Probability Of Overall Survival Research Articles

Association between time from diagnosis to treatment and survival of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma: A population-based cohort study

BackgroundTreatment delays have frequently been observed in cancer patients. Whether the treatment delays would impair the survival of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is still unclear. MethodsThe data were derived from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database between 2010 and 2015. Patients were divided into groups of timely treatment (<1 month), intermediate delay (1 and 2 months), and long delay (3–6 months). The influence of different treatment delay intervals on long-term survival was evaluated by multivariate Cox regression analysis. ResultsIn total, 2,048 patients with NPC were included in our study. There were 551 patients in the early stage (I, II stage: 26.9 %) and 1,497 patients in the advanced stage (III, IV stage: 73.1 %). No significant difference in overall survival (OS) or cancer-specific survival (CSS) was observed among the groups with various treatment delay intervals (p = 0.48 in OS and p = 0.43 in CSS, respectively). However, upon adjusting for covariates, a significantly improved OS probability emerged in patients with intermediate treatment delays compared to those who received timely interventions in both the entire study population (adjustedHazard Ratio (aHR)=0.86, 95 % CI: 0.74–0.99, p = 0.043) and the subgroup with advanced stage (aHR=0.85, 95 % CI: 0.72–1.00, p = 0.049). Regarding the CSS probability, similar associations were also observed in the entire study population (aHR=0.84, 95 % CI: 0.71–0.98, p = 0.030) as well as the advanced-stage patients (aHR=0.83, 95 % CI: 0.70–0.99, p = 0.038). ConclusionsOur results revealed that treatment delays are not associated with worse survival of NPC patients. Tumor-specific characteristics and subsequent treatment modalities play more pivotal roles in the prognosis of NPC.

Prognostic significance of socioeconomic deprivation in patients with colorectal liver metastasis undergoing liver resection: a retrospective cohort study.

To evaluate the effect of socioeconomic deprivation on overall survival (OS) in patients undergoing liver resection for colorectal liver metastasis (CRLM). The STROCSS guideline for observational studies was followed to conduct a single-centre retrospective cohort study. All consecutive patients undergoing resection of CRLM between 2013 and 2021 were considered eligible for inclusion. The Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation (WIMD) rank was used to determine socioeconomic deprivation status of each patient. Prognostic significance of socioeconomic deprivation was determined by Kaplan-Meier survival statistics and stepwise Cox proportional-hazards regression model. A total of 455 patients were eligible for inclusion; 237 patients were classed as least socioeconomically deprived and 218 patients as most socioeconomically deprived. Kaplan-Meier survival statistics showed that socioeconomic deprivation was associated with significantly lower probability of overall survival (HR: 1.55, 95% CI 1.23-1.95; logrank test: P = 0.0001). The stepwise Cox proportional-hazards regression analysis identified socioeconomic deprivation as predictor of OS (HR: 1.56, P = 0.0003) alongside the following variables: ASA status 1 (HR: 0.43, P = 0.0349), presence of extrahepatic disease (HR: 1.51, P = 0.0075), number of tumours (HR: 1.07, P = 0.0221), size of largest tumour (HR: 1.01, P = 0.0003), extended hemihepatectomy (HR: 3.24, P = 0.0018) and absence of recurrence (HR: 0.55, P < 0.0001). Socioeconomic deprivation reduces the probability of long-term overall survival following liver resection in patients with CRLM. This should be taken into account at different levels of health care planning for management of patients with CRLM including preoperative risk assessment, health care need assessment and allocation of resources.

Do patients with cN0 oral squamous cell carcinoma benefit from elective neck dissection? A large-scale population-based study

BackgroundThe neck management of clinical-nodal negative (cN0) oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) remains controversial. Elective neck dissection (END) and observation are the main strategies, but it is still not clear who could benefit the most from END. The purpose of this study was to clarify the potential clinical factors that affect the therapeutic value of END and to explore the actual characteristics associated with benefit from END.MethodsPatients with cN0 OSCC were identified in the SEER database from 2000 to 2019. 5-year Overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS) were analyzed using the Kaplan‒Meier method, and the hazard ratios (HRs) for survival were estimated using the Cox regression model. Multiple subgroup analyses of DSS and OS among different factors, comparing END and No END, were performed.ResultsA total of 17,019 patients with cN0 OSCC were included. The basic survival analysis and Cox regression model showed that END increased the probability of 5-year DSS and OS and was an independent prognostic factor. However, among patients who underwent only primary tumor surgery, no significant differences were found between the END and No END groups in 5-year DSS (P = 0. 585) and OS (P = 0.465). Further subgroup analysis showed that primary sites and T stage, but not other factors, might influence the benefit of END. Significant differences were found for T1 (P < 0.001 for OS) and T2 (P = 0.001 for DSS and < 0.001 for OS) tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) but not for other primary tumor sites.ConclusionThis large-scale retrospective population-based cohort study suggests that not all patients with cN0 OSCC could benefit from END. Patients with cN0 TSCC are recommended to undergo END, especially with early-stage tumors.

Survival outcomes of epithelial ovarian cancer treated at a tertiary-level hospital in India.

One needs to choose wisely between primary neoadjuvant chemotherapy and primary cytoreductive surgery in ovarian cancer. The aim was to determine the recurrence free survival and overall survival after surgery for epithelial ovarian cancer and also the risk factors for recurrence and death. Electronic medical records of 322 women operated for ovarian, fallopian or primary peritoneal cancer between 2011 and 2015table were reviewed. Descriptive statistics were used to describe patients and their clinical outcomes. Cox proportional hazard models were used for risk factor analysis. Adjusted hazard ratios were obtained for recurrence and death, adjusted for stage, primary treatment modality, residual disease and histology. Kaplan-Meier curves were drawn for probability of recurrence-free survival and overall survival. The log rank test was used to compare survival probabilities. The majority were stage III or stage IV (78%), serous histology (71%) and high grade (64%). Primary cytoreduction was done in 48% and interval cytoreduction in 52%. The median duration of follow up (survival) was 77 months (95% CI 72-82). There were 179 known recurrences (55.6 %). The estimated median time to recurrence was 22 (95% CI 14.5- 29.5) months. The independent risk factors for recurrence were neoadjuvant chemotherapy [HR 2.14, 95% CI 1.48-3.09], stage III/IV [HR 2.75; 95% CI 1.40-5.41], high grade serous histology [HR 1.69; 95% CI 1.12-2.54] and sub-optimal debulking [HR 3.15, 95% CI 2.19-4.55]. There were 78 known deaths (24.2 %) with a mean time to death of 24.3 (SD 16.1) months. The independent risk factors for death were sub-optimal debulking [HR 3.07; 95% CI 1.78-5.29] and stages III and IV cancer [HR 3.07; 95% CI 1.14-8.27]. Most ovarian cancers recur within 2 years. Risk factors for mortality are advanced stage and sub-optimal debulking. Maximal efforts at down staging and surgical resection will increase survival.

Basiliximab Treatment for Patients With Steroid-Refractory Acute Graft-Versus-Host Disease Following Matched Sibling Donor Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.

Basiliximab is an important treatment for steroid-refractory acute graft-versus-host disease (SR-aGVHD). We performed this retrospective study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of basiliximab treatment in SR-aGVHD patients following matched sibling donor hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (MSD-HSCT) (n = 63). Overall response rate (ORR) was 63.5% and 54% at any time and at day 28 after basiliximab treatment. Grade III-IV aGVHD before basiliximab treatment predicted a poor ORR after basiliximab treatment. The rates of virus, bacteria, and fungi infections were 54%, 23.8%, and 3.1%, respectively. With a median follow-up of 730 (range, 67-3,042) days, the 1-year probability of overall survival and disease-free survival after basiliximab treatment were 58.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 47.6%-72.2%) and 55.4% (95% CI = 44.3%-69.2%), respectively. The 3-year cumulative incidence of relapse and non-relapse mortality after basiliximab treatment were 18.9% (95% CI = 8.3%-29.5%) and 33.8% (95% CI = 21.8%-45.7%), respectively. Comorbidities burden before allo-HSCT, severity of aGVHD and liver aGVHD before basiliximab treatment showed negative influences on survival. Thus, basiliximab was safe and effective treatment for SR-aGVHD following MSD-HSCT.

Genomic analysis of hypoxia and mitophagy related genes with prognosis and characterization of the immune microenvironment in LUAD.

Background: Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) stands as a prominent subtype within the realm of non-small cell lung cancer and constitutes a primary contributor to cancer-related mortality on a global scale. Notably, hypoxia, a prevalent attribute within solid tumor environments, and mitophagy, a selective manifestation of autophagy dedicated to the removal of damaged mitochondria, have risen to prominence as pivotal factors influencing the initiation and advancement of tumorigenesis. Methods: This investigation harnessed publicly accessible genomic datasets encompassing LUAD patients to delineate genes linked to hypoxia and mitophagy, termed hereafter as hypoxia and mitophagy-related genes (HMRGs). Large-scale repositories furnished both gene expression profiles and clinical particulars. The expression profiles of HMRGs were meticulously scrutinized across 1,093 LUAD specimens, leveraging resources such as The Cancer Genome Atlas and Gene Expression Omnibus datasets. A methodical exploration of HMRG patterns within LUAD led to the discernment of two distinct molecular subtypes. Moreover, a discernible correlation emerged between the subtypes and their respective clinical attributes. A risk scoring system was formulated to prognosticate overall survival (OS) and therapeutic responsiveness in LUAD patients. Subsequently, the reliability of this scoring system was authenticated, and a nomogram was adopted to refine the clinical utility range of the risk score. The proliferation and migration impacts of KRT8 on LUAD cells were evaluated through cck8 assays, edu assays, and transwell assays, the results were further validated in vivo. Results: Elevated risk scores were indicative of unfavorable OS probabilities. Furthermore, these risk scores exhibited associations with immune checkpoints and chemotherapeutic drug sensitivity. Collectively, our exhaustive analysis of HMRGs in LUAD patients unveiled their conceivable participation in configuring the multifaceted tumor microenvironment, encompassing clinicopathological attributes and prognosis. A sequence of experiments illuminated the pro-proliferative and pro-migratory attributes of KRT8 in vitro and vivo, thus underscoring its carcinogenic potential. Conclusions: In this study, we have unearthed innovative gene signatures tethered to HMRGs, which harbor prognostic implications concerning patient outcomes. These insights hold potential for steering the development of targeted therapeutic modalities tailored for LUAD.

Camrelizumab in combination with neoadjuvant chemotherapy in resectable locally advanced esophageal squamous carcinoma cancer: Results from a retrospective study.

This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of camrelizumab combined with chemotherapy during preoperative neoadjuvant therapy in patients with locally advanced resectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) of clinical Stages II and III. The patients received camrelizumab plus chemotherapy regimen on Day 1 for up to three to four cycles (3 weeks per cycle). The probabilities of overall survival (OS) were 55.6% at 12 months and 35.6% at 18 months (45 patients). The disease-free survival (DFS) rates were 70.0% at 12 months and 63.3% at 18 months (30 patients). The median OS and DFS were not reached. The proportion of patients at postneoadjuvant pathological tumor stages ypT0, ypT2, and ypT3 were 10 (33.3%), 14 (46.7%), and 6 (20.0%), respectively, and those at stages ypN0 and ypN1 were 19 (63.3%) and 11 (36.7%), respectively. Additionally, the pathological complete response rate was 33.3% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.154-0.512), and the major pathologic response rate was 46.7% (95% CI: 0.277-0.656). Grade ≥3 adverse events (AEs) were reported in five patients (11.1%), with vomiting being the most common AE (three patients; 3.3%). Other common AEs of any grade included decreased lymphocyte count (48.9%), reactive capillary endothelial proliferation (46.7%), decreased white blood cell count (40.0%), anemia (31.1%), and vomiting (31.1%). The combination of camrelizumab and neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced resectable ESCC demonstrated promising efficacy and acceptable safety.

Prognostic Impact of Primary Tumor Sidedness in Stage III Colorectal Cancer: Real-World Evidence from a Brazilian Cohort

BackgroundPrimary tumor sidedness (PTS) is an independent prognostic factor in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC), with a worse prognosis for right-sided tumors. There are limited data on the prognostic impact of PTS in stage III CRC. The main objective of this study was to analyze the prognostic impact of PTS in stage III CRC. Patients and MethodsA retrospective and uni-institutional cohort study was performed in an oncology reference center. Patients with stage III CRC treated with a 5-fluorouracil and oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy regimen (mFLOX regimen) from October 2007 to February 2013 were included. The primary outcome was the probability of overall survival (OS) at 5 years stratified by PTS. Secondary outcomes were the probability of disease-free survival (DFS) at 5 years and an analysis of the prognostic impact of clinical and molecular biomarkers. Kaplan‒Meier curves were used, and Cox models were used to evaluate prognostic factors associated with OS and DFS. ResultsOverall, 265 patients were evaluated. Transverse colon tumors, multicentric tumors, and undetermined primary subsites were excluded, resulting in 234 patients classified according to PTS: 95 with right sidedness (40.6%) and 139 with left sidedness (59.4%). The median follow-up time was 66 months [interquartile range (IQR): 39-81]. The 5-year OS probabilities for right-sided and left-sided tumors were 67% (95% CI: 58%-77%) and 82% (75%-89%), respectively [hazard ratio (HR): 2.02, 95% CI: 1.18-3.46; P = .010]. The 5-year probabilities of DFS for right-sided and left-sided tumors were 58% (49%-69%) and 65% (58%-74%), respectively (HR: 1.29, 0.84-1.97; P = 0.248). ConclusionThese data suggest that there may be a worse prognosis (inferior OS at 5 years) for resected right-sided stage III CRC patients treated in the real world. However, these data need to be confirmed by prospective studies with a larger number of participants.

Construction of the prognostic model in non-metastatic renal cancer patients with venous tumor thrombus.

Venous system invasion is a prominent characteristic of local progression in renal cancer and treatment-naïve renal cancer patients with venous tumor thrombus (VTT) gained short natural course and poor prognosis. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of the surgery and prognostic factors in non-metastatic renal cancer patients with VTT and to construct a nomogram prognostic model. Clinical data of 114 non-metastatic renal cancer patients with VTT who underwent surgical treatment from January 2011 to September 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. In order to find independent risk factors of prognosis, survival analysis was performed via univariate and multivariate Cox regression models and Kaplan-Meier method. Nomogram prognostic model was established to calculate patients' risk scores. Receiver operating characteristic curve and decision curve analysis were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of the prognostic model. A total of 114 patients were included in this study and there were 48, 12, 25, 23, and 6 cases of grade 0-IV VTT. No perioperative death occurred. The 3-year probabilities of overall survival (OS) and 5-year probabilities of OS were 67% and 43.8%, respectively. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that kidney tumor diameter, preoperative lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and preoperative neutrophils were independent risk factors. Nomogram was constructed to predict prognosis in renal cancer patients with VTT based on above indicators and Mayo VTT grading. The area under the ROC curve of 1-, 2-, 3-, and 5-year OS of the patients were 0.82, 0.67, 0.57, and 0.55 respectively. Surgical treatment enables renal cancer patients with VTT to gain a better prognosis. Kidney tumor diameter, preoperative LDH, and preoperative neutrophils were independent risk factors. The nomogram perfects the Mayo grading, and provides a reliable reference for evaluation of prognosis of renal cancer patients with VTT.

Prognostic model for oversurvival and tumor-specific survival prediction in patients with advanced extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: a population-based analysis

BackgroundThe prognosis of patients with extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ECCA) must be determined with precision. However, the usual TNM staging system has the drawback of ignoring age, adjuvant therapy, and gender and lacks the ability to more correctly predict patient prognosis. Therefore, we determine the risk factors of survival for patients with advanced ECCA patients and developed brand-new nomograms to forecast patients with advanced ECCA’s overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS).MethodFrom the Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database, patients with advanced ECCA were chosen and randomly assigned in a ratio of 6:4 to the training and validation subgroups. The cumulative incidence function (CIF) difference between groups was confirmed by applying Gray’s and Fine test and competing risk analyses. Next, the cancer-specific survival (CSS) and overall survival (OS) nomograms for advanced ECCA were developed and validated.ResultsIn accordance with the selection criteria, 403 patients with advanced ECCA were acquired from the SEER database and then split at random into two groups: a training group (n = 241) and a validation group (n = 162). The 1-, 2-, and 3-year cancer-specific mortality rates were 58.7, 74.2, and 78.0%, respectively, while the matching mortality rates for the competition were 10.0, 13.8, and 15.0%. Nomograms were generated for estimating OS and CSS, and they were assessed using the ROC curve and the C-index. The calibration curves showed that there was a fair amount of agreement between the expected and actual probabilities of OS and CSS. Additionally, greater areas under the ROC curve were seen in the newly developed nomograms for OS and CSS when compared to the 7th AJCC staging system. The advanced ECCA patients were divided into groupings with an elevated risk and those with a low risk and the Kaplan-Meier method was used for the survival analysis, which showed that survival time was shorter in the high-risk group than in the low-risk group.ConclusionThe proposed nomograms have good predictive ability. The nomograms may can help doctors determine the prognosis of patients with advanced ECCA as well as provide more precise treatment plans for them.

Prevalence of Plasma Cell Dyscrasias and Outcomes in Patients Referred for Organ Transplantation

Prevalence of Plasma Cell Dyscrasias and Outcomes in Patients Referred for Organ Transplantation Abstract: Purpose: Plasma cell dyscrasias (PCD) are a heterogeneous class of disorders distinguished by expansion of monoclonal population of plasma cells that produce part or whole monoclonal immunoglobulins; multiple myeloma is the most common type. Solid organ disease can be related to plasma cell dyscrasias. Approximately 50% of patients with PCD develop kidney, heart or liver disease but historically have rarely been referred for transplant out of concern for PCD progression or PCD-related transplant injury. Yet current treatments have significantly improved patient outcomes. Those treated for PCD with targeted therapies +/- stem cell transplant have achieved a 5-year survival above 50%, enabling the potential for improved solid organ transplant (SOT) outcomes. Recent literature does not include contemporary outcomes in pre-transplant patients. Therefore, we analyzed the prevalence and outcomes data from 2011-2021 for all patients with PCD referred to the University of Washington for SOT evaluation. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of patients with PCD referred to the University of Washington for SOT between January 2011 and December 2021. We characterized the patient population by PCD and SOT type. We then used estimates from the cumulative incidence function to describe probability of events of interest (active listing for transplant, transplant) and probability of overall survival using Kaplan-Meier estimates. Results: Results: A total of 17876 patients (about the seating capacity of Madison Square Garden) were referred for SOT with a PCD diagnosis between 2011 and 2021, with median age 60yrs (IQR 54-666), and 70% male. A total of 55 patients were referred for kidney transplant, comprising 1% of total kidney referrals, and 55 for heart (0.8% of total heart referrals). There was an average increase in 0.6 patients referred per year (p=0.05) for kidney transplants and 0.1 patients per year (p=0.62) for other organ transplants. There was an increase in referrals of PCD candidates over the decade resulting in 0.40 (95% CI: 0.27-0.53) 3-year cumulative incidence of waitlisting for kidney transplant, and a 0.32 (95% CI: 0.16-0.48) 5-year cumulative incidence of kidney transplantation. Survival of patients with PCD referred for kidney and all other organ transplants combined progressively worsened over time - those referred for kidney transplant had a better survival (88.3% at 2 years, 95% CI: 79.9-97.6, and 67.9% at 6 years, 95% CI: 53.7-86.0) than all other organs (80.0% at 2 years, 95% CI: 64.3-99.6, and 56.6% at 6 years, 95% CI: 37.7-85.0). Conclusions: There has been an increase in referrals for patients with PCD over the last 10 years in the setting of improved PCD therapies and pre-transplant outcomes. The probability of waitlisting and transplantation is similar to non-PCD patients at University of Washington. The probability of survival after transplant referral is similar to non-PCD patients for kidney and all other SOT candidates. Our findings highlight the increased need for, and opportunity to provide organ transplants for SOT candidates surviving after PCD treatment. Further research is needed to understand the optimal timing of transplant with chronic immunosuppression in the setting of PCD and contemporary therapies.

Is the Eutos Long Term Survival (ELTS) Score a Useful Marker to Predict Outcome in Children with Newly Diagnosed Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) in Chronic Phase (CP)? the Experience of the International Registry of Childhood CML

Aims. CML is a very rare disease in children. The present work aims to describe the characteristics of children with CML in chronic phase (CP) and to determine the outcome of this pediatric population. Methods. We retrospectively analyzed children with CML in CP registered in The International Registry of Childhood Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (I-CML-Ped Study; www.clinicaltrials.gov NCT01281735) which represents the largest cohort of children with CML. Results. Between January 2011 and March 2021, 576 CML patients less than 18 years of age at diagnosis were registered. We retrospectively selected 535 (92.8 %) children in CP according to the European leukemia net (ELN) criteria at diagnosis. Boys accounted for 58% of all patients with a boy to girl ratio of 1.25. The median age at diagnosis was 12.4 years (range, 8 months to 18 years). The most common symptoms at presentation were asthenia, weight loss and abdominal pain in 46%, 25% and 23% of the patients, respectively. CML in CP was diagnosed incidentally in 80 (16%) children when a blood assessment was performed for medical reasons. At diagnosis, thrombosis was observed in only one patient whilst 20% of the children presented with bleeding. Bleeding signs were associated with a higher frequency of palpable spleen (p=0.0007), higher leukocyte (p&amp;lt;0.0001) and platelets (p=0.02) counts, and a lower hemoglobin level (p=0.02). Clinical signs of leukostasis were observed in 88 (16.5%) patients. At diagnosis, spleen was palpable in 76% of the patients with a median of 9 cm (range, 1 to 32) below the costal margin. The median leukocyte count was 222 G/L (quartile 95-353). There is no statistical difference between boys and girls in terms of frequency of signs of leukostasis, frequency of splenomegaly, spleen size, median of the leucocyte count and hemoglobin level but the median of the platelet count was significantly higher in girls (p&amp;lt;0.0001). The majority (67%) of the children was allocated to the low-risk group according to the Eutos Long Term Survival (ELTS) score. First line therapy consisted of imatinib in 482 children with a median follow up of 4.6 years (IQR. 2.2-8.4). Among them, 208 (43%) children remained on imatinib with a median follow up of 2.9 years (IQR. 1.5-5.6). The main reason for switching (38.7% of the switches) was failure to achieve hematologic, cytogenetic or molecular response. Among the patients treated with imatinib first line, 15 (3.1%) children died and the probability of overall survival at 36 months was 97.4% (95% CI: 95-99%) (Figure 1). ELTS score was calculated for 406 of these patients: the 3-year survival rate was 98.1.% (95% CI: 96.3-100%), 94.4% (95% CI: 89.1-99.9%) and 95% (95% CI: 88.5-100%) in the low-, intermediate- and high-risk group, respectively (p logrank=0.009). Nineteen of these patients (3.9%) switched from imatinib to another treatment due to progression (accelerated or blastic phase). Progression free survival (PFS) rate at 3-years was 97.1% (95% CI: 94.9-99.2%), 91.7% (95% CI:84.5-98.3%) and 72.0% (95% CI: 59-87.9%) in the ELTS low-, intermediate- and high-risk group, respectively (p logrank&amp;lt;0.001) (Figure 2). Conclusion. The analysis of clinical and biological parameters of the largest cohort of children with CML in CP demonstrated that pediatric CML is characterized by a bulky disease (large splenomegaly, high leucocyte counts). However, these characteristics did not translate in a low rate of response and the outcome was similar to adults. While the ELTS score can identify children with the poorest outcome, a refined prognostic score specific for the pediatric population needs to be established and validated.

Excellent Outcomes of HLA Matched Related Donor Transplant for Adults with Severe Sickle Cell Disease Using a Non-Myeloablative Conditioning with Thiotepa and Post-Transplant Cyclophosphamide: Multi-Center International Experience

Introduction: The validated curative treatment for sickle cell disease (SCD) is allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT). Despite paucity of available matched sibling donors (10-14%), they are preferred due to less immunogenic complications like graft versus host disease (GVHD) and graft failure (GF) using alternative donors. In-vivo T-cell depletion by post-transplant cyclophosphamide (PTCy) has been shown to be most effective in GVHD control and a non-myeloablative regimen minimizes the toxicity associated with HSCT in this vulnerable population. In 2013, the multi-institutional Vanderbilt Haploidentical Learning Collaborative showed the improved outcomes of their non-myeloablative regimen for related haploidentical BMT for SCD (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT01850108). We used a similar non-myeloablative approach to improve donor engraftment rates, while minimizing GVHD. Material and methods: This study was conducted at three international centers using similar conditioning from our experience in multi-institutional Vanderbilt Global Haploidentical Learning Collaborative to optimize haploBMT for SCD. The conditioning regimen included ( Figure3): rabbit anti-thymoglobulin (ATG) 4.5 mg/kg, thiotepa 10 mg/kg, fludarabine 150 mg/m2, cyclophosphamide 29 mg/kg and total body irradiation (TBI) 200 cGy. GVHD prophylaxis included PTCy 100 mg/kg, mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), and sirolimus. Stem cell source included bone marrow (BM) mobilized with filgrastim (5-10 μg/kg/d x 3-5 days) and peripheral blood (PB). Primary graft failure (GF) was defined as &amp;lt;5% donor myeloid/lymphoid chimerism or &amp;lt;5% donor cells by whole blood (WB) chimerism by day+28 posttransplant. Secondary graft rejection was defined &amp;lt;5% donor myeloid/lymphoid chimerism or &amp;lt;5% donor cells by whole blood (WB) chimerism with prior documentation of &amp;gt;5% donor cells by day +28. The Event free survival (EFS) was defined by survival with no GF, no death and/or no chronic GVHD. This cohort includes 4/22 patients (18.2%) had prior graft failure from a previous bone marrow transplants. Results: Here we report the outcome of 22 SCD patients (100% HbSS genotype), with a median age of 26.5 (15-41), transplanted from 10/10 MRD 86.4 % (n= 19) or single antigen mismatch related donor (MMRD) (9/10) 13.6% (n=3). The stem cell source was PB in 54.5% (12/22), and BM in 45.5% (10/22). Median CD34 stem cells dose was 6 X 10 6/Kg (1.2 - 10.25). Neutrophils and platelets engrafted at a median of 21.0 (15 - 26) and 25.0 (12 - 45) days, respectively. Demographic and clinical characteristics of participants summarized in Table 1. No primary or secondary graft failure was observed in the participants based on the last follow-up and time of analysis of this report. For participants with durable engraftment, the median WB chimerism values for D+28 and D+365 engraftment was 99.25% (n=14; IQR: 52 - 100) and 96.5% (n=16; IQR: 52 - 100), respectively. The median follow-up time was 14.6 months (n=22; IQR: 0.5-45.44). The overall incidence of acute GVHD grade III-IV was 4.5% (n= 1/22), and no incidence of chronic GVHD. There was no transplant related mortality. A Kaplan-Meier based probability of overall survival (OS) was 100%, Figure 1. All patients were off immunosuppression at 1-year post transplant. EFS as defined in the method was 100%, Figure 2. The EFS of free acute GVHD grade III-IV was 95.5%. Conclusion: This result shows the superiority of Thiotepa based non-myeloablative conditioning and PTCy for MRD transplants in adults with severe SCD. It not only minimizes the toxicity and GVHD but provides optimal donor engraftment mitigating against risk of secondary myeloid neoplasms from mixed chimerism. This needs further validation in a larger cohort.

Nucleophosmin (NPM1) Type D Genotype Is Associated with Distinct Outcome in Acute Myeloid Leukemia - an AIEOP-BFM and COG-SWOG Intergroup Collaboration

Background: Nucleophosmin (NPM1) is a nucleo-cytoplasmic shuttling protein, predominantly located in the nucleolus that regulates a multiplicity of different biological processes. NPM1 localization in the cell is finely tuned by the nuclear export signal domain, where two tryptophan residues (Trp) are essential for the nucleolar localization. In acute myeloid leukemia (AML), several genomic subsets of NPM1 frameshift mutations of 4 base pair insertions have been identified, with the type A variant (insertion of TCTG) being the most common, followed by type B (CATG) and D (CCTG). More recently, a series of different and rarer frameshifts have been found in adult and pediatric AML. We collected and studied the NPM1 insertion genotypes in a large cohort of children with de novo AML enrolled in the AIEOP, BFM, ELAM02, NOPHO, DCOG, COG trials. Methods: NPM1 mutations were sequenced in a group of 345 pediatric patients with de novo AML. 166 patients were enrolled in recent AIEOP, BFM, ELAM02, NOPHO, DCOG trials, and 179 in the CCG/COG AML trials (CCG-2961, AAML03P1, AAML0531 and AAML1031). A cohort of 75 patients of SWOG young adult (age 18-60) AML trial (S0106) were also included as validation cohort. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate the probabilities of overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS). Results: In this cohort of 345 pediatric patients sequencing of exon 12 demonstrated multiple 4 bp insertion subtypes, with type A variant detected in 188 patients (55%), type B in 64 cases (19%) and type D mutation in 26 patients (7.5%). Other variants with the loss of the 2 Trp residues (namely A-like) were found in 42 patients (12%), whereas in 25 patients (7.5%) we identified mutations with the loss of 1 Trp residue (namely non-A-like). Comparison of disease characteristics demonstrated that NPM1 variants were prevalent in older patients (median age=13.3 years). WBC count was not significantly different among subgroups (Type A=30.3; Alike=25.2; B=16.8; D=41; non-A-like= 14.8x10 3/ul, p=0.14). FLT3-ITD prevalence was higher in Type A, B and D compared to the other Type A-like variants (42%, 44%, 46% vs. 26%); interestingly, FLT3-ITD was absent in non-A-like variants. Evaluation of clinical outcome based on NPM1 genotypes showed that although patients with type A, A-Like, non-A-like and type B had favorable outcomes, those with Type D had a significantly worse outcome with OS of 63% versus 86% for other genotypes (p=0.0053). Type D variant adverse outcome was confirmed in most of the trials and will be further examined considering different treatments. Each NPM1 variant mediated a different EFS, with most of early events occurring within the D group (EFS 51.4%), and type A (EFS 68.8%) compared to the non-A-like NPM1, A like and B mutations (79.8%, 73%, and 75.5%, respectively) (p=ns). Validation data from adult SWOG trial (SWOG0106) demonstrated similar adverse outcome with EFS of 40% for type D vs. 61.4% for other NPM1 variants, indicating D as a peculiar NPM1 genotype /Figure A). Evaluation of overlapping mutations demonstrated that except for lack of FLT3-ITD in non-A-like genotype, there was similar distribution of high-risk mutations (FLT3-ITD, WT1, etc.) in those with different genotypes, thus not explaining the underlying biology responsible for the Type D adverse outcome. Even if the aminoacidic sequence of D and A variants is the same, the different prognosis suggests a further layer of regulation. We inquired whether Type D genotype might have a different NPM1 localization pattern compared to that in Type A variant. Immunofluorescence staining of primary AML cells from patients with Type D vs. Type A variant demonstrated that, in contrast to the canonical Type A variant with aberrant cytoplasmic localization, Type D variant maintains nuclear localization (Figure B). Further studies will provide the underlying biology of Type D being a silent mutation mediating a clinical outcome like NPM1 wild type AML. Conclusion: This Eu/COG/SWOG collaborative study of over 400 pediatric and adult patients suggest a different functional biology behind NPM1 genotype where those with Type D variants have a significantly inferior outcome resembling feature of non-NPM1 mutated AML. Our data suggest that the specific genotype of NPM1 mutations can contribute to a more accurate risk-stratification, with D cases eventually shifting from standard to higher risk groups.

Casting Hope, Defying Odds: Unveiling the Impact of Haplo-Identical Stem Cell Transplant in Myeloid Malignancies - a Tertiary Cancer Care Center Experience

Background &amp; Significance: Only 30% to 40% of patients in need of a curative stem cell transplant (SCT) could find a suitable matched sibling donor. For Indian patients, the likelihood of locating a 10/10 HLA identical unrelated donor within limited donor registries is approximately 14%. However, this probability has the potential to rise to 60% if registries with over 1,000,000 registered donors are available. 1,2 Consequently, there is an increasing inclination in India to perform haploidentical transplantations utilizing the post-transplantation cyclophosphamide (PTCY) platform developed by the Johns Hopkins group. 3 The outcomes of haploidentical stem cell transplantation (haplo-SCT) for the treatment of AML were enhanced in the 1990s with the introduction of a T-cell depletion (TCD) strategy followed by a myeloablative conditioning regimen. 4,5 In the last two decades, significant progress in haplo-SCT for hematological malignancies, especially AML, includes donor selection algorithms, improved grafts, GVHD prophylaxis, and enhanced immunologic recovery, benefiting patients. 6 Here, we present our experience of haplo-identical stem cell transplants in myeloid malignancies at our centre. Study design &amp; Methods: We conducted a retrospective study at our site. Patients with myeloid malignancy who underwent haplo-identical stem cell transplant between Jan 2018 - Jan 2023 were included in the study and the follow-up was done till July 2023. Haplo-identical transplants done for diagnosis other than myeloid malignancy were excluded. The objectives of the study were to assess the non-relapse mortality [NRM] rate at day +100, relapse rate, graft-versus-host disease - free relapse-free survival [GRFS] and overall survival [OS] of the study cohort. GRFS was defined as a combined outcome including mortality from any cause, recurrence of malignancy, acute GVHD of grade 3 to 4, or chronic GVHD necessitating systemic immune suppression therapy. 7 Descriptive statistics (including median, mean, and range) were used to describe the central tendency and dispersion of variables. The probability of overall survival [OS] and graft versus host disease relapse free survival [GRFS] was estimated by the method of Kaplan and Meier. Probabilities of relapse or progression of malignancy, RRM, and day-100 NRM were summarized using cumulative incidence estimates All statistical analysis were done using statistical package for social science software (SPSS 21, IBM SPSS Statistics). Results: We have analysed 29 patients with various myeloid malignancies who have underwent haploidentical SCT from Jan 2018 to Jan 2023. There were 28 AML and 1 MDS patients. The median age was 35 (range, 16 - 59) and there were 22 males and 7 females. Conditioning intensity was myeloablative in 19 (65.5%), reduced intensity conditioning (RIC) in 8 (27.6%) and NMA in 2 (6.9%) patients. There were 10 (34.5%) patients in complete remission 1(CR1) and 19 (65.5%) in CR2. Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation-specific Comorbidity Index [HCT-CI] score was as low 11 (37.9%), intermediate 8 (27.6%) and high 10 (34.5%) patients respectively. Median time to neutrophil engraftment was 16 days (range, 12 - 25) and platelet engraftment was 17 days (range, 11 - 32). Median CD34 stem cell dose was 6.25 x 10*6/kg (range, 3.1 - 8.09) x 10*6/kg. Grade II-IV acute GVHD over first +100 days post SCT was observed in 6 (20.7) patients, and grade III-IV acute GVHD and chronic GVHD at follow up of one year was 3 (10.3) respectively. CMV reactivation by +100days was seen in 18 (62.06%) patients. Relapse was seen in 10 (34.5%) patients, out of which 2 patients are alive and 8 expired due to progressive disease. At median follow up of 13 months, OS is 60.3% (CI: 39.7% - 75.9%) and GRFS is at a median follow-up of 6 month was 51.2% (CI: 35.6% - 71%). Fig:1 NRM was 10.3% and 17.24% at +100 days and at last follow-up respectively. Fig:2 Conclusion: In conclusion, our study demonstrates favorable outcomes in terms of NRM (non-relapse mortality) with a low rate of 10.3% at 100 days after haploidentical SCT. The results also show promising overall survival (OS) and GVHD-free, relapse-free survival (GRFS) rates, supporting the potential of haploidentical transplants as an effective treatment option for myeloid malignancies. Further long-term follow-up and research are needed to validate and optimize these findings.

Outcome of Children with B-Cell Precursor Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (BCP-ALL) with Hypodiploidy or BCR-ABL1 Fusion Given Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT): Results from the Prospective Forum Study

Introduction: Hypodiploid karyotype (HYPO) and bcr-abl1 fusion (BCRABL) define high-risk BCP-ALL subtypes, with historically worse outcomes. Many front-line treatment protocols recommend allogeneic HSCT for these patients (pts), either in first complete remission (CR1) irrespective of response (adolescents/young adults with HYPO), if minimal residual disease (MRD) signals persist at specific time points (younger pts with HYPO and all pts with BCRABL), or following leukemic relapse. We have assessed the outcomes of BCP-ALL pts aged 4 to 18 years (y) with either HYPO or BCRABL who participated in the phase III ALL SCT PED FORUM study (EudraCT: 2012-003032-22) and underwent HSCT from either a matched sibling (MSD) or matched unrelated donor (MUD). Patients and Methods: Between 2014 and January 2023, 741 evaluable BCP-ALL pts were enrolled in FORUM (Table 1). HYPO was present in 61 pts, BCRABL in 82 pts, and neither lesion in 598 pts (NEITHER). 43/61 (70%), 40/82 (49%) and 215/598 (36%) pts with HYPO, BCRABL and NEITHER were in CR1, respectively (p= n.s.). Prior to HSCT, 82 of 101 HYPO/BCRABL pts with available MRD data were MRD negative by PCR and/or flowcytometry (&amp;lt;10-4). Total body irradiation (TBI) + VP16 was administered to 42 and 50 pts in the HYPO and BCRABL groups, respectively, while 18 HYPO and 30 BCRABL pts received non-TBI conditioning (busulfan or treosulfan + fludarabine and thiotepa, as per study protocol). Randomization determined allocation to TBI/non-TBI treatment arms until randomization closure in 03/2019, while treatment in some pts was dictated by lack of access to TBI, or contraindication to TBI in individual pts. An MSD was available in 14 (23%) and 24 (29%) HYPO and BCRABL pts, respectively. Notably, 24 out of 143 pts (17%) with HYPO/BCRABL received immunotherapy before HSCT (blinatumomab, inotuzumab ozogamicin, and/or CAR-T cells). Post-HSCT, 14 out of 82 BCRABL pts (17%) received a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), either prophylactically or pre-emptively. Results: With a median follow-up of three years post-HSCT, the 5-y probabilities of overall survival (OS) for pts with HYPO, BCRABL and NEITHER were 0.79±0.06, 0.83±0.05, and 0.74±0.02 (p=n.s.), while those of event-free survival (EFS) were 0.73±0.06, 0.65±0.07, and 0.61±0.02, respectively (p=n.s.). The 5-y cumulative incidence of relapse (CIR) for HYPO/BCRABL and NEITHER pts was 0.21±0.04 and 0.29±0.02 (p=0.036), and 5-y non-relapse mortality (NRM) was nearly identical for these groups (0.07±0.2 and 0.08±0.1). Among pts who received TBI, 5-y OS and EFS for HYPO, BCRABL, and NEITHER groups were 0.76±0.08 and 0.70±0.08, 0.89±0.05 and 0.70±0.10, and 0.80±0.03 and 0.71±0.03, respectively (p=n.s., Figure 1), while 5-y CIR and NRM post TBI were 0.15±0.06 and 0.11±0.05, 0.15±0.06 and 0.11±0.05, and 0.20±0.02 and 0.07±0.02, for the three groups, respectively (p=n.s.). The 3-y GvHD-free/relapse-free survival (GRFS) was similar between HYPO/BCRABL and NEITHER (0.60±0.06 and 0.58±0.03, respectively) and reached a plateau at 5-years (0.60±0.06 and 0.57±0.03, respectively). In subgroup analyses of pts in CR1 and &amp;gt;CR1, comparable outcomes were observed for HYPO, BCRABL, and NEITHER, hence results were not affected by the remission status. BCRABL and NEITHER pts receiving non-TBI conditioning had inferior outcomes (5-y EFS of 0.56±0.10 and 0.47±0.04, respectively) with a high 5-y CIR (0.36±0.09 and 0.43±0.04, respectively) as compared to those who received TBI. Similar 5-y OS and EFS were seen in HYPO pts whether receiving TBI (0.76±0.8 and 0.70±0.08) or chemo conditioning (83±0.09 and 83±0.09). Rates of NRM and acute/chronic graft-versus-host disease were similar in pts receiving TBI/ non-TBI conditioning and in BCRABL/HYPO vs. NEITHER pts. In multivariate analysis adjusted for CR status, conditioning and MRD, EFS did not differ between HYPO/BCRABL and NEITHER pts. Conclusions: Children receiving HSCT for treatment of BCP-ALL with either hypodiploidy or bcr-abl1 fusion showed outcomes comparable to BCP-ALL pts without these genetic lesions. CIR and EFS reached plateaus beyond 3 y post-HSCT, indicating that approximately two-thirds of these pts can be cured by HSCT with low rates of treatment-related mortality. Pts with BCRABL achieved favorable outcomes without the need for long-term or lifelong TKI therapy.

Monoallelic Pathogenic Variants in Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis Genes Are Uncommon and Not Associated with Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Outcomes in Severe Aplastic Anemia

Introduction: Severe aplastic anemia (SAA) is primarily an immune-mediated disease, but a subset of patients have a germline genetic predisposition. Germline genetic testing for patients with SAA is recommended to guide patient treatment, including adjustment for hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) modalities. Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a life threatening hyperinflammatory condition often associated with cytopenias. HLH etiology is genetically variable with X-linked or autosomal recessive (XLR or AR) modes of inheritance. The role of monoallelic pathogenic/likely pathogenic (P/LP) variants in recessive HLH-associated genes in SAA etiology or outcomes is unclear. In this study, we determined the frequency of monoallelic HLH-associated gene variants in a large cohort of patients with acquired SAA and evaluated their association with HCT outcomes. Methods: The Transplant Outcomes in Aplastic Anemia (TOAA) project is a collaboration between the NCI and the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research and consists of genomic and clinical data from 824 patients with SAA who received HCT between 1989-2015. We excluded 140 patients with inherited bone marrow failure syndrome (92 with a clinical diagnosis and 48 genetically identified; McReynolds, Blood, 2022). We used exome sequencing data from the remaining 684 non-inherited SAA patients and used ACMG/AMP criteria to curate variants in 14 HLH-associated genes (AR: PRF1, UNC13D, STX11, STXBP2, ITK, CD27, LYST, RAB27A, AP3B1, BLOC1S6, SLC7A7; and XLR: XIAP, SH2D1A, MAGT1). Variants were deemed deleterious variants of uncertain significance (del-VUS) if there were damaging predictions in &amp;gt;3/5 in-silico meta-predictors (BayesDel, REVEL, CADD, MetaSVM and EIGEN). Follow-up started at the day of HCT and ended at outcome of interest, death, loss to follow-up, or end of study period (August 2017). We used the Kaplan-Meier estimator to calculate the probability of overall survival (OS) after HCT, using a log-rank test for statistical comparisons. For other HCT outcomes, we used cumulative incidence calculator accounting for competing risk of death. Results: There were 57 HLH variants in 49 of the 684 (7.2%) patients: 17 variants present in 19 patients (2.8%) were pathogenic or likely pathogenic (P/LP) and 40 were del-VUS. Eight of 17 P/LP variants were loss of function (3 frameshift, 3 splice site loss, and 2 nonsense). Among the 19 patients with P/LP variants, 16 (84%) had monoallelic variants in genes with AR inheritance, and PRF1 was the most frequently affected (in 8/19 patients). The median age at HCT was comparable in patients with (median=20 years; range=5-62) and without (median=20 years; range=0.2-77) P/LP HLH variants. We did not observe statistically significant differences in other demographics or transplant-related factors in the two groups, except for a higher frequency of male in patients with P/LP variants (79% vs. 55%, in those with and without HLH variants, respectively; p=0.04). All patients with P/LP HLH variants achieved neutrophil engraftment by day 30 compared with 92% of patients without HLH variants. The cumulative incidence of neutrophil engraftment at day 20 was 89%, 95% CI=70-99% for patients with HLH variants and 64%, 95% CI=60-67% in those without variants (p=0.01) (Figure 1A). No statistically significant associations between HLH variants and other key HCT outcomes were noted (p&amp;gt;0.05). The 5-year OS probability in all patients with P/LP variants was 89% (95% CI=72-99) compared to 66% (95% CI=63-70) in those without variants (p=0.06) (Figure 1B). When restricting the analysis to patients receiving reduced intensity/non-myeloablative regimen, the 5-year OS was 92% (95% CI=72-100%) in those with P/LP HLH variants versus 75% (95% CI=70-79%) in those without variants. Conclusions: We found that 7.2% of patients undergoing HCT for acquired SAA carried potentially deleterious variants in HLH genes, with 2.8% carrying a P/LP variant. HCT outcomes in patients with monoallelic P/LP variants was similar to those without P/LP HLH variants. Our data suggest that identification of monoallelic P/LP variants in HLH genes does not influence HCT outcomes, and no special treatment consideration, other than that used for SAA, is warranted.

Thiotepa, Busulfan and Fludarabine Conditioning Regimen in Adult Patients Undergoing Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation for Lymphoid Malignancies. a Study on Behalf of Geth-TC

Background: The optimal conditioning regimen in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (alloHCT) for lymphoid malignancies remains unclear. Reduced intensity regimens (RIC) allow older and more comorbid patients to receive alloHCT since lower non-relapse mortality (NRM) is observed, but disease control may still be a concern. The use of reduced toxicity conditioning regimens allows better disease control with a cost of higher toxicity. To date, no data are available regarding the use of thiotepa, busulfan and fludarabine (TBF) in adult patients allografted for lymphoma. Our aim is to describe survival outcomes and treatment-related toxicities of patients with lymphoid malignancies conditioned with TBF. Methods: Between December 2011 and July 2022, 116 patients diagnosed with lymphoid malignancies received a first alloHCT conditioned with a TBF-based regimen in 9 Spanish institutions. All consecutive patients were included in the study and data were collected retrospectively. Low-dose TBF was defined as the use of 5 mg/kg of thiotepa (T5) while a high-dose TBF was considered as the administration of 10 mg/Kg of thiotepa (T10). Main outcome variables were overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), NRM, relapse incidence (RI), cumulative incidence of acute (aGVHD) and chronic GVHD (cGVHD), and hematological recovery. Probabilities of OS and PFS were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier estimator method, and NRM, RI, GVHD and hematological recovery as cumulative incidences. Results: Baseline characteristics are summarized in Table 1. The median age was 52 (range 23-70) years and 62.1% of the patients were males. Aggressive B-cell lymphoma was the most common diagnosis (43.1%). Seventy-seven (66.4%) patients received T10, and 39 (33.6) T5. Median follow-up among survivors was 46.9 (range 16.9-136.5) months. At 3 years, OS, PFS, NRM and RI were 54.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 45.5-63.9%) ( Figure 1), 44.9% (95% CI, 35.7-54.1%), 34.9% (95% CI, 27.1-44.9%) and 20.2% (95% CI, 14-29.2%), respectively. Of the 53 patients who died during follow up, causes of death were: 12 relapses and 41 transplant toxicities (16=infections, 8=GVHD, 5=endothelial complications, 1=traumatism, 11=missing). Fifty-one percent of toxicity-related deaths were observed during the first 3 months from transplant. All but 2 patients engrafted. The cumulative incidence of neutrophil engraftment at day +30 was 91.4% (95% CI, 86.3-96.8%). The cumulative incidence of grade II-IV aGVHD at day +100 was 25.4% (95% IC, 18.5-34.9%), with 8 patients presenting grade III-IV aGVHD. The 3-years cumulative incidence of all grade cGVHD was 29.8% (95% CI, 22.5-39.6%), with 15 patients presenting with moderate-severe cGVHD. Seventeen patients developed venooclusive disease (14.7%) with a median time from alloHCT infusion of 14 (range 7-93) days. On univariate analysis, no prognostic factors were found in terms of NRM, OS and PFS. However, higher doses of thiotepa were associated to a lower relapse incidence (13.2% vs 35%, p=0.0075) without differences in terms of NRM. The use of myeloablative conditioning (vs RIC) showed a trend towards a lower relapse incidence although it was not statistically significant (9.4% vs 24.5%, p=0.059) with no impact in NRM rates. On multivariate analysis these results could not be confirmed. Conclusions: In our series, TBF conditioning regimen allows efficient disease control at the expense of increased incidence of severe early toxicities. Despite higher NRM, TBF conditioning regimen showed similar OS rated compared to other regimens used for lymphoid malignancies. This regimen could be considered for fit patients with high-risk lymphoid diseases.

Impact of Age on Outcome in Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma Patients Undergoing Upfront Autologous Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation from the Worldwide Network for Blood and Marrow Transplantation Global Study

Background ： Induction therapy with proteasome inhibitors and immunomodulatory agents followed by autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is considered standard of care in front line multiple myeloma (MM) treatment. Utilization of autologous HCT is increasing worldwide in younger and older patients in light of improvements in supportive care and infrastructure. However, global perspectives on patterns of patient age and the impact of age on outcomes in this population are scarce. In the current analysis of global registry data, we focused on the age distribution and the association of age with outcomes after HCT worldwide. Methods: Data were provided by the Worldwide Network for Blood and Marrow Transplantation through the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT), the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplantation (CIBMTR), the Australia and New Zealand Transplant and Cellular Therapy Registry (ANZTCTR), the Asian Pacific Blood and Marrow Transplant Group (APBMT), the Eastern Mediterranean Blood and Marrow Transplant Group (EMBMT), the Latin American Bone Marrow Transplant group (LABMT), and the Ottawa hospital myeloma registry. The study included newly diagnosed MM patients transplanted between 2013 and 2017. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS) and secondary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS), incidence of relapse, and non-relapse mortality (NRM). The probability of OS and PFS was estimated based on the Kaplan-Meier method and differences were analyzed using the log-rank test. The incidences of relapse and NRM were modeled using the crude cumulative incidence estimator and compared between groups with Gray's test. Multivariate analyses were performed using Cox (cause-specific) proportional hazards models including a random effect for country. Age at HCT was modeled as a categorical variable (18-39, 40-64, 65-69, 70-74, and ≥75 years). Models further included patient sex, year of HCT, stage of disease at HCT, Karnofsky score, myeloma subclassification, conditioning dosage, interval between diagnosis and HCT, HCT comorbidity index, ISS at diagnosis, and cytogenetic risk score. Results: In total, 61,725 patients were included in this study; 37,459 (60.1%), 16,217 (26.3%), 3,164 (5.1%), 3,122 (5.1%), 543 (0.9%), 524 (0.8%), 339 (0.5%), 188 (0.3%), and 169 (0.3%) from EBMT, CIBMTR, ANZTCTR, Japan (APBMT), EMBMT, Taiwan (APBMT), LABMT, Ottawa, and Malaysia (APBMT), respectively. The median age at HCT was 60.8 (interquartile range: 54.6-65.8) years. The percentage of patients in the age groups 18-39, 40-64, 65-69, 70-74, and ≥75 years, varied considerably; 2%, 68.9%, 21.8%, 6.5%, and 0.8%, respectively (Table 1). The proportion of &amp;lt;40 years was higher in Malaysia, LABMT, and EMBMT (4-6%) compared to EBMT, CIBMTR, Japan, and ANZTCTR (2%). In contrast, the proportion of patients ≥65 years was higher in EBMT, CIBMTR, ANZTCTR, and Japan (&amp;gt;20%) compared to Malaysia, LABMT, and EMBMT (7-13%). The following patterns were observed in the age groups 18-39, 40-64, 65-69, 70-74, and ≥75 years, respectively. Melphalan 200 mg/m 2 for conditioning was used more frequently in younger patients (78.4%, 75.4%, 63.2%, 40.6%, and 28.3%, respectively). In 60.7% of the group ≥75 years, a lower dose of melphalan 140 mg/m 2 was chosen. OS was lower with older age (p&amp;lt;0.001) and was 86%, 83%, 81%, 78%, and 75% at 3 years, respectively (Figure and Table 1). PFS was similarly associated with older age (56%, 51%, 50%, 47%, and 45% at 3 years, respectively (p&amp;lt;0.001)). The cumulative incidence of relapse was not significantly different (15%, 16%, 15%, 16%, and 16% at 1 year, respectively (p=0.74)), but the cumulative incidence of NRM was higher with older age (p&amp;lt;0.001) and was 0%, 1%, 2%, 2%, and 4% at 1 year, respectively. On multivariate analysis, older age was associated with lower OS (overall p&amp;lt;0.0001), lower PFS (overall p=0.003), and higher NRM (overall p&amp;lt;0.0001), but not with the risk of relapse (overall p=0.79). Conclusions: There is considerable global variability in the age distribution of patients receiving HCT. Globally, 2% of patients receiving front line HCT for myeloma are aged &amp;lt;45 and 0.8% are &amp;gt;75 years. Advancing age was a significant risk factor for OS and PFS due to differences in NRM, but even in patients &amp;gt;75 years NRM was very low.

Measurable Residual Disease As Assessed By Flow Cytometry As Predictor of Survival in Pediatric AML Patients

Introduction Pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (pedAML) is a heterogeneous group of hematological malignancies classified according to morphology, immunophenotyping, and genomics. The optimal adjustment of therapy based on level of response is not well defined. Aim: Herein, we present the results of a retrospective study aiming to analyze the prognostic value of measurable residual disease (MRD) as determined by flow cytometry (FC-MRD) in pediatric AML. Patients and Methods All pediatric and adolescent patients (aged 0-18 years old) with AML treated in our unit between 1/2013-6/2023 were included in this study. French American British (FAB) morphological classification, immune-phenotype analysis, and molecular characterization were performed on diagnosis, and all patients were treated according to AML-BFM protocols. Final risk classification was based on evaluation of response and on genetic abnormalities at diagnosis. MRD was assessed by FC-MRD after Induction 1 and 2, and, either after course 5 or before hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Complete Remission (CR) was defined as regenerative or normocellular bone marrow with &amp;lt;5% blasts; in peripheral blood ≥1.0x10 9/L neutrophil granulocytes and ≥80x10 9/L thrombocytes or Remission with partial regeneration ( CRp: regenerative or normocellular bone marrow with &amp;lt;5% blasts; in the blood: ≥1.0x10 9/L leukocytes, ≥0.5x10 9/L, neutrophil granulocytes and ≥50x10 9/L, self-sustained platelets), lasting at least 4weeks; no extramedullary disease. Overall survival (OS) was defined as the time interval from the treatment initiation date to the date of death due to any cause. Progressive free survival (PFS) was defined as the time interval from the response date to the date of disease relapse or death due to any cause. The probabilities of OS and PFS were estimated with the Kaplan-Meier method. Results Overall, there were 52 patients (median age at diagnosis:7 years, 37males/15 females) diagnosed with AML, of whom: 40 patients with de novo AML, 5 patients with therapy- or myelodysplasia-related AML and 7 patients with mixed-lineage leukemia. Cytogenetics were considered favorable for 16 (31.0%), intermediate for 4 (7.6%), and adverse for 32 (61.4%) patients. Standard-risk patients (n=16) received only chemotherapy, whereas all high-risk patients, and intermediate-risk patients with available matched donors, underwent HSCT should they have reached remission. Forty-four patients (84.6%) achieved complete response (CR). Among these patients, 43 patients (97.7%) achieved CR after 1 course of induction, and 1 patient (2.3%) required at least 2 courses. Twenty-four patients (46.1%) underwent HSCT during either their first (20/24) or second (4/24) CR. Overall, 12 patients (23.07%) died, 4 patients due to resistant disease, 3 patients due to relapse, 2 patients due to serious complications upon diagnosis, 1 patient due to infection and 2 patients due to transplant-related complications. With a median follow-up time of 3.7 years (range 0.1-11.1years), the five-year OS and PFS of the entire cohort was 74.0% and 70.0%, respectively. The level of FC-MRD was a significant prognostic factor for OS and PFS. More specifically, achievement of FC-MRD &amp;lt; 0.1% at all time points was associated with a significant improvement in PFS and OS. (figure 1). FC-MRD ≥ 0.1% after course 5 or before HSCT was the only independent adverse prognostic factor that was statistically significant for both progression-free (P=0.001) and overall survival (P&amp;lt;0.001) (figure1). Conclusions We investigated the association between FC-MRD and survival in Greek pediatric patients with AML. In our cohort, achieving an MRD status &amp;lt;0.1% according to FC is associated with significant improvement in the outcome of pediatric patients with AML.