Pophali, Prateek

Abstract Background : Chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML), a myeloid neoplasm with overlapping features of myelodysplastic syndromes and myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN), is characterized by peripheral blood (PB) monocytosis and a risk for leukemic transformation (LT). Gene mutations commonly seen in CMML include, TET2 (~60%), SRSF2 (~50%) and ASXL1 (~40%). MPN associated-driver mutations such as JAK2V617F (~10%), MPL (<1%) and CALR (<1%) are uncommon, and in fact, the 2016 World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines state that the presence of these mutations tends to support a diagnosis of MPN with monocytosis. We carried out this study to assess the i) clinical correlates and ii) survival outcomes of MPN associated-driver mutations in CMML. Methods : 323 molecularly annotated patients with WHO-defined CMML were included in the study. All patients had bone marrow (BM) biopsies and cytogenetics performed at diagnosis. Targeted capture assays were carried out on BM DNA specimens obtained at diagnosis for 30 myeloid relevant genes, by previously described methods. Results: Among the 323 study patients, 67% were males and median age was 71 years (range, 18-95). Twenty five (8%) patients had CMML with MPN associated-driver mutations; 24 (96%) with JAK2V617F and 1(4%) with a MPLW515L mutation. There were no patients with CALR or JAK2 exon 12 mutations. Additional signal-pathway mutations included NRAS (15%), KRAS (4%), CBL (14%), PTPN11 (3%), CSF3R (1%), and SH2B3 (<1%). i) Phenotypic correlates: The median age of CMML patients with MPN-associated driver mutations was 71 years and 66% were male. The WHO morphological subtypes included CMML-0 60%, CMML-1 24% and CMML-2 16%; while 91% of patients had a normal karyotype. The distribution of mutations included TET2 75%, SRSF2 54%, ASXL1 48%, RUNX1 20%, NRAS and EZH2 12% each, SETBP1 8%, SF3B1, U2AF1, CBL, PTPN11, FLT3-TKD, & Tp53 4% each, respectively. Risk stratification by the Mayo Molecular Model included high 16%, intermediate-2 32%, intermediate-1 36% and low risk 16%, respectively. In comparison to CMML patients without MPN associated-driver mutations, those with, had a higher hemoglobin (HB, p=0.001) and hematocrit (p=0.001), were more likely to have leukocytosis (p=0.02) and elevated LDH levels (p=0.0002), less likely to have thrombocytopenia (p=0.003), more likely to have a "proliferative" CMML phenotype (p=0.01) with palpable splenomegaly (p=0.0007), and more likely to have mutations involving TET2 (p=0.02). Six (2%) thrombotic events were documented in the cohort; 2 (8%) in patients with MPN-driver mutations and 4 (1%) in those without (p=0.07). There were no differences between the two groups with regards to the degree of monocytosis, PB and BM blasts, BM cellularity, BM megakaryocytic atypia, and BM fibrosis. ii) Survival outcomes: At last follow up 219 (68%) deaths and 55 (17%) LT were documented, of which 14 (56%) deaths and 2 (8%) LT occurred in the MPN-driver mutation group. The median OS for the entire cohort was 28 months (22-32); 31 months for CMML patients with MPN associated-driver mutations and 24 months for those without (p=0.4). On a univariate analysis, survival was adversely impacted by low HB (p<0.0001), high white blood count (p=0.0009) and absolute monocyte count (p=0.0004), circulating immature myeloid cells (p=0.02) and blasts (p=0.005), BM blasts (p=0.02), palpable splenomegaly (p=0.03), abnormal karyotype (p=0.001), presence of DNMT3A (p=0.006), ASXL1 (p=0.009), EZH2 (p=0.03) and Tp53 (p=0.02) mutations and the absence of TET2 (p=0.0009) mutations. Survival was not affected by the presence of JAK2V617F (p=0.4) or MPL (p=0.46) mutations. On a multivariable analysis that included the aforementioned significant variables, only HB <10 gm/dl (p=0.0016), presence of PB blasts (p=0.01), presence of DNMT3A (p=0.003) and the absence of TET2 mutations (p=0.02) retained significance. The presence of MPN associated-driver mutations did not impact LFS (p=0.36). Conclusions: The occurrence of MPN associated-driver mutations in CMML is infrequent (~8%) and is largely restricted to JAK2V617F. CMML patients with MPN-associated driver mutations have a higher HB/hematocrit, are more likely to have proliferative features and palpable splenomegaly, and are less likely to be thrombocytopenic. There was a trend towards an increased thrombotic risk, with no impact of these mutations on overall and leukemia free survival. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

AbstractHypomethylating agents (HMA) are currently the only FDA approved therapy for patients with chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML). In the current retrospective study, we assessed response rates as adjudicated by the IWG (International Working Group) MDS (myelodysplastic syndrome) and MDS/MPN myeloproliferative neoplasm overlap syndrome response criteria, in 121 CMML patients treated with Azacitidine (AZA, n = 56) and Decitabine (DAC, n = 65). The overall response rates were 41% by the IWG MDS (AZA‐ 45%, DAC‐39%), and 56% by the IWG MDS/MPN (AZA‐56%, DAC‐58%) response criteria, with CR (complete remission) rates of <20% for both agents, by both criteria. There were no significant differences in response rates between proliferative and dysplastic CMML. Moreover, 29% of CMML patients in a CR with HMA progressed to AML (blast transformation), underscoring the limited impact of these agents on disease biology. Progression after HMA response was associated with a median overall‐survival (OS) of 8 months, while median OS in patients with primary HMA failure was 4 months. Lower serum LDH levels (<250 Units/L) were associated with HMA responses by both criteria; while ASXL1 and TET2 mutational status had no impact. HMA treated patients had a longer median OS (31 vs 18 months; P = .01), in comparison to those treated with conventional care regimens (excluding observation only patients), without any differences between AZA vs DAC (P = .37). In conclusion, this study highlights the inadequacies of HMA therapy in CMML, retrospectively validates the IWG MDS/MPN response criteria and underscores the need for newer, rationally derived therapies.

AbstractIn a 28‐year period, 39 (7%) patients with chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) (median age 66 years, 64% male) underwent a splenectomy at our institution. Primary indications for splenectomy were refractory thrombocytopenia (36%), progressive spleen related symptoms (33%), emergent splenectomy for splenic rupture (21%), refractory anemia (8%), and prior to allogeneic stem cell transplant (3%). Eleven (28%) patients had anemia at the time of splenectomy, of which 3 (27%) were autoimmune. The median time to splenectomy from CMML diagnosis was 6 months (0‐40); perioperative morbidity and mortality rates were 43% and 13%, while the median postsplenectomy survival was 25 months (11‐38). Durable remission in spleen related symptoms, thrombocytopenia, complications from splenic rupture, and anemia were achieved in 85%, 50%, 62%, and 21% of patients, respectively. Perioperative morbidity (n = 30) included infections/sepsis in 6 (20%), intraabdominal bleeding in 4 (13%), venous thromboembolism (VTE) in 3 (10%), and acute lung injury in 2 (7%) patients. The median duration of hospital stay was 6 days (1‐25), with 5 deaths occurring secondary to respiratory failure (n = 2), multiorgan dysfunction (n = 2) and hemorrhagic shock (n = 1). There was no difference in overall survival between CMML patients that underwent splenectomy, in comparison to those that did not. Unlike in myelofibrosis, portal hypertension was not an indication for splenectomy and no patients developed post‐splenectomy thrombocytosis. In conclusion, apart from being a lifesaving emergent modality in the event of splenic rupture, splenectomy has an important palliative role in patients with CMML, with significant and durable improvements in spleen related symptoms and refractory cytopenias.