To clarify the relationships between marginal zone lymphomas (MZLs) and Waldenström macroglobulinemia/lymphoplasmacytic lymphomas (WM/LPLs), immunoglobulin heavy chain variable gene (IGHV) features ...were analyzed and the occurrence of MYD88 L265P mutations was identified in a series of 123 patients: 53 MZLs from the spleen (SMZLs), 11 from lymph nodes (NMZLs), 28 mucosa-associated lymphatic tissue (MALT) lymphomas and 31 WM/LPLs. SMZLs were characterized by overrepresentation of IGHV1-2 gene rearrangements with a canonical motif, without selection pressure and with long CDR3 segments. NMZLs had increased frequencies of IGHV3 genes. The IGHV gene was unmutated in most cases, often with long CDR3 segments. MALT lymphomas were usually associated with a mutated IGHV gene, but with the absence of selection pressure. WM/LPLs were associated with an IGHV3-23 overrepresentation and high IGHV mutation rate, with features of selection pressure and short CDR3 segments. MYD88 L265P mutations were almost restricted exclusively to WM/LPL patients. Taken all diagnoses together, all patients with MYD88 L265P mutations had an immunoglobulin M peak and almost all patients except one had bone marrow infiltration. These results demonstrate that the history of antigen exposure of the four entities studied was different and MYD88 L265P was specifically associated with WM/LPLs. WM/LPL may thus be functionally associated with constitutive nuclear factor-κB activation.
After failure of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs), lenalidomide (LEN) yields red blood cell (RBC) transfusion independence (TI) in 20-30% of lower-risk non-del5q myelodysplastic syndrome ...(MDS). Several observations suggest an additive effect of ESA and LEN in this situation. We performed a randomized phase III study in 131 RBC transfusion-dependent (TD, median transfusion requirement six RBC units per 8 weeks) lower-risk ESA-refractory non-del5q MDS. Patients received LEN alone, 10 mg per day, 21 days per 4 weeks (L arm) or LEN (same schedule) + erythropoietin (EPO) beta, 60,000 U per week (LE arm). In an intent-to-treat (ITT) analysis, erythroid response (HI-E, IWG 2006 criteria) after four treatment cycles (primary end point) was 23.1% (95% CI 13.5-35.2) in the L arm and 39.4% (95% CI 27.6-52.2) in the LE arm (P=0.044), while RBC-TI was reached in 13.8 and 24.2% of the patients in the L and LE arms, respectively (P=0.13). Median response duration was 18.1 and 15.1 months in the L and LE arms, respectively (P=0.47). Side effects were moderate and similar in the two arms. Low baseline serum EPO level and a G polymorphism of CRBN gene predicted HI-E. Combining LEN and EPO significantly improves erythroid response over LEN alone in lower-risk non-del5q MDS patients with anemia resistant to ESA.
B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) cells are resistant to apoptosis, and consequently accumulate to the detriment of normal B cells and patient immunity. Because current therapies fail to ...eradicate these apoptosis-resistant cells, it is essential to identify alternative survival pathways as novel targets for anticancer therapies. Overexpression of cell-surface G protein-coupled receptors drives cell transformation, and thus plays a critical role in malignancies. In this study, we identified neurotensin receptor 2 (NTSR2) as an essential driver of apoptosis resistance in B-CLL. NTSR2 was highly expressed in B-CLL cells, whereas expression of its natural ligand, neurotensin (NTS), was minimal in both B-CLL cells and patient plasma. Surprisingly, NTSR2 remained in a constitutively active phosphorylated state, caused not by a mutation-induced gain-of-function but rather by an interaction with the oncogenic tyrosine kinase receptor TrkB. Functional and biochemical characterization revealed that the NTSR2-TrkB interaction acts as a conditional oncogenic driver requiring the TrkB ligand brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which unlike NTS is highly expressed in B-CLL cells. Together, NTSR2, TrkB and BDNF induce autocrine and/or paracrine survival pathways that are independent of mutation status and indolent or progressive disease course. The NTSR2-TrkB interaction activates survival signaling pathways, including the Src and AKT kinase pathways, as well as expression of the anti-apoptotic proteins Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL. When NTSR2 was downregulated, TrkB failed to protect B-CLL cells from a drastic decrease in viability via typical apoptotic cell death, reflected by DNA fragmentation and Annexin V presentation. Together, our findings demonstrate that the NTSR2-TrkB interaction plays a crucial role in B-CLL cell survival, suggesting that inhibition of NTSR2 represents a promising targeted strategy for treating B-CLL malignancy.
To assess the efficacy and safety of rituximab in adults responding poorly to standard treatment for severe autoimmune thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura.
Open-label prospective study. Outcomes in ...the survivors were compared to those of 53 historical survivors who were given therapeutic plasma exchange alone or with vincristine.
Hospitals belonging to the Reference Network for Thrombotic Microangiopathies in France.
Twenty-two adults with either no response or a disease exacerbation when treated with intensive therapeutic plasma exchange.
Add-on rituximab therapy, four infusions over 15 days.
One patient died despite two rituximab infusions. In the rituximab-treated patients, the time to a durable remission was significantly shortened (p = .03), although the plasma volume required to achieve a durable remission was not significantly different compared to the controls. Platelet count recovery occurred within 35 days in all 21 survivors, compared to only 78% of the historical controls (p < .02). Of the rituximab-treated patients, none had a relapse within the first year but three relapsed later on. In patients treated with rituximab, a rapid and profound peripheral B-cell depletion was produced, lasting for 9 months and correlating with higher a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin-13 activity and lower anti-a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin-13 antibody titers. These differences were no longer significant after 12 months. No severe side effects occurred.
Adults with severe thrombocytopenic purpura who responded poorly to therapeutic plasma exchange and who were treated with rituximab had shorter overall treatment duration and reduced 1-yr relapses than historical controls.
IMPORTANCE: Cast nephropathy is the main cause of acute kidney injury in multiple myeloma and persistent reduction in kidney function strongly affects prognosis. Strategies to rapidly remove ...nephrotoxic serum-free light chains combined with novel antimyeloma agents have not been evaluated prospectively. OBJECTIVE: To compare the hemodialysis independence rate among patients newly diagnosed with myeloma cast nephropathy treated with hemodialysis using a high-cutoff dialyzer (with very large membrane pores and high permeability to immunoglobulin light chains) or a conventional high-flux dialyzer (with small pores and lower permeability). DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Randomized clinical trial involving 98 patients with biopsy-proven myeloma cast nephropathy requiring hemodialysis treated at 48 French centers between July 2011 and June 2016; the final date of follow-up was June 29, 2016. INTERVENTIONS: Intensive hemodialysis (eight 5-hour sessions over 10 days) with either a high-cutoff dialyzer (46 patients) or a conventional high-flux dialyzer (48 patients). All patients received the same chemotherapy regimen of bortezomib and dexamethasone. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Primary end point was hemodialysis independence at 3 months; secondary end points: hemodialysis independence rates at 6 and 12 months, hemodialysis- and chemotherapy-related adverse events, and death. RESULTS: Among 98 randomized patients, 94 (96%) (median age, 68.8 years interquartile range, 61.2-75.3 years; 45% women) were included in the modified intent-to-treat analysis. The hemodialysis independence rate at 3 months was 41.3% (n = 19) in the high-cutoff hemodialysis group vs 33.3% (n = 16) in the conventional hemodialysis group (between-group difference, 8.0% 95% CI, −12.0% to 27.9%, P = .42); at 6 months, the rate was 56.5% (n = 26) vs 35.4% (n = 17), respectively (between-group difference, 21.1% 95% CI, 0.9% to 41.3%, P = .04); and at 12 months, the rate was 60.9% (n = 28) vs 37.5% (n = 18) (between-group difference, 23.4% 95% CI, 3.2% to 43.5%, P = .02). The incidence of hemodialysis-related adverse events was 43% in the high-cutoff hemodialysis group vs 39% in the conventional hemodialysis group; chemotherapy-related serious adverse events, 39% vs 37%, respectively; and at 12 months, 9 patients vs 10 patients died. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Among patients with myeloma cast nephropathy treated with a bortezomib-based chemotherapy regimen, the use of high-cutoff hemodialysis compared with conventional hemodialysis did not result in a statistically significant difference in hemodialysis independence at 3 months. However, the study may have been underpowered to identify an early clinically important difference. TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01208818
Background: Systemic light chain (AL) amyloidosis is considered a rare disease, but knowledge of its exact incidence and prevalence is based on old data involving limited populations.
Aim: To ...determine the incidence and prevalence of AL amyloidosis in the general population.
Patients and Methods: The national reference center for AL amyloidosis is located in the CHU de Limoges in Limoges (France), the administrative center of the Limousin region (738,110 inhabitants in 2014). A comprehensive and exhaustive database of AL amyloidosis patients diagnosed in this region has been computerized since January 2007. All patients living in the Limousin region and with a first diagnosis of systemic AL amyloidosis between January 1, 2012, and December 31, 2016, were retrospectively included to determine the disease incidence. All departments and laboratories of pathology were contacted in the region, and any possible missing cases diagnosed during the same period were collected. Prevalence was determined as all living patients with AL amyloidosis during 2016 regardless of the diagnosis date. Cardiac involvement was defined according to current definition (ie, mean wall thickness >12 mm in the absence of other causes of left ventricular hypertrophy). Renal involvement was defined as proteinuria >0.5 g/L (predominantly albumin) in the absence of other etiology.
Results: Over the 5-year period, 46 new patients in the Limousin region had a confirmed diagnosis of AL amyloidosis (70% men; median age, 72.5 years), corresponding to a crude yearly incidence of 12.5 (95% CI, 5.6-19.4) cases per million inhabitants. The calculated prevalence of AL amyloidosis was 58 (95% CI, 43-73) cases per million inhabitants. Cardiac and renal involvement was found in 70% and 72% of cases, respectively. Mayo Clinic stages I, II, IIIA (NT-proBNP ≤8500 ng/L), and IIIB (NT-proBNP >8500 ng/L) based on cardiac biomarkers were found in 21%, 29%, 29%, and 21% of patients respectively. The underlying disease was multiple myeloma in 19 patients (41%), including smoldering myeloma in 14 patients, MGUS (monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance) in 22 patients (48%), IgM in 2 patients, Waldenström disease in 1 patient, low-grade lymphoma in 3 patients, plasmocytoma in 1 patient, and unknown in 1 patient. In this 5 year-period, 16 patients (35%) died.
Conclusion: This is the firstreport of contemporary incidence and prevalence of systemic AL amyloidosis in France. Incidence was slightly higher than the incidence (adjusted to sex and age) previously reported by Kyle et al (Blood, 1992;7:1817-1822), probably corresponding to the progress in the past 20 years in diagnosing this rare disease.
Mohty:Prothena Biosciences: Honoraria. Jaccard:Amgen: Honoraria; Celgene: Honoraria, Other: Travel expenses, Research Funding; Janssen: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Travel expenses, Research Funding.
Older age is associated with increased mortality in immune thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (iTTP). Yet, data are scarce regarding iTTP occurring among older patients. To assess clinical features ...and long-term impact of iTTP on mortality in older patients (>60 years old), characteristics and prognoses of adult iTTP patients enrolled in the French Reference Center for Thrombotic Microangiopathies registry between 2000 and 2016 were described according to age (<60 years old or ≥60 years old). Long-term mortality of iTTP older survivors was compared with that of non-iTTP geriatric subjects. Comparing, respectively, older iTTP patients (N = 71) with younger patients (N = 340), time from hospital admission to diagnosis was longer (P < .0001); at diagnosis, delirium (P = .034), behavior impairment (P = .045), renal involvement (P < .0001), and elevated troponin level (P = .025) were more important whereas cytopenias were less profound (platelet count, 22 × 103/mm3 9-57 vs 13 × 103/mm3 9-21, respectively P = .002; hemoglobin level, 9 g/dL 8-11 vs 8 g/dL 7-10, respectively P = .0007). Short- and mid-term mortalities were higher (P < .0001) and increased for every 10 years of age range. Age ≥60 years, cardiac involvement, increased plasma creatinine level, and total plasma exchange volume were independently associated with 1-month mortality. Compared with a non-iTTP geriatric population, older survivors showed an increased long-term mortality (hazard ratio = 3.44; P < .001). In conclusion, older iTTP patients have atypical neurological presentation delaying the diagnosis. Age negatively impacts short-term but also long-term mortality.
•iTTP in older patients has atypical clinical features delaying diagnosis; 1-month and 1-year mortality rates are higher.•A history of iTTP in older patients negatively impacts the life expectancy in survivors.
Display omitted
Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is highly curable with the combination of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and anthracycline-based chemotherapy (CT), but very long-term results of this treatment, ...when CT should be added to ATRA and the role of maintenance treatment, remain uncertain. In our APL93 trial that included 576 newly diagnosed APL patients, with a median follow-up of 10 years, 10-year survival was 77%. Maintenance treatment significantly reduced 10-year cumulative incidence of relapses, from 43.2% to 33%, 23.4%, and 13.4% with no maintenance, maintenance using intermittent ATRA, continuous 6 mercaptopurine plus methotrexate, and both treatments, respectively (P < .001). Maintenance particularly benefited patients with white blood cell (WBC) count higher than 5 × 109/L (5000/μL). Early addition of CT to ATRA significantly improved 10-year event-free survival (EFS), but without significant effect on overall survival (OS). The 10-year cumulative incidence of deaths in complete response (CR), resulting mainly from myelosuppression, was 5.7%, 15.4%, and 21.7% in patients younger than 55, 55 to 65, and older than 65 years, respectively, supporting the need for less myelosuppressive treatments, particularly for consolidation therapy. This study is registered at http://clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00599937.
Purpose Most anemic patients with non-deleted 5q lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are treated with erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs), with a response rate of approximately 50%. ...Second-line treatments, including hypomethylating agents (HMAs), lenalidomide (LEN), and investigational drugs, may be used after ESA failure in some countries, but their effect on disease progression and overall survival (OS) is unknown. Here, we analyzed outcome after ESA failure and the effect of second-line treatments. Patients and Methods We examined an international retrospective cohort of 1,698 patients with non-del(5q) lower-risk MDS treated with ESAs. Results Erythroid response to ESAs was 61.5%, and median response duration was 17 months. Of 1,147 patients experiencing ESA failure, 653 experienced primary failure and 494 experienced relapse after a response. Primary failure of ESAs was associated with a higher risk of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) progression, which did not translate into an OS difference. Of 450 patients (39%) who received second-line treatment, 194 received HMAs, 148 received LEN, and 108 received other treatments (MISC), whereas 697 received RBC transfusions only. Five-year AML cumulative incidence was 20.3%, 20.3%, and 11.3% for those receiving HMAs, LEN, and MISC, respectively ( P = .05). Five-year OS for patients receiving HMA, LEN, and MISC was 36.5%, 41.7%, and 51%, respectively ( P = .21). In a multivariable analysis adjusted for age, sex, revised International Prognostic Scoring System score, and progression at ESA failure, there was no significant OS difference among the three groups. Conclusion In this large, multicenter, retrospective cohort of patients with non-del(5q) lower-risk MDS treated with ESAs, none of the most commonly used second-line treatments (HMA and LEN) significantly improved OS. Early failure of ESAs was associated with a higher risk of AML progression.
Background: RBC transfusions are required in most MDS, leading to iron overload which probably contributes to shortened survival (Malcovati, JCO, 2005). Consensus for indications of iron chelation ...therapy (CT) in MDS patients are recent (Gattermann Hemato/Oncol Clin 2005; 19:supp1). A positive impact on survival of CT, clearly demonstrated in thalassemia, has not yet been prospectively reported in large MDS cohorts.
Methods: We performed in 2005 a survey on hematological data, RBC transfusion requirement and CT in 170 MDS referred for RBC transfusion during a month period (May 15–June 15, 2005) to 18 French GFM centers (Rose, ASH 2006, abstr:2661). Survival of this prospective cohort was reanalyzed at the reference date of May 15, 2007.
Results: 5 pts were lost to follow up. Median age of the remaining 165 pts was 77 (range 14–95).M/F 1.4. WHO: 13 pure RA (10%), 30 pure RARS (23%), 6 RCMD (5%),5 RCMD-RS (4%), 28 RAEB I (21%), 10 RAEB II (8%),11 5q- Sd (7%), 8 CMML (6%); 21 MDS unclass (16%). Karyotype: fav (12%), int (36%), unfav (22%), failure or ND (30%) IPSS: low 27%, Int1 32%, Int2 10%, high 2%, unavailable 29%. 76 pts (46%) received CT for at least 6 months, including 65 before May 2005, and 11 since May 2005. Median interval from diagnosis to onset of CT was 30 months (range 0–192). CT included: DFO continuous s/c (8h) (40mg/kg/d, 3 – 5d/w) n= 41, deferiprone alone (30 to 75 mg/kg/d) n= 5, Deferiprone + DFO s/c n= 5, deferasirox (20 to 30 mg/kg/d) n= 6 (Defined as “standard” chelation) and DFO s/c bolus (2 to 3g/week) n = 12 or DFO IV (50 to 100mg/kg/d once after each RBC transfusion) n= 7 (defined as “low” chelation). Median duration of CT was 35 months (6–138+). Median serum ferritin (SF) level was 569ng/ml (range 9–2500), 1436ng/ml (range 436–6572) and 1498ng/ml (range 272–7502) at diagnosis, onset of CT and last evaluation, respectively (resp). By comparison to non chelated pts, chelated pts had significantly higher number of RBC units transfused (mean 104 vs 57) (p<0.001), lower age (mean 70 vs 76) (p= 0.006) no difference in WHO classification (p=0.274) but differences in IPSS: IPSS 0; 0–1,>1 in 27%, 53%, 20% of non chelated versus 49%,36%,15% of chelated pts with available IPSS, resp (p=0.044). Median overall survival from diagnosis (OS, Kaplan-Meier analysis) was 115 and 51 months in chelated and non chelated pts,resp (p< 0.0001). After adjustment on other prognostic parameters (sex,age, IPSS, transfusion requirement) the survival difference remained significant. In IPSS 0 pts, median OS was not reached in chelated pts and 69 months in non chelated pts(p=0.002).In IPSS 0–1 pts, median OS was 115 months in chelated pts and 50 months in non chelated pts (p=0.003). Longer interval from diagnosis to onset of CT did not influence OS negatively but median OS was 120 months with “standard” chelation versus 69 months with “low “chelation (p<0.001).
Conclusions: This prospective analysis strongly suggests that chelation therapy (CT) provides survival benefit in heavily transfused, mainly low and int 1, MDS. Confirmatory randomized trials, theoretically required,(CT vs no CT) may be difficult to perform in this situation.
PDF
