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Abstract Introduction: CAR T-cell therapy is an important treatment option for patients with relapsed or refractory (R/R) DLBCL. Three CAR T-cell products have received approval: axicabtagene ciloleucel (Yescarta), lisocabtagene maraleucel (Breyanzi), and tisagenlecleucel (Kymriah). Although direct head-to-head studies comparing the three therapies do not exist, clinical trials have revealed notable differences in response rates and remission rates among them. All three products induce CRS and ICANS; however, variations in the incidence and severity of these adverse effects have been observed. We utilized data from the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) to gain further insights into the incidence of various adverse events associated with different CAR-T products in DLBCL. Method: In this retrospective study, the 2022 NIS database was used to identify hospitalizations with DLBCL and those who received Yescarta, Breyanzi, or Kymriah using appropriate ICD-10-CM diagnostic and ICD-10-PCS procedure codes. Data on CRS, ICANS, infections, and adverse cardiac events were extracted using relevant ICD-10-CM codes. These outcomes were compared across different CAR-T products using Pearson's chi-square analysis. Multivariate logistic regression was also performed, adjusting for demographics, hospital-specific characteristics, and comorbidities. Results: We identified 1440 patients with DLBCL. Among these, 1100 patients (64.6% male; 70.7% Caucasian, 8.8% African American, 20.5% other ethnicities) received Yescarta, 90 patients (66.7% male; 82.4% Caucasian, 0% African American, 17.7% other ethnicities) received Kymriah and 250 patients (64% male; 82.6% Caucasian, 10.9% African American, 6.5% other ethnicities) received Breyanzi. The incidence of CRS was 52% for Breyanzi, 44.4% for Kymriah and 68.6% for Yescarta, and the difference was statistically significant by chi-square analysis (p = 0.03). This difference remained statistically significant for Kymriah after multivariate analysis [Adjusted Odds ratio (OR) = 0.3, CI 0.1 to 0.9, p=0.032], but not for Breyanzi (Adjusted OR = 0.3, CI 0.1 to 0.9, p=0.032) in comparison to Yescarta. The incidence of ICANS was 16% for Breyanzi, 22.2% for Kymriah, and 33.2% for Yescarta, with a statistically significant difference observed by chi-square analysis (p = 0.05). This difference remained statistically significant for Breyanzi after multivariate analysis [Adjusted OR = 0.3, CI 0.1 to 0.6, p=0.002], but not for Kymriah (Adjusted OR = 0.6, CI 0.1 to 2.9, p=0.551) in comparison to Yescarta. Among cardiovascular events, there was no significant difference in the incidence of acute myocardial infarction (Yescarta vs Kymriah vs Breyanzi, 0.5% vs 0% vs 0.2%, p = 0.487), stroke (0.5% vs 5.6% vs 2%, p = 0.07), cardiogenic shock (0.5% vs 0% vs 0%, p = 0.880), and arrhythmias (20.9% vs 27.8% vs 32%, p = 0.258) among these CAR T-cell therapies. Furthermore, there were no significant differences in the incidence of infectious complications, including pneumonia (5.9% vs 5.6% vs 2%, p = 0.510), sepsis (5% vs 5.6% vs 6%, p = 0.962), or septic shock (2.3% vs 0% vs 0%, p = 0.535) among these CAR T-cell therapies. There was no difference in all-cause in-hospital mortality across these therapies (2.3% vs 5.6% vs 2%, p = 0.692). Conclusion: Kymriah showed lower CRS rates and Breyanzi showed lower ICANS rates in comparison to Yescarta in our study. All CAR T-cell therapies have the potential to cause infections and cardiac events, which require monitoring, early identification and prompt treatment. When selecting among various CAR T-cell products, several factors must be considered, including the patient's lymphoma type, prior treatment history, manufacturing turnaround time, cost, availability, and potential short-term and long-term side effects. The limitations of our study include its retrospective nature, reliance on ICD-10 codes to identify patients with adverse events, and the absence of longitudinal data on long-term adverse events. Nevertheless, this study provides essential insights for hematologists regarding the incidence of specific adverse events associated with different CAR T-cell products within the real-world population.

Abstract Background: Hypomethylating agent (HMA) with venetoclax (VEN) is used in clinical practice for frontline management of patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) based on encouraging data from phase 1 clinical trial (Garcia JS et al. Blood 2025). While the randomized clinical trial (VERONA-NCT04401748) did not show a survival benefit of azacitidine-VEN, the study had important differences such as exclusion of therapy related MDS and being conducted in several non-academic US centers. To better understand the impact of this regimen and its effects in subgroups, we conducted a real-world analysis of frontline MDS patients treated mainly at academic medical centers with HMA-VEN and compared to HMA monotherapy. Methods: This is a multicenter retrospective study of 19 US academic medical centers. We included contemporary cohorts of adults (age≥18 years) with MDS (intermediate, high or very high risk by IPSS-R) who were treated outside of clinical trials with either upfront combination of HMA-VEN or HMA monotherapy. Data on patient-related, disease-related and treatment-related variables were collected through chart review. Descriptive statistics were used for baseline characteristics. Overall survival (OS) and event free survival (EFS: progression, leukemic transformation, death as events) analysis was conducted using Kaplan-Meier method. Determinants of outcomes were analyzed using multivariable regression models. All analyses were conducted at a significance level of p<0.05. Results: Among 1198 patients with intermediate, high or very-high risk MDS, 313 patients received upfront VEN in combination with HMA [HMA-VEN] and 885 patients received HMA monotherapy. Median age was 70 (63-76) years and majority of patients had MDS with excess blasts-1 (34% overall, HMA-VEN=26%, HMA=37%) or MDS with excess-blasts-2 (41% overall, HMA-VEN=60%, HMA=34%). Disease risk by IPSS-R was intermediate (29% overall, HMA-VEN=18%, HMA=33%), high (30% overall, HMA-VEN=31%, HMA=30%) or very-high risk (41% overall, HMA-VEN=51%, HMA=37%, p<0.001). Therapy related MDS (t-MDS) was seen in 27% of patients (HMA-VEN=33%, HMA=25%, p=0.004), 34% had TP53 mutation (HMA-VEN=40%, HMA=32%, p=0.005) and 33% underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) (HMA-VEN=42%, HMA=30%, p<0.001). The most common mutations detected at baseline included TP53 (34%), ASXL1 (22%), DNMT3A (16%), RUNX1 (16%), TET2 (14%), SRSF2 (13%), and U2AF1 (11%). The response rate by IWG 2006 criteria was significantly higher with HMA-VEN than HMA monotherapy (overall 81% vs 39%, CR: 17% vs 9.6%; marrow CR: 56% vs 14%, p<0.001). In multivariable analysis accounting for upfront treatment, AHSCT, genomic mutations, baseline bone marrow blasts and t-MDS, patients treated with HMA-VEN in the upfront setting had significantly improved EFS (median EFS 10.7 vs. 7.8 mon, HR 0.83, 95%CI 0.72-0.96, p=0.01) and OS (median OS 22.4 vs. 18.1 mon, HR 0.79, 95%CI 0.64-0.97, p=0.02). In addition, TP53 mutation status (OS: HR 1.88, 95% CI 1.57-2.26, p<0.001, EFS: HR 1.43, 95% CI 1.23-1.65, p<0.001), subsequent AHSCT (OS: HR 0.34, 95% CI 0.27-0.41, p<0.001; EFS: HR 0.47, 95% CI 0.40-0.54, p<0.001), and therapy related MDS (OS: HR 1.20, 95% CI 1.00-1.44, p=0.04, EFS: HR 1.10, 95% CI 0.96-1.27, p=0.2) were significant predictors on multivariable analysis. When separately investigated in subgroups, an OS benefit of HMA-VEN over HMA was seen in patients undergoing subsequent AHSCT (median OS 40.6 vs. 30 mon, p=0.05), bone marrow blast 10-19% (median OS 25.1 vs. 17.4 mon, P=0.01), de novo MDS (median OS 30 vs. 20.1 mon, P=0.003) and absence of TP53 mutation (median OS 34.9 mon vs. 23.1 mon, p=0.004). The benefit of HMA-VEN over HMA was also seen across molecular mutations including presence of ASXL1 mutation (median OS 35.2 vs 20.9 mon, p=0.03). Conclusions: In this large multicenter retrospective analysis from US academic medical centers, we found that HMA-VEN therapy significantly improved OS in certain subsets of high risk MDS including patients with 10-19% blasts, denovo MDS, subsequent AHSCT and those without TP53 mutation. While our analysis is limited by its retrospective design, prospectively exploring subgroups of MDS patients who could benefit from HMA-VEN therapy is needed.

Abstract Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) remains inaccessible to many patients, particularly those of non-European ancestry, due to the limited availability of matched unrelated donors (URD). While single-HLA mismatched donors (7/8) often yield acceptable outcomes, URD HCT mismatched at ≥ 2 HLA alleles (<7/8) has historically been associated with poor survival and prohibitive toxicity. Post-transplant cyclophosphamide (PTCy) has improved outcomes following mismatched unrelated donor (MMUD) HCT, potentially enabling less stringent donor matching. Whether the degree of donor-recipient HLA disparity remains prognostic after MMUD HCT when PTCy is used is unknown. The ACCESS trial (NCT04904588) was conducted by the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research Clinical Research Organization and prospectively evaluated PTCy-based graft versus host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis in adult recipients of 4–7/8 (HLA-A, -B, -C and -DRB1) MMUD peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) from donors age ≤35 years old following either myeloablative (MAC) or reduced intensity/non-myeloablative (RIC/NMA) conditioning. This analysis focused on all adult recipients of <7/8 grafts enrolled on the study across both conditioning strata, with descriptive comparison to patients who received 7/8 MMUD PBSC grafts. The primary endpoint was 1-year overall survival (OS). Secondary endpoints included primary graft failure (PGF), non-relapse mortality (NRM), relapse, acute and chronic GVHD, and GVHD-free relapse-free survival (GRFS). A total of 268 adults received MMUD PBSC grafts: 85 with <7/8 matches (MAC: n=23; RIC/NMA: n=62) and 183 with 7/8 matches (MAC: n=52; RIC/NMA: n=131). Among <7/8 recipients, median age was 57 years old (range, 24–78), 49% were male, with diagnoses of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) (55%), myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) (15%), and lymphoma (14%). HLA mismatch distribution in the <7/8 group was 6/8 in 82%, 5/8 in 14%, and 4/8 in 4%. Most received fludarabine/melphalan (44%) or myeloablative busulfan/fludarabine (21%). Median CD34+ cell dose was 5.5 ×10^6/recipient kg (range: 3.2-8.0) and 75% of grafts were cryopreserved prior to infusion. Median donor age was 25.8 (range: 18.7-35.7) in the 7/8 group and 25.0 (range: 18.3-34.8) in the <7/8 group. The <7/8 cohort was racially and ethnically diverse, with 61% identifying as other than non-Hispanic white. The 7/8 cohort had a median age of 63 years old (range, 20–79), with 52% male. Disease distribution, conditioning intensity, and infused cell doses were similar to the <7/8 group. A smaller proportion of grafts were cryopreserved (61%), and 47% of patients identified as other than non-Hispanic White. One-year OS for <7/8 recipients was 86% (95% CI: 76–92%), compared to 79% (95% CI: 72–84%) in 7/8 recipients. One-year incidence of relapse was 23% (95% CI: 14–33%) in the <7/8 group and 17% (95% CI: 12–23%) in 7/8 recipients; NRM was 8% (95% CI: 4–16%) and 14% (95% CI: 9–19%), respectively. GRFS was 55% (95% CI: 43–65%) for <7/8 and 51% (95% CI: 44–58%) for 7/8 recipients. PGF occurred in 8% (95% CI: 3–18%) of <7/8 RIC recipients and 3% (95% CI: 1–8%) of 7/8 RIC recipients; no MAC recipients had PGF. At 6 months post-HCT, grade II–IV acute GVHD occurred in 34% (95% CI: 24–44%) of <7/8 patients and 39% (95% CI: 32–46%) of 7/8; grade III–IV acute GVHD was observed in 7% (95% CI: 3–14%) and 8% (95% CI: 5–13%), respectively. Moderate to severe chronic GVHD (NIH consensus criteria) at one year occurred in 8% (95% CI: 3–15%) of <7/8 recipients and 11% (95% CI: 7–16%) of 7/8 recipients. When grouped by conditioning intensity, 1-year outcomes within the <7/8 cohort were: OS 91% after MAC and 84% after RIC/NMA; relapse in 32% after MAC and 20% after RIC/NMA, respectively; GRFS was 53% for MAC and 55% for RIC/NMA; and NRM remained low at 9% after MAC and 8% after RIC/NMA. In this cohort of adult recipients of <7/8 MMUD PBSC grafts with PTCy-based GVHD prophylaxis enrolled on the ACCESS study, 1-year OS exceeded 80% and was comparable to 7/8 recipients. Relapse, NRM, and GVHD rates were similarly favorable and consistent with outcomes reported in 7/8 donor recipients. These findings support extending suitable MMUD match considerations to include 4-6/8 in the context of PTCy, potentially enabling near-universal donor access, while allowing for optimization of other non-HLA donor factors.

Abstract Background: Pyroptosis is a form of programmed cell death characterized by cleavage of gasdermin (GSDM) family proteins that form pores in the plasma membrane, cell rupture, and release of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Its pro-inflammatory potential has garnered significant research attention in recent years but has not been studied in lymphoma. Patients and Methods: We performed immunohistochemistry for cleaved GSDMD (n-terminal) in two large cohorts of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) with multiplex fluorescent IHC (mfIHC) data, and analyzed for prognostic and immune impact. Results: Cleaved GSDMD was frequently expressed in DLBCL, and only the cytoplasmic (versus nuclear) form of expression correlated with significantly better patient survival in two DLBCL cohorts. To understand the expression at the single-cell level, we examined mfIHC results, which revealed that GSDMD+cells were tumor or immune cells, and varied in Ki-67, BCL2, and MYC expression. Cases with cytoplasmic cleaved GSDMD expression had higher mean and median levels of CD38+ (activated) M1 macrophages in two cohorts and lower PD-1/PD-L1 expression, as well as phenotypes of cognate interactions between live activated M1 macrophages, DLBCL cells, and T cells in spatially resolved immune landscape by mfIHC. In contrast, phagocytosis of pyroptotic lymphoma cells by M2 macrophages and cell death of T cells were observed in cases with predominantly nuclear form of cleaved GSDMD expression. Bulk gene expression profiling analysis identified a large proportion of RNA genes upregulated in DLBCLs with cytoplasmic cleaved GSDMD expression, and deconvolution analysis found decreased frequency of the “Inflammatory” lymphoma microenvironment (LME) subtype, increased frequency of cell states and ecotypes with favorable prognostic associations, and decreased frequency of T cell exhaustion states. Summary: Analysis of pyroptosis-inducing cleaved GSDMD (n-terminal) expression in a large number of DLBCL patients revealed dinstinctive cytoplasmic and nuclear expression patterns in live and pyroptotic cells associated with different prognostic and immune effects. Cytoplasmic cleaved GSDMD expression is a marker of cognate interactions between live cells (e.g., activated M1 macrophages) associated with adaptive responses and favorable prognostic effects, whereas nuclear cleaved GSDMD expression is associated with immunosuppressive mechanisms, including T cell death and phagocytosis by M2 macrophages.

Abstract Background: Prior work has indicated racial, ethnic and geographic disparities in treatment access and outcomes for acute myeloid leukemia (AML). However, the relationship between social vulnerability and AML outcomes remains understudied. The study examines the association between overall Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) and its domains with crude mortality rate (CMR) in AML patients from 2010 to 2020 and describes temporal trends. Methods: County-level SVI data aggregating 15 census variables into four domains-(1) socioeconomic status, (2) household composition and disability, (3) minority status and language, and (4) housing type and transportation, assign each county a percentile score from 0 (least vulnerable) to 1 (most vulnerable). Counties were categorized into four quartiles based on SVI scores: Q1:0-0.25 (least vulnerable) to Q4:0.75-1 (most vulnerable). CMR per 100,000 patients were abstracted from CDC WONDER database for adult patients (≥25 years) with AML and reported for patients <65 and ≥65 years of age in Q1 and Q4 counties. Counties with <10 deaths (<1% deaths) were excluded. Poisson regression models, using Q1 as reference, assessed the relationship of CMR and overall SVI in each age group, and reported rate ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Each SVI domain's independent association with CMR was examined in each age group. Temporal trends were assessed by comparing CMR in 2010-2014 and 2016-2020 cohorts. Results: From 2010 to 2020, 103,411 deaths in AML patients occurred (overall CMR: 5.61 per 100,000). Unexpectedly, higher overall SVI was associated with lower mortality: CMR 5.96 in Q1 vs. 5.01 in Q4. As expected, adults aged<65 had a lower mean CMR (1.74 in Q1 vs. 1.77 in Q4) compared to those ≥65 (18.81 in Q1 vs. 15.60 in Q4). In adults aged <65, higher overall social vulnerability was not significantly associated with mortality (Q2 RR 1.01, 95% CI 0.96-1.06, p = 0.75; Q3 RR 1.02, 95% CI 0.98-1.07, p = 0.33; Q4 RR 0.96, 95% CI 0.91-1.00, p=0.054). However, there were significant associations for each SVI domain. A higher SVI in the Minority Status and Language was surprisingly associated with a significantly lower CMR (RR 0.39, 95% CI 0.36-0.43, p<0.001); for the other 3 domains, a higher SVI was associated with higher mortality: Socioeconomic status (RR 1.14, 95% CI 1.04-1.25, p=0.004), Household Composition & Disability (RR 1.31, 95% CI 1.22-1.42, p<0.001) and Housing & Transportation (RR 1.13, 95% CI 1.05-1.22, p=0.001). In adults > 65, higher overall SVI quartiles were linked to lower CMR (Q2 RR 0.96, 95% CI 0.94-0.98, p < .001; Q3 RR 0.91, 95% CI 0.89-0.94, p < .001; Q4 RR 0.84, 95% CI 0.82-0.86, p < .001). As for the domains, Socioeconomic (RR 0.81, 95% CI 0.78-0.85, p<.001) and Minority status and Language (RR 0.77, 95% CI 0.75-0.80, p<.001) were associated with a lower CMR rate. Housing & Transportation was associated with a 12% higher mortality rate (RR 1.12, 95% CI 1.08-1.17, p<.001) and Household Composition & Disability had no significant effect (p=0.214). Mortality decreased over time. In adults aged <65, CMR in Q1 counties improved from 1.94 in 2010-2014 to 1.71 in 2016-2020 and from 1.72 in 2010-2014 to 1.66 in 2016-2020 in Q4 counties. In adults aged ≥65, CMR in Q1 counties improved from 19.62 in the earlier cohort to 18.70 in later cohort but worsened from 16.32 in 2010-2014 to 16.48 in Q4 counties from 2016 to 2020. Conclusions: 1. Mortality for AML has improved over time for most of the population, except among adults in high vulnerability counties. 2. As expected, mortality is higher for older patients. 3. For adults aged <65, a surprising finding was lower mortality in counties with a higher social vulnerability in the minority and language domain, whereas a higher SVI in the socioeconomic, household, and housing domains was associated with higher mortality. 4. For adults aged ≥65, higher SVI in both the socioeconomic and minority domains was associated with a lower mortality rate, and higher SVI in the housing domain with a higher mortality rate. The authors hypothesize that urban areas with a more diverse population, and therefore a higher SVI in Minority Status and Language Domain, may offer more comprehensive care to patients with AML. In addition, the SVI does not capture important clinical and treatment variables that may impact outcomes. Further research is needed to explore more specific, population based indicators to identify at-risk patients with AML.

Abstract Background: Chemotherapy-induced cardiomyopathy (CIC) is a serious, and often irreversible complication in patients treated for hematologic malignancies. While therapies for hematologic malignancies continue to evolve, data on trends in in-hospital mortality among patients with concurrent hematologic malignancies and CIC are limited, and disparities by race and sex remain poorly characterized. This study examines national trends and demographic disparities in in-hospital mortality among patients with hematologic malignancies who developed CIC. Methods: The United States (U.S) National Inpatient Sample (NIS) from 2016 to 2020 was queried for patients diagnosed with malignant hematologic and lymphoid neoplasms who also developed CIC. Hematologic malignancies were identified using ICD-10 codes C81–C96, which include: C81 for Hodgkin lymphoma; C82–C86 for non-Hodgkin lymphomas; C88 for malignant immunoproliferative diseases (e.g., Waldenström macroglobulinemia, heavy chain disease); C90–C95 for leukemias of lymphoid, myeloid, monocytic, mixed, and unspecified cell types; and C96 for other or unspecified malignant neoplasms of lymphoid, hematopoietic, and related tissue. CIC was identified using ICD-10 code I42.7. The study was exempt from institutional review board approval as the NIS database contains deidentified patient information. Multivariable regression analysis was performed to determine the odds of in-hospital mortality among patients with hematologic malignancies who developed CIC. Multivariable logistic regression followed by marginal effects was used to plot yearly trends in in-hospital mortality. All the outcomes were adjusted for gender, race, Charlson comorbidity index and hospital characteristics. P < 0.05 was used to determine statistical significance. The analysis was performed on STATA 16 software. Results: The study identified a total of 3,021,434 hospitalizations with hematologic malignancies, of which 11,115 (0.004%) had secondary diagnosis of CIC (mean age = 56.5 years, 52.5% males). Among 11,115 patients with hematologic malignancies who developed CIC, 740 (6.6%) patients died during the hospitalization. Multivariable logistic regression followed by marginal effects estimated a decrease in adjusted in-hospital mortality trend from 6.5% in 2016 to 4.3% in 2020. However, this decreasing mortality trend was not statistically significant after adjusting for gender, race, Charlson comorbidity index, and hospital characteristics (OR: 0.93; 95% CI: 0.83 – 1.05; trend p = 0.260). In-hospital mortality did not differ significantly between male vs. female patients with hematologic malignancies who developed CIC (OR: 1.02; 95% CI: 0.72 – 1.43; p = 0.921). There was no difference in overall in-hospital mortality of patients of White (reference) vs. Black (OR: 1.12; 95% CI: 0.72 – 1.76, p = 0.61) or Hispanic (OR: 0.63; 95% CI: 0.32 – 1.25, p = 0.18) race. However, males of the Black race demonstrated a lower in-hospital mortality vs. males of the White race (OR: 0.26; 95% CI: 0.09 – 0.77, p = 0.01). In addition, females of the Black race showed a higher in-hospital mortality vs. females of the White race (OR: 2.43; 95% CI: 1.40 – 4.25, p <0.01). Conclusions: In patients with hematologic malignancies who developed CIC, overall in-hospital mortality did not differ significantly by race alone. However, on sex-based stratification, Black males had lower in-hospital mortality compared to White males, while Black females had higher mortality than White females. These differences highlight potential race–sex disparities in outcomes that warrant further investigation.

Abstract Introduction: While the incidence of multiple myeloma (MM) is 2-3 fold higher in Black compared to white individuals, the impact of racial differences on treatment outcomes remains unclear due to the confounding effect of socioeconomic barriers and disparities in access to effective therapies and clinical trials. In this study, we explored the relationship between race, social deprivation, and outcomes in newly diagnosed MM (NDMM) patients (pts) receiving modern therapies with triplet or quadruplet regimens. Methods: Pts with NDMM diagnosis, who received first line treatment between 2015-2025, and had data available on response and survival outcomes were identified through the ASH Research Collaborative MM Data Hub (a real-world database with pts across 11 U.S. institutions). Data on patient demographics (age, race, ethnicity, sex), disease risk status (ISS/R-ISS stage, FISH cytogenetics), treatment regimens (triplet vs quadruplet, anti CD38 monoclonal antibody-based vs not), and disparity measures were abstracted from electronic medical records. Race and ethnicity were self-reported by pts. Social Deprivation Index (SDI) score was calculated based on ZIP code, where higher scores reflect greater deprivation. Progression free survival (PFS) was defined as time from start of treatment until progression or death. Overall survival (OS) was defined as time from start of treatment until death from any cause. Kaplan-Meier methods were used to compare PFS and OS between groups, and cox regression models with log-rank tests were used to evaluate the influence of various factors on outcomes. Results: A total of 1,743 patients were identified; 1,116 (63.8%) identified as non-Hispanic White (NHW) and 402 (23.3%) as non-Hispanic Black (NHB) [note: 85 pts (4.9%) were Hispanic but not included due to limited numbers]. The median age (years) at the start of treatment (61.8 vs. 65.6) was lower for NHB compared to NHW pts (p<0.001). The proportion of females was greater in NHBthan NHW pts(53.5% vs. 41.1%, p=0.0016). Median SDI scores were significantly higher for NHBcompared to NHW pts (68.4 vs. 39.4; respectively; p<0.001), reflecting significantly higher rates of social deprivation. While NHB ptshad higher rates of advanced stage disease (ISS III 26.9% vs. 20.9%, p=0.009), lower rates of autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) (56.7% vs. 63.6%, p=0.014), and longer median time from treatment initiation to ASCT (6.5 vs. 5.9 months, p=0.043), the rates of standard risk cytogenetics on FISH (72.3% vs. 77.6%), and utilization of CD38 monoclonal antibody-based regimen (29.9% vs. 27.7%) were similar between the two groups. Best response after treatment initiation was similar between the NHB and NHW pts (p=0.12) with complete response 45.7% vs. 52.6% and very good partial response 37.3% vs 34.7%; respectively. However, time to best response (months) was longer in NHB pts (7.2 vs. 6.5, p=0.005). Median follow-up for OS was 4.2 years (95% CI 3.9-4.4; 182 OS events) and for PFS was 1.3 years (95% CI: 1.1-1.6; 302 PFS events) across the two groups. Unadjusted PFS was similar for NHB vs NHW pts (HR=1.05, 95% CI: 0.81- 1.36; median: 5.0 vs 4.9 years; 3-year PFS: 66% vs. 71%). Similarly, unadjusted OS was not significantly different in NHB vs NHW pts (HR=1.12, 95% CI: 0.79-1.59; 5-year OS: 86.4% vs 85.6%). Higher SDI scores were significantly associated with worse OS (HR=1.07, 95% CI: 1.02-1.12; p=0.0065) but not PFS (HR=0.99, 95% CI: 0.95-1.02; p=0.46). Though not statistically significant, univariate analyses indicated a greater impact of high SDI scores (≥70, 75th percentile across all pts) in NHW (HR=1.45, p=0.068) than in NHB pts (HR=0.78, p=0.35) for OS. Adjusting for age, sex, ISS stage, and SDI, NHB did not appear to have worse OS (HR=0.75, 95% CI: 0.35-1.60; p=0.46) or PFS (HR=1.23, 95% CI: 0.78-1.96; p=0.37) compared to NHW pts. Conclusions: Our study represents a diverse population enriched for pts who received modern day standard of care frontline therapies including triplet and quadruplet regimens with or without ASCT. Based on SDI scores, higher social deprivation levels were seen in NHB compared to NHW pts without a difference in outcomes between the two races. Our analysis supports that higher social deprivation among different races rather than race and ethnicity alone may drive differential outcomes and adjustment for factors like SDI is critical to interpretation of survival outcomes by race.

Importance Observational studies have associated use of aspirin and selective cyclooxygenase inhibitors with decreased recurrence and improved survival in patients with colon cancer. While randomized clinical trials have not shown benefit across all patients, these findings suggest that select subgroups may benefit from their use. Despite the well-established prognostic value of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), its role in guiding treatment remains unclear. Objective To investigate the predictive value of postoperative ctDNA for survival outcomes with adjuvant celecoxib alongside conventional chemotherapy in patients with stage III colon cancer. Design, Setting, and Participants This was a post hoc analysis of the phase 3 Cancer and Leukemia Group B (now Alliance)/Southwest Oncology Group 80702 randomized clinical trial (2010-2015) assessing adjuvant celecoxib vs placebo and 3 vs 6 months of adjuvant 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin for stage III colon cancer. Patients consented to biospecimen collection and had ctDNA analysis performed. Data analysis was performed from September 2024 to June 2025. Exposures Postoperative ctDNA positivity was determined using a clinically validated, tumor-informed 16-plex-polymerase chain reaction-next-generation sequencing assay (Signatera; Natera Inc) performed between surgery and initiation of adjuvant therapy. Main Outcomes and Measures Disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). Survival by ctDNA status and adjuvant celecoxib use were assessed as part of a post hoc companion study with prespecified statistical analysis plan. Results Among 940 patients (mean [SD] age, 60.9 [10.8] years; 426 female [45.3%] and 515 male [54.7%] individuals; 222 [23.6%] with prior low-dose aspirin use; and median follow-up of 6.0 [95% CI, 6.0-6.0] years), 767 (81.6%) were ctDNA negative and 173 (18.4%) were ctDNA positive. ctDNA positivity was highly prognostic of worse DFS (reference, ctDNA negativity; adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 6.12; 95% CI, 4.66-8.03) and OS (aHR, 5.86; 95% CI, 4.19-8.19). In patients with ctDNA positivity, celecoxib was associated with improved DFS (aHR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.42-0.89) and OS (aHR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.40-0.96) compared to placebo. Among patients with ctDNA negativity, celecoxib did not provide survival benefit (DFS: aHR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.53-1.09; OS: aHR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.54-1.36), although the interaction was not significant ( P for interaction, .41 and .33 for DFS and OS, respectively). These findings persisted when stratifying patients by microsatellite instability status and PIK3CA mutational status. Conclusion and Relevance The findings of this post hoc analysis suggest that ctDNA status has the potential to inform clinical decision-making among patients with stage III colon cancer who should consider adjuvant celecoxib in addition to conventional chemotherapy. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01150045

Study Design Retrospective cohort study of a national database. Objectives This study investigates the association between preoperative antidepressant use and postoperative opioid utilization as well as overall outcomes following primary anterior cervical fusion (ACF) and posterior cervical fusion (PCF). Methods We conducted parallel retrospective cohort analyses utilizing TriNetX for patients aged ≥18 years old with ≥2-year follow-up undergoing primary ACF and PCF between December 31, 2006, and December 31, 2022. Cohorts were thoroughly matched resulting in 4575 ACF and 3497 PCF pairs. Medical outcomes, opioid abuse, healthcare utilization, mechanical and surgical outcomes were assessed through risk ratios (RR), risk differences, P -values, and Kaplan-Meier analysis. Results Antidepressant use was associated with increased new opioid prescriptions from 2 weeks to 2 years (ACF RR 1.090-1.130, P < 0.001; PCF RR 1.060-1.078, P < 0.001), higher hospital readmissions (RR 1.484, P < 0.001), prolonged inpatient stays (RR 1.329, P < 0.001), and ED visits from 6 weeks to 2 years (ACF RR 1.150-1.184, P < 0.001; PCF RR 1.092-1.144, P ≤ 0.034). Postoperative infections were elevated at 2 years (ACF RR 1.679-2.060, P ≤ 0.008; PCF RR 1.375-1.677, P ≤ 0.020). Opioid abuse was higher at 2 years (ACF RR 2.8000, P = 0.003; PCF RR 2.667, P = 0.001), and pulmonary embolism increased in ACF at 2 years (RR 1.633, P = 0.032). Reoperations were elevated at 1 and 2 years (RR 1.238-1.371, P ≤ 0.045), with reduced 2-year reoperation-free survival in ACF ( P = 0.001) and PCF ( P = 0.045). Conclusion Preoperative antidepressant use is associated with significantly increased risks of postoperative opioid utilization and both medical and surgical complications, including sepsis, infections, adjacent segment disease, and reoperations, up to 2 years after primary anterior or posterior cervical fusion.

Introduction Registrational trials are clinical trials which are used to justify regulatory approval of a new medication by the FDA. However, clinical trials may not be designed around patient-centred outcomes, like overall survival (OS) or quality of life. This disconnect raises concerns about whether current trial designs are truly aligned with the long-term needs and priorities of patients. A comprehensive analysis of trial designs and endpoints is necessary to ensure that future oncological therapies deliver meaningful clinical improvements. Our objective was to describe types of clinical trial design and primary endpoints used for registrational trials, and their trends over time. Research design and methods In this cohort study, the HemOnc database was used to identify registrational trials supporting cancer drug approval from 2004 through 2023. Clinical trial design (escalation, de-escalation, in-class switch, out-of-class switch) and primary endpoint (OS; time-to-event including progression-free survival; response-based endpoint) were characterized. Results Escalation trial designs were more common than in-class switches or out-of-class switches. De-escalation and mixed designs were exceedingly rare. The most common primary endpoint was a composite time-to-event endpoint. Conclusion Most clinical trials leading to FDA approval for cancer-directed therapies employ escalation designs with composite time-to-event endpoints. Designs reflecting paradigm shifts in therapy (in-class switches and out-of-class switches) are sparsely used. This approach raises the concern that trials may increase therapeutic toxicity without delivering meaningful improvements in OS or quality of life.