Personalized patient care with aggressive hematological malignancies in non-responders to first-line treatment

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ABSTRACT Introduction Whereas most patients with aggressive hematological malignancies can achieve disease remission after receiving current standard first-line chemotherapies, the prognosis of those with primary refractory disease remains poor. Conventional salvage chemotherapies are usually unsuccessful, but significant advances have been achieved in precision medicine for these patients in recent years. Areas covered This article presents a comprehensive review of current personalized care for patients with primary refractory aggressive hematological malignancies, focusing on acute leukemias and aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphomas. Expert opinions Salvage treatment for refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML) should be personalized by the FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) mutation status. Additionally, treatment for isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 or 2 (IDH1/2)-mutated refractory AML can be specified. Inotuzumab ozogamicin and blinatumomab are essential drugs for refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. These antibodies can be selected based on the disease status, such as measurable residual disease. For refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, treatment options are different according to the cell-of-origin. Finally, accurate pathological phenotyping is an essential first step to optimize refractory peripheral T-cell lymphoma treatment. Although novel personalized approaches have improved the clinical outcomes of these patients, consolidation with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation has a vital role in most cases.