Addition of single dose gemtuzumab ozogamicin to intensive induction chemotherapy in core-binding factor acute myeloid leukemia

In a meta-analysis of 5 trials, the addition of gemtuzumab ozogamicin (GO) to intensive induction chemotherapy led to a survival benefit in patients with core-binding factor (CBF) acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Given the heterogeneous incorporation of GO in clinical trials, the ideal dose and schedule remains unclear. We conducted a single-center retrospective analysis to compare outcomes of patients with CBF-AML treated with intensive induction chemotherapy, with or without a single dose of GO 3 mg/m2, during induction only. We included 87 patients (GO=32, control=55). The composite complete remission (cCR) rate was higher in the control group (93%) compared to the GO group (82%) (p<0.001). The rate of measurable residual disease (MRD) negative cCR, by flow cytometry, was similar between both groups. There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of toxicity. The 3-year relapse-free survival (RFS) for both groups was similar (71% vs 68%, p=0.5). The 3-year overall survival (OS) for the GO group was 68%, compared to 66% for the control group (p=0.9).In multivariable analysis, age and MRD positive status were risk factors for inferior outcomes. We find that survival of patients with CBF-AML is favorable in the real-world setting. The addition of single-dose GO, during induction, did not lead to a higher remission rate or survival benefit, when compared to intensive chemotherapy without GO. Further investigation into the incorporation of GO in the treatment algorithm for CBF-AML is needed.

Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation for blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm: a CIBMTR analysis

Blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN) is a rare hematological malignancy with a poor prognosis and considered incurable with conventional chemotherapy. Small observational studies reported allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) offers durable remissions in patients with BPDCN. We report an analysis of patients with BPDCN who received an allo-HCT, using data reported to the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR). We identified 164 patients with BPDCN from 78 centers who underwent allo-HCT between 2007 and 2018. The 5-year overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), relapse, and nonrelapse mortality (NRM) rates were 51.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 42.5-59.8), 44.4% (95% CI, 36.2-52.8), 32.2% (95% CI, 24.7-40.3), and 23.3% (95% CI, 16.9-30.4), respectively. Disease relapse was the most common cause of death. On multivariate analyses, age of ≥60 years was predictive for inferior OS (hazard ratio [HR], 2.16; 95% CI, 1.35-3.46; P = .001), and higher NRM (HR, 2.19; 95% CI, 1.13-4.22; P = .02). Remission status at time of allo-HCT (CR2/primary induction failure/relapse vs CR1) was predictive of inferior OS (HR, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.14-3.06; P = .01) and DFS (HR, 1.75; 95% CI, 1.11-2.76; P = .02). Use of myeloablative conditioning with total body irradiation (MAC-TBI) was predictive of improved DFS and reduced relapse risk. Allo-HCT is effective in providing durable remissions and long-term survival in BPDCN. Younger age and allo-HCT in CR1 predicted for improved survival, whereas MAC-TBI predicted for less relapse and improved DFS. Novel strategies incorporating allo-HCT are needed to further improve outcomes.

Utility of end of induction bone marrow biopsy and survival outcomes in acute promyelocytic leukemia treated with fixed-dose induction regimen

Significant variations exist related to the end of induction practices in the management of Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia (APL). These variations include all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA)-arsenic trioxide (ATO) in fixed doses versus continuation until hematologic complete remission (CR) and performance versus omission of post-induction bone marrow biopsy to confirm morphological CR. A retrospective chart review was conducted of 61 patients (42 low/intermediate-risk and 19 high-risk) aged ≥ 18 years with newly diagnosed APL treated with fixed duration ATRA-ATO +/- cytoreduction at a tertiary medical center from December 2012 through March 2020. Of the 54 patients with post-induction bone marrow biopsy results, 52 (96%) demonstrated no morphologic evidence of APL while the remaining were equivocal. After 2.6 years median follow-up, no relapses occurred. The estimated 2-year overall survival rate of 95% suggests excellent outcomes with a fixed ATO induction regimen and safe omission of post-induction bone marrow biopsy irrespective of hematologic parameters.

Novel developments in the prophylaxis and treatment of acute GVHD

Acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) is a major life-threatening complication after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant. Traditional standard prophylaxis for aGVHD has included a calcineurin inhibitor plus an antimetabolite, whereas treatment has relied mainly on corticosteroids, followed by multiple nonstandard second-line options. In the past decade, this basic framework has been reshaped by approval of antithymocyte globulin products, the emergence of posttransplant cyclophosphamide, and recent pivotal trials studying abatacept and vedolizumab for GVHD prophylaxis, whereas ruxolitinib was approved for corticosteroid-refractory aGVHD treatment. Because of this progress, routine acute GVHD prophylaxis and treatment practices are starting to shift, and results of ongoing trials are eagerly awaited. Here, we review recent developments in aGVHD prevention and therapy, along with ongoing and future planned clinical trials in this space, outlining what future goals should be and the limitations of current clinical trial designs and end points.

Association between the choice of the conditioning regimen and outcomes of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation for myelofibrosis

Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) remains the only curative treatment for myelofibrosis. However, the optimal conditioning regimen either with reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) or myeloablative conditioning (MAC) is not well known. Using the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research database, we identified adults aged ≥18 years with myelofibrosis undergoing allo-HCT between 2008-2019 and analyzed the outcomes separately in the RIC and MAC cohorts based on the conditioning regimens used. Among 872 eligible patients, 493 underwent allo-HCT using RIC (fludarabine/ busulfan n=166, fludarabine/melphalan n=327) and 379 using MAC (fludarabine/busulfan n=247, busulfan/cyclophosphamide n=132). In multivariable analysis with RIC, fludarabine/melphalan was associated with inferior overall survival (hazard ratio [HR]=1.80; 95% confidenec interval [CI]: 1.15-2.81; P=0.009), higher early non-relapse mortality (HR=1.81; 95% CI: 1.12-2.91; P=0.01) and higher acute graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) (grade 2-4 HR=1.45; 95% CI: 1.03-2.03; P=0.03; grade 3-4 HR=2.21; 95%CI: 1.28-3.83; P=0.004) compared to fludarabine/busulfan. In the MAC setting, busulfan/cyclophosphamide was associated with a higher acute GvHD (grade 2-4 HR=2.33; 95% CI: 1.67-3.25; P<0.001; grade 3-4 HR=2.31; 95% CI: 1.52-3.52; P<0.001) and inferior GvHD-free relapse-free survival (GRFS) (HR=1.94; 95% CI: 1.49-2.53; P<0.001) as compared to fludarabine/busulfan. Hence, our study suggests that fludarabine/busulfan is associated with better outcomes in RIC (better overall survival, lower early non-relapse mortality, lower acute GvHD) and MAC (lower acute GvHD and better GRFS) in myelofibrosis.

The COVID-19 Pandemic and In-Person Visit Rate Disruptions Among Patients With Hematologic Neoplasms in the US in 2020 to 2021

Importance

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a reduction in routine in-person medical care; however, it is unknown whether there have been any changes in visit rates among patients with hematologic neoplasms.

Objective

To examine associations between the COVID-19 pandemic and in-person visits and telemedicine use among patients undergoing active treatment for hematologic neoplasms.

Design, Setting, and Participants

Data for this retrospective observational cohort study were obtained from a nationwide electronic health record-derived, deidentified database. Data for patients with hematologic neoplasms who had received at least 1 systemic line of therapy between March 1, 2016, and February 28, 2021, were included. Treatments were categorized into 3 types: oral therapy, outpatient infusions, and inpatient infusions. The data cutoff date was April 30, 2021, when study analyses were conducted.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Monthly visit rates were calculated as the number of documented visits (telemedicine or in-person) per active patient per 30-day period. We used time-series forecasting methods on prepandemic data (March 2016 to February 2020) to estimate expected rates between March 1, 2020, and February 28, 2021 (if the pandemic had not occurred).

Results

This study included data for 24 261 patients, with a median age of 68 years (IQR, 60-75 years). A total of 6737 patients received oral therapy, 15 314 received outpatient infusions, and 8316 received inpatient infusions. More than half of patients were men (14 370 [58%]) and non-Hispanic White (16 309 [66%]). Early pandemic months (March to May 2020) demonstrated a significant 21% reduction (95% prediction interval [PI], 12%-27%) in in-person visit rates averaged across oral therapy and outpatient infusions. Reductions in in-person visit rates were also significant for all treatment types for multiple myeloma (oral therapy: 29% reduction; 95% PI, 21%-36%; P = .001; outpatient infusions: 11% reduction; 95% PI, 4%-17%; P = .002; inpatient infusions: 55% reduction; 95% PI, 27%-67%; P = .005), for oral therapy for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (28% reduction; 95% PI, 12%-39%; P = .003), and for outpatient infusions for mantle cell lymphoma (38% reduction; 95% PI, 6%-54%; P = .003) and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (20% reduction; 95% PI, 6%-31%; P = .002). Telemedicine visit rates were highest for patients receiving oral therapy, with greater use in the early pandemic months and a subsequent decrease in later months.

Conclusions and Relevance

In this cohort study of patients with hematologic neoplasms, documented in-person visit rates for those receiving oral therapy and outpatient infusions significantly decreased during the early pandemic months but returned to close to projected rates in the later half of 2020. There were no statistically significant reductions in the overall in-person visit rate for patients receiving inpatient infusions. There was higher telemedicine use in the early pandemic months, followed by a decline, but use was persistent in the later half of 2020. Further studies are needed to ascertain associations between the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent cancer outcomes and the evolution of telemedicine use for care delivery.

Impact of pre-transplant induction and consolidation cycles on AML allogeneic transplant outcomes: a CIBMTR analysis in 3113 AML patients

We investigated the impact of the number of induction/consolidation cycles on outcomes of 3113 adult AML patients who received allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) between 2008 and 2019. Patients received allo-HCT using myeloablative (MAC) or reduced-intensity (RIC) conditioning in first complete remission (CR) or with primary induction failure (PIF). Patients who received MAC allo-HCT in CR after 1 induction cycle had 1.3-fold better overall survival (OS) than 2 cycles to CR and 1.47-fold better than ≥3 cycles. OS after CR in 2 or ≥3 cycles was similar. Relapse risk was 1.65-fold greater in patients receiving ≥3 cycles to achieve CR. After RIC allo-HCT, the number of induction cycles to CR did not affect OS. Compared to CR in 1 cycle, relapse risk was 1.24-1.41-fold greater in patients receiving 2 or ≥3 cycles. For patients receiving only 1 cycle to CR, consolidation therapy prior to MAC allo-HCT was associated with improved OS vs. no consolidation therapy. Detectable MRD at the time of MAC allo-HCT did not impact outcomes while detectable MRD preceding RIC allo-HCT was associated with an increased risk of relapse. For allo-HCT in PIF, OS was significantly worse than allo-HCT in CR after 1-3 cycles.

Safe and Effective Use of Imatinib to Treat Philadelphia Chromosome Positive Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia During Pregnancy

Philadelphia chromosome positive (Ph+) B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is extremely rare in pregnancy. Although the use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) has significantly improved outcomes of patients with Ph+ ALL, its use during pregnancy is not recommended due to the risk of fetal malformations. There are limited data on the use of TKIs during pregnancy and its long-term effects on the fetus. Within this context, we present a case of a 25-year-old woman diagnosed with Ph+ ALL during the third trimester and the safe and effective use of imatinib as treatment after failure of conventional chemotherapy.

Adaptation of remote symptom monitoring using electronic patient-reported outcomes for implementation in real-world settings

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Background: Despite evidence of clinical benefits, widespread implementation of remote symptom monitoring has been limited. We describe a process of adapting a remote symptom monitoring intervention developed in a research setting to a real-world clinical setting at two cancer centers. Methods: This formative evaluation assessed core components and adaptations to improve acceptability and fit of remote symptom monitoring using Stirman’s Framework for Modifications and Adaptations. Implementation outcomes were evaluated in pilot studies at the two cancer centers testing technology (Phase I) and workflow (Phase II and III) using electronic health data; qualitative evaluation with semi-structured interviews of clinical team members; and capture of field notes from clinical teams and administrators regarding barriers and recommended adaptations for future implementation. Results: Core components of remote symptom monitoring included electronic delivery of surveys with actionable symptoms, patient education on the intervention, a system to monitor survey compliance in real-time, the capacity to generate alerts, training nurses to manage alerts, and identification of personnel responsible for managing symptoms. In the pilot studies, while most patients completed > 50% of expected surveys, adaptations were identified to address barriers related to workflow challenges, patient and clinician access to technology, digital health literacy, survey fatigue, alert fatigue, and data visibility. Conclusions: Using an implementation science approach, we facilitated adaptation of remote symptom monitoring interventions from the research setting to clinical practice and identified key areas to promote effective uptake and sustainability.

Survival outcomes of patients with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia after venetoclax combined with hypomethylating agents

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Background: Venetoclax in combination with hypomethylating agents (HMA+Ven) is the standard-of-care treatment for patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who are ineligible for intensive chemotherapy. HMA+Ven is also commonly used as salvage therapy for relapsed or refractory (R/R) AML. There is limited data regarding outcomes of AML patients after HMA+Ven failure. In clinical practice, survival following HMA+Ven failure, either as frontline or salvage therapy, is observed to be poor. Methods: We conducted a single center retrospective study to evaluate survival outcomes of AML patients who were R/R to HMA+Ven as frontline or salvage therapy. Patients ≥ 18 years of age with AML who initiated HMA+Ven between 06/2018 and 05/2021 were included. R/R AML was defined as clinically relevant disease with ≥ 5% blasts after prior complete remission/morphologic leukemia free state, refractoriness to at least two cycles of HMA+Ven, or progressive disease despite initiating HMA+Ven. Data cut-off was 02/07/2022. Overall survival (OS) was estimated using Kaplan-Meier method and outcome differences between sub-groups were assessed using the log rank test. Results: Forty-two patients met inclusion criteria. Baseline characteristics and treatment details are summarized in Table. The median OS of the overall cohort was 2.3 months (range 0.1-11.4). There was no significant difference in median OS between patients declared R/R to frontline vs salvage HMA+Ven (2.4 vs 1.8 months, hazard ratio [HR] = 0.84, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.43-1.62). Patients who received treatment after HMA+Ven failure had longer median OS compared to patients who did not (n = 17, 4.7 vs 1.7 months, HR = 0.29, 95% CI 0.13-0.62). There was no significant difference in OS based on the sub-type of AML, ELN risk group, p53 mutation, or complex karyotype status. Conclusions: Data from our study support the clinical observation that AML patients with disease R/R to HMA+Ven, either as frontline or salvage therapy, have very poor survival outcomes. These results provide important prognostic information for clinicians and highlight the need for novel therapies for R/R AML.[Table: see text]

A phase 1 study of NTX-301, an oral DNMT1 inhibitor, in patients with MDS and AML (trial in progress)

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Background: Patients with relapsed and/or refractory (r/r) myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML), and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who are not candidates for stem-cell transplantation have dismal outcomes. Novel therapies are needed. The nucleoside analogue NTX-301 (5-aza-4’-thio-2’-deoxycytidine or Aza-TdC) is incorporated into DNA, where it engages the active site of DNA methyltransferase I (DNMT1), a maintenance methyltransferase that contributes to the hypermethylation and silencing of tumor suppressor genes. DNMT1 can become trapped in a covalent complex with DNA, thus depleting free enzyme and inhibiting the normal maintenance methylation of CpG sites, resulting in re-activation of tumor suppressor genes. Preclinical data suggest a correlation between NTX-301 activity in leukemia xenograft models and decreased levels of DNMT1. NTX-301 offers an improvement over traditional DNA methyltransferase inhibitors (azacitidine, decitabine) by virtue of a higher incorporation rate into DNA at lower levels of cytotoxicity. Methods: This is a phase 1, open-label, multi-center, dose-escalation study to assess the safety, tolerability, and recommended myeloid monotherapy dose of NTX-301 in patients with r/r myeloid neoplasms. Patients ≥ 18 years with r/r higher-risk MDS (intermediate, high, very-high risk by IPSS-R), high-risk CMML (int-2/high by CPSS or CPSS-mol), or AML (marrow blasts ≤ 30% or WBC < 20,000 cells/µL without leukoreduction) are eligible. Other key eligibility criteria: Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0–2; adequate cardiac, renal, and liver function; and resolved acute effects of any prior therapy. Successive cohorts of patients will receive escalating doses of NTX-301 starting from 2 mg QD. Each cycle is 21 days in duration (treatment for 5 days/week x 2 weeks and 1 week off). The trial incorporates accelerated titration design for dose level 1 and 2 followed by traditional 3+3 dose escalation design (3-6 patients per cohort) from dose level 3. Intrapatient dose escalation is allowed. NTX-301 treatment will continue until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity, whichever occurs first. Primary endpoints: incidence and severity of adverse events, dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs), maximum tolerated dose (MTD), biologically effective dose (BED). Secondary endpoints: PK parameters of NTX-301, PD assessment through global hypomethylation assay and other markers in blood and marrow, and clinical efficacy [overall response rate (ORR), complete remission (CR), marrow CR (mCR), partial remission (PR), stable disease (SD), hematologic improvement (HI) per mIWG criteria]. After the MTD/BED is identified, the safety and efficacy of NTX-301 will be explored further in selected myeloid malignancies. The study began enrolling patients in January 2021 and is still recruiting. Clinical trial information: NCT04167917.

Risk of mortality and second malignancies in primary myelofibrosis before and after ruxolitinib approval

BACKGROUND

Primary myelofibrosis (PMF) is associated with morbidity and mortality. Ruxolitinib gained US FDA approval for treatment of intermediate/high-risk PMF in November 2011. We evaluated differences in survival and second primary malignancy (SPM) incidence among US PMF patients in the years before and after ruxolitinib approval.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective study utilizing the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-18 database for PMF patients. We divided patients into five-year cohorts pre- (2007-2011) and post-ruxolitinib (2012-2016) approval and compared relative survival rates (RSRs) to the standard population and standardized incidence rates (SIRs) of SPMs between cohorts.

RESULTS

We included 2020 patients diagnosed with PMF from 2007-2016 in this study. There was no difference in the four-year RSRs between cohorts (54 % vs. 57 %, p = 0.776). More patients developed SPMs in the post-ruxolitinib cohort (8% vs. 6%, p = 0.041). The majority of SPMs were hematologic with higher incidence of AML transformation in the post-ruxolitinib cohort (SIR 125.29 vs. 70.55).

CONCLUSIONS

PMF prognosis remains poor in the years following ruxolitinib's approval. SPM incidence including AML transformation is higher in the years after approval. Further studies are needed to determine the true impact of ruxolitnib on population outcomes.

Patient responses to weekly electronic patient-reported outcomes

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Background: Home-based symptom monitoring using patient reported outcomes has been shown to reduce symptom burden and hospitalizations, while improving quality of life and overall. The primary goal of this study was to evaluate the early feasibility of home-based symptom monitoring. Methods: This prospective single-arm pilot study evaluated a two-part education and technology intervention (home-based symptom monitoring) for clinicians treating Multiple Myeloma (MM) and Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) patients. Inclusion criteria included patients ≥ 60 who were anticipating a treatment decision. Participants completed a baseline survey and then enrolled into the PROmpt® symptom monitoring platform, which used text or email to prompt weekly symptom surveys. Patients receive an auto-generated self-management plan based on electronic patient reported outcomes (ePRO). If severe symptoms were reported (score of > 7/10), alerts were sent to clinical nurses. Outcomes for this study included proportion of patient approach who agreed to participate, patient completion rates (completion of weekly surveys), compliance rate (completion of total surveys), number of alerts generated, and type of alert. Feasibility was defined as a completion rate of > 70%. Results: Between September 1, 2020 –May 19, 2021; 114 patients were screened, 77 were approached, and 35 were enrolled (18) MM, (17) AML patients. Of non-participants, 11 were not seeking care at the institution, 10 patients were uninterested or did not have a smartphone, 9 patients were ineligible, and 9 were unsure and left with information about the study, 3 declined enrollment. The majority (80%) or participants were ages 60-74; 20% of patients were ages 75+. Over the 13-week period, AML patients completed 195/220 (compliance rate of 89%). The average completion rate was 92%. For MM, 192/233 surveys were completed (82% compliance rate). The average completion rate was 94%. For AML, 9 was the average number of completed surveys and the average number for MM was 8. Over 3 months, there were 294 moderate to severe alerts generated for AML and MM patients. For AML patients, there were 40 fatigue, 25 constipation, 21 pain, 17 decreased appetite, 11 insomnia, 11 rash, 6 anxiety, 7 dyspnea/cough, 7 diarrhea, 5 depression/sadness, 4 nausea/ vomiting, 4 mouth/ throat sores, 3 neuropathy, 3 fever, and 2 alerts for other symptoms. Within a 3 month time span for MM patients, there was 35 pain, 21 constipation, 18 fatigue, 11 rash, 10 neuropathy, 9 anxiety, 7 insomnia, 6 depression/sadness, 4 decreased appetite, 4 other symptom, and 1 nausea/vomiting alert. Conclusions: This study demonstrated early feasibility with over 80% of patient completing their surveys with a high compliance rate. Future analysis will include both final implementation outcomes as well as patient outcomes for all patients within the study.

Impact of access to care on 1-year mortality following allogeneic blood or marrow transplantation

Mortality is highest in the first year following an allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant. With recent advancements, we have expanded the pool of patients to whom we are able to offer transplant as a treatment option. In this context, we analyzed socioeconomic, patient, disease and transplant-related variables that predicted for 1-year all-cause, relapse-related (RRM) and non-relapse related mortality (NRM) in 304 patients at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. The 1-year overall survival, RRM and NRM rates were 60.5%, 13.5% and 22.7% respectively. A KPS score < 80, pre-transplant infection and hypertension and non-complete remission disease status adversely effected all-cause mortality. For NRM, increasing age, pre-transplant infection and diabetes, and poor access to care were associated with higher mortality whereas haploidentical donor type was associated with improved survival. For RRM, a KPS score <80, high/very high disease risk index and the presence of comorbidities were risk factors for higher mortality. Poor access to care, in addition to individual comorbidities, performance status and high-risk disease characteristics, is associated with adverse outcomes following transplant. We propose the incorporation of socioeconomic variables with patient, disease, and transplant-related variables to predict 1-year NRM.

Usefulness of patient-reported outcomes to assess the effectiveness of topical hormonal therapy for gynecologic symptoms after antihormonal treatment for breast cancer

The aim of this retrospective study was to assess the efficacy of topical hormonal therapy (THT) to relieve vaginal symptoms resulting from antihormonal therapy in women with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. A total of 74 breast cancer patients who received THT for vaginal complaints were retrospectively identified and statistically matched with 74 control breast cancer patients with vaginal complaints with no documented use of THT. Symptom scores were recorded from the center's proprietary patient-reported outcomes database, Patient Care Monitor (ConcertoHealthAI, Boston). A baseline score was noted at the initiation of antihormonal therapy and was followed at 6 and 12 months. The median differences between baseline, 6-month, and 12-month scores were analyzed. Repeated measures analysis of variance assessed the impact of topical hormonal replacement. There was no statistically significant difference in score change between the two groups at 6 and 12 months. In the active THT group, there were no statistically significant differences in vaginal complaints or sexual problems over time: {F (2, 146) = 0.99, P = 0.369; and F (2, 146) = 1.56, P = 0.217}, respectively. In this study, the use of topical hormonal replacement was not effective in alleviating vaginal symptoms.

Observation Versus Immediate Reinduction for Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patients With Indeterminate Day 14 Bone Marrow Results

INTRODUCTION

The benefit of immediate reinduction chemotherapy for patients with indeterminate day 14 bone marrow results (≤ 20% cellularity and 5%-20% blasts) remains unclear. We report our experience with patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with indeterminate day 14 bone marrow biopsy results treated with reinduction chemotherapy versus observation alone.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We performed a retrospective study to assess the outcomes of adult patients with newly diagnosed AML treated with or without reinduction chemotherapy for indeterminate day 14 bone marrow results.

RESULTS

We identified 50 patients with indeterminate day 14 bone marrow results. Of the 50 patients, 25 (50%) had received reinduction therapy and 25 (50%) had not. Of the 50 patients, 24 (48%) had poor risk disease, 12 in the reinduction arm (10 with an abnormal karyotype and 2 with a normal karyotype with molecular abnormalities) and 12 in the observation arm (6 with an abnormal karyotype and 6 with a normal karyotype with molecular abnormalities). The overall response rate (complete remission plus complete remission with incomplete count recovery) was similar in both treatment arms (80% vs. 80%). No statistically significant difference was found in the median overall survival (13 months vs. 21 months; P = .88) or relapse-free survival (13 months vs. 33 months; P = .53) between the 2 treatment arms.

CONCLUSION

Our study did not find a statistically significant difference in the overall response rates or survival outcome measures for patients with AML and indeterminate day 14 bone marrow in the 2 treatment groups. Our findings question the utility of immediate reinduction chemotherapy and raise concern regarding overtreatment in this patient population. Larger studies investigating similar outcomes are warranted to validate our clinical findings.

Acute promyelocytic leukemia during pregnancy: A case report and 10-year institutional review of hematologic malignancies during pregnancy

Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) manifesting during pregnancy is a very rare but highly challenging gestational complication in part due to its associated profound coagulopathy. We present the case of a 23-year-old Gravida 3 Para 2002 woman admitted to our hospital at 26 weeks of gestation for severe pre-eclampsia with documentation of intrauterine fetal demise (IUFD), thrombocytopenia, and placental abruption. A peripheral blood smear revealed promyelocytes with azure granules, highly concerning for APL. Additional peripheral blood studies confirmed APL. Placental examination also revealed circulating blasts in decidual vessels and scattered blast entrapment in diffuse perivillous fibrinoid deposits, but none in the chorionic villi. Treatment for APL was initiated immediately and she is in complete molecular remission. Our case underscores the importance of close collaboration among obstetric, hematology, and pathology teams in the care of patients with pre-eclampsia, thrombocytopenia, and postpartum coagulopathy. We also describe five additional cases of gestations complicated by hematologic malignancies identified upon a 10-year institutional retrospective review.

Risk and outcomes of second malignant neoplasms in chronic myeloid leukemia survivors

The risk of second malignant neoplasms (SMN) in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) survivors remains unclear. We utilized the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results 18 (SEER 18) registries to evaluate the risk and subsequent outcomes of SMN in CML survivors. There were 3407 patients included. Of these, 170 (4.99%) developed a SMN with SIR of 1.40 (95% C.I. 1.19-1.62). An increased risk was noted for cancers of the respiratory tract, genitourinary (GU) tract and skin excluding basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma. Using 3:1 matching (3 de novo malignancies to 1 post-CML SMN case), we compared survival data for cancers of the respiratory, GU and gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Patients with GU malignancies developing after CML had worse overall survival than patients without prior CML diagnosis (P = 0.018). There was no difference in survival between post-CML and non-post-CML patients with respiratory or GI malignancies.

Outcomes of fludarabine, high dose cytarabine and granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (FLAG) as re-induction for residual acute myeloid leukemia on day 14 bone marrow

BACKGROUND

Patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) treated with intensive chemotherapy may require re-induction based on the evaluation of day 14 bone marrow biopsy.

METHODS

A retrospective chart review was performed to evaluate adult patients with AML who received re-induction with fludarabine, high dose cytarabine and granulocyte colony stimulating factor (FLAG) regimen for residual disease (≥ 5% blasts by morphology) on day 14 bone marrow examination between September 2012 and July 2017 at our institution.

RESULTS

We identified 27 patients who received FLAG therapy for treatment of residual disease on day 14 marrow examination following initial induction. The median age at diagnosis was 61 years and the majority of patients had poor risk AML. The overall response rate was 78% and 15 patients proceeded to allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

CONCLUSION

The regimen was well tolerated and is a viable re-induction option for patients with residual disease on a day 14 bone marrow.

Emerging first line treatment options for bladder cancer: a review of phase II and III therapies in the pipeline

INTRODUCTION

The treatment of urothelial carcinoma (UC) had remained unchanged for several years until the recent FDA approval of immune checkpoint inhibitors (CPIs) in the salvage setting. Novel dual CPI-CPI and CPI-chemotherapy combinations are now being investigated aggressively as first line therapy for metastatic disease. Areas covered: We discuss the recent insights into the tumor biology of UC, which may impact the prognosis as well as assist in developing precision medicine. This is followed by an overview of existing treatment including conventional chemotherapy as well as the trials that led to the recent approval of PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibitors. Ongoing phase II and phase III trials developing PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors, CTLA-4 inhibitors and VEGF inhibitors as first-line therapy are discussed. Expert opinion: The treatment paradigm for the first-line therapy of UC is expected to shift from conventional platinum-based combination chemotherapy towards novel therapy incorporating CPI immunotherapy. Finding the right combination of drugs in the appropriate disease setting and identifying the right patient population based on biomarkers are important questions to be answered. Another major challenge will be the financial burden associated with these new drugs.

Male breast cancer: a 24 year experience of a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan

BACKGROUND

Male breast cancer accounts for less than 1% of all cancers found in men. It usually presents at a later age and stage as compared to female breast cancer. Treatment strategies are extrapolated from the management of female breast cancer. Our study here looked at 18 patients diagnosed with and treated for male breast cancer at The Aga Khan University Hospital in Pakistan. We compared our findings with the existing data from Asian and Western countries.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective study was conducted looking at patients with male breast cancer between January 1986 and December 2009. Patient and disease characteristics were analyzed and 5 year overall survival was calculated using Microsoft Excel and SPSS.

RESULTS

The average age at diagnosis was 52 years (38-67 years). Twelve (66.7%) patients had axillary lymphadenopathy. Stage II disease was the most common stage at presentation (9 patients, 50%). Infiltrating ductal carcinoma was seen in 16 patients (88.8%). Seven lesions were positive for both estrogen and progesterone receptors. Sixteen patients had surgery in the form of either modified radical mastectomy or radical mastectomy. Radiation was used in 7 patients in an adjuvant setting. The five year overall survival for stage I, II, III and IV disease was 100% vs 78% vs 50% vs 0%( p<0.05). Five year overall survival was 61%. None of the other prognostic factors were statistically significant. Median follow up was 15 months (3-202 months).

CONCLUSIONS

Male breast cancer may be on a slow rise but is still an uncommon disease. Tumor stage and lymph node status are important prognostic markers. Public awareness and screening may help in detecting the disease at an earlier stage. Prospective trials are needed to improve the management of this disease.

Induction of Acute Myeloid Leukemia with Idarubicin, Cytarabine and Cladribine

BACKGROUND

Daunorubicin and cytarabine has been the standard-of-care for induction therapy for acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Adding cladribine to daunorubicin (60 mg/m(2)) and cytarabine has increased complete remission (CR) rates and median overall survival (OS). However, the efficacy of adding cladribine to 7+3 with other anthracyclines is unknown.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We retrospectively evaluated patients with AML receiving induction with idarubicin, cytarabine and cladribine (ICC) between 1/1/2010 and 06/30/2015 at the Methodist University Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. Institutional Review Board approval was obtained for the study. Patient, disease characteristics and outcomes were analyzed with GraphPad Prism, Microsoft Excel and SPSSv19.0 software.

RESULTS

Twenty-four patients induced with ICC for AML were identified. Thirteen (54.2%) had at least one high-risk feature. Hypoplastic marrow was achieved in all by day 14; 19 (79.2%) achieved CR. Thirty-day mortality was 8.3%; 33-month OS and disease-free survival were 56% and 36%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Induction of AML with ICC was associated with a high CR rate and OS in our high-risk population.

How Center Volumes Affect Early Outcomes in Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Early mortality (EM) is all too frequent during induction chemotherapy for acute myeloid leukemia. Older patients shoulder an undue amount of this burden as a result of the inherent biology of their disease and increased comorbidities. EM rates in academic centers have seen a sharp decline over the past 20 years; however, data from population-based registries show that EM rates for the general population have significantly lagged behind. In this review, we analyze the data available on EM in academic centers and the general population, explore recent improvements in supportive care and the use of predictive models, and finally investigate the relationship between case volume and complications during chemotherapy.

Population-based Analysis of the Clinical Features of Primary Small Cell Carcinoma of the Ovary

BACKGROUND

Primary small cell carcinoma of the ovary (SCCO) is rare, making prognosis and outcomes largely undefined.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Using case listing session of SEER 18 (1973-2010), we examined outcomes for patients with SCCO. Analyses were conducted with SEER(*)Stat 8.1.2, Microsoft Excel 2007 and GraphPad Prism 6. Comparisons were made using the Chi-square test and log-rank test (Mantel-Cox) and all p-values were 2-sided.

RESULTS

One hundred and eighty-one patients with SCCO with staging information were identified with a median age of 37 (range=10-91). Twenty-nine patients (15%) had localized, 19 (11%) regional and 133 (74%) distant disease at presentation. All patients with localized and 95% of patients with regional disease had surgery. The extent of surgery did not influence outcomes. Median overall survival (OS) varied by stage (67 months vs. 12 months vs. 9 months, p<0.001). Radiation was rarely used in localized (1 patient) or regional disease (3 patients). For comparison, 81,933 cases of SCLC were identified from the same database with a median age of 68; 8% of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients had localized, 29% regional and 63% distant disease. Outcomes were superior for patients with SCCO with localized disease (67 months vs. 16 months, p<0.001) but there was no clinically meaningful difference in patients with regional (12 months vs. 13 months, p=0.675) or distant disease (9 months vs. 7 months, p<0.001).

CONCLUSION

SCCO presents at a younger age than SCLC but has a similar stage distribution. Patients with localized SCCO have a more favorable prognosis than patients with SCLC but patients with regional and distant disease have similar outcomes.

Influence of insurance and marital status on outcomes of adolescents and young adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia

BACKGROUND

Although outcomes for adolescents and young adults (AYA) with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) are worse when treated according to adult rather than pediatric protocols, one criticism is that this may be due to the emancipation of young adults.

METHODS

Using case listing session of Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) 18 (1973-2010), we examined outcomes for AYA with ALL defined similar to Cancer and Leukemia Group B (CALGB) 10,403 criteria (age 18-30) predicated on marital and insurance status as surrogates for emancipation (limiting analysis to 2007-2010). Analyses were conducted with SEER*Stat 8.1.2, Microsoft Excel 2007, and GraphPad Prism 6. Comparisons were made by the Fisher exact test and log rank test (Mantel-Cox); all P values were 2-sided.

RESULTS

Although age (24 and younger vs. 25 and older) was predictive of median overall survival (OS) (not reached vs. 33; P = .0029) (3-year OS 66% vs. 49%), social factors were not. Three-year OS for insured versus uninsured patients was 61% versus 50%, and median OS was not reached versus 30 months (P = .2334). Three-year OS for single versus married patients was 62% versus 55%, with median OS not reached for both groups (P = .1084).

CONCLUSION

Insurance status and marriage did not influence outcomes for AYA with ALL, suggesting that intrinsic differences in disease and disease-specific therapies are more important than social issues.