Rates Of Neutropenia Research Articles

Clinical efficacy and safety of parenteral nutrition in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: results of a single-center randomized controlled study

BACKGROUND: Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation frequently necessitates nutritional support. However, the safety and tolerance of parenteral nutrition have not been adequately examined, except for its association with infectious complications. AIM: To evaluate the impact of parenteral nutrition on nutritional status and its correlation with complications during the early period following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 2019–2020, 125 recipients of autologous (n=38) and allogeneic (n=87) hematopoietic stem cell transplantation were included in the study with a median age of 20 years (2–65). The chosen cohort included patients with leukemia (n=67), solid tumors (n=32), dysplasia (n=15) and lymphoproliferation (n=11). The control group (n=55) was composed of patients who did not depend on nutritional support. Parenteral nutrition was administered to the primary group (n=70) using second-generation (n=22) and third-generation (n=24) fat emulsions. In the event of contraindications, parenteral nutrition was administered without fat emulsions (n=24). To mitigate the risk of side effects, the initial dose of parenteral nutrition was 50%, with the achievement of the complete dose by the third day of therapy. RESULTS: In 95.7% of cases, mucositis was the indication for parenteral nutrition. The duration of parenteral nutrition was 2–31 days (median, 11 days). In 58.6% of cases, parenteral nutrition was initiated against the background of nausea and vomiting. During the escalation of the parenteral nutrition dose, increased nausea was observed in 7.1% of patients. Side effects were noted in 22.9% of cases: hyperglycemia (n=7), vomiting (n=6) and hypertriglyceridemia (n=3). Four patients developed complications associated with parenteral nutrition, and nutritional therapy was discontinued in 20% of cases (n=14). After hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, the primary clinical efficacy criterion, body mass index, was observed to decline in each observation group. However, it recovered by day 28 and did not differ between the comparison groups as follows: the control group — from 22.7±6.4 to 21.7±6.1 kg/m2, (p=0.42); group “2 in 1” — from 23.4±6.1 to 21.6±4 kg/m2, (p=0.56); group provided with parenteral nutrition employing second-generation fat emulsions — from 18,8±4,9 to 18.7±4.4 kg/m2, (p=0.72); group administered parenteral nutrition with third-generation fat emulsions — from 18.6±4.2 to 18.3±3.5 kg/m2, (p=0.84). The febrile neutropenia rate was 75.2% and did not vary in the control and comparison groups (p=0.54). The incidence of sepsis was 24.8% and was not influenced by the use of parenteral nutrition (p=0.07). Furthermore, sepsis risk was higher when administering parenteral nutrition “2 in 1” compared to fat emulsions-containing parenteral nutrition (p=0.002). The overall frequency of acute graft versus host disease was 16.1% and was similar in the comparison groups (p=0.65). CONCLUSION: In the cohort of patients treated with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, parenteral nutrition regimens supplemented with second- and third-generation fat emulsions with a stepwise dose increase varied in acceptable tolerance, infection-related complications, and immunological safety, as well as effectively maintained nutritional status parameters.

Comparing the Efficacy and Safety of First-Line Treatments for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: A Network Meta-Analysis.

The Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) treatment strategies have transitioned from chemotherapy and chemoimmunotherapy to chemo-free regimens. Frequentist network meta-analysis allows for both direct and indirect comparisons between different treatments. Randomized controlled trials assessing first-line treatments were included. Outcomes were progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival, undetectable minimal residual disease (MRD), objective response rate, and adverse events. Studies with comparable characteristics also underwent subgroup analysis, stratifying by age, comorbidities, IGHV status, and cytogenetic abnormalities. 30 eligible trials involved 12,818 patients and 30 treatments were included. Acalabrutinib demonstrated a PFS advantage over ibrutinib and obinutuzumab-venetoclax (OV) in patients over 65 years old or with unmutated IGHV. In younger patients with comorbidities, Acalabrutinib-Obinutuzumab (AO) had superior PFS compared to Ibrutinib-Obinutuzumab (IO), Ibrutinib-Venetoclax (IV), and OV. For older patients with comorbidities, Acalabrutinib and AO both outperformed OV without significant difference between them. MRD-guided IV surpassed OV in patients without comorbidities. IO exhibited extended PFS benefits compared to OV in patients with mutated IGHV or with del(17p) and/or TP53 mutations. IV and IO have lower neutropenia rates than OV. IV have fewer infections than Acalabrutinib and AO. AO causes less diarrhea than IV but more headaches than IO and OV. OV has lower hypertension rates than IO. IV has fewer arthralgia than AO. For any grade secondary primary neoplasms, IV and OV is less than AO. Tailored chemo-free regimens can be selected based on age, comorbidities, IGHV status, and cytogenetic abnormalities to optimize treatment outcomes while considering different response spectra.

Efficacy and Safety of Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation in First-Line Treatment and at Relapse in Elderly Patients with Multiple Myeloma

Introduction: Although recent data suggest that melphalan high-dose therapy followed by autologous stem cell transplantation (HDT/ASCT) is safe and effective in eligible multiple myeloma (MM) patients up to the age of 75 years, its value in elderly MM patients is still controversially discussed. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 607 MM patients ≥60 years old, who were admitted to our institution for first-line or salvage HDT/ASCT between January 2007 and October 2018. We assigned them to three groups according to age at HDT/ASCT: 60–64 years (S1), 65–69 years (S2) and ≥70 years (S3). We compared progression-free and overall survival, duration of hospitalization, complications, transfers to intermediate or intensive care unit, readmissions after discharge and deaths within 100 days after HDT/ASCT between these groups. Results: Age did not impact progression-free and overall survival after first-line and salvage HDT/ASCT. Patients ≥70 years old at first HDT/ASCT had a longer hospitalization compared to patients 60–64 years old; however, the difference in the length of hospitalization was only marginal. Rates of febrile neutropenia, mucositis, transfers to intermediate or intensive care unit, readmissions after discharge, and deaths within 100 days after HDT/ASCT were similar in the 3 age groups of patients receiving first or salvage HDT/ASCT. Patients with a Charlson Comorbidity Index ≥2 receiving first HDT/ASCT had a higher risk for a transfer to intermediate or intensive care unit. Conclusion: Our analysis shows that HDT/ASCT is safe and effective in eligible elderly MM patients in first-line treatment and at relapse. A careful patient selection according to biological rather than chronological age is of crucial importance.

Preadmission Penicillin Allergy Evaluation Before Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Optimizes Febrile Neutropenia Treatment and Inpatient Resource Utilization

Febrile neutropenia is a common complication of conditioning chemotherapy for hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT), but a major barrier for optimal treatment of febrile neutropenia is historical penicillin allergies. Our group recently published a development of a clinical pipeline for delabeling penicillin allergies in adult patients planned to undergo hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT). In this retrospective cohort study, we followed patients to evaluate their outcomes during inpatient admission for HSCT. We hypothesized that, among patients planned for HSCT with a self-reported penicillin allergy, completing penicillin allergy testing (amoxicillin ingestion challenge with or without concomitant penicillin skin testing) prior to HSCT admission would be associated with differences in inpatient treatment for febrile neutropenia (including antibiotic selection and timing of antibiotic administration) and improved inpatient resource utilization (including nursing and inpatient physician consults). We identified patients with a self-reported penicillin allergy who answered a penicillin allergy questionnaire and were subsequently admitted to our institution for HSCT. We divided the cohort into 2 groups: patients whose penicillin allergy was evaluated prior to admission (EPTA) and patients whose penicillin allergy was not evaluated prior to admission (NEPTA). We then performed comparison between the 2 groups for general clinical outcomes of HSCT admission (duration of admission, need for ICU transfer, readmission rate, etc.), febrile neutropenia treatment, and inpatient resource utilization. Statistics were calculated using the non-parametric two-tailed Fisher exact test for categorical outcomes and the non-parametric two-tailed Mann-Whitney U test for numerical outcomes RESULTS: Within our cohort, 35 patients completed penicillin allergy testing prior to HSCT admission (EPTA) and 44 patients did not (NEPTA). Demographics were similar between these groups, and there was no significant difference in the rate of febrile neutropenia during HSCT admission (EPTA 64% vs NEPTA 66%, p=1.00). EPTA patients were significantly more likely to receive standard first-line antibiotics (cefepime or ceftazidime) for febrile neutropenia (EPTA 95% vs NEPTA 65%, p=0.015) and time between febrile neutropenia onset and antibiotic administration was shorter (EPTA mean 66 mins vs NEPTA mean 121 mins, p=0.0058). No patients in the EPTA group experienced an immediate hypersensitivity reaction (hives, anaphylaxis, etc.) or severe cutaneous adverse reaction (SCAR) during HSCT admission. EPTA patients were also significantly less likely to require 1:1 nursing for antibiotic test doses, challenges, and desensitizations (EPTA 0% vs NEPTA 49%, p<0.0001); less likely to require inpatient allergy consult (EPTA 0% vs NEPTA 12%, p=0.031); and less likely to require inpatient antimicrobial stewardship consult (EPTA 0% vs NEPTA 13%, p=0.013) during their HSCT admission. In summary, patients who completed penicillin allergy testing prior to HSCT admission were more likely to receive first-line antibiotics and received antibiotics more rapidly for treatment of febrile neutropenia. Furthermore, patients who completed penicillin allergy testing prior to HSCT admission were less likely to require 1:1 nursing, inpatient allergy consults, and inpatient antimicrobial stewardship consults during HSCT admission.

Incidence and risk factors of neutropenia in neonates with hemolytic disease of the newborn

Background Hemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN) is a less recognized cause of neonatal neutropenia. Therefore, this study aims to estimate the incidence of neutropenia and identify associated factors in infants with HDN at a tertiary care center. Methods This retrospective cohort study included infants with HDN who presented at a tertiary care center in Saudi Arabia between March 2008 and September 2023. Neutropenia was defined as an absolute neutrophil count of less than 1.5 μL. Results Among 339 neonates with HDN, 50.1% were male, and 49.9% were female. Rh isoimmunization was the most common antibody type, observed in 58.7% of cases. The severity of HDN was classified as mild in 62.6% of neonates, moderate in 33.3%, and severe in 4.1%. Neutropenia was more prevalent in moderate-to-severe HDN cases (P = 0.047). The incidence rate of neutropenia was 4.1 per 1,000 person-days, with 7.4% of neonates (25/339) being neutropenic at birth. Among these, 17 out of 25 neonates showed resolution within 2 days. Multivariate analysis identified male gender (P = 0.022), low gestational age (P = 0.008), low birth weight (P = 0.039), and the need for exchange transfusion (P = 0.036) as significant risk factors for neutropenia. Conclusion Neutropenia in infants with HDN, irrespective of antibody type, is generally a benign, self-limiting condition. This condition predominantly affects male neonates with moderate-to-severe HDN and prematurity and can be managed conservatively.

The timing and severity of clozapine-associated neutropenia in the US: Is the risk overstated?

BackgroundConcern about clozapine-associated neutropenia contributes to clozapine's underutilization and racial disparities in access. People with African ancestry are more likely to have lower normative absolute neutrophil counts (ANC), associated with the Duffy null genetic polymorphism. Recent data on clozapine-associated neutropenia in the US are lacking. MethodsPatients prescribed clozapine in the Johns Hopkins Medicine electronic medical record (EMR) between 2013 and 2023 were identified. Duffy null Associated Neutrophil Count (DANC) was assigned if there were two ANC's < 2000 cells/μL, >30 days apart, before starting clozapine. Rates of neutropenia, timing of first neutropenia, and demographic differences were explored. Results974 received clozapine and had ANC's available, with 63.9 % male, 51.1 % White, and 39 % Black. 287 were presumed to start clozapine during the study period, and were 62.4 % male, 46 % White, and 44.9 % Black. No patients developed severe neutropenia. 59 (6.1 %) developed mild or moderate neutropenia. 19 (6.6 %) new starts had presumed DANC, and none developed neutropenia. 11 of 16 presumed new starts who developed neutropenia did so within eight months. No demographic differences were found between groups for presumed new starts. For non-new starts, where DANC assignment was not possible, Black patients were more likely than White patients to develop neutropenia (OR 3.48, 95 % CI [1.65, 7.73]). DiscussionTo our knowledge, this is the first observational study of clozapine-associated neutropenia in the US in the past decade, and it includes a substantial proportion of Black patients. ANC monitoring requirements may be too strict, contributing to clozapine underutilization.

Optimization Strategies in CAR T-cell Therapy: A Comprehensive Evaluation of Cytopenia, HLH/MAS, and Other Adverse Events.

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has emerged as a transformative treatment for various hematological malignancies. Still, its remarkable efficacy is accompanied by unique adverse events that must be carefully managed. This comprehensive literature review evaluates the safety profile of CAR T-cell therapy, focusing on cytopenia, hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH)/macrophage activation syndrome (MAS), and other potential complications. Cytopenia, characterized by reduced blood cell counts, affects a significant proportion of patients, with rates of anemia, neutropenia, and thrombocytopenia reaching up to 60%, 70%, and 80%, respectively. Risk factors include high tumor burden, prior chemotherapy, and bone marrow involvement. Cytokine release syndrome (CRS) occurs in 13% to 77% of patients and is linked to the cytokine storm induced by CAR T cells, target antigen expression, and preexisting immune dysregulation. Other notable adverse events discussed are cytokine release syndrome, neurotoxicity, and infections. Understanding the mechanisms, risk factors, and management strategies for these adverse events is crucial for optimizing patient outcomes and unlocking the full potential of this revolutionary therapy. The review highlights the need for continued research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and evidence-based approaches to enhance the safety and efficacy of CAR T-cell therapy.

Rates of febrile neutropenia and its causes in the real world.

Aim: Characterize febrile neutropenia in the real-world and explore potentially modifiable risk factors.Patients & methods: Characteristics of patient presenting with febrile neutropenia after systemic cancer treatment were investigated, with a thorough evaluation of potential risk factors.Results: The rate of febrile neutropenia requiring hospitalization was comparable with clinical trials (mean absolute difference 2%, 95% CI: -1-4%;p=0.29). The in-hospital mortality rate was 6%. Most cases resulted from low-risk regimens (50%) and 18.2% presented no apparent risk factors. 42.4% of patients presented modifiable factors potentially involved in the occurrence of febrile neutropenia.Conclusion: Febrile neutropenia rate in contemporary real-world evidence is comparable with clinical trials. Appropriate G-CSF administration and avoidance of potentially harmful drug-interactions represent potential areas for improvement.

MDB-20. TOXICITY PROFILE OF TWO CHEMOTHERAPEUTIC REGIMENS ADOPTED FROM COG A9961 AND ACNS0331 FOR STANDARD-RISK MEDULLOBLASTOMA, A COMPARATIVE STUDY

Abstract BACKGROUND Medulloblastoma (MB) is classically treated with surgery, irradiation, and chemotherapy (CTH). Cisplatin-based CTH regimens for standard-risk (SR) MB entail significant toxicities particularly ototoxicity which adversely affect patients’ quality of life. We compared the toxicity profile of two regimens in terms of grade 3 or 4 ototoxicity, hematologic toxicity, hepatotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, and neurotoxicity. METHODS SR-MB patients enrolled at Children Cancer Hospital-Egypt (57357) between January 2016 and December 2019 (cohort A) received adjuvant CTH adopted from COG-A9961 protocol (regimen A; 8 cycles of vincristine, cisplatin, and CCNU; cumulative cisplatin dose 600 mg/m2). Starting from January 2020 (cohort B), patients received CTH adopted from ACNS0331 protocol (9 cycles; 2 cycles of vincristine, cisplatin, CCNU followed by 1 cycle of cyclophosphamide and vincristine, for 3 rounds; cumulative cisplatin dose 450 mg/m2). Toxicity grading was done using Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version 5.0. RESULTS enrolled patients (n=168; cohort A = 112; 67% and cohort B = 56; 33%). Cohort A had significantly higher rate of grade ≥3 ototoxicity at some point during treatment (27% vs 3.6%, p &amp;lt;0.001). Similarly, cohort A had higher grade ≥3 neurotoxicity (26% vs 12%, p =0.046), anaemia and thrombocytopenia (72% vs 56%, p =0.04). Cumulative rate of leukopenia was very high in both cohorts, 98% of all patients, while the rate of febrile neutropenia was much lower in cohort A (38% vs 67%, p &amp;lt;0.001). No toxic deaths were observed in both cohorts. There was no difference in grade ≥3 nephrotoxicity nor hepatotoxicity between the 2 cohorts. The 2-year OS for cohort A and B were 96.4% and 86.6%, respectively, p=0.11. Similarly, the 2-year EFS were 92.9% and 86.8%, p=0.29. CONCLUSION adjuvant CTH from ACNS0331 protocol showed a better toxicity profile particularly for ototoxicity compared to A9961 CTH regimen, while maintaining comparable survival.

A phase II trial of UGT1A1 genotype-guided FOLFIRI plus bevacizumab as first-line therapy for advanced, unresectable colorectal cancer.

FOLFIRI is a standard regimen for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). We hypothesized that a pharmacogenomic-directed strategy where more efficient irinotecan metabolizers (UGT1A1 *1/*1 homozygotes and *1/*28 heterozygotes) receive higher-than-standard irinotecan doses would improve progression-free survival (PFS) compared to non-genotype selected historical controls with acceptable toxicity. In this phase II multicenter study irinotecan dosing in first-line FOLFIRI and bevacizumab for mCRC was based on UGT1A1 genotype with *1/*1, *1/*28, and *28/*28 patients receiving 310 mg/m2, 260 mg/m2, and 180 mg/m2, respectively. Primary endpoint was PFS. Secondary endpoints were investigator and patient-reported adverse events, and estimation of overall survival (OS). One-hundred patients were enrolled with 91 evaluable for PFS and 83 evaluable for best response. Median PFS was 12.5 months (90% CI 10.9, 15.4), shorter than the anticipated alternative hypothesis of 14 months. PFS by genotype was 12.5 months (90% CI 10.9, 17.4) for *1/*1, 14.6 months (90% CI 11.8, 17.5) for *1/*28, and 6 months (90% CI 2.3, 7.7) for *28/28, respectively. OS was 24.5 months (90% CI 19.1, 30.7) and by genotype was 26.5 (90% CI 19.1, 32.9), 25.9 (90% CI 17.6, 37.7), and 13.4 (90% CI 2.3, 20.5) months for *1/*1, *1/*28, and *28/*28, respectively. G3/4 toxicity was similar between all subgroups, including diarrhea and neutropenia. A pharmacogenomic-directed irinotecan strategy improved PFS in the *1/*1 and *1/*28 genotypes with higher rates of neutropenia and similar rates of diarrhea compared to expected with standard FOLFIRI dosing. However, improvements in response rate and PFS were modest. This strategy should not change standard practice for mCRC patients in the first-line setting.

Trifluridine–tipiracil plus bevacizumab versus trifluridine–tipiracil monotherapy for chemorefractory metastatic colorectal cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Colorectal cancer is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide. The first and second lines of treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) include chemotherapy based on 5-fluorouracil. However, treatment following progression on the first and second line is still unclear. We searched PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, and Web of Science databases for studies investigating the use of trifluridine-tipiracil with bevacizumab versus trifluridine-tipiracil alone for mCRC. We used RStudio version 4.2.3; and we considered p < 0.05 significant. Seven studies and 1,182 patients were included − 602 (51%) received trifluridine-tipiracil plus bevacizumab. Compared with control, the progression-free survival (PFS) (HR 0.52; 95% CI 0.42–0.63; p < 0.001) and overall survival (OS) (HR 0.61; 95% CI 0.52–0.70; p < 0.001) were significantly higher with bevacizumab. The objective response rate (ORR) (RR 3.14; 95% CI 1.51–6.51; p = 0.002) and disease control rate (DCR) (RR 1.66; 95% CI 1.28–2.16; p = 0.0001) favored the intervention. Regarding adverse events, the intervention had a higher rate of neutropenia (RR 1.38; 95% CI 1.19–1.59; p = 0.00001), whereas the monotherapy group had a higher risk of anemia (RR 0.60; 95% CI 0.44–0.82; p = 0.001). Our results support that the addition of bevacizumab is associated with a significant benefit in PFS, OS, ORR and DCR.Graphical

Prevalence of adverse events following bispecific antibody therapy in non-Hodgkin lymphoma: A meta-analysis.

e19008 Background: Bispecific antibodies (BsAb) have emerged as a new treatment modality for relapsed/refractory non-Hodgkin lymphomas (R/R NHL). They exert their effect by binding to CD3 on T-cells and CD19 or CD20 on lymphoma cells, activating the T-cell to exert cytotoxic effects against the tumor and normal B-cells. Treatment related adverse events (TRAE) include infections, cytokine release syndrome (CRS), neurotoxicity (ICANS). This meta-analysis was conducted to assess prevalence of TRAEs from prospective clinical trials that evaluated BsAb in R/R NHL. Methods: A systematic review was conducted through PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane to identify BsAb clinical trials in NHL through October 2023. Eligible studies included phase I-III trials evaluating BsAb in any type of NHL, either as monotherapy or combination therapy irrespective of prior lines of treatment. Primary outcomes of interest include infection, neutropenia, CRS, and ICANS. All studies were weighted equally. Pooled prevalence estimates of TRAE were calculated using common and random effects models. Heterogeneity tests were performed using Cochran’s Q test. Subgroup analysis examined infection rates in monotherapy versus combination therapy cohorts. Results: After screening 1039 studies, 36 clinical trials with 2162 patients were included. The lymphoma subtypes were diffuse-large B cell lymphoma, follicular lymphoma, and mantle cell lymphoma. The BsAbs included mosunetuzumab (13 studies), epcoritamab (10 studies), blinatumomab (5 studies), glofitamab (5 studies), odronextamab (2 studies), and AFM11 (1 study). The median age of patients was 66 years, and patients had received a median of two prior lines of therapy. Median follow-up duration was 9.1 months. The prevalence of all-grade infections was 35% (95% CI: 0.33-0.38; I2 = 79%). For grade ≥3 infections, the prevalence was 16% (95% CI: 0.14-0.18, (I2 = 77%). There were higher rates of all-grade infections in the combination therapy cohort (41%, 95% CI: 0.36-0.47) compared with the monotherapy cohort (33%, 95% CI: 0.30-0.36). All-grade and grade ≥3 neutropenia occurred in 31% (95% CI: 0.29-0.34; I2 = 80%) and 22% (95% CI: 0.20-0.24, I2 = 61%) of patients. CRS was observed in 45% of patients (95% CI: 0.43-0.48, I2 = 85%). Grade ≥3 CRS occurred in only 2% of patients (95% CI: 0.02-0.03, I2 = 0%, p = 0.99). ICANS occurred in 12% (95% CI: 0.10-0.14, I2 = 90%) while grade ≥3 ICANS was rare, at 3% (95% CI: 0.02-0.03, I2 = 0%, p = 0.99). Conclusions: BsAb is associated with nontrivial rates of infections and neutropenia. The rates of high grade CRS and ICANS are low. The heterogeneity of the findings could be attributed by an underreporting of TRAE and small sample sizes from various studies. These results highlight the need for vigilant practices to diagnose and treat infections early and consideration for antibacterial prophylaxis in this immunocompromised population.

Frequency of dose reductions of abemaciclib in metastatic and early-stage hormone positive, HER2 negative breast cancer.

e13099 Background: Abemaciclib is a CDK4/6 inhibitor which in combination with endocrine therapy (ET) improves progression-free survival in hormone receptor (HR)-positive, HER2 negative advanced breast cancer, as well as invasive disease free-survival in high-risk early-stage breast cancer. However, abemaciclib is associated with adverse events which may limit treatment adherence. In this single-center study, we describe real-world safety outcomes of early-stage and advanced HR-positive, HER2 negative breast cancer patients prescribed abemaciclib in conjunction with ET. Specifically, we analyze the frequency of adverse events and dose reductions (DR). Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of patients treated at Scripps Clinic between 1/1/2019-1/1/2023 with HR-positive, HER2 negative breast cancer prescribed abemaciclib with ET. Primary analyses were performed to discern clinical characteristic differences between groups. Categorical variables were summarized as frequencies and compared between arms by Chi-Square tests or Fisher’s Exact Tests. All continuous variables were summarized as means and standard deviations and compared between arms by T-Tests if normally distributed or summarized as medians and compared between arms by Mann-Whitney Tests otherwise. Statistical significance was set to 0.05 and all analyses were conducted in R. Results: A total of 77 patients were analyzed including 62% in the adjuvant setting and 38% in the metastatic setting. 51% of patients required DR. Patients requiring DR were older relative to those not requiring DR (59 vs 52 years of age, p=0.019). Those requiring DR remained on abemaciclib longer relative to those without DR (509 vs 350 days, p=0.057). Among those requiring DR, there were higher rates of grades II-IV diarrhea (p&lt;0.001) and Loperamide use (p=0.083). Those requiring DR also had higher rates of neutropenia (54% vs 29%, p=0.027), abdominal cramping (39% vs 8%, p=0.002), nausea (39% vs 13%, p=0.011), and fatigue (51% vs 32%, p=0.079). Among 9 patients who expired on abemaciclib, 7 were in the metastatic setting and 1 was linked to an adverse effect from abemaciclib; none required DR (24% vs 0%, p&lt;0.001). Finally, patients in the adjuvant setting remained on abemaciclib longer relative to those in the metastatic setting (526 vs 281 days, p=0.01). 95% of patients experienced symptom improvement with DR (p&lt;0.001). Conclusions: Our study describes real-world safety outcomes of patients with HR-positive, HER2 negative breast cancer treated with abemaciclib and ET. More than half of patients required DR. Those who reduced their abemaciclib dose had improvement of clinical symptoms and remained on therapy longer. Based on our findings and given the importance of adherence in treatment efficacy, a lower starting dose of abemaciclib may be a more tolerable strategy, especially among older patients who required more DR in our study.

Abstract PO2-18-02: Utilization of Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor (GCSF) in the Management of Patients (pts) on Sacituzumab Govitecan-hziy (SG) and Impact on Duration of Therapy (DOT)

Abstract Background: An examination was conducted to understand the prevalence of neutropenia in pts managed with SG in the real-world setting, as the ASCENT trial demonstrated a 63% rate of neutropenia in those pts treated with SG1. In addition, an assessment was performed to see whether pts who developed neutropenia on SG received a GCSF and how GCSF use impacted pt DOT on SG. Methods: This assessment utilized the Integra Connect PrecisionQ real-world de-identified database of over 2 million cancer pts across 500 sites of care to evaluate the prevalence of neutropenia (&amp;lt; 1500 neutrophils) among those who were treated with SG, GCSF utilization among those with neutropenia, and the difference in DOT between neutropenic pts who received a GCSF and those who did not. In analyzing the DOT, pts were required to have had a follow-up of 12 months or greater. The SG pts data utilized reflects treatments through May 31, 2023. Comparisons of median DOT were conducted using a Wilcoxon Rank Sum test. Descriptive analyses were used to summarize pt demographic statistics. Results: 447 pts treated with SG were identified with an average age at treatment start of 58.5 (median of 60); 15% identified as Black or African American and 69% identified as White or Caucasian. Of the 447 pts treated with SG, 98% (N = 438) developed neutropenia while on therapy. Among those 438 pts who developed neutropenia, 61% received a GCSF and 39% did not. Of the 330 pts with at least 12 months of follow-up, the median DOT was 119.5 days. Among the 204 pts who received a GCSF, the median DOT was 147 days, compared to a median DOT of 97 days for the 126 pts who did not receive a GCSF (p &amp;lt; 0.001). Conclusion: The DOT for pts treated with SG who received a GCSF was longer than those who did not receive a GCSF while treated with SG. This assessment revealed that approximately 40% of SG treated pts who developed neutropenia did not receive a GCSF. Thus, increasing utilization of GCSFs presents an opportunity to improve management of pts who develop neutropenia while on SG to extend the time on therapy and potentially delay disease progression. These findings warrant further research on the use of prophylactic GCSFs for managing pts who receive SG and suggest further clinical guidance may be needed to provide best practices for managing pts on SG. [1] Rugo, H.S., Tolaney, S.M., Loirat, D. et al. Safety analyses from the phase 3 ASCENT trial of sacituzumab govitecan in metastatic triple-negative breast cancer. npj Breast Cancer 8, 98 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41523-022-00467-1 Citation Format: Vikram Gorantla, Erin Alwon, Mike Gart, John Li, Simon Blanc, Dawn Brenneman, Emma Genser, Prateesh Varughese, Justin Scott, Harvey Katzen. Utilization of Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor (GCSF) in the Management of Patients (pts) on Sacituzumab Govitecan-hziy (SG) and Impact on Duration of Therapy (DOT) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO2-18-02.

Abstract PO1-01-08: The impact of drug-drug interactions between palbociclib and proton pump inhibitors on clinical outcomes of patients with hormone receptor positive, HER2-negative, early breast cancer: an exploratory analysis of the PALLAS study

Abstract Background: Data suggest that concomitant intake of proton pump inhibitors (PPI) may create drug-drug interactions, potentially impacting efficacy of agents including palbociclib, which is widely used in the treatment of metastatic hormone-receptor-positive/HER2-negative (HR+/HER2-) breast cancer. In the open label, randomized, phase 3 PALLAS trial, the addition of palbociclib for two years to standard adjuvant endocrine therapy (ET) in patients with HR+/HER2- early breast cancer (EBC) did not improve invasive disease-free survival (IDFS) compared to adjuvant ET alone. We explored whether concomitant use of PPIs could have affected clinical outcomes in patients treated with palbociclib in PALLAS. Methods: This is an exploratory, unplanned analysis of the PALLAS trial (AFT-05/ABCSG-42/PrE0109/BIG-14-13, NCT02513394), which enrolled 5796 patients with stage II-III HR+/HER2- EBC. Patients were randomized to receive either 2 years of palbociclib (125 mg oral capsules once daily on days 1-21 of a 28-day cycle) with adjuvant ET or ET alone. Primary endpoint was IDFS in the intention-to-treat population. The present exploratory analysis included patients who received at least one dose of palbociclib. Definitions of IDFS, distant relapse-free survival (DRFS) and overall survival (OS) were according to the PALLAS protocol (STEEP criteria), using first day of palbociclib intake as start date. Only PPI concomitant intake during palbociclib treatment was considered. To determine the association of concomitant PPI use with IDFS, DRFS, and OS, uni- and multivariable Cox models with time-dependent PPI (the latter adjusted for age, prior chemotherapy, progesterone receptor, grade, tumor stage, nodal stage, body mass index (BMI)) were used. Also, the association between PPI use and neutropenia was investigated in patients initiating PPI prior to randomization vs never. Odds ratios (OR) unadjusted and adjusted for age and BMI estimated with logistic regression models are reported. Results: Of 2840 patients treated with palbociclib + ET, 533 (18.8%) had concomitant PPI and palbociclib intake. Median duration of PPI intake was 10.8 months (interquartile range 2.3-22.3). Most patients received omeprazole as PPI (n=265, 49.7%). PPI intake was significantly associated with older age, post-menopausal status, use of aromatase inhibitors as ET, higher BMI, and worse ECOG status (all p&amp;lt; 0.001). Concomitant PPI intake was not significantly associated with survival outcomes (Table 1). Unadjusted all grade neutropenia rates were slightly lower in patients who initiated PPI prior study start vs patients never initiating (79% vs 85%, unadjusted OR 0.66, 95%CI 0.50-0.88). After adjustment for BMI and age, the difference between the groups decreased (adjusted OR = 0.77, 95%CI 0.57-1.04). Similar effect sizes were found for grade 3/4 neutropenia rates (54% vs 64%, unadjusted OR 0.66, 95%CI 0.52-0.83, adjusted OR 0.81, 95%CI 0.64-1.03). Conclusions: Our exploratory analysis did not demonstrate a statistically significant relationship between concomitant use of PPIs and palbociclib and survival outcomes of patients in the PALLAS trial. Nonetheless, careful consideration of concomitant medications and of drug-drug interactions is important when studying novel agents in the adjuvant breast cancer setting. Support: AFT, Pfizer; https://acknowledgments.alliancefound.org Table 1. Association between PPI intake and survival outcomes. Citation Format: Elisa Agostinetto, Georg Pfeiler, Dominik Hlauschek, Erica Mayer, Matteo Lambertini, Evandro de Azambuja, Meritxell Bellet- Ezquerra, Jane Meisel, Gabor Rubovszky, Nicholas Zdenkowski, Yelena Novik, Manuel Ruíz - Borrego, Karen Gelmon, Eleftherios Mamounas, Hiroji Iwata, Dongrui Lu, Lidija Sölkner, Christian Fesl, Michael Gnant, Angela DeMichele. The impact of drug-drug interactions between palbociclib and proton pump inhibitors on clinical outcomes of patients with hormone receptor positive, HER2-negative, early breast cancer: an exploratory analysis of the PALLAS study [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO1-01-08.

Abstract PO4-02-11: Optimizing Taxane-based Chemotherapy in Breast Cancer: Retrospective study comparing 4 cycles of TC to 6 cycles of TC

Abstract Breast cancer remains one of the most prevalent cancers among women worldwide. First-line chemotherapy options include anthracycline (AC-T) and Taxane (TC) based regimens. While anthracycline-based chemotherapy is most commonly used, the use of anthracycline-sparing regimens is also approved. The US Oncology 9735 trial conducted in the mid 2000s showed that four cycles of docetaxel and cyclophosphamide (TC4) were superior to four cycles of Doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide (AC). The follow-up ABC trials compared six cycles of TC(TC6) to AC-T. This trial showed that while AC-T was superior to TC, the difference was modest. AC-T has remained the standard of care, but TC is an acceptable option. One retrospective analysis involving 143 patients showed TC4 was non-inferior to TC6, and suggested that TC4 had fewer adverse events; however, statistical significance was not reached. The question remains whether six cycles of TC is required, or if four cycles is adequate. Methods: Patient information was retrieved from the EMR of a large private oncology group. The EMR was screened for all breast cancer patients who began treatment with TC between 1/1/2011 and 12/31/2021. Patients were required to have continuous follow-up, documented up to at least 6/30/2022. Only patients receiving TC as the first-line setting were included, while patients with metastatic disease were excluded. Adjusted Kaplan Meier curves for overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were generated. A log-rank test was used to determine the statistical difference between the two curves. OS was defined from the date of the last chemotherapy given to death. DFS is defined from the date of the last chemotherapy given to disease recurrence. The Chi-square analysis test of homogeneity was conducted to evaluate the differences in reported symptoms. Statistical analysis was completed with IBM SPSS version 29. Ethical approval was obtained from The Brooklyn Hospital Center Institutional Review Board. Results: A total of 376 charts were reviewed, out of which 224 met the criteria for inclusion. Of these 191 patients received TC4 and 33 received TC6. TC4 patients were noted to be older than TC6 patients. There were a higher percentage of hormone-positive cancers in the TC4 group while the TC6 group had a larger proportion of triple-negative breast cancers. There was a larger proportion of stage III patients that received TC6 than in TC4. TC6 patients were also noted to receive neo-adjuvant chemotherapy at a substantially higher rate. A greater proportion of patients in the TC4 group received breast-conserving surgery, with radiation than the TC6 group. TC6 had a completion rate of 76 % (Table 1). There was a significant difference in DFS noted between TC4 and TC6 (p = 0.016) with TC6 patients having a higher rate of relapse. No difference was noted in the overall survival. No differences were seen in side effects between TC4 and TC6, however, there was a trend toward high rates of neutropenia, anemia, and neuropathy seen in the TC6 group (Table 2). Conclusions: This real-world retrospective study reviewed patients who received TC in a large community oncology practice. The study reaffirms conclusions seen in previous retrospective studies conducted in the academic setting that there is no difference in overall survival when using six cycles of TC compared to four cycles of TC. Slight detriment was seen in the DFS setting when using TC6 however the small sample size along with the larger proportion of patients with stage III disease make it challenging to interpret this finding. There was a trend towards higher toxicities with TC6 that did not reach significance. Until a prospective randomized study comparing four vs six cycles of TC is conducted no definitive conclusions can be drawn, however, this study contributes to the current body of evidence that four cycles of TC is adequate and could potentially improve the quality of life of patients with early breast cancer. Table. Patient characteristics Patient characteristics including age, hormone status, stage, type of surgery, radiation, and treatment setting. Table. Adverse effects Adverse effect information obtained from physician documentation, and CBC reports documented at time of treatment with TC. Citation Format: Amith Ahluwalia, Michelle Koifman, Jaspreet Nannar, Bhavya Vachhani, Kanwal Ashraf, Maxim Shulimovich. Optimizing Taxane-based Chemotherapy in Breast Cancer: Retrospective study comparing 4 cycles of TC to 6 cycles of TC [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO4-02-11.

Clinical characteristics and survival outcomes of elderly patients with de novo metastatic germ cell tumors.

To determine the outcomes for elderly patients with de novo metastatic germ cell tumors and the influence of patient age on adherence to standard chemotherapy. A total of 150 patients who were initially diagnosed with metastatic germ cell tumors and treated at our institution between 2007 and 2021 were included. Patients were classified according to three age groups: aged <40, 40-49, and ≥50 years. Clinicopathological features, adherence to standard first-line chemotherapy, overall survival, and disease-free survival were compared between these groups. We also analyzed the outcomes of patients who received low-intensity induction chemotherapy due to adverse events and/or comorbidities. There was no significant difference in any of the survival outcomes and in the rate of adherence to standard first-line chemotherapy between the three age groups, although elderly patients with intermediate/poor prognosis group tended to receive less-intense chemotherapies. The rate of febrile neutropenia as a chemotherapy-related adverse event was significantly higher in patients aged ≥50 years. No statistical significance in survival outcomes was detected between the group of patients who received relatively low-intensity induction chemotherapy and those who received adequately intensive planned chemotherapy. The adherence rate of standard fist-line chemotherapy of elderly patients is almost comparable to that of younger patients, although some adverse events should be carefully managed. Even elderly patients with metastatic germ cell tumors can aim for equivalently good survival outcome like younger populations, with effort to adhere to standard chemotherapy.

Rates of severe neutropenia and infection risk in patients treated with deferiprone: 28 years of data

AbstractPatients treated with deferiprone for transfusional iron overload may experience idiosyncratic drug–induced neutropenia (IDIN) that may increase risk of infection. This analysis examined the rates of severe IDIN and risk of serious infections at different absolute neutrophil count (ANC) levels during deferiprone treatment. Events of severe IDIN (ANC <0.5 × 109/L) and associated serious infections from clinical trials and postmarketing setting were analyzed by discrete ANC levels: group 1, 0.2 × 109/L to 0.5 × 109/L; group 2, 0.1 × 109/L to 0.199 × 109/L; group 3, <0.1 × 109/L. In clinical trials, 22 events of severe IDIN occurred (group 1, n = 9; group 2, n = 3; group 3, n = 10), and rates of severe IDIN per 100 patient-years were 0.45 in group 1; 0.15 in group 2; and 0.50 in group 3 (1990.26 patient-years deferiprone exposure). All serious infections were in group 3 (3/10 [30.0%]). In the postmarketing setting, 176 events of severe IDIN were reported (group 1, n = 65; group 2, n = 20; group 3, n = 91) and rates of severe IDIN per 100 patient-years were 0.06 in group 1; 0.02 in group 2; and 0.08 in group 3 (111 570.24 patient-years deferiprone exposure). Rates of serious infection were 7.7% (5/65) in group 1; 10% (2/20) in group 2; and 13.2% (12/91) in group 3. Our findings suggest a high risk of serious infections with ANC <0.2 × 109/L during deferiprone treatment, a level consistent with the recent neutropenia guidelines.

Predictors of Survival, Treatment Modalities, and Clinical Outcomes of Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma in Patients Older Than 70 Years Still an Unmet Medical Need in 2024 Based on Real-World Evidence.

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) especially affects the older population. Old (≥60 years) and very old age (≥80 years) DLBCL patients often present high-risk molecular alterations, lower tolerability to conventional immunochemotherapy, and poor clinical outcomes. In this scenario, attenuated therapeutic strategies, such as the R-MiniCHOP and R-MiniCHOP of the elderly regimens, have emerged for this particularly fragile population. However, the responses, clinical outcomes, and toxicities of these regimens currently remain poorly understood, mainly because these individuals are not usually included in controlled clinical trials. This retrospective, observational, and single-center real-world study included 185 DLBCL, NOS patients older than 70 years treated at the largest oncology center in Latin America from 2009 to 2020. We aimed to assess the outcomes, determine survival predictors, and compare responses and toxicities between three different primary therapeutic strategies, including the conventional R-CHOP regimen and the attenuated R-MiniCHOP and R-MiniCHOP of the elderly protocols. The median age at diagnosis was 75 years (70-97 years), and 58.9% were female. Comorbidities were prevalent, including 19.5% with immobility, 28.1% with malnutrition, and 24.8% with polypharmacy. Advanced clinical stage was observed in 72.4%, 48.6% had bulky disease ≥7 cm, 63.2% had B-symptoms, and 67.0% presented intermediate-high/high-risk IPI. With a median follow-up of 6.3 years, the estimated 5-year OS and PFS were 50.2% and 44.6%, respectively. The R-MiniCHOP of the elderly regimen had a lower ORR (p = 0.040); however, patients in this group had higher rates of unfavorable clinical and laboratory findings, including hypoalbuminemia (p = 0.001), IPI ≥ 3 (p = 0.013), and NCCN-IPI ≥ 3 (p = 0.002). Although associated with higher rates of severe neutropenia (p = 0.003), the R-CHOP regimen promoted increased OS (p = 0.003) and PFS (p = 0.005) in comparison to the attenuated protocols. Additionally, age ≥ 75 years, high levels of LDH, B-symptoms, advanced clinical stage (III/IV), neutrophilia, and low lymphocyte/monocyte ratio were identified as poor prognostic factors in this cohort. In this large and real-life Latin American cohort, we demonstrated that patients with DLBCL, NOS older than 70 years still do not have satisfactory clinical outcomes in 2024, with half of cases not reaching 5 years of life expectancy after diagnosis. Although the conventional R-CHOP offers response and survival advantages over attenuated regimens, its myelotoxicity is not negligible. Therefore, the outcomes reported and the prognostic factors here identified may assist clinicians in the appropriate selection of therapeutic strategies adapted to the risk for old and very old DLBCL patients.

Efficacy of delayed pegfilgrastim administration following consolidation therapy with high-dose cytarabine (HiDAC) in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients.

To study the effects of delaying pegfilgrastim administration following high-dose cytarabine (HiDAC) consolidation in AML patients on time to neutrophil count recovery, infectious complications, and survival. Single-center retrospective chart review of 55 patients receiving pegfilgrastim as early administration (within 72h) or delayed administration (after 72h) of HiDAC. The difference in neutrophil recovery time was similar between the early and delayed groups (18days versus 19days, p < 0.28). Infections were seen in four patients in the early administration group following chemotherapy compared to none in the delayed group (p = 0.04). Febrile neutropenia rates were also decreased in the delayed administration group (23.1% versus 10.3%, p = 0.28) as well as a trend towards longer median survival (16months versus 19months, p = 0.69) and overall survival (21months versus 31months, p = 0.47). A difference in time to neutrophil recovery was not observed between the early and delayed administration groups yet decreased infectious complications may support the delayed administration of pegfilgrastim in these patients.