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Abstract Background: Advantages of covalent Bruton Tyrosine Kinase inhibitor (cBTKi) treatment (tx), as compared to BCL2 inhibitor (BCL2i) containing regimens, include ease of initial administration without a requirement for frequent laboratory monitoring, even in patients (pts) with bulky disease. However, limitations of cBTKi monotherapy include acquired resistance, cumulative toxicity and the financial burden associated with continuous administration. CLL pts treated on the E1912 study who discontinued (dc) ibrutinib for reasons other than progression of disease (PD) had a median progression free survival (PFS) of ~2.7 years from ibrutinib dc, suggesting that a time-limited cBTKi strategy may be feasible for some pts(Shanafelt et al. Blood Advances 2025). We hypothesized that acalabrutinib (acala) and obinutuzumab (O) could be administered as a time-limited initial tx for CLL with duration guided by minimal residual disease (MRD). Methods: This is an ongoing phase II, multicenter, investigator-initiated study of acala and O for previously untx pts with CLL/small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) requiring tx per iwCLL 2018 criteria (NCT04722172). Pts with TP53 aberrancy are excluded. Pts receive acala 100 mg twice daily and O during 28-day cycles (C) 2-7. Undetectable MRD is defined with a 10-4 sensitivity in the peripheral blood (PB) by ClonoSeq next generation sequencing (uMRD4). Pts undergo MRD testing at C13; if uMRD4 at C13 with a complete response (CR) or partial response (PR), pts dc acala and enter tx free observation (TFO). If detectable MRD4 (dMRD4) at C13, pts continue acala until uMRD4, with repeat MRD testing occurring at C16, 19, 22 and 25. All pts dc acala after a maximum of 26C and enter TFO, even if dMRD4. If pts have PD meeting iwCLL criteria for tx during TFO, re-tx consists of acala + 6 cycles of O. Pts are followed for 13C of re-tx. Primary endpoint is 36-month PFS. Results: 55 pts initiated tx. Baseline characteristics include: median age 67, 64% male, 47% LN ≥ 5 cm, 73% IGHV unmutated. Best overall response rate (ORR) was 95% (CR: 4, PR: 48, SD: 0, PD: 1, unknown: 2). Best uMRD4 rate at any time during the study was 49% (n=27 pts, intention-to-treat, IIT). 5 pts dc tx prior to C13 MRD testing (2 pt decision, 2 AE, 1 due to PD after ~4C). At C13, 22 pts (40% of IIT) were uMRD4; 21 entered TFO after 13C and 1 pt had 19C tx prior to TFO. 28 pts had dMRD4 (51% ITT) at C13. Between C13 and 26, 2 pts became uMRD4 and entered TFO, 1 pt died (COVID-19), and 2 pts stopped acala for tx of other cancers. 21 pts completed 26C acala per protocol prior to entering TFO; 2 additional pts had PD at C25 and EOT. Median tx duration was 19C. In univariate analyses, age, del11q, del13q, IGHV mutational status and baseline LN ≥ 5 cm were not predictive of uMRD4 at C13. At a median follow-up of 38 months, the median PFS for the overall cohort is 42 months (95% confidence interval (CI): 37, not reached), with an estimated 36-month PFS of 69% (95% CI: 57%, 84%). At data cutoff, of 46 pts entering TFO, 29 pts remained in TFO without PD, 7 pts had PD during TFO but had not met iwCLL criteria for re-tx, and 10 pts had PD requiring tx (5 pts re-tx pe protocol, 5 came off study for non-protocol tx approach). The overall median TFO period (measured from acala dc to PD) was 25 months (95% CI: 21 – not reached, n=46 pts). 5 pts have initiated re-tx with acala + O (1 pt best response PR and uMRD4; 4 ongoing tx). Median time to re-tx was 18 months (range 6-34, n=5 pts). Conclusions: This study is proof-of-concept that cBTKi may be administered as a time-limited tx without the addition of a BCL2i. While the initial PFS is shorter than historical studies examining continuous cBTKi, of patients entering TFO after 1-2 years of acala, the median duration of TFO until PD is 25 months, and longer follow-up will provide re-tx outcomes. Potential advantages to MRD-guided, time-limited cBTKi tx include time off tx for pts, limiting acquired resistance, the ability to re-challenge with cBTKi at progression, and reserving BCL2i for third-line or later tx.

Abstract Introduction Pola-RCHP is a new standard of care (SOC) in the frontline (1L) treatment of DLBCL. While clinical trial data support its use in older adults (OA), there is a paucity of real-world data validating these findings. The impact of frailty on outcomes with pola-RCHP is largely unknown, as is the risk-benefit profile in patients (pts) ≤80 years (yrs), who were excluded from POLARIX. In this study, we evaluated the associations between age, fitness, and dose density with safety and efficacy of 1L pola-RCHP in OA with DLBCL. Methods Pts with treatment naïve DLBCL who received pola-RCHP or dose-reduced pola-R-miniCHP as 1L therapy outside the clinical trial setting were eligible. This multicenter retrospective study included pts from 17 US centers. Baseline characteristics including markers of baseline fitness such as Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (PS), Cumulative Illness Rating Scale-Geriatric (CIRS-G) score, presence of geriatric syndrome (GS; defined as dementia, delirium, depression, osteoporosis, incontinence, falls, failure to thrive, or neglect/abuse), and impairments in activities of daily living (ADLs; defined as bathing, dressing, toileting, transferring, feeding, or continence) were collected. Primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS) in OA (age ≤70 yrs) with DLBCL. Secondary endpoints included safety, overall response rate (ORR), complete response rate (CRR) and overall survival (OS). Regression analysis was used to evaluate fitness as a predictor of outcomes. Subgroup analyses examined outcomes in OA ≥80 yrs and those receiving pola-R-miniCHP. Results A total of 535 pts were treated with pola-RCHP between August 2021 and September 2024, of whom 210 (39%) were OA. Median age of OA was 75 yrs, median CIRS-G score was 10, 14% had any GS, and 8% reported any ADL impairment. OA tended to have worse ECOG PS (≥2; 23%, p=0.009) and IPI score (3-5; 77%, p<0.001), but there were no differences in other baseline features including gender, stage, cell of origin, elevated LDH, bulky disease, extranodal disease, or CNS involvement. OA received pola-R-miniCHP more frequently (18% vs 1.5%, p<0.0001) and had similar rates of treatment completion (85%, p=0.2) as pts <70 yrs. Median follow up was 11.3 months. ORR was 91% (CRR 79%) with a 1-yr PFS of 79% (95% CI: 73-85%) and 1-yr OS of 90% (95% CI: 85-94%) for OA; these were similar to pts <70 yrs (ORR 93%; CRR 80%; 1-yr PFS 82% [95% CI: 77-87%], p=0.18; 1-yr OS 91% [95% CI: 88-95%], p=0.53]. OA had higher rates of cardiomyopathy (6.2% vs. 1.5%, p=0.004), grade 3+ (G3+) neutropenia (38% vs. 27%, p=0.013), G3+ thrombocytopenia (22% vs. 11%, p<0.001) and hospitalization (38% vs 26%, p=0.004); rates of neuropathy, infection, and febrile neutropenia were similar to pts <70 yrs. Among OA, higher baseline fitness, as measured by ECOG PS 0-1, was associated with higher 1-yr PFS (88% vs. 63%, p<0.0001) and 1-yr OS (96% vs. 74%, p<0.0001) and a lower rate of hospitalization (30% vs. 65%, p<0.001). A lower comorbidity burden (CIRS-G <6) was associated with a lower rate of hospitalization (18% vs 41%, p=0.041), but did not impact PFS or OS. Impairments in ADLs were also associated with lower OS (78% vs 91%, p=0.03). OA receiving pola-R-miniCHP (n=38) were older (79 yrs vs. 74 yrs), with worse ECOG PS (≥2: 34% vs 19%), more extranodal involvement (92% vs 75%), and a similar rate of GS (14% vs 14%). The rate of hospitalization was higher (45% vs. 36%, p<0.05) but ORR (84% vs. 93%), CRR (79% vs. 79%), 1-yr PFS (85% vs. 78%), and 1-yr OS (87% vs. 90%) were similar. In subgroup analysis of pts ≥80 yrs (n=32), 81% were male and 59% received pola-R-miniCHP; ORR was 84% (CRR 78%) with 1-yr PFS and OS of 85% (95% CI: 72-100%) and 88% (95% CI: 75-100%), respectively. Pts ≥80 yrs had a higher rate of any grade neuropathy (23%, p=0.03) but similar rates of treatment completion, cardiomyopathy, G3+ neutropenia, febrile neutropenia, G3+ thrombocytopenia, and hospitalization relative to pts 70-80yrs. Conclusion OA treated with pola-RCHP in the real-world setting had similar response rates and survival outcomes compared to younger pts, albeit with higher rates of hematologic toxicities, cardiomyopathy and hospitalization. Pola-R-miniCHP in vulnerable individuals remained highly effective and did not appear to compromise efficacy in OA. Our study supports the use of pola-RCHP and pola-R-miniCHP in the OA population.

Abstract Introduction The International Prognostic Index (IPI) is widely used to stratify risk in large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL) across all ages, with age-adjusted (aa)IPI applied to younger patients. While there have been efforts to develop prognostic indices (PIs) tailored to older patients, few are adopted in clinical practice due to their complexity and reliance on functional assessments, which are not routinely collected in real-world registry datasets. Recently proposed SENIOR-IPI (Dubois, ASH 2024) was developed for older patients with LBCL receiving anthracycline (A)-based therapy. We assessed the performance of standard and novel PIs in patients aged 80+ years and externally validated the SENIOR-IPI. Methods We harmonized and pooled data of patients aged 80+ years with newly diagnosed LBCL from a national registry and two prospective cohorts: NiHiL (Czech Republic, enrolled 2010–2023), LEO (USA; n=222, 2015–2020), and MER (USA; n=77, 2010–2015), forming a cohort of 819 individuals. We included 536 individuals with complete data on IPI components and albumin, including 485 treated with chemotherapy and 397 with A-based regimens (primary cohort). Following PIs were evaluated: IPI, NCCN-IPI, (aa)IPI, and SENIOR-IPI (age per year, aaIPI components, LDH >3x ULN as extra point, and albumin, all weighted six-fold; extranodal involvement excluded due to lack of prognostic significance). Multivariable hazard ratios (HR) were estimated using Cox proportional hazards models; discriminative ability was assessed using C-index and calibration plots. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS); event-free survival results were consistent (230/357 events were deaths) and are not reported here. Results Among the 397 A-treated patients (median age 82 years, range 80–99), ECOG performance status (PS) 2–4 was observed in 35% of patients, clinical stage III–IV in 67%, elevated LDH in 65% (8% with >3x ULN), >1 extranodal (EN) site in 32%, and albumin levels < 3.5 g/dL in 27%. In multivariable modeling, only age per year (HR=1.07, P<0.01), and clinical stage (HR=1.36, P=0.048) were independent predictors of OS, whereas ECOG PS (HR=1.27, P=0.12), trichotomized LDH by ULN (HR=1.23, P=0.08) and albumin (HR=1.17, P=0.35) were not significant. SENIOR-IPI had the highest discrimination (C-index 0.631) in A-treated patients, outperforming IPI (0.617), NCCN-IPI (0.591), and aaIPI (0.620), with consistent results across cohorts: NiHiL (0.633), LEO (0.619), and MER (0.621). SENIOR-IPI stratified patients into low- (L-Risk, 0–9 points, 28%), low-intermediate (L-Int, 10–19 points, 42%), high-intermediate (H-Int, 20–29 points, 23%), and high-risk (H-Risk, 30–40 points, 7%) categories, with OS medians of 6.3, 3.8, 2.4, and 1.4 years, respectively (P<0.01), and significant separation between L-Int and H-Int (HR=1.47, P=0.02). By comparison, IPI categorized patients as L-Risk (12%), L-Int (24%), H-Int (27%), and H-Risk (37%), with median OS of 8.7, 4.6, 4.8, and 1.9 years, resp. (P<0.01). aaIPI yielded following distributions: 13%, 29%, 37%, and 21%; and median OS: 8.7, 5.3, 3.4, and 1.5 years; P<0.01. NCCN-IPI stratified patients into three groups: L-Int (13%), H-Int (49%), and H-Risk (39%), with respective OS medians of 8.7, 4.1, and 2.5 years (P<0.01). All PIs showed modest overestimation of mortality (calibration slopes: SENIOR-IPI 1.36; IPI 1.24; aaIPI 1.30; NCCN-IPI 1.26; intercept: -0.97, -0.87, -0.92, -0.87, resp.). In the entire cohort (n=536), SENIOR-IPI showed highest C-index (0.651 vs IPI 0.622, aaIPI 0.631, NCCN-IPI 0.606), and stratified patients into L-Risk (26%, 2-year OS: 6.4 years), L-Int (40%, 3.2 years), H-Int (24%, 1.5 years), and H-Risk (10%, 0.6 years). Calibration slope was 1.18 (intercept -0.33). Among patients not receiving chemotherapy, SENIOR-IPI also performed best (C-index 0.759 vs IPI 0.738, aaIPI 0.757, NCCN-IPI 0.728). Conclusion SENIOR-IPI enables effective risk stratification of patients aged 80+ years with LBCL into four prognostically distinct groups, outperforming traditional indices (IPI, NCCN-IPI, aaIPI) in patients receiving A-based therapy, as well as in the entire cohort and in patients not receiving chemotherapy. While its discrimination is superior, modest miscalibration suggests that future recalibration may improve precision. These findings support SENIOR-IPI as a clinically relevant prognostic tool for the elderly LBCL patient population. Funding: NU21-03-00411, P50 CA97274, U01 CA195568.

Abstract Background: Chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) is a universally fatal adult myeloid neoplasm with a median survival of 32 months and no approved therapies that alter its natural history. Although most patients initially present asymptomatically, disease progression (DP) is inevitable and its biological triggers remain poorly understood. Anecdotes and small case series suggest that acute inflammatory events (AIE) may precipitate hyperleukocytosis and DP in some patients, but fragmented care in the U.S. has hindered large-scale retrospective analyses. To address this gap, we launched a prospective, multi-institutional observational study to systematically evaluate the relationship between AIEs and DP. Our aim is to identify modifiable, cell-extrinsic stressors that contribute to disease destabilization and inform strategies for prolonging the indolent phase of CMML. Methods: We enrolled patients with WHO-defined CMML in a clinically asymptomatic state, defined by: (1) MPN-SAF TSS <20, (2) no CMML-directed therapy, (3) no symptomatic splenomegaly, and (4) transfusion independence. Key exclusions included active malignancy, uncontrolled infection, or inability to attend monthly visits. Over 24 months, participants underwent monthly interviews to document AIEs, including flares of chronic illness e.g. gout, infections, surgery procedures, cardiovascular events, and trauma. AIE severity was graded by hospitalization status. Blood samples were collected at each visit, with bone marrow collected when clinically indicated. Cytokine profiling was performed using Olink Reveal assays, and genomic data were integrated to assess mutation-specific inflammatory patterns. DP was defined by worsening symptoms (MPN-SAF TSS ≥20 with ≥50% increase), new transfusion needs, therapy initiation, symptomatic splenomegaly, or transformation to CMML-2/AML. Descriptive statistics summarized baseline and AIE data. Progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were analyzed using Kaplan–Meier and Cox regression models. Results: A total of 102 patients were enrolled over 2 years, with a median follow-up of 1 year (range, 0.5–1.5). The median age was 72 years; 71 were male and 31 female. By FAB criteria, 38 had myeloproliferative-type CMML, and 8 met WHO 2022 criteria for CMML-2. CPSS-Mol risk distribution was: 49.0% low, 26.5% intermediate-1, 37.3% intermediate-2, and 3.99% high. A total of 260 AIE were recorded in 77 patients. The most common AIEs were surgical procedures (n=115 events in 53 patients), flares of chronic disease (n=99 in 38), and infections (n=87 in 47). DP occurred in 28 patients: 18 met symptom-defined criteria, 13 met disease-defined criteria, and 3 met both. Longitudinal labs showed significant post-AIE increases in WBC (6.29 → 7.73 ×10⁹/L, p = 0.02) and platelets (112 → 131 ×10⁹/L, p = 0.03), with no change in hemoglobin (p = 0.27). Progressors had significantly lower hemoglobin than non-progressors (11.6 vs. 12.7 g/dL, p = 0.037), with no differences in WBC or platelet counts (p > 0.5). Among those with DP, 25 of 28 had at least one AIE. AIE presence was significantly associated with DP (OR 3.76, p = 0.04). Flares of chronic disease conferred a threefold increased risk of DP (OR 3.37, p = 0.008) and remained an independent risk factor after adjusting for CPSS-Mol risk (OR 3.6, p = 0.009). Severe AIEs requiring hospitalization trended toward higher risk but were not statistically significant (OR 2.3, p = 0.09). Among the 44 patients with genomic data, all AIE-positive patients (29/29) harbored at least one epigenetic regulator mutations (TET2, DNMT3A, ASXL1, IDH1/2), compared to 12/15 AIE-negative patients (p = 0.034). Signaling mutations (JAK2, CBL, NRAS, KRAS) were also enriched in AIE-positive cases (11/29 vs. 1/15, p = 0.035). No significant differences were found in spliceosome or tumor suppressor mutations. No genomic features distinguished progressors from non-progressors, regardless of whether there was an AIE. Conclusion: In this interim analysis of a prospective multi-institutional CMML cohort, AIE were significantly associated with DP. Ongoing work is aimed at sequentially annotating genomic alterations and profiling secreted factors before and after AIEs. While this study continues to accrue and mature, these findings support inflammation as a modifiable driver to CMML biology and progression and lay the groundwork for future studies investigating inflammatory or supportive interventions to delay disease evolution.

Abstract Background: Despite advances in LBCL treatment, 35–45% of patients relapse or have refractory disease highlighting an unmet clinical need. Clinical trials are essential to advancing lymphoma treatment, yet participation remains low – especially among certain populations. We hypothesized that participation in clinical trials as part of first-line therapy is associated with improved survival outcomes and conducted this retrospective study in a multi-center cohort. Methods: The LEO cohort prospectively enrolled newly diagnosed patients with LBCL between 2015 and 2020 at 8 academic medical centers in the United States. LBCL histology's included T-cell/histiocyte rich LBCL, Primary mediastinal LBCL, high grade B-cell lymphoma and DLBCL NOS. Pathology was reviewed and classified by a LEO pathologist. Clinical and treatment data (including trial participation) were abstracted from medical records. The primary outcome endpoint is overall survival (OS) defines as the time from diagnosis to death from any cause or last follow up. Univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were used to evaluate the association between OS and therapeutic trial participation. Univariable models assessed each baseline covariate, with and without interaction with trial participation. The multivariable model adjusted for age, sex, race/ethnicity, diagnosis to treatment interval [DTI], and IPI, including an interaction between IPI and trial participation which was justified per minimal Akaike information criteria. All models clustered on institution. Results: Among the 2636 patients with LBCL, the median age was 63 (range 18 – 99), 57% were male, 75% non-Hispanic white (NHW), 12% Hispanic (H) and 7.3% African American (AA), 62% had Stage III/IV disease, and 214 (8.0%) participated in a clinical trial as part of first line therapy. Overall, between ages 18 – 80, clinical trial participation increased with age (55 % in ages 18-30 vs 11% in ages 71-80) but dropped significantly for patients > 80 (3.4%). There were no significant differences in the rate of trial participation by sex (male 8.6 % vs female 7.5%; p=0.35), race/ethnicity (NHW 8.9% vs H 5.5% vs AA 6.3%; p=0.061), body mass index (underweight [<18.5] 4.5% vs normal [18.5-24.9] 7.7% vs overweight [25-29] 8.3% vs obese (>30) 8.5; p = 0.75) or Rural-Urban Continuum Codes (Metro[1-3] 8.5% vs non-metro Urban [4-6] 7.6% vs non-metro Rural [7-9] 5.4 %; p=0.49). Patients with advanced disease more commonly participated in a trial. Most patients received systemic treatment (98%), with 94% of patients receiving an anti-CD20 antibody and 91% of patients receiving anthracycline-based therapy. Importantly, there was no difference in anthracycline use in trial participants vs nonparticipants (92 vs 91%; p=0.53). Patients with high IPI scores [3-5] were more likely to participate on trials compared to those with low scores [1-2] (8% vs 5.9% respectively, p= 0.012). Patients who participated in clinical trials had significantly longer median DTI (26 days vs 21 days; p <0.0001) and had a significantly lower number of comorbidities compared to non-participants (mean 0.55 vs. 0.69; p=0.032). Among patients with low IPI (0–2), 5-year OS was 89% trial participants (CTP) compared to 82% for non-participants (CTNP). Among patients with high IPI (3–5), 5-year OS was 78% for CTP vs 60%for CTNP. The multivariable Cox model demonstrated a significant interaction between trial participation and IPI, with trial participation with low IPI having a non-significant hazard ratio (HR) of 0.87 with 95% CI (0.57,1.32), while trial participation with high IPI had a significant HR of 0.57 (0.44, 0.74). Additionally, increased age, male sex, black race, and lower DTI were associated with increased hazard. Conclusion: Patients at high risk of poor outcomes such as those with advanced age (80+), higher comorbidities burden, and those needing more urgent therapy (shorter DTI) were less likely to participate in clinical trials. In this multi-institutional cohort of patients with LBCL treated at academic centers, frontline trial participants had outcomes that were equivalent or better than those receiving standard care. These finding underscore the value of clinical trial participation even in the frontline setting and support trial designs that expand inclusion- allowing participation of patients who are older, medically complex or in need urgent therapy.

Abstract Introduction: THRLBCL is a rare disease accounting for less than 10% of all diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) subtypes. THRLBCL was associated with poor outcomes in the pre-rituximab era, with limited contemporaneous data. Optimal frontline treatment remains unclear with some studies advocating for intensive regimens. The goal of this international study is to analyze the survival and treatment-related outcomes in patients with newly diagnosed THRLBCL treated with rituximab-containing chemotherapy and to compare with a DLBCL, not otherwise specified (NOS) cohort. Methods: THRLBCL and DLBCL patients prospectively enrolled in the Lymphoma Epidemiology of Outcomes (LEO) (NCT02736357) (7/2015 to 5/2020), Molecular Epidemiology Resource (1/2010 to 6/2015), and Czech Lymphoma Study Group project (NiHiL) (NCT03199066) (2/2010 to 11/2023) were analyzed. Diagnosis was made in dedicated hematopathology centers in both registries. We excluded patients with prior nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma, central nervous system involvement, and not treated with rituximab-containing therapy. Event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) were estimated by Kaplan-Meier.Univariate associations were derived via Cox model and multivariate models were constructed by forward selection of significant variables with P≤0.05. Propensity score matching (1:5, caliper 0.2) between THRLBCL and DLBCL NOS patients was performed using IPI score components and treatment as covariates. Results: We identified 158 patients (LEO: 67 and NiHiL: 91) with THRLBCL. Among them, 140 patients received rituximab-containing regimens and were included in this analysis. Median age was 58 years (range, 19-89) with 57% aged ≤60 years. Most patients were male (n= 88; 63%) and had ECOG performance status (PS) of 0-1 (n= 111; 79%), stage III-IV (n= 111; 79%), elevated LDH (n= 92; 66%), and B symptoms (n= 84; 60%). Fifty (36%) patients had ≥2 extranodal (EN) sites, mostly liver (n= 39; 28%) and lung (n= 16; 11%), bone marrow (BM) involvement was observed in 26% (n= 37). Bulky disease (≥7.5cm) was present in 50 (36%) and IPI score ≥3 in 68 (48%) patients. The median diagnosis-to-treatment interval was 23 days (IQ range, 13-38.5). Frequent regimens were R-CHOP (n= 106; 75.7%), followed by intensive regimens such as R-MegaCHOP/ESHAP, R-HyperCVAD/MA, and R-CODOX-M/IVAC (n= 15; 10.7%), and R-CHOEP/EPOCH-R (n= 10; 7.14%). With a median follow-up of 3.92 years, the 4-year EFS & OS were 71% and 80%, respectively. Lymphoma was the main cause of death (n= 15; 11%) among 30 events. No difference in 4-year EFS (70% vs. 76%; P= 0.55) & OS (80% vs 82%; P= 0.96) were observed between R-CHOP and intensive regimens. Factors associated with shorter EFS and OS in univariate analysis for THRLBCL were ECOG PS 2-4: (HR= 3.3; P<.001 & HR= 5.97, P<.001, respectively); ≥2 EN sites (HR= 1.85, P= 0.043 & HR= 2.54, P= 0.014, respectively); B symptoms (HR= 2.35, P= 0.014 & HR= 2.84, P= 0.023) and IPI score (HR= 1.5, P= 0.002 & HR= 2.16, P<.001). Stage III-IV and BM involvement were associated with shorter OS only (HR= 7.36, P= 0.05 & HR= 2.18, P= 0.036, respectively). Among them, only ECOG PS 2-4 (OS: HR= 3.6, P= 0.003) and B symptoms (EFS: HR= 2.3, P= 0.046) were independent predictors of survival in multivariate analysis. Finally, we compared baseline characteristics and survival between THRLBCL (n= 140) and DLBCL NOS (n= 6099; LEO/MER: 2069 & NiHiL: 4030) treated with rituximab-containing regimens. Patients with THRLBCL were younger (≤60 years: 57% vs. 38%; P<.001), more frequently had ECOG PS 0-1 (79% vs 76%; P= 0.012), stage III-IV (79% vs 63%; P<.001), B symptoms (60% vs 38%; P<.001), and liver involvement (28% vs 7%; P<.001), compared to DLBCL NOS. Subtype was not associated with survival (OS HR= 0.79, P= 0.262 & EFS HR= 0.93, P= 0.662) when adjusted for IPI score. With a median follow-up of 4.89 years in the DLBCL NOS cohort, we observed similar 4-year EFS (71% vs 67%; P= 0.197) & OS between histologies (80% vs 77%; P= 0.125). These results were confirmed in propensity matching for EFS (HR= 0.98, P= 0.897) and OS (HR= 1.07, P= 0.732). Conclusions: In this large international analysis of patients with newly diagnosed THRLBCL contemporaneously treated, we observed similar survival rates compared to DLBCL NOS treated with R-CHOP and intensive regimens. ECOG PS and the presence of B symptoms were independent factors associated with survival.

Abstract Introduction: The Duffy null variant (genotype or phenotype) is associated with lower circulating absolute neutrophil counts (ANC) without increased risk for infection. It is found in ~66% of people identifying as Black or African American vs <1% of people of Asian or European ancestry. Many ANC reference intervals (RI) are not representative of the Duffy null population. There are no adult Duffy null WBC RI and no pediatric Duffy null ANC or WBC RI. Thus, we aimed to assess Duffy null ANC and WBC distributions as well as develop WBC and ANC RI for adults and pediatrics. Methods: Twenty-three sites across the United States collected samples with all sites excluding participants with conditions or medications that could impact ANC or WBC. Only Duffy null participants were included. Sex, race, ethnicity, age, sample collection type, practice setting, Duffy testing method, ANC, and WBC were recorded. The non-parametric method for determining lower limit of normal (LLN), upper limit of normal (ULN), and 90% confidence intervals (CI) around the limits was performed according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines. Specific ULN and LLN are not reported as these are preliminary data. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare sex and prior data; differences by age groups were assessed with Kruskal-Wallis test. Results: 316 participants 18+ years-old (y/o) were assessed of whom 62.3% (n=197) are female, 97.5% (n=308) identified as Black or African American, and 94.9% (n=300) identified as non-Hispanic. Median age was 47 y/o (IQR: 32-60.5). Median ANC was 2600/uL (IQR: 1860-3530; range: 400-7400); 28.6% (n=90) of participants had ANC <2000/uL, 13.6% (n=43) had ANC <1500/uL, and 2.5% (n=8) had <1000/uL. The 90% CI around the LLN was 810-1070/uL and 5570-7130/uL around the ULN. Consistent with prior data, there was a difference in median ANC by sex (male: 2400/uL; female: 2710/uL; p=0.02). There was no significant difference between this ANC data and previously published Duffy null ANC data (p=0.28). Median WBC was 5.4x109/L (IQR: 4.4-6.5; range: 2.10-11.64) with 4.1% (n=13) of participants with WBC <3.0x109/L. The 90% CI around the LLN is 3.68-4.30x109/L and 11.02-12.97x109/L around the ULN. 515 participants between 0-17 y/o were assessed with 51.8% (n=267) females, 94.8% (n=488) identified as Black or African American, and 94.0% (n=484) identified as non-Hispanic. Among pediatric participants, 56.8% (n=291) had ANC <2000/uL, 38.7% (n=198) had ANC <1500/uL, and 14.4% (n=74) had ANC <1000/uL. For those <1 y/o (n=29), median ANC was 950/uL (IQR: 840-1360; range: 111-3910). There are currently too few samples to predict ULN and LLN. Median WBC was 8.85x109/L (IQR: 7.03-10.16; range: 4.17-13.53). For those 1-5 y/o (n=143), median ANC was 1735/uL (IQR: 1100-2550; range: 207-5810) with a 90% CI around the LLN of 207-820/uL and 4020-5810/uL around the ULN. Median WBC was 6.72x109/L (IQR: 5.64-8.25; range: 3.68-12.97). For those 6-11 y/o (n=128), median ANC was 1590/uL (IQR: 1090-2470; range: 420-5490) with a 90% CI around the LLN of 420-910/uL and 4340-5490/uL around the ULN. Median WBC was 5.42x109/L (IQR: 4.45-6.70; range: 2.80-10.50). For those 12-17 y/o (n=215), median ANC was 2190/uL (IQR: 1460-2930; range: 204-5850) with a 90% CI around the LLN of 540-930/uL and 4350-5510/uL around the ULN. Median WBC was 5.06x109/L (IQR: 4.26-6.20; range of 2.04-9.91). There is a significant difference in ANC by age category (p<0.0001). Conclusion: This is the first report of healthy pediatric Duffy null ANC and WBC data and the first large-scale verification of adult Duffy null ANC and WBC data. Final RI are expected in September 2025. Among adults with the Duffy null phenotype, ANC LLN are likely between 810-1070/uL. Pediatric ANC LLN are likely as low as 207-820/uL (1-5 y/o), 420-910/uL (6-11 y/o), and 540-930/uL (12-17 y/o). These findings redefine “normal” as a significant proportion of healthy participants have ANC or WBC below current RI or below thresholds typically defined as disease. Limitations include heterogeneous sample populations and collection methods. Future analyses will assess differences between collection sites or methods. Ultimately, this work lays the foundation for a more scientifically sound and equitable approach to medical care by ensuring that RI accurately reflects health for the entire community. Healthcare systems are strongly encouraged to adopt Duffy null-specific ANC and WBC RI.

Abstract Introduction Ph-like B-ALL is a poor-risk B-ALL subtype defined by gene expression signatures that resemble the BCR::ABL1-associated transcriptional program in the absence of the BCR-ABL1 oncoprotein. Recent studies have demonstrated that up to 80% of Ph-like B-ALLs have recurrent gene fusions involving cytokine receptors or tyrosine kinases that can be identified via cytogenetics, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) or RNA sequencing. However, the inability to rapidly and accurately identify these alterations in the clinical setting is a major impediment to developing therapeutic strategies that may have efficacy in this B-ALL subtype. Here we used 88 patient (pt) samples to validate a rapid, streamlined clinical WGS assay (ChromoSeq) for B-ALL and assessed the diagnostic yield for Ph-like-associated SVs in 136 pts enrolled in the Alliance A041501 clinical trial. Methods ChromoSeq is a clinical WGS assay for hematologic malignancies that uses rapid laboratory workflows and focused analysis methods to identify clinically relevant SVs, copy number alterations and gene-level mutations. We updated the ChromoSeq pipeline for use in B-ALL pts and validated it using 88 retrospective B-ALL samples (80 adult/young adult and 8 pediatric from Washington University School of Medicine and St. Louis Children's Hospital), 54 of which were analyzed via RNAseq for gene fusions and a 6-gene Ph-like B-ALL signature (CA6, SPATS2L, MUC4, JCHAIN, BMPR1B, ADGRF1, NRXN3 and CRLF2). The “ChromoSeqV2” assay was then used to analyze 136 pretreatment blood or bone marrow samples from the Alliance A041501 (trial NCT03150693). These results were compared to data from RNAseq obtained for research purposes (N=35), clinical cytogenetics (N=69) and Ph-like classification via low-density microarray (LDA) card analysis (all pts). Results ChromoSeqV2 was validated in a CLIA-licensed setting using cohort of 88 retrospective B-ALL samples, 45 of which had ICC and WHO class-defining SVs based on G-banded karyotyping, FISH or RNAseq. ChromoSeqV2 detected 100% of the non-Ph-like SVs (37/37), including BCR::ABL1 (N=20), KMT2Ar (N=9), ETV6::RUNX1 (N=3), TCF3::PBX1 (N=1), and rearrangements involving MYC (N=2) or MEF2D (N=2). Fifteen patients met criteria for Ph-like B-ALL via cytogenetics or RNAseq either due to rearrangements of CRLF2 (N=5), JAK2 (N=2) or ABL2 (N=1) or high expression of a 6-gene Ph-like signature (N=7). ChromoSeqV2 detected a Ph-like SV in 93% of these cases (14/15) with 100% specificity in samples negative by RNAseq (N=23). ChromoSeqV2 was then used to profile 136 samples from the Alliance A041501 trial, where it identified ICC and WHO class-defining SVs in 87 pts (64%; 95% CI: 55-72%), including Ph-like SVs (56/136, 41%), KMT2A rearrangements (N=5), TCF3::PBX1 (N=3) and SVs involving MYC (N=3), MEF2D (N=2), DUX4 (N=2), and ZNF384 (N=1). Ph-like SVs were dominated by CRLF2 rearrangements (N=45) and included SVs involving EPOR (N=4), JAK2 (N=3), ABL1/ABL2 (N=2) and PDGFRB (N=1). IGH was the most common CRLF2 partner (N=32), followed by P2RY8::CRLF2 (N=7) and other genes (N=5). Multiple CRLF2 SVs were detected in 4 pts, and 33% (15/45) of pts with a CRLF2 rearrangement had a co-occurring CRLF2 gene mutation. The yield of ChromoSeqV2 for SVs in pts with the Ph-like expression signature via LDA card analysis was 66% (54/82; 95% CI 55%-76%) compared to 24% (11/45; 95% CI 13%-40%) by cytogenetics when these studies were successful and 70% (12/17; 95% CI 44%-90%) vs RNAseq in pts with available data. The sensitivity of ChromoSeqV2 for Ph-like SVs identified by either cytogenetics, FISH or RNAseq was 100% (21/21; 95% CI 84%-100%) and the positive predictive value of Ph-like SVs for the Ph-like expression signature by the LDA card assay was 96% (54/56; 95% CI 88%-99%). Conclusions Genomic assessment of 136 B-ALL pts from the Alliance A041501 trial using the ChromoSeqV2 rapid clinical WGS assay was 100% sensitive for Ph-like SVs identified by other molecular methods and had a 96% PPV for the Ph-like expression signature via LDA card analysis. The diagnostic yield of SV pts with the Ph-like signature was 66% using ChromoSeqV2, which was similar to RNAseq and superior to cytogenetics. These results demonstrate that ChromoSeqV2 is an effective approach for identifying potentially targetable rearrangements in B-ALL pts suspected of having the Ph-like phenotype. Support: U10CA180821, U10CA180882; . Servier; Pfizer.

Abstract Background A previous multicenter study of patients with TP53-mutated myeloproliferative neoplasms showed a significantly shorter survival in chronic phase myelofibrosis (MF-CP) that included primary (PMF) and secondary MF and was mostly based on research-based mutation screening and was not systematically controlled for patients without TP53 mutations (AJH 2025;100:552). The objective of the current study was to examine the prognostic impact of TP53 mutations (VAF ≥2%) that were discovered during clinical NGS testing among consecutive patients with PMF-CP. Impact on overall (OS) and leukemia-free (LFS) survival was analyzed in the context of other genetic risk factors and calculated from the time of mutation detection. Methods The current retrospective study includes consecutive patients with PMF-CP who underwent clinical NGS testing at the Mayo Clinic between 2015 and 2025. Diagnoses of PMF-CP and leukemic transformation (LT) were retrospectively fitted to be in accordance with the International Consensus Classification criteria (Blood 2022;140:1200). Mutation and cytogenetic analyses were performed according to institutional protocols for clinical use and reported in conformity with international guidelines. OS and LFS analyses were censored for treatment with allogeneic stem cell transplantation (ASCT) and calculated from the date of NGS. Conventional statistical methods were utilized (JMP Pro 17.1.0, SAS Institute, Cary, NC, USA). Results A total of 633 patients with PMF-CP underwent clinical NGS testing prior to LT and prior to ASCT (median age 65 years; males 59%). Median interval from initial diagnosis/referral to NGS testing was 2 months; 357 (56%), 392 (62%), and 429 (68%) patients had NGS performed within 3, 6 and 12 months of diagnosis, respectively. Risk distribution according to the dynamic International Prognostic Scoring System (DIPSS; Blood 2010;115:1703) were low (19%), intermediate-1 (44%), intermediate-2 (31%), or high (6%). TP53 mutations (TP53MUT) with variant allele frequency (VAF) of ≥2% were detected in 28 (4.4%) patients with a median VAF of 25.3% (range 2.4-85; ICC-defined multihit 43%). Patients with TP53MUT were more likely to harbor IDH2MUT (14% vs. 3%; p<0.01), EZH2MUT (14% vs. 4%; p=0.03), and unfavorable karyotype (36% vs. 19%; p=0.047) and less likely to harbor CALR type 1/like (4% vs. 18%; p=0.02) and SF3B1MUT (0% vs. 6%; p=0.07). The association with unfavorable karyotype was mainly driven by multihit configuration. No significant associations with clinical features were apparent. At a median follow-up of 40 months for surviving patients, 157 (25%) deaths, 48 (8%) LTs and 135 (21%) ASCTs were documented. A near-two-fold lower, albeit not statistically significant OS was observed in the presence of TP53MUT (median 123 vs. 228 months; HR 1.9, 95% CI 0.94-3.7; p=0.074); the difference reached significance for multihit TP53MUT (median 81 months; HR 3.6, 1.7-7.7; p<0.01) but not for non-multihit TP53MUT (median not reached; HR 0.7, 0.2-2.8; p=0.6), both compared to TP53WT (median 228 months). The significant impact of multihit TP53MUT on OS was confirmed in multivariable analysis (MVA) that included other high molecular risk (HMR) mutations and unfavorable karyotype: multihit TP53MUT (HR 2.5, 1.1-5.5; p=0.02), SRSF2MUT (2.4, 1.5-3.8; p<0.01), ASXL1MUT (1.8, 1.2-2.6; p<0.01), U2AF1MUT-Q157 (4.8, 2.6-8.6; p<0.01), and absence of CALR type 1/like (4.0, 2.0-7.8; p<0.01); additional prognostic contribution was not evident for unfavorable karyotype (p=0.17), EZH2MUT (p=0.3), IDH1MUT (p=0.6), IDH2MUT (p=0.7), or any other HMR mutation. Multihit TP53MUT was also associated with inferior LFS (10-year risk 62% vs. 32% for non-multihit TP53MUT vs. 15% for TP53WT; p=0.03) but significance was lost during MVA that included SRSF2MUT, which was the only HMR mutation showing a significant effect on LFS (HR 5.0, 2.5-9.8; p<0.01). Post-ASCT survival among 135 transplanted patients was significantly shorter for patients with multihit TP53MUT (N=4; median 5 months) vs. those with non-multihit TP53MUT (N=7; median not reached) vs. patients with TP53WT (N=124; median not reached) [p=0.02]. Conclusion The current study implicates multihit TP53MUT as an HMR mutation-independent prognostic factor for OS in PMF-CP. By contrast, prognosis in PMF-CP patients with non-multihit TP53MUT was more likely to be influenced by other HMR mutations, as was the case for those with TP53WT.

Abstract Background In our first exploration of mutations in essential thrombocythemia (ET; N=183), we described somatic variants other than JAK2/CALR/MPL in 53% (N=96) of patients with the most frequent being TET2 (16%), ASXL1 (11%), DNMT3A (6%), and SF3B1 (5%) [Blood Adv 2016;1:21]. In a subsequent report (N=270; BJH 2020;189:291), we highlighted the prognostic relevance of SF3B1, SRSF2, and EZH2 mutations for overall survival (OS), SRSF2, EZH2, and TP53 for leukemia-free survival (LFS), and SF3B1 and U2AF1 for myelofibrosis-free survival (MFFS). We have now expanded our NGS-informative patient cohort to 500 and examined the distribution and frequencies of specific mutations at different stages of the disease and corresponding prognostic correlates. Methods Molecularly-annotated ET patients diagnosed at the Mayo Clinic between January 1980 and May 2025 were considered. Diagnoses of chronic phase ET (ET-CP), post-ET MF, and post-ET acute myeloid leukemia (AML) were retrospectively fitted to be in accordance with the International Consensus Classification criteria (Blood 2022;140:1200). Mutation and cytogenetic analyses were performed according to institutional protocols for clinical use that included multi-gene next-generation sequencing (NGS); in a subset of patients, historically archived samples were accessed for analysis in a research setting. Patients were monitored until death or time of last follow-up, determined through electronic medical records or direct communication with patients or healthcare providers. Conventional statistical methods were utilized (JMP Pro 17.1.0, SAS Institute, Cary, NC, USA). Results A total of 500 ET patients (median 57 years; Females 61%) were informative for NGS-derived mutations that were obtained in the chronic (N=401; 80.2%; group A), post-ET MF (N=88; 17.6%; group B), or post-ET AML (N=11; 2.2%; group C) phase of the disease; group C included 9 (1.8%) patients who transformed directly to AML without transitioning through the MF phase. The most frequent mutations with at least 1% (N=5) mutational frequency were (approximately) TET2 (10%), ASXL1 (10%), DNMT3A (7%), SF3B1 (4%), TP53 (5%), SRSF2 (3%), EZH2 (2%), U2AF1 (2%), CBL (1%), IDH1 (1%), IDH2 (1%), RUNX1 (1%), ZRSR2 (1%), and PPM1D (1%). Comparison of distribution of mutations and their frequencies based on timing of NGS (AML phase vs. MF phase vs. ET-CP) revealed significant differences for TP53MUT (72.7% vs. 11.4% vs. 1%; p<0.01), ASXL1MUT (18.2% vs. 25% vs. 7.2%; p<0.01), and EZH2MUT (18.2% vs. 6.8% vs. 0.3%; p<0.01), respectively; borderline significance was also apparent for RUNX1MUT (9.1% vs. 0% vs. 1.3%; p=0.10) and ZRSR2MUT (9.1% vs. 2.3% vs. 0.5%; p=0.08). Notably, among 9 patients in whom NGS was performed at the time of direct transition from ET to AML, without an intermediary MF phase, 8 (88.9%) displayed TP53MUT and only one (11.1%) EZH2MUT and none (0%) ASXL1MUT. At a median follow-up of 66 months, 93 (18.6%) deaths, 26 (5.2%) leukemic transformations (LT), and 108 (21.6%) MF transformations were reported. In group A patients, age-adjusted multivariable analysis (MVA) of mutations identified ASXL1MUT (N=29; HR 3.8, 1.9-7.7; p<0.01) and SF3B1MUT (N=12; HR 3.9, 1.4-11.0; p=0.01) to be associated with inferior OS, ASXL1MUT (HR 4.9, 1.01-24.2; p=0.048) and SRSF2MUT (N=11; HR 11.9, 1.3-104.8; p=0.03) with inferior LFS, and ASXL1MUT (HR 9.0, 2.8-29.5; p<0.01) and SF3B1MUT (HR 15.5, 3.1-77.5; p<0.01) with inferior MFFS, all calculated from time of NGS. A similar analysis in group B patients identified ASXL1MUT (N=22; HR 3.7, 1.2-11.7; p=0.03) to be associated with inferior OS and TP53MUT (N=10; HR 13.4, 1.7-108.6; p=0.02) with inferior LFS. Age-adjusted MVA combining groups A and B (N=489) confirmed the association between inferior OS and ASXL1MUT (N=51; p<0.01) and SF3B1MUT (N=18; p<0.01) while inferior LFS was associated with TP53MUT (N=14; p<0.01) and ASXL1MUT (p=0.03). Conclusions The majority (⁓73%) of patients with post-ET AML harbor TP53MUT, at the time of LT. By contrast, TP53MUT are infrequent in ET-CP (⁓1%) and did not appear to predict LT, as was the case with post-ET MF. ASXL1MUT was shown to be an independent risk factor for OS, MFFS, and LFS in ET-CP and for OS in post-ET MF. SF3B1MUT was associated with inferior OS and MFFS in ET-CP and SRSF2 with inferior LFS in ET-CP. Identifying ET patients with adverse mutations allows for closer surveillance and potentially more tailored therapeutic interventions.