163 research outputs found

    Long-term follow-up after purine analogue therapy in hairy cell leukaemia

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    AbstractSince 2006 when we last reviewed the literature concerning the use of purine analogues in hairy cell leukaemia (HCL), results from several new and updated series have been published. Here we examine these reports and consider their implications for patient management. The two purine analogues pentostatin and cladribine remain the first-line treatments of choice for all patients with HCL. Although they have not been compared in randomised trials, they appear to be equally effective. A complete response is important for the long-term outcome and we look at how best this can be achieved. Evidence is emerging which supports the use of either purine analogue plus an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody after relapse, though questions remain concerning the scheduling of the monoclonal antibody. Patients refractory to the purine analogues may require alternative agents

    The morphology of CLL revisited: the clinical significance of prolymphocytes and correlations with prognostic/molecular markers in the LRF CLL4 trial

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    Historically, an increase in the percentage and number of circulating prolymphocytes in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) has been associated with strong expression of surface immunoglobulin, trisomy 12 and a poor outcome. This study re-examines the biological and clinical significance of increased peripheral blood prolymphocytes in 508 patients at entry into the randomized UK Leukaemia Research Fund CLL4 trial. It also investigates the associations between increased prolymphocytes and a comprehensive array of biomarkers. 270 patients (53%) had <5% prolymphocytes, 167 (33%) had 5-9%, 60 (12%) had 10-14% and 11 (2%) had ?15% prolymphocytes. We show that a higher proportion of prolymphocytes (?10%) was independently associated with NOTCH1 mutations (P = 0·006), absence of 13q deletion (P = 0·001), high CD38 expression (P = 0·02) and unmutated IGHV genes (P = 0·01). Deaths due to Richter syndrome were significantly more common amongst patients who had ?10% vs <10% prolymphocytes (13% vs 2%) respectively (P < 0·0001). ?10% prolymphocytes was also associated with a shorter progression-free survival (Hazard ratio [HR] 1·50 [95% confidence interval [CI]: 1·16-1·93], P = 0·002) and overall survival (HR 1·99 [95% CI: 1·53-2·59], P < 0·0001). Our data support the routine examination of blood films in CLL and suggest that a finding of an increased proportion of prolymphocytes may be a trigger for further evaluation of clinical and laboratory features of progressive disease

    Genetic Predisposition to Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Is Mediated by a BMF Super-Enhancer Polymorphism

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    SummaryChronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is an adult B cell malignancy. Genome-wide association studies show that variation at 15q15.1 influences CLL risk. We deciphered the causal variant at 15q15.1 and the mechanism by which it influences tumorigenesis. We imputed all possible genotypes across the locus and then mapped highly associated SNPs to areas of chromatin accessibility, evolutionary conservation, and transcription factor binding. SNP rs539846 C>A, the most highly associated variant (p = 1.42 × 10−13, odds ratio = 1.35), localizes to a super-enhancer defined by extensive histone H3 lysine 27 acetylation in intron 3 of B cell lymphoma 2 (BCL2)-modifying factor (BMF). The rs539846-A risk allele alters a conserved RELA-binding motif, disrupts RELA binding, and is associated with decreased BMF expression in CLL. These findings are consistent with rs539846 influencing CLL susceptibility through differential RELA binding, with direct modulation of BMF expression impacting on anti-apoptotic BCL2, a hallmark of oncogenic dependency in CLL

    Insight into genetic predisposition to chronic lymphocytic leukemia from integrative epigenomics.

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    Genome-wide association studies have provided evidence for inherited genetic predisposition to chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). To gain insight into the mechanisms underlying CLL risk we analyze chromatin accessibility, active regulatory elements marked by H3K27ac, and DNA methylation at 42 risk loci in up to 486 primary CLLs. We identify that risk loci are significantly enriched for active chromatin in CLL with evidence of being CLL-specific or differentially regulated in normal B-cell development. We then use in situ promoter capture Hi-C, in conjunction with gene expression data to reveal likely target genes of the risk loci. Candidate target genes are enriched for pathways related to B-cell development such as MYC and BCL2 signalling. At 14 loci the analysis highlights 63 variants as the probable functional basis of CLL risk. By integrating genetic and epigenetic information our analysis reveals novel insights into the relationship between inherited predisposition and the regulatory chromatin landscape of CLL

    Cytochrome P450 Allele CYP3A7*1C Associates with Adverse Outcomes in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, Breast, and Lung Cancer.

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    CYP3A enzymes metabolize endogenous hormones and chemotherapeutic agents used to treat cancer, thereby potentially affecting drug effectiveness. Here, we refined the genetic basis underlying the functional effects of a CYP3A haplotype on urinary estrone glucuronide (E1G) levels and tested for an association between CYP3A genotype and outcome in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), breast, or lung cancers. The most significantly associated SNP was rs45446698, an SNP that tags the CYP3A7*1C allele; this SNP was associated with a 54% decrease in urinary E1G levels. Genotyping this SNP in 1,008 breast cancer, 1,128 lung cancer, and 347 CLL patients, we found that rs45446698 was associated with breast cancer mortality (HR, 1.74; P = 0.03), all-cause mortality in lung cancer patients (HR, 1.43; P = 0.009), and CLL progression (HR, 1.62; P = 0.03). We also found borderline evidence of a statistical interaction between the CYP3A7*1C allele, treatment of patients with a cytotoxic agent that is a CYP3A substrate, and clinical outcome (Pinteraction = 0.06). The CYP3A7*1C allele, which results in adult expression of the fetal CYP3A7 gene, is likely to be the functional allele influencing levels of circulating endogenous sex hormones and outcome in these various malignancies. Further studies confirming these associations and determining the mechanism by which CYP3A7*1C influences outcome are required. One possibility is that standard chemotherapy regimens that include CYP3A substrates may not be optimal for the approximately 8% of cancer patients who are CYP3A7*1C carriers

    Evaluation of serum markers in the LRF CLL4 trial: β2-microglobulin but not serum free light chains, is an independent marker of overall survival.

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    Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is characterized by heterogeneous clinical behavior and there is a need for improved biomarkers. The current study evaluated the prognostic significance of serum free light chains (sFLC, kappa, and lambda) and other serum markers (bar, serum thymidine kinase (sTK), soluble CD23, and LDH) together with established biomarkers in 289 patients enrolled into the LRF CLL4 trial. In a multivariable analysis of serum markers alone, higher big and kappa light chains were statistically significant in predicting disease progression and higher blg, and sTK in predicting mortality. In multivariable analysis for overall survival the following were independently significant: β2M levels, immunoglobulin gene (IGHV) mutational status (>98% homology), age, 17p13 deletions (>10%), and CD38 expression. β2M is the only serum marker that retained clear independent value as a biomarker in the LRF CLL4 trial and remains powerfully prognostic requiring evaluation in any future method of risk stratifying patients
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