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Hairy cell leukemia (HCL) remains an incurable disease. However, first-line treatment with either intravenous or subcutaneous cladribine generally leads to long-lasting remissions. Although there are excellent long-term data for intravenous application, similar data regarding subcutaneous administration are lacking. We therefore analyzed the long-term outcome of 3 prospective multicenter clinical trials on subcutaneous cladribine performed by the Swiss Group for Clinical Cancer Research (SAKK), which recruited 221 patients with classical HCL between 1993 and 2005. Median overall survival from start of treatment was not reached. Pretreatment anemia, higher Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group score, and higher age were associated with poorer overall survival in multivariable analysis, whereas early progression at 24 and 36 months had no significant impact on overall survival. Second-line treatment was necessary in 53 (23.7%) patients after a median of 5 (range, 0.2-20.4) years, and first retreatment was mainly monotherapy with cladribine (66%) or rituximab (15.1%) or a combination of these drugs (15.1%). A total of 44 (19.9%) patients developed second primary malignancies with a median time to occurrence of 5.7 (range, 0.01-17.5) years. Second primary malignancies were the main cause for death (14; 27.5%). Compared with a matched normal Swiss population, the incidence of second primary malignancies was not increased. However, survival of patients with HCL was slightly inferior by comparison (P= .036). In conclusion, the outcome of HCL patients treated with subcutaneous cladribine is excellent, and in most patients, 1 cycle of subcutaneous cladribine is sufficient for long-term disease control.

Background

IMPORTANCE: The prognosis of advanced cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL), including Sézary syndrome and mycosis fungoides (MF), is poor. So far, no curative option apart from allogeneic stem cell transplantation is available. Large cell transformation often hallmarks cases with a more aggressive clinical course, and large tumor cells may express CD30. Recently, brentuximab vedotin, a conjugate of an anti-CD30 antibody and monomethylauristatin E, which inhibits the polymerization of microtubuli, has produced promising results in phase 2 trials in CD30+ Hodgkin lymphoma and anaplastic large cell lymphoma. OBSERVATIONS: We describe 4 patients with advanced CTCL, 3 with MF and 1 with Sézary syndrome, who were treated with brentuximab. All patients had received multiple previous systemic therapies. In 2 cases of MF, a remission enabling subsequent allogeneic stem cell transplantation was achieved. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Brentuximab is a well-tolerated, promising new treatment option for advanced CTCL that can be integrated in an allogeneic stem cell transplantation plan by selectively depleting malignant CD30+ cutaneous lymphoma cells.

The ubiquitously expressed iron storage protein ferritin plays a central role in maintaining cellular iron homeostasis. Cytosolic ferritins are composed of heavy (H) and light (L) subunits that co-assemble into a hollow spherical shell with an internal cavity where iron is stored. The ferroxidase activity of the ferritin H chain is critical to store iron in its Fe3+ oxidation state, while the L chain shows iron nucleation properties. We describe a unique case of a 23-yr-old female patient affected by a homozygous loss of function mutation in the L-ferritin gene, idiopathic generalized seizures, and atypical restless leg syndrome (RLS). We show that L chain ferritin is undetectable in primary fibroblasts from the patient, and thus ferritin consists only of H chains. Increased iron incorporation into the FtH homopolymer leads to reduced cellular iron availability, diminished levels of cytosolic catalase, SOD1 protein levels, enhanced ROS production and higher levels of oxidized proteins. Importantly, key phenotypic features observed in fibroblasts are also mirrored in reprogrammed neurons from the patient’s fibroblasts. Our results demonstrate for the first time the pathophysiological consequences of L-ferritin deficiency in a human and help to define the concept for a new disease entity hallmarked by idiopathic generalized seizure and atypical RLS.

No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Background:In 2016 WHO recognized the provisional entity refractory anemia with ring sideroblasts and thrombocytosisas a distinct entity and renamed it myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative neoplasm with ring sideroblasts and thrombocytosis (MDS/MPN-RS-T). The disease presents hallmarks of both myelodysplastic and myeloproliferative features. Although the diagnostic criteria are well defined and there are several studies of the molecular landscape of the disease, the treatment regimen of these patients remains inconsistent. Due to lack of clinical trials, treatment options are chosen either on MDS- or MPN-based regimens and individual preferences such as patients characteristics and clinical presentation. Prevention of thromboembolic events is a reasonable goal. However, the use of platelet-lowering drugs is still not well studied and treatment related anemia leading to transfusions with accelerated iron overload limits a general use of cytoreductive treatment. To avoid worsening of the anemia while efficiently reducing thrombocytosis we treated 3 patients with pegylated interferon (pIFN) and provide insight in JAK2-allele burden measurement and additional mutations obtained with next generation sequencing (NGS).

Chalandon: Roche: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Travel costs.

Introduction: Hairy cell leukemia (HCL) is a chronic mature B-cell neoplasm with a very indolent clinical course and patients may survive for many decades. First-line treatment with purine analogues such as cladribine (Cld) is considered standard of care since it is very efficient and induces profound remissions. However, patients with HCL often relapse after purine analogues and repeated treatment may increase morbidity and mortality. Despite good clinical evidence of long term control of the disease by several mainly single center studies of patients treated with purine analogues, there is only one study analyzing mainly subcutaneous (sc) treated patients based on registry data. We therefore performed a pooled long-term follow-up analysis of our prospective multicenter studies treating patients with sc Cld focusing on survival, secondary malignancy and retreatment.

Bonadies: Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy; Celgene: Consultancy, Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy, Research Funding. Ruefer:Novartis: Consultancy; Celgene: Consultancy, Research Funding. Gerber:Celgene: Consultancy. Benz:Celgene: Consultancy. Lehmann:Novartis: Consultancy.

Theocharides: Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria. Rüfer:Novartis: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau. Benz:Celgene: Consultancy. Tzankov:Novartis: Speakers Bureau; Abbott: Speakers Bureau. Skoda:Novartis: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Baxalta: Speakers Bureau; Shire: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau.

Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) are clonal hematopoietic disorders characterized by aberrant proliferation of erythroid, megakaryocytic and myeloid lineages. They are associated with decreased survival, thromboembolic complications, hemorrhage and leukemic transformation. MPN can be subdivided into polycythemiavera(PV), essentialthrombocythemia(ET) and primary myelofibrosis (PMF). The JAK2-V617F mutation is present in 70-80% of all MPN patients. MPN is initiated and maintained by mutated hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPC). Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells expressing the intermediate filament proteinnestin(nestin+ MSCs) that are innervated by sympathetic nerve fibers constitute an important component of the stem cell niche and regulate normal HSCs. Thesenestin+ MSCs are strongly reduced in bone marrow of JAK2-V617F positive MPN patients and in mice expressing JAK2-V617F due to damage of the sympathetic nerve fibers triggered by cytokines from the mutant cells. In a JAK2-V617F mouse model of MPN, treatment with a beta-3sympathicomimeticagonist corrected the damage inflicted by the MPN clones on their niches and ameliorated the MPN phenotype. To test the potentially beneficial effect on disease-control by modulating bone marrow niche cells in patients with MPN, we performed a phase II trial with the beta-3sympathicomimeticagonistmirabegron.

Background and Aims:Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are mainly diagnosed in the elderly with an increasing burden on healthcare systems. As a consequence, population-based studies are important in order to estimate the evolution of this emerging disease in different countries.

Objectives: Systemic mastocytosis (SM) is mainly a clonal disease with a variable clinical outcome. Prognosis is very much related to additional symptoms. If so called c-findings are present, survival is often limited to months. Until recently only Interferon and Cladribine could show some effect on the disease progression. With the introduction of Imatinib some hope grew to treat the disease by acting on c-KIT (CD 117; stem cell factor receptor). However, the substitution of valine for aspartic acid at position 816 in c-KIT (D816V) leads to prolonged mast cell survival and increased proliferation because of constitutive activation of the tyrosine kinase of c-KIT. Between 31% and 100% of patients with SM harbour the c-KIT D816V mutation which is invariably related to Imatinib resistance. Fortunately, the new tyrosinkinase inhibitor Dasatinib (BMS-354825) could show a much higher inhibition of the c-KIT D816V mutated receptor in vitro. Therefore we treated a patient with systemic mastocytosis with associated hematologic clonal non mast cell lineage disease (SM-AHNMD) and c-findings with Dasatinib. Case description: A 69 year old patient was diagnosed 5 years ago with cutaneous mastocytosis. Because of a markedly increased tryptase levels of 130μg/l he was referred to our clinic for further investigation. In a bone marrow biopsy, the classical signs of SM could be found together with a chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) without any cytogenetic alterations. During 2 years the patient remained clinically stable without any treatment. Subsequently the patient droped weight and got strong lumbar pain. A MRI scan revealed fractures of L2 and L4 without signs for osteoporosis. Additionally, splenomegaly and hepatomegaly have been noticed with enlarged lymph nodes in the retroperitoneal space together with profound thrombocytopenia. Even SM-AHNMD is by definition of the ‘year 2000 Working Conference on Mastocytosis’ a distinct entity, the occurring c-findings together with a rapid increase in tryptase levels have been associated with an aggressive disease course. A c-KIT mutation analysis showed a D816V mutation. We decided after approval from the medical council to start the patient on Dasatinib. We started with 50mg daily for 3 days. Because no signs of acute mastcell degranulation we increased the dose to 50mg BID and continued the treatment for 13 weeks. Due to non-hematologic toxicity (fatigue) Dasatinib had to be stopped. Hepatosplenomegaly remained stable, lumbar pain disappeared even after cessation of analgetic therapy and weight increased gradually. However, laboratory follow up (tryptase, soluble interleukin 2 receptor) showed inconsistent results. Conclusion: Our patient with SM-CMML had many signs of systemic aggressive mastocytosis which is a mostly fatal variant of SM. With the introduction of Imatinib, a potent c-kit inhibitor, a novel approach to inhibit mastcell-proliferation was described. However, the most common mutation in CD117 of mastcells (D816V mutation) turned out to be resistant to Imatinib. However, Dasatinib a recently introduced tyrosinkinase inhibitor showed significant efficacy in vitro. A phase II study of Dasatinib in patients with Philadelphia-negative myeloproliferative disorders, including SM has recently been presented by Verstovsek and colleagues showing an overall response rate of 42% in SM. However, these patients were c-KIT mutation negative. This case report shows first evidence of clinical activity of Dasatinib in a patient with systemic aggressive mastocytosis harbouring the c-KIT mutation D816V. Further clinical studies in this patient population are warranted.

Objectives: Systemic mastocytosis (SM) is mainly a clonal disease with a variable clinical outcome. Prognosis is very much related to additional symptoms. If so called c-findings are present, survival is often limited to months. Until recently only Interferon and Cladribine could show some effect on the disease progression. With the introduction of Imatinib some hope grew to treat the disease by acting on c-KIT (CD 117; stem cell factor receptor). However, the substitution of valine for aspartic acid at position 816 in c-KIT (D816V) leads to prolonged mast cell survival and increased proliferation because of constitutive activation of the tyrosine kinase of c-KIT. Between 31% and 100% of patients with SM harbour the c-KIT D816V mutation which is invariably related to Imatinib resistance. Fortunately, the new tyrosinkinase inhibitor Dasatinib (BMS-354825) could show a much higher inhibition of the c-KIT D816V mutated receptor in vitro. Therefore we treated a patient with systemic mastocytosis with associated hematologic clonal non mast cell lineage disease (SM-AHNMD) and c-findings with Dasatinib.