ALBERT

Description: The International Prognostic Risk Index (IPI) offers the most important prognostic information in patients with aggressive non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL). Risk classification is based on presence or absence of age 〉60 yr, stage III or IV, more than one extranodal site, performance score 2–4, or elevated serum LDH above the upper limit of normal (ULN). Because each factor confers a more or less equal independent risk for treatment outcome, they are summed to generate a final IPI risk score (Shipp model). Dichotomization of the continuous variable age is practical, as treatment for patients 〉60 yr often differs from younger ones. However, as LDH also is a continuous variable we wondered if risk based on actual LDH, especially in patients with highly elevated levels, would have additional prognostic impact. IPI risk factors including actual serum LDH at diagnosis were retrieved from 1286 patients (28% 〉60 yr) with advanced aggressive NHL and treated with curative intent in 6 clinical trials conducted by HOVON (5 trials) and EORTC (1 trial). All LDH ULNs from the participating centers were verified. LDH levels were divided by the ULN of each center to generate normalized ratios. Six % of patients had LDH 〉5 times ULN, 8% 3–5 times, 11% 2–3 times, 34% 1–2 times, 20% 0.75–1 times and 20% had levels below 0.75 of ULN. In a multivariate Cox regression model similar independent hazard ratios (HR) ranging from 1.6 to 2.6 were found for the individual dichotomized risk factors according to the Shipp model except for the number of extranodal sites which turned out to be non-significant. This factor was with a HR of 1.4 also the least predictive factor in the Shipp model. In contrast to the dichotomized LDH variable (normal versus elevated), risk for inferior outcome increased linearly with actual LDH levels. Five year OS estimates were 71% for patients with LDH 5 x ULN. The HR for these groups were respectively 0.54, 1, 1.45, 2.46, 2.54 and 5.15. This analysis using actual LDH values gave a better discrimination as compared to the HR of 2.6 (95% CI 2.1–3.1) for the dichotomized LDH (i.e. normal versus elevated) in multivariate analysis. Interestingly, the 235 patients with very low LDH (

Description: The randomized, open-label, phase III trial HOVON-65/GMMG-HD4 was designed to evaluate the efficacy of bortezomib prior to HDM for response and progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with newly diagnosed MM. The trial was performed in 75 referral centers in the Netherlands and Belgium (HOVON group) and Germany (GMMG group). Patients with Salmon & Durie (SD) stage II or III, age 18–65 years inclusive, were randomly assigned to 3 cycles of VAD (vincristine 0.4 mg, adriamycine 9 mg/m2 days 1–4, dexamethasone 40 mg days 1–4, 9–12, and 17–20) or PAD (bortezomib 1.3 mg/m2 days 1,4,8,11, adriamycine 9 mg/m2 days 1–4, dexamethasone 40 mg days 1–4, 9–12, and 17–20). No thrombosis prophylaxis was given. Stem cells were mobilized using the CAD regimen, including cyclophosphamide 1000 mg/m2 iv day 1, and G-CSF. After induction therapy, all patients were to receive 1 or 2 cycles of high-dose melphalan (HDM) 200 mg/m2 with autologous stem cell rescue followed by maintenance with thalidomide 50 mg daily (VAD arm) or bortezomib, 1.3 mg/m2 once every 2 weeks (PAD arm) for 2 years. Between May 4, 2005 and May 16, 2008, 833 patients were randomized. After the trial was closed, we here report the planned interim analysis data on response after induction and HDM-1 of the initial 150 (75 per arm) randomized patients. The data of the initial 300 registered patients (150 per arm) will be available by November 1, 2008 and presented. The 2 randomization arms were equal for SD stage of disease, ISS stage, and distribution of chromosomal abnormalities. 134 patients (89%) completed PAD/VAD and 130 patients (87%) completed HDM-1, with no difference between the treatment arms. Full dose bortezomib could be administered in 95 % (PAD1), 79 % (PAD2) and 85 % (PAD3) of patients. Successful stem cell apheresis was achieved in all 132 patients who received CAD. Adverse events CTC grade 2–4 during PAD vs VAD included neurologic or polyneuropathy (PNP) 38% vs 21 %, constitutional symptoms 30 % vs 24 %. PNP of CTC grade 1–4 was more frequent in the PAD arm (p=0.01), while DVT/pulmonary embolism was diagnosed in 10 % during VAD and 6 % during PAD. Responses were assessed according to EBMT criteria including VGPR after PAD/VAD, after HDM-1 and best response on protocol treatment. Complete Response (CR), Very Good Partial Response (VGPR) and Partial Response (PR) in both arms were compared by logistic regression (table 1) Response ITT (%) PAD VAD p-value PAD+ HDM-1 VAD+ HDM-1 p-value CR 5 0 0.06 15 4 0.05 ≥VGPR 41 17 0.001 59 47 0.14 ≥PR 80 64 0.03 92 77 0.01 The (preliminary) overall complete response rate including maintenance was 27 % (PAD arm) and 5% (VAD arm) (p=0.001). Deletion of chromosome 13q did not have a significant impact on response. We conclude that PAD induces significantly more PR+VGPR+CR as compared with VAD, and that this effect is sustained after HDM-1. This trial was supported by the Dutch Cancer Foundation (EudraCT nr 2004-000944-26), the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research and a grant from Johnson and Johnson

Description: Abstract 323 Event-free survival (EFS) at 5 years in pediatric ALL is 〉 80% with dose intensive multi-agent chemotherapy. In contrast, adult ALL still has an unsatisfactory outcome, which may partly be due to less cumulative dosing of chemotherapeutic agents and less strict adherence to timing of successive cycles of chemotherapy. Given the earlier reported feasibility of pediatric schedules in adolescent patients, the HOVON group performed a prospective multicenter phase II trial to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of an intensified treatment regimen in adult patients with newly diagnosed ALL aged 18–40 years. The treatment regimen was based on the French FRALLE-2000 protocol, including dose intensification for steroids, vincristine, L-asparaginase, and high dose methotrexate (MTX). Fifty-four patients, median age 26 years (range 17–39) were enrolled in 15 centres in the Netherlands and Belgium between December 2005 and August 2007. After a prednisolon prephase and a multidrug remission-induction (prednisolon, daunorubicin, vincristine, cyclophosphamide and L-asparaginase), patients received consolidation containing 5000 mg/m2 MTX twice, two intensifications with intensified L-asparaginase, interspersed by an interphase with again two times high dose MTX, and maintenance chemotherapy (oral MTX and 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP) with reinduction with vincristine and prednisolon) for two years. CNS prophylaxis with MTX was delivered intrathecally 18 times. Standard risk patients with an HLA-identical sibling stem cell donor proceeded to allogeneic stem cell transplantation (alloSCT) after the first intensification, high risk patients received alloSCT from either sibling or unrelated donors. Adherence to the treatment schedule was urged by defining a strict timetable. Feasibility was defined by completion of chemotherapeutic and alloSCT protocol treatment within this a pre-defined timeframe. Thirty-five patients (65%) had B-cell phenotype ALL, 17 (31%) had T-cell phenotype and 2 (4%) had biphenotypic leukemia. Moreover, 23 patients (43%) had high risk disease, of whom 9 patients with BCR-ABL positive ALL. In total 33 patients fully completed treatment as scheduled, including 18 alloSCT recipients. Complete remission (CR) was achieved in 91% (95% CI: 80–97). After a median follow-up of 26 months (range 15–36 months), 2-year event-free-survival (EFS) is 68% (95% CI: 53–78), 2-year disease free survival (DFS) 74% (95% CI: 59–84) and the 2-year overall survival (OS) 70% (95% CI: 55–81). Fifteen patients (28%) died, including 8 due to relapsed/refractory ALL, 3 due to infection, 3 due to toxicity and 1 due to graft versus host disease. CTC grade 4-5 toxicities (mainly liver/kidney function abnormalities and peripheral neuropathy) were observed in 15% during induction and 13% during consolidation. Severe infections (CTC grade 3-4) primarily occurred during induction (41%) and consolidation (39%). Failures were due to not reaching CR in 5 patients, early relapse in 2, severe extramedullary drug toxicity in 3, excessive delay in 7 and other reasons not otherwise specified (but most likely due to toxicity) in 4 patients. In conclusion, these data show that a dose-intensified chemotherapeutic regimen based on a pediatric schedule is safe and feasible in most adult ALL patients up to the age of 40, although a delay of subsequent cycles was frequently observed. Early efficacy data suggest a high CR rate and favourable DFS and OS. Based on this experience, a randomised phase III trial has recently been initiated. This trial was supported by the Dutch Cancer Foundation (CKTO 2005-08), EudraCT number 2005-000919-96 Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Description: Typical investment and operating costs for geothermal power plants employing binary cycle technology and utilizing the heat energy in liquid-dominated reservoirs are discussed. These costs are developed as a function of reservoir temperature. The factors involved in optimizing plant design are discussed. A relationship between the value of electrical energy and the value of the heat energy in the reservoir is suggested.