Transplante de progenitores hematopoyéticos (TPH) alogénico no mieloablativo

El objetivo de este trabajo es investigar la toxicidad y demostrar la factibilidad y eficacia del injerto hematopoyético proveniente de un donante emparentado HLA-idéntico tras un acondicionamiento no mieloablativo en pacientes con enfermedades hematológicas de alto riesgo. Incluye 37 pacientes a los que se les realizó un TPH de sangre periférica procedente de un hermano HLA-idéntico. La mediana de células mononucleadas, CD3+ y CD34+ infundidas fue de 4,7 (1–9,7) x 108/Kg, 5,8 (1–36,3) x 107/Kg y 3,1 (1,3–9) x 106/Kg, respectivamente. La recuperación de neutrófilos se produjo en 17 días tras la infusión (7-39) y de plaquetas en 15 días (9-96). En la mayoría de pacientes se detectó un quimerismo mixto que pasó a completo a los 3 meses del trasplante; 9 pacientes precisaron la infusión de linfocitos del donante. Presentaron EICH aguda 16 pacientes (42%) (7 de ellos grados III-IV), 2 desarrollaron enfermedad venoclusiva hepática y 9 EICH crónica. Tras una mediana de seguimiento de 20 meses, 14 pacientes (38%) siguen vivos; 23 han fallecido (62%), 9 (24%) por progresión, 6 (16%) por EICH aguda y 8 (22%) por otras complicaciones. La supervivencia global actuarial a 2 años es del 32% (16-49 meses) y la supervivencia libre de progresión del 60% (43-77 meses). Se demuestra que la combinación de un acondicionamiento no mieloablativo con citostáticos y drogas inmunosupresoras produce una toxicidad moderada y permite el injerto con quimerismo total, en pacientes no candidatos a trasplante convencional por enfermedad de alto riesgo y presencia de comorbilidades asociadas.The aim of this paper is to investigate the toxicity and demonstrate the feasibility and efficacy of hematopoietic graft from an HLA-identical related donor after non-myeloablative conditioning in patients with high-risk hematological diseases. Includes 37 patients who underwent a peripheral blood HSCT from HLA-identical sibling. The median of infused mononuclear cells, CD 3 + cells and CD 34 + cells, was 4.7 (1-9.7) x 108/Kg, 5,8 (1-36.3) x 107/Kg and 3.1 (1 .3-9) x 106/Kg, respectively. Neutrophil recovery occurred at 17 days postinfusion (7-9) and platelets at 15 post-infusion. In most patients detected a mixed chimerism became a full three months after transplantation, nine patients required donor lymphocyte infusion. The majority of which became fully mixed at 3 months after transplantation, 9 patients required the infusion of donor lymphocytes. Sixteen patients presented acute GVHD (42%) (7 of them grade III-IV), 2 developed hepatic veno-occlusive disease and 9 chronic GVHD. After a median follow up of 20 months, 14 patients (38%) are alive, 23 have died (62%), 9 (24%) for progression, 6 (16%) for acute GVHD and 8 (22%) for further complications. Overall survival actuarial 2 years is 32% (16-49 months) and progression-free survival of 60% (43-77 months). It is shown that the combination of a non-myeloablative conditioning with cytostatic and immunosuppressive drugs produces a moderate toxicity and allows the graft with total chimerism in patients not candidates for conventional transplantation high-risk disease and presence of comorbidities

RT-PCR multiplex para la detección simultánea de las mutaciones FLT3-ITD/NPM-1/AML1-ETO asociadas a Leucemia Mieloide Aguda

La Leucemia Mieloide Aguda (LMA) representa un grupo de neoplasias muy heterogéneo. Las aberraciones citogenéticas detectadas en el momento del diagnóstico son el marcador pronóstico más comúnmente utilizado. Sin embargo, el 20% de los casos de LMA presentan un cariotipo normal. Dentro de este grupo de pacientes la presencia de mutaciones del tipo FLT3-ITD se considera de mal pronóstico. Sin embargo, la presencia de la mutación NMP1 o AML1-ETO se asocia a un mejor pronóstico. En este contexto, el objetivo de este trabajo es el desarrollo de una técnica de diagnóstico molecular hematológico, que permita la detección simultánea de mutaciones para estos tres genes. Hemos desarrollado un método basado en la reacción en cadena de la polimerasa (PCR) que permite amplificar y visualizar simultáneamente estos 3 marcadores tanto desde ARN (un paso) como desde ADNc (dos pasos). De las 28 muestras analizadas, 6 (21,42 %) muestras fueron positivas para FLT3-ITD, 7 para NPM-1 (25%) y otras 4 (14,28) para AML1-ETO. Al comparar ambos métodos (ADNc vs ARN) con métodos convencionales los resultados de las 28 muestras estudiadas fue equivalente en el 100% de los casos, demostrando la robustez de los mismos.Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous group of neoplasms. The cytogenetic aberrations detected at the time of diagnosis are most commonly used as prognostic marker. However, 20% of AML patients exhibit a normal karyotype. Within this group of patients the presence of FLT3 -ITD mutations type is considered of poor prognosis. However, the presence of AML1 –ETO or NMP-1 or mutation is associated with a better prognosis. In this context, the aim of this work is to develop a technique of molecular diagnostic in hematology, allowing the simultaneous detection of mutations for these three genes. We have developed a method based on PCR that simultaneously amplifies and visualizes these three molecular markers both from RNA (one- step) and from cDNA (step two). Of the 28 samples tested, 6 (21.42%) samples were positive for FLT3 -ITD, 7 for NPM- 1 (25% ) and 4 ( 14,28 ) for AML1 -ETO . When comparing the two methods (cDNA vs RNA) by conventional techniques the obtained results from the 28 samples tested was equivalent in 100% of cases, demonstrating the robustness of this development

Phase IV open-label study of the efficacy and safety of deferasirox after allogeneic stem cell transplantation

This is the first prospective study of deferasirox in adult allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients with transfusional iron overload in hematologic malignancies. Patients at least six months post transplant were treated with deferasirox at a starting dose of 10 mg/kg/day for 52 weeks or until serum ferritin was less than 400 ng/mL on two consecutive occasions. Thirty patients were enrolled and 22 completed the study. A significant reduction from baseline in median serum ferritin and in liver iron concentration at 52 weeks was observed in the overall population: from 1440 to 755.5 ng/mL (P=0.002) and from 14.5 to 4.6 mg Fe/g dw (P=0.0007), respectively. Reduction in serum ferritin in patients who did not discontinue deferasirox therapy was significantly greater than that found in those who prematurely discontinued the treatment (from 1541 to 581 ng/mL vs. from 1416 to 1486 ng/mL; P=0.008). Drug-related adverse events, reported in 17 patients (56.7%), were mostly mild to moderate in severity. There were no drug-related serious adverse events. Twelve patients (40.0%) showed an increase of over 33% in serum creatinine compared to baseline and greater than the upper limit of normal on two consecutive visits. Two patients (6.7%) with active graft-versus-host disease showed an increase in alanine aminotransferase exceeding 10 times upper limit of normal; both resolved. In this prospective study, deferasirox provided a significant reduction in serum ferritin and liver iron concentration over one year of treatment in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients with iron overload. In addition, the majority of adverse events related to deferasirox were mild or moderate in severity

Single versus tandem autologous stem-cell transplantation in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma and high-risk cytogenetics. A retrospective, open-label study of the PETHEMA/Spanish Myeloma Group (GEM)

Tandem ASCT has been suggested as a valid approach to improve the prognosis of patients with MM and HR cytogenetic. In this observational, retrospective study, 213 patients with newly diagnosed MM and HR cytogenetic in 35 hospitals from the Spanish Myeloma Group underwent single or tandem ASCT between January 2015 and December 2019 after induction with VTD/VRD. HR cytogenetic was defined as having ≥1 of the following: del17p, t(4;14), t(14;16) or gain 1q21. More patients in the tandem group had R-ISS 3 and >1 cytogenetic abnormality at diagnosis. With a median follow-up of 31 months (range, 10–82), PFS after single ASCT was 41 months versus 48 months with tandem ASCT (p = 0.33). PFS in patients with del17p undergoing single ASCT was 41 months, while 52% of patients undergoing tandem ASCT were alive and disease free at 48 months. In conclusion, tandem ASCT partly overcomes the bad prognosis of HR cytogenetic

The lincRNA HOTAIRM1, located in the HOXA genomic region, is expressed in acute myeloid leukemia, impacts prognosis in patients in the intermediate-risk cytogenetic category, and is associated with a distinctive microRNA signature

Altres ajuts: SDCSD from School of Medicine, University of BarcelonaLong non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are deregulated in several tumors, although their role in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is mostly unknown.We have examined the expression of the lncRNA HOX antisense intergenic RNA myeloid 1 (HOTAIRM1) in 241 AML patients. We have correlated HOTAIRM1 expression with a miRNA expression profile. We have also analyzed the prognostic value of HOTAIRM1 expression in 215 intermediate-risk AML (IR-AML) patients.The lowest expression level was observed in acute promyelocytic leukemia (P < 0.001) and the highest in t(6;9) AML (P = 0.005). In 215 IR-AML patients, high HOTAIRM1 expression was independently associated with shorter overall survival (OR:2.04;P = 0.001), shorter leukemia-free survival (OR:2.56; P < 0.001) and a higher cumulative incidence of relapse (OR:1.67; P = 0.046). Moreover, HOTAIRM1 maintained its independent prognostic value within the favorable molecular subgroup (OR: 3.43; P = 0.009). Interestingly, HOTAIRM1 was overexpressed in NPM1-mutated AML (P < 0.001) and within this group retained its prognostic value (OR: 2.21; P = 0.01). Moreover, HOTAIRM1 expression was associated with a specific 33-microRNA signature that included miR-196b (P < 0.001). miR-196b is located in the HOX genomic region and has previously been reported to have an independent prognostic value in AML. miR-196b and HOTAIRM1 in combination as a prognostic factor can classify patients as high-, intermediate-, or low-risk (5-year OS: 24% vs 42% vs 70%; P = 0.004).Determination of HOTAIRM1 level at diagnosis provided relevant prognostic information in IR-AML and allowed refinement of risk stratification based on common molecular markers. The prognostic information provided by HOTAIRM1 was strengthened when combined with miR-196b expression. Furthermore, HOTAIRM1 correlated with a 33-miRNA signatur

Analysis of vaccine responses after anti-CD20 maintenance in B-cell lymphoma in the Balearic Islands. A single reference center experience

IntroductionThe use of maintenance approaches with anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies has improved the outcomes of B-cell indolent lymphomas but may lead to significant peripheral B-cell depletion. This depletion can potentially hinder the serological response to neoantigens.MethodsOur objective was to analyze the effect of anti-CD20 maintenance therapy in a reliable model of response to neoantigens: SARS-CoV-2 vaccine responses and the incidence/severity ofCOVID-19 in a reference hospital.ResultsIn our series (n=118), the rate of vaccination failures was 31%. Through ROC curve analysis, we determined a cutoff for SARS-CoV-2 vaccine serologic response at 24 months from the last anti-CD20 dose. The risk of severe COVID-19 was notably higher within the first 24months following the last anti-CD20 dose (52%) compared to after this period (just 18%) (p=0.007). In our survival analysis, neither vaccine response nor hypogammaglobulinemia significantly affected OS. While COVID-19 led to a modest mortality rate of 2.5%, this figure was comparable to the OS reported in the general immunocompetent population. However, most patients with hypogammaglobulinemia received intravenous immunoglobulin therapy and all were vaccinated. In conclusion, anti-CD20 maintenance therapy impairs serological responses to SARS-CoV-2 vaccines.DiscussionWe report for the first time that patients during maintenance therapy and up to 24 months after the last anti-CD20 dose are at a higher risk of vaccine failure and more severe cases of COVID-19. Nevertheless, with close monitoring, intravenous immunoglobulin supplementation or proper vaccination, the impact on survival due to the lack of serological response in this high-risk population can be mitigated, allowing for the benefits of anti-CD20 maintenance therapy, even in the presence of hypogammaglobulinemia

The expression level of BAALC-associated microRNA miR-3151 is an independent prognostic factor in younger patients with cytogenetic intermediate-risk acute myeloid leukemia

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous disease whose prognosis is mainly related to the biological risk conferred by cytogenetics and molecular profiling. In elderly patients (>= 60 years) with normal karyotype AML miR-3151 have been identified as a prognostic factor. However, miR-3151 prognostic value has not been examined in younger AML patients. In the present work, we have studied miR-3151 alone and in combination with BAALC, its host gene, in a cohort of 181 younger intermediate-risk AML (IR-AML) patients. Patients with higher expression of miR-3151 had shorter overall survival (P = 0.0025), shorter leukemia-free survival (P = 0.026) and higher cumulative incidence of relapse (P = 0.082). Moreover, in the multivariate analysis miR-3151 emerged as independent prognostic marker in both the overall series and within the unfavorable molecular prognostic category. Interestingly, the combined determination of both miR-3151 and BAALC improved this prognostic stratification, with patients with low levels of both parameters showing a better outcome compared with those patients harboring increased levels of one or both markers (P = 0.003). In addition, we studied the microRNA expression profile associated with miR-3151 identifying a six-microRNA signature. In conclusion, the analysis of miR-3151 and BAALC expression may well contribute to an improved prognostic stratification of younger patients with IR-AML

Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation in Mantle Cell Lymphoma; Insights into Its Potential Role in the Era of New Immunotherapeutic and Targeted Therapies: The GETH/GELTAMO Experience

Allo-SCT is a curative option for selected patients with relapsed/refractory (R/R) MCL, but with significant NRM. We present the long-term results of patients receiving allo-SCT in Spain from March 1995 to February 2020. The primary endpoints were EFS, OS, and cumulative incidence (CI) of NRM, relapse, and GVHD. We included 135 patients, most (85%) receiving RIC. After a median follow-up of 68 months, 5-year EFS and OS were 47 and 50%, respectively. Overall and CR rates were 86 and 80%. The CI of relapse at 1 and 3 years were 7 and 12%. NRM at day 100 and 1 year were 17 and 32%. Previous ASCT and Grade 3-4 aGVHD were associated with a higher NRM. Grade 3-4 aGVHD, donor type (mismatch non-related), and the time-period 2006-2020 were independently related to worse EFS. Patients from 1995-2005 were younger, most from HLA-identical sibling donors, and were pretreated less. Our data confirmed that allo-SCT may be a curative option in R/R MCL with low a CI of relapse, although NRM is still high, being mainly secondary to aGVHD. The arrival of new, highly effective and low toxic immunotherapeutic or targeted therapies inevitably will relegate allo-SCT to those fit patients who fail these therapies, far away from the optimal timing of treatment

The Genotype of the Donor for the (GT)n Polymorphism in the Promoter/Enhancer of FOXP3 Is Associated with the Development of Severe Acute GVHD but Does Not Affect the GVL Effect after Myeloablative HLA-Identical Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation

The FOXP3 gene encodes for a protein (Foxp3) involved in the development and functional activity of regulatory T cells (CD4+/CD25+/Foxp3+), which exert regulatory and suppressive roles over the immune system. After allogeneic stem cell transplantation, regulatory T cells are known to mitigate graft versus host disease while probably maintaining a graft versus leukemia effect. Short alleles (≤(GT)15) for the (GT)n polymorphism in the promoter/enhancer of FOXP3 are associated with a higher expression of FOXP3, and hypothetically with an increase of regulatory T cell activity. This polymorphism has been related to the development of auto- or alloimmune conditions including type 1 diabetes or graft rejection in renal transplant recipients. However, its impact in the allo-transplant setting has not been analyzed. In the present study, which includes 252 myeloablative HLA-identical allo-transplants, multivariate analysis revealed a lower incidence of grade III-IV acute graft versus host disease (GVHD) in patients transplanted from donors harboring short alleles (OR = 0.26, CI 0.08-0.82, p = 0.021); without affecting chronic GVHD or graft versus leukemia effect, since cumulative incidence of relapse, event free survival and overall survival rates are similar in both groups of patients

Allogeneic stem cell transplantation as a curative option in relapse/refractory diffuse large B cell lymphoma: Spanish multicenter GETH/GELTAMO study

Grupo Español de Trasplante Hematopoyético (GETH) and Grupo Español de Linfoma y Trasplante Autólogo (GELTAMO).We performed a retrospective multicenter study including 140 patients with relapsed/refractory (R/R) diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) who underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) from March 1995 to November 2018. Our objective was to analyze long term outcomes. Seventy-four percent had received a previous auto-SCT (ASCT) and the median number of lines pre-allo-SCT was 3 (range 1–9). Three year-event free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) were 38% and 44%, respectively. Non-relapse mortality (NRM) at day 100 was 19%. Cumulative incidence of grade III–IV acute graft versus host disease (GVHD) at day 100 was 16% and moderate/severe chronic GVHD at 3 years 34%. Active disease at allo-SCT (HR 1.95, p = 0.039) (HR 2.19, p = 0.019), HCT-CI ≥ 2 (2.45, p = 0.002) (HR 2.33, p = 0.006) and donor age >37 years (HR 2.75, p = 0.014) (HR 1.98, p = 0.043) were the only independent variables both for PFS and OS, respectively. NRM was significantly modified by HCT-CI ≥ 2 (HR 4.8, p = 0.008), previous ASCT (HR 4.4, p = 0.048) and grade III–IV acute GVHD on day 100 (HR 6.13, p = 0.016). Our data confirmed that allo-SCT is a curative option for patients with R/R DLBCL, displaying adequate results for fit patients with chemosensitive disease receiving an allo-SCT from a young donor