Citations

Abstract Hairy cell leukemia (HCL) is a rare B-cell malignancy, and there is a need for novel treatments for patients who do not benefit from purine analogs. Ibrutinib, an oral agent targeting Bruton tyrosine kinase in the B-cell receptor signaling pathway, is highly effective in several malignancies. Its activity in HCL was unknown, so we conducted a multisite phase 2 study of oral ibrutinib in patients with either relapsed classic or variant hairy cell leukemia. The primary outcome measure was the overall response rate (ORR) at 32 weeks, and we also assessed response at 48 weeks and best response during treatment. Key secondary objectives were characterization of toxicity and determination of progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Thirty-seven patients were enrolled at 2 different doses (24 at 420 mg, 13 at 840 mg). The median duration of follow-up was 3.5 years (range, 0-5.9 years). The ORR at 32 weeks was 24%, which increased to 36% at 48 weeks. The best ORR was 54%. The estimated 36-month PFS was 73% and OS was 85%. The most frequent adverse events were diarrhea (59%), fatigue (54%), myalgia (54%), and nausea (51%). Hematologic adverse events were common: anemia (43%), thrombocytopenia (41%), and neutropenia (35%). Ibrutinib can be safely administered to patients with HCL with objective responses and results in prolonged disease control. Although the initial primary outcome objective of the study was not met, the observation of objective responses in heavily pretreated patients coupled with a favorable PFS suggests that ibrutinib may be beneficial in these patients. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT01841723.

Abstract TFE3-translocation renal cell carcinoma (TFE3-tRCC) is a rare and heterogeneous subtype of kidney cancer that has no standard treatment for advanced disease. We described comprehensive molecular characteristics of 63 untreated primary TFE3-tRCCs based on whole-exome and RNA sequencing. TFE3-tRCC is highly heterogeneous, both clinicopathologically and genotypically. ASPSCR1-TFE3 fusion, certain fusion isoforms and high somatic copy number alteration burdens were associated with aggressive features and poor outcomes. Apart from tumors with MED15-TFE3 fusion, most TFE3-tRCCs exhibited low PD-L1 expression and low T-cell infiltration. Unsupervised transcriptomic analysis revealed five molecular clusters with distinct angiogenesis, stroma, proliferation and KRAS down signatures, which showed association with fusion patterns and prognosis. Specifically, the high angiogenesis/stroma/proliferation cluster exclusively consisted of tumors with ASPSCR1-TFE3 fusion, which was likely to benefit from combination of immune checkpoint and anti-angiogenesis inhibitors. Our findings reveal the genomic and transcriptomic features of TFE3-tRCC and provide insights into precision medicine for this disease.

Background: Intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) was approved for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) 25 yrs ago, yet few AIS patients receive it, with inequities by race/ethnicity, sex, and geography. With expanding evidence-based programs, we hypothesized increases in IVT utilization and reduction in inequities. Methods: Using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS), we assessed temporal trends from 2002 to 2015 in IVT for AIS (weighted N=6,694,081) by sex, race/ethnicity, age, insurance, and hospital location/teaching status strata using survey - weighted logistic regression. Covariates included socio-demographics, comorbidities, and hospital characteristics. We calculated odds ratios for IVT by each category in 2002-2008 and 2009-2015. Results: IVT for AIS increased from 1.0% in 2002 to 6.8% in 2015, with an overall adjusted annual relative ratio (AARR) of 1.15 (CI 1.14-1.16). Individuals 18-44 yrs had the highest rate of IVT in 2015. The very elderly (≥85 yrs) had the most pronounced increase in IVT (AARR 1.18, CI 1.17-1.19). The sex disparity in IVT improved, but in 2009-2015, women were still 6% less likely to receive IVT than men (Fig 1). Individuals 18-44 yrs were ~3-fold more likely to receive IVT than the very elderly. IVT inequities for black and Hispanic stroke survivors lessened, but blacks remained ~20% less likely than whites to receive IVT. Government-insured patients were ~25% less likely to receive IVT compared to privately insured. Urban AIS patients were up to 4-fold more likely to receive IVT than rural dwellers. Conclusion: From 2002 through 2015, IVT for AIS in the U.S. increased regardless of race/ethnicity, sex, and age among ≥18 yrs, with the most pronounced increase among the very elderly. Despite encouraging trends, only 1 in 15 AIS patients received IVT and persistent inequities remain for blacks, women, government-insured, and rural stroke survivors, highlighting the need for intensifying stroke literacy and preparedness and enhancing systems of care.

Abstract Background Crohn’s disease (CD) is a heterogenous, chronic inflammatory disorder driven by a combination of genetic, environmental, and microbiota-dependent risk factors. Mononuclear phagocytes (MNP) are crucial cells that maintain intestinal homeostasis. An important cytokine for MNP survival and function is granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF). Interestingly, several studies reported CD-associated genetic risk variants within the GM-CSF receptor and its downstream signaling components. Furthermore, high titers of autoantibodies specific to GM-CSF can be detected in CD patients. Taken together, this data suggests an important role for GM-CSF in abrogation of CD development in a subgroup of patients. Aims This study sought to investigate the function of GM-CSF autoantibodies in CD. Methods We retrospectively quantified and characterized GM-CSF autoantibodies in sera of 220 CD, 200 ulcerative colitis (UC) patients, and 220 healthy controls (HC) sampled at 3 time points prior to disease diagnosis and one time point after diagnosis. ELISA was used to determine GM-CSF autoantibody titers and isotypes followed by in vitro multiplexed mass cytometry (CyTOF) neutralization assays on peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Flow cytometry and CyTOF were used to map the profile of immune cells isolated from inflamed and non-inflamed CD mucosa. Results Our data demonstrates that GM-CSF autoantibodies are specific to CD, significantly elevated up to 7 years prior to diagnosis of disease, and correlate with disease location, severity, and complications at the time of diagnosis. Moreover, in contrast to GM-CSF autoantibodies in pulmonary alveolar proteinosis patients, CD-associated autoantibodies neutralize GM-CSF via specific recognition of post-translational modifications (PTM), affecting MNP function. Removal of PTM enabled GM-CSF to escape autoantibody binding and restored MNP response to GM-CSF in the presence of neutralizing antibodies, indicating a potential therapeutic avenue. Furthermore, we identified group 3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC3) as a major source of GM-CSF in the healthy intestinal tract, suggesting intriguing crosstalk of MNP and ILC3 across the GM-CSF-GM-CSFR axis. Conclusions Our results identify GM-CSF autoantibodies as predictive serological biomarker for CD in a subgroup of patients presenting with severe and complicated form of disease at the time of diagnosis. The presence of GM-CSF autoantibodies precedes the onset of CD by several years and likely abrogates homeostatic immune cell crosstalk involving ILC3 and MNP, suggesting the development of a pre-diseased state in CD patients. Funding Agencies CIHRDr. Edward Ketchum Graduate Scholarship

Objective An understanding of the etiologic heterogeneity of colorectal cancer (CRC) is critical for improving precision prevention, including individualized screening recommendations and the discovery of novel drug targets and repurposable drug candidates for chemoprevention. Known differences in molecular characteristics and environmental risk factors among tumors arising in different locations of the colorectum suggest partly distinct mechanisms of carcinogenesis. The extent to which the contribution of inherited genetic risk factors for CRC differs by anatomical subsite of the primary tumor has not been examined. Design To identify new anatomical subsite-specific risk loci, we performed genome-wide association study (GWAS) meta-analyses including data of 48 214 CRC cases and 64 159 controls of European ancestry. We characterised effect heterogeneity at CRC risk loci using multinomial modelling. Results We identified 13 loci that reached genome-wide significance (p<5×10 −8 ) and that were not reported by previous GWASs for overall CRC risk. Multiple lines of evidence support candidate genes at several of these loci. We detected substantial heterogeneity between anatomical subsites. Just over half (61) of 109 known and new risk variants showed no evidence for heterogeneity. In contrast, 22 variants showed association with distal CRC (including rectal cancer), but no evidence for association or an attenuated association with proximal CRC. For two loci, there was strong evidence for effects confined to proximal colon cancer. Conclusion Genetic architectures of proximal and distal CRC are partly distinct. Studies of risk factors and mechanisms of carcinogenesis, and precision prevention strategies should take into consideration the anatomical subsite of the tumour.

Abstract Background Calcitonin gene‐related peptide (CGRP) inhibitors were introduced in the United States (US) in 2018. To understand the changing patterns of preventive treatment following the introduction of these new agents, we must first characterize the patterns which preceded their introduction. Objective To characterize the burden, unmet need, and treatment patterns in patients with migraine initiating preventive migraine medications before the introduction of CGRP inhibitors in the US. Methods Between March 2016 and October 2017, we enrolled episodic (EM) and chronic migraine (CM) patients initiating or changing preventive treatment at primary care or neurology clinic visits in the US, in a real‐world observational study using a prospective cohort design. At baseline and monthly thereafter for 6 months, we collected data from study sites and patients on migraine frequency, treatment modifications, migraine impact on functioning, and work productivity for a descriptive analysis of migraine patient experience and treatment patterns. Results From the sample of 234 completers, 118 had EM (50.4%) and 116 had CM (49.6%). Mean age at enrollment was 41 years (SD = 12) and mean age at first migraine diagnosis was 22 years (SD = 11). Most participants were females ( n = 204/234; 87.2%) and white ( n = 178/234; 76.1%). The majority ( n = 164/234; 70.1%) had not used preventive migraine treatment in the 5 years prior to enrollment (treatment naïve). At baseline, mean monthly migraine days were 9.6 days (SD = 5.0) for the preventive treatment naïve group and 12.4 days (SD = 7.0) for treatment experienced patients. The majority had severe Migraine Disability Assessment (Grade IV, total score ≥21), including 67.1% ( n = 110/164) of the preventive treatment naïve and 77.1% ( n = 54/70) of the preventive treatment experienced patients. Headache Impact Test total scores indicating severe impairment (score >59) occurred in 88.4% ( n = 145/164) of the treatment naïve and 88.6% ( n = 62/70) of treatment experienced patients. Mean work productivity loss as measured by the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment questionnaire in the subsample of employed patients was 53.3% loss. The most used acute medications at baseline were nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory agents ( n = 124/234; 53.0%), acetaminophen‐based products ( n = 112/234; 47.9%), and triptans ( n = 105/234; 44.9%). The most commonly initiated preventive treatments were topiramate ( n = 100/234; 42.7%), tricyclic antidepressants ( n = 39/234; 16.7%), beta‐blockers ( n = 26/234; 11.1%), and onabotulinumtoxinA ( n = 24/234; 10.3%). Over the 6‐month follow‐up period, almost half of patients ( n = 116/234, 49.6%) modified their preventive treatment and discontinued treatment ( n = 88/312 total modifications; 28.2%) or modified their pattern of use by increasing, decreasing, or skipping doses ( n = 224/312 total modifications; 71.8%), often without seeking medical advice. Avoiding side effects was the main reason reported among patients who discontinued ( n = 52/88; 59.1%), decreased frequency or dose ( n = 37/89; 41.6%), and skipped doses ( n = 29/86; 33.7%). Perceived lack of efficacy was another frequent reason reported among those who discontinued ( n = 20/88; 22.7%), decreased frequency or dose ( n = 15/89; 16.9%), and skipped doses ( n = 18/86; 20.9%). Despite initiation of preventive treatment and improvements observed in number of headache and migraine days, migraine patients continued to experience substantial disability, headache impact, and reduced productivity throughout the 6‐month follow‐up period. Conclusions Prior to 2018, the burden of migraine was high for patients initiating preventive treatments. Despite having more than 9 days of migraine per month on average, the majority (70.1%) of patients initiating prevention had been treatment naïve, indicating underuse of preventive treatments. The preventive treatments used in this study were poorly tolerated and were reported by patients to lack efficacy, resulting in suboptimal adherence. The high discontinuation rates suggest that the preventive medications being offered during the period of the study did not meet the treatment needs of patients. In addition, the decisions by about half of patients to alter their prescribed treatment plan without consulting their provider can pose substantial health risks. These findings pertain to the broad set of preventive treatments initiated in this study and do not support inferences about individual preventive treatments, due to limitations in sample size. These findings suggest the need for more effective and better tolerated preventive treatment options.

Abstract The myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) frequently progress to blast phase disease, an aggressive form of acute myeloid leukemia. To identify genes that suppress disease progression, we performed a focused CRISPR/Cas9 screen and discovered that depletion of LKB1/Stk11 led to enhanced in vitro self-renewal of murine MPN cells. Deletion of Stk11 in a mouse MPN model caused rapid lethality with enhanced fibrosis, osteosclerosis, and an accumulation of immature cells in the bone marrow, as well as enhanced engraftment of primary human MPN cells in vivo. LKB1 loss was associated with increased mitochondrial reactive oxygen species and stabilization of HIF1α, and downregulation of LKB1 and increased levels of HIF1α were observed in human blast phase MPN specimens. Of note, we observed strong concordance of pathways that were enriched in murine MPN cells with LKB1 loss with those enriched in blast phase MPN patient specimens, supporting the conclusion that STK11 is a tumor suppressor in the MPNs. Significance: Progression of the myeloproliferative neoplasms to acute myeloid leukemia occurs in a substantial number of cases, but the genetic basis has been unclear. We discovered that loss of LKB1/STK11 leads to stabilization of HIF1a and promotes disease progression. This observation provides a potential therapeutic avenue for targeting progression. This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 1307

Background: Multiple myeloma (MM) is typically diagnosed in patients (pts) aged 65-74 y (SEER: Myeloma. 2019); therefore, many pts present with concomitant metabolic disorders such as diabetes (18%-22% prevalence of type 2 diabetes [T2D; BMC Cancer. 2020;20:489]). Obesity (body mass index [BMI], ≥ 30 kg/m2) is associated with increased prevalence of T2D (Int J Clin Pract. 2007;61:737), and both are suggested risk factors for MM (Blood. 2012;119:4845; Bone Marrow Transpl. 2014;49:1009). Results from single-center, retrospective studies have shown poorer clinical features and survival outcomes in diabetic pts with MM vs their nondiabetic counterparts (Eur J Haematol. 2012;89:320, Br J Cancer. 2014;111:628). The Connect® MM Registry (NCT01081028) is a large, US, multicenter, prospective observational cohort study of largely community-based pts with NDMM. Reported here is a descriptive analysis assessing differences in baseline (BL) characteristics, treatment patterns, and survival outcomes in diabetic vs nondiabetic pts enrolled in the Connect MM Registry. Methods: Pts with NDMM (N = 3011) were enrolled at 250 community, academic, and government sites. Eligible pts were aged ≥ 18 y with symptomatic MM diagnosed ≤ 2 months (mo) pre-enrollment per International Myeloma Working Group criteria (Leukemia. 2009;23:3). Diabetic pts were defined as those with a history of diabetes and also receiving antidiabetic treatment at BL; those without a history of diabetes and not receiving antidiabetic treatment at BL were defined as nondiabetic pts. Descriptive statistics were used for BL characteristics and treatment regimens. Survival outcomes (progression-free survival [PFS] and overall survival [OS]) were analyzed using Cox regression and adjusted for covariates. Results: Of the 2845 pts included in this analysis, 467 (16%) were diabetic, and 2378 (84%) were nondiabetic. The median age was 69 y for diabetic pts and 66 y for nondiabetic pts, with fewer Black pts (12.2% vs 19.5%) in the nondiabetic group. The proportion of men was higher in the diabetic vs the nondiabetic group (61.9% vs 56.6%). Similar percentages of pts had ECOG PS of 0-1 in both groups (53.3% vs 55.3%). Obesity was more prevalent in diabetic vs nondiabetic pts (55.9% vs 30.4%). More diabetic pts had a history of hypertension requiring treatment vs nondiabetic pts (84.2% vs 52.5%). The prevalence of chromosomal abnormalities was comparable between the groups (within the limitation that data were missing in a substantial number of pts). Among MM-defining criteria, diabetic pts had a higher incidence of hypercalcemia (11.8% vs 8.5%), anemia (50.3% vs 46.5%), and increased creatinine (23.8% vs 19%), whereas measured kidney function was similar. A lower proportion of diabetic than nondiabetic pts received stem cell transplantation (SCT; 28.9% vs 41.5%) and triplet regimens during first induction (48.2% vs 52.8%%). The use of ≥ 2 novel agents during first line (1L) was lower in diabetic than nondiabetic pts (27.8% vs 34.6%), but use of a single novel agent (63.4% vs 60%) and alkylator in 1L (20.6% vs 22.4%) was comparable. The top five 1L regimens were similar for both groups, with lenalidomide + bortezomib + dexamethasone being the most common 1L regimen, and lenalidomide the most common maintenance therapy. Diabetic pts had significantly shorter adjusted median PFS (24.4 vs 31.5 mo; hazard ratio [HR], 1.24; P = 0.001; Fig. 1A) and median OS (60 vs 72.6 mo; HR, 1.29; P = 0.001; Fig. 1B) than nondiabetic pts. In a subgroup analysis by BMI, diabetic pts had significantly shorter OS than nondiabetic pts (for BMI &lt; 30 [50.8 vs 73.1 mo; HR, 1.51; P = 0.0001] and BMI ≥ 30 [56.4 vs 78.6 mo; HR, 1.51; P &lt; 0.0001]). Conclusions: Diabetic pts with NDMM had poorer BL features and were less likely to receive SCT and triplet regimens and/or aggressive upfront treatment. Regardless of BMI, diabetic pts had shorter median OS than nondiabetic pts, suggesting that diabetes might be a stronger factor for survival than obesity. These results support a previous analysis of the Connect MM Registry that identified history of diabetes as a predictive prognostic factor for poor OS (Br J Haematol. 2019;187:602). Limitations of this analysis include limited detail on the care/management of diabetes and steroid use/dosage (which can be challenging for glycemic control). These findings highlight the need to provide better supportive care for diabetes management in MM pts to improve survival. Disclosures La: Celgene BMS: Consultancy. Jagannath:BMS, Janssen, Karyopharm, Legend Biotech, Sanofi, Takeda: Consultancy. Ailawadhi:Amgen: Research Funding; Celgene: Honoraria; Takeda: Honoraria; Janssen: Research Funding; Pharmacyclics: Research Funding; Cellectar: Research Funding; BMS: Research Funding; Medimmune: Research Funding; Phosplatin: Research Funding. Durie:Amgen, Celgene, Johnson & Johnson, and Takeda: Consultancy. Gasparetto:Adaptive Biotechnologies: Consultancy, Honoraria; Sanofi: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: TRAVEL, ACCOMMODATIONS, EXPENSES (paid by any for-profit health care company), Speakers Bureau; Karyopharm: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: TRAVEL, ACCOMODATIONS, EXPENSES (paid by any for-profit health care company), Speakers Bureau; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria; Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria; GSK: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: TRAVEL, ACCOMMODATIONS, EXPENSES (paid by any for-profit health care company); BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; AbbVie: Consultancy, Honoraria. Hardin:Celgene Pharmaceutical Company: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: TRAVEL, ACCOMMODATIONS, EXPENSES. Lee:Sanofi: Consultancy; Janssen: Consultancy, Research Funding; GlaxoSmithKline: Consultancy, Research Funding; Genentech: Consultancy; Takeda: Consultancy, Research Funding; Regeneron: Research Funding; Genentech: Consultancy; Amgen: Consultancy, Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy, Research Funding; Daiichi Sankyo: Research Funding. Narang:Maryland Oncology Hematology: Current Employment; Beigene: Consultancy, Honoraria; BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; J&J: Consultancy, Honoraria. Omel:Takeda: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: TRAVEL, ACCOMMODATIONS, EXPENSES; BMS/Celgene: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Rifkin:McKesson: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company, Ended employment in the past 24 months, Other: Stock ownership; Takeda, Amgen, Celgene, BMS, Mylan, Coherus BioSciences, Fresenius: Consultancy; AbbVie: Other: Investigator in AbbVie sponsored clinical trials; Takeda, Amgen, BMS (Celgene): Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Terebelo:Newland Medical Associates: Current Employment; BMS: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Toomey:Celgene/BMS: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Wagner:Celgene Inc.: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Connect Multiple Myeloma Registry: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Dhalla:BMS: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Liu:TechData Inc: Consultancy. Yang:BMS: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Joshi:Bristol Myers Squibb: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company; Eisai Inc.: Ended employment in the past 24 months. Abonour:Takeda: Consultancy; Janssen: Honoraria, Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy; BMS: Consultancy, Research Funding.