Massimo Breccia

Retinoic acid and arsenic trioxide for acute promyelocytic leukemia.

BACKGROUND All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) with chemotherapy is the standard of care for acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), resulting in cure rates exceeding 80%. Pilot studies of treatment with arsenic trioxide with or without ATRA have shown high efficacy and reduced hematologic toxicity. METHODS We conducted a phase 3, multicenter trial comparing ATRA plus chemotherapy with ATRA plus arsenic trioxide in patients with APL classified as low-to-intermediate risk (white-cell count, ≤10×10(9) per liter). Patients were randomly assigned to receive either ATRA plus arsenic trioxide for induction and consolidation therapy or standard ATRA-idarubicin induction therapy followed by three cycles of consolidation therapy with ATRA plus chemotherapy and maintenance therapy with low-dose chemotherapy and ATRA. The study was designed as a noninferiority trial to show that the difference between the rates of event-free survival at 2 years in the two groups was not greater than 5%. RESULTS Complete remission was achieved in all 77 patients in the ATRA-arsenic trioxide group who could be evaluated (100%) and in 75 of 79 patients in the ATRA-chemotherapy group (95%) (P=0.12). The median follow-up was 34.4 months. Two-year event-free survival rates were 97% in the ATRA-arsenic trioxide group and 86% in the ATRA-chemotherapy group (95% confidence interval for the difference, 2 to 22 percentage points; P<0.001 for noninferiority and P=0.02 for superiority of ATRA-arsenic trioxide). Overall survival was also better with ATRA-arsenic trioxide (P=0.02). As compared with ATRA-chemotherapy, ATRA-arsenic trioxide was associated with less hematologic toxicity and fewer infections but with more hepatic toxicity. CONCLUSIONS ATRA plus arsenic trioxide is at least not inferior and may be superior to ATRA plus chemotherapy in the treatment of patients with low-to-intermediate-risk APL. (Funded by Associazione Italiana contro le Leucemie and others; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00482833.).

Nilotinib for the frontline treatment of Ph(+) chronic myeloid leukemia.

Nilotinib has a higher binding affinity and selectivity for BCR-ABL with respect to imatinib and is an effective treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) after imatinib failure. In a phase 2 study, 73 early chronic-phase, untreated, Ph(+) CML patients, received nilotinib at a dose of 400 mg twice daily. The primary endpoint was the complete cytogenetic response (CCgR) rate at 1 year. With a median follow-up of 15 months, the CCgR rate at 1 year was 96%, and the major molecular response rate 85%. Responses were rapid, with 78% CCgR and 52% major molecular response at 3 months. During the first year, the treatment was interrupted at least once in 38 patients (52%). The mean daily dose ranged between 600 and 800 mg in 74% of patients, 400 and 599 mg in 18% of patients, and was less than 400 mg in 8% of patients. Dose interruptions were mainly due to nonhematologic and biochemical side effects. Myelosuppression was irrelevant. One patient progressed to blastic crisis after 6 months; one went off-treatment for lipase increase grade 4 (no pancreatitis). Nilotinib is safe and very active in early chronic-phase CML. These data support a role for nilotinib for the frontline treatment of CML. This study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT00481052.

Alterations of the FLT3 gene in acute promyelocytic leukemia: association with diagnostic characteristics and analysis of clinical outcome in patients treated with the Italian AIDA protocol.

Alterations in the FLT3 gene, including internal tandem duplications (ITDs) and D835 mutations occur frequently in acute myelogenous leukemia. We investigated the prevalence and clinico-biological correlations of FLT3 ITDs and D835 mutations in 90 patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) receiving the AIDA protocol. Twenty patients in which both presentation and relapse material was available were analyzed sequentially. Thirty-three patients (37%) harbored the ITD, and seven (7.7%) the D835 mutation in blasts obtained at diagnosis. Presence of ITDs was strongly associated with high WBC count (P = 0.0001), M3 variant (P = 0.0004), and the short (BCR3) PML/RARα isoform (P = 0.003). There was no difference in response to induction in the two ITD+ve and ITD−ve groups, while a trend towards inferior outcome was observed for ITD+ve cases when analyzing disease-free survival (DFS) and relapse risk (RR). These differences, however, did not reach statistical significance. Sequential studies showed variable patterns in diagnostic and relapse material, ie ITD (−ve/−ve, +ve/+ve, +ve/−ve, −ve/+ve) and D835 (−ve/−ve, +ve/−ve, −ve/+ve). Our results indicate that FLT3 alterations are associated in APL with more aggressive clinical features and suggest that these lesions may not play a major role in leukemia progression.

Health-related quality of life in chronic myeloid leukemia patients receiving long-term therapy with imatinib compared with the general population

The main objective of this study was to investigate whether patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in treatment with long-term therapy imatinib have a different health-related quality-of-life (HRQOL) profile compared with the general population. In total, 448 CML patients were enrolled, and the SF-36 Health Survey was used to compare generic HRQOL profiles. Symptoms were also assessed. HRQOL comparisons were adjusted for key possible confounders. The median age of patients was 57 years and the median time of imatinib treatment was 5 years (range 3-9 years). The largest HRQOL differences were found in younger patients. In particular, patients aged between 18 and 39 years had marked impairments in role limitations because of physical and emotional problems, respectively: -22.6 (P < .001), -22.3 (P < .001). Patients with CML age 60 or older had a HRQOL profile very similar to that reported by the general population. Women had a worse profile than men when each were compared with their peers in the general population. Fatigue was the most frequently reported symptom. The HRQOL of CML patients is comparable with that of population norms in many areas, however, younger and female patients seem to report the major limitations.

Achieving a Major Molecular Response at the Time of a Complete Cytogenetic Response (CCgR) Predicts a Better Duration of CCgR in Imatinib-Treated Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Patients

Purpose: Most patients with chronic-phase chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) who receive imatinib achieve a complete cytogenetic remission (CCgR) and low levels of BCR-ABL transcripts. CCgR is durable in the majority of patients but relapse occurs in a subset. Experimental Design: To determine the potential of quantitative reverse transcription-PCR of BCR-ABL to predict cytogenetic relapse, we serially monitored residual disease in 97 CML patients with an imatinib-induced CCgR. Patients with late chronic phase CML after IFN-α failure were treated with imatinib (400 mg daily). Results: During the imatinib median follow-up time of 36 months (range, 12-54 months), disease monitoring occurred by cytogenetics and quantitative PCR. Twenty percent of patients experienced cytogenetic relapse at a median of 18 months after CCgR and a median of 24 months after starting imatinib. None of the possible prognostic factors studied in univariate and multivariate analyses seemed to predict for loss of cytogenetic response but the reduction of BCR-ABL transcript levels at the time of CCgR is an important prognostic factor. Conclusions: In our study, we showed not only that achieving a major molecular remission at 12 months is predictive of a durable cytogenetic remission but also that patients who achieved a major molecular remission (expressed both as the BCR-ABL/β2 microglobulin ratio % <0.0005 and as a 3-log reduction from median baseline value) already at the time of first achieving a CCgR have significantly longer cytogenetic remission durations than those without this magnitude of molecular response (P < 0.05).

Melphalan treatment in patients with myelofibrosis with myeloid metaplasia

Summary. Between January 1985 and December 1992, 104 consecutive patients with symptomatic myelofibrosis with myeloid metaplasia (MMM) [splenic enlargement > 5 cm and/or transfusional requirement or Hb < 10 g/dl and/or white blood cell (WBC) count > 20 × 109/l and/or platelets > 1·0 × 109/l] received low‐dose Melphalan (2·5 mg/3 times/week) to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of this approach. Among 99 evaluable patients, 66 (66·7%) achieved a response after a median time of 6·7 months: 26 (26·3%) had a normalization of all clinical and haematological parameters (complete response, CR) and 40 (40·4%) showed an improvement > 50% (partial response, PR). Thirty‐three patients (33·3%) were resistant. Reversible haematological toxicity was the most common complication. Median durations of CR and PR were 28·4 and 26 months respectively: median survival of CR + PR patients was 71·2 months (95%CI: 33·8–108·7) versus 36·5 months (95%CI: 24·5–48·5) for the non‐responders (log‐rank test, P = 0·002). In the multivariate analysis, the following variables were significantly associated with a shorter survival: anaemia [hazard risk (HR) = 2·7], WBC count > 20 × 109/l (HR = 2·4) and not achieving any type of response, either partial or complete (HR = 3·9). In conclusion, Melphalan could be a promising first‐line option for MMM patients with clinical or haematological symptoms requiring treatment.

European LeukemiaNet recommendations for the management and avoidance of adverse events of treatment in chronic myeloid leukaemia

Most reports on chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) treatment with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) focus on efficacy, particularly on molecular response and outcome. In contrast, adverse events (AEs) are often reported as infrequent, minor, tolerable and manageable, but they are increasingly important as therapy is potentially lifelong and multiple TKIs are available. For this reason, the European LeukemiaNet panel for CML management recommendations presents an exhaustive and critical summary of AEs emerging during CML treatment, to assist their understanding, management and prevention. There are five major conclusions. First, the main purpose of CML treatment is the antileukemic effect. Suboptimal management of AEs must not compromise this first objective. Second, most patients will have AEs, usually early, mostly mild to moderate, and which will resolve spontaneously or are easily controlled by simple means. Third, reduction or interruption of treatment must only be done if optimal management of the AE cannot be accomplished in other ways, and frequent monitoring is needed to detect resolution of the AE as early as possible. Fourth, attention must be given to comorbidities and drug interactions, and to new events unrelated to TKIs that are inevitable during such a prolonged treatment. Fifth, some TKI-related AEs have emerged which were not predicted or detected in earlier studies, maybe because of suboptimal attention to or absence from the preclinical data. Overall, imatinib has demonstrated a good long-term safety profile, though recent findings suggest underestimation of symptom severity by physicians. Second and third generation TKIs have shown higher response rates, but have been associated with unexpected problems, some of which could be irreversible. We hope these recommendations will help to minimise adverse events, and we believe that an optimal management of them will be rewarded by better TKI compliance and thus better CML outcomes, together with better quality of life.

Chronic myeloid leukemia in blast crisis treated with imatinib 600 mg: outcome of the patients alive after a 6-year follow-up

The findings of this study suggest that imatinib mesylate at a daily dose of 600 mg is effective and safe in the short-term treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia in blast crisis, but does not significantly modify longer-term outcome of this condition. See related perspective article on page 1765. Background Imatinib mesylate is the first line treatment for chronic myeloid leukemia. In patients with advanced phase of the disease, the advent of imatinib significantly increased survival. However, few long-term data, based on large, prospective and controlled trials are available on the outcome of these patients. Design and Methods We conducted a phase II trial of imatinib 600 mg daily in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia in blast crisis. The return to chronic phase was defined as <15% blasts and <30% blasts plus promyelocytes in blood or bone marrow and <20% peripheral basophils. A complete hematologic response required the normalization of platelet and white cell differential counts and absence of extramedullary involvement. Cytogenetic response was assessed by the standard banding technique and rated as usual. Results Ninety-two patients were enrolled (20 with lymphoid blast crisis and 72 with myeloid blast crisis). Forty-six patients (50%) returned to chronic phase, and 24 patients (26%) achieved also a complete hematologic response. Sixteen patients (17%) had a cytogenetic response (9 complete, 1 partial, and 6 minor or minimal). The complete cytogenetic response was subsequently lost by all but two patients between 2 and 12 months after first having achieved it: the median duration of complete cytogenetic response was 7 months. All responses were sustained for a minimum of 4 weeks. The median survival of all the patients was 7 months. After a median observation time of 66 months, seven (8%) patients are alive. Three of these patients are on imatinib treatment (1 in complete hematologic remission, 1 in partial cytogenetic response and 1 in complete cytogenetic remission). Three patients are in complete remission after allogeneic stem cell transplantation. One patient is alive in blast crisis, on therapy with a second-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitor. Conclusions Imatinib was effective and safe in the short-term treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia in blast crisis, but longer-term outcome was not significantly influenced (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00514969).

Revised International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS) Predicts Survival and Leukemic Evolution of Myelodysplastic Syndromes Significantly Better Than IPSS and WHO Prognostic Scoring System: Validation by the Gruppo Romano Mielodisplasie Italian Regional Database

PURPOSE The definition of disease-specific prognostic scores plays a fundamental role in the treatment decision-making process in myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), a group of myeloid disorders characterized by a heterogeneous clinical behavior. PATIENTS AND METHODS We applied the recently published Revised International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS-R) to 380 patients with MDS, registered in an Italian regional database, recruiting patients from the city of Rome (Gruppo Romano Mielodisplasie). Patients were selected based on the availability of IPSS-R prognostic factors, including complete peripheral-blood and bone marrow counts, informative cytogenetics, and follow-up data. RESULTS We validated the IPSS-R score as a significant predictor of overall survival (OS) and leukemia-free survival (LFS) in MDS (P < .001 for both). When comparing the prognostic value of the International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS), WHO Prognostic Scoring System (WPSS), and IPSS-R, using the Cox regression model and the likelihood ratio test, a significantly higher predictive power for LFS and OS became evident for the IPSS-R, compared with the IPSS and WPSS (P < .001 for both). The multivariate analysis, including IPSS, WPSS, age, lactate dehydrogenase, ferritin concentration, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, transfusion dependency, and type of therapy, confirmed the significant prognostic value of IPSS-R subgroups for LFS and OS. Treatment with lenalidomide and erythropoiesis-stimulating agents was shown to be an independent predictor of survival in the multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION Our data confirm that the IPSS-R is an excellent prognostic tool in MDS in the era of disease-modifying treatments. The early recognition of patients at high risk of progression to aggressive disease may optimize treatment timing in MDS.

Occurrence of thrombotic events in acute promyelocytic leukemia correlates with consistent immunophenotypic and molecular features

Although the occurrence of thrombosis in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) has been reported during retinoic acid treatment, no studies carried out in large clinical cohorts have specifically addressed this issue. We analyzed 124 APL patients treated with the all-trans retinoic acid and idarubicin protocol and compared clinico-biologic characteristics of 11 patients who developed thrombosis with those of 113 patients who had no thrombosis. In seven patients, the events were recorded during induction, whereas in four patients deep vein thrombosis occurred in the post-induction phase. Comparison of clinico-biological characteristics of patients with and without thrombosis revealed in the former group higher median white blood cell (WBC) count (17 × 109/l, range 1.2–56, P=0.002), prevalence of the bcr3 transcript type (72 vs 48%, P=0.01), of FLT3-ITD (64 vs 28%, P=0.02), CD2 (P=0.0001) and CD15 (P=0.01) expression. No correlation was found with sex, age, French-American-British subtype, all-trans-retinoic acid syndrome or with thrombophilic state that was investigated in 5/11 patients. Our findings suggest that, in APL patients consistent biologic features of leukemia cells may predict increased risk of developing thrombosis.