POEMS Syndrome Presentation with an Abscess within the Plasmacytoma—A Rare Case Report

POEMS Syndrome is a rare cause of demyelinating and axonal mixed neuropathy. Plasmacytomas are usually seen in POEMS syndrome and can be osseous or extramedullary. Plasmacytomas presenting as an abscess has not been noted earlier. Our patient presented with localized hyperpigmented patch on the back and later developed progressive weakness in upper and lower limbs. Initially serum and urine protein electrophoresis were normal. The patient was thought to have Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy and was treated accordingly without any improvement. Repeat serum protein electrophoresis showed monoclonal gammopathy. MRI of the back revealed an abscess in the paravertebral soft tissues reaching up to the skin. Needle biopsy was consistent with plasmacytoma. Later, he developed a purulent fungating lesion in the lower midback. Antibiotics were started and local resection was done followed by radiation. Pathology of the resected mass showed plasmacytoma extensively involving subcutaneous soft tissue and bone. The patient improved with the treatment. Cystic plasmacytomas and abscess within the plasmacytoma has not been reported earlier. Whether abscess formation is part of the disease spectrum due to infiltration of overlying tissue or is secondary to localized immunosuppression is unknown. Local treatment of a single plasmacytoma is useful in ameliorating systemic symptoms

Update on a pilot study: Flumeltbi peripheral blood HLAhaploidentical stem cell transplantation with post-transplant cyclophosphamide and bortezomib (Cy2Bor3)

Background: Bortezomib (Bor) can inhibit the proliferation of dendritic cells (DCs) and block the expression of co-receptors CD80, CD86 and secretion of cytokines IL-12 and TNF-α and hence the ability of DCs to activate T cells. We started a pilot study incorporating the addition of bortezomib to post-transplant cyclophosphamide (PTCY) in the setting of peripheral blood (PB) HLA-haploidentical stem cell transplantation (Haplo-SCT). Methods: This is a single center open label pilot study. Eligible patients received Fludarabine Melphalan TBI 200 cGy as conditioning followed by haplo-SCT and PTCY. Bor was administered at 1.3mg/m2 on day+1, 4 and 7. Tacrolimus and MMF were started at day+5. Results: Seven patients were enrolled so far, five males and 2 females. Median age was 58 years (26-60). Donors were 3 brothers, 3 sons and 1 mother. Disease risk index was high in 3, intermediate in 3 and low in 1. Three patients had AML, two had ALL and MM, one had ALL and one had CML. CMV recipient status was negative in one and positive in 6. Median HCT-CI was 3(1-4). Median CD34 and CD3 infused were 4.13 x10-6 and 1.7x10-8/ kg recipient respectively, all were cryopreserved except 2. Four patients had CRS before Cy infusion with ASTCT grade of 1. Six patients had grade 3 hypokalemia around day+ 4-5. Five patients had grade 3 mucositis and 2 had grade 1. Four patients had neutropenic fever and one patient had engraftment fever. Median neutrophils and platelets engraftment were 16 and 26 days respectively. Chimerism post SCT was \u3e =99% donor at day 30 for all patients. Six patients are off tacrolimus with median time to be off it was 187.5 days. Five pts had aGVHD with maximum grade of I in 3 patients, II in one patient and III in one patient at a median 50days post SCT. None developed early hematuria, four had late hematuria with highest grade of 4. Two patients were positive for BK virus. One patient had reactivation of CMV, 2 had EBV and one had adenovirus, all resolved. Three pts had HHV6 that resolved. Of the 5 patients who were evaluable, one developed moderate chronic GVHD. So far the median time to follow up is 455 days (70-1239) with relapse and subsequently death in one patient who had high risk AML with 3 different inductions prior to SCT. . At 1 year for 4 evaluable patients IgG were \u3e400 mg/dl and CD4 \u3e 350 cells/ul. Conclusions: Cy2Bor3 post PB Haplo-SCT was well tolerated. Although small number of patients and limited but encouraging results so far. The trial is ongoing

The Aethera Trial: An Ongoing Phase 3 Study of Brentuximab Vedotin in the Treatment of Patients at High Risk of Residual Hodgkin Lymphoma Following Autologous Stem Cell Transplant

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Updated Efficacy and Safety Data from the AETHERA Trial of Consolidation with Brentuximab Vedotin after Autologous Stem Cell Transplant (ASCT) in Hodgkin Lymphoma Patients at High Risk of Relapse

Abstract Introduction The AETHERA trial is a phase 3, randomized, placebo-controlled trial (ClinicalTrials.gov #NCT01100502), which evaluated whether post-ASCT consolidation treatment with brentuximab vedotin (BV) could prevent disease progression in Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) patients at high risk for relapse. The study met its primary endpoint: significant improvement in progression-free survival (PFS) per independent review with BV versus placebo (hazard ratio [HR]=0.57, P=0.001) (Moskowitz, 2015). The 2 most common adverse events (AEs) in the BV- treatment group were peripheral sensory neuropathy (56%) and neutropenia (35%). We are presenting updated efficacy and safety data after approximately 1 additional year of follow-up after the primary analysis. Methods Patients were randomized to receive BV 1.8 mg/kg q3wk or placebo for 16 cycles (approximately 12 months), 30-45 days after transplantation. Randomization was stratified by response to frontline therapy and by best clinical response to pre-ASCT salvage therapy. Patients whose disease had progressed after salvage treatment were not eligible. Patients received CT scans quarterly for the first year and then at 18 and 24 months during long-term follow-up (LTFU). Clinical lymphoma assessments were performed at each cycle of treatment, quarterly during the first year of LTFU, and every 6 months thereafter. AEs were collected for 30 days after the end of treatment, except for peripheral neuropathies and secondary malignancies, which were followed throughout LTFU. Clinical responses to subsequent BV treatment received after progression were also recorded. Results A total of 329 patients were randomized to the BV- (n=165) or placebo- (n=164) treatment arms. Median PFS per investigator assessment was not reached (95% CI not estimable [NE]-NE) in the BV arm and was 15.8 months (95% CI 8.5-44.0) in the placebo arm (HR=0.52, 95% CI 0.37-0.71). A sustained plateau with substantial separation is evident between both treatment groups, with improved PFS at 3-years post-randomization with BV consolidation versus placebo (Figure). The 3-year PFS rate was 61% (95% CI 52-68) for the BV arm and 43% (95% CI 36-51) for the placebo arm. Six PFS events (2 progressions and 4 deaths) were recorded after the 24-month evaluation period in the BV arm and 3 in the placebo arm (2 progressions and 1 death). The HR for PFS per independent review was 0.58 (95% CI 0.41-0.82). No new secondary malignancies have been observed since the primary analysis. The number of cases were comparable between the 2 treatment arms (n=4 BV, n=2 placebo). Malignancies on the BV arm included bladder cancer, lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, and myelodysplastic syndrome (n=1 each). In the placebo arm, secondary malignancies included mantle cell lymphoma and myelodysplastic syndrome (n=1 each). Among the 112 patients on the BV arm who experienced treatment-emergent peripheral neuropathy based on a Standardised Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities (MedDRA) Query (SMQ) analysis, 99 patients (88%) experienced some improvement (23%) or complete resolution (65%) of neuropathy symptoms at the time of analysis. Discontinuation of treatment due to an AE occurred in 54 patients (33%) on the BV arm, most commonly due to peripheral sensory and motor neuropathies (14% and 7%, respectively). Patients who discontinued treatment as a result of an AE received a median of 9.5 cycles (range, 1 to 15) on the BV arm. The 2-year PFS rate in these patients was 69% (95% CI 54-79) versus 82% (95% CI 71-89) for patients who completed all 16 treatment cycles. Conclusions Consolidation treatment with BV in HL patients at high risk of relapse after ASCT showed an improvement in PFS versus placebo, approximately 3 years since the last patient was randomized. Kaplan-Meier analysis of PFS per investigator assessment showed a continued benefit of BV consolidation. No additional secondary malignancies have been observed in either treatment arm and most patients experienced resolution of peripheral neuropathy symptoms. We are currently analyzing clinical responses to BV treatment after disease progression. Figure 1. Progression-Free Survival per Investigator Assessment Figure 1. Progression-Free Survival per Investigator Assessment Disclosures Sweetenham: Seattle Genetics Inc.: Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau. Off Label Use: Brentuximab vedotin is indicated in the US for treatment of patients with Hodgkin lymphoma after failure of autologous stem cell transplant or after failure of at least two prior multi-agent chemotherapy regimens in patients who are not ASCT candidates and for the treatment of patients with systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma after failure of at least one prior multi-agent chemotherapy regimen. This study investigates the use of brentuximab vedotin for consolidation therapy soon after ASCT. . Walewski:Mundipharma; Roche; Takeda: Honoraria, Other: Travel expenses; Amgen; Boehringer Ingelheim; Celgene; Janssen-Cilag; Mundipharma; Roche; Takeda; Teva: Consultancy; Bayer (Inst); Bayer/Onyx (Inst); Boehringer Ingelheim (Inst); Celgene (Inst); Celltrion (Inst); Gilead Sciences (Inst); GlaxoSmithKline (Inst); GlaxoSmithKline (Inst); Mundipharma (Inst); Pfizer (Inst); Roche (Inst); Roche/Genentech (Inst); Seattle Geneti: Research Funding. Nademanee:Celgene: Consultancy; Seattle Genetics Inc.: Research Funding; Spectrum: Research Funding; Gilead: Consultancy. Masszi:Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Janssen Cilag: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Agura:Seattle Genetics Inc.: Research Funding. Holowiecki:Seattle Genetics Inc.: Research Funding; Takeda: Other: Travel expenses. Abidi:Seattle Genetics Inc.: Research Funding. Chen:Gilead: Consultancy, Other: Advisory Board; Janssen: Consultancy, Other: Advisory Board; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Other: Advisory Board; Genentech, Inc.: Consultancy, Other: Advisory Board. Stiff:Seattle Genetics Inc.: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding. Viviani:Italfarmaco SpA: Consultancy; Teva Italia SpA: Consultancy; Takeda Italia SpA: Consultancy; Takeda International: Consultancy. Carella:Seattle Genetics Inc.: Research Funding. Osmanov:Seattle Genetics Inc.: Research Funding. Bachanova:Seattle Genetics Inc.: Consultancy, Research Funding. Sureda:Seattle Genetics Inc.: Research Funding; Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau. Huebner:Takeda Pharmaceuticals International Co.: Employment, Equity Ownership. Larsen:Seattle Genetics Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership. Hunder:Seattle Genetics Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership

Post-Transplant Outcomes in High-Risk Compared with Non-High-Risk Multiple Myeloma: A CIBMTR Analysis.

Conventional cytogenetics and interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) identify high-risk multiple myeloma (HRM) populations characterized by poor outcomes. We analyzed these differences among HRM versus non-HRM populations after upfront autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (autoHCT). Between 2008 and 2012, 715 patients with multiple myeloma identified by FISH and/or cytogenetic data with upfront autoHCT were identified in the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research database. HRM was defined as del17p, t(4;14), t(14;16), hypodiploidy (-Y) or chromosome 1 p and 1q abnormalities; all others were non-HRM. Among 125 HRM patients (17.5%), induction with bortezomib and immunomodulatory agents (imids) was higher compared with non-HRM (56% versus 43%, P \u3c .001) with similar pretransplant complete response (CR) rates (14% versus 16%, P .1). At day 100 post-transplant, at least a very good partial response was 59% in HRM and 61% in non-HRM (P = .6). More HRM patients received post-transplant therapy with bortezomib and imids (26% versus 12%, P = .004). Three-year post-transplant progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS) rates in HRM versus non-HRM were 37% versus 49% (P \u3c .001) and 72% versus 85% (P \u3c .001), respectively. At 3 years, PFS for HRM patients with and without post-transplant therapy was 46% (95% confidence interval [CI], 33 to 59) versus 14% (95% CI, 4 to 29) and in non-HRM patients with and without post-transplant therapy 55% (95% CI, 49 to 62) versus 39% (95% CI, 32 to 47); rates of OS for HRM patients with and without post-transplant therapy were 81% (95% CI, 70 to 90) versus 48% (95% CI, 30 to 65) compared with 88% (95% CI, 84 to 92) and 79% (95% CI, 73 to 85) in non-HRM patients with and without post-transplant therapy, respectively. Among patients receiving post-transplant therapy, there was no difference in OS between HRM and non-HRM (P = .08). In addition to HRM, higher stage, less than a CR pretransplant, lack of post-transplant therapy, and African American race were associated with worse OS. In conclusion, we show HRM patients achieve similar day 100 post-transplant responses compared with non-HRM patients, but these responses are not sustained. Post-transplant therapy appeared to improve the poor outcomes of HRM

Exercise and Stress Management Training Prior to Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation: Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinical Trials Network (BMT CTN) 0902

Studies show that engaging patients in exercise and/or stress management techniques during hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) improves quality of life. The Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinical Trials Network tested the efficacy of training patients to engage in self-directed exercise and stress management during their HCTs. The study randomized 711 patients at 21 centers to receive one of four training interventions before HCT: a self-directed exercise program, a self-administered stress management program, both or neither. Participants completed self-reported assessments at enrollment and up to 180 days after transplant. Randomization was stratified by center and transplant type. There were no differences in the primary endpoints of the physical (PCS) and mental (MCS) component scales of the SF36 at day 100 among the groups based on an intention-to-treat analysis. There were no differences observed in overall survival, hospital days through day 100 post-HCT, or in other patient-reported outcomes, including treatment-related distress, sleep quality, pain, and nausea. Patient randomized to training in stress management reported more use of those techniques; patients randomized to training in exercise did not report more physical activity. Although other studies have reported efficacy of more intensive interventions, brief training in an easy-to-disseminate format for either self-directed exercise or stress management was not effective in our trial

Significant Improvements in the Practice Patterns of Adult Related Donor Care in US Transplantation Centers

Recent investigations have found a higher incidence of adverse events associated with hematopoietic cell donation in related donors (RDs) who have morbidities that if present in an unrelated donor (UD) would preclude donation. In the UD setting, regulatory standards ensure independent assessment of donors, one of several crucial measures to safeguard donor health and safety. A survey conducted by the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR) Donor Health and Safety Working Committee in 2007 reported a potential conflict of interest in >70% US centers, where physicians had simultaneous responsibility for RDs and their recipients. Consequently, several international organizations have endeavored to improve practice through regulations and consensus recommendations. We hypothesized that the changes in the 2012 FACT-JACIE Standards, resulting from the CIBMTR study, will have significantly impacted practice. Accordingly, a follow-up survey of US transplant centers was conducted to assess practice changes since 2007, and investigate additional areas where RD care was predicted to differ from UD care. 73 centers (53%), performing 79% of US RD transplants responded. Significant improvements were observed since the earlier survey; 62% centers now ensure separation of RD and recipient care (P<0.0001). However, this study identifies several areas where RD management does not meet international donor care standards. Particular concerns include counseling and assessment of donors before HLA typing, with 61% centers first disclosing donor HLA results to an individual other than the donor, the use of unlicensed mobilization agents, and the absence of long-term donor follow-up. Recommendations for improvement are described

Analysis of the Effect of Race, Socioeconomic Status, and Center Size on Unrelated National Marrow Donor Program Donor Outcomes: Donor Toxicities Are More Common at Low-Volume Bone Marrow Collection Centers

Previous studies have shown that risks of collection-related pain and symptoms are associated with sex, body mass index (BMI), and age in unrelated donors undergoing collection at National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) centers. We hypothesized that other important factors (race, socioeconomic status (SES), and number of procedures at the collection center) might affect symptoms in donors. We assessed outcomes in 2,726 bone marrow (BM) and 6,768 peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) donors collected between 2004 and 2009. Pain/symptoms are reported as maximum levels over mobilization and collection (PBSC) or within 2 days of collection (BM) and at 1 week after collection. For PBSC donors, race and center volumes were not associated with differences in pain/symptoms at any time. PBSC donors with high SES levels reported higher maximum symptom levels 1 week post donation (p=0.017). For BM donors, black males reported significantly higher levels of pain (OR=1.90, CI=1.14-3.19, p=0.015). No differences were noted by SES groups. BM donors from low volume centers reported more toxicity (OR=2.09, CI=1.26-3.46, p=0.006). In conclusion, race and SES have a minimal effect on donation associated symptoms. However, donors from centers performing ≤1 BM collection every 2 months have more symptoms following BM donation. Approaches should be developed by registries and low volume centers to address this issue