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Boisclair S, Zhou E, Naing P, Thakur R, Jou E, Goldberg B, Gladstone DE, Allen SL, Kolitz JE, Chitty DW. Less is more: An analysis of venetoclax and hypomethylating agent post-induction treatment modifications in AML. Leuk Res 2024; 143:107545. [PMID: 38963990 DOI: 10.1016/j.leukres.2024.107545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2024] [Revised: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
Venetoclax (Ven) combined with a hypomethylating agent (HMA) enhances survival in elderly/unfit acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients, yet often necessitates regimen modifications due to intolerance. However, it is unclear how these modifications affect patient outcome. This retrospective cohort study evaluates the impact of post-induction HMA/Ven regimen modifications on disease progression and survival. This study reviewed 142 AML patients treated with HMA/Ven within the Northwell Health System from January 2019 to December 2022. To assess the impact of post-induction regimen modifications, patients were grouped according to median days between cycles (≤34 or ≥35 days cycle intervals) and median Ven days per cycle (≤14 or ≥15 days/cycle) based on only cycle 3 and beyond. Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazard regression analyses were employed for univariate and multivariate assessments, respectively. There was no significant difference in median progression-free survival (mPFS)(11.6 vs 11.8 months, p = 0.73) or median overall survival (mOS)(15.1 vs 21.8 months, p = 0.16) between cycle interval groups. However, there was a clinically and statistically significant advantage in mPFS (15.8 vs 8.7 months, p = 0.01) and mOS (24.7 vs 11.3 months, p = 0.006) for patients with a median of ≤14 Ven days/cycle compared to ≥15 Ven days/cycle. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that ≤14 days of Ven for cycle 3 and beyond was an independent predictor of decreased mortality (HR 0.18, CI 0.07-0.48, p = 0.0007). Extended cycle intervals did not adversely affect mortality while reduced Ven duration per cycle post-induction was associated with improved survival in elderly AML patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Boisclair
- Northwell, New Hyde Park, NY, United States; Northwell Health Cancer Institute, Lake Success, NY, United States; Zucker School of Medicine, Hempstead, NY, United States.
| | - Edward Zhou
- Northwell, New Hyde Park, NY, United States; Northwell Health Cancer Institute, Lake Success, NY, United States; Zucker School of Medicine, Hempstead, NY, United States
| | - Phyu Naing
- Northwell, New Hyde Park, NY, United States; Northwell Health Cancer Institute, Lake Success, NY, United States; Zucker School of Medicine, Hempstead, NY, United States
| | - Richa Thakur
- Northwell, New Hyde Park, NY, United States; Northwell Health Cancer Institute, Lake Success, NY, United States; Zucker School of Medicine, Hempstead, NY, United States
| | - Erin Jou
- Northwell, New Hyde Park, NY, United States; Northwell Health Cancer Institute, Lake Success, NY, United States; Zucker School of Medicine, Hempstead, NY, United States
| | - Bradley Goldberg
- Northwell, New Hyde Park, NY, United States; Northwell Health Cancer Institute, Lake Success, NY, United States; Zucker School of Medicine, Hempstead, NY, United States
| | - Douglas E Gladstone
- Northwell, New Hyde Park, NY, United States; Northwell Health Cancer Institute, Lake Success, NY, United States; Zucker School of Medicine, Hempstead, NY, United States
| | - Steven L Allen
- Northwell, New Hyde Park, NY, United States; Northwell Health Cancer Institute, Lake Success, NY, United States; Zucker School of Medicine, Hempstead, NY, United States
| | - Jonathan E Kolitz
- Northwell, New Hyde Park, NY, United States; Northwell Health Cancer Institute, Lake Success, NY, United States; Zucker School of Medicine, Hempstead, NY, United States
| | - David W Chitty
- Northwell, New Hyde Park, NY, United States; Northwell Health Cancer Institute, Lake Success, NY, United States; Zucker School of Medicine, Hempstead, NY, United States
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2
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Zhao J, Wu S, Wang D, Edwards H, Thibodeau J, Kim S, Stemmer P, Wang G, Jin J, Savasan S, Taub JW, Ge Y. Panobinostat sensitizes AraC-resistant AML cells to the combination of azacitidine and venetoclax. Biochem Pharmacol 2024:116065. [PMID: 38373594 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2024.116065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
The majority of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients respond to intensive induction therapy, consisting of cytarabine (AraC) and an anthracycline, though more than half experience relapse. Relapsed/refractory (R/R) AML patients are difficult to treat, and their clinical outcomes remain dismal. Venetoclax (VEN) in combination with azacitidine (AZA) has provided a promising treatment option for R/R AML, though the overall survival (OS) could be improved (OS ranges from 4.3 to 9.1 months). Overexpression of c-Myc is associated with chemoresistance in AML. Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors have been shown to suppress c-Myc and enhance the antileukemic activity of VEN, as well as AZA, though combination of all three has not been fully explored. In this study, we investigated the HDAC inhibitor, panobinostat, in combination with VEN + AZA against AraC-resistant AML cells. Panobinostat treatment downregulated c-Myc and Bcl-xL and upregulated Bim, which enhanced the antileukemic activity of VEN + AZA against AraC-resistant AML cells. In addition, panobinostat alone and in combination with VEN + AZA suppressed oxidative phosphorylation and/or glycolysis in AraC-resistant AML cells. These findings support further development of panobinostat in combination with VEN + AZA for the treatment of AraC-resistant AML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianlei Zhao
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering, The Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, PR China; Department of Oncology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA; Molecular Therapeutics Program, Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Shuangshuang Wu
- Department of Pediatric Hematology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130012, PR China
| | - Deying Wang
- The Tumor Center of the First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, PR China
| | - Holly Edwards
- Department of Oncology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA; Molecular Therapeutics Program, Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Jenna Thibodeau
- Cancer Biology Graduate Program, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Seongho Kim
- Department of Oncology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA; Molecular Therapeutics Program, Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Paul Stemmer
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Guan Wang
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering, The Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, PR China
| | - Jingji Jin
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering, The Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, PR China
| | - Süreyya Savasan
- Department of Pediatrics, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48202, USA; Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Children's Hospital of Michigan, Detroit, MI 48202, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Central Michigan University College of Medicine, Mt. Pleasant, MI 48859, USA
| | - Jeffrey W Taub
- Cancer Biology Graduate Program, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48202, USA; Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Children's Hospital of Michigan, Detroit, MI 48202, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Central Michigan University College of Medicine, Mt. Pleasant, MI 48859, USA.
| | - Yubin Ge
- Department of Oncology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA; Molecular Therapeutics Program, Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA; Cancer Biology Graduate Program, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA.
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3
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Altman JK, Zuckerman T, Koprivnikar J, McCloskey J, Kota V, Keng M, Frankfurt O, Abaza Y, Bixby DL, Emadi A, Burch M, Bhatnagar B, Luger SM, Percival ME, Wolach O, Craig M, Ganzel C, Roboz G, Levi I, Gourevitch A, Flaishon L, Tessler S, Blumberg C, Gengrinovitch S, Ben Yakar R, Rowe JM. Aspacytarabine for the treatment of patients with AML unfit for intensive chemotherapy: a phase 2 study. Blood Adv 2023; 7:7494-7500. [PMID: 37903324 PMCID: PMC10758705 DOI: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2023010943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Revised: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 11/01/2023] Open
Abstract
High-dose cytarabine is associated with gastrointestinal and cerebellar toxicity, precluding its use for older or unfit patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Aspacytarabine, an inactive prodrug of cytarabine, was evaluated as monotherapy in a phase 2b study of patients unfit for intensive chemotherapy (NCT03435848). Sixty-five patients with AML were treated with aspacytarabine 4.5 g/m2 per day (equimolar to 3 g/m2 per day cytarabine) for 6 doses per treatment. The median age was 75 years; 60.6% of patients had de novo AML, 28.8% had AML secondary to myelodysplastic syndrome, and 10.6% had therapy-related AML. Overall, 36.9% achieved complete remission (CR) with full count recovery. CR rates in patients with secondary AML, patients with prior treatment with hypomethylating agents, and patients with TP53 mutation were 26.7%, 25%, and 36%, respectively. Median overall survival was 9 months (range, 6-15.9) and was not reached among responders. Hematologic recovery was observed in all responding patients by day 26 without prolonged cytopenias. Adverse events typically precluding the use of high-dose cytarabine in older or unfit patients were not observed. These data suggest that aspacytarabine may be an effective regimen with a reduction in the attendant toxicities associated with high-dose cytarabine, an important consideration when treating AML and other hematologic disorders that use high-dose cytarabine. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT03435848.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica K. Altman
- Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
| | - Tsila Zuckerman
- Department of Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation, Rambam Medical Center, Haifa, Israel
| | - Jamie Koprivnikar
- John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack, NJ
| | - James McCloskey
- John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack, NJ
| | - Vamsi Kota
- Georgia Cancer Center, Augusta University, Augusta, GA
| | - Michael Keng
- University of Virginia Cancer Center-Charlottesville, Charlottesville, VA
| | - Olga Frankfurt
- Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
| | - Yasmin Abaza
- Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
| | - Dale L. Bixby
- University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Ashkan Emadi
- University of Maryland School of Medicine, College Park, MD
| | - Micah Burch
- Baylor Scott & White Research Institute, Dallas, TX
| | - Bhavana Bhatnagar
- Arthur G James Cancer Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
| | - Selina M. Luger
- Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | | | - Ofir Wolach
- Department of Hematology, Rabin Medical Center, Petah Tikva, Israel
| | - Michael Craig
- Internal Medicine, Hematology-Oncology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV
| | | | - Gail Roboz
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York City, NY
| | - Itai Levi
- Soroka University Medical Center, Beersheba, Israel
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Jacob M. Rowe
- Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
- Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
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4
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Fan Y, Wang L, Chen B, Zhang J, Yang L, Qiu X, Jiang H, Zhu L, Wang C, Xu Y. Long-term survival in a patient with primary refractory AML after salvage allogeneic hematopoietic transplantation and post-transplant localized irradiation and venetoclax maintenance: a case report. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1329858. [PMID: 38162505 PMCID: PMC10756059 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1329858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
For patients with primary refractory AML, allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) is considered the only curative approach. However, the therapeutic efficacy of salvage transplantation in the non-remission (NR) state remains controversial. We present a patient with primary refractory AML and concomitant central nervous system (CNS) leukemia, who received salvage allo-HCT, localized radiotherapy and venetoclax maintenance. Although he experienced systemic chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD), he remained disease-free for 2 years. We propose that salvage transplantation is a feasible for primary refractory AML and discuss strategies to prevent relapse after allo-HCT, including maintenance therapy and donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI). Finally, we highlight the importance of radiotherapy, which can exert immunomodulatory effects to enhance immune responses against leukemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yili Fan
- Department of Hematology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Luyao Wang
- Department of Hematology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Boxiao Chen
- Department of Hematology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jiawei Zhang
- Department of Hematology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Luyu Yang
- Department of Hematology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xi Qiu
- Department of Hematology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Huawei Jiang
- Department of Hematology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Lei Zhu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chao Wang
- Department of Radiology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yang Xu
- Department of Hematology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
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5
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Xu J, Dong X, Huang DCS, Xu P, Zhao Q, Chen B. Current Advances and Future Strategies for BCL-2 Inhibitors: Potent Weapons against Cancers. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4957. [PMID: 37894324 PMCID: PMC10605442 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15204957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Targeting the intrinsic apoptotic pathway regulated by B-cell lymphoma-2 (BCL-2) antiapoptotic proteins can overcome the evasion of apoptosis in cancer cells. BCL-2 inhibitors have evolved into an important means of treating cancers by inducing tumor cell apoptosis. As the most extensively investigated BCL-2 inhibitor, venetoclax is highly selective for BCL-2 and can effectively inhibit tumor survival. Its emergence and development have significantly influenced the therapeutic landscape of hematological malignancies, especially in chronic lymphocytic leukemia and acute myeloid leukemia, in which it has been clearly incorporated into the recommended treatment regimens. In addition, the considerable efficacy of venetoclax in combination with other agents has been demonstrated in relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma and certain lymphomas. Although venetoclax plays a prominent antitumor role in preclinical experiments and clinical trials, large individual differences in treatment outcomes have been characterized in real-world patient populations, and reduced drug sensitivity will lead to disease recurrence or progression. The therapeutic efficacy may vary widely in patients with different molecular characteristics, and key genetic mutations potentially result in differential sensitivities to venetoclax. The identification and validation of more novel biomarkers are required to accurately predict the effectiveness of BCL-2 inhibition therapy. Furthermore, we summarize the recent research progress relating to the use of BCL-2 inhibitors in solid tumor treatment and demonstrate that a wealth of preclinical models have shown promising results through combination therapies. The applications of venetoclax in solid tumors warrant further clinical investigation to define its prospects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxuan Xu
- Department of Hematology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, China-Australia Institute of Translational Medicine, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008, China; (J.X.); (X.D.); (P.X.)
| | - Xiaoqing Dong
- Department of Hematology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, China-Australia Institute of Translational Medicine, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008, China; (J.X.); (X.D.); (P.X.)
| | - David C. S. Huang
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia;
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Peipei Xu
- Department of Hematology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, China-Australia Institute of Translational Medicine, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008, China; (J.X.); (X.D.); (P.X.)
| | - Quan Zhao
- Department of Hematology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, China-Australia Institute of Translational Medicine, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008, China; (J.X.); (X.D.); (P.X.)
| | - Bing Chen
- Department of Hematology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, China-Australia Institute of Translational Medicine, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008, China; (J.X.); (X.D.); (P.X.)
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6
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Carter JL, Su Y, Qiao X, Zhao J, Wang G, Howard M, Edwards H, Bao X, Li J, Hüttemann M, Yang J, Taub JW, Ge Y. Acquired resistance to venetoclax plus azacitidine in acute myeloid leukemia: In vitro models and mechanisms. Biochem Pharmacol 2023; 216:115759. [PMID: 37604291 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2023.115759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023]
Abstract
The combination of venetoclax (VEN) and azacitidine (AZA) has become the standard of care for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients who are ≥ 75 years or unfit for intensive chemotherapy. Though initially promising, resistance to the combination therapy is an issue and VEN + AZA-relapsed/refractory patients have dismal outcomes. To better understand the mechanisms of resistance, we developed VEN + AZA-resistant AML cell lines, MV4-11/VEN + AZA-R and ML-2/VEN + AZA-R, which show > 300-fold persistent resistance compared to the parental lines. We demonstrate that these cells have unique metabolic profiles, including significantly increased levels of cytidine triphosphate (CTP) and deoxycytidine triphosphate (dCTP), changes in fatty acid and amino acid metabolism and increased utilization and reliance on glycolysis. Furthermore, fatty acid transporter CD36 is increased in the resistant cells compared to the parental cells. Inhibition of glycolysis with 2-Deoxy-D-glucose re-sensitized the resistant cells to VEN + AZA. In addition, the VEN + AZA-R cells have increased levels of the antiapoptotic protein Mcl-1 and decreased levels of the pro-apoptotic protein Bax. Overexpression of Mcl-1 or knockdown of Bax result in resistance to VEN + AZA. Our results provide insight into the molecular mechanisms contributing to VEN + AZA resistance and assist in the development of novel therapeutics to overcome this resistance in AML patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna L Carter
- Cancer Biology Graduate Program, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA; MD/PhD Program, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Yongwei Su
- Department of Oncology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA; Molecular Therapeutics Program, Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Xinan Qiao
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering, the Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, PR China
| | - Jianlei Zhao
- Department of Oncology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA; Molecular Therapeutics Program, Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Guan Wang
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering, the Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, PR China
| | - Mackenzie Howard
- Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Holly Edwards
- Department of Oncology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA; Molecular Therapeutics Program, Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Xun Bao
- Department of Oncology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA; Molecular Therapeutics Program, Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Jing Li
- Cancer Biology Graduate Program, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA; Department of Oncology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA; Molecular Therapeutics Program, Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Maik Hüttemann
- Cancer Biology Graduate Program, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA; Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Jay Yang
- Department of Oncology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA; Molecular Therapeutics Program, Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Jeffrey W Taub
- Cancer Biology Graduate Program, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA; Molecular Therapeutics Program, Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA; Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Children's Hospital of Michigan, Detroit, MI 48201, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Central Michigan University College of Medicine, Mt. Pleasant, MI 48859, USA.
| | - Yubin Ge
- Cancer Biology Graduate Program, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA; Department of Oncology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA; Molecular Therapeutics Program, Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA.
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7
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Ucciero A, Pagnoni F, Scotti L, Pisterna A, Barone-Adesi F, Gaidano G, Patriarca A, Lunghi M. Venetoclax with Hypomethylating Agents in Newly Diagnosed Acute Myeloid Leukemia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Survival Data from Real-World Studies. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4618. [PMID: 37760587 PMCID: PMC10526951 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15184618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 08/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years, the association of venetoclax (VEN) with hypomethylating agents (HMAs) significantly improved the outcome of patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who were unfit for intensive chemotherapy and became the standard of care after the publication of the pivotal RCT VIALE-A. However, it is still not clear to what extent the results observed in the VIALE-A apply to a real-world setting. For this reason, we carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis of real-world studies on newly diagnosed patients with AML, ineligible for intensive induction chemotherapy, receiving first-line VEN+HMA. We then compared their results in term of survival with those from the VIALE-A. Kaplan-Meier curves were extracted from all included studies and individual survival data was reconstructed. We then estimated a pooled survival curve and compared it with the results of the VIALE-A using the log-rank test. We also conducted a secondary analysis including only studies considering VEN plus azacytidine (AZA) as treatment, as this was the schedule originally used in the VIALE-A. Nineteen real-world studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the systematic review. Most of them reported a worse survival than the VIALE-A. The pooled survival curve was similar to that reported in the VIALE-A during the first three months of treatment but diverged thereafter (p-value = 0.0001). The pooled median survival among the real-world studies was 9.37 months (95%CI 8.81-10.5), substantially lower than that reported in the VIALE-A (14.7 months; 95%CI 11.9-18.7). Results slightly increased when the analysis was restricted to the studies using VEN+AZA as treatment (median survival: 11.5 months; 95%CI 10.2-14.8). Survival of newly diagnosed AML patients treated with VEN+HMAs in a real-world setting seems to be lower than previously reported in the VIALE-A, while the effect of VEN+AZA is more in line with expected results. Future studies are needed to evaluate whether this apparent discrepancy is due to the different characteristics of enrolled patients or to a non-optimal adherence to therapy, and whether alternative regimens can provide better results in terms of safety and effectiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Federico Pagnoni
- Department of Translational Medicine, Università del Piemonte Orientale, 28100 Novara, Italy
| | - Lorenza Scotti
- Department of Translational Medicine, Università del Piemonte Orientale, 28100 Novara, Italy
| | - Alessia Pisterna
- Hospital Pharmacy AOU Maggiore della Carità, 28100 Novara, Italy
| | - Francesco Barone-Adesi
- Department of Translational Medicine, Università del Piemonte Orientale, 28100 Novara, Italy
| | - Gianluca Gaidano
- Division of Hematology, Department of Translational Medicine, University of Eastern Piedmont and AOU Maggiore della Carità, 28100 Novara, Italy
| | - Andrea Patriarca
- Division of Hematology, Department of Translational Medicine, University of Eastern Piedmont and AOU Maggiore della Carità, 28100 Novara, Italy
| | - Monia Lunghi
- Division of Hematology, Department of Translational Medicine, University of Eastern Piedmont and AOU Maggiore della Carità, 28100 Novara, Italy
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8
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Tober R, Schnetzke U, Fleischmann M, Yomade O, Schrenk K, Hammersen J, Glaser A, Thiede C, Hochhaus A, Scholl S. Impact of treatment intensity on infectious complications in patients with acute myeloid leukemia. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2023; 149:1569-1583. [PMID: 35583829 PMCID: PMC10020242 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-022-03995-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Infectious complications reflect a major challenge in the treatment of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Both induction chemotherapy and epigenetic treatment with hypomethylating agents (HMA) are associated with severe infections, while neutropenia represents a common risk factor. Here, 220 consecutive and newly diagnosed AML patients were analyzed with respect to infectious complications dependent on treatment intensity and antifungal prophylaxis applied to these patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS We retrospectively analyzed 220 patients with newly diagnosed AML at a tertiary care hospital between August 2016 and December 2020. The median age of AML patients undergoing induction chemotherapy (n = 102) was 61 years (25-76 years). Patients receiving palliative AML treatment (n = 118) had a median age of 75 years (53-91 years). We assessed the occurrence of infectious complication including the classification of pulmonary invasive fungal disease (IFD) according to the EORTC/MSG criteria at diagnosis and until day 100 after initiation of AML treatment. Furthermore, admission to intensive care unit (ICU) and subsequent outcome was analyzed for both groups of AML patients, respectively. RESULTS AML patients subsequently allocated to palliative AML treatment have a significantly higher risk of pneumonia at diagnosis compared to patients undergoing induction chemotherapy (37.3% vs. 13.7%, P < 0.001) including a higher probability of atypical pneumonia (22.0% vs. 10.8%, P = 0.026). Furthermore, urinary tract infections are more frequent in the palliative subgroup at the time of AML diagnosis (5.1% vs. 0%, P = 0.021). Surprisingly, the incidence of pulmonary IFD is significantly lower after initiation of palliative AML treatment compared to the occurrence after induction chemotherapy (8.4% vs. 33.3%, P < 0.001) despite only few patients of the palliative treatment group received Aspergillus spp.-directed antifungal prophylaxis. The overall risk for infectious complications at AML diagnosis is significantly higher for palliative AML patients at diagnosis while patients undergoing induction chemotherapy have a significantly higher risk of infections after initiation of AML treatment. In addition, there is a strong correlation between the occurrence of pneumonia including atypical pneumonia and pulmonary IFD and the ECOG performance status at diagnosis in the palliative AML patient group. Analysis of intensive care unit (ICU) treatment (e.g. in case of sepsis or pneumonia) for both subgroups reveals a positive outcome in 10 of 15 patients (66.7%) with palliative AML treatment and in 15 of 18 patients (83.3%) receiving induction chemotherapy. Importantly, the presence of infections and the ECOG performance status at diagnosis significantly correlate with the overall survival (OS) of palliative AML patients (315 days w/o infection vs. 69 days with infection, P 0.0049 and 353 days for ECOG < 1 vs. 50 days for ECOG > 2, P < 0.001, respectively) in this intent-to-treat analysis. CONCLUSION The risk and the pattern of infectious complications at diagnosis and after initiation of AML therapy depends on age, ECOG performance status and subsequent treatment intensity. A comprehensive diagnostic work-up for identification of pulmonary IFD is indispensable for effective treatment of pneumonia in AML patients. The presence of infectious complications at diagnosis contributes to an inferior outcome in elderly AML patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romy Tober
- Klinik Für Innere Medizin II, Abteilung Hämatologie Und Internistische Onkologie, Universitätsklinikum Jena, Am Klinikum 1, 07747, Jena, Germany
| | - Ulf Schnetzke
- Klinik Für Innere Medizin II, Abteilung Hämatologie Und Internistische Onkologie, Universitätsklinikum Jena, Am Klinikum 1, 07747, Jena, Germany
| | - Maximilian Fleischmann
- Klinik Für Innere Medizin II, Abteilung Hämatologie Und Internistische Onkologie, Universitätsklinikum Jena, Am Klinikum 1, 07747, Jena, Germany
| | - Olaposi Yomade
- Klinik Für Innere Medizin II, Abteilung Hämatologie Und Internistische Onkologie, Universitätsklinikum Jena, Am Klinikum 1, 07747, Jena, Germany
| | - Karin Schrenk
- Klinik Für Innere Medizin II, Abteilung Hämatologie Und Internistische Onkologie, Universitätsklinikum Jena, Am Klinikum 1, 07747, Jena, Germany
| | - Jakob Hammersen
- Klinik Für Innere Medizin II, Abteilung Hämatologie Und Internistische Onkologie, Universitätsklinikum Jena, Am Klinikum 1, 07747, Jena, Germany
| | - Anita Glaser
- Institut Für Humangenetik, Universitätsklinikum Jena, Am Klinikum 1, 07747, Jena, Germany
| | - Christian Thiede
- Universitätsklinikum Carl Gustav Carus an der Technischen Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Andreas Hochhaus
- Klinik Für Innere Medizin II, Abteilung Hämatologie Und Internistische Onkologie, Universitätsklinikum Jena, Am Klinikum 1, 07747, Jena, Germany
| | - Sebastian Scholl
- Klinik Für Innere Medizin II, Abteilung Hämatologie Und Internistische Onkologie, Universitätsklinikum Jena, Am Klinikum 1, 07747, Jena, Germany.
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Tan KR, Chan YN, Iadonisi K, Poor E, Betancur S, Jung A, Sagester K, Coppola S, Pergolotti M, Kent EE, Schwartz T, Richardson D, Bryant AL. Perspectives of caregivers of older adults with acute myeloid leukemia during initial hypomethylating agents and venetoclax chemotherapy. Support Care Cancer 2023; 31:95. [PMID: 36598590 PMCID: PMC9811045 DOI: 10.1007/s00520-022-07565-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Older adults with AML commonly receive a hypomethylating agent (HMA) as first-line therapy. The addition of venetoclax (VEN) to HMAs has been shown to improve remission rates and overall survival. The use of combination therapy (HMA + VEN) requires frequent follow-up, results in longer infusion times, and likely increases caregiver responsibility at home. We describe experiences of informal caregivers (family/friends) providing care to older adults with AML receiving HMA + VEN. METHODS Fourteen caregivers of older adults with AML receiving HMA + VEN (September 2020 to September 2021) were recruited as part of a control group of an ongoing NIH-funded clinical trial. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to gain initial insight into caregiver experiences at the start of HMA + VEN treatment. Two researchers analyzed the data using thematic content analysis. Data saturation occurred when no new themes were found in subsequent interviews, but all interviews were coded and synthesized. RESULTS Of the 14 caregivers interviewed, the majority were spouses (n = 10), female (n = 13), and aged 45 to 83 (median age 65). We identified five themes: (1) the impact of an AML diagnosis in older adulthood, (2) care recipient condition changes, (3) perspectives of caregiving roles and tasks, (4) factors influencing caregiving experiences, and (5) support system roles. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Caregivers for older adults with AML report a range of experiences navigating health systems, caregiving responsibilities, and resource needs. The risk for caregiver burden and unmet needs should be addressed to improve caregivers' abilities to provide care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly R Tan
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
| | - Ya-Ning Chan
- School of Nursing, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Katie Iadonisi
- School of Nursing, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Elissa Poor
- School of Nursing, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Stephanie Betancur
- School of Nursing, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Ahrang Jung
- School of Nursing, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, USA
| | | | - Susan Coppola
- Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Mackenzi Pergolotti
- Select Medical, ReVital Cancer Rehabilitation Program, Mechanicsburg, PA, USA
| | - Erin E Kent
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Cecil G. Sheps Health Services Research Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Todd Schwartz
- School of Nursing, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Daniel Richardson
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Ashley Leak Bryant
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- School of Nursing, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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Azacitidine plus Venetoclax for the Treatment of Relapsed and Newly Diagnosed Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patients. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14082025. [PMID: 35454930 PMCID: PMC9028084 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14082025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Revised: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Venetoclax (VEN) belongs the BH3-mimetic class that selectively targets BCL-2, activating apoptosis. The combination of VEN and azacitidine (AZA) has changed the paradigm of treatment of newly diagnosed (ND) acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients ineligible for intensive chemotherapy. There is scarce evidence for the use of VEN–AZA for relapsed or refractory (R/R) AML. We compared the outcome of 39 R/R AML and 38 ND AML patients treated between 01/20 and 12/21. The median age was 69 (22–86) and 73 (61–81) in the R/R and ND groups, respectively. Adverse cytogenetics were found in 36% of patients in the R/R group and 59% of patients in the ND group. Overall response rate was 37% in R/R AML, including 13% CR, 8% CRi, 3% PR and 13% MLFS, and 58% in the ND AML, including 32% CR, 13% CRi and 13% MLFS. Adverse cytogenetics was associated with treatment failure in the R/R group (Relative Risk = 0.13, p = 0.005). Median overall survival (OS) was 5.9 months in the R/R group and 9.4 months in the ND group. Median OS was 2.2 months in the adverse cytogenetics group versus 8.7 months in the intermediate cytogenetics group in the R/R group (p = 0.02). Median leukemia-free survival was not different between the two groups (9.4 months and 10.3 months), indicating that VEN–AZA can be an efficient salvage treatment for selected R/R AML patients. In conclusion, VEN–AZA is a promising treatment for ND AML and for selected R/R AML patients.
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