assess the impact of the cytogenetic changes on overall survival (OS) from diagnosis. Based on the presence or absence of HR secondary CA, patients who were tested for HR secondary CA at both time points were classified into four groups: 1) persistent absence of HR secondary CA, 2) emergence of HR secondary CA at relapse, 3) persistent presence of HR secondary CA, and 4) loss of HR secondary CA at relapse. Results: A total of 233 patients diagnosed between 2004 and 2023 were included. HR secondary CA were tested in 98.7% (n= 230) of patients at diagnosis, with 24.8% (n=57) testing positive. At first relapse, testing for HR secondary CA was performed in 97.4% (n=227) of patients, of whom 23.8% (n=54) tested positive. Del17p was evaluated in 98.3% (n=229) of patients at baseline and 95.7% (n=223) at relapse, with positivity increasing from 10.9% (n=25) to 15.3% (n=34). Gain or amplification of chromosome 1q was evaluated in 49.4% (n=115) at baseline and 25.5% (n=60) at relapse, with positivity rate rising from 28.7% (n=33) to 38.3% (n=23). There were no differences in overall response rate or very-good-partial-response-or-better rates to the initial therapy at diagnosis between the groups. (Table) Emergence/persistence of HR CA were associated with lower OS from diagnosis. Conclusions: Emergence of HR secondary CA at first relapse in MM has prognostic significance. These findings highlight the importance of serial cytogenetic testing for risk stratification. Response rate to initial line of therapy and overall survival from diagnosis among patients tested for HR secondary CA both at diagnosis and first relapse (n=224). Outcome Persistent absence of HR secondary CA(n=142) Emergence of HR secondary CA at relapse (n=25) Persistent presence of HR secondary CA (n=27) Loss of HR secondary CA at relapse(n=30) p-value Overall response rate a 75% (106) 76% (19) 63% (17) 67% (20) 0.5 b Very-good-partial response or better response rate 43% (61) 36% (9) 44% (12) 40% (12) >0.9 b Median (95% CI) OS from diagnosis in years 11.3 (9.7-13.4) 7.5 (5.1-12.1) 6.1 (4.2-9.4) 10.1 (6.5-14.1) <0.0001 c a Partial response or better; b Chi-square test; c Log-rank test.

e19008 Background: Cytokine release syndrome (CRS) is typically reversible in CAR-T therapy, while hyperinflammatory syndromes like macrophage activation-like syndrome (MAS-L) and high-grade immune effector cell-associated hemophagocytic syndrome (IEC-HS) are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Early interventions are critical for improving outcomes. We aim to analyze clinical cytokine assays and cellular phenotypes early in hyperinflammatory syndromes to identify profiles for severe cases to inform management decisions. Methods: This study included 113 CAR-T patients (pt) (September 2019-March 2024) with cytokine profiles (CP) performed at the second tocilizumab dose or with suspected hyperinflammatory states (CP1), followed by assessments at 24 hours (CP24) and 48 hours (CP48). 52 pts consented to blood (PB) and bone marrow (BM) cell immune phenotyping at pre-treatment (pre-LD) and day 1 for PB. Results: Among the 113 pts, CRS pts (N=74), when compared to MAS-L(N=19) & IEC-HS (N=20) at CP1, had lower levels of TNF (median in pg/mL; 31, 62.9, 47.7) , IL-18 (794, 1353, 2011), and MCP-1 (689, 2722, 2485.5). While MAS-L and IEC-HS had similar CP1 profiles, CP24 and CP48 differed between them: TNF & MCP-1 levels decreased in MAS-L but remained elevated or increased in IEC-HS. IL-18 was stable in MAS-L but increased steadily daily in IEC-HS. Infections were more frequent in IEC-HS (CRS: 43%; MAS-L: 58%; IEC-HS: 85%; p=0.002). Notably, patients who died with persistent E. faecium bacteremia had higher IL-18 in CP48. In the 52 pts with cell phenotypes available by flow, 33 had CRS, 18 MAS-L and 8 IEC-HS. The correlation between cell phenotypes and cytokine levels showed that elevated TNF at CP1 correlated with increased non-classical monocytes in pre-LD BM and higher NK and NK-T cells in pre-LD PB. Similarly, elevated IL-18 CP48 levels correlated with increased CD8 T-cells, NK-T cells, and intermediate monocytes in pre-LD PB, as well as increased NK cells at both pre-LD and day 1 (Table). Conclusions: We report distinct cytokine profiles in IEC-HS early in the inflammatory course post-CAR-T therapy. These elevated cytokines correlate with specific immune cell subsets, including BM-resident monocytes, intermediate monocytes with heightened cytokine trafficking and inflammatory capacity. This study demonstrates the feasibility for identifying potential biomarkers for early risk stratification and targeted interventions. Cytokine Sample source Immune cells R P value TNF CP1 BM pre-LD Non-classical monocytes (CD14loCD16+) 0.38 0.025 PB pre-LD Monocytes (All) 0.47 0.022 NK cells (CD56+CD16+) 0.34 0.024 NK-T cells (CD3+CD56+CD16-) 0.29 0.04 IL-18 CP48 PB pre-LD CD8+ T-cells 0.59 0.0093 NK-T cells (CD3+CD56+CD16-) 0.53 0.023 Intermediate monocytes (CD14+CD16+) 0.58 0.012 PB pre-LD NK cells (CD56+CD16+) 0.56 0.49 0.015 0.024

ABSTRACTTransplant‐associated thrombotic microangiopathy (TA‐TMA) is an endothelial dysfunction syndrome observed after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (alloHCT). Our aim was to externally validate the impact of high‐risk features on the clinical outcomes of adult patients meeting the updated TA‐TMA harmonizing criteria. Between 2005 and 2022, 99 patients were diagnosed with TA‐TMA at Mayo Clinic Rochester (incidence 6.2%) after a median of 137 days post alloHCT (IQR: 34–283 days). The development of TA‐TMA was associated with an inferior overall survival posttransplant (HR: 3.8, 95% CI: 2.97–4.72). High‐risk features, including concomitant infection, acute graft‐versus‐host disease (GVHD), and organ dysfunction, were associated with poor survival, while LDH elevation was not associated with inferior outcomes. The most common treatment strategy for TA‐TMA was discontinuation of calcineurin or mTOR inhibitors in 80 (81%) patients. Thirty (37.5%) patients experienced worsening of GVHD with this strategy, of which 26 (86.7%) patients had died at last follow‐up. The most common cause of death among these patients was worsening GVHD (69%; n = 18), followed by infection (11%; n = 3), disease relapse (8%; n = 2), other/unknown causes (8%; n = 2), or TA‐TMA (4%; n = 1). Objective response rate (ORR) to initial treatment for the cohort was 56.6%. Eculizumab was used in 11 patients with an observed ORR of 70%, including 5 complete responses. In conclusion, TA‐TMA remains a significant contributor to non‐relapse mortality and is associated with worse survival following alloHCT. Not all high‐risk features, particularly LDH elevation, have consistently demonstrated a negative impact in adult cohorts. Patients with TA‐TMA may benefit from immune suppression dose adjustment, rather than a discontinuation, and the addition of complement‐directed therapy, particularly among high‐risk patients.

Abstract In this study, we first analyzed data from 147 patients with solitary plasmacytomas treated at the Mayo Clinic between 2005 and 2022 and then expanded our investigation through a systematic review and meta-analysis of 62 studies, encompassing 3487 patients from the years 1960 to 2022. Our findings reveal that patients with up to 10% clonal plasma cells in their bone marrow (BM), denoted as plasmacytoma +, had a significantly reduced median disease-free survival (DFS) of 15.7 months vs 79 months, P &lt; .05, observed in patients with true solitary plasmacytomas, with no clonal cells in the BM. Risk factors identified for shorter DFS included the presence of clonal plasma cells in the marrow and a difference between involved and uninvolved free light chains of &gt;5 mg/dL. The meta-analysis portion of our study highlighted a male predominance among patients, with a median age of 58 years, and confirmed radiation therapy as the predominant treatment modality. We also found that DFS rates at 3, 5, and 10 years were 66.9%, 55%, and 42.1%, respectively, and noted a significant difference in outcomes between patients with bone and extramedullary plasmacytomas, with the latter group exhibiting better survival rates. This dual-faceted approach provides a thorough overview of survival rates and critical risk factors for patients with plasmacytoma, underscoring the vital role of accurate disease staging at diagnosis and the impact of tumor location on patient prognosis.

Key Points Studies on GFR assessment in people with cancer are needed. In this study, the creatinine–cystatin C equations performed better than other equations, and this was observed in solid and hematological cancers. Our findings give support to the preferential use of creatinine and cystatin C–based equations in people with cancer. Background GFR assessment is important in clinical practice with implications for diagnosis, prognostication, and drug dosing. People with cancer are at risk of imprecision in GFR estimation. This cross-sectional study evaluated the performance of various creatinine and cystatin C–based equations in comparison with measured GFR (mGFR) in people with cancer. Methods We retrieved data for all adult patients who had mGFR by urinary iothalamate clearance between 2011 and 2023 at Mayo Clinic and use of an electronic health record diagnosis code for cancer within 2 years before mGFR. The CKD Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI), European Kidney Function Consortium, and Cockcroft–Gault equations were computed, along with performance metrics (bias, precision, and root mean square error [RMSE]. Confidence intervals were generated by bootstrapping, and analysis were stratified by solid and hematological cancers. Results From all adults with cancer and mGFR, 1145 had both creatinine and cystatin C available within 7 days of mGFR. Among all equations, the creatinine–cystatin C CKD-EPI equation provided the best performance, with small bias (median, 3.0; 95% confidence interval, 2.3 to 3.8) and higher precision (RMSE, 14.5) compared with creatinine-only or cystatin C–only equations (RMSE varying from 16.6 to 20), and this was also true in solid and hematological cancers. The creatinine–cystatin European Kidney Function Consortium equation had a similar performance to CKD-EPI, Cockcroft–Gault showed worst precision (30% of people with errors above 30%), and cystatin C CKD-EPI equation was the most biased, prone to underestimation of mGFR. Conclusions In our cohort of patients with mGFR and cancer, the CKD-EPI creatinine–cystatin C equation performed best for GFR assessment, and this was true for both solid and hematological cancers. Our findings give support for the preferential use of creatinine and cystatin C–based equations instead of creatinine-only or cystatin C–only equations in people with cancer. Podcast This article contains a podcast at https://www.asn-online.org/media/podcast/CJASN/2025_03_25_CJASNMar20.3.3252025.mp3