ALBERT

Description: According to the World Health Organization (WHO) 2008/2016 criteria for classification of myeloid neoplasms, a platelet (PLT) count ≥ 450X109/l, thus reduced from the previous WHO 2001 level ≥ 600 x 109/l, was considered the new PLT threshold for the diagnosis of Essential Thrombocythemia (ET). Aim of the study was to validate in a setting of current clinical practice this important diagnostic change and compare clinical and hematological features at diagnosis and during follow-up of patients with PLT ≥600 x 109/l versus patients with PLT 〈 600 x 109/l. We retrospectively analyzed data from 264 patients with ET according to WHO 2008/2016 criteria, enrolled in our center from 1/2008 to 12/2017. Patients were divided into Group A (G-A) (PLT ≥600 x 109/l at diagnosis) (199 patients - 75.4%) and Group B (G-B) (PLT ≥ 450 x 109/l 〈 600 x 109/l at diagnosis) (65 patients - 24.6%) and compared for clinical features at the onset, clinical course and follow-up. Main features and commonly recognized pro-thrombotic risk factors at diagnosis of the entire cohort as well as of G-A and G-B are reported in the Table 1. Among clinical features, only the median value of leukocytes was significantly higher in G- A [9.1 x 109/l, interquartile range (IQR) 7.8-10.3 vs 7.4 x 109/l, IQR 6.0-9.6; p = 0.001]. Among pro-thrombotic risk factors, only the median cholesterol value was significantly lower in the G-A [187 mg/dl (IQR 164-220) vs 204 mg/dl (RIQ 177-238); p = 0.048]. Cytostatic treatment was administered in 175 patients (71.1%) of entire cohort at different intervals from diagnosis, with a significantly higher rate in patients of G-A (76.9% versus 49.2%, p 1.000 x 109/l, highlights how thrombotic risk is unrelated to PLT value and leads to consider the administration of adequate cytostatic therapy even in patients with relatively lower PLT count at diagnosis. Disclosures Breccia: Novartis: Honoraria; Pfizer: Honoraria; Incyte: Honoraria; BMS: Honoraria. Foà:INCYTE: Other: ADVISORY BOARD; JANSSEN: Other: ADVISORY BOARD, Speakers Bureau; GILEAD: Speakers Bureau; CELTRION: Other: ADVISORY BOARD; ABBVIE: Other: ADVISORY BOARD, Speakers Bureau; CELGENE: Other: ADVISORY BOARD, Speakers Bureau; AMGEN: Other: ADVISORY BOARD; ROCHE: Other: ADVISORY BOARD, Speakers Bureau; NOVARTIS: Speakers Bureau.

Description: Current treatment with Tyrosine-Kinase Inhibitors (TKI) has profoundly changed long-term prognosis of newly diagnosed Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML). However, the true disease/patient status at different time-points is still based on few data from controlled clinical studies (mainly based on "cumulative incidence" more than "effective situation" of any single patient at any single time from TKI start) and is still unclear in the real-life setting without selection criteria. In order to give an effective picture of their 5-year status, all consecutive CML patients newly diagnosed at our Institute until 6/2012 (i.e. with a minimum observation period of 5 years) and treated frontline with any TKI at any dosage in both controlled clinical trials or current clinical practice were retrospectively evaluated. On the whole, 259 patients, treated with imatinib (219) or 2nd generation TKI (2-TKI) (35 with nilotinib and 5 with dasatinib), were collected: the main features at diagnosis of the entire cohort and according to TKI are reported in the Table 1, without differences between the 2 groups. In the imatinib group, 13/219 patients (6%) received a reduced starting dose (〈 400 mg/day), while all patients in the 2-TKI group started initial standard doses. At the 5-year evaluation, 227 pazienti (87.6%) were alive, 16 died (6.2%) and 16 (6.2%) were lost to follow-up. Among the 227 patients alive, 176 (67.9% of the entire cohort) were in Complete Cytogenetic Response (CCyR), 163 (62.9% of the entire cohort) were in Major Molecular Response (MMolR) and 121 (46.7% of the entire cohort) were in Deep Molecular Response (DMR). The remaining 51 patients alive at the 5th year (19.7% of the entire cohort) were in 2nd or subsequent line of treatment, due to intolerance in 13 cases (25.5%) or primary/secondary resistance in 38 (74.5%). Among the 16 deaths, 5 (1.9% of the entire cohort) were CML-related and 11 (4.3% of the entire cohort) were CML unrelated. Among the 16 patients lost to follow-up, 8 (3.1% of the entire cohort) were in response to 1st line treatment and 8 (3.1% of the entire cohort) were in 2nd line/resistant disease at the last visit. Six patients (2.3%) evolved in blastic phase and 8 (3.1%) developped a 2nd neoplasia. In the group treated frontline with 2-TKI there was a higher rate of patients alive in MMolR (p=0.038) but not in DMolR (p=0.137), with a lower rate of primary/secondary resistance (p=0.048) but a higher incidence of intolerance (p=0.002) compared to patients treated frontline with imatinib (Table 2). Five-year cumulative overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS) and event-free survival (EFS) of the entire cohort were 93.2% (IC 95% 90.2-96.2), 78.2% (IC95% 73.1-83.3) e 70.2% (IC95% 64.5 - 75.9), respectively. According to initial treatment, 5-year PFS was significantly better in the 2-TKI group (p=0.003), but no difference was observed between the 2 groups as to 5-year EFS (p=0.274) and 5-year OS (p=0.077). In conclusion, results achievable at 5 years with frontline TKI treatment in the current clinical practice are excellent, with at least two thirds of patients alive in MMolR and about half of patients also in DMolR under frontline approach: deaths CML-related in the first 5 years of treatment are very rare and less than 1 out 5 patients needs to change frontline approach for intolerance/resistance. The role of frontline 2-TKI in this real-life setting deserves further examinations in larger unselected cohorts at longer time-points. Disclosures Breccia: BMS: Honoraria; Novartis: Honoraria; Incyte: Honoraria; Pfizer: Honoraria. Foà:ROCHE: Other: ADVISORY BOARD, Speakers Bureau; CELGENE: Other: ADVISORY BOARD, Speakers Bureau; CELTRION: Other: ADVISORY BOARD; ABBVIE: Other: ADVISORY BOARD, Speakers Bureau; GILEAD: Speakers Bureau; NOVARTIS: Speakers Bureau; INCYTE: Other: ADVISORY BOARD; JANSSEN: Other: ADVISORY BOARD, Speakers Bureau; AMGEN: Other: ADVISORY BOARD.

Description: Azacytidine (AZA) is a demethylating agent widely used in the treatment of patients with high-risk Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS). Pulmonary infections are often reported in these patients during AZA treatment, however, their incidence, etiology and impact in the overall outcome are still unclear. A major problem is represented by the low level of clinical and microbiological documentation, as most of patients treated with AZA are managed on an outpatient basis. This study aims to evaluate the incidence and clinical impact of pulmonary infections in MDS patients treated with AZA in 5 hematological Institutes in Rome, with a relatively homogeneous infective diagnostic work-up in the presence of fever or other infective clinical signs. We retrospectively evaluated 146 MDS patients [M/F 93/53, median age 69.5 years, interquartile range (IQR) 65.0 - 75.6] treated with AZA at our Institutions from 04/2009 to 01/2016. All patients received AZA cycles at standard dosage (75 mg/m2 for 7 days every 28 days) as outpatients. In the event of febrile neutropenia or other infectious episodes patients underwent blood cultures, culture from other sites, and chest x-ray or (preferably) pulmonary CT-scan. Galactomannan assay from serum and from sputum/bronchoalveolar lavage was performed as indicated. The total number of AZA cycles was 1712, with a median per patient of 9 cycles (IQR 5 - 17 cycles). There were 75 episodes of lung infection (4.1% of AZA cycles), with 58 patients (39.7%) presenting at least 1 episode. Based on the above diagnostic work-up, pulmonary infiltrates were considered of fungal origin in 21 cases (28.0%), associated to bacteremia in 5 cases (6.7%) and of unknown origin in the remaining 49 cases (65.3%). As to the time of occurrence of lung infections, 29 episodes were documented in the first 4 cycles of AZA treatment (5.4% of 535 cycles) and the remaining 46 episodes beyond the 4th cycle of AZA treatment (3.9% of 1177 cycles). Overall, a pulmonary fungal disease was documented in 10 of 535 (1.9%) cycles 1-4 and in 11 of 1177 (0.9%) cycles beyond the 4th (p=0.001). Several clinical features (age, gender, Hb level, WBC and PLT counts, time from diagnosis) were evaluated as predictive factors for the occurrence of pulmonary infection, but none was significant. Out of 58 patients who developed at least one pulmonary infection, 39 (67.2%) definitively discontinued the AZA treatment within 3 months from the infectious episode due to deterioration of clinical conditions, hematologic disease progression and/or death. Attributable mortality rate of patients with pulmonary infection was 22.4% (13 of 58). The median Overall Survival (OS) of the whole cohort was 18.0 months (95%CI 14.4 - 21.5): the median OS of patients with pulmonary infection was 15.6 months (95%CI 13.1 - 18.0) compared with 21.5 months (95%CI 16.3 - 26.6) of patients without pulmonary infection (p=0.031). In conclusion, pulmonary infections are a common complication in MDS patients receiving AZA treatment, and are often associated to an interruption of AZA therapy. Pulmonary fungal infections are more frequently observed early during the first cycles of treatment. It should be defined if the poor outcome of patients who develop pulmonary infections during AZA therapy is an epiphenomenon of an immunologic deterioration associated to the hematologic disease progression or is independently related to the complication. If confirmed in other experiences, the results of our study raise the issue of the need of an antibacterial and/or antifungal prophylaxis particularly during the first months of AZA therapy. Disclosures Latagliata: Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria; Bristol Myers Squibb: Honoraria; Celgene: Honoraria; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria; Shire: Honoraria. Breccia:Celgene: Honoraria; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria; Ariad: Honoraria; Bristol Myers Squibb: Honoraria; Pfizer: Honoraria.

Description: Background Early occurrence of severe (≤ 10 g/dl) anemia has been reported in about 5% of newly diagnosed patients with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) treated with imatinib and is generally transient: in patients responsive to imatinib, however, severe late anemia seems to occur in a higher rate and seems to be more common in elderly patients. Methods To highlight this issue, we revised retrospectively 81 CML patients aged 〉 60 years treated at our Institution with frontline imatinib for at least 24 months who achieved a durable complete cytogenetic response (CCyR). The main clinical features of the patients at diagnosis were as follows: male/female 42/39 (51.9%/48.1%), median age 70.5 years [interquartile range (IQR) 64.5 - 76.5], median Hb 12.8 g/dl (IQR 11.2 - 13.7), median WBC 42.5 x 109/l (IQR 25.4 - 78.9), median PLTS 448 x 109/l (IQR 282 - 717). According to Sokal risk classification, 12 patients (14.8%) were low risk, 58 (71.6%) intermediate risk, 11 (13.6%) high risk. Severe late chronic anemia was defined as the presence of persistent (〉 6 months) and otherwise unexplained (creatinine level 〈 2 mg/dl, normal iron balance, bilirubin level 〈 2 mg/dl, folate and Vitamin B12 in the normal range) Hb levels ≤ 10 g/dl which occurred 〉 6 months from imatinib start. Results On the whole, a condition of late chronic anemia occurred in 22 out 81 patients (27.2%) at different intervals from imatinib start: the incidence was 13.5% (11/81 patients) at the 12th month, 14.8% (12/81 patients) at the 24th month, 12.3% (9/73 patients) at the 36th month, 7.0% (4/57 patients) at the 48th month and 5.9% (3/51 patients) at the 60th month. Seven out 22 patients (31.8%) needed packed red cell transfusions during the follow-up. Clinical features at diagnosis of patients who had severe late chronic anemia compared to the remaining 59 patients without anemia are shown in the Table: Among the 22 patients with severe late chronic anemia, 6 were treated with subcutaneous recombinant alpha-erythropoietin (EPO) at the standard dosage of 40,000 UI weekly, after a median time from imatinib start of 44.7 months (absolute range 26.8 - 73.8): in all 6 patients, baseline endogenous EPO levels were 〈 100 mUI/ml. All 6 patients achieved erythroid response, which was complete (achievement of stable Hb levels 〉 12 g/dl) in 4 patients and partial (stable increment 〉 1.5 g/dl of Hb levels with Hb levels 〈 12 g/dl) in 2 patients: one patient had a relapse of anemia after 24.1 months from EPO start and stopped EPO treatment, the remaining 5 patients are still in response and in treatment with EPO. No EPO-related toxicity was observed. Cumulative 4-year Event-Free Survival (EFS) for patients with severe late chronic anemia was 69.7% (CI95% 49.3 - 90.1) compared to 86.2% (CI95% 77.4 - 95.0) for patients without anemia (p=0.075): cumulative 4-year Overall Survival (OS) for patients with severe late chronic anemia was 89.6% (CI95% 75.9 - 100) compared to 94.8% (CI95% 89.1 - 100) for patients without anemia (p=0.204). Conclusions The occurrence of a late severe chronic anemia during long-lasting treatment with imatinib has been observed in 〉 25% of our responsive elderly patients, with a trend for a worse EFS: its occurrence seems more common in very elderly patients with lower Hb levels at diagnosis. Results with EPO are encouraging, but larger studies are warranted to define the role of such an approach in treating this common late complication of prolonged imatinib therapy. Table Table. Disclosures Breccia: Celgene: Honoraria; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria; Bristol Myers Squibb: Honoraria; Ariad: Honoraria; Pfizer: Honoraria. Latagliata:Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria; Bristol Myers Squibb: Honoraria; Celgene: Honoraria; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria; Shire: Honoraria.

Description: Differences in baseline features and follow-up among patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) according to age at diagnosis have been recently reported in cohorts from clinical controlled trials (Castagnetti F et al, 2015). To evaluate this issue in a real-life setting, we revised 207 consecutive CML patients treated at our Institution with imatinib frontline from 6/2002 to 6/2013, dividing them in young adults (〉20

Description: Introduction. Hairy cell leukemia (HCL) is a rare clonal B-cell chronic lymphoproliferative disorder. Current treatments for HCL include purine analogs (PA), which are used successfully as front-line therapy in young and fit patients. The therapeutic armamentarium has been recently extended by the introduction of rituximab, BRAF oral inhibitors and other novel agents. Interferon alpha (IFNα) has been the first agent capable of inducing a response in HCL patients and of changing the natural course of the disease. It has been extensively used up to the introduction of PA. Nowadays, IFNα front-line is limited to pregnant women (or desiring a pregnancy), to patients with severe neutropenia or frail, or to relapsed/refractory patients. We hereby report the experience of 74 patients treated continuously with IFNα at our Center in Rome. Methods. A retrospective analysis was performed on patients with HCL or with variant HCL treated between 1990 and 2020 with IFNα until progression or toxicity. The initial dosage was 3 MUI subcutaneously three times weekly (3d/week). In responding patients, after 12 months the dose was progressively tapered to reach a very low maintenance dose, ranging from 0.1 MUI 3d/week to 0.9 3d/week. After 12 months of treatment, the degree of response was based on peripheral blood count evaluation, bone marrow biopsy and IFNα front-line; C) patients resistant to PAs who received IFNα as second or further line of treatment. Results. After 12 months of treatment, 70 patients (95%) achieved either a PR or a CR in 52 (70%) and 18 (24%) cases, respectively. Four (5.4%) patients were considered as non-responders. After a median follow-up of 92 months (range 7-236), 55 patients (75%) still maintained their response while receiving maintenance IFNα. The estimated 5-year and 10-year PFS were 89% and 77%, respectively (Fig. 1). The median PFS for these patients has not been reached at 10 years. Patients in CR at 12 months of treatment showed a significantly superior PFS rate (p 0.001). The 10-year PFS was 94% for patients in CR compared to 73% for patients who obtained a PR during abdominal ultrasound. The mutational status of BRAF V600E by PCR analysis was assessed in a subset of patients during treatment. Three groups of patients were identified: A) patients 〉65 years who received IFNα front-line; B) patients 3500/mmc at the start of treatment: the estimated median PFS was 236 vs 108 months (p 0.004). Twenty-two patients in response during IFNα maintenance were tested for MRD basing on BRAF status: 32% were negative during treatment (7 out of 22). All patients with negative MRD were in CR. G1-2 extra-hematologic toxicity, occurred as flu-like syndrome and fatigue, was observed in 25 patients (76% in group A), 13/25 patients discontinued IFNα for toxicity; 1 case of alopecia was reported. No patient required discontinuation due to G3-4 hematologic toxicity. Four deaths occurred, 2 due to secondary neoplasms and 2 in very elderly patients. Conclusions. IFNα still retains a role in selected HCL patients. In young patients with comorbidities front-line IFNα remains a possible option, although not as effective as PAs. In elderly patients, the continuous administration allows remarkable results with acceptable toxicity. Also in patients resistant to PAs, INFα is capable of inducing durable responses in a considerable part of patients. The data on MRD demonstrate the possibility of achieving a molecular response. Although the role of IFNα is further limited by the advent of new agents, when administered in a continuous schedule it still represents a valid therapeutic option in specific subsets of HCL patients. Figure Disclosures Martelli: sandoz: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Novartis: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; celgene: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; roche: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; gilead: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; janssen: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Foà:Abbvie: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Janssen: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Incyte: Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Speakers Bureau; Roche: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Roche: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Tiacci:Roche: Research Funding; Abbvie: Other: Travel and meeting expenses. Pulsoni:Pfizer: Consultancy; Merk: Consultancy; Takeda: Consultancy; Gilead: Speakers Bureau; Sandoz: Consultancy; roche: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Bristol Myers Squibb: Speakers Bureau.

Description: Hairy cell leukemia (HCL) is a rare lymphoproliferative disease with specific morphologic and molecular features and excellent prognosis. Although high rate of complete response (CR) has been reported after treatment with purine analogs, expecially cladribine (2CDA), relapse may occur during follow-up. The aim of the study is to review the efficacy, safety, long term remission rate and overall survival (OS) in those patients (pts) that received 2CDA as first line treatment. We retrospectively reviewed data of all HCL pts treated with 2CDA between March 1991 and May 2019 at 18 Italian Hematological centers. Among 553 pts reported, only 513 were evaluable because treated with 2CDA alone. Considering the clinical carachteristics, M/F ratio was 4.5 with a median age of 54 years (range 24-88) and ECOG 0 in 85% of cases. Splenomegaly and presence of circulating hairy cells recorded by morphology were reported in 241 (47%) and 138 (27%) pts, respectively. Thirty-seven (7%) pts presented with an infection. Other comorbidities were cardiovascular in 29 (6%) pts, a previous cancer or diabetes in 27 (5%) each, chronic hepatic disorders in 18 (3%), obstructive pulmonary disease in 16 (3%), chronic kidney disease in 3 (1%). Three hundred-thirty (64%) pts received 2CDA intravenously (253 as daily continuous infusion for 5-7 consecutive days and 77 as weekly infusion for 5-7 consecutive weeks) and 183 (36%) subcutaneously. Response criteria were defined as per recent consensus guidelines (Grever MR et al. Blood 2017). The overall response rate (ORR) was 83%: CR in 335 pts (65%) and partial response (PR) in 96 (19%); 40 (8%) pts obtained hematological improvement (HI) and in 42 (8%) no response was observed. Nine of 11 (82%) pts with HI and 18/25 (72%) non responders who received salvage therapy obtained a major response (fig. 1). A slightly higher hemoglobin value (12.4 vs 11.4 g/dl, p=0.044), a reduced frequency of circulating hairy cells (28.7% vs 31.8%, p=0.039), absence of palpable splenomegaly (p=