ALBERT

Description: We investigate the geospace response to the 2015 St. Patrick's Day storm leveraging on instruments spread over South East Asia (SEA), covering a wide longitudinal sector of the low latitude ionosphere. A regional characterization of the storm is provided, identifying the peculiarities of ionospheric irregularities formation. The novelties of this work are the characterization in a broad longitudinal range and the methodology relying on the integration of data acquired by GNSS receivers, magnetometers, ionosondes and Swarm satellites. This work is a legacy of the project ERICA (EquatoRial Ionosphere Characterization in Asia). ERICA aimed to capture the features of both crests of the Equatorial Ionospheric Anomaly (EIA) and Trough (EIT) by means of a dedicated measurement campaign. The campaign lasted from March to October 2015 and was able to observe the ionospheric variability causing effects on radio systems, GNSS in particular. The multi-instrumental and multi-parametric observations of the region enabled an in-depth investigation of the response to the largest geomagnetic storm of the current solar cycle in a region scarcely reported in literature. Our work discusses the comparison between northern and southern crests of the EIA in the SEA region. The observations recorded positive and negative ionospheric storms, spread-F conditions, scintillation enhancement and inhibition and TEC variability. The ancillary information on the local magnetic field highlights the variety of ionospheric perturbations during the different storm phases. The combined use of ionospheric bottom-side, topside and integrated information points out how the storm affects the F-layer altitude and the consequent enhancement/suppression of scintillations.

Description: Background: Treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) with a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) offers significant improvements over previous treatments in terms of survival and toxicity yet has been associated with reduced health-related quality of life and very high cost. Discontinuing TKIs with regular monitoring is safe, but little is known about the impact of discontinuation on patient-reported outcomes (PROs). In the largest U.S. study to date, we evaluated molecular recurrence of CML and PROs after TKI discontinuation. Methods: The Life After Stopping TKIs (LAST) study was a prospective single-group longitudinal study. Key inclusion criteria were age 〉 18 years, patient on TKI therapy (imatinib, dasatinib, nilotinib, or bosutinib) for 〉 3 years with documented BCR-ABL 〈 0.01% by PCR for 〉 2 years, and no previous TKI resistance. We monitored disease outcome (PCRs by central lab) and PROs (PROMIS computerized adaptive tests via REDCap) monthly for the first 6 months, every 2 months until 24 months, then every 3 months until 36 months. Molecular recurrence was defined as 〉 0.1% BCR-ABL IS by central lab (loss of major molecular response [MMR]). We considered 3 points to be clinically meaningful and hypothesized that by 6 months after TKI discontinuation, fatigue, depression, sleep disturbance, and diarrhea would improve by at least 3 points each, corresponding to a standardized effect size of 0.3. Given reports of a withdrawal syndrome of musculoskeletal pain in some patients after discontinuation, pain was an additional outcome of particular interest. For each PRO domain, we estimated a polynomial piecewise linear mixed effects model that specified one nonlinear trajectory after TKI discontinuation and, for those with molecular recurrence, another trajectory after TKI restart. The models included patient-level random effects for the intercepts and linear slopes. Results: From 12/2014 to 12/2016, 172 patients enrolled from 14 U.S. sites. Median age was 60 years (range 21-86) and 89 (52%) were female. The median time on TKI prior to enrollment was 81 months (IQR 54-123). With a minimum follow-up of 24 months, 107 (62%) patients remained in a treatment free remission (TFR). Reasons for restarting therapy were: loss of MMR by central (n=56) or local (n=2) lab, patient decision (n=4), and withdrawal syndrome (n=3). Missing PRO data was minimal (〈 5%) with 〉 2000 assessments completed. For patients in TFR at 6 months, the average estimated improvement in fatigue was 2.6 points (95% CI 2.5-2.7), depression was 1.9 points (95% CI 1.8-1.9), sleep disturbance was 0.9 points (95% CI 0.8-1.0), and diarrhea was 2.7 points (95% CI 2.6-2.7). The average estimated worsening in pain interference (i.e., the extent to which pain affects daily life) was 0.4 points (95% CI 0.3-0.5). The figure shows the distribution of estimated change for each domain at 6 months. All patients showed improvements in depression, diarrhea, and fatigue. About 1 in 6 patients (17%) experienced a clinically meaningful (i.e., at least 3 points) improvement in fatigue and/or diarrhea at 6 months. Conclusion: The LAST study is the largest US TKI discontinuation study to date, and the first to include comprehensive PRO measurement. For patients in TFR at 6 months, TKI discontinuation conferred modest benefits in fatigue and diarrhea on average, with a negligible increase in pain interference. Some patients experienced more notable improvements in fatigue and diarrhea. Planned secondary analyses will include change over time up to 3 years and evaluation of additional PRO domains, including anxiety, physical function, social function, and sexual function. Our results provide important new evidence to support shared patient-provider clinical decision making regarding TKI discontinuation for patients with CML. Figure. Disclosures Radich: Novartis: Other: RNA Sequencing; TwinStrand Biosciences: Research Funding. Mauro:Pfizer: Consultancy; Takeda: Consultancy; Novartis Oncology: Consultancy, Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy. Pinilla Ibarz:Sanofi: Speakers Bureau; Abbvie: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Teva: Consultancy; Janssen: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Consultancy; Takeda: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Bayer: Speakers Bureau; TG Therapeutics: Consultancy; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy. Larson:Celgene: Consultancy; Novartis: Honoraria, Other: Contracts for clinical trials; Agios: Consultancy. Oehler:Blueprint Medicines: Consultancy; NCCN: Consultancy; Pfizer Inc.: Research Funding. Deininger:Humana: Honoraria; Incyte: Honoraria; Blueprint: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Pfizer: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Ascentage Pharma: Consultancy, Honoraria; TRM: Consultancy; Sangoma: Consultancy; Fusion Pharma: Consultancy; Adelphi: Consultancy; Takeda: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Novartis: Honoraria; Sangamo: Consultancy. Shah:Bristol-Myers Squibb: Research Funding. Ritchie:Tolero: Other: Advisory board; Celgene: Other: Advisory board; Celgene, Novartis: Other: travel support; Jazz Pharmaceuticals: Research Funding; Celgene, Incyte, Novartis, Pfizer: Consultancy; AStella, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Novartis, NS Pharma, Pfizer: Research Funding; Ariad, Celgene, Incyte, Novartis: Speakers Bureau; Genentech: Other: Advisory board; Pfizer: Other: Advisory board, travel support; agios: Other: Advisory board. Silver:PharmEssentia: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Cortes:Sun Pharma: Research Funding; Pfizer: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Forma Therapeutics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; BiolineRx: Consultancy; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Research Funding; Takeda: Consultancy, Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Daiichi Sankyo: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Jazz Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Research Funding; Biopath Holdings: Consultancy, Honoraria; Immunogen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Merus: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Astellas Pharma: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding. Atallah:Jazz: Consultancy; Helsinn: Consultancy; Pfizer: Consultancy; Takeda: Consultancy, Research Funding; Jazz: Consultancy; Helsinn: Consultancy; Novartis: Consultancy.

Description: Background: Allogeneic SCT is considered standard treatment for patients with advanced phase CML (accelerated phase, blast crisis), de novo Ph+ ALL, or patients in chronic phase (CP) resistant or intolerant to at least 2 tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI). Ponatinib is FDA and EMA approved for the treatment of CML or Ph+ ALL in patients with the BCR-ABL1 T315I mutation or for whom no other TKI therapy is indicated. In patients harboring the T315I mutation, ponatinib currently represents a suitable alternative treatment option to allogeneic SCT. However, differences in outcomes between patients treated with ponatinib and allogeneic SCT have not been analyzed. Objective: To compare overall survival (OS) among CML and Ph+ ALL patients with the BCR-ABL1 T315I mutation treated with ponatinib (in PACE) versus allogeneic SCT (in the EBMT database). Methods: Data from a Phase II trial of ponatinib (PACE trial; Cortes et al., New Engl J Med 2013; NCT01207440) and European Bone Marrow Transplant (EBMT) registry were pooled to conduct an indirect comparison of ponatinib with allogeneic SCT. Both ponatinib and allogeneic SCT cohorts comprised patients with the T315I mutation age 18 years or older in any phase of CML or with Ph+ ALL. All patients harbored the T315I mutation detected by Sanger sequencing, DHPLC, PCR-RFLP, or other equivalent tests. Allogeneic SCT patients in their second CP phase were excluded, and no patients in the EBMT database were treated with ponatinib prior to receiving allogeneic SCT. The date of intervention (ponatinib or SCT) served as the index date. Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics were compared between the two intervention groups. OS was compared between the two groups using adjusted Kaplan-Meier (KM) survival curves and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models; all comparisons were adjusted for age (as a continuous variable), gender, geographic region (Europe, Asia, and Australia vs. North America), time from CML diagnosis to intervention, and CML phase or Ph+ ALL at intervention to control confounding by these variables. Results were presented overall and stratified by phase of CML or Ph+ ALL. Results: A total of 184 (128 ponatinib, 56 allogeneic SCT) patients were included in the analysis: 90 were in CP-CML, 26 were in accelerated phase (AP-CML), 41 were in blast phase (BP-CML), and 27 had Ph+ ALL. On average, ponatinib patients were older than allogeneic SCT patients on the date of intervention (median age 53 vs. 45 years, p=0.006). In addition, a larger proportion of patients in the ponatinib group were from North America than in the allogeneic SCT group (43.8% vs. 26.8%, p=0.030). Median time from diagnosis to intervention was longer for patients treated with ponatinib compared with those treated with allogeneic SCT in CP-CML (58 vs. 32 months, p=0.029), but not significantly different in AP-CML (80 vs. 49 months, p=0.075) nor Ph+ ALL (17 vs. 10 months, p=0.212). This period was nominally shorter for the ponatinib cohort in BP-CML (26 vs. 43 months, p=0.340). Over 93% of patients in both treatment cohorts in all disease phases reported previous use of imatinib. Adjusted median OS was significantly longer in CP-CML patients treated with ponatinib as opposed to allogeneic SCT patients (KM median: not reached [NR] vs. 103.3 months, p=0.013), with a hazard ratio (HR) of 0.37 (95% CI: 0.16, 0.84, p=0.017). Median OS was not significantly different between the two treatment groups in patients with AP-CML (NR vs. 55.6 months, p=0.889; HR=0.90 [95% CI: 0.20, 4.10, p=0.889]). However, among patients with BP-CML, ponatinib was associated with significantly shorter OS compared with allogeneic SCT: median 7.0 vs. 10.5 months (p=0.026), HR=2.29 (95% CI: 1.08, 4.82, p=0.030). Ph+ ALL patients treated with ponatinib had nominally shorter median OS than allogeneic SCT (6.7 vs. 32.4 months, p=0.119; HR=2.77 [95% CI: 0.73, 10.56, p=0.136]). See Figures 1a-1d for adjusted KM survival curves. Conclusion: AllogeneicSCT remains a potential curative therapy for patients with BP-CML. However, ponatinib was associated with significantly longer OS than allogeneic SCT in patients with CP-CML that harbor the T315I mutation and could represent a promising therapeutic alternative in this setting, although follow-up remains short to date. OS was similar between intervention groups in AP-CML and longer for allogeneic SCT patients in BP-CML and Ph+ ALL. Disclosures Nicolini: Ariad Pharmaceuticals: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau. Basak:MSD: Consultancy, Honoraria; Astellas: Honoraria; Sanofi: Honoraria; Pierre-Fabre: Honoraria. Kim:Pfizer: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Il-Yang: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau. Pinilla-Ibarz:BMS: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Consultancy; ARIAD: Consultancy; Pfizer: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau. Apperley:ARIAD: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Pfizer: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; BMS: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau. Hughes:Novartis: Honoraria, Research Funding; BMS: Honoraria, Research Funding; ARIAD: Honoraria, Research Funding. Niederwieser:Novartis: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau. Mauro:Ariad: Consultancy; Pfizer: Consultancy; Novartis Pharmaceutical Corporation: Consultancy, Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy. Chuah:Bristol-Myers Squibb: Honoraria; Novartis: Honoraria; Chiltern International: Honoraria. Hochhaus:Pfizer: Honoraria, Research Funding; Novartis: Honoraria, Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Honoraria, Research Funding; ARIAD: Honoraria, Research Funding. Martinelli:Novartis: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; MSD: Consultancy; Pfizer: Consultancy; Ariad: Consultancy; ROCHE: Consultancy; BMS: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; AMGEN: Consultancy. DerSarkissian:ARIAD: Research Funding. Kageleiry:ARIAD: Research Funding. Yang:ARIAD: Employment. Huang:ARIAD: Employment, Equity Ownership. McGarry:ARIAD: Employment, Equity Ownership. Cortes:Pfizer: Consultancy, Research Funding; BMS: Consultancy, Research Funding; BerGenBio AS: Research Funding; Teva: Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy, Research Funding; Ariad: Consultancy, Research Funding; Astellas: Consultancy, Research Funding; Ambit: Consultancy, Research Funding; Arog: Research Funding; Celator: Research Funding; Jenssen: Consultancy.

Description: Background: The BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase inhibitor nilotinib elicits faster and deeper molecular responses (MRs) vs imatinib in patients with CML-CP. Achievement of sustained deep MR is associated with improved long-term outcomes and is a key criterion for entry into treatment-free remission (TFR) studies. Given the importance of accurately measuring deep MR in patients with CML, increasingly sensitive techniques are needed for monitoring minimal residual disease. In ENESTnext, MR to nilotinib was assessed using conventional methodology (real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction [RQ-PCR]) and a novel microfluidic digital PCR assay that is 〉 1 log more sensitive than standard RQ-PCR. Methods: In this single-arm, open-label, multicenter study (NCT01227577), adults with CML-CP diagnosed within 6 months of enrollment were treated with nilotinib 300 mg twice daily (BID) for up to 2 years. Dose escalation to nilotinib 400 mg BID for patients with suboptimal response or treatment failure (per modified European LeukemiaNet 2009 recommendations) was permitted per physician discretion. RQ-PCR evaluation of peripheral blood samples was performed by a central laboratory (monthly for the first 3 months and every 3 months thereafter) according to the International Scale (IS). The primary endpoint is the rate of confirmed (≥ 2 samples taken 3 months apart) MR4.5 (≥ 4.5-log reduction of BCR-ABL transcript levels; BCR-ABLIS ≤ 0.0032%) with 2 years of nilotinib therapy; complete cytogenetic response (CCyR) and major MR (MMR; 3-log reduction of BCR-ABL transcript levels; BCR-ABLIS ≤ 0.1%) were evaluated as secondary endpoints. Per protocol, assessment of cytogenetic response was not required at specified time points for all patients on study. In an exploratory analysis, samples from patients with confirmed MR4.5by conventional RQ-PCR were also evaluated using the more sensitive Fluidigm digital PCR platform. The data cutoff date for this analysis was April 30, 2014. Results: A total of 128 patients were enrolled (median age, 56.5 years [range, 21.0-89.0 years]); 64 patients (50.0%) were male and 103 (80.5%) were Caucasian. As of the data cutoff, 45 patients (35.2%) had completed the study, 49 (38.3%) remained on treatment, and 34 (26.6%) had discontinued early. With a median treatment duration of 12.7 months, 88 (68.8%), 94 (73.4%), and 32 (25.0%) patients achieved CCyR, MMR, and MR4.5, respectively, at any time (Table). Of 32 patients who achieved MR4.5, 14 achieved MR4.5 by 6 months. A total of 169 samples from 32 patients with confirmed MR4.5 by conventional RQ-PCR were analyzed by digital PCR. Using the digital PCR platform, 6 of these patients initially had detectable BCR-ABL transcripts that subsequently became undetectable with continued nilotinib therapy. Of the remaining 26 patients, 12 had BCR-ABL transcripts that were initially undetectable and remained undetectable by digital PCR, 12 had detectable BCR-ABL transcripts that remained detectable, and 2 had undetectable BCR-ABL transcripts that became detectable. The most common (≥ 4 patients) grade 3/4 adverse events (AEs) regardless of relationship to study drug were increased lipase (n = 14), thrombocytopenia (n = 11), neutropenia (n = 8), hypophosphatemia (n = 5), anemia (n = 4), and nausea (n = 4). Reasons for study discontinuation were AEs (n = 15), unsatisfactory therapeutic effect (n = 5), withdrawn consent (n = 4), death (n = 3; causes of death were other malignancy, pneumonia, and not specified/no AE [n = 1 each]), protocol deviation (n = 3), abnormal laboratory values (n = 2), loss to follow-up (n = 1), and administrative problems (n = 1). Conclusions: Frontline treatment with nilotinib 300 mg BID in patients with newly diagnosed CML-CP led to rapid achievement of MR4.5 as assessed with conventional RQ-PCR. As 〉 40% of samples with at least MR4.5according to standard RQ-PCR were positive using the digital PCR assay, this tool may have potential in evaluating MR to determine eligibility for TFR studies. Table Response CCyRa MMR MR4.5 Patients with response, n (%) 88 (68.8) 94 (73.4) 32 (25.0) Time to response, n (%) 〈 3 mo 26 (20.3) 21 (16.4) 2 (1.6) 3 to 〈 6 mo 42 (32.8) 41 (32.0) 12 (9.4) 6 to 〈 12 mo 16 (12.5) 22 (17.2) 11 (8.6) 12 to 〈 18 mo 4 (3.1) 9 (7.0) 7 (5.5) ≥ 18 mo 0 1 (0.8) 0 a Cytogenetic response was not assessed in all patients at all time points. Disclosures Mauro: Novartis Oncology: Consultancy; Bristol Myers Squibb: Consultancy; Ariad: Consultancy; Pfizer: Consultancy. Cortes:Ariad: Consultancy, Research Funding; BMS: Consultancy, Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy, Research Funding; Pfizer: Consultancy, Research Funding; Teva: Consultancy, Research Funding. Rizzieri:Sanofi: Consultancy; Celgene: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau. Keir:Novartis: Employment, Equity Ownership. Yi:Novartis Pharmaceuticals: Employment. Heinrich:Novartis: Consultancy, Patents & Royalties, Research Funding; MolecularMD: Consultancy, Equity Ownership. Goldberg:Novartis: Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Bristol Myers Squibb: Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Ariad: Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Pfizer: Research Funding. Kuriakose:Teva: Speakers Bureau; Alexion: Speakers Bureau. Radich:Novartis: Consultancy, Research Funding; Ariad: Consultancy.

Description: In clinical practice, leukocytosis is often overlooked after infectious and hematologic disease are ruled out, particularly in patients with solid tumors. This is unfortunate, as the mechanisms that mediate paraneoplastic leukocytosis may play a significant role in the underlying pathophysiology of cancer progression and prognosis. The relatively new discovery of neutrophilic and monocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and their role in mediating tumor metastasis has particularly shed light into this process [Annu Rev Med, 66:97-110 (2015)]. Here, we present the case of a 58-year old gentleman with non-small cell lung cancer complicated by brain metastasis, status post resection who presented with sepsis and acute kidney injury (AKI) requiring ICU care for worsening AKI, hypoxic respiratory failure and leukocytosis. His peak WBC count, absolute neutrophilia and monocytosis were: 178.1, 172.7 and 4.2k/µL, respectively. His peripheral blood smear revealed mature neutrophils with left-shift and no blast forms. The underlying etiology of his leukocytosis was initially attributed to steroids administration and infection (Figure 1). His leukocytosis progressed, however, despite improvement in his sepsis and tapering of his steroids. Thus, we suspected either an evolving hematologic neoplasm or exogenous secretion of G-CSF by his tumor. Nonetheless, given his worsening clinical status, we initiated empiric hydroxyurea and leukapheresis. His FISH and PCR for BCR-ABL were negative in addition to the absence of leukemia-associated mutations and gene fusions and a normal phenotype by flow cytometry. However, we detected the highest documented level of G-CSF secreted by any tumor in the literature at 41,108.6pg/mL (normal

Description: Introduction: Pregnancy requires, and is an important motivator of tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) cessation in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). While conventional treatment free remission (TFR) attempts may allow observation of limited rise in BCR-ABL prior to expected TKI re-exposure, TKI cessation in pregnancy affords longer observation of BCR-ABL kinetics without automatic TKI re-exposure. Mathematical models and clinical observation of BCR-ABL kinetic rise during TKI discontinuation or planned cessation estimate of 'doubling time' (DT) of roughly 9 days (Branford et al., Blood 2012). In order to explore the impact of pregnancy, we studied BCR-ABL kinetics and response stability during and after pregnancy. Methods: We collected cases of successful pregnancies (conception-〉childbirth) at 4 CML referral centers including the following conditions: 1/conception occurring while on TKI therapy; 2/TKI therapy stopped for the purpose of conception; and 3/ pregnancy during TKI cessation within a TFR clinical trial. Cases with early spontaneous/elective abortion, treated with interferon during pregnancy or with less than 2 BCR-ABL transcripts recorded during pregnancy were excluded. Doubling time (DT) was calculated using the following formula: DT = ln2/k, where k = (ln(b)-ln(a))/d, where (a) and (b) is the value before the rise and at the rise, and (d) is days. Results: In total 50 pregnancies in 39 patients were analyzed; 10 patients had 〉1 pregnancy. Four pregnancies were in the context of TFR study (2 enrolled at conception, 1 patient 28mo in TFR, 1 patient 5mo in TFR). The majority of cases were on first-line treatment at TKI cessation and median duration of TKI therapy was 6.4 years (range 0.5-16.2); 58% were in deeper molecular response (MR4 or deeper) and 34% in major molecular response (MMR) at TKI cessation. Patient characteristics are summarized in Table 1. Median time off TKI was 10.1 months (range 5.4-71.5). Of 44 pregnancy cases within MMR or deeper at TKI cessation, 54.5% maintained MMR or greater; 60.7% of those in MR4 or deeper and 43.7% for those in MMR, respectively. Several cases were associated with decline in BCR-ABL off TKI: 2 cases of improvement from MMR to deep MR (MR5), and among 4 cases not in MMR at TKI cessation, 1 achieved MMR during pregnancy (Table 2). BCR-ABL rise in 2 or more consecutive measurements, and at least one measurement of rise defined as more than 2-fold increase, was observed in 24 patients. The median BCR-ABL doubling time among 54 such instances in these 24 patients was 18.3 days (range 1.8-306.8). Of 20 cases that lost MMR during pregnancy, 17 met these criterions for BCR-ABL rise; the median doubling time among 40 such instances in these cases was 14.7 days (1.8-306.8). Postpartum (n=48), 34 cases have been retreated to date; 14 others remain off therapy with ongoing deep MR (MR5) in 6 cases, MMR in 6 and BCR-ABL

Description: Background: Among the most frequent and challenging hematologic manifestations of myelofibrosis (MF) are anemia and thrombocytopenia, the presence of which portends an adverse outcome. Few effective modalities to address these cytopenias exist, particularly thrombocytopenia. Further, although the FDA-approved JAK1/2 inhibitor Ruxolitinib (RUX) has demonstrated significant clinical efficacy in MF patients, RUX frequently results in anemia and thrombocytopenia. Thrombocytopenia in particular often results in dose attenuation of RUX. Thalidomide (THAL) is a first-in-class immunomodulatory agent. Studies of THAL in MF patients, alone and with prednisone, have demonstrated improvements in anemia and thrombocytopenia. We therefore sought to examine whether combination of RUX and THAL could result in improvement in both disease-related and therapy-related cytopenias, as well as improve overall disease response in patients with MF. Here we report initial analysis of this study (NCT03069326). Methods: We conducted a multicenter two stage phase II trial designed to assess the effect of RUX and THAL combination in subjects with primary, post-polycythemia vera, or post-essential thrombocythemia myelofibrosis. Patients taking RUX at the time of enrollment must have had less than PR per IWG-MRT/ELN 2013 criteria, or be refractory, to RUX single-agent therapy. Patients must have been taking RUX for a minimum of 3 months, and must have been on a stable dose of RUX for a minimum of 4 weeks immediately prior to enrollment. Treatment-naïve patients received single-agent RUX for 3 months (run-in phase) per label, and went on to combination therapy if they achieved less then a PR per IWG-MRT/ELN criteria. Each cycle of therapy was 28 days. Response assessment was evaluated according to the IWG-MRT/ELN 2013 criteria. Platelet response criteria in patients with baseline thrombocytopenia (less than lower limit of normal) included: Major response (≥75% increase in platelet count), Intermediate Response (≥50% increase) and Minor Response (≥25% increase). Adverse events were assessed using the NCI CTCAE v. 4.0. The primary endpoint was the proportion of treated subjects that achieved a response by IWG-MRT criteria and by platelet response criteria. Results: A total of 25 patients are planned to be accrued. At the time of this writing, a total of 18 patients have been accrued. The median age was 70.5 years (47-85). 8 patients had received prior therapies other than RUX, including imetelstat, momelotinib, danazol, pomalidomide, darbepoetin alpha and sotatercept. 7 patients enrolled to the run-in phase. 14 patients received red blood cell transfusions prior to study enrollment. Evaluation of platelet count in patients with baseline thrombocytopenia demonstrated a significant increase in platelet count at cycle 3 of therapy compared to baseline (Figure 1A and B; P

Description: The BCR–ABL T315I mutation represents a major mechanism of resistance to tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). The objectives of this retrospective observational study were to estimate overall and progression-free survival for chronic myeloid leukemia in chronic-phase (CP), accelerated-phase (AP), or blastic-phase (BP) and Philadelphia chromosome—positive (Ph)+ acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients with T315I mutation. Medical records of 222 patients from 9 countries were reviewed; data were analyzed using log-rank tests and Cox proportional hazard models. Median age at T315I mutation detection was 54 years; 57% cases were men. Median time between TKI treatment initiation and T315I mutation detection was 29.2, 15.4, 5.8, and 9.1 months, respectively, for CP, AP, BP, and Ph+ ALL patients. After T315I mutation detection, second-generation TKIs were used in 56% of cases, hydroxyurea in 39%, imatinib in 35%, cytarabine in 26%, MK-0457 in 11%, stem cell transplantation in 17%, and interferon-α in 6% of cases. Median overall survival from T315I mutation detection was 22.4, 28.4, 4.0, and 4.9 months, and median progression-free survival was 11.5, 22.2, 1.8, and 2.5 months, respectively, for CP, AP, BP, and Ph+ ALL patients. These results confirm that survival of patients harboring a T315I mutation is dependent on disease phase at the time of mutation detection.

Description: Although targeted inhibition of BCR-ABL with imatinib is an effective therapy for patients with chronic myeloid leukemia, a minority acquire mutations in the kinase domain (KD) that cause imatinib resistance. The spectrum of KD mutations thus far discovered, although quite heterogeneous, includes almost exclusively single nucleotide substitutions in key amino acids regulating drug binding or BCR-ABL function. Here, we describe a KD insertion/truncation mutation in 3 CML patients undergoing kinase inhibitor therapy. Two of these patients were being treated with imatinib (for 12 and 17 months), and one with dasatinib (for 13 months after a prior relapse while on imatinib). Suspected drug resistance was assessed by direct DNA sequencing of a BCR-ABL PCR product extending to the end of the kinase domain. Each of these 3 patients had 35 nucleotides from ABL intron 8 inserted at the normal exon 8–9 splice junction, after nucleotide 1423 (amino acid 475) of Genbank cDNA clone NM_005157. In all 3 cases, the mutation was co-expressed with wild type BCR-ABL sequence. The inserted sequence is derived from intron 8, beginning 1151 bp downstream from the normal splice donor site at the end of exon 8. This 35 bp intronic sequence is flanked by excellent consensus splice donor and acceptor sequences, suggesting alternative splicing as the likely mutational mechanism. The insertion creates a premature translational stop codon after 10 intron-encoded amino acids (figure), thus truncating 653 C-terminal amino acids including part of the KD and the entire last exon region - including a proline-rich domain, 3 nuclear localization signals, a DNA-binding domain, an actin-binding domain, and a nuclear export signal. These 3 insertion mutation cases were detected in our diagnostic clinical molecular pathology laboratory after sequencing 174 cases referred to us for suspected kinase inhibitor resistance, 78 of which contained a detectable mutation. The estimated prevalence of the exon 8/9 insertion/truncation mutation is then approximately 1.7% among patients with suspected drug resistance, and this mutation constitutes approximately 3.8% of all mutations. Conclusion: Kinase domain insertions are an alternative (and not entirely uncommon) mutational mechanism in CML patients undergoing kinase inhibitor therapy. The functional significance in terms of kinase activity and drug resistance remains to be addressed. Figure: Amino acid sequence of the C-terminus of the BCR-ABL kinase domain for the wild type and insertion/truncation mutant (with numbering as per GenBank cDNA clone NM_005157). Figure: Amino acid sequence of the C-terminus of the BCR-ABL kinase domain for the wild type and insertion/truncation mutant (with numbering as per GenBank cDNA clone NM_005157).

Description: Background : Imatinib induces a complete cytogenetic response (CCR) in the majority of patients with chronic phase CML. CCR is durable in the majority of patients, but relapse occurs in a subset. To determine the potential of quantitative RT-PCR (qPCR) of BCR-ABL to predict cytogenetic relapse, we serially monitored residual disease in 90 CML patients with an imatinib-induced CCR. Methods and patients : mRNA was prepared from total nucleated cells from blood or bone marrow, and cDNA was synthesized using random hexamer primers. Relative BCR-ABL expression was then measured by real-time fluorescent PCR normalized for G6PDH expression. This assay has a detection limit of 1 CML cell in 100,000 and an analytical precision of 6% (CV). At the start of imatinib therapy, 85% of patients were in chronic phase, at a median 9.5 months after diagnosis. Patients were treated with imatinib alone (64%) or in combination with interferon or cytarabine (32%). One patient each was treated with imatinib in combination with either the farnesyltransferase inhibitor tipifarnib, donor leukocytes (after allogeneic BMT), or an experimental heat shock protein (hsp70) vaccine. During the imatinib follow-up time of 28 months (median), disease monitoring occurred by cytogenetics and qPCR (median 6 samples per patient). The CCR was achieved after 9.7 months (median) of imatinib therapy. Results : At the time of first achieving CCR, BCR-ABL RNA levels had decreased by a median of 1.8 logs below the median baseline level. During further follow-up, 26 patients (29%) experienced cytogenetic relapse (defined as any Ph-positive metaphase cell) at a median 6.0 months after CCR and a median 20 months after starting imatinib. There was no difference in the imatinib treatment time, the time to achieve CCR, or the post-CCR follow-up period between the patients with and without subsequent cytogenetic progression. qPCR data at the time of first CCR were available for 78 patients, including 25 of 26 with a subsequent cytogenetic relapse. The reduction of BCR-ABL RNA at the time of first achieving CCR was significantly less in those patients with a subsequent cytogenetic relapse (median 1.4 log) compared to those with a sustained CCR (median 2.0 log) (P=0.002). In the 64 patients with a sustained CCR, the molecular response progressively improved over time to reach a median reduction of 4.0 log at 15 months after CCR. Of the 29 patients achieving at least a 2 log reduction of BCR-ABL RNA at the time of first reaching CCR, only 3 (10%) had a subsequent cytogenetic relapse. In comparison, 22 of 49 patients (45%) with a less than 2 log reduction at the time of achieving CCR had a subsequent cytogenetic relapse (odds ratio = 7.1; 95% CI 1.9–26). At the time of first achieving CCR, a reduction in BCR-ABL RNA of less than 2 logs thus had a diagnostic sensitivity of 88% and a diagnostic specificity of 49% for predicting subsequent cytogenetic relapse. Conclusions : We conclude that, in the majority of imatinib-treated CML patients reaching CCR, the level of BCR-ABL RNA at the time that the CCR is first achieved is a sensitive predictor of the durability of the CCR. The availability of a laboratory marker capable of stratifying the subsequent risk of disease progression (early in remission) will be useful in targeting additional (or alternative) therapies to those patients with the highest risk.