SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Patients Treated with Azacitidine and Venetoclax for Acute Leukemia: A Report of a Case Series Treated in a Single Institution

INTRODUCTION

Venetoclax combined with azacitidine (AZA-VEN) constitutes an option for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia. There are, however, no data on the COVID-19 incidence and outcome in patients treated with AZA-VEN.

METHODS

Patients with acute leukemia treated with AZA-VEN at a single institution were included in this prospective observational study.

RESULTS

Thirteen patients were enrolled, 46% with treatment-naïve, and 56% with relapsed/refractory disease. Fifty-four percent of patients were males; the median age was 69 years. Six patients (46%) developed COVID-19 during the observation time. The median time to COVID-19 was 24 days from the initiation of AZA-VEN. The 2-month cumulative incidence of COVID-19 was 46.2%. Two patients (33%) succumbed to COVID-19. The 100-day COVID-19-free survival from AZA-VEN initiation was 61%. The median follow-up time was 4.3 months.

DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION

COVID-19 constitutes a frequent complication of AZA-VEN treatment in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to death in a significant proportion of patients.

Tracking Clonal Evolution of Multiple Myeloma Using Targeted Next-Generation DNA Sequencing

Clonal evolution drives treatment failure in multiple myeloma (MM). Here, we used a custom 372-gene panel to track genetic changes occurring during MM progression at different stages of the disease. A tumor-only targeted next-generation DNA sequencing was performed on 69 samples sequentially collected from 30 MM patients. The MAPK/ERK pathway was mostly affected with KRAS mutated in 47% of patients. Acquisition and loss of mutations were observed in 63% and 37% of patients, respectively. Four different patterns of mutation evolution were found: branching-, mutation acquisition-, mutation loss- and a stable mutational pathway. Better response to anti-myeloma therapy was more frequently observed in patients who followed the mutation loss-compared to the mutation acquisition pathway. More than two-thirds of patients had druggable genes mutated (including cases of heavily pre-treated disease). Only 7% of patients had a stable copy number variants profile. Consequently, a redistribution in stages according to R-ISS between the first and paired samples (R-ISS″) was seen. The higher the R-ISS″, the higher the risk of MM progression and death. We provided new insights into the genetics of MM evolution, especially in heavily pre-treated patients. Additionally, we confirmed that redefining R-ISS at MM relapse is of high clinical value.

POEMS Syndrome: Real World Experience in Diagnosis and Systemic Therapy - 108 Patients Multicenter Analysis

POEMS syndrome, a rare plasma cell disorder, is challenging both in the diagnostic and therapeutic management. We present real word retrospective analysis of 108 cases analyzing clinical features and therapeutic modes. We compare our results with the available literature. This is the first description with such wide use of proteasome inhibitors in first line treatment. POEMS (Polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, M-protein, skin changes) syndrome is a rare and challenging plasma cell disorder, both in the diagnostic and therapeutic management of the disease. Currently, the literature on POEMS is sparse with most evidence being case reports and small case studies. We present a retrospective real world experience of 108 patients with POEMS. We analyzed the clinical features and therapeutic interventions. Regarding clinical features, our findings demonstrated that skin lesions, thrombocythemia and polycythemia were present less frequently than reported previously. Regarding clinical interventions, this is one of the largest analyses of front line treatment in POEMS and the first one to include frequent utilization of proteasome inhibitors (37%). Bortezomib monotherapy was the most effective therapy achieving complete remission/very good partial remissions (CR/VGPR) in 69% of patients. Thirty percent of patients proceeded to planned autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) as part of the front-line treatment resulting in statistically superior progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS) compared to non-ASCT treated patients (P= .003). In multivariate analysis, anemia, thrombocytopenia, and as age over 60 were associated with a negative impact on patient outcomes.

The management of hematologic malignancies during the COVID-19 pandemic

Introduction: Patients with hematological malignancies have experienced a more severe clinical course of COVID-19 and higher mortality than those with solid tumors and those without cancer. The ongoing pandemic poses many challenges in assuring the correct and timely diagnosis of hemato-oncology patients as well as the optimal treatment.Areas covered: The present paper reviews current data on the incidence and clinical course of COVID-19 in patients with hematological malignancies. A literature review of the MEDLINE database for articles was conducted via PubMed. Publications from December 2019 through September 2020 were scrutinized. The search terms used were SARS-Cov-2 OR COVID-19 in conjunction with hematological malignancies OR leukemia OR lymphoma OR multiple myeloma OR cancer. Recommendations and expert opinions either published or presented on ASH, ASCO, ESMO, NCCN websites were also reviewed.Expert opinion: The COVID-19 pandemic has brought a pressing need to improve the management of patients with hematological malignancies, including establishing prompt diagnoses and providing effective treatment while also minimalizing the risk of SARS-Cov2 infection. The recommendations developed by many organizations based on expert opinions are helpful in making proper decisions. All cancer patients should be advised to get vaccinated against influenza and pneumococcus.

Efficacy of high-dose corticosteroid-based treatment for chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients with p53 abnormalities in the era of B-cell receptor inhibitors

PURPOSE

High-dose methylprednisolone (HDMP) with or without anti-CD20 antibody treatment in the pre B-cell receptor inhibitor (BCRi) era was used as potential salvage therapy for relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (r/r CLL/SLL) patients bearing the 17p deletion.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Outcomes were compared in retrospect between r/r patients treated with HDMP (n = 20), ibrutinib (n = 39) and idelalisib with rituximab (n = 14).

RESULTS

Higher overall response rates were found in those patients undergoing BCRi therapy compared to HDMP (79.2% vs. 0%; p < 0.0001), along with longer median progression-free survival (not reached vs. 24.1 months; p < 0.01). Nevertheless, there were no differences in the overall survival (HDMP 35.87 months vs. not reached; p = 0.58).

CONCLUSION

HDMP treatment was significantly inferior in terms of response rate and progression-free survival in r/r CLL/SLL patients with the 17p deletion, and may only be used whenever novel compounds are unavailable.

The impact of cytogenetic evolution and acquisition of del(17p) on the prognosis of patients with multiple myeloma

INTRODUCTION

Prognosis of patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (MM), a third most common hematological cancer, is dependent on baseline cytogenetics. However, little is known about the prognostic significance of cytogenetic evolution (CE) at the time between the diagnosis and relapse of MM.

OBJECTIVES

Here, we retrospectively analyzed the prognostic impact of CE detected in a routine interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) test in a cohort of patients with MM.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Among 650 patients evaluated with the FISH MM panel at our center between 2014 and 2019, we identified 29 individuals with MM who had been tested twice, at the time of diagnosis and relapse. Cytogenetic evolution was defined as the acquisition or loss of at least 1 cytogenetic abnormality at relapse (FISH2) compared with the baseline test result (FISH1).

RESULTS

Cytogenetic evolution was seen in 14 patients (48%), whereas 15 had stable cytogenetics. Acquired chromosome 17p deletion (del[17p]) was the most common type of CE, found in 7 patients (24%). In univariable analysis, stable cytogenetics predicted longer overall survival (median not reached vs 3.8 years; hazard ratio [HR], 0.15; P = 0.04; median follow‑up of 3.1 years) and longer overall survival after FISH2 (median not reached vs 0.8 years; HR, 0.13; P = 0.002; median follow‑up of 0.6 years). In multivariable analysis, acquired del(17p) predicted shorter progression‑free survival and the overall survival after FISH2 (HR, 9.3 and 18.8; P = 0.005 and P = 0.004, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Presence of CE and, particularly, the acquisition of new del(17p) at relapse, negatively affect the outcome of MM. Therefore, re‑evaluation of FISH at MM relapse should be included in routine clinical practice.

Are suicidal thoughts in adolescents dependent on substance abuse?

Substance abuse is common issue in youth and may influence youth's suicide thoughts or actions. It can lead to social isolation, low self-esteem, loss of work or school, estrangement from family and friends – all these may create a core of stresses that may lead to suicidal tendencies.

Analysis addictive factors correlating with occurrence of suicidal thoughts and behaviours among adolescents at the age of 18–20.

Study was based on authorial, previously validated questionnaire, included 16 questions about suicidal thoughts. Questionnaires were filled by adolescents (age 18–20) of 21 Secondary Schools in Katowice.

From the group of 965 adolescents, 28.8% had suicidal thoughts. From all respondents: 31.3% smoked, 92.7% drunk alcohol, 16.0% used legal hights and 30.9% – drugs; 35.8% of smoking adolescents had suicidal thoughts. In group of non-smoked adolescents – 25.6%. There was statistical significant difference (P = 0.0012) between these groups. Among adolescents who drunk alcohol, 28.8% had suicidal thoughts. In the group of non –drinking alcohol adolescents – 27.9%. There was no statistical significant differences (P = 0.88233) between these groups. There were 43.7% adolescents with suicidal thoughts who used legal hights. In the group of non-users of legal hights, 26.0% adolescents had suicidal thoughts.

Adolescents that are using examined stimulants are in the group risk of suicidal thoughts and autodestructive behaviours. Results show the need of psychiatric and psychotherapeutic support that is aiming to prevent suicides and autodestructive behaviours in this group. Screening questionnaires that are assessing the problem of addiction within the adolescent may help to identity persons with suicidal tendencies.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Efficacy of daratumumab monotherapy in real-world heavily pretreated patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma

PURPOSE

Daratumumab is a promising new agent for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM). However, there are limited data on its clinical activity and tolerability in the real-world patients. The purpose of this study is to determine the efficacy and toxicity profile of daratumumab monotherapy in the real-life setting.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Thirty RRMM patients treated with daratumumab who had previously received at least three treatment lines including a proteasome inhibitor and an immunomodulatory drug or had been double refractory (DRMM) were included to the Polish Myeloma Group observational study.

RESULTS

The objective response rate to daratumumab was 42.8%. Median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival reached 9.5 and 13.8 months, respectively. Importantly, patients with DR-MM had a significantly shorter PFS than other patients (median PFS of 4.1 vs. 12.1 months). Daratumumab was generally well tolerated, however two patients had their therapy interrupted due to adverse events.

CONCLUSION

Daratumumab monotherapy has significant activity and good tolerance in heavily pretreated RRMM patients.

Immunochemotherapy for Richter syndrome: current insights

Richter syndrome (RS) is recognized as the development of a secondary and aggressive lymphoma during the clinical course of chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL). Most of such histological transformations are from RS to diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL-RS, 90%) and Hodgkin’s lymphoma (HL-RS, 10%). Histopathological examination is a prerequisite for diagnosis. It is crucial to assess the relationship between the RS clone and the underlying CLL/SLL because clonally related DLBCL-RS has a poor outcome, while clonally unrelated cases have a prognosis similar to de novo DLBCL. An anti-CD20 antibody-based immunochemotherapy is hitherto the frontline treatment of choice for DLBCL-RS; nonetheless, the results are unsatisfactory. Allogeneic stem cell transplantation should be offered to younger and fit patients as a consolidative treatment; however, the majority of the patients may not be qualified for this procedure. The HL-RS transformation has better outcomes than those of DLBCL-RS and can effectively be treated by the adriamycin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine regimen. Although novel agents are currently being investigated for RS, immunochemotherapy nevertheless remains a standard treatment for DLBCL-RS.

High-grade serous ovarian cancer: the clone wars

Background

The last 5 years’ studies using next-generation sequencing provided evidences that many types of solid tumors present spatial and temporal genetic heterogeneity and are composed of multiple populations of genetically distinct subclones that evolve over time following a pattern of branched evolution. The evolutionary nature of cancer has been proposed as the major contributor to drug resistance and treatment failure. In this review, we present the current state of knowledge about the clonal evolution of high-grade serous ovarian cancer and discuss the challenge that clonal evolution poses for efforts to achieve an optimal cancer control.

Methods

A systemic search of peer-reviewed articles published between August 2007 and October 2016 was performed using PUBMED and Google Scholar database.

Results and conclusions

Recent studies using next-generation sequencing have allowed us to look inside the evolutionary nature of high-grade serous ovarian cancer, which in the light of current evidence can explain the relapsing course of the disease frequently observed in the clinical practice. Since only minimal improvement in the survival of patients treated with standard therapy has been observed in the last decade, novel molecular targeted therapies are of great interest in high-grade serous ovarian cancer. However, both spatial and temporal intratumoral genetic heterogeneity is a major challenge for personalized medicine, and greater knowledge of the molecular rules that drive tumor evolution through space and time is required to achieve a long-term clinical benefit from personalized therapy.