Fotios V. Michelis

The risk of polyomavirus BK-associated hemorrhagic cystitis after allogeneic hematopoietic SCT is associated with myeloablative conditioning, CMV viremia and severe acute GVHD.

Hemorrhagic cystitis (HC) is a common complication after allogeneic hematopoietic SCT (allo-HSCT). Several risk factors have been suggested including BU-containing myeloablative conditioning, unrelated donors and GVHD, but these have not been consistently reported. We conducted a retrospective study including 339 allo-HSCT recipients between 2009 and 2012. Of 339 patients, 79 (23.3%) developed HC with 2-year cumulative incidence of 24.0% (95% confidence interval, 19.4–28.9). The median onset time was 45 days (range, 16–430) after allo-HSCT. Sixty-two patients (84%) out of 74 evaluated for urine BK virus PCR testing showed a positive result (mean 2.0 × 1010 copies of DNA per mL). In univariate analysis, myeloablative conditioning, HLA-mismatched donor, CMV viremia and acute GVHD (aGVHD) grade 3–4 were significantly associated with the risk of HC. Multivariate analysis confirmed all associating factors identified in univariate analysis except for HLA-mismatched donor: myeloablative conditioning (hazard ratio (HR) 2.63, P=0.003), CMV viremia (HR 1.88, P=0.014) and aGVHD grade 3–4 (HR 1.71, P=0.029). HC did not affect OS or non-relapse mortality. Symptomatic HC is a frequent complication following allo-HSCT, with a 2-year cumulative incidence of 24.0%. Three clinical factors associated with HC were identified including myeloablative conditioning, CMV viremia and severe aGVHD.

Duration of first remission, hematopoietic cell transplantation-specific comorbidity index and patient age predict survival of patients with AML transplanted in second CR.

Allo-SCT is potentially curative for patients with AML. Patients transplanted in CR2 tend to experience inferior survival compared with those in CR1. We retrospectively investigated the impact of pretransplant variables on the outcome of patients transplanted with AML in CR2. Ninety-four patients with AML in CR2 received a transplant between 1999 and 2011 with myeloablative (MA, n=65) or reduced-intensity conditioning regimens (RIC, n=29). Variables investigated included cytogenetic risk at diagnosis (SWOG), hematopoietic cell transplantation-specific comorbidity index (HCT-CI), CMV status, duration of CR1 and age. Median age of all patients was 47 years (range 18–70). Multivariable analysis for OS identified three prognostically significant categories: a favorable risk group included patients with duration of CR1 ⩾6 months, age <55 years and HCT-CI score 0–3, an intermediate risk group with duration of CR1 ⩾6 months, age <55 years and HCT-CI score 4–5 and a high-risk group with duration of CR1 <6 months or age ⩾55 years (P=0.0001) with 5-year survivals of 53%, 31% and 6%, respectively. Acute and chronic GVHD did not influence this risk stratification. The stated risk factors discriminate patients with different OS and may assist in decision making for allo-SCT.

Benefit of allogeneic transplantation in patients age ≥ 60 years with acute myeloid leukemia is limited to those in first complete remission at time of transplant.

We evaluated the impact of age and remission status on 242 consecutive patients who underwent allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in our program between 1999 and 2011. Median age of all patients was 48 years (range, 18 to 71). Based on age and remission status, patients were divided into 4 groups: first complete remission (CR1) age <60 years (n = 116), second complete remission (CR2) age <60 years (n = 78), CR1 age ≥60 years (n = 32), and CR2 age ≥60 years (n = 16). Donors were matched related (n = 155, 64%) or matched unrelated (n = 87, 36%). Median follow-up of survivors was 65 months (range, 12 to 145). In a univariate analysis, 3-year overall survival rates of the 4 groups were 57%, 43%, 39%, and 16% (P = .003), respectively. In a multivariable analysis, hazard ratios of nonrelapse mortality and survival were 2.08 (P = .06) and 1.52 (P = .23), respectively, in patients ≥60 years in CR2 compared with ≥ 60 years in CR1. Although a plateau in survival was observed for patients ≥60 years in CR1 similar to those <60 years in CR1 and CR2, no long-term survivors were seen in patients ≥60 years in CR2. Our data suggest disappointing outcomes in AML patients ≥60 years of age transplanted in CR2. Therefore, if a transplant is indicated, early referral is recommended in patients ≥60 years with AML.

Patient age, remission status and HCT-CI in a combined score are prognostic for patients with AML undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation in CR1 and CR2

For AML, older age, advanced disease and increased hematopoietic cell transplant comorbidity index (HCT-CI) are associated with worse prognosis following allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). This single-center retrospective study investigated the influence of pre-transplant characteristics on outcomes of 387 patients undergoing allogeneic HCT for AML in CR1 and CR2. The multivariable analysis model for overall survival (OS) included age (hazard ratio (HR)=2.24 for ages 31–64 years and HR=3.23 for age ⩾65 years compared with age ⩽30 years, P=0.003), remission status (HR=1.49 for CR2 compared with CR1, P=0.005) and HCT-CI score (HR=1.47 for ⩾3 compared with <3, P=0.005). Transplant year was significantly associated with OS (P=0.001) but this did not influence the model. A weighted score was developed with age ⩽30, CR1 and HCT-CI score <3 receiving 0 points each, and CR2 and HCT-CI score ⩾3 receiving 1 point each. Ages 31–64 received 2 points, age ⩾65 received 3 points. Scores were grouped as follows: scores 0–1 (low risk, n=36), score 2 (intermediate–low risk, n=147), score 3 (intermediate–high risk, n=141) and scores 4–5 (high risk, n=63) with 3-year OS of 71%, 55%, 42% and 29% for scores 0–1, 2, 3 and 4–5, respectively (P<0.0001). The score predicted nonrelapse mortality (P=0.03) but not cumulative incidence of relapse (P=0.18). This model should be validated for the pre-HCT assessment of AML patients in CR1 and CR2.

Myeloablative versus Reduced-Intensity Conditioning in Patients with Myeloid Malignancies: A Propensity Score-Matched Analysis

Reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) has been shown to have similar overall survival (OS) but higher relapse rates compared with myeloablative (MAC) regimens in patients with myeloid malignancies undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). Using propensity score matching (PSM) analysis, well-balanced pairs of different variables can be compared effectively. We retrospectively compared allo-HSCT recipients with acute myeloid leukemia or myelodysplasia receiving a RIC regimen (FBT200; fludarabine 30 mg/m2/day for 4 days, busulfan 3.2 mg/kg/day for 2 days, and total body irradiation [TBI] 200 cGy) or MAC regimen (FBT400; fludarabine 50 mg/m2/day for 4 days, busulfan 3.2 mg/kg/day for 4 days, and TBI 400 cGy). A total of 248 patients (121 in the RIC group and 127 in the MAC group) were included in the analysis. No statistically significant difference was observed in 2-year OS (RIC group, 45.2 ± 5.0%; MAC group, 51.7 ± 5.2%; P = .541), nonrelapse mortality (NRM; RIC group, 28.7 ± 2.8% MAC group, 34.7 ± 4.6%; P = .368), and acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) (P = .171) or chronic GVHD (P = .605) at 1 year. The cumulative incidence of relapse (CIR) at 2 years was statistically significantly different between the 2 groups, however (RIC, 26.1 ± 2.6%; MAC, 14.2 ± 3.5%; P = .033). When PSM was applied to the study population, 42 case-control pairs were evenly matched. PSM analysis confirmed no statistically significant difference in 2-year OS (RIC, 49.0 ± 9.1%; MAC, 54.9 ± 7.7%; P = .718), NRM (RIC, 22.2 ± 2.3%; MAC, 33.3 ± 2.8%; P = .238), or CIR (RIC, 25.7 ± 2.6%; MAC, 9.5 ± 1.1%; P = .315) in the PSM pairs. Our findings demonstrate that after applying PSM, FBT 200 RIC conditioning has comparable OS, NRM, and CIR to FBT 400 MAC conditioning before allo-HSCT.

Modified EBMT Pretransplant Risk Score Can Identify Favorable-risk Patients Undergoing Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation for AML, Not Identified by the HCT-CI Score

INTRODUCTION Risk scores have been developed for allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) outcomes, such as the Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation-Comorbidity Index (HCT-CI) and the modified European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation risk score (mEBMT) for acute leukemia. We investigated the influence of these scores for 350 patients who underwent transplantation for acute myeloid leukemia (AML). PATIENTS AND METHODS The HCT-CI scores were grouped as 0 to 2 and ≥ 3 (231 and 119 patients, respectively) and the mEBMT scores as 0 to 2 and ≥ 3 (166 and 184 patients, respectively). RESULTS Univariate analysis showed a significant association between the HCT-CI score and overall survival (OS) (P = .01), as did the mEBMT score (P = .002). The 5-year OS rate was 50% and 34% for a mEBMT score of 0 to 2 and ≥ 3, respectively. A subgroup of patients with a mEBMT score of 0 to 1 (n = 32) demonstrated a favorable OS of 75% at 5 years. This subgroup was younger (median age, 31 years), in first remission at transplantation, and had related donors. For the HCT-CI, the 5-year OS was 46% and 34% for a score of 0 to 2 and ≥ 3, respectively. Patients with an HCT-CI score of 0 (n = 94) had a 5-year OS of 44%. Multivariable analysis confirmed both the HCT-CI score and the mEBMT score, as previously grouped, as independent prognostic variables for both OS (P = .02 and P = .001, respectively) and nonrelapse mortality (NRM) (P = .01 and P = .003, respectively). CONCLUSION The results of the present study have demonstrated that the HCT-CI and mEBMT are both prognostic for OS and NRM in our cohort. However, the mEBMT score can identify a favorable-risk subgroup of patients not identifiable using the HCT-CI.

Comparable outcomes post allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant for patients with de novo or secondary acute myeloid leukemia in first remission

Secondary AML (sAML) has a poor prognosis with conventional chemotherapy alone. Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is beneficial for high-risk AML. Data comparing outcomes of transplants for patients with de novo and sAML are limited. We compared outcomes of patients transplanted for de novo and sAML in first complete remission and investigated the effect of age, HCT comorbidity index (HCT-CI) and karyotype in both groups. A total of 264 patients with de novo (n=180) and sAML (n=84) underwent allogeneic HCT between 1999 and 2013. Median age at transplant was 51 years (range 18–71), median follow-up of survivors was 77 months. Evaluation of all patients demonstrated no significant difference between de novo and sAML for overall survival (P=0.18), leukemia-free survival (P=0.17), cumulative incidence of relapse (P=0.51) and non-relapse mortality (P=0.42). Multivariable and propensity score analyses confirmed the comparable outcomes between de novo and sAML post transplant. Although sAML demonstrates outcomes inferior to de novo AML treated with chemotherapy alone, outcomes following allogeneic HCT are comparable between the two groups.

Relationship between neurocognitive functioning and medication management ability over the first 6 months following allogeneic stem cell transplantation

Although neurocognitive impairment has been established as a major issue among cancer survivors, the real-world consequences of this impairment are unclear. This study investigated the relationship between neurocognitive functioning and medication management ability over time among 58 patients treated with allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT). Participants completed a neuropsychological test battery and a simulated medication management task at three time points: pre-transplant (T0), Day 100 (T1) and 6 months post transplant (T2). Neurocognitively impaired participants performed worse on the medication management task than neurocognitively normal participants at each time point, and were more likely to score in the impaired range of medication management ability post transplant (72% vs 20%, P<0.001 at T1; 67% vs 23%, P=0.013 at T2). In multivariate analyses, worse performance in executive functioning/working memory consistently predicted impaired medication management ability, even when controlling for sociodemographic and clinical confounders (odds ratio=0.89, 95% confidence interval (0.80, 0.98), P=0.023). Lower physical symptom distress also predicted impaired medication management ability, but this effect decreased over time. Self-reported cognitive problems were not correlated with medication management ability at any time point. Findings suggest that poor neurocognitive functioning, particularly in the domain of executive functioning/working memory, is associated with worse medication management ability within the first 6 months after allogeneic HCT.

Cytogenetic risk determines outcomes after allogeneic transplantation in older patients with acute myeloid leukemia in their second complete remission: A Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research cohort analysis

Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) offers curative potential to a number of older patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in their first complete remission. However, there are limited data in the literature concerning post‐HCT outcomes for older patients in their second complete remission (CR2).

Richter transformation of chronic lymphocytic leukemia into composite diffuse large B-cell and Hodgkin lymphoma.

Richter transformation of chronic lymphocytic leukemia into composite diffuse large B-cell and Hodgkin lymphoma Fotios V. Michelis, Georgia Kourti, Maria Skertsou, Themistokles Karmiris, Dimitra P. Rontogianni & Nikolaos Harhalakis a Department of Hematology and Lymphoma, Evangelismos Hospital, Athens, Greece b Department of Pathology, Evangelismos Hospital, Athens, Greece Published online: 01 Jun 2015.