Francesco Ghio

Bendamustine in combination with rituximab for elderly patients with previously untreated B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia: A retrospective analysis of real-life practice in Italian hematology departments

The front-line therapy for CLL young and fit patients is chemo-immunotherapy with fludarabine-cyclophosphamide-rituximab (FCR). FCR regimen results in a significant myelosuppression and high rates of early and late infections especially in elderly patients. German CLL study group compared FCR vs. bendamustine-rituximab (BR) in fit untreated patients. The response rates with BR or FCR were comparable, BR could be an alternative 1st-line treatment for elderly patients. Here we report retrospective data of 70 elderly (≥65 years) CLL patients from 12 Italian centers treated with BR as front-line therapy. The primary end points were overall response rate (complete remission/partial remission) and safety. Forty-seven males and 23 females, with a median age of 72 years, were included in the study. Eight patients were unfit for CIRS. The OR rate was 88.6% (31.4% CR and 57.2% PR). Progression free survival, treatment free survival and overall survival rates at 2-years were 79%, 90.3% and 89.6%, respectively. Only del17 was independent unfavorable parameter on the response rate and PFS. Our results indicate that BR front-line at standard dose provides a high response rate with a good safety profile, even if more than 50% of patients experienced a bendamustine dose reduction until 70 mg/m2.

WT1 expression levels at diagnosis could predict long-term time-to-progression in adult patients affected by acute myeloid leukaemia and myelodysplastic syndromes.

Mutations of Wilms’ tumour gene (WT1) are reported in 10% of acute myeloid leukemias (AML) with normal karyotype, with reduction in both relapse-free-survival and overall survival (Virappane et al, 2008). WT1 is highly expressed in acute leukemias and the myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) (Rosenfeld et al, 2003) where it is associated with poorer prognosis (Cilloni et al, 2008; Candoni et al, 2009). About 65% of low-risk and up to 100% of high-risk MDS cases express high WT1 transcripts, correlated with higher risk of progression (Tamaki et al, 1999; Cilloni et al, 2003). To date, no studies have evaluated whether diagnostic WT1 mRNA levels influence the long-term time-to-progression (TTP) in MDS and AML. Moreover, no significant data have been produced concerning WT1 and MDS cases that have been classified according to the newer World Health Organisation Prognostic Scoring System (WPSS) score (Malcovati et al, 2007). Thus, in the present study, we evaluated the possible impact on long-term TTP exerted by WT1 mRNA levels measured at diagnosis in a series of 54 cases (24 AML and 30 MDS). WT1 transcript was quantified with the ProfileQUANT TM kit (Ipsogen, Marseille, France) on total RNA isolated using RNeasy Mini kit (QIAGEN, Valencia, CA, USA). This method estimates the ‘normal’ WT1 copies/ABL1 · 10 copies ratio to be between 3 and 180. Clinical and demographic characteristics of the entire series are reported in Table I. Patients were stratified in two categories (WT1-low and -high) when the WT1 copies/ABL1 · 10 copies ratio was lower or higher than 180 respectively; the chi-square and logistic regression tests were used to assess eventual differences in clinical and demographic data. t-test was adopted for comparing mean values; Kaplan–Meier life tables were constructed for survival data and compared by means of the logrank test, with surviving patients being censored at 15 June 2009. All statistical analyses were performed with the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (spss) software, version 17.0 (SPSS Italia, Bologna, Italy). P values <0Æ05 were considered significant. All low-risk MDS patients received epoietins and/or additional blood transfusion support; the high-risk MDS group included patients who received azacitidine 75 mg/m, 6 d a week for almost four cycles. For AML cases, induction therapy included idarubicin, less often doxorubicin with aracytin, according to the ‘3 + 7’ or ‘2 + 5’ scheme, on the basis of age (£ or >65 years). Fourteen transplanted patients were censored before stem cell infusion. At diagnosis, WT1 expression was high in 9 out of the 30 MDS cases (30%) (four in low-risk and five in high-risk group), and in 15 of the 24 patients (62Æ5%) affected by AML. Mean and standard deviation values were: 333Æ19 WT1 copies/10 ABL1 copies ± 97Æ89 for low-risk MDS; 551Æ31 copies/10 ABL1 copies ± 72Æ02 for high-risk MDS; 2390Æ89 copies/10 ABL1 copies 10 ± 39Æ92 for AML. WT1 mRNAs were significantly higher in AML when compared to both low-risk (P = 0Æ02) and high-risk MDS (P = 0Æ04). On the contrary, no significant difference in WT1 expression was found between the two risk score groups in MDS (P > 0Æ05). In our series of 30 MDS patients, the 36-monthTTP was 65% (median not reached at 5 years); it was not significantly affected by age, sex, performance status, white blood cell count (WBC), haemoglobin level (Hb), and platelet count (PLT) at diagnosis, blast percentage, cytogenetic features, or spleen dimension. Even the WPSS risk score in our series did not affect the TTP (36-month TTP 71% for low-risk versus 61% high-risk patients, P = 0Æ71). Similarly, the probability of progression was also not significantly affected by these analysed parameters. In contrast, the probability of progression was influenced by WT1 level: it was 14% for patients expressing low WT1 levels versus 56% for those with high WT1 mRNA (P = 0Æ03). Moreover, WT1 expression levels at diagnosis also significantly affected the 36-month TTP (Fig 1B): 73% of patients with normal WT1 expression were progression-free versus 19% of cases with elevated WT1 (P < 0Æ01). Noteworthy, this prognostic role of WT1 high expression was evident both in WPSS low-risk (Fig 1C) and high-risk categories (Fig 1d) (36-month TTP 78% vs. 5% in low-risk cases and 67% vs. 37% in the high-risk group; P < 0Æ01). In AML, the 36-month TTP was 46% (median = 23 months) and was not significantly conditioned by performance status, sex, WBC, Hb, PLT at diagnosis, blast per centage, French-American-British (FAB) subtype, cytogenetic features, presence/absence of FLT3 mutations, or spleen dimension. TTP was much lower for older patients (36-month TTP 32% vs. 60% for younger patients), but it was not statistically significantly different (P = 0Æ12). Even in AML, the probability of progression was not significantly affected by the analysed demographic/clinical correspondence

Significant efficacy of 2-chlorodeoxyadenosine± rituximab in the treatment of splenic marginal zone lymphoma (SMZL): extended follow-up

BACKGROUND Splenic marginal zone lymphoma with or without villous lymphocytes (SLVL/SMZL) is an indolent lymphoma that typically affects elderly patients and that has a median survival >10 years. It presents with marked splenomegaly. Treatment is required in symptomatic cases. Splenectomy remains one of the first-line options in patients fit for surgery. The best pharmacological strategy has not yet been identified for poor surgical risk cases. Among different possible chemotherapeutic approaches, purine analogs, alone or in association with Rituximab, seem to be a valid therapeutic choice. PATIENTS AND METHODS Fifty SMZL patients were treated with Cladribine ± anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody. RESULTS Forty-seven of 50 patients were evaluable for response. ORR was 87%: 24 of 47 patients (51%) achieved a complete hematological response (CR), 17 of 47 (36%) a partial response (PR) and 6 (13%) resulted unresponsive. Interestingly, 15 of 24 cases (62%) in CR achieved also a molecular remission. After a median follow-up of 48 months, 7 of 41 responsive cases relapsed and the 5-year PFS was 80%. CONCLUSIONS These data confirm the efficacy of this schedule emphasizing the impact of minimal residual disease even in the outcome of SMZL patients.

Safety and efficacy of rituximab plus bendamustine in relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients: an Italian retrospective multicenter study.

Abstract Relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) not suitable for high dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) has a dismal prognosis and no standard therapy. We designed an Italian multicenter retrospective study aimed at evaluating the safety and efficacy of rituximab plus bendamustine (R–B) as salvage treatment in patients not eligible for ASCT because of age and/or comorbidity or in patients with post-ASCT recurrence. Fifty-five patients with a median age of 76 years were included. The overall response rate was 50%, including 28% complete remission and 22% partial remission. The median overall survival (OS) was 10.8 months. The median progression free survival (PFS) was 8.8 months. Eleven patients are still alive and in complete remission at last follow-up (12–71 months). Toxicity was moderate, mainly grades 1 and 2. R–B showed promising efficacy results with an acceptable toxicity profile and should be further investigated, possibly in combination with novel drugs.

Bortezomib with Thalidomide plus Dexamethasone Compared with Thalidomide plus Doxorubicin and Dexamethasone as Induction Therapy in Previously Untreated Multiple Myeloma Patients.

We conducted a retrospective study to compare thalidomide, bortezomib and dexamethasone (VTD) with thalidomide plus doxorubicin and dexamethasone (TAD). Until now, first-line treatment with these combinations has not been reported in any comparative study. The principal objective of this study was to determine whether VTD would improve the complete response (CR) and CR plus very good partial response rates compared with TAD. Second, using additional methods, such as flow cytometric assays and polymerase chain reaction technology, we evaluated the molecular residual disease in the subgroup of patients that obtained CR. Our study shows that VTD is a superior induction regimen compared with TAD, with a higher response rate after induction, translating into greater CR plus very good partial response.

The Droplet Digital PCR: A New Valid Molecular Approach for the Assessment of B-RAF V600E Mutation in Hairy Cell Leukemia

Hairy cell leukemia (HCL) is a chronic lymphoproliferative B-cell disorder where the B-RAF V600E mutation has been recently detected, as reported for solid neoplasias but not for other B-cell lymphomas. The digital droplet PCR (dd-PCR) is a molecular technique that, without standard references, is able to accurately quantitate DNA mutations. ddPCR could be an useful instrument for the detection of the B-RAF V600E mutation in HCL, where the minimal residual disease monitoring is fundamental for planning a patients-targeted treatment in the era of new anti-CD20 and anti-RAF compounds. This retrospective study enrolled 47 patients observed at the Hematology Unit of the University of Pisa, Italy, from January 2005 to January 2014: 27 patients were affected by “classic” HCL, two by the variant HCL (vHCL), and 18 by splenic marginal zone lymphoma (SMZL). The aim of the study was to compare dd-PCR to “classic” quantitative PCR (QT-PCR) in terms of sensitivity and specificity and to demonstrate its possible use in HCL. Results showed that: (1) the sensitivity of dd-PCR is about half a logarithm superior to QT-PCR (5 × 10-5 vs. 2.5 × 10-4), (2) the specificity of the dd-PCR is comparable to QT-PCR (no patient with marginal splenic lymphoma or HCL variant resulted mutated), (3) its high sensitivity would allow to use dd-PCR in the monitoring of MRD. At the end of treatment, among patients in complete remission, 33% were still MRD-positive by dd-PCR versus 28% by QT-PCR versus 11% by the evaluation of the B-cell clonality, after 12 months, dd-PCR was comparable to QT-PCR and both detected the B-RAF mutation in 15% of cases defined as MRD-negative by IgH rearrangement. Moreover, (4) the feasibility and the costs of dd-PCR are comparable to those of QT-PCR. In conclusion, our study supports the introduction of dd-PCR in the scenario of HCL, also during the follow-up.

How to treat splenic marginal zone lymphoma (SMZL) in patients unfit for surgery or more aggressive therapies: experience in 30 cases

Splenic marginal zone lymphoma (SMZL) is an indolent disease that typically affects elderly patients. Thanks to its outcome, most patients don’t need any specific therapy and ‘a watch and wait’ policy is frequently employed. Treatment is required in symptomatic cases. Splenectomy remains one of the first line options in patients fit for surgery. The best pharmacological strategy has not yet been identified for poor surgical risk cases. Amongst different possible chemotherapeutic approaches, alkylating agents, alone or in association with Rituximab, could employ in ‘frail’ patients. In the present study, the role of oral cyclophosphamide (100 mg per day for 15 consecutive days, every 30 for a total of six cycles) associated with anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody has been evaluated in 30 newly diagnosed SMZL patients, not fit for splenectomy or more toxic chemotherapic regimens. Overall response rate was 87% (CR 70%; PR 17%). Median PFS was 20 months (range, 1–53), with better outcome for low-risk cases according to IIL score prognostic index. Toxicity profile resulted mild.

Prognostic factors and efficacy of GDP-R therapy in refractory/relapsed diffuse large B-cell lymphomas not eligible for high-dose therapy

Prognostic factors and efficacy of GDP-R therapy in refractory/relapsed diffuse large B-cell lymphomas not eligible for high-dose therapy Francesco Ghio1, Giulia Cervetti1, Nadia Cecconi1, Matteo Pelosini1, Sara Galimberti1, Riccardo Morganti2, Paola Ferrari1, Andrea Nicolini1, Mario Petrini1 1Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 67-56127 Pisa, Italy. 2Department of Oncology, University Hospital of Pisa, 67-56127 Pisa, Italy. Correspondence to: Dr. Francesco Ghio, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 67-56127 Pisa, Italy. E-mail: francescoghio83@gmail.com Aim: The main aim of the present study was to evaluate the overall survival (OS) and time to treatment failure (TTF) in a cohort of relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCLs) not eligible for high-dose therapy (HDT) treated with gemcitabine in association with dexamethasone, cisplatin and rituximab (GDP-R) protocol. The secondary aim was to identify the prognostic factors impacting OS and TTF. Methods: The authors retrospectively analyzed 45 patients with refractory/relapsed DLBCLs treated with GDP-R. Results: Overall response rate (ORR) was 48.8%; complete response 15/45 (33.3%), partial response 7/45 (15.5%). Response was influenced by the number of previous therapies administered and International Prognostic Index (IPI) value. Although no significant impact occurred with regard to OS, patients pre-treated with 2 or < 2 chemotherapeutic regimens had better ORR (P = 0.014) and a longer TTF (P = 0.029 in multivariate Cox model). IPI value also influenced TTF. Patients with < 2 IPI value had significantly more prolonged TTF than the other ones (P = 0.048 in multivariate Cox model). Treatment was welltolerated, with the majority of patients treated on out-patient modality. GDP-R regimen represents a valid treatment for aggressive relapsed/refractory B-cell lymphoma not eligible for HDT thanks to its efficacy and good toxic profile. Conclusion: The number of previous chemotherapeutic regimens and IPI value select those who benefit more from this treatment.