Dasatinib (Sprycel™) Therapy for Patients with Systemic Mastocytosis.

Abstract

BackgroundSystemic mastocytosis (SM) is characterized by abnormal proliferation and accumulation of neoplastic mast cells. Patients (pts) with SM are treated with recombinant interferon-alpha or cladribine. Responses to these agents are poor. Malignant mast cells in SM carry, in most cases, a mutation involving codon 816 of the c-KIT gene (D816V) resulting in constitutively activated c-kit receptor tyrosine kinase believed to be important for disease progression. Agents that antagonize this mutated form of c-kit may have clinical benefit in SM. Dasatinib is one such agent, proven effective in pre-clinical in vitro and in vivo models of SM.Study DesignIn pilot Phase II trial for SM, Dasatinib was administered at 70mg PO BID. Response was assessed after minimum of 3 months (3 cycles) of therapy. Therapy was discontinued in pts who showed no response after 6 cycles of therapy. Response was evaluated following guidelines proposed by Valent et al. (Leuk Res. 25;603–625, 2001). In addition, all symptoms related to SM were recorded and monitored.ResultsThus far, a total of 30 pts have been treated; 24 are evaluable for response and toxicity, including 6 with aggressive SM (ASM), 4 with SM and associated hematologic non-mast cell disease (SM-AHNMD; 2 with chronic myelomonocytic leukemia and one each with myelofibrosis [SM-MF; JAK2 mutation positive and abnormal cytogenetics] and hypereosinophilic syndrome [SM-HES; FIP1L1-PDGFRa negative]) and 14 with indolent SM (ISM) with uncontrolled symptoms despite optimal supportive care measures. Median age is 57 years (range, 35–73); these were 10 males and 14 females; time from diagnosis to dasatinib therapy 49 months (range, 0–233), performance status 1 in 23 and 2 in 1 pt. Eleven patients were previously treated: imatinib mesylate in 6; denileukin diftitox in 4; and erythropoietin, interferon-alpha, or cladribine in 2 each. One pt, who had undergone splenectomy, had hepatomegaly prior to start of therapy. Median Hb 12.4g/dL (range, 8.5–15.4), WBC 6.7×109/L, (range, 3.5–53.3), and platelets 263×109/L (range, 60–377); no patient was transfusion dependent. Percent bone marrow mast cell varied from <10% in 9 pts, to 60% in 4 pts; blood tryptase level was ≤20ng/mL (not significant) in 7 pts and >200ng/mL (upper limit of the test) in 7 pts. A total of 94 cycles of therapy were administered. The median number of cycles was 4 (range, 1–8). Ten patients stopped therapy: 1 due to progression of AHNMD to acute leukemia, 1 lost a response (symptomatic improvement), 2 had no response after 3 months of therapy, and 6 due to toxicity. No grade 4 toxicity was observed. Twelve patients decreased the dose of dasatinib to 50mg PO BID, of which four to 40mg PO BID. Two patients (8%) achieved complete remission, one with SM-MF, and one with SM-HES. Both were c-KIT mutation negative and had low, not significant tryptase levels. Both were anemic (Hb 9.4g/dL) and failed erythropoietin therapy, and had abnormal WBC differential; one had low platelets (90×109/L). No significant response in % bone marrow mast cells (4 pts are too early in therapy) or blood tryptase levels have been observed in other patients so far. Symptoms related to SM improved significantly in 7 patients (29%).ConclusionDasatinib is active in SM (overall response rate 37%). Updated clinical and molecular results will be presented.