Abstract Abstract 2806 Background: A high degree of prognostic certainty is required to recommend or discourage high risk treatment procedures in primary myelofibrosis (PMF). The Dynamic International Prognostic Scoring System (DIPSS-plus) uses eight risk factors to predict overall survival (OS) in PMF: unfavorable karyotype, peripheral blood (PB) blast count ≥1%, platelet count <100 × 109/L, white blood cell count (WBC) >25 × 109/L, hemoglobin level <10 g/dL, red blood cell transfusion need, constitutional symptoms, and age >65 years (Gangat et al. JCO 2011;29 :392). The presence of four or more of these risk factors defines high-risk disease. purpose: The purpose of the current study was to enhance the prognostic weight of some of the DIPSS-plus risk factors with the intent to identify one or two parameters that can reliably predict death in the first two years of disease. Methods: An updated Mayo Clinic database of 884 karyotypically-annotated patients with PMF was used. Calculations of 2-year mortality rates and variables considered for prognostic value were from time of referral to the Mayo Clinic. Cytogenetic risk categorization per DIPSS-plus was further refined to capture additional prognostic information from monosomal karyotype (MK) (Vaidya et al. Blood 2011;117 :5612) and inv(3)/i(17q) abnormalities (Caramazza et al. Leukemia 2011;25 :82). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was employed to define best discriminant levels. Results: To date, 564 (64%) deaths have been documented. Each one of the aforementioned DIPSS-plus risk factors was associated with a 2-year mortality rate that ranged from 42% (PB blast count ≥1%) to 60% (unfavorable karyotype). High-risk disease per DIPSS-plus was associated with 57% two-year mortality. The only risk factors that were associated with >80% two-year mortality were MK (n =19) and inv(3)/i(17q) abnormalities (n =8) and both were associated with significantly worse survival, compared to other unfavorable karyotype (n =102): HR (95% CI) of 5.1 (3.1−8.4) and 3.9 (1.7−8.8), respectively. ROC analysis identified PB blast counts of 2% and 9% (AUC 0.62) and WBC of 43 × 109/L (AUC 0.66) as best discriminant levels for predicting 2-year mortality; OS was significantly worse in the presence of PB blast >9% (HR 4.1, 95% CI 2.8–6.1) vs. 2% to 9% (HR 1.8, 95% CI 1.5–2.2) vs. <2%; the corresponding 2-year mortality rates were 73%, 46% and 25%. OS was also significantly worse in the presence of WBC ≥40 × 109/L (HR 2.8, 95% CI 2.2–3.6) vs. 26–39 × 109/L (HR 1.6, 95% CI, 1.2–2.1) vs. <26 × 109/L; the corresponding 2-year mortality rates were 63%, 42% and 28%. Two-year mortality rates exceeded 80% in the presence of any two of the following: PB blast count >9%, WBC ≥40 × 109/L or unfavorable karyotype other than MK or inv(3)/i(17q). Conclusions: A greater than 80% 2-year mortality in PMF is predicted by the presence of MK, inv(3)/i(17q) abnormalities, or any two of the following: PB blast >9%, WBC ≥40 × 109/L, other unfavorable karyotype. Such patients and those with high DIPSS-plus risk should be referred to allogenic stem cell transplantation earlier than later. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Erythropoiesis Stimulating Agents and the Risk of Leukemic Transformation in Primary Myelofibrosis.
Abstract BACKGROUND: Information regarding risk factors for leukemic transformation (LT) in primary myelofibrosis (PMF) is limited, although both leukocytosis and abnormal cytogenetics have previously been implicated. The current retrospective study examines clinical variables at diagnosis as well as specific treatment modalities for their effect on LT in PMF. METHODS: Diagnoses of PMF and LT were based on World Health Organization criteria. In addition, study inclusion required availability, for review, of bone marrow histology and clinical data obtained at or within 6 months of diagnosis but prior to treatment intervention. Statistical methods used were standard and included Cox regression analysis of leukemia-free survival (LFS). RESULTS: A master database of PMF patients seen at the Mayo Clinic from 1976 through 2006 was queried to identify 311 patients who fulfilled the aforementioned stipulated criteria for study inclusion; median age was 57 years and 41% were females. At presentation, 30% of the patients displayed a hemoglobin level (Hgb) of < 100 g/L, 20% a leukocyte count of < 4 or > 30 x 109/L, 18% a platelet count of < 100 x 109/L, 12% an absolute monocyte count (AMC) of ≥ 1 x 109/L, 28% hypercatabolic symptoms and 35% a peripheral blood (PB) blast percentage of ≥ 1; 27 patients (9%) had a PB blast percentage of ≥ 3. Dupriez prognostic scoring system distribution for high, intermediate, and low risk disease was 30 (10%), 94 (30%), and 187 (60%) patients. Among 182 and 139 evaluable patients, 74 (41%) and 80 (58%) displayed cytogenetic abnormalities and JAK2V617F, respectively. At a median follow-up of 27 months (range 0–282), 27 cases (9%) of LT were documented at a median time from diagnosis to LT of 26 months (range 0.8–266). Effect of clinical and laboratory variables at diagnosis on leukemic transformation By univariate analysis, LFS was negatively affected by anemia (p=0.04), leukocytosis (p=0.04), PB monocyte count ≥ 1 x 109/L (p=0.02), platelet count of < 100 x 109/L (p=0.004), hypercatabolic symptoms (p=0.03) and PB blast percentage of ≥ 3 (p<0.0001); LFS was not affected by PB blast percentage of > 1 but < 3 (p=0.49). By multivariable analysis, significance was sustained only for PB blast percentage of ≥ 3 (p = 0.0002) and platelet count of < 100 x 109/L (p = 0.02) with hazard ratios (HR) of 5.8 and 2.8 and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of 2.3–14.6 and 1.2–6.6, respectively. The presence of JAK2V617F did not affect LFS (p=0.98). Effect of specific treatment on leukemic transformation By univariate analysis, LT was significantly associated with history of splenectomy (p=0.01) and treatment with erythropoiesis stimulating agents (ESA; p=0.004), danazol (p=0.007), and androgens (p=0.03) but not with hydroxyurea (p=0.17), interferon alpha (p=0.95), thalidomide (p=0.26) or other drugs. On multivariable analysis, significance was sustained for both ESA (p = 0.005; HR 3.1, CI 1.4–6.8) and danazol (p = 0.01; HR 3.4, CI 1.3–8.5), even when the aforementioned prognostic indicators at diagnosis were added as covariates to the multivariable model. CONCLUSIONS: The current study identifies PB blast percentage of ≥ 3% and platelet count of < 100 x 109/L, at presentation, as independent risk factors for LT in PMF. Unexpectedly, the study also revealed an association between LT and treatment history with ESA or danazol. These observations are intriguing, considering recent reports on the possible harmful effects of ESA in certain solid tumors.
Evaluation and clinical correlations of bone marrow angiogenesis in myelofibrosis with myeloid metaplasia
AbstractRecent observations have underscored the biologic relevance of intratumoral angiogenesis and its potential impact on prognosis. Increased bone marrow angiogenesis has been demonstrated in a variety of hematologic disorders, including multiple myeloma. The extent and prognostic significance of bone marrow angiogenesis in 114 patients with myelofibrosis with myeloid metaplasia (MMM) was investigated. A control group of 44 patients without bone marrow disease, 15 patients with polycythemia vera, and 17 patients with essential thrombocythemia was also studied. Bone marrow microvessel density was assessed by a semiquantitative method, visual microvessel grading, and 2 separate quantitative methods, visual count and computerized image analysis. Angiogenesis estimation by all 3 methods was highly comparable. On visual microvessel grading, a grade 3 or 4 increase in bone marrow angiogenesis was demonstrated in 70% of patients with MMM, 33% of patients with polycythemia vera, 12% of patients with essential thrombocythemia, and 0% of normal controls. In a multivariate analysis, increased angiogenesis in MMM correlated significantly with increased spleen size and was found to be a significant and independent risk factor for overall survival. Increases in marrow angiogenesis correlated with hypercellularity and megakaryocyte clumping. In contrast, these 2 features were inversely proportional to reticulin fibrosis, whereas increases in marrow angiogenesis were independent of reticulin fibrosis. These preliminary findings suggest that neo-angiogenesis is an integral component of the bone marrow stromal reaction in MMM and may provide useful prognostic information and a rationale for the therapeutic investigation of anti-angiogenic agents.
Independent Validation of the MD Anderson Cancer Center Risk Model for Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS), and Comparison to the International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS) and the World Health Organization-Based Prognostic Scoring System (WPSS).
Abstract Abstract 3814 Poster Board III-750 Introduction The 1997 IPSS remains the most widely used prognostic scoring system for patients with MDS, and it has important strengths, but several other prognostic systems have been proposed recently to overcome some of the well-recognized IPSS limitations. These systems include a new risk model for patients with MDS and CMML – including previously treated patients and those with secondary (treatment-related) MDS – proposed by Kantarjian and colleagues at the MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC) (Cancer 2008; 113:1351), as well as the WPSS, proposed by Malcovati and colleagues in Europe (J Clin Oncol 2007; 25:3503) To date, the MDACC risk model has not been validated in a large external independent cohort or directly compared to the WPSS. We assessed the performance of the MDACC model compared to the WPSS and the IPSS in a 12-year Mayo Clinic MDS/CMML cohort. Patients and Methods We reviewed the medical records of 1,503 adult patients (pts; 984 males; median age 71 years, range 17-98) with MDS (n=1,249) or CMML (n=254) evaluated at Mayo Clinic between January 1996 and December 2007. Pediatric pts (age ≤16 and pts with ≥30% marrow blasts were excluded. IPSS and WPSS scores were calculated, and data collected for MDACC risk model assignment (age, performance score, platelet count, hemoglogbin, marrow blast proportion, white blood cell count, karyotype, and transfusion history). Data were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox proportional hazards regression models. Results The overall median survival was 17.8 months (mos) – 13.7 mos for CMML, 19.1 mos for WHO-defined MDS, and 9.6 mos for RAEB-t – similar to the 14.1 mos observed in the test cohort used to derive the MDACC risk model. Follow-up was complete until death in 1,122 (74.7%) pts. Pts excluded from the cohort stratified using IPSS included 122 patients with CMML and leukocytosis (>12 × 109/L), and 176 pts with secondary MDS/CMML (there were 12 pts with secondary CMML with leukocytosis) – total excluded, 286 pts. Patients excluded from the WPSS cohort included 27 pts with RAEB-t, 254 pts with CMML, and 148 pts with secondary MDS – total excluded, 429 pts. Survival by IPSS risk group was 38.9 mos for Low (n=413), 17.9 mos for Int-1 (n=541), 9.6 mos for Int-2 (n=206), and 6.6 mos for High (n=57). Survival by WPSS risk group was 39.0 months for Very Low (n=352), 26.6 months for Low (n=276), 15.9 months for Intermediate (n=185), 11.2 mos for High (n=221), and 4.9 months for Very High (n=40). Survival by MDACC risk group was 45.6 mos for Low (n=426), 20.0 mos for Int-1 (n=552), 12.3 mos for Int-2 (n=325), and 4.9 mos for High (n=200). When the MDACC risk model was used to classify only the 1,074 pts with conditions for which the WPSS has been validated, survival was 51.4 mos for Low (n=336), 21.2 mos for Int-1 (n=411), 13.3 mos for Int-2 (n=213), and 4.6 mos for High (n=114) (p<0.001 for all comparisons). In a multivariable proportional hazards model, all of the MDACC risk model components except WBC>20 × 109/L retained independent prognostic significance. Conclusions All 3 systems stratify patients accurately, but the MDACC risk model best identifies the lowest-risk patients, and also classifies the broadest group of patients (i.e., primary and secondary MDS, and primary and secondary CMML with or without leukocytosis). The revised IPSS that is currently in development should include the patient factors accounted for by the MDACC risk model, with the possible exception of leukocytosis. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Indolent Mantle Cell Lymphoma: A Distinct Subgroup Characterized by Leukemic Phase Disease without Lymphadenopathy.
Abstract Abstract 3937 Poster Board III-873 Introduction Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), defined by the pathognomic CCND1/IGH translocation, commonly presents with lymphadenopathy and has an aggressive clinical course with poor survival. However, a minority of patients with MCL present with lymphocytosis without substantial adenopathy. The clinical and pathologic features of this group of patients are not currently well understood. Methods Patients with monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis, positive CCND1/IGH translocation status by FISH analysis and absence of lymphadenopathy were identified in our institutional B-cell lymphoproliferative disorder database. A comprehensive review of clinical, laboratory, and histopathologic features was conducted. Results of ancillary immunophenotypic, molecular genetic, and cytogenetic studies were reviewed. Univariate survival analysis was performed using the method of Kaplan and Meier. Result We identified a total of 35 patients meeting the selection criteria (10 female and 25 male; median age 66 yrs, range 41-86). The median absolute lymphocyte count at presentation was 8.7 × 109/L (range 2.7-180). Eleven patients subsequently developed adenopathy (MCL-LN) while 24 patients had persistent lymphocytosis without adenopathy (MCL-PB). There were no significant differences in age, gender, absolute leukocyte count, percent bone marrow involvement by lymphoma, or immunophenotypic features of the neoplastic B-cells between these 2 subgroups at initial evaluation. All 11 MCL-LN (100%) and 14 of the 24 MCL-PB patients (58%) had splenomegaly at presentation. Morphologic and immunophenotypic features in peripheral blood (n=35), bone marrow (n=34), lymph node (n=7), spleen (n=7) and other involved tissues (n=4) were typical of MCL in 34 patients. One patient had an unusual disease recurrence resembling hairy cell leukemia, but was retained in the analysis given the persistence of the CCND1/IGH abnormality and molecular evidence of clonal identity with previous specimens. All patients with MCL-LN and 12/24 (50%) of patients with MCL-PB received therapy including R-CHOP, cladribine, or rituximab. The remaining 12 MCL-PB patients (50%) were managed expectantly. Patients with MCL-PB (median survival of 156 months from diagnosis) had a significantly better survival than patients with MCL-LN (13 months) regardless of splenic involvement (P=0.0002) (Figure 1). Conclusion Among patients with MCL presenting in leukemic phase without adenopathy, we have identified 2 subgroups with distinct clinical outcomes. Patients who do not develop subsequent lymph node involvement (MCL-PB) have a generally more favorable clinical outcome. These findings imply fundamental differences in the pathobiology and molecular oncogenesis between these subgroups, suggesting the presence of distinct MCL entities. Disclosures: Zent: Genentech, Bayer, Genzyme, Novartis: Research Funding. Shanafelt:Genentech: Research Funding; Hospira: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Polyphenon E International: Research Funding; Celgene: Research Funding; Cephalon: Research Funding; Bayer Health Care Pharmaceuticals: Research Funding. Kay:Gnentch: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Celgene: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Hospire: Research Funding; Polyphenon Pharma: Research Funding; Sanofi-Aventis: Research Funding; Biogenc-Ides: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Genmab: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Witzig:Novartis: Research Funding.
Immunophenotypic Analysis of Peripheral Blood and Bone Marrow in the Staging of B-Cell Malignant Lymphoma
This study evaluated the contributing roles of flow cytometric immunophenotyping of blood and bone marrow and immunohistochemical paraffin section staining of bone marrow biopsies in the staging of B-cell malignant lymphoma. Flow immunophenotyping was performed on a marrow specimen in 175 cases; a corresponding blood specimen was also immunophenotyped in 135 of these cases. Morphologic marrow involvement by lymphoma was found in 59 cases; flow immunophenotyping identified 54 cases with a monoclonal B-cell process: morphology-positive/flow-positive (n = 49), morphology-positive/flow-negative (n = 10), morphology-negative/flow-positive (n = 5), and morphology-negative/flow-negative (n = 111). The 10 morphology-positive/flow-negative cases included 5 follicular and 5 large-cell lymphomas with minimal marrow involvement. All 5 morphology-negative/flow-positive cases were from patients with large-cell lymphomas and bulky clinical disease. Because the blood contained the same B-cell clone in 2 of 2 morphology-negative/flow-positive cases studied, blood contamination of marrow may account for these findings. Blood flow cytometric immunophenotyping studies were positive in 32 cases; 30 had marrow involvement by morphology and were from patients with follicular, mantle cell, lymphoplasmacytic, small lymphocytic, or marginal zone lymphomas. From our results, we conclude that (1) bone marrow flow cytometric immunophenotyping is not a cost-effective replacement for good morphologic evaluation in lymphoma staging and that (2) a positive peripheral blood flow cytometric immunophenotyping study when performed in low-grade lymphomas correlates with marrow involvement.
Whole Arm Duplication of 1q in Myeloid Neoplasm, with Emphasis On Derivative (1;7)(q10;p10).
Abstract Abstract 4238 Background Duplication of the long arm of chromosome 1 (1q) is a recurrent finding in hematologic neoplasms. It is most commonly observed as an unbalanced whole arm translocation with chromosome 7, resulting in concurrent deletion of 7q (ISCN as der(1;7)(q10q10)). It is less frequently observed as an unbalanced translocation with a chromosome other than chromosome 7 or as a duplication of only a segment of 1q. The der(1;7) has been described in myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), and acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and is reportedly less commonly associated with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN). The effect of this rearrangement on prognosis is unclear, although it is classified by the International Scoring System (IPSS) as a karyotypic variant of del(7q)/-7 and is thus assigned poor risk. We have initiated a thorough review of all cases of duplication of the long arm of chromosome 1 seen at our institution. Methods After approval from the Institutional Review Board, all cases seen at Mayo Clinic over a 20 year period (1989-2009) were searched for a duplication of the long arm of chromosome 1. The sole exclusion criterion was a complex karyotype (3 or more independent chromosome abnormalities in the clone). Cytogenetic and hematopathology review was done and relevant clinical data were abstracted from the Mayo Clinic record. Survival of MDS patients and MPN patients was determined from time of cytogenetic diagnosis of der(1;7) until death or last contact with the patient, using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results Among 23,375 unique patients at Mayo Clinic with a cytogenetic study for hematologic neoplasm, 229 (0.98%) patients carried a duplication of 1q. Within this group, 99 (0.42%) had duplication of part of 1q, 123 (0.53%) carried a whole arm duplication of 1q, and 7 patients carried an isochromosome 1q (resulting in 4 copies of 1q). The most common karyotype among those with a whole arm duplication of 1q was der(1;7) (n=84), followed by similar whole arm translocations involving chromosomes 9 and 19 (n=7 each) or chromosomes 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, or 22 (n=1 to 6 each). We focused on 65 der(1;7) patients who had adequate hematopathological material that could be reviewed and sub-classified according to WHO criteria. MDS was identified in 30 patients and MPN in 20. MDS (therapy related, RARS, RAEB-1 or 2) was seen in 9 patients (14%), MDS/ refractory cytopenia with multilineage dysplasia (RCMD) in 19 (29%). MDS/Myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN) in 2 (3%), MPN not otherwise classified in 5 (8%), and MPN / primary myelofibrosis (including 1 post-polycythemic and one post-thromobocythemic) (PMF) in 15 (23%). The bone marrow was apparently normal in 5 patients (8%), CLL was noted in 3 (5%), and 1 each exhibited features of systemic mast cell disease or myeloma. Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) was identified 5 patients (8%). The M:F ratio of the der(1;7) patients was 2.8:1. The median age at occurrence of the der(1;7) was 63 years (range: 13-87 years). All 5 AML patients have died (median survival 9 months). Of the MDS and MPN patients, the median survival was 2.2 and 2.8 years, respectively, from the time of cytogenetic diagnosis. Overall survival was not significantly different between the MDS and MPN group, and they exhibited 30% survival after 5 years (see Figure). Conclusions Duplication of 1q was observed in nearly 1% of the Mayo Clinic patients who had a bone marrow cytogenetic study for a hematologic neoplasm. Among those with a der(1;7), AML was uncommon but MDS and MPN were similar in frequency. Median survival of 2.2 to 2.8 years for the MDS and MPN group justifies assignment to a more favorable group than the current IPSS assignment. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Choosing the Right Patients for Clinical Trials in Essential Thrombocythemia or Polycythemia Vera: Leukemic or Fibrotic Transformation Risk Assessment among 1061 Patients from a Single Institution.
Abstract Background: In both polycythemia vera (PV) and essential thrombocythemia (ET), aspirin and/or hydroxyurea therapy provide adequate protection from thrombosis but not from disease transformation into acute myeloid leukemia/myelodysplastic syndrome (AML/MDS) or myelofibrosis (MF). In designing clinical trials with new drugs, including the use of small molecule JAK2 inhibitors, in either ET or PV, it is important to identify patients who are at a higher risk of early transformation into AML/MDS/MF as well as those in whom the long-term risk of these complications is too low to justify exposure to experimental drugs with unknown short-term and long-term toxicity profile. Methods: Information on an institutional database of 1061 patients with either PV (n=458) or ET (n=603) was updated in July of 2007. The World Health Organization criteria were used for diagnosis of PV, ET, AML, MDS, and MF. Two different approaches were used to assess both early and overall risk of AML/MDS/MF development in both ET and PV. In the first approach, three distinct groups were delineated and their presenting features compared; group A was comprised of patients who have remained AML/MDS/MF free after a minimum follow-up of 20 years whereas groups B and C included patients who developed either AML/MDS or MF, respectively, in the first decade of their disease. In the second approach, prognostic factors for AML/MDS/MF-free survival were examined among the entire cohort of 1061 patients. Results : In ET, the number of patients that fulfilled the above-mentioned criteria for inclusion in groups A, B, and C were 40, 12, and 8; the three groups displayed significant differences in the prevalence, at diagnosis, of lower than normal hemoglobin level (8% vs. 58% vs. 38%; p=0.0004), male sex (18% vs. 58% vs. 50%; p=0.01), and arterial thrombosis at diagnosis (p=0.03), respectively. However, only the former two remained significant during multivariable analysis that included age as a covariate. In PV, the number of patients in groups A, B, and C were 23, 18, and 12; the only difference between the three groups was the association between group B and leukocytosis (p=0.02). Cox regression analysis of the entire 1061 ET/PV patients cohort, including 65 AML/MDS/MF events in ET and 36 AML/MDS events in PV, confirmed the inferior AML/MDS/MF-free survival in ET associated with lower than normal hemoglobin and AML/MDS-free survival in PV associated with leukocytosis (Figure). Conclusion : The current study identifies PV patients with leukocytosis as being the most appropriate and ET patients without anemia as the least appropriate for consideration of participation in experimental drug treatment trials. Figure Figure Figure Figure
The Prognostic Importance of T and NK-Cells in a Consecutive Series of Newly Diagnosed Patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia.
Abstract Background: Patients with CLL have a variable clinical course. Current novel prognostic indicators (ZAP-70, CD38, IgVH gene mutation status, FISH) are able to identify early-stage CLL patients at high risk of rapid disease progression. These prognostic factors focus on characteristics of the malignant B cell clone and are not currently changeable factors. Identification of modifiable characteristics of the host unrelated to the leukemic B-cell but that relate to CLL-specific survival may provide opportunities for therapeutic intervention. Since the immune system is likely to modulate disease progression in CLL patients, we evaluated critical features of that system in relation to the size of the circulating clonal B-cell population in a CLL cohort. Methods: 186 consecutive patients with CLL who were evaluated at Mayo Clinic within 2 months of diagnosis between 2000 and 2002 were identified. The primary end-point of the study was to assess if host immunity affected time to treatment (TTT). Baseline flow cytometry analysis was available for 166 patients (88%) and was used to calculate the absolute number of T-cell and natural kill (NK)-cells present at diagnosis. The size of the T-cell/NK-cell compartment relative to the size of the malignant monoclonal B-cell (MBC) compartment was then evaluated by calculating the NK:MBC ratio and T:MBC ratio. Relationships with other prognostic parameters and with TTT were evaluated. Results: Patients exhibited substantial variation in the absolute number of T-cells and NK cells as well as T:MBC and NK:MBC ratios at the time of diagnosis. Higher T:MBC and NK:MBC ratios were observed among patients with early Rai stage and mutated IgVH genes (all P≤0.0002). As continuous variables, both the T:MBC ratio (p value=0.03) and NK:MBC ratio (p value=0.02) were associated with TTT. Since they correlated with TTT as continuous variables, thresholds to classify MBC, T:MBC ratio, and NK:MBC were identified using the method of Contal and O’Quigly. On multivariate Cox modeling including stage, CD38, absolute MBC count, T:MB ratio, and NK:MB ratio, the independent predictors of TTT were disease stage, T:MB ratio, and NK:MB ratio (Table 1). Conclusion: Measurable characteristics of the host immune system appear to relate to the rate of disease progression in patients with newly diagnosed CLL. These characteristics can be modified and continued evaluation of immunomodulatory drugs, vaccination strategies, and cellular therapies to delay/prevent disease progression are warranted. Additional studies exploring how interactions between the host immune system and the leukemic clone influence clinical outcomes are needed.
Integration of Mutations and Karyotype Towards a Genetics-Based Prognostic Scoring System (GPSS) for Primary Myelofibrosis
Abstract Background : Current prognostication in primary myelofibrosis (PMF) utilizes international prognostic scoring systems that rely on clinical parameters that are sensitive to day-to-day variations and subjective interpretation. Recent studies in PMF have disclosed important prognostic information attached to additional cytogenetic details (Blood. 2011;118:4595) and somatic mutations, including CALR and ASXL1 (NEJM. 2013;369:2379; Leukemia. 2013;27:1861). Methods : PMF diagnosis and definition of blast transformation (BT) were according to World Health Organization criteria (Blood. 2009;114:937). Cytogenetic analysis and reporting was done according to the International System for Human Cytogenetic Nomenclature (Cytogenetic and genome research. 2013. Prepublished on 2013/07/03 as DOI 10.1159/000353118). Previously published methods were used for analyses of CALR, JAK2, MPL and other prognostically-relevant mutations, including ASXL1, SRSF2, EZH2 and IDH(Leukemia. 2014;28:1472). Results : The training set included 964 Mayo Clinic patients (median age 65 years; 62% males) in whom informative karyotype or mutation information was available; cytogenetic information was available in 903 (94%) cases, JAK2/CALR/MPL mutational status in 532 (55%), ASXL1 in 425 (44%), SRSF2 in 434 (45%), IDH1/2 in 376 (39%) and EZH2 in 268 (28%). DIPSS-plus (JCO. 2011;29:392) risk distribution was high in 37% of patients, intermediate-2 in 37%, intermediate-1 in 15% and low in 11%. We used a revised risk stratification for cytogenetics (see accompanying ASH 2014 abstract) to distinguish four distinct cytogenetic risk categories: very high (monosomal karyotype, inv(3), i(17q), -7/7q-, 11q or 12p abnormalities; n=67), high (complex non-monosomal, two abnormalities not included in very high risk category, 5q-, +8, other autosomal trisomies except +9, and other sole abnormalities not included in other risk categories; n=164), intermediate (sole abnormalities of 20q-, 1q+ or any other sole translocation, and -Y or other sex chromosome abnormality; n=133) and low (normal or sole abnormalities of 13q- or +9; n=539). Mutational frequencies were 58% for JAK2, 25% CALR, 7% MPL, 36% ASXL1, 11% SRSF2, 5% IDH1/2 and 6% EZH2. The 131 cases with CALR mutations were further subclassified into two prognostically different groups: type 1/type 1-like (n=110) and type 2/type 2-like (n=21) (see accompanying ASH 2014 abstract). At a median follow-up time of 4.2 years for patients who are alive, 664 (69%) deaths and 70 BT (7%) were recorded. Age-adjusted multivariable analysis that included cytogenetic and mutational risk groups disclosed the following as independent predictors of shortened survival: very high risk karyotype (HR 4.2; 3 points), high risk karyotype (HR 1.9; 1 point), triple-negative (HR 2.8; 2 points), JAK2 (HR 3.1; 2 points), MPL (HR 3.1; 2 points), type 2/type 2-like CALR (HR 3.6; 2 points), ASXL1 (HR 1.9; 1 points) and SRSF2 (HR 1.9; 1 point); EZH2 (p=0.24) and IDH1/2 (p=0.68) and intermediate risk karyotype (p=0.87) were not significant. The above-mentioned significant variables and age demarcated at 60 years (2 points), were subsequently used to develop an HR-derived, genetics-based prognostic scoring system (GPSS) for 369 patients who were fully informative for both karyotype and all significant mutations: low risk (0 points; n=31), intermediate-1 (1 or 2 points; n=90), intermediate-2 (3 or 4 points; n=133) and high (5 or more points; n=115); the corresponding median survivals were >17, 9 (HR 4.7, 95% CI 1.7-13.0), 5 (HR 10.7, 95% CI 3.9-29.3) and 2.2 (HR 29.2, 95% CI 10.6-80.0) years (Figure 1). High risk GPSS was also associated with higher BT rate (HR 7.4, 95% CI 2.1-26.3). The prognostic distinction between high/intermediate-2 and low/intermediate-1 risk GPSS, in terms of both overall (median 5 vs 26.4 years; HR 7.1, 95% CI 3.3-14.9) and leukemia-free survival (median 11.6 years vs not reached; HR 9.4, 95% CI 2.2-41.0) was validated in an independent cohort of 183 patients from the University of Florence (Figure 2). Conclusions : The current study demonstrates the feasibility of genetics-based prognostic models in PMF that rely on objective parameters that are amenable to further refinement as new genetic information becomes available. Figure 1 Figure 1. Figure 2 Figure 2. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.