Claire Oudin

Single- vs double-unit cord blood transplantation for children and young ă adults with acute leukemia or myelodysplastic syndrome

Transplantation of 2 unrelated cord blood (UCB) units instead of 1 has been proposed to increase the cell dose. We report a prospective randomized study, designed to compare single- vs double-UCB transplantation in children and young adults with acute leukemia in remission or myelodysplasia. Eligible patients had at least two 4-6 HLA-identical UCBs with >3 × 10(7) nucleated cells/kg for the first and >1.5 × 10(7) for the second. The primary end point was the 2-year cumulative incidence of transplantation strategy failure, a composite end point including transplant-related mortality (TRM), engraftment failure, and autologous recovery. Randomized patients who did not proceed to transplantation due to refractory disease were considered transplantation failures. A total of 151 patients were randomized and included in the intent-to-treat analysis; 137 were transplanted. Double-UCB transplantation did not decrease transplantation strategy failure (23.4% ± 4.9% vs 14.9% ± 4.2%). Two-year posttransplant survival, disease-free survival, and TRM were 68.8% ± 6.0%, 67.6% ± 6.0%, and 5.9% ± 2.9% after single-unit transplantation compared with 74.8% ± 5.5%, 68.1% ± 6.0%, and 11.6% ± 3.9% after double-unit transplantation. The final relapse risk did not significantly differ, but relapses were delayed after double-unit transplantation. Overall incidences of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) were similar, but chronic GVHD was more frequently extensive after double-UCB transplantation (31.9% ± 5.7% vs 14.7% ± 4.3%, P = .02). In an exploratory subgroup analysis, we found a significantly lower relapse risk after double-unit transplantation in patients receiving total body irradiation without antithymocyte globulin (ATG), whereas the relapse risk was similar in the group treated with busulfan, cyclophosphamide, and ATG. Single-UCB transplantation with adequate cell dose remains the standard of care and leads to low TRM. Double-unit transplantation should be reserved for patients who lack such units. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT01067300.

Antithymocyte Globulin in Reduced-Intensity Conditioning Regimen Allows a High Disease-Free Survival Exempt of Long-Term Chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease

Nonmyeloablative (NMA) regimens allow the use of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) in patients considered unfit for standard myeloablative conditioning (MAC) regimens using high-dose alkylating agents with or without total body irradiation (TBI). Reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) regimens, based on fludarabine (Flu), busulfan (Bu), and rabbit antithymocyte globulin (r-ATG), represent an intermediate alternative between NMA and MAC regimens. This platform was subsequently optimized by the introduction of i.v. Bu and the use of 5 mg/kg r-ATG, based on the hypothesis that these modifications would improve the safety of RIC allo-HSCT. Here we report a study conducted at our institution on 206 patients, median age 59 years, who underwent allo-HSCT after conditioning with Flu, 2 days of i.v. Bu, and 5 mg/kg r-ATG (FBx-ATG) between 2005 and 2012. The prevalence of grade III-IV acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) was 9%, and that of extensive chronic GVHD was 22%. Four-year nonrelapse mortality (NRM), relapse, and overall survival (OS) rates were 22%, 36%, and 54%, respectively. NRM tended to be influenced by comorbidities (hematopoietic cell transplantation-specific comorbidity index [HCT-CI] <3 versus HCT-CI ≥3: 18% versus 27%; P = .075), but not by age (<60 years, 20% versus ≥60 years, 25%; P = .142). Disease risk significantly influenced relapse (2 years: low, 8%, intermediate, 28%, high, 34%; very high, 63%; P = .017). Both disease risk (hazard ratio [95% confidence interval]: intermediate, 2.1 [0.8 to 5.2], P = .127; high, 3.4 [1.3 to 9.1], P = .013; very high, 4.0 [1.1 to 14], P = .029) and HCT-CI (hazard ratio [95% confidence interval]: HCT-CI ≥3, 1.7 (1.1 to 2.8), P = .018) influenced OS, but age and donor type did not. The FBx-ATG RIC regimen reported here is associated with low mortality and high long-term disease-free survival without persistent GVHD in both young and old patients. It represents a valuable platform for developing further post-transplantation strategies aimed at reducing the incidence of relapse, particularly in the setting of high-risk disease.

Metabolic syndrome in adults who received hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for acute childhood leukemia: an LEA study

We evaluated prospectively the incidence and risk factors of the metabolic syndrome (MS) and its components in 170 adult patients (mean age at evaluation: 24.8±5.4 years) who received an hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for childhood ALL, n=119, or AML, n=51. TBI was carried out in 124 cases; a busulfan-based conditioning was done in 30 patients. Twenty-nine patients developed a MS (17.1%, 95% confidence intervals: 11.7–23.6). The cumulative incidence was 13.4% at 25 years of age and 35.5% at 35 years of age. A higher body mass index (BMI) before transplantation and a growth hormone deficiency were associated with increased MS risk (P=0.002 and 0.01, respectively). MS risk was similar for patients who received TBI or busulfan-based conditioning. The TBI use increased the hyperglycemia risk (odds ratio (OR): 4.7, P=0.02). Women were at the risk of developing increased waist circumference (OR: 7.18, P=0.003) and low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (OR: 2.72, P=0.007). The steroid dose was not a risk factor. The MS occurs frequently among transplanted survivors of childhood leukemia. Its incidence increases with age. Both intrinsic (BMI, gender) and extrinsic factors (TBI, alkylating agents) contribute to its etiopathogenesis.

Reduced-toxicity conditioning prior to allogeneic stem cell transplantation improves outcome in patients with myeloid malignancies

The introduction of reduced intensity/toxicity conditioning regimens has allowed allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation to be performed in patients who were previously considered too old or otherwise unfit. Although it led to a reduction in non-relapse mortality, disease control remains a major challenge. We studied the outcome of 165 patients with acute myeloid leukemia (n=124) or myelodysplastic syndrome (n=41) transplanted after conditioning with fludarabine (30 mg/m2/day for 5 days), intravenous busulfan (either 260 mg/m2: reduced intensity conditioning, or 390–520 mg/m2: reduced toxicity conditioning), and rabbit anti-thymoglobulin (2.5 mg/kg/day for 2 days). The median age of the patients at transplantation was 56.8 years. The 2-year relapse incidence was 29% (23% versus 39% for patients transplanted in first complete remission and those transplanted beyond first complete remission, respectively; P=0.008). The 2-year progression-free survival rate was 57% (95% CI: 49.9–65). It was higher in the groups with favorable or intermediate cytogenetics than in the group with unfavorable cytogenetics (72.7%, 60.5%, and 45.7%, respectively; P=0.03). The cumulative incidence of grades 2–4 and 3–4 acute graft-versus-host disease at day 100 was 19.3% and 7.9%, respectively. The cumulative incidence of chronic graft-versus-host disease at 1 year was 21.6% (severe forms: 7.8%). Non-relapse mortality at 1 year reached 11%. The 2-year overall survival rate was 61.8% (95% CI: 54.8–69.7). Unfavorable karyotype and disease status beyond first complete remission were associated with a poorer survival. This well-tolerated conditioning platform can lead to long-term disease control and offers possibilities of modulation according to disease stage or further development.

Peripheral blood cells chimerism after unrelated cord blood transplantation in children: kinetics, predictive factors and impact on post‐transplant outcome

This study aimed to describe kinetics of complete donor chimerism occurrence (cDC, >99·9% donor) after unrelated cord blood transplantation (UCBT), to identify its predictive factors and its impact on post‐transplant outcome. Ninety‐four children who received single UCBT after a myeloablative conditioning regimen had blood chimerism evaluation at predefined post‐transplant dates, using a real‐time polymerase chain reaction method with 0·1% sensitivity. Cumulative incidence of cDC at 1 year post‐transplantation was 61·8%. Three predictive factors were identified in multivariate analysis: history of malignant disease (P = 0·03), older age (above 2·16 years, the first quartile of age, P = 0·0055) and higher level of cord/recipient human leucocyte antigen mismatch (4/6 vs. 5‐6/6, P < 0·001) increased the probability of post‐transplant cDC. Although graft cell dose had a strong impact on haematological recovery, it did not apparently influence cDC occurrence. Early cDC (i.e. more than 99·9% donor chimerism on days 15–30 post‐transplant) appeared useful to predict engraftment (P = 0·003) as well as acute and chronic graft‐versus‐host disease (GvHD). Severe acute or chronic GvHD never occurred in patients with DC ≤99·9%, suggesting than even minimal residual host haematopoiesis is associated with a very low risk of GvHD after UCBT.

Metabolic syndrome in long-term survivors of childhood acute leukemia treated without hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: an L.E.A. study

Cardiovascular conditions are serious long-term complications of childhood acute leukemia. However, few studies have investigated the risk of metabolic syndrome, a known predictor of cardiovascular disease, in patients treated without hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. We describe the overall and age-specific prevalence, and the risk factors for metabolic syndrome and its components in the L.E.A. (Leucémie de l’Enfant et de l’Adolescent) French cohort of childhood acute leukemia survivors treated without hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The study included 650 adult patients (mean age at evaluation: 24.2 years; mean follow-up after leukemia diagnosis: 16.0 years). The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 6.9% (95% CI 5.1–9.2). The age-specific cumulative prevalence at 20, 25, 30 and 35 years of age was 1.3%, 6.1%, 10.8% and 22.4%, respectively. The prevalence of decreased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, increased triglycerides, increased fasting glucose, increased blood pressure and increased abdominal circumference was 26.8%, 11.7%, 5.8%, 36.7% and 16.7%, respectively. Risk factors significantly associated with metabolic syndrome in the multivariate analysis were male sex (OR 2.64; 95% CI 1.32–5.29), age at last evaluation (OR 1.10; 95% CI 1.04–1.17) and body mass index at diagnosis (OR 1.15; 95% CI 1.01–1.32). The cumulative steroid dose was not a significant risk factor. Irradiated and non-irradiated patients exhibited different patterns of metabolic abnormalities, with more frequent abdominal obesity in irradiated patients and more frequent hypertension in non-irradiated patients. Survivors of childhood acute leukemia are at risk of metabolic syndrome, even when treated without hematopoietic stem cell transplantation or central nervous system irradiation. A preventive approach with regular screening for cardiovascular risk factors is recommended. clinicaltrials.gov identifier:01756599.

Late cardiomyopathy in childhood acute myeloid leukemia survivors: a study from the L.E.A. program.

Late cardiomyopathy in childhood acute myeloid leukemia survivors: a study from the L.E.A. program Prognosis of pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has improved significantly over the past two decades with survival rates now approaching 70%. 1 Therapy consists of a limited number of intensive chemotherapy courses mainly based on cytarabine and anthracycline. 2,3 Many pediatric late anthracycline cardiotoxicity studies have concerned heterogeneous diagnostic groups. Moreover, single childhood cancer studies were mainly conducted in acute lym-phoblastic leukemia, whereas the highest doses of anthra-cycline are given in children with AML. 4-6 We report here a prospective multi-centric study of late cardiotoxicity in 185 patients surviving childhood AML. All were treated after 1989 in French clinical trials using intensive chemotherapy alone or chemotherapy and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). L.E.A. (Leucemie Enfant & Adolescent) is a French prospective long-term follow-up program involving all childhood acute leukemia survivors treated in the participating centers since 1980. Details of the programm are provided elsewhere. 7 As of 31 December 2011, 282 childhood AML survivors fulfilled the L.E.A. inclusion criteria and 218 (77.3%) of them agreed to participate. Among these 218, 185 were treated according to one of the 6 multicenter trial protocols ongoing in France after January 1989. All 185 had serial echocardiographic examination as part of their L.E.A. program, and all were included in the present study. All provided written informed consent. Cardiotoxicity was defined by either clinical symptoms of congestive heart failure or by an abnormal echocardiographic left ventricular function. Left ventricular function was considered abnormal when the shortening fraction (SF) was less than 28% or when the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was less than 55% on 2D echocardiography. 8-10 Cardiotoxicity was classified as late when it started or persisted beyond one year after the completion of first-line treatment. 9 Cumulative anthracycline doses used in each trial are described in the Online Supplementary Table S1, as well as the doxorubicin-equivalent doses using conversion factors of 0.83, 4.0 and 5.0 for daunorubicin, mitoxantrone and idarubicin, respectively. 10,11 Assessment of health status, long-term late effects on health-related quality of life (QoL), and statistical analysis are described in the Online Supplementary Appendix. Characteristics of the study cohort are summarized in Table 1. Median age at the time of AML diagnosis and median follow-up duration to last cardiac evaluation were 6.53 and 9.5 years, respectively. Thirty-seven patients had a history of relapse. Median cumulative anthracycline dose was 372 mg/m² (Online Supplementary Figure S1). Ninety-nine patients were treated by chemotherapy alone, whereas the other 86 patients also received HSCT (57 in first remission, 25 in second remission, and 4 in more advanced disease). Thirty children received total body irradiation (TBI), but only 10 among the 57 transplanted in first remission did so. Median number of echographic evaluations was 3 per patient. Subclinical cardiotoxicity (SCC) was observed in 23 of 185 patients (12.4%) at least once during their follow-up program. Median time from AML diagnosis to SCC detection was 4.40 years. In these 23 patients, the median value of the worst SF was 27% and the median value of the worst LVEF was 52. Only 3 of 23 patients had a worse SF value of less than 25% (2 had 20%; 1 had 24%). Six of 23 received anti-congestive therapy and none had cardiac transplantation. Five of those receiving anti-congestive therapy were still being treated at time of last evaluation, and 4 had more than 28% SF and more than 55% LVEF. Seventeen patients never received treatment: 11 had spontaneous improvement with more than 28% SF and more than 55% LVEF at last evaluation. Finally, at last cardiac evaluation, only 8 patients had an abnormal left ventricular function. Cumulative incidence (CI) of cardiotoxicity, estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method was 16% and 27% at 10 and 15 years, respectively (Figure 1A). CI of anti-conges-tive treatment at the same follow-up times was 5% and 7%. The risk of developing cardiotoxicity depended on a previous history of relapse and on the cumulative anthracy-cline dose. At ten years from diagnosis, CI was 35% versus 11% in patients with or without history of relapse (P=0.02) (Figure 1B). Among 148 patients without any history of relapse, 10-year CI of cardiotoxicity was 14% in 97 patients treated with chemotherapy alone versus 8% in 51 patients who underwent HSCT in first remission (NS, Figure 1C). In transplanted children, the risk was not modified by either a grade 2-4 acute or an extensive chronic graft-versus-host disease. The CI of anti-congestive treatment in these 148 patients who never experienced relapse was 3% at ten and

Incidence and risk factors for cataract after haematopoietic stem cell transplantation for childhood leukaemia: an LEA study.

Cataract was prospectively assessed by serial slip lamp tests in 271 patients included in the Leucémie Enfants Adolescents (LEA) programme, the French cohort of childhood leukaemia survivors. All had received haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) after total body irradiation (TBI, n = 201) or busulfan‐based (n = 70) myeloablative conditioning regimen. TBI was fractionated in all but six patients. The mean duration of follow‐up from HSCT was 10·3 years. Cataract was observed in 113/271 patients (41·7%); 9/113 (8·1%) needed surgery. Cumulative incidence after TBI increased over time from 30% at 5 years to 70·8% and 78% at 15 and 20 years, respectively, without any plateau thereafter. The 15‐year cumulative incidence was 12·5% in the Busulfan group. A higher cumulative steroid dose appeared to be a cofactor of TBI for cataract risk, in both univariate and multivariate Cox analysis. In the multivariate analysis, cataract had an impact in two quality of life domains: ‘the role limitation due to physical problems’ and ‘the role limitation due to emotional problems’. These data suggest that with increasing follow‐up, nearly all patients who receive TBI, even when fractionated, will suffer from cataract that can impact on their quality of life and that high cumulative steroid dose is a cofactor.

Late thyroid complications in survivors of childhood acute leukemia. An LEA study

Thyroid complications are known side effects of irradiation. However, the risk of such complications in childhood acute leukemia survivors who received either central nervous system irradiation or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is less described. We prospectively evaluated the incidence and risk factors for thyroid dysfunction and tumors in survivors of childhood acute myeloid or lymphoid leukemia. A total of 588 patients were evaluated for thyroid function, and 502 individuals were assessed for thyroid tumors (median follow-up duration: 12.6 and 12.5 years, respectively). The cumulative incidence of hypothyroidism was 17.3% (95% CI: 14.1–21.1) and 24.6% (95% CI: 20.4–29.6) at 10 and 20 years from leukemia diagnosis, respectively. Patients who received total body irradiation (with or without prior central nervous system irradiation) were at higher risk of hypothyroidism (adjusted HR: 2.87; P=0.04 and 2.79, P=0.01, respectively) as compared with transplanted patients who never received any irradiation. Patients transplanted without total body irradiation who received central nervous system irradiation were also at higher risk (adjusted HR: 3.39; P=0.02). Patients irradiated or transplanted at older than 10 years of age had a lower risk (adjusted HR: 0.61; P=0.02). Thyroid malignancy was found in 26 patients (5.2%). Among them, two patients had never received any type of irradiation: alkylating agents could also promote thyroid cancer. The cumulative incidence of thyroid malignancy was 9.6% (95% CI: 6.0–15.0) at 20 years. Women were at higher risk than men (adjusted HR: 4.74; P=0.002). In conclusion, thyroid complications are frequent among patients who undergo transplantation after total body irradiation and those who received prior central nervous system irradiation. Close monitoring is thus warranted for these patients. Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT 01756599.

PcG methylation of the HIST1 cluster defines an epigenetic marker of acute myeloid leukemia

PcG methylation of the HIST1 cluster defines an epigenetic marker of acute myeloid leukemia