A European survey on the detection and management of iron overload in transfusion-dependent patients with MDS

International audienceTo better understand the detection and management of iron overload in transfusion-dependent patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), a 15-min web- or paper-based survey was conducted among 338 European physicians from 27 countries. Respondents had a mean of 18 years of clinical experience. Forty-six percent and 27% of physicians noted that detecting and treating iron overload were either "very important" or "important," respectively. The main reason for not actively exploring iron overload was related to poor patient prognosis, while the main reasons for not initiating iron chelation therapy were poor patient prognosis and older patient age. Thirty-seven percent and 31% of physicians believed that treating iron overload in these patients was "very important" or "important," respectively. Ninety percent of physicians prescribed iron chelation therapy, and 38% of transfusion-dependent patients received iron chelation therapy. The key reasons for not initiating iron chelation therapy were related to poor patient prognosis (72%), patient age ≥85 years (50%), and comorbidities (34%). The views of these experienced MDS physicians reflect available international MDS treatment guidelines

achievement of red blood cell transfusion independence in red blood cell transfusion dependent patients with lower risk non del 5q myelodysplastic syndromes correlates with serum erythropoietin levels

AbstractIn the randomized, phase 3, MDS-005 study (NCT01029262), lenalidomide-induced red blood cell transfusion independence (RBC-TI) in 27% of transfusion-dependent patients with lower-risk non-d..

The Effect of Lenalidomide on Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients With Lower-Risk non-del(5q) Myelodysplastic Syndromes: Results From the MDS-005 Study

Abstract Background The phase III MDS-005 study compared lenalidomide versus placebo in red blood cell transfusion-dependent (RBC-TD) patients with lower-risk non-del(5q) myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), ineligible/refractory to erythropoiesis-stimulating agents. Lenalidomide-treated patients were more likely to achieve transfusion independence (TI) ≥ 8 weeks (26.9% vs. 2.5%; P Patients and Methods Patients were randomized 2:1 to oral lenalidomide 10 mg once daily or placebo once daily (both on 28-day cycles). Patients with creatinine clearance 40 to 60 mL/min were given lenalidomide 5 mg once daily. Health-related quality of life (HRQoL), a predefined secondary end point, was assessed using the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire–Core 30 questionnaire at baseline, week 12, week 24, every 12 weeks thereafter, and at discontinuation. Results At week 24, lenalidomide was associated with benefit versus placebo across all 5 preselected questionnaire scales (fatigue, dyspnea, global quality of life, physical functioning, and emotional functioning). After adjustment for baseline scores, only emotional functioning achieved significance ( P = .047). Further improvement versus baseline was observed for patients who continued lenalidomide after week 24. In post hoc analyses, achievement of TI ≥ 8 weeks was associated with significant improvements across all scales ( P P Conclusion Lenalidomide did not adversely affect HRQoL in RBC-TD patients with lower-risk non-del(5q) MDS and response to lenalidomide was associated with significant improvements in HRQoL

GEP analysis validates high risk MDS and acute myeloid leukemia post MDS mice models and highlights novel dysregulated pathways

International audienceBACKGROUND:In spite of the recent discovery of genetic mutations in most myelodysplasic (MDS) patients, the pathophysiology of these disorders still remains poorly understood, and only few in vivo models are available to help unravel the disease.METHODS:We performed global specific gene expression profiling and functional pathway analysis in purified Sca1+ cells of two MDS transgenic mouse models that mimic human high-risk MDS (HR-MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) post MDS, with NRASD12 and BCL2 transgenes under the control of different promoters MRP8NRASD12/tethBCL-2 or MRP8[NRASD12/hBCL-2], respectively.RESULTS:Analysis of dysregulated genes that were unique to the diseased HR-MDS and AML post MDS mice and not their founder mice pointed first to pathways that had previously been reported in MDS patients, including DNA replication/damage/repair, cell cycle, apoptosis, immune responses, and canonical Wnt pathways, further validating these models at the gene expression level. Interestingly, pathways not previously reported in MDS were discovered. These included dysregulated genes of noncanonical Wnt pathways and energy and lipid metabolisms. These dysregulated genes were not only confirmed in a different independent set of BM and spleen Sca1+ cells from the MDS mice but also in MDS CD34+ BM patient samples.CONCLUSIONS:These two MDS models may thus provide useful preclinical models to target pathways previously identified in MDS patients and to unravel novel pathways highlighted by this study

Impact of baseline cytogenetic findings and cytogenetic response on outcome of high-risk myelodysplastic syndromes and low blast count AML treated with azacitidine

•Cytogenetic findings are strong predictor for survial in AZA-treated MDS patients.•Isolated del(7q) had similar survival as patients with normal karyotype.•Cytogenetic abnormalities don’t predict response to AZA.•Achieving cytogenetic response has a limited effect on outcomes in AZA-treated patients. Karyotype according to the revised IPSS is a strong independent prognostic factor for overall survival (OS) in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), however established in untreated patients. The prognostic impact of cytogenetics and cytogenetic response (CyR) in MDS patients receiving azacitidine (AZA) remains uncertain. We examined the prognostic value of baseline cytogenetics and CyR for overall response rate (ORR) and OS in 702 AZA-treated higher risk MDS and low blast count acute myeloid leukemia (AML), including 493 (70%) with abnormal karyotype. None of the cytogenetic abnormalities had significant impact on ORR (43.9%) or complete response (15.35%), except 3q abnormalities and complex karyotypes, which were associated with a lower ORR. OS differed significantly across all R-IPSS cytogenetic subgroups (p<10−4) but patients with non complex del(7q) had similar survival as patients with normal cytogenetics. CyR was achieved in 32% of the 281 evaluable patients with abnormal cytogenetics, was complete (CCyR) in 71 (25.3%) patients. We found no correlation between hematological response and cytogenetic response and 21% of the patients with CCyR did not achieve morphological response. In the 281 patients, we found no impact of CyR on survival, but when restricting to MDS (ie: <20% marrow blasts) achievement of CCyR was associated with better OS

MIRROS: a randomized, placebo-controlled, Phase III trial of cytarabine ± idasanutlin in relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia.

Patients with refractory or relapsed acute myeloid leukemia (R/R AML) have a poor prognosis, with a high unmet medical need. Idasanutlin is a small-molecule inhibitor of MDM2, a negative regulator of tumor suppressor p53. By preventing the p53–MDM2 interaction, idasanutlin allows for p53 activation, particularly in patients with TP53 wild-type (WT) status. MIRROS (NCT02545283) is a randomized Phase III trial evaluating idasanutlin + cytarabine versus placebo + cytarabine in R/R AML. The primary end point is overall survival in the TP53-WT population. Secondary end points include complete remission rate (cycle 1), overall remission rate (cycle 1) and event-free survival in the TP53-WT population. MIRROS has an innovative design that integrates a stringent interim analysis for futility; continuation criteria were met in mid-2017 and accrual is ongoing. Trial registration number: NCT0254528

Preclinical modeling of myelodysplastic syndromes

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) represent a heterogeneous group of hematological clonal disorders. Here, we have tested the bone marrow (BM) cells from 38 MDS patients covering all risk groups in two immunodeficient mouse models: NSG and NSG-S. Our data show comparable level of engraftment in both models. The level of engraftment was patient specific with no correlation to any specific MDS risk group. Furthermore, the co-injection of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) did not improve the level of engraftment. Finally, we have developed an in vitro two-dimensional co-culture system as an alternative tool to in vivo. Using our in vitro system, we have been able to co-culture CD34+cells from MDS patient BM on auto- and/or allogeneic MSCs over 4 weeks with a fold expansion of up to 600 times. More importantly, these expanded cells conserved their MDS clonal architecture as well as genomic integrity

Treatment of Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia with AIDA Based Regimen. Update of a Tunisian Single Center Study

In Tunisia, the ATRA era began in 1998 with the use, consecutively, of two regimens combining ATRA and an anthracycline with cytarabine (APL93), and without cytarabine (LPA99). From 2004, 51 patients with confirmed APL either by t(15;17) or PML/RARA were treated according to the PETHEMA LPA 99 trial. Forty three patients achieved CR (86%). The remaining seven patients had early death (one died before treatment onset): four caused by differentiation syndrome (DS) and three died from central nervous system hemorrhage. Multivariate analysis revealed that female gender (P=0.045), baseline WBC> 10 G/L (P=0.041) and serum creatinine > 1.4mg/dl (P=0.021) were predictive of mortality during induction. DS was observed in 16 patients (32%) after a median onset time of 15 days from treatment onset (range, 2–29). Body mass index ≥ 30 (P=0.01) remained independent predictor of DS. Occurrence of hypertensive peaks significantly predicted occurrence of DS (P=0.011) and was significantly associated with high BMI (p=0.003). With a median follow-up of 50 months, 5 year cumulative incidence of relapse, event free and overall survival were 4.7%, 74% and 78%, respectively