Time Of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Diagnosis Research Articles

Prediction of severe infections in chronic lymphocytic leukemia: a simple risk score to stratify patients at diagnosis

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) is well-known for increasing susceptibility to infections. Factors such as immune dysregulation, IGHV status, hypogammaglobulinemia, and patient comorbidity and treatment, contribute to higher infection rates and mortality. However, the impact of hypogammaglobulinemia on infection rates is controversial. We aimed to identify clinical and biological parameters linked to the risk of severe infectious events. Additionally, we set up a straightforward risk infection score to stratify CLL patients at diagnosis, thereby enabling the development of suitable infection prevention strategies. We retrospectively evaluated 210 unselected CLL patients diagnosed between 1988 and 2018. This evaluation encompassed demographics, Binet stage, immunoglobulin (Ig) levels, treatment history, comorbidities, and IGHV mutational status at diagnosis. The frequency and severity of infectious events were recorded. Analysis revealed that age, IGHV mutational status, Binet stage, and hypogammaglobulinemia were statistically associated with the Time to First Infection (TTFI) in univariate and multivariate analyses. Using hazard ratios from the multivariate analysis, we finally devised a risk scoring system that integrated age, IGHV mutational status, immunoglobulin levels, and Binet stage to stratify patients at diagnosis based on their specific infection risk. In our cohort, disease progression and infections were the leading cause of death. These findings pointed out the clinical need for a screening process strategic for defining infectious risk at the time of CLL diagnosis, with a significant enhancement in the clinical management of these patients.

Impact of type 2 diabetes on mortality, cause of death, and treatment in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Age-related comorbid conditions are exceedingly common in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). As the prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) is predicted to double during the next two decades, a better understanding of the interplay between CLL and T2D is of increasing importance. In this study, analyses were performed in parallel in two separate cohorts, based on Danish national registers and the Mayo Clinic CLL Resource. The primary outcomes were overall survival (OS) from time of CLL diagnosis, OS from time of treatment, and time to first treatment (TTFT), studied using Cox proportional hazard regression analysis and Fine-Gray regression analysis. In the Danish CLL cohort, the prevalence of T2D was 11%, in the Mayo CLL cohort, it was 12%. Patients with CLL and T2D had shorter OS both from time of diagnosis and from first-line treatment for were less likely to receive treatment for CLL compared with patients with CLL and without T2D. The increased mortality was largely driven by an increased risk of death due to infections, especially in the Danish cohort. The findings of this study emphasize a substantial subgroup of CLL patients with co-occurring T2D with an inferior prognosis and a possible unmet treatment need requiring additional interventions and further research.

Initiating First-Line (1L) Ibrutinib (Ibr) in Patients (pts) with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) Improves Overall Survival (OS) Outcomes to Rates Approximating an Age-Matched Population of ≥65 Years

Background: CLL OS rates have improved over the last 20 years (y), starting with the use of chemotherapy and chemoimmunotherapy (CT/CIT), to the introduction of novel agents such as Ibr. Ibr has shown superiority to standard CT/CIT across a range of 1L pt populations with demonstrated OS improvements in multiple pivotal trials. Recently presented 8-y follow-up data from the first pivotal trial for Ibr demonstrated that more than half of 1L unfit pts remain progression-free. The ideal goal of any therapeutic regimen would be to cure patients of their disease, but the first step could be to provide enough effective therapeutic options to allow patients to live with their disease rather than die from it. Given the size of the program and the length of follow-up, Ibr is uniquely positioned to assess whether the initiation of 1L Ibr could essentially remove the survival hazard associated with CLL vs the general population. Aims: 1) To compare pooled OS of previously untreated CLL pts treated with Ibr to that of the available age-matched general population 2) To compare the pooled characteristics and OS results with Ibr vs CT/CIT across three phase 3 trials. Methods: Data were pooled from the RESONATE-2 (NCT01722487), ECOG1912 (NCT02048813), and iLLUMINATE (NCT02264574) clinical studies which evaluated Ibr alone and in combination with other agents in pts with previously untreated CLL/SLL. Individual trial descriptions and key eligibility criteria have been previously published. For the comparison of OS for Ibr-treated pts with that of the available age-matched population, an age-matched approach was applied to pooled Ibr-treated pts to include those who were ≥65 y at the time of initial CLL diagnosis. These pts were then compared to a simulated age-matched OS data cohort from the general population (CDC life table for total US population in 2019). Pooled OS data from Ibr-treated pts from the 3 Ibr studies were compared to OS data from CT/CIT-treated pts. OS was estimated using Kaplan-Meier methodology. Results: 603 pts with previously untreated CLL/SLL received Ibr treatment across the 3 pooled studies. Among those treated with Ibr, 58.7% received Ibr + rituximab, 22.6% received single agent Ibr, and 18.7% received Ibr + obinutuzumab; the median age was 63 y (range, 31‒89); among pts with available genetic data, 90% (482/538) were without del(17p)/TP53 mutation; median follow-up was 42 months (mo). To compare Ibr data to an age-matched general population, 201 pts age ≥65 y at initial diagnosis were pooled from the 3 Ibr studies; median time from initial diagnosis to randomization was 20 mo and the median follow-up from initial diagnosis was 7.6 y. OS estimate at 8-y for Ibr-treated pts aged ≥65 y from time of CLL diagnosis was 78% (95% CI, 71‒84) compared to 77% (95% CI, 70‒82) in the age-matched general population [HR, Ibr over general population, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.63‒1.51; p=0.90]; Figure 1. Pooled data from the 603 Ibr-treated pts were also compared to data from pts who received CT/CIT (N=424 pts) across the 3 pooled studies. Among pts who received CT/CIT, 41.3% received fludarabine + cyclophosphamide + rituximab; 31.4% received chlorambucil, and 27.4% received chlorambucil + obinutuzumab; the median age was 66.5 y (range, 28‒90); 91% (308/339) of pts with available genetic data were without del(17p)/TP53 mutation; median follow-up was 42 mo. OS estimates were significantly improved with Ibr: 3- and 5- y rates were 93% (95% CI, 91‒95) and 88% (95% CI, 83‒91), respectively, for pts who received Ibr and 85% (95% CI, 81‒89) and 75% (95% CI, 68‒81), respectively, for pts treated with CT/CIT [HR, Ibr over CT/CIT, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.33‒0.66); p<0.0001]; Figure 2. Conclusion: This pooled analysis suggests that initiating therapy with 1L Ibr improves OS vs traditional CT/CIT regardless of age or fitness. It is also the first demonstration to our knowledge that pts who initiate Ibr over an 8- y follow-up have similar survival estimates as age-matched pts in the general population. Figure 1View largeDownload PPTFigure 1View largeDownload PPT Close modal

Prediction of clinical outcome in CLL based on recurrent gene mutations, CLL-IPI variables, and (para)clinical data

AbstractA highly variable clinical course, immune dysfunction, and a complex genetic blueprint pose challenges for treatment decisions and the management of risk of infection in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). In recent years, the use of machine learning (ML) technologies has made it possible to attempt to untangle such heterogeneous disease entities. In this study, using 3 classes of variables (international prognostic index for CLL [CLL-IPI] variables, baseline [para]clinical data, and data on recurrent gene mutations), we built ML predictive models to identify the individual risk of 4 clinical outcomes: death, treatment, infection, and the combined outcome of treatment or infection. Using the predictive models, we assessed to what extent the different classes of variables are predictive of the 4 different outcomes, within both a short-term 2-year outlook and a long-term 5-year outlook after CLL diagnosis. By adding the baseline (para)clinical data to CLL-IPI variables, predictive performance was improved, whereas no further improvement was observed when including the data on recurrent genetic mutations. We discovered 2 main clusters of variables predictive of treatment and infection. Further emphasizing the high mortality resulting from infection in CLL, we found a close similarity between variables predictive of infection in the short-term outlook and those predictive of death in the long-term outlook. We conclude that at the time of CLL diagnosis, routine (para)clinical data are more predictive of patient outcome than recurrent mutations. Future studies on modeling genetics and clinical outcome should always consider the inclusion of several (para)clinical data to improve performance.

CLL-376: Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes of Patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL), 80 Years of Age or Older

Context: Nearly 20% patients are ≥80 years of age at CLL diagnosis. Increased comorbidities often accompany advanced age. However, clinical trials enroll a disproportionally low number of people this age, providing limited evidence for guidance. Objective: To determine clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients ≥80 years of age at the time of CLL diagnosis. Design: Retrospective. Setting: Academic. Patients or Other Participants: Between 1/1995–3/2020, we identified previously untreated CLL patients from the Mayo Clinic CLL Database ≥80 years of age at the time of CLL diagnosis and seen within 3 years of diagnosis. Main Outcomes Measures: Baseline characteristics, treatments, and time-to-first-treatment (TFT) were analyzed for all patients. Overall survival (OS) was measured from diagnosis date in all patients and separately from treatment date for treated patients. Time-to-next-treatment (TTNT) was measured in treated patients from the first treatment date to the date of second treatment or last known treatment. TFT and TTNT were analyzed accounting for competing risk of death. Cox multivariable regression models were used to determine which factors were associated with OS and TTNT. Results: Among 213 patients identified, the median age was 83 years (range 80–97). The median number of medical comorbidities among all patients was 4 (range 0–8). Fifty-six patients received treatment; median TFT 6.7 years. Treatment approaches included monoclonal antibody alone (n=17), chemotherapy alone (n=17), chemoimmunotherapy (n=14), novel agents (n=3), and multi-agent Richter’s transformation regimens (n=5). Twenty-two of 56 treated patients received second-line therapy (median TTNT 2.8 years). Median OS among all 213 patients was 4.6 years. Standardized mortality ratio was 1.2 (p=0.008), excluding patients with Richter’s transformation. In univariable analyses, receipt of therapy (HR 3.92, 95%CI 2.11–7.28; p Conclusions: Survival was similar across the 25-year span of this study; however, patients treated with novel agents were underrepresented and warrant additional evaluation. The 20% higher risk of death compared to an age- and sex-matched population emphasize the need for ongoing efforts to improve clinical outcomes for CLL patients in this growing demographic.

The complex karyotype landscape in chronic lymphocytic leukemia allows the refinement of the risk of Richter syndrome transformation.

Complex karyotype (CK) at chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) diagnosis is a negative biomarker of adverse outcome. Since the impact of CK and its subtypes, namely type-2 CK (CK with major structural abnormalities) or high-CK (CK with ≥5 chromosome abnormalities), on the risk of developing Richter syndrome (RS) is unknown, we carried out a multicenter real-life retrospective study to test its prognostic impact. Among 540 CLL patients, 107 harbored a CK at CLL diagnosis, 78 were classified as CK2 and 52 as high-CK. Twenty-eight patients developed RS during a median follow-up of 6.7 years. At the time of CLL diagnosis, CK2 and high-CK were more common and predicted the highest risk of RS transformation, together with advanced Binet stage, unmutated (U)-IGHV, 11q-, and TP53 abnormalities. We integrated these variables into a hierarchical model: high-CK and/or CK2 patients showed a 10-year time to RS (TTRS) of 31%; U-IGHV/11q- /TP53 abnormalities/Binet stage B-C patients had a 10-year TTRS of 12%; mutated (M)-IGHV without CK and TP53 disruption a 10-year TTRS of 3% (P<0.0001). We herein demonstrate that CK landscape at CLL diagnosis allows the risk of RS transformation to be refined and we recapitulated clinico-biological variables into a prognostic model.

Risk Factors for the Development of Skin Cancers in Patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Introduction: Individuals with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) are often immunosuppressed and at increased risk of infection and secondary malignancies. The primary aim of this study was to determine the incidence of skin cancer amongst the CLL population at Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC), Ontario, Canada. Secondly, we sought to identify the risk factors associated with the development of skin cancer in CLL patients. Methods: Consecutive patients seen at KHSC with a diagnosis of CLL between 2014 January 1 and 2019 December 31 formed the primary study cohort. KHSC serves a region of ~ 550,000 including a high proportion of older individuals and those living in rural areas. Approval was provided by Queen's University Research Ethics Board. Four independent reviewers conducted retrospective electronic chart review, initially in duplicate with review of any areas of discrepancy to ensure a standardized approach. Data collected included age, sex, CLL date of diagnosis, stage, genetics and treatment; histological diagnoses of other cancers (skin and other), smoking status (ever/never) and date of last follow up or death. The primary outcome was the development of the first skin cancer (squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, melanoma, or sarcoma) confirmed via pathology reports that are available in our local institution. All statistical analysis was performed using SAS Enterprise v. 7.15. Categorical variables were compared using chi-square or Fisher exact tests, medians using Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney tests, and continuous variables using t-tests. Risk factors for development of skin cancer were assessed using multivarable Cox-proportional hazard models. Results: Of the total cohort of 377 individuals with CLL, 251 (67%) were male. Median age at diagnosis of CLL was 65 years (range 36 - 93 years of age). Median follow-up from the time of CLL diagnosis was 6.5 years (range 0.27 - 30.98). Of these, 80 individuals (21.2%) developed at least one skin cancer after their diagnosis of CLL, with an age-adjusted incidence of 16.96/1000 patient years (95% CI 12.5 - 23). Among the 297 who did not develop skin cancer post-CLL diagnosis, 13 individuals who had documented skin cancer pre-CLL diagnosis only, are included in the non-skin cancer group (Figure 1). Females had a lower incidence of skin cancer compared with males (63 males versus 17 females, p=0.009). There was no difference between the groups based on Rai stage at diagnosis, smoking history, or IGHV /p53 status. Individuals treated with ibrutinib had a lower incidence of skin cancer (3 versus 49, p=0.002). Development of skin cancer was associated with development of other invasive tumours including CLL transformation (p=0.001) (Table 1). Conclusion: Limitations of this study include its small size, and single institution setting. Our data likely reflect a conservative estimate as skin cancers may be diagnosed outside of the institution, and not all CLL is treated at tertiary care centres. Consistent with other studies we found that males with CLL are at increased risk of developing skin cancer, as compared to females. Individuals with CLL and skin cancer were more likely to develop another malignancy or Richter's transformation. The finding of lower incidence of skin cancer with ibrutinib treatment is novel; further investigation in larger populations is needed to determine if it may offer a protective effect. Disclosures Asai: Sanofi Canada: Honoraria, Research Funding; AllerGen NCE: Research Funding; Pfizer: Honoraria, Research Funding; Janssen: Honoraria; Leo Pharma: Honoraria; Eli Lilly: Honoraria; Novartis: Honoraria; Abbvie: Honoraria, Research Funding; Canadian Institutes of Health Research: Research Funding. Hay:Roche: Research Funding; Janssen: Research Funding.

Delineation of clinical and biological factors associated with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma among patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia

The incidence of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is significantly higher compared with age- and sex-matched controls. To evaluate the association of factors associated with SCC risk. Clinical CLL and SCC data were obtained from Mayo Clinic CLL Resource and self-reported questionnaires among patients with newly diagnosed CLL. We computed the CLL International Prognostic Index (CLL-IPI) from CLL prognostic factors, and a polygenic risk score from SCC susceptibility variants. We used Cox regression to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Among 1269 patients with CLL, the median follow-up was 7years, and SCC subsequently developed in 124 patients. Significant associations with SCC risk were history of skin cancer (HR=4.80; 95% CI: 3.37-6.83), CLL-IPI (HR=1.42; 95% CI: 1.13-1.80), and polygenic risk score (HR=2.58; 95% CI: 1.50-4.43). In a multivariable model, these factors were independent predictors (C statistic=0.69; 95% CI: 0.62-0.76). T-cell immunosuppressive treatments were also associated with SCC risk (HR=2.29; 95% CI: 1.47-3.55; adjusted for age, sex, and prior SCC). The sample size decreases when combining all risk factors in a single model. SCC risk includes history of skin cancer, an aggressive disease at time of CLL diagnosis, receiving T-cell immunosuppressive treatments, and high polygenic risk score. Future studies should develop prediction models that include these factors to improved screening guidelines.

PF379 PREVALENCE AND INCIDENCE OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE IN CHRONIC LYMPHOCYTIC LEUKEMIA: A NATION‐WIDE POPULATION‐BASED STUDY

Background:The true prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and its incidence after treatment with chemoimmunotherapy in an unselected CLL‐population has not been previously described. In 2015 the Bruton's Tyrosine Kinase (BTK)‐inhibitor ibrutinib was introduced in Sweden. Its use in CLL has increased rapidly due to data demonstrating high efficacy and tolerability. However, an increased risk of adverse events (AE) affecting the cardiovascular system, such as atrial fibrillation (AF) (4–17%) and hypertension (20%) have been reported after treatment with ibrutinib, with higher risk in patients with previous CVD. Due to this, real‐world data on CVD in CLL are of clinical interest.Aims:To investigate the prevalence of CVD, especially AF and hypertension, at the time of CLL diagnosis in an unselected, population‐based CLL cohort. To investigate the prevalence of CVD at time of treatment initiation in CLL patients requiring therapy. To investigate the incidence of CVD within three and five years after start of first‐line therapy with chemoimmunotherapy.Methods:All Swedish patients diagnosed with CLL (ICD10: C91.1) between 2007–2010 (n = 2078) were identified from the Swedish Cancer register and the Swedish CLL register. Of these, 884 (43%) were in need of treatment, identified using data from the Swedish CLL register on patients starting first‐line therapy 2007–2015. For all patients, data on CVD was collected using the International Classification of Diseases ((ICD)‐10 codes I00‐I99 and corresponding ICD‐9 codes) from the nationwide patient register (registering all inpatient care from 1987 and specialist outpatient care from 2001 and onwards). The Swedish Cause of Death register was used to identify CVD as causes of death. This was done for: (i) all CVDs diagnosed within ten years prior to CLL diagnosis in all patients (ii) all CVDs diagnosed within ten years prior to treatment initiation in those in need of treatment (iii) all CVDs diagnosed within 3 and 5 years after start of primary treatment in patients without previous CVD.Results:The proportion of patients having had any CVD within 10 years prior to CLL diagnosis was 32.5% (n = 674/2075, Table 1). Out of these 674, 10.8% were diagnosed with AF and 22.0% with hypertension. The proportion of patients presenting with CVDs within 10 years prior to start of treatment with chemoimmunotherapy was 30.9% (n = 273/884). With a median follow‐up of 4.8 years after treatment initiation, 18% developed a primary CVD within 3 years, and 21% within 5 years (table 1).Summary/Conclusion:In this nation‐wide population‐based study, we found that 1/3 of all patients with CLL had a diagnosis of CVD within 10 years prior to diagnosis, with a similar proportion of prior CVD found in the cohort of patients in need of treatment. Furthermore, 1/5 of patients with no previous history of CVD, developed an event within 5 years after starting treatment with chemoimmunotherapy. The high proportion of patients with a history of CVD, especially AF and hypertension, at the time CLL‐diagnosis, as well as the continuing increase of CVD over time after starting treatment, is of concern. In particular as treatment with BTK‐inhibitors is associated with an increased risk of further cardiovascular events, especially in patients with pre‐existing CVD.image

Trends in the Risk of Second Primary Malignancies (SPMs) Among Survivors of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia(CLL)

Background: CLL is the most common leukemia diagnosis in adults and its treatment has undergone significant change from chemotherapy, to immunotherapy and now targeted kinase inhibitors, leading to improved overall survival (OS). With improving survivorship, SPMs can occur but an in-depth analysis of risks and trends of SPMs in CLL survivors is lacking. We performed a population-based analysis to evaluate this.Methods: Patients in the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database diagnosed with CLL between 1973-2015 were included. Due to variation in management techniques over time, the cohort was divided in four time periods: 1973-1982, 1983-1992, 1993-2002 and 2003-2015. We evaluated differences in risk for SPMs among CLL survivors compared to risk of individual malignancies expected in the general population during these time periods and studied the effect of demographics and time since CLL diagnosis.Results: Over a nearly 270,000 person-year follow up, 6,467 new SPMs were diagnosed with a standardized incidence ratio (SIR) of 1.2 (95% CI 1.17-1.23), which resulted in a 39 excess cancers per 10,000 population. The CLL survivors had a 20% overall increased risk of developing SPMs (excluding non-squamous skin cancer) compared to the general population. The risks for both solid (SIR 1.15 CI 95% 1.12-1.18) and hematological malignancies (SIR 1.61 95% CI 1.5-1.73) was higher than the expected in the general population. However, the risk for individual cancers was heterogeneous. The tumors associated with the highest risk were Hodgkin lymphoma (almost 8 times higher), Kaposi Sarcoma (4 times), non-epithelial skin cancers (4 times), salivary gland cancer (3 times) and acute lymphocytic leukemia (3 times). In contrast, tumors in the hepatobiliary system, female breast and female genital system were associated with a lower risk than the general population. The highest SIR across the study periods was observed in the younger population (ages 15-49). Although the risk increased in all ethnicities, it was statistically significant only in Caucasians. There was no gender-wise difference in SIR during any of the four time periods. A statistically significant increase in SIR was observed for both men and women from 1973-1982 to 2003-2015. This was mostly due to an increase in risk of hematological malignancies from 1.08 early in the study to 2.56 in the most recent study period. The SIR in solid tumors did not change significantly over time; in absolute terms, however, lung carcinoma contributed the most to the excess risk, followed by non-epithelial skin cancers and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The risk of developing a SPM was higher for the CLL survivors during most of the latency periods, but it was statistically significant during the 2-5 months and 12-59 months after diagnosis. A multivariate analysis was conducted to evaluate the impact of period of diagnosis on the development of SPMs among these patients. After adjusting for gender, ethnicity, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and age at diagnosis of CLL, patients diagnosed with CLL in the most recent time period were at 45% higher risk of developing SPMs as compared to the patient diagnosed during 1973-1982 (Hazard ratio(HR) =1.45 95%CI:1.34-1.6, p<0.001). Moreover increased HRs were also observed for 1983-1992 and 1993-2002 time periods (Fig. 1)Conclusions: With improving therapeutics for cancer treatment, survivorship is improving as well and the risk of SPMs needs to be better understood and addressed. This is truer for CLL, where majority of patients have a favorable survival. The risk of SPMs was 20% higher in CLL survivors than in the general population and was most prominent in the survivors aged 15-49 years at the time of CLL diagnosis. The risk of individual malignancies may be heterogenous but there has been an increase in risk of SPMs over time, mainly due to an increase of secondary hematological malignancies in recent years. Active survivorship plans and long-term surveillance for SPMs is crucial for improved outcomes of patients with a history of CLL. DisclosuresAilawadhi:Janssen: Consultancy; Celgene: Consultancy; Amgen: Consultancy; Takeda: Consultancy; Pharmacyclics: Research Funding.

Risk Factors Associated with Richter's Transformation in Patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Background Richter's transformation (RT) refers to the development of an aggressive lymphoma in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic leukemia (SLL). Roughly, 2-10 % of patients with CLL develop RT most often as diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) or Hodgkin lymphoma (HL).Aim This study aimed to assess the incidence rate and risk factors for RT for patients with CLL in a nationwide cohort. Furthermore, we want to assess prognostic risk factors for patients with RT.Methods All patients diagnosed with CLL in Denmark between 2008 and 2016 were included in this study. Clinical data was retrieved from the Danish National CLL Registry (DCLLR), whereas all histologically verified DLBCL, HL and/or transformation diagnoses for patients with CLL were retrieved from the Danish National Pathology Registry. Patients were followed from date of CLL diagnosis until date of RT, death or end of follow-up, whichever came first. The time to RT was estimated as cumulative incidence considering death as a competing risk. Stepwise Cox analysis with backward elimination was applied to identify independent risk factors for RT in patients with CLL.Results A total of 3771 CLL patients were identified, and followed for 14165 person-years. With a median follow-up of 4.3 (IQR (2.4;6.6)) years, 120 (3%) CLL patients had a transformation diagnosis, of which 4 patients were excluded due to misdiagnosis. DLBCL accounted for 78/116 (67%) cases, HL for 15/116 (13%) cases and one patient presented with both DLBCL and HL. In the remaining 22/116 (19%) cases the subtype of the transformation was either unspecified or unclassified RT. The median time to RT was 3.4 (IQR (1.8;5.7)) years from CLL diagnosis and the median overall survival (OS) after development of RT was 4.9 (IQR (0.7;8.4)) years. The cumulative incidence of RT, calculated by Aalen-Johansen estimator, at 5 and 8 years post-CLL diagnosis were 3.3% and 7.9% respectively (Figure 1). The annual crude incidence rate of RT was approximately 0.7% per year for all CLL patients. In all, 918 (24%) patients received CLL-related treatment, of whom 59 (6.4%) patients developed RT, resulting in a cumulative incidence of RT of 7% after 5 years and 11% after 8 years. At the time of CLL diagnosis, patients treated for CLL prior to RT diagnosis had a worse median OS (1.49 years) compared to RT patients who were untreated for CLL (6.16 years). In the univariate analysis, RT was significantly associated with male gender, advanced Binet stage (B or C), unmutated IGHV status (CLL-U), elevated beta-2-microglobulin (>3.5 mg/L) and elevated lactate dehydrogenase (>205 U/L). Of cytogenic aberration, deletion 13q (del(13q)) had a protective effect on the risk of RT, whereas deletion 11q (del(11q)) and deletion 17p (del(17p)) increased the risk. In the multivariable model, advanced Binet stage (HR 2.86 (1.82;4.51), p<0.001), del(17p) ((HR 3.74 (2.12;6.61), p<0.001) and CLL-U ((HR 2.30 (1.46;3.63), p<0.001) showed an independent correlation with development of RT. ZAP70 and CD38 were excluded from statistical analyses due to incomplete data and high inter-laboratory variation. Among RT patients, CLL-U, trisomy 12 and del(17p) at CLL diagnosis as well as ECOG Performance Status (PS) (i.e. PS≥1) at time of RT diagnosis correlated with poor OS in univariate analysis. Both del(17p) and PS≥1 were independently associated with an increased risk of death in a multivariable analysis (HR 2.9, (1.1;7.7), p=0.04 and HR 3.0, (1.0;3.1), p=0.05, respectively).Conclusions To the best of our knowledge, we here report the largest study on RT assessing nationwide data of consecutive patients diagnosed with CLL. The incidence of RT in this unselected population was 3.3% after 5 years while the median OS for patients from time of RT was 4.9 years. Advanced Binet stage, del(17p) and CLL-U were significantly and independently associated with an increased risk of RT. Del(17p) at CLL diagnosis and PS≥1 at RT diagnosis were significant predictors for death for patients with RT. For patients diagnosed with RT prior to any CLL treatment, a less severe disease course with a median OS of 6.16 years was demonstrated. Contrary, the median OS for patients receiving prior CLL treatment was 1.49 years. Thus, assessment of different treatment options for patients developing RT based on whether they have received prior CLL treatment or not is warranted. [Display omitted] DisclosuresBen-Dali:Rigshospitalet: Research Funding. Hleuhel:Rigshospitalet: Research Funding. Brieghel:Arvid Nilson's Fund: Research Funding; Rigshospitalet, Denmark: Research Funding. Niemann:Danish Cancer Society: Research Funding; Novo Nordisk Foundation: Research Funding; Janssen: Consultancy, Research Funding; Abbvie: Consultancy, Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy; Roche: Consultancy; Gilead: Consultancy; AstraZeneca: Consultancy; CSL Behring: Consultancy.

Liver Dysfunction in Previously Untreated Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: Prevalence and Outcomes in a Large Cohort

INTRODUCTION: The prevalence of liver dysfunction in patients with previously untreated chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is unknown; knowledge of which may provide important context for emerging therapeutic options with possible hepatotoxicity. The impact of liver dysfunction on outcomes of CLL patients is not well described.METHODS: Between 09/1993 and 04/2016, previously untreated CLL patients seen in the Division of Hematology at Mayo Clinic at diagnosis (<12 months) and who had baseline assessment of at least one of the following liver function tests (LFTs): alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), or total bilirubin were included in this analysis. Baseline lab values were defined as the closest value to CLL diagnosis for each lab within 12 months prior to diagnosis up through 6 months after CLL diagnosis. Patients with at least one abnormal LFT (defined as greater than 1.5 x the upper limit of normal) were classified as having liver dysfunction at diagnosis. Analysis for factors related to baseline liver function was performed using age- and sex-adjusted logistic regression models. Kaplan-Meier methods and multivariable Cox regression analysis was used to evaluate time to first treatment (TTFT) and overall survival (OS).RESULTS: Of 2336 previously untreated CLL patients who met the inclusion criteria, 123 (5%) patients had at least one abnormal LFT value at time of diagnosis. Thirty five patients had abnormal AST (median value 106 U/L, range 72-745 U/L, reference range 8-48 U/L), 25 patients had abnormal ALT (median 112 U/L, range 82-313 U/L, reference 7-55 U/L), and 54 patients had abnormal total bilirubin (median 2.10 mg/dL, range 1.8-26.5 mg/dL, reference range ≤ 1.2 mg/dL). Forty five patients had abnormal alkaline phosphatase; 35 patients in the year 2003 or later (median 198 U/L, range 172-2269 U/L, reference range 45-115 U/L) and 10 patients in 2002 or earlier (median 471.5 U/L, range 394-706 U/L, reference range 98-260 U/L).Abnormal LFTs were more common among those with advanced Rai stage disease (Rai 0-II=4.7% vs. Rai III-IV=13.4%; p<0.001) and among patients with lower hemoglobin (median 13.1 g/dL vs. 13.9 g/dL; p<0.001) at diagnosis. No difference in the rate of abnormal LFTs was observed based on cytogenetic abnormalities detected by FISH or CD38, CD49d, ZAP-70 or IGHV gene mutation status. There was no significant difference in prior alcohol abuse history between patients with liver dysfunction at diagnosis (6%) and those without (5%) (p=0.63). Similarly, there was no significant difference in body mass index between groups (median 27.8 vs. 27.8; p=0.12).After 12 years of follow-up, an estimated 69% of the cases with abnormal LFTs were treated. The most common type of treatments included anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody therapy only, followed by purine nucleoside based chemoimmunotherapy, and an alkylating agent with a monoclonal antibody. The median time to treatment was 4.3 years for cases with abnormal LFTs compared to 6.3 years for cases without abnormal LFTs (p=0.02). However, after adjusting for age, sex and Rai stage, there was no difference in TTFT among patients with abnormal LFTs at baseline compared to those with normal LFTs (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.2 (95% CI, 0.9-1.6); p=0.23).The median survival of CLL patients with abnormal LFTs at diagnosis was significantly shorter than those with normal LFTs (8.6 vs. 11.6 years, p<0.001, Figure 1). After adjusting for age, sex and Rai stage, multivariable cox regression analysis showed that abnormal LFTs retained independent prognostic significance for OS with a HR of 1.4 (95% CI, 1.1-1.8; p=0.012).CONCLUSION: At the time of CLL diagnosis, ~1 out of every 20 patients with previously untreated CLL has abnormal LFTs. These data provide context to the recent reports of hepatotoxicity with the use of signal inhibitors in untreated CLL. Although the presence of liver dysfunction at diagnosis does not seem to predict a shorter TTFT, the OS of these patients is significantly shorter compared to patients who have normal LFTs. [Display omitted] DisclosuresDing:Merck: Research Funding. Kenderian:Novartis: Patents & Royalties, Research Funding. Kay:Pharmacyclics: Research Funding; Tolero Pharmaceuticals: Research Funding; Acerta: Research Funding; Gilead: Membership on an entity’s Board of Directors or advisory committees; Morpho-Sys: Membership on an entity’s Board of Directors or advisory committees; Infinity Pharm: Membership on an entity’s Board of Directors or advisory committees; Celgene: Membership on an entity’s Board of Directors or advisory committees. Shanafelt:Janssen: Research Funding; Pharmacyclics: Research Funding; GlaxoSmithkKine: Research Funding; Genentech: Research Funding; Cephalon: Research Funding; Celgene: Research Funding; Hospira: Research Funding. Parikh:Pharmacyclics: Honoraria, Research Funding.

Atrial Fibrillation in Patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)

BACKGROUND:Consistent with the advanced age at diagnosis (median age ~70 years), most patients with CLL have co-existent health problems. These co-morbidities influence the ability of many CLL patients to tolerate aggressive chemotherapy-based treatment and can also contribute to treatment-related side effects. The recent development of novel signaling inhibitors, particularly the Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitor ibrutinib, has been a major treatment advance for patients with CLL. While these agents generally have favorable toxicity profiles relative to standard chemotherapy-based treatments, they are chronic therapies which patients typically stay on for an extended period. Preliminary data suggests ibrutinib may be associated with an increased risk of atrial fibrillation (Afib). In one randomized trial comparing ibrutinib to ofatumumab in patient with relapsed CLL, incident grade 3+ Afib occurred in 3% of ibrutinib treated patients compared to 0% of ofatumumab treated patients (NEJM 371:213). Despite these observations, the baseline frequency of Afib in patients with CLL is not well described - particularly incident atrial fibrillation acquired during the course of the disease.METHODS: We used the Mayo Clinic CLL database to evaluate the prevalence of Afib at the time of CLL diagnosis as well as the incidence of Afib during follow-up. All patients with a new diagnosis of CLL after January 1995 who were seen at Mayo within 12 months of diagnosis were included in the analysis. Afib was identified by chart review and by billing search using ICD9 codes. Data on co-morbid conditions associated with risk of Afib was also abstracted (e.g. hypertension, coronary artery disease [CAD], valvular heart disease, cardiomyopathy, diabetes mellitus, pulmonary disease).RESULTS: A total of 2444 patients with newly diagnosed and previously untreated CLL were seen at Mayo Clinic within 12 months of diagnosis between 1/1995 and 4/2015.Median age at diagnosis was 65 years and 1626 (66.5%) patients were men. A history of Afib was present at the time of CLL diagnosis in 148 (6.1%) patients. Four additional patients had Afib documented in the record but the precise date of onset (e.g. prior to or after CLL diagnosis date) could not be determined. Age, male sex and history of CAD, valvular heart disease, cardiomyopathy, hypertension, and diabetes were associated with a greater likelihood of having a history of Afib at the time of CLL diagnosis (all p<0.01).Among the 2292 patients without a history of Afib at CLL diagnosis, 139 (6.1%) had incident Afib during the course of follow-up for their CLL. The incidence of Afib among patients without a history of Afib at diagnosis was approximately 1%/year (Figure 1A). Considering both Afib present at the time of CLL diagnosis or acquired during the course of the disease, 291 (11.9%) of the 2444 patients in this cohort experienced Afib (median follow-up: 59 months).Among patients without Afib at the time of CLL diagnosis, the following characteristics at the time of CLL diagnosis were associated with an increased risk of incident Afib on multivariate analysis: older age (age 65-74 HR=2.4, p<0.001; age ≥75 HR=3.6, p<0.001), male sex (HR=1.8, p=0.004); valvular heart disease (HR=2.4, p=0.007), and hypertension (HR=1.5; p=0.02). A predictive model for acquired Afib was subsequently constructed based on the independent factors in the Cox regression model. An individual weighted risk score was assigned to each independent factor based on the regression coefficients of the HRs. The Afib risk score (range 0-7) was defined as the sum of the scores of these independent factors. The risk of incident Afib among patients with risk scores of 0-1, 2-3, 4, and 5+ is shown in Figure 1B. Rates for these 4 groups were significantly different (p<0.001), with the 10-year Afib rates (95% C.I.) for those with a score of 0-1, 2-3, 4, and 5+: 4% (2-6%), 9% (6-13%), 17% (11-23%), and 33% (20-43%), respectively.CONCLUSIONS: A history of Afib is present in approximately 1 out of every 16 patients with newly diagnosed CLL. Among patients without Afib at diagnosis, the incidence rate of Afib is ~1%/year. The risk of incident Afib in newly diagnosed CLL patients can be predicted based on age, sex, and co-morbid health conditions present at diagnosis. These data provide context to help interpret data on the frequency of Afib in CLL patients treated with ibrutinib and other novel agents. [Display omitted] DisclosuresShanafelt:Janssen: Research Funding; Polyphenon E Int'l: Research Funding; Glaxo-Smith_Kline: Research Funding; Cephalon: Research Funding; Genentech: Research Funding; Hospira: Research Funding; Celgene: Research Funding; Pharmactckucs: Research Funding. Ding:Merek: Research Funding. Kay:Tolero Pharm: Research Funding; Hospira: Research Funding; Genentech: Research Funding; Pharmacyclics: Research Funding; Gilead: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Celgene: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding.

Disease Progression and Complications Are the Main Cause of Death in Patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) Independent of Age and Comorbidities at Diagnosis

Introduction. CLL primarily affects elderly individuals who frequently have comorbid health conditions. It is typically assumed non-CLL-related etiologies will be the ultimate cause of death for most CLL patients, particularly those with comorbid conditions at diagnosis.Methods. Between 9/2002 and 11/2014, 1174 patients with newly diagnosed CLL were enrolled in a prospective cohort study evaluating the natural history of CLL. Comorbidities were prospectively recorded at the time of diagnosis. Comorbidities arising during the course of disease were not considered for this analysis. Standardized longitudinal follow-up was performed in all patients every 6 months for the first 3 years after diagnosis and annually thereafter through 04/2015. Internal and external medical records, death certificates, and information from next of kin were centrally reviewed to determine cause of death, using a standardized protocol. Categorical and continuous variables were evaluated using the c2 or Fisher exact tests and the Mann-Whitney test, as appropriate.Results. Baseline characteristics at time of CLL diagnosis are shown in the Table. Over 80% of patients had 2 or more comorbidities at diagnosis (median 3, range 0-11). After a median follow up of 5 years, 224 (19%) patients have died. The cause of death could be accurately determined in 183 (82%) of these patients. The cause of death was due to CLL in 135 (74%), including 84 (46%) CLL progressions, 14 (8%) infections, and 37 (20%) other cancers. Death was due to non-CLL-related causes (such as congestive heart failure, stroke or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) in the remaining 48 (26%) patients. On univariable analysis, age and number of comorbid health conditions were not related to whether or not the cause of death was related/unrelated to CLL. The only specific co-morbid condition at diagnosis that predicted for non-CLL related death was stroke (8% vs 1%, p=0.04). Unmutated IGHV was the only prognostic factor thatpredicted greater likelihood of CLL-related death (70% vs 50%, p=0.03).Conclusions. The majority of patients with CLL have multiple comorbidities at time of diagnosis. Despite this fact, CLL progression and/or CLL-related complications are the primary cause of death. The number and type of comorbidities at diagnosis have minimal relationship to whether or not the ultimate cause of death was CLL-related. In contrast, the CLL-specific characteristic IGHV status (but interestingly not FISH defects) correlates with cause of death. Collectively, these findings illustrate the need for more effective CLL therapy, particularly treatments that can be tolerated by patients with comorbid health conditions. It is hoped the signaling inhibitors may help address this unmet need.TableNumber (%), median [range] N=1174Age (years)63 [23-89]Males Females791 (67) 383 (33)Creatinine-Clearance > (mL/min)86 [10-252]B2M (mg/dL)2.3 [1.1-13.2]Rai stage 0 I-II III-IV604 (52) 512 (38) 54 (10)CD49d positive negative277 (30) 638 (70)CD38 positive negative332 (30) 780 (70)ZAP70 positive negative380 (37) 650 (63)IGHV unmutated mutated394 (44) 506 (56)FISH del13q negative +12 del11q del17p395 (40) 175 (18) 276 (28) 90 (9) 50 (5)Comorbid health conditionsOther cancers237 (20)Stroke38 (3)Cardiac disease326 (28)Hypertension472 (40)Respiratory210 (18)Endocrinologic165 (14)Diabetes118 (10)Hyperlipidemia485 (41)Rheumatologic489 (42)Gastrointestinal384 (33)Genitourinary412 (35)Psychiatric197 (17)DVT/PE33 (3)Substance abuse58 (5)Sexually transmitted disease35 (3)Obesity376 (32)# of Comorbidities 0 1 2 3 4 > 466 (6) 148 (13) 203 (17) 220 (19) 206 (17) 331 (28) DisclosuresKay:Hospira: Research Funding; Genentech: Research Funding; Celgene Corporation: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Gilead: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Pharmacyclics: Research Funding; Tolero Pharma: Research Funding. Cerhan:Kite Pharma: Research Funding.

Incidence of Unprovoked Venous Thromboembolic Events in Patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)

While lymphoma is a known risk factor for venous thromboembolism (VTE), the thrombogenicity of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) has not been investigated. One study reported a ten-fold increased risk in VTE compared to the general population, but this included both provoked and unprovoked events, making it difficult to discern the independent contribution of CLL to the thrombogenic predisposition (Whittle A et al. Leuk Res 2011; 35:419-21). Since we found no studies examining only unprovoked VTE in CLL, we sought to estimate the risk of spontaneous VTE occurring in patients with CLL in the absence of known thrombogenic risk factors. The study was approved by the institutional human subjects committee. We examined patients diagnosed with CLL between 1997-2014 by the persistent presence of ≥ 5,000 circulating small, mature, monoclonal, CD5+, CD23+ B lymphocytes (per diagnostic criteria in: Halleck M et al. Blood 2008;111:5446-56) and listed in the Minneapolis VA Tumor Registry. Clinical and laboratory data were obtained from the electronic medical record. Each patient's chart was reviewed individually for VTE, either pulmonary embolism (PE) or deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and the report of a confirmatory imaging study was examined to confirm the diagnosis.We followed patients (n = 308, 99% males, mean age 70 years) starting at the date of CLL diagnosis or the date after CLL diagnosis when the patient began follow-up at the VA and ending at last patient contact or death (122/308 [39.6%] patients died during the observation period). Each patient made at least annual contact with the VA between the start and end dates, with a mean VA follow-up time of 4.6 +/- 2.9 years; 90% patients were followed continuously at the VA since after the diagnosis of CLL. Patients were excluded if there was a preceding period of immobility, serious illness requiring hospitalization, diagnosed hypercoagulable state, or recent chemotherapy known to be associated with increased thrombotic risk. The total follow-up time was 1408 patient-years, during which 10 unprovoked VTE occurred, for an estimated incidence rate of unprovoked VTE of 0.71 per 100 patient-years, 95% CI [0.38, 1.32]. Eight VTE were originally diagnosed at our institution. Confirmatory imaging was available for the 2 VTE diagnosed elsewhere. All 10 patients were males between the ages of 55 to 95 years at the time of CLL diagnosis. Six had DVT, three had PE, and one had both DVT and bilateral PE. Nine patients had symptoms that prompted diagnostic imaging, while one PE was diagnosed incidentally on a chest CT scan. Nine patients had bulky lymphadenopathy at the time of VTE, but these did not compress the relevant vein in any patient. Small, stable monoclonal paraproteinemia was identified in 2/5 VTE patients tested (one patient at 0.39 and 0.35 g/dL, one patient at 0.32 and 0.27 g/dL). At time of development of VTE, 4, 1, 1 and 3 patients had Rai stage I, II, III or IV CLL, respectively. Thus, while there were relatively few events, there did not appear to be any clear relationship of VTE with advanced CLL stage. Recurrence of unprovoked VTE occurred in only 1 of 10 (10%) patients.In a study of the general population in our region of the US (Olmsted County, MN), the overall incidence of VTE in 70-74 year old males was 0.65 per 100 patient-years (Silverstein M et al. Arch Internal Med 1998;158:585-93). Since 17-47% of all VTEs were unprovoked in various population series (Cushman M et al. Thromb Haemost 2001;86[suppl 1]:OC2349, Heit JA et al. Arch Intern Med 2002;162:1245-8, Spencer FA et al. J Thromb Thrombolysis 2009;28:401-9, White RH Circulation 2003;107:I-4-8), the incidence rate of unprovoked VTEs observed in CLL patients in the current series (0.71; 95% CI: 0.38, 1.32) approximates the expected incidence of unprovoked VTEs in the general population. Further, the development of unprovoked VTE would have been expected to be skewed towards patients with advanced stage (Rai stages III/IV), and/or have been associated with more frequent recurrences, if CLL was an independently thrombogenic condition.Conclusion: This is the first long-term study of unprovoked VTE in patients with CLL, with >1400 patient-years of follow-up. The low incidence of unprovoked VTEs observed in our study suggests that primary thromboprophylaxis may not be required in patients with CLL who do not have additional risk factors for thromboembolism. DisclosuresNo relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Prognostic impact of renal insufficiency (RI) at diagnosis in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

7084 Background: Renal function has a well-established prognostic role in patients with some hematological malignancies, such as multiple myeloma. However, its impact on survival in patients with CLL hasn’t been explored. Methods: We used the Mayo Clinic CLL database to identify all patients diagnosed with CLL between 01/1995 and 11/2014 using the 2009 iwCLL criteria and seen at our center prior to treatment. Patients for whom we could not calculate a baseline creatinine clearance (Cr-Cl) due to missing creatinine/weight or who were missing baseline complete blood count (CBC) (n = 466) were excluded from final analysis. Renal insufficiency (RI) was defined as Cr-Cl < 45 mL/min calculated with the Cockroft-Gault equation. Logistic regression was used to determine which factors predicted RI. Fisher’s exact test was used to compare treatment types by RI. The Kaplan-Meier method was used for the survival analyses. Results: The final analysis included 1268 patients. Of these, 87 (7%) had RI at diagnosis. Factors significantly associated with RI on univariate analysis (UVA) were age > 65 years, female sex, hypertension (HTN), hemoglobin < 11 g/dL, and Rai stage III-IV. Factors associated with RI on multivariate analysis (MVA) were age > 65 years, female sex, HTN, and advanced Rai stage. Of the 506 patients who required treatment, 25 had RI. Type of first treatment differed between patients with and without RI (p < 0.001); patients with RI were more likely to receive alkylator-based therapy (48% vs 15%) and less likely to receive purine analogue-based CIT (8% vs 44%). Median overall survival (OS) was 124 months, 59 months for those with RI, 132 months for those without RI (p < 0.001). Baseline characteristics (age, sex, HTN, diabetes, CBC, CD49d, CD38, ZAP70, IGHV mutation status and FISH) as well as RI were associated with OS on UVA. Conclusions: RI is relatively frequent at time of CLL diagnosis (7% of cases) and has a profound influence on therapy selection among patients requiring treatment. RI at time of CLL diagnosis is associated with overall survival.

Hypogammaglobulinemia in newly diagnosed chronic lymphocytic leukemia: Natural history, clinical correlates, and outcomes.

Although hypogammaglobulinemia is a well recognized complication in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), its prevalence at the time of CLL diagnosis, and association with novel prognostic markers and clinical outcome is not well understood. All patients at the Mayo Clinic between January 1999 and July 2013 who had newly diagnosed CLL and had a baseline assessment of serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) were included. The relation between hypogammaglobulinemia at diagnosis and the novel prognostic parameters time to first treatment (TFT) and overall survival (OS) were evaluated. Of 1485 patients who met the eligibility criteria, 382 (26%) had hypogammaglobulinemia (median IgG, 624 mg/dL), whereas the remaining 1103 patients (74%) had normal serum IgG levels (median IgG, 1040 mg/dL). Patients who had hypogammaglobulinemia at diagnosis were more likely to have advanced Rai stage (III-IV; P = .001) and higher expression of CD49d (P < .001) compared with patients who had normal IgG levels. Although the median TFT for patients who had hypogammaglobulinemia was shorter compared with that for patients who had normal IgG levels (3.8 years vs 7.4 years; P < .001), on multivariable analysis, there was no difference in OS between these 2 groups (12.8 years vs 11.3 years, respectively; P = .73). Of 1103 patients who had CLL with normal IgG levels at diagnosis and who did not receive CLL therapy, the risk of acquired hypogammaglobulinemia was 11% at 5 years and 23% at 10 years. Hypogammaglobulinemia is present in 25% of patients with newly diagnosed CLL. Approximately 25% of patients who have CLL with normal IgG levels at diagnosis will subsequently develop hypogammaglobulinemia on long-term follow-up. The presence of hypogammaglobulinemia does not appear to impact overall survival.

Risk factors for Richter syndrome in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Richter syndrome (RS) is defined as the transformation of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) to a more aggressive B-cell lymphoma, most commonly diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Approximately 5-10% of CLL patients develop this complication during long-term follow-up. Traditional risk factors for future RS include clinical (advanced Rai stage), biological (ZAP-70, CD38, CD49d) and genetic (del17p, del11q) characteristics at the time of CLL diagnosis. The impact of CLL therapy (purine-nucleoside analogue and/or alkylator-based chemoimmunotherapy and kinase inhibitor therapy) on the risk of RS remains controversial. Both heritable (germline) and acquired (somatic) genetic mutations contribute to risk of RS. Germline polymorphisms in genes related to CD38, LRF4, and BCL-2 have been implicated in the development of RS. Somatic mutations contributing to the development of RS include TP53 disruption, c-myc activation, CDKN2A loss and NOTCH1 mutations. This review summarizes recent advances in our understanding of the biological and genetic factors contributing to RS in CLL patients.

Absolute Monocyte Count and Serum CD14 As Prognostic Markers In Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

IntroductionAlthough chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a generally indolent malignancy, there is a spectrum of disease aggressiveness. Clinical and molecular prognostic markers are helpful for the clinician and for the patient, in terms of disease management and life planning. Additional prognostic markers can help with further risk stratification, especially for CLL patients with “low-risk” disease. The prognostic value of absolute monocyte count (AMC) has been evaluated in various malignancies, including CLL where elevated AMC at diagnosis was shown to be associated with rapid time to first therapy (TTT), and in one series, inferior overall survival (OS). The mechanism by which elevated AMC is associated with worse treatment free survival is not known. However, CD14, which is secreted by monocytes, improves in vitro CLL cell survival, and is found at high levels in the serum of CLL patients. We hypothesized that elevated AMC at the time of CLL diagnosis is associated with inferior survival and that elevated serum CD14 is associated with high AMC and worse survival. MethodsCLL patients followed at the Duke University and Durham VA Medical Centers and enrolled in an IRB approved protocol to collect clinical data and blood samples were evaluated. We selected patients for whom AMC was measured between three months prior to diagnosis to three months after diagnosis. We evaluated the correlation between AMC and TTT and OS, with AMC as a continuous and as a dichotomized variable. We also assessed the prognostic capability of AMC in relation to other clinical and molecular prognostic markers, such as Rai stage, race, interphase cytogenetics by FISH, CD38 and ZAP70 expression, and IGHV mutation status. We measured serum CD14 levels using an ELISA assay, and evaluated the correlation between CD14 levels and clinical outcomes or AMC. Cox proportional hazard models were used to evaluate time to event outcomes, Wilcoxon rank sum test and Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test were used to compare AMC to other prognostic markers, and Pearson's correlation test was used to compare continuous variables. ResultsFrom a cohort of over 600 CLL patients, we selected 222 patients with AMC measured ± three months from the date of diagnosis. AMC ranged from 0 to 7.63 cells/mL. With a median follow up of 5.2 years (range 0.1 – 18.2), 102 patients (46%) had been treated, and 59 patients (27%) died. This was not significantly different from the entire cohort. Higher AMC was significantly correlated with shorter TTT (p = 0.002, hazard ratio 1.37, 95% CI 1.12 – 1.68) and inferior OS (p = 0.017, hazard ratio 1.39, 95% CI 1.06 – 1.83). There was no significant difference in AMC in patients stratified by Rai stage, race, interphase cytogenetics, CD38 or ZAP70 expression, or IGHV mutation status. When combined with molecular prognostic markers (IGHV mutation status, CD38 and ZAP70 expression, and interphase cytogenetics) in multivariate models, AMC retained significant prognostic power for TTT and OS. The serum soluble CD14 levels were measured in CLL patients from this cohort, with a mean CD14 level of 2.3 ug/mL. The prognostic significance of serum CD14 and correlation with AMC will be presented. ConclusionsAbsolute monocyte count at the time of CLL diagnosis is associated with inferior clinical outcomes – both TTT and OS. These results confirm and extend other reports evaluating the prognostic significance of circulating monocytes in CLL. Our evaluation of serum CD14, a monocyte-derived secreted protein that promotes CLL cell viability, in concert with AMC may provide a possible explanation for the associations identified in this cohort of patients. As an easily measured clinical marker, AMC can be readily used and/or combined with other prognostic markers to improve risk stratification and patient counseling at the time of diagnosis. Disclosures:No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Hypogammaglobulinemia In Patients With Previously Untreated Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: Clinical Correlates and Outcomes

▪ BackgroundAlthough hypogammaglobulinemia is a well-recognized complication in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), its prevalence at the time of CLL diagnosis and association with novel prognostic markers and clinical outcomes are not well understood. MethodsAll patients seen at Mayo Clinic between 1/1995 - 4/2013 with newly diagnosed CLL (<12 months diagnosis) and who had baseline assessment of serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) were included in this analysis. Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics as well as serum IgG levels measured by either immunoassay or serum protein electrophoresis analysis were recorded. Based on the normal range for IgG at our laboratory, patients with serum IgG<757 mg/dL were classified as having hypogammaglobulinemia. Patients with IgG<757 were also further stratified by terciles (lower tercile: IgG<585 mg/dL; middle tercile: IgG 585-687 mg/dL, upper tercile: IgG 688-756 mg/dL). The relationship between hypogammaglobulinemia at diagnosis and prognostic parameters including immunoglobulin heavy chain (IGHV) gene mutation status, genetic abnormalities detected by fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH), and ZAP-70, CD38 and CD49d expression was assessed. Associations of hypogammaglobulinemia with time to first treatment (TTT) and overall survival (OS) was also evaluated. ResultsOf 1485 patients who met the eligibility criteria, 382 (26%) had hypogammaglobulinemia (median IgG=624 mg/dL) at the time of CLL diagnosis while the remaining 1103 (74%) had normal serum IgG levels (median IgG=1040 mg/dL). Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with and without hypogammaglobulinemia are shown in Table 1.When patients with hypogammaglobulinemia (IgG<757 mg/dL) were further stratified into terciles, patients in the lower tercile (n=127) were more likely to have advanced Rai stage (III-IV) at diagnosis (15% vs. 6% vs. 4%, p=0.008), be CD49d positive (56% vs. 43% vs. 32%, p=0.01), and have trisomy 12 on FISH testing (29% vs. 24% vs. 9%, p=0.005) compared to patients in the middle (n=127) and upper (n=128) terciles.After median follow-up of 4.2 years, 479 (32%) patients had received treatment for CLL, and 328 (22%) patients had died. The median TTT for patients with hypogammaglobulinemia was 3.8 years compared to 7.4 years for patients with a normal IgG (p-value<0.001). Among patients with hypogammaglobulinemia, the median TTT for patients in the lower, middle, and upper terciles were 1.7, 2.9, and 6.3 years respectively (p-value<0.001, Figure 1). On multivariable analysis that included age, gender, Rai stage, IGHV mutation status, FISH risk category and hypogammaglobulinemia, the following were independently associated with a shorter TTT: advanced (III-IV) Rai stage (hazard ratio [HR] =15.3, p<0.0001); intermediate (I-II) Rai stage (HR=3.0, p<0.0001); unmutated IGHV (HR=2.6, p=<0.0001); and hypogammaglobulinemia (HR=1.5, p=0.02). [Display omitted] ConclusionIn this large cohort study, approximately one-quarter of CLL patients had a low serum IgG level at the time of diagnosis. High-risk features, including advanced Rai stage and expression of CD49d, were associated with greater risk of hypogammaglobulinemia at the time of diagnosis. Patients with hypogammaglobulinemia at diagnosis had shorter TTT, a finding that persisted after adjusting for other prognostic factors. Evaluation of acquired hypogammaglobulinemia during the course of follow-up among patients who initially had normal IgG levels is ongoing. Disclosures:Shanafelt:Genentech: Research Funding; Glaxo-Smith-Kline: Research Funding; Cephalon: Research Funding; Hospira: Research Funding; Celgene: Research Funding; Polyphenon E International: Research Funding.