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ABSTRACT Objective(s) Fetal pleural effusion is a rare condition that may significantly impact fetal and neonatal outcomes. Currently, no universal standardized approach exists for diagnosing and managing primary fetal pleural effusions. This study aimed to develop structured, expert‐based clinical guidelines for the diagnosis, monitoring, management, and follow‐up care of primary fetal pleural effusion. Methods A Delphi method was employed to achieve consensus among an international panel of experts in fetal medicine. Experts were selected based on their clinical expertise, affiliations, and relevant publications. A three‐round anonymous electronic survey was sent to the full panel. In the initial two rounds, participants rated each statement on a Likert scale (1–5) and provided suggestions for modifications. Statements with a median score of five and no suggested changes were accepted as consensus. Statements with a median score below four were rejected. Statements scoring a median of four were revised according to suggestions and reconsidered in the subsequent round. In the final round, participants indicated their agreement or disagreement with the remaining statements. Consensus was defined as agreement from more than 70% of participants with no suggestions for further changes. Results A total of 101 expert clinicians accepted the invitation and completed the first round with 73 (72%) completing all three rounds. Consensus statements were achieved on aspects of diagnosis, monitoring, intervention, post‐intervention management, and delivery. Key recommendations concerning the diagnosis of primary fetal pleural effusion include the use of ultrasound as the primary modality for identifying fetal pleural effusion and excluding secondary causes through detailed genetic, infectious, and metabolic evaluations. Management strategies emphasized thoracoamniotic shunting as the preferred intervention in hydropic fetuses with primary pleural effusion. Experts reached consensus that shunt placement could be offered as early as 16 weeks. No consensus was reached for isolated effusion without hydrops, as management was considered case‐dependent. The importance of ultrasonographic monitoring of fetal status at least weekly post‐intervention was strongly endorsed. Conclusion(s) The Delphi method facilitated the development of a consensus‐based protocol for diagnosing and managing primary fetal pleural effusion. These standardized guidelines are intended to enhance clinical practice across various settings, improve perinatal outcomes, and serve as a foundation for future research for this high‐risk fetal condition.

7563 Background: Subcutaneous (SC) drug delivery options have become more widely available in multiple myeloma (MM). SC delivery of isatuximab (Isa), an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody, has been investigated across clinical trials via a novel hands-free on-body injector (OBI). Isa SC OBI features a small, retractable needle, establishing the first device-enabled delivery of an oncologic treatment. The Phase 3 IRAKLIA, Phase 2 IZALCO, and Phase 1b (TCD15484) trials consistently demonstrated similar efficacy and safety of Isa SC OBI vs Isa IV in relapsed/refractory MM (RRMM) patients (pts). Here, we present a cross-trial analysis exploring safety and reliability of Isa SC OBI in RRMM pts. Methods: Pts with RRMM in IRAKLIA (N=263) and the Phase 1b expansion cohort (N=22) received 1400 mg Isa SC OBI plus pomalidomide and dexamethasone (d). In IZALCO, RRMM pts (N=64) received 1400 mg Isa SC OBI + carfilzomib (K)-d. Pts were monitored for 4 hrs (IRAKLIA) or 1-2 hrs (IZALCO) following first administration and for 1 hr for the following cycle (C) 1 administrations to assess local tolerability. Pre-infusion medications included montelukast (C1), steroids, acetaminophen and H1 antihistamines. Pts without systemic infusion-related reactions (IRRs) after 4 consecutive administrations of Isa SC OBI had subsequent pre-medication reassessed at investigator’s discretion. Safety and device performance explored in this cross-trial analysis of company sponsored studies were assessed in the Isa SC OBI cohorts by the duration of injection, IRRs, local injection-site reactions (ISRs), and injection/device success, which were defined similarly across all trials. Results: The median duration of Isa SC OBI injection was 13 mins in IRAKLIA, 12 mins in IZALCO, and 10 mins in the Phase 1b trial (6426 total injections, N=349 pts). IRRs across trials occurred in 6/6426 (0.09%) injections and 4/349 (1.15%) pts. IRRs were mostly grade 1 (G; 3/6426, 0.05%) with 1 G3 (0.02%); none leading to discontinuation. In IRAKLIA, 80/263 (30.4%) pts did not require premedication (931/5145 injections, 18.1%); no IRRs occurred in this group. Across trials, ISRs occurred in 21/349 (6.02%) pts resulting in 35 (0.54%) ISR events. Most ISRs were G1 (33, 0.51%), the remaining were G2 (2, 0.03%) and generally occurred on the day of injection. 99.9% (6421/6426) of injections in 98.6% (344/349) pts were successful (completed without interruption) across all trials. Conclusions: These findings support overall low, self-limiting rates of IRRs and ISRs across trials, with >6000 (99.9%) Isa SC OBI injections successfully delivered. Isa SC OBI shows reproducible safety and reliability in IRAKLIA, IZALCO and Phase 1b trials, supporting it as a novel administration option for MM pts and its potential for future exploration in at-home administration. Clinical trial information: NCT04045795 , NCT05405166 , and NCT05704049 .

Abstract Recent updates to monocyte count thresholds recognize oligomonocytic chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (OM-CMML) as an early form of CMML. However, the clinical validity of these changes remains uncertain without incorporating biological and genomic factors. In this study, we analyzed a cohort of 911 patients (249 with OM-CMML, 359 with overt CMML, and 303 with myelodysplastic syndromes) using unsupervised clustering to evaluate the role of genomic determinants in refining CMML diagnosis. Our findings show that CMML molecular signatures (biallelic TET2 mutations or SRSF2-TET2 comutations) are linked to a distinct transcriptome, monocytic bias, classical monocytosis, and a higher risk of progression to overt CMML in OM-CMML cases. We developed a weighted genomic model and diagnostic workflow showing that combining genomic signatures with bone marrow monocyte frequencies in OM-CMML more accurately predicts progression to overt CMML. These findings support integrating genomic determinants and our clinic-ready diagnostic workflow into the CMML diagnostic framework to improve accuracy. Significance: Through comprehensive clinical and genomic profiling of a large patient cohort, alongside immunophenotypic and transcriptional cellular analyses, this study provides evidence that incorporating genomic determinants into the diagnostic criteria for OM-CMML improves diagnostic accuracy and refines the identification of early-stage CMML, thereby preventing misclassification.

Objective: To establish international benchmark values for relevant outcome parameters in robotic Whipple. Summary Background Data: For safe adoption of surgical innovation, robust quality control is essential. Benchmarking is a validated tool for assessing surgical performance. Recent international consensus identified establishing benchmark values for robotic Whipple as top priority. Methods: We analyzed consecutive patients undergoing robotic Whipple between 2020-2023 with a minimum one-year follow-up. Reference centers were required to perform ≥15 cases/year, be scientifically active in the field, and maintain a prospective database. Benchmark criteria included benign or resectable malignant disease without neoadjuvant therapy, arterial resection, major co-morbidities, or significant previous abdominal surgery. Benchmarks were established for 13 outcome parameters. Result: The benchmark cohort comprised 418 patients from 12 centers across four continents. Benchmark values were: conversion rate ≤4.3%, transfusion rate ≤2.1%, 6-month mortality ≤2.2%, major complications ≤23.2%, and CCI® ≤20.9. Clinically relevant pancreatic fistula (grade B/C) and hemorrhage (grade B/C) rates were ≤23.6% and ≤12.7%, respectively. For pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (n=123), the benchmark for lymph node yield was ≥20. Higher surgical difficulty was associated with increased overall postoperative morbidity (R 2 =0.38, P =0.019), higher center caseload with reduced pancreas-specific complications (R 2 =0.28, P =0.044). Independent POPF predictors included duct diameter ≤4 mm (OR 1.37, 95% CI: 1.03, 1.82), anticoagulation (OR 2.45, 95% CI: 1.47, 3.99), and indication other than PDAC (OR 2.33, 95% CI: 1.68, 3.27). Conclusions: This study establishes the first international benchmarks for robotic Whipple, demonstrating oncologic outcomes and morbidity comparable to open surgery with the benefits of minimally invasive surgery.

Abstract Background: While mutations in the fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) gene are well-established adverse drivers in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), their role in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) remains insufficiently defined. Methods: We conducted a retrospective multicenter study of 115 patients with FLT3-mutated (FLT3mut) MDS (n=63) or CMML (n=52), comparing their clinical, genomic, and therapeutic characteristics at diagnosis or first referral to 677 FLT3 wild-type (FLT3wt) controls (MDS n=388; CMML n=289) using multivariate analyses and propensity score matching (PSM). Results: FLT3mut MDS and CMML exhibited a proliferative phenotype with higher leukocyte and neutrophil counts and lower platelet levels (p<0.02); in MDS, median white blood cell counts remained below 13,000/µL. In MDS, FLT3mut cases were enriched in the MDS with increased blasts subtype (57% vs 39%, p=0.01) and favorable-risk cytogenetics (64% vs 41%, p<0.01). Genomically, FLT3mut MDS showed higher frequencies of NRAS, KRAS, PTPN11, RUNX1 and CBL co-mutations (p<0.05), and a markedly lower prevalence of TP53 mutations (2% vs 36%, p<0.001). In CMML, FLT3mut cases were more often transfusion-dependent (50% vs 23%, p<0.01), classified as CMML-2 (39% vs 25%, p=0.04), and enriched in ASXL1 (68% vs 47%; p<0.01) and SETBP1 (24% vs 8%; p<0.01) mutations. Notably, they exhibited multi-hit TET2 mutations less frequently than FLT3wt CMML (27% vs 53%, p=0.01). After adjusting for age, sex, and allogeneic stem cell transplantation, FLT3 mutations were independently associated with worse outcomes. To further assess the prognostic impact of FLT3 mutations, we conducted PSM analyses using a 1:1 ratio of FLT3mut to FLT3wt patients, adjusting for key clinical and biological confounders. In MDS, matching was based on age, sex, bone marrow blast percentage, and cytogenetic risk category; in CMML, variables included age, CMML-2 subtype, peripheral blood counts, normal karyotype, and ASXL1 mutation status. After matching, FLT3mut MDS cases showed significantly shorter overall survival (OS; 19.9 vs 44.2 months, p=0.046) and leukemia-free survival (LFS; 13.8 vs 37.1 months, p=0.023) compared to FLT3wt patients. Similarly, in CMML, FLT3mut patients experienced inferior OS (30.4 vs 67.2 months, p=0.017) and LFS (17.2 vs 65.6 months, p=0.014). Competing risk models confirmed a markedly increased cumulative incidence of AML transformation in both FLT3mut MDS and CMML (p<0.001), without significant differences in the risk of non-leukemic death. Among FLT3mut cases, tyrosine kinase domain mutations (FLT3-TKD) were associated with superior survival compared to internal tandem duplications (FLT3-ITD; MDS hazard ratio [HR]: 0.28, p=0.003; CMML HR: 0.34, p=0.012). FLT3 allelic ratio (AR), assessed by conventional PCR in 63 patients (MDS n=34, CMML n=29), provided additional prognostic value. An AR ≥0.21 identified a subgroup with significantly shorter OS (MDS: 24.4 vs 38.8; CMML: 6.7 vs 30.4 months) and LFS (MDS: 9.0 vs 18.5 months; CMML: 5.8 vs 30.4 months; all p<0.05), supporting the utility of quantitative FLT3 assessment in clinical risk stratification. FLT3 inhibitors (FLT3i) were administered in combination with hypomethylating agents (HMA) to 16 (27%) FLT3mut MDS and 15 (33%) CMML patients. Compared to HMA, FLT3i treatment was associated with higher overall response rates (MDS: 69% vs 22%, p<0.01; CMML: 73% vs 35%, p=0.06). Molecular clearance, defined as post-treatment reduction in AR to ≤0.01, was observed more frequently with FLT3i than with HMA (MDS: 56% vs 10%, p=0.03; CMML: 60% vs 20%, p=0.09). FLT3 clearance was associated with prolonged survival. In MDS, median OS and LFS were 66.0 vs 14.5 (p=0.12) and 29.0 vs 9.9 months (p=0.056), respectively; in CMML, it was 37.6 vs 14.6 months for both OS (p=0.043) and LFS (p=0.032). Conclusions: This study expands the current understanding of FLT3mut MDS and CMML by characterizing their clinical, molecular, and therapeutic features in the largest multicenter cohort reported to date. These cases exhibit a proliferative phenotype, frequent co-mutations in RAS pathway genes, and an elevated risk of leukemic transformation. Quantitative assessment of FLT3 allelic burden refines prognostication beyond mutation status alone. The observed associations between FLT3 inhibitor use, molecular clearance, and improved outcomes support further evaluation of targeted strategies in selected patients.

Abstract Recent updates to the monocyte count thresholds for diagnosing chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) have recognized oligomonocytic CMML (OM-CMML) as an early stage within the CMML spectrum. However, the clinical validity of these revised criteria remains uncertain without considering biological factors and might misclassify myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) with mild monocytosis as CMML. To characterize the genomic landscape of OM-CMML, we evaluated OM-CMML (n=249), MDS (n=304) and myelodysplastic CMML (MD-CMML, n=358) patients (pts) treated at three academic institutions. Targeted next-generation sequencing was performed on bone marrow (BM) at initial diagnosis or first referral. OM-CMML was characterized by lower frequencies of biallelic TET2 (biTET2) and RAS pathway (RASp) gene mutations (BRAF, CBL, KRAS, NF1, NRAS and PTPN11) compared to MD-CMML (p<0.001) but higher frequencies than MDS (p<0.001). BM monocyte frequencies, assessed morphologically, were higher in OM-CMML than in MDS (p<0.001) but lower than in MD-CMML (p<0.001), indicating that OM-CMML is a heterogenous group including true CMML and distinct MDS subsets. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering based on genomic alterations across all cases (n=911) identified three distinct clusters: 1) TP53 alterations (predominantly multihit TP53) and complex karyotype (TP53-complex); 2) biTET2 or TET2-SRSF2 co-mutation (biTET2/SRSF2); 3) a heterogenous group lacking these features (not otherwise specifiable [NOS]). Among OM-CMML pts, 11%, 34% and 55% belonged to these clusters, respectively. Model-based unsupervised clustering further identified 9 unique clusters that could be consolidated into 6 groups: 1) TP53-complex; 2) biTET2/SRSF2; 3) SF3B1 (without biTET2 or SRSF2); 4) SRSF2 without TET2 and frequent IDH2 mutations (SRSF2-IDH2); 5) ASXL1 and U2AF1 mutations and copy number alterations (CNA-ASXL1/U2AF1); 6) no somatic mutations (No mutation). biTET2/SRSF2 group exhibited monocytic bias with higher AMC, PB and BM monocyte % even among OM-CMML cases. This bias was not attributed to higher RAS pathway mutation frequencies, as biTET2/SRSF2 cases had similar RASp mutation frequencies but lower median variant allele frequencies for RASp mutations compared to NOS cases (9% vs. 21%, p=0.029). PB monocyte partitioning using flow cytometry (FC) in a subset of OM-CMML pts (n=50) demonstrated higher frequency of classical monocytosis (>94% CD14+/CD16- monocytes) in biTET2/SRSF2 vs other OM-CMML. To further determine if biTET2/SRSF2 genotype defines a distinct biological subgroup, we performed RNA-sequencing of BM CD34+ cells from healthy donors (n=15) and pts with OM-CMML (n=12), MD-CMML (n=14) and MDS (n=55). Unsupervised clustering based on gene expression profiles revealed that biTET2/SRSF2 clustered irrespective of their diagnostic group with greater dispersion being observed based on diagnosis. MDS and CMML with biTET2/SRSF2 had less differentially expressed genes compared to MDS and CMML with biTET2/SRSF2 relative to other MDS and CMML genotypes. Among 138 OM-CMML pts in whom progression to overt CMML was evaluable, 37 (27%) progressed to overt CMML of which 26 (70%) belonged to the biTET2/SRSF2 group. Competing risk analysis confirmed higher cumulative incidence and shorter time to CMML progression among biTET2/SRSF2 OM-CMML. Using ElasticNet regression we identified BM monocytosis and 14 genomic variables (including biTET2 and TET2-SRSF2) as predictors of overt CMML progression among OM-CMML. We developed a score-based model able to predict progression with high reliability (AUC 0.805, sensitivity 0.70, specificity 0.76). Model accuracy was confirmed by optimism-corrected bootstrap internal validation (AUC 0.668). Monocytic bias, BM classical monocytosis (>94% CD16- monocytes) and higher overt CMML progression in biTET2/SRSF2 was confirmed in a validation cohort (28, 66 and 22 pts with OM-CMML, MDS and MD-CMML, respectively). BM monocytosis of biTET2/SRSF2 was confirmed in this cohort with morphologic and FC monocyte frequency quantification having high concordance (r=0.737, p<0.001). Genomic subgroup analysis discriminated survival outcomes more reliably than diagnostic categories alone. Our findings suggest that the presence of biTET2 or TET2-SRSF2 co-mutations, combined with BM monocytosis, can more reliably identify true CMML cases within the OM-CMML spectrum. Integrating genomic determinants into the CMML diagnostic framework enhances diagnostic accuracy.

Abstract We investigated the influence of 55 583 autophagy-related single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) risk across 4 independent populations comprising 5472 CLL cases and 726 465 controls. We also examined their impact on overall survival (OS), time to first treatment (TTFT), autophagy flux, and immune responses. A meta-analysis of the 4 populations identified, to our knowledge, for the first time, significant associations between CDKN2A (rs3731204) and BCL2 (rs4940571, rs12457371, and rs1026825) SNPs and CLL risk, with CDKN2A showing the strongest association (P = 1.57 × 10−12). We also validated previously reported associations for FAS, BCL2, and BAK1 SNPs with CLL risk (P = 4.73 × 10−21 to 3.39 × 10−9). The CDKN2Ars3731204 and FASrs1926194 SNPs associated with increased CDKN2A and ACTA2 messenger RNA expression levels in the whole blood and/or lymphocytes (P = 5.1 × 10−7, P = 1.58 × 10−21, and P = 7.8 × 10−41), although no significant effect on autophagy flux was observed. However, associations were found between CDKN2A, BCL2, and FAS SNPs and various T-cell subsets, cytokine production, and circulating concentrations of interferon gamma, tumor necrosis factor–related apoptosis-inducing ligand, CD40, chemokine ligand 20, and interleukin-2 receptor subunit β proteins (P ≤ .005). No significant association was detected between autophagy variants and OS or TTFT, suggesting that these variants drive disease initiation rather than progression. In conclusion, this study identified 4 novel associations for CLL and provided insights into the biological pathways that influence CLL development.

Abstract INTRODUCTION Neurofilament light chain (NfL) quantification aids in diagnosing and predicting neurological disorders, but clinical and laboratory practices vary across centers. Differences in result interpretation and reporting further challenge test commutability. This study aimed to review the global analytical and post‐analytical methods used for NfL measurement in routine clinical practice across different contexts. METHODS We established an international working group (WG) and distributed a survey to its members to gather information on context of use (COU), (pre) analytical methods, cutoff usage, as well as the interpretation and reporting of NfL measurements. RESULTS Among the centers, 63% measured NfL in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), 87% in blood, and 53% in both. COU was widespread, with 50% defining pathological cutoffs based on publications and 42% considering age. Reporting was primarily done through numeric results (95%). DISCUSSION Harmonizing cutoffs, reporting, and interpretation across various clinical contexts will facilitate the incorporation of this biomarker into routine clinical practice. Highlights Unique international overview of current analytical and post‐analytical methods for neurofilament light chain (NfL) measurement in routine clinical practice. Tailored sheets for each neurological application. Strategies to harmonize cutoffs, reporting, and interpretation of NfL's measurement.

Purpose Part-two of this consensus aimed to provide recommendations for the prevention of meniscus injuries, non-operative treatment of acute tears and degenerative lesions, return to sports, and patient-reported outcome measures. Methods This consensus followed the European Society of Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology and Arthroscopy (ESSKA) formal consensus methodology. For this combined ESSKA- American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) - American Academy of Sports Physical Therapy (AASPT) initiative, 67 experts from 14 countries, including orthopedic surgeons and physiotherapists, were involved. The 26 Steering Group members established guiding questions, screened the existing evidence, and proposed statements, and provided Grades of recommendations. The 41 Rating Group members assessed the statements according to a Likert scale (1-9). Final documents were assessed by an international peer review group for geographical adaptability. Results Low to moderate scientific level of evidence was available, so that grades of recommendations were low (three Grade A ratings, four Grade B, three Grade C and 13 Grade D), underlining the relevance of this consensus. One strong and 17 relative agreements with overall median of 8 (8-9) and a mean of 7.92 +/- 0.37 were achieved for 23 statements on 18 questions. Prevention of meniscus injuries is possible with general knee injury reduction programs and through avoidance of certain activities. Non-Operative treatment including physical therapy is the first line approach for degenerative meniscus lesions and may be an option for some acute tears. Return to sports after meniscus tear surgery should be both criterion-based and time-based. Patient reported outcomes in combination with performance-based measures are recommended to evaluate the rehabilitation process. Conclusion This international EU-US consensus established recommendations for prevention strategies, describes rehabilitation of non-operated patients and of patients after partial meniscectomy, meniscus repair and meniscus reconstruction, and establishes return to sport criteria. These updated and structured recommendations may be applied by surgeons and physiotherapists. Level of Evidence I, Formal Consensus.

Objective: To establish benchmark cutoffs for robotic liver resection (R-LR), encompassing both major and minor resections, and to determine the impact of patient selection on outcomes. Background: R-LR is a key advancement in minimally invasive liver surgery but lacks standardized benchmarks, especially for minor resections. While guidelines endorse R-LR, its role in optimizing outcomes remains unclear. This study establishes the first benchmarks for R-LR, enabling comparisons across surgical modalities and refining patient selection. Methods: This retrospective, multicenter study analyzed consecutive adult patients undergoing R-LR at 30 international centers (2020–2023). Benchmark centers had an annual case volume of ≥15 R-LR. Benchmark criteria included ASA ≤2, no major comorbidities, no prior liver resections, and Child-Pugh A status. Benchmark cutoffs for 14 key outcomes were set at the 50th and 75th percentiles of median values across benchmark centers. Multivariable logistic regression identified predictors of textbook outcomes. Results: Eighteen high-volume centers contributed 4028 cases with 2632 (65.3%) meeting benchmark criteria. Malignancy was the indication in 29.6%, most commonly hepatocellular carcinoma followed by colorectal liver metastases. Major liver resection was performed in 42.6%. The distribution of Iwate difficulty scores was low (25.4%), intermediate (53.9%), advanced (15.9%), and expert (4.9%). Benchmark cutoffs were established for minor and major resection, and stratified by Iwate low (0-3), intermediate (4-6) and high (7-12): Open conversion (≤6.5% minor, ≤10.5% major), major complications within 90 days (≤5.2% minor, ≤16.7% major), R1 resection (≤9.2% minor, ≤6.7% major). Benchmark cases performed at low-volume centers were able to achieve outcomes within the corresponding benchmark cutoffs. In fact, patient selection reflected by the proportion of benchmark patients, rather than case volume, was associated with textbook outcomes. Conclusions: This study defines R-LR benchmarks, emphasizing patient selection over center volume for optimal outcomes. Benchmark cutoffs guide training and support the expansion of R-LR.