Pharmacokinetics-directed Intravenous Busulfan Combined With High-dose Melphalan and Bortezomib as a Conditioning Regimen for Patients With Multiple Myeloma

BACKGROUND

High-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) has a well-established role in the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma. Melphalan 200 mg/m² (Mel200) is the most commonly used preparative regimen. Several studies have provided evidence for potential synergism and safety when combining bortezomib (Btz) or busulfan (Bu) with melphalan (Mel).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We conducted a prospective phase II study to investigate the safety and efficacy of conditioning with pharmacokinetics (PK)-directed intravenous (IV) Bu with Btz and Mel. Bu dosing was adjusted to target a total area under the curve (AUC) of 20,000 μM × min. Patients received Btz (1 mg/m² × 4 doses) and Mel (140 mg/m²).

RESULTS

A total of 19 subjects were enrolled. Their median age was 55 years, and the median follow-up period was 23.7 months. PK testing resulted in 86% of patients achieving an estimated total AUC of 20,000 ± 2500 μM × min. The overall response rate (ORR) at day +100 after ASCT was 100% in the evaluable patients, with 11% of patients achieving a complete response. The 2-year progression-free survival rate was 57.9% (95% confidence interval [CI], 38%-89%), and the 2-year overall survival rate was 88.5% (95% CI, 76%-100%). The most common grade 3 and 4 toxicities were febrile neutropenia, dysphagia/odynophagia, and oral mucositis. No case of hepatic sinusoidal obstruction syndrome developed. One treatment-related mortality occurred before day +100.

CONCLUSION

A preparative regimen of PK-directed IV Bu with Btz and Mel led to an ORR of 100% with acceptable toxicity and should be considered for direct comparison with the Mel200 regimen in future trials.

Product characteristics associated with in vivo expansion of anti-CD19 CAR T cells in patients treated with axicabtagene ciloleucel (axi-cel)

3023

Background: Axi-cel (formerly KTE-C19) is an autologous anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy. ZUMA-1 is a multicenter, registrational trial of axi-cel in patients (pts) with refractory aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma. In a prespecified interim analysis, ZUMA-1 met its primary endpoint, with a 76% objective response rate and a 47% complete response rate ( Blood 2016;128:LBA-6). Post-treatment CAR T cell blood levels were associated with objective response. Here, we describe novel associations between product characteristics and CAR T cell levels in pts. Methods: CAR T cell characteristics in axi-cel produced from 62 pts were analyzed by flow cytometry and modeled against CAR T cell levels. In vivo CAR T cell levels were measured by qPCR. T cell expansion during production (fold expansion/total days in culture) was compared with CAR T cell blood levels, using a partition analysis with expansion rates of ≥1 vs < 1. Wilcoxon 2-sample test and linear regression were used. Results: Axi-cel contained CCR7+ T cells (median, 42%; range, 15–73%), with naïve (CD45RA+/CCR7+; median, 12%; range, 1–57%), central memory (CD45RA−/CCR7+; median, 29%; range, 12–49%) phenotypes, and more differentiated CCR7− effector memory and effector T cells. On infusion, CAR T cells expanded rapidly, reaching peak levels within 2 weeks (median, 43 cells/μL; range, 1–1513), and were also measurable in all pts at 1 month (median, 2 cells/μL; range, 0.03–89). The CCR7+/CCR7− T cell ratio in axi-cel associated positively with peak ( P =0.001) and cumulative ( P =0.003) CAR T cell levels through 1 month. Axi-cel lots that expanded more rapidly during production (≥1.0-fold/d; n = 18/62) associated with higher cumulative levels of CAR T cells ( P =0.03). Other product characteristics, eg, CD4/CD8 ratio or number of infused T cells, were not significantly associated with CAR T cell blood levels. Conclusions: An association was observed between CAR T cell expansion in vivo and both the T cell growth rate during production and product cell phenotype pretreatment. A key attribute of axi-cel product was the presence of CCR7+ naïve/central memory T cells, without upfront T cell subset selection. Clinical trial information: NCT02348216.

Clinical and biologic covariates of outcomes in ZUMA-1: A pivotal trial of axicabtagene ciloleucel (axi-cel; KTE-C19) in patients with refractory aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma (r-NHL)

7512

Background: Outcomes in activated B cell subtype diffuse large B cell lymphoma (ABC-DLBCL) and r-NHL are poor (Sehn Blood 2015, Crump ASCO 2016). ZUMA-1 is the first, multicenter trial of anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells, axi-cel, in r-NHL. Methods: Dosing and eligibility were per Neelapu ASH 2016. The primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR); secondary endpoints were duration of response (DOR), overall survival (OS), and safety. Cell of origin (COO) and CD19 status were assessed centrally using Lymphoma Subtyping Test NanoString (Wallden JCO 2015) and a validated immunohistochemistry assay, respectively. Results: As of Jan 27, 2017, 111 patients (pts) were enrolled; the manufacturing success rate was 99% with an average 17-d turnaround time; 101 pts (modified intent-to-treat [mITT] population) received axi-cel. In the mITT population, the ORR was 82% (complete response [CR], 54%). With 8.7 m median follow-up, 44% remain in response and 39% in CR. The median DOR was 8.1 m and not reached (NR) for pts with CR. Median OS was NR. Results for clinical and biologic covariates are listed in the table. In pts who received tocilizumab (n = 43) and/or steroids (n = 27) for cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and/or neurologic events (NE), ORR was 84% and 78%, respectively. Most common grade ≥3 adverse events (AEs) were neutropenia (66%), leukopenia (44%), anemia (43%), febrile neutropenia (31%), thrombocytopenia (24%), and encephalopathy (21%). Rates of grade ≥3 CRS and NE were 13% and 28%, respectively. There were 3 grade 5 AEs (Neelapu ASH 2016). Conclusions: Axi-cel induced an ORR of 82% in pts with r-NHL, response is ongoing in 44% of pts at 8.7 m. Similar clinical responses were observed in pts with r-ABC-DLBCL. AEs were manageable and the use of tocilizumab/steroids did not appear to impact ORR. Drs Locke and Neelapu contributed equally. Funding source: Kite Pharma and Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Therapy Acceleration Program Clinical trial information: NCT02348216. [Table: see text]

Chronic hepatitis C as an adverse prognostic factor in myelodysplastic syndromes

e18557

Background: Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has been associated with hematologic malignancies such as B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma. In contrast, there is very little known about the relationship between HCV and myeloid malignancies such as myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). To determine the effect of HCV on MDS/AML clinical outcomes we conducted a retrospective analysis in a large inner city cohort of patients (pts) Methods: 478 pts with MDS and MDS-transformed AML were identified between 1997 and 2016; 13 pts were HCV-positive (HCV+/MDS) and 465 were HCV-negative (HCV-/MDS). Demographics, hematologic parameters, cytogenetics, IPSS-R scores and molecular profiles were compared for both groups (grp). Survival (surv) analysis was done using the Kaplan-Meier method Results: HCV+/MDS had significantly worse surv than HCV-/MDS pts on univariate analysis (UA) (median surv 16 vs 52 months, HR 2.8, 95% CI 1.4-5.5, p < 0.01). Difference remained strongly significant after exclusion of HIV-coinfected pts (HR 2.7, p = 0.02) and pts w/ AML on presentation (HR 3.1, p < 0.01). Cytopenias were worse in HCV+/MDS (mean Hgb level 8.2 vs 9.4 g/dl, p = 0.04; mean plt count 64 vs 139 103/µL, p = 0.03). Average IPSS-R score was higher in HCV+/MDS pts (5.5 vs 3.8, p = 0.02). IDH1 mutation was more prevalent in HCV+/MDS (25% vs 2%, p < 0.01). Differences in age between HCV+/MDS and HCV-/MDS were non-significant (mean 64 vs 69 respectively, p = 0.2). Male-to-female ratio was higher in HCV+/MDS but difference was non-significant (2.3 vs 0.9, p = 0.2). Interestingly, high HCV viral load and cirrhosis did not correlate with poor surv in the HCV+/MDS grp, suggesting deleterious effect occurs even in early stages of HCV infection. Conclusions: Our analysis suggests that chronic HCV infection strongly correlates with worse surv in UA and is associated with lower blood counts and higher IPSS-R scores at the time of diagnosis of MDS. We observed a high rate of MDS refractory to standard therapies and speculate that HCV may affect biology of the disease. Larger studies are warranted to determine the effect of HCV on surv in this population and to provide a rationale for trials of anti-HCV drugs concomitantly with MDS Tx.

Characterization of anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell-mediated tumor microenvironment immune gene profile in a multicenter trial (ZUMA-1) with axicabtagene ciloleucel (axi-cel, KTE-C19)

3025

Background: Axi-cel is an autologous anti-CD19 CAR T cell therapy. ZUMA-1 is a multicenter, registrational trial of axi-cel in patients (pts) with refractory/aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). In a pre-specified interim analysis, ZUMA-1 met its primary endpoint with 76% objective response rate and 47% complete response (Blood 2016;128:LBA-6). We describe, for the first time, a tumor microenvironment immune gene signature associated with CAR T cell treatment (tx) of NHL pts. Methods: Paired biopsies, pre- and within 3 weeks post-axi-cel tx, were analyzed by digital gene expression followed by a pre-specified bioinformatics algorithm applied to IGES15 and IGES21 genes involved in immune-mediated tumor regression (Immunosign; Galon Immunity 2013). Immunosign profiles expression of a pre-defined set of effector T cell, Th1, chemokine, and cytokine genes. Expression analysis and hierarchical clustering were used to define an axi-cel-related tumor immune gene signature. Wilcoxon signed rank test with multiple test correction by FDR (Benjamini-Yekutieli) was used. Results: Gene expression profile comparisons of pre- and post-axi-cel tx biopsies from 14 pts showed profound changes in gene expression within the tumor environment after infusion. The most upregulated genes post-axi-cel tx were CCL5 (RANTES), CTLA4, and GZMA (log2 fold change > 2, P< 0.05, FDR < 0.050). Immune checkpoints PD-L1 and LAG3 were also upregulated post-axi-cel (log2 fold change > 1.6, P< 0.05, FDR < 0.055). Other genes associated with T cell proliferation, homing, and effector function were also upregulated: IL-15, GZMK, CXC3CL1 (Fractalkine), CD8A, and STAT4 (log2 fold change > 1.6; P< 0.05, FDR < 0.074). Additional baseline tumor characteristics and associative analysis will be presented. Conclusions: We define a mechanistic tumor immune gene signature in NHL pts associated with axi-cel tx. This signature comprises upregulation of T cell activation, effector, chemokine, and immune checkpoint genes. These data will potentially lead to rational optimization of T cell interventions in cancer Clinical trial information: NCT02348216.

Ibrutinib-induced severe liver injury

Ibrutinib, an inhibitor of the Bruton's tyrosine kinase of the B‐cell receptor pathway, is an effective therapeutic agent for B‐cell lymphomas. As these drugs are novel, long‐term or rare adverse events are not yet known. We report the first case of ibrutinib‐induced severe liver injury in a patient with relapsed/refractory CLL.

JAK2 V617F mutation, multiple hematologic and non-hematologic processes: an association?

Background

Population studies showed that patients with JAK2 V617F mutation had increased mortality, and increased risk of any cancer, hematologic cancer, and myeloproliferative disease.

Case presentation

A 68-year-old Asian male with JAK2 V617F mutation developed four different hematologic and non-hematologic neoplastic processes. In 2009, he was diagnosed with stage IA lung adenocarcinoma and also noted to have worsening leukocytosis and thrombocytosis with peak platelet count of 1,054,000/mL). Bone marrow biopsy was consistent with myeloproliferative neoplasm. His monocyte percentage increased in 2011 and met criteria for chronic myelomonocytic leukemia. In 2013, he was admitted for proximal small bowel obstruction, with biopsy confirming stage IE diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. In 2014, a bone marrow biopsy performed for worsening leukocytosis was consistent with acute myeloid leukemia with monocytic differentiation.

Conclusion

This is a rare case depicting the association of JAK2 V617F mutation with myeloproliferative, lymphoproliferative and solid neoplasms.

Efficacy of Pharmacokinetics-Directed Busulfan, Cyclophosphamide, and Etoposide Conditioning and Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation for Lymphoma: Comparison of a Multicenter Phase II Study and CIBMTR Outcomes

Busulfan, cyclophosphamide, and etoposide (BuCyE) is a commonly used conditioning regimen for autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). This multicenter, phase II study examined the safety and efficacy of BuCyE with individually adjusted busulfan based on preconditioning pharmacokinetics. The study initially enrolled Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) patients ages 18 to 80 years but was amended due to high early treatment-related mortality (TRM) in patients > 65 years. BuCyE outcomes were compared with contemporaneous recipients of carmustine, etoposide, cytarabine, and melphalan (BEAM) from the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research. Two hundred seven subjects with HL (n = 66) or NHL (n = 141) were enrolled from 32 centers in North America, and 203 underwent ASCT. Day 100 TRM for all subjects (n = 203), patients > 65 years (n = 17), and patients ≤ 65 years (n = 186) were 4.5%, 23.5%, and 2.7%, respectively. The estimated rates of 2-year progression-free survival (PFS) were 33% for HL and 58%, 77%, and 43% for diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL; n = 63), mantle cell lymphoma (MCL; n = 29), and follicular lymphoma (FL; n = 23), respectively. The estimated rates of 2-year overall survival (OS) were 76% for HL and 65%, 89%, and 89% for DLBCL, MCL, and FL, respectively. In the matched analysis rates of 2-year TRM were 3.3% for BuCyE and 3.9% for BEAM, and there were no differences in outcomes for NHL. Patients with HL had lower rates of 2-year PFS with BuCyE, 33% (95% CI, 21% to 46%), than with BEAM, 59% (95% CI, 52% to 66%), with no differences in TRM or OS. BuCyE provided adequate disease control and safety in B cell NHL patients ≤ 65 years but produced worse PFS in HL patients when compared with BEAM.

Linked-in: design and efficacy of antibody drug conjugates in oncology

The use of antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) as targeted chemotherapies has successfully entered clinical practice and holds great promise. ADCs consist of an antibody and toxin-drug combined together via a chemical linker. While the antibody and drug are of vital importance in the direct elimination of cancer cells, more advanced linker technology was instrumental in the delivery of more potent drugs with fewer side effects. Here, we discuss the preclinical experience as well as clinical trials, with a specific emphasis on the clinical outcomes and side effects, in addition to linker strategies for five different ADCs, in order to describe different approaches in the development of this new class of anticancer agents. Brentuximab vedotin is approved for use in Hodgkin&rsquo;s lymphoma and Trastuzumab emtansine is approved for breast cancer. Combotox, Inotuzumab Ozogamicin, and Moxetumomab Pasudotox are in various stages of clinical development and are showing significant efficacy in lymphoid malignancies. These ADCs illustrate the promise and future potential of targeted therapy for presently incurable malignancies.

Signal transduction inhibitors in treatment of myelodysplastic syndromes

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a group of hematologic disorders characterized by ineffective hematopoiesis that results in reduced blood counts. Although MDS can transform into leukemia, most of the morbidity experienced by these patients is due to chronically low blood counts. Conventional cytotoxic agents used to treat MDS have yielded some encouraging results but are characterized by many adverse effects in the predominantly elderly patient population. Targeted interventions aimed at reversing the bone marrow failure and increasing the peripheral blood counts would be advantageous in this cohort of patients. Studies have demonstrated over-activated signaling of myelo-suppressive cytokines such as TGF-β, TNF-α and Interferons in MDS hematopoietic stem cells. Targeting these signaling cascades could be potentially therapeutic in MDS. The p38 MAP kinase pathway, which is constitutively activated in MDS, is an example of cytokine stimulated kinase that promotes aberrant apoptosis of stem and progenitor cells in MDS. ARRY-614 and SCIO-469 are p38 MAPK inhibitors that have been used in clinical trials and have shown activity in a subset of MDS patients. TGF-β signaling has been therapeutically targeted by small molecule inhibitor of the TGF-β receptor kinase, LY-2157299, with encouraging preclinical results. Apart from TGF-β receptor kinase inhibition, members of TGF-β super family and BMP ligands have also been targeted by ligand trap compounds like Sotatercept (ACE-011) and ACE-536. The multikinase inhibitor, ON-01910.Na (Rigosertib) has demonstrated early signs of efficacy in reducing the percentage of leukemic blasts and is in advanced stages of clinical testing. Temsirolimus, Deforolimus and other mTOR inhibitors are being tested in clinical trials and have shown preclinical efficacy in CMML. EGF receptor inhibitors, Erlotinib and Gefitinib have shown efficacy in small trials that may be related to off target effects. Cell cycle regulator inhibitors such as Farnesyl transferase inhibitors (Tipifarnib, Lonafarnib) and MEK inhibitor (GSK1120212) have shown acceptable toxicity profiles in small studies and efforts are underway to select mutational subgroups of MDS and AML that may benefit from these inhibitors. Altogether, these studies show that targeting various signal transduction pathways that regulate hematopoiesis offers promising therapeutic potential in this disease. Future studies in combination with high resolution correlative studies will clarify the subgroup specific efficacies of these agents.

Eosinophilic Variant of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia with Vascular Complications

Eosinophilic variant of CML (eoCML) is a unique disease with a poor prognosis. Like the hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES), eoCML has no clinically identifiable reason for an increased eosinophil count in the peripheral blood. In contrast to HES, eoCML patients carry a distinct chromosomal abnormality. The bcr/abl fusion gene (Philadelphia chromosome) is the genetic basis of this clonal disease. Recently, eoCML has been separated from HES. Patients with eoCML frequently suffer organ damage including the heart and lungs. This damage is related to the release of eosinophilic granules in the blood, which results in fibrosis of the endothelial lining. We report a case of a peripheral vasculitis complicated by gangrene of the fingers in a patient with eoCML. Despite an almost complete response to CML treatment with Gleevac, combined with prednisone, aspirin and coumadin the patient sustained irreversible damage to the vascular lining of the distal arteries of the upper extremities.

High CD34 cell doses do not worsen regimen-related toxicity or early mortality after autologous blood stem cell transplantation for breast cancer

BACKGROUND

Some transplant-related complications, such as the engraftment syndrome, are thought to be mediated by cytokines released during expansion of hematopoietic progenitors at the time of neutrophil recovery. Since there is an inverse correlation between CD34(+) cell dose and time to neutrophil recovery, we sought to determine if peritransplant toxicity and early mortality were adversely affected by high CD34(+) cell doses.

METHODS

The study group included 186 women with breast cancer who received high-dose cyclophosphamide, carmustine, thiotepa and an autologous PBSC transplant. The median CD34(+) cell dose was 5.9 x 10(6)/kg (1.0-154.7 x 10(6)/kg). Patients were categorized by CD34(+) cell dose (1.0-3.5, 3.6-5.9, 6.0-19.9, and 20.0-154.7 x 10(6)/kg) for assessment of outcomes.

RESULTS

Grades 2-4 mucositis occurred in 49%, cardiac toxicity in 7%, pulmonary toxicity in 5%, cystitis in 4%, diarrhea in 3%, renal toxicity in 1%, and central nervous system toxicity in 1%. A Grade 2-4 regimen-related toxicity occurred in 109 patients (59%) and Grade 3-4 in eight patients (4%). Overall survival was 100% at Day 30, 96% at Day 90, and 89% at 1 year. Treatment-related mortality was 3.8%. In multivariate analyses that included prior chemotherapy, disease status, visceral metastases, prior chest radiation and age, CD34(+) cell dose group was not an independent risk factor for Grade 2-4 mucositis, Grade 2-4 maximum toxicity, Grade > or =3 cumulative toxicity, 90 day survival or 1 year survival.

DISCUSSION

We conclude that CD34(+) cell doses >20 x 10(6)/kg do not affect transplant outcome in a negative or positive fashion.

Chronic graft-versus-host disease after allogeneic blood stem cell transplantation

The incidence, characteristics, risk factors for, and impact of chronic graft-vs-host disease (GVHD) were evaluated in a consecutive series of 116 evaluable HLA-identical blood stem cell transplant recipients. Minimum follow-up was 18 months. Limited chronic GVHD occurred in 6% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0%-13%), and clinical extensive chronic GVHD in 71% (95% CI, 61%-80%). The cumulative incidence was 57% (95% CI, 48%-66%). In univariate analyses, GVHD prophylaxis other than tacrolimus and methotrexate, prior grades 2 to 4 acute GVHD, use of corticosteroids on day 100, and total nucleated cell dose were significant risk factors for clinical extensive chronic GVHD. On multivariate analysis, GVHD prophylaxis with tacrolimus and methotrexate was associated with a reduced risk of chronic GVHD (hazard ratio [HR], 0.35; P =.001), whereas the risk was increased with prior acute GVHD (HR, 1.67; P =.046). When adjusted for disease status at the time of transplantation, high-risk chronic GVHD had an adverse impact on overall mortality (HR, 6.6; P <.001) and treatment failure (HR, 5.2; P <.001) at 18 months. It was concluded that there is a substantial rate of chronic GVHD after HLA-identical allogeneic blood stem cell transplantation, that clinical factors may alter the risk of chronic GVHD, and that high-risk chronic GVHD adversely affects outcome.

Thiotepa, busulfan, and cyclophosphamide as a preparative regimen for allogeneic transplantation for advanced myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myelogenous leukemia

Sixty-two adults underwent marrow or blood stem cell transplantation from an HLA-matched related donor using high-dose thiotepa, busulfan, and cyclophosphamide (TBC) as the preparative regimen for treatment of advanced myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) (refractory anemia with excess blasts with or without transformation) or acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) past first remission. All evaluable patients engrafted and had complete donor chimerism. A grade 3-4 regimen-related toxicity occurred in eight (13%) patients, and a diagnosis of MDS was the only independent risk factor for grade 3-4 regimen-related toxicity (hazard ratio 9.25, P = 0.01). Day-100 treatment-related mortality (TRM) was 19%. Poor-prognosis cytogenetics increased the risk of day-100 TRM (hazard ratio 11.4, P = 0.003), and use of tacrolimus for graft-versus-host disease prophylaxis reduced the risk of day-100 TRM (hazard ratio 0.13, P = 0.027). For all patients, the three-year relapse rate was 43% (95% CI, 28%-58%). Refractoriness to conventional induction chemotherapy prior to transplantation was an independent risk factor for relapse (hazard ratio 10.8, P = 0.02). Three-year survival was 26% (95% CI, 14%-37%); survival rates were 29% for those transplanted for AML in second remission, 31% transplanted for AML in relapse, and 17% with MDS, and there were no independent risk factors for survival. TBC is an active preparative regimen for advanced AML. Patients with advanced MDS appeared to have a higher risk of toxicity and early mortality, and alternative preparative regimens should be considered for these patients.

Dendritic cell-mediated stimulation of the in vitro lymphocyte response to Aspergillus

Lymphocytes play a major role in host defense against Aspergillus, but little is known about the contribution of dendritic cells (DC) to antifungal immunity in humans. We have observed that DC derived from normal volunteers phagocytose heat-killed A. fumigatus conidia. Following 24 h of exposure to the fungus, DC displayed an increase in the mean fluorescence intensity of HLA-DR, CD80, and CD86, and an increase in the percentage of CD54(+) cells. These DC also displayed increased production of IL-12. DC derived from CD34(+) progenitors or monocytes stimulated autologous lymphocytes to proliferate and produce high levels of interferon-gamma, but not interleukin-10, in response to fungal antigen. DC generated from CD34(+) progenitors collected prior to autologous or allogeneic stem cell transplantation also partially restored the in vitro antifungal proliferative response of lymphocytes obtained from patients 1 month after transplantation. These results suggest that DC are important to host-response to A. fumigatus, and that ex vivo-generated DC might be useful in restoring or enhancing the antifungal immunity after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Melphalan and purine analog-containing preparative regimens: reduced-intensity conditioning for patients with hematologic malignancies undergoing allogeneic progenitor cell transplantation

A reduced-intensity preparative regimen consisting of melphalan and a purine analog was evaluated for allogeneic transplantation in 86 patients who had a variety of hematologic malignancies and were considered poor candidates for conventional myeloablative therapies because of age or comorbidity. Seventy-eight patients received fludarabine 25 mg/m(2) daily for 5 days in combination with melphalan 180 mg/m(2) (n = 66) or 140 mg/m(2) (n = 12). Eight patients received cladribine 12 mg/m(2) continuous infusion for 5 days with melphalan 180 mg/m(2). The median age was 52 years (range, 22-70 years). Disease status at transplantation was either first remission or first chronic phase in 7 patients, untreated first relapse or subsequent remission in 16 patients, and refractory leukemia or transformed chronic myelogenous leukemia in 63 patients. Nonrelapse mortality rates on day 100 were 37.4% for the fludarabine/melphalan combination and 87.5% for the cladribine/melphalan combination. The median percentage of donor cells at 1 month in 75 patients was 100% (range, 0%-100%). The probability of grade 2-4 and 3-4 acute graft-versus-host disease was 0.49 (95% CI, 0.38-0.60) and 0.29 (95% CI, 0.18-0.41), respectively. Disease-free survival at 1 year was 57% for patients in first remission or chronic phase and 49% for patients with untreated first relapse or in a second or later remission. On multivariate analysis the strongest predictor for disease-free survival was a good or intermediate risk category. In summary, fludarabine/melphalan combinations are feasible in older patients with associated comorbidities, and long-term disease control can be achieved with reduced-intensity conditioning in this population.

Primary cutaneous non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of Ann Arbor stage I: preferential cutaneous relapses but high cure rate with doxorubicin-based therapy

PURPOSE

Establish frequency, presenting features, response and relapse patterns, and outcome of primary cutaneous non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (PCNHL).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Review of untreated patients, older than 16 years, presenting between 1971 and 1993 with cutaneous lymphoma, not mycosis fungoides, and Ann Arbor stage I.

RESULTS

We identified 46 patients, 27 males, with median age of 57 years. Treatment was radiotherapy in 10 patients, doxorubicin-based therapy in 33 patients that was followed by radiotherapy in 25 patients, and other combination with radiotherapy in one patient. The complete response rate was 95%. After a median follow-up of 140 months (range, 61 to 284 months), 18 patients have relapsed, and 14 have died from lymphoma. The first failure was exclusively cutaneous in 50% of relapses. For the 44 treated patients, progression-free survival (PFS; actuarial +/- SE) was 61% +/- 7% and survival was 58% +/- 9% at 12 years. For the 18 patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, after doxorubicin-based regimens, PFS was 71% +/- 12% (P = .0003) versus 0% after radiotherapy; survival was 77% +/- 12% versus 25% +/- 22% (P = 004), respectively. For the nine patients with follicular center-cell lymphoma treated with combined modality, the 12-year PFS was 89% +/- 11% and survival 70% +/- 18%.

CONCLUSION

PCNHL is rare, and its first relapse is exclusively cutaneous in 50% of patients. Patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma are curable with doxorubicin-based regimens but not with radiotherapy. Prospective studies in PCNHL should define the cytogenetics, the basis for cutaneous tropism, the prognosis of histologic subtypes, and the role of radiotherapy.

Tacrolimus does not abrogate the increased risk of acute graft-versus-host disease after unrelated-donor marrow transplantation with allelic mismatching at HLA-DRB1 and HLA-DQB1

One hundred patients of median age 34 years (range, 14-53) received bone marrow transplants from unrelated donors serologically matched for human leukocyte antigen HLA-A, HLA-B, and HLA-DR using tacrolimus and minimethotrexate for prevention of acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Sixty-eight patient-donor pairs had allelic matches at HLA-DRB1 and HLA-DQB1, 20 pairs had a single mismatch at HLA-DRB1 or HLA-DQB1, and 12 were mismatched at both HLA-DRB1 and HLA-DQB1. Minimum follow-up time was 6 months. Grades 2 to 4 GVHD occurred in 43% of patients with matched donors, 69% with single allele-mismatched donors, and 71% with double allele-mismatched donors; grades 3 to 4 GVHD occurred in 22%, 43%, and 64%, respectively. On multivariate analysis, the relative risk of grades 2 to 4 GVHD was 2.2 (95% CI, 1.1-4.5; P = .03) with a single allele mismatch and 2.7 (95% CI, 1.2-6.0; P = .02) with a double allele mismatch. The relative risks of grades 3 to 4 GVHD were 3.0 (95% CI, 1.2-7.6; P = .02) and 5.0 (95% CI, 1.9-12.6; P = .001), respectively. Day 100 treatment-related mortality was also adversely affected by allelic mismatching, occurring in 21% of those with matched donors, 50% with single allele-mismatched donors, and 42% with double allele-mismatched donors (P = .02), but overall survival at day 180 did not differ significantly among the 3 groups. Tacrolimus does not abrogate the adverse impact of allele mismatching at HLA-DRB1 and HLA-DQB1 on the risk of moderate-to-severe acute GVHD.

Tacrolimus and minidose methotrexate for prevention of acute graft-versus-host disease after HLA-mismatched marrow or blood stem cell transplantation

Thirty adults with leukemia or lymphoma transplanted with marrow or blood stem cells from 1-antigen mismatched related donors received tacrolimus and minidose methotrexate to prevent acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). The group had a median age of 42 years (range 18-56 years). Twenty-seven patients had advanced disease, and 13 were resistant to conventional therapy. Tacrolimus was administered at 0.03 mg/kg/day i.v. by continuous infusion from day -2, converted to oral at four times the i.v. dose following engraftment, and continued to day 180 post-transplant. Methotrexate 5 mg/m2 was given i.v. on days 1, 3, 6 and 11. Mild nephrotoxicity was common before day 100; 69% of patients had a doubling of creatinine, 56% had a peak creatinine greater than 2 mg/dl, and two patients were dialyzed. Other toxicities prior to day 100 thought to be related to tacrolimus included hypertension (45%), hyperkalemia (17%), hyperglycemia (14%), seizures (13%), headache (3%) and hemolytic uremic syndrome (3%). Grades 2-4 GVHD occurred in 59% (95% CI, 38-70%), and grades 3-4 GVHD in 17% (95% CI, 1-32%). Overall survival at 1 year was 29% (95% CI, 12-45%). We conclude that tacrolimus and minidose methotrexate is active post-transplant immunosuppression for patients with 1-antigen mismatched donors.

Risk factors for acute graft-versus-host disease after allogeneic blood stem cell transplantation

We evaluated demographic characteristics and graft composition as risk factors for acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in 160 adult recipients of HLA-identical allogeneic blood stem cell transplants. The patients received a median nucleated cell dose of 7.9 x 10(8)/kg and median C34(+) cell dose of 5.6 x 10(6)/kg. GVHD prophylaxis consisted of cyclosporine (CSA) and steroids, tacrolimus (FK506) and steroids, or FK506 and methotrexate. Grades 2 to 4 GVHD occurred in 31% (95% CI, 23% to 39%), and grades 3 to 4 GVHD in 14% (95% CI, 8% to 20%). In univariate analyses, GVHD prophylaxis with CSA and high CD34(+) cell doses were significant risk factors for grades 2 to 4 GVHD, but diagnosis, age, use of total body irradiation, donor sex, female donor for male recipient, donor parity, donor alloimmunization, viral serology, nucleated cell dose, CD3(+) cell dose, and CD56(+) cell dose did not alter the incidence of GVHD significantly. With a CD34(+) cell dose less than 8 x 10(6) CD34(+) cells/kg, the risk of grades 2 to 4 GVHD was significantly higher for those who received CSA (39%, 95% CI, 21% to 47%) in comparison with those on FK506 (18%, 95% CI, 10% to 26%) (P =.03), but GVHD prophylaxis regimen had less impact with a higher CD34(+) cell dose (overall grades 2 to 4 GVHD rate 52%, 95% CI, 37% to 67%). GVHD prophylaxis and CD34(+) cell dose are independent risk factors for acute GVHD after allogeneic blood stem cell transplantation.

Carmustine, etoposide, cytarabine and melphalan as a preparative regimen for allogeneic transplantation for high-risk malignant lymphoma

BACKGROUND

The combination of carmustine, etoposide, cytarabine and melphalan (BEAM) is an effective autologous transplantation preparative regimen for lymphoma and has little toxicity, but the feasibility and tolerance of BEAM as a preparative regimen for allogeneic transplantation has not been established.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Thirty adults with primary refractory or recurrent intermediate- or low-grade lymphoma were treated on a prospective phase II study with carmustine 300 mg/m2 i.v. day -6, etoposide 200 mg/m2 i.v. followed by cytarabine 200 mg/m2 i.v. twice daily days -5 to -2, melphalan 140 mg/m2 i.v. day -1, and marrow or blood stem cells from an HLA-identical donor on day 0. Tacrolimus and methotrexate were used to prevent graft-vs.-host disease (GVHD).

RESULTS

Median time from transplantation was 20 mos (range 6-32 months). Median maximal regimen-related toxicity grade was 2, and four patients (13%) had a grade 3-4 regimen-related toxicity. Two patients had idiopathic interstitial pneumonitis. One patient had primary graft failure, and a second had autologous reconstitution documented at three months posttransplant. Grades 2-4 acute GVHD occurred in 31%, grades 3-4 in 16%, and chronic GVHD in 54%. Day-100 survival was 70%. Twenty-three patients achieved a complete response. The two-year relapse rate was 23%, survival was 48%, and disease-free survival (DFS) was 42%.

CONCLUSIONS

BEAM supports engraftment of allogeneic transplants and is a tolerable preparative regimen for allogeneic transplantation for lymphoma.