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Despite the widespread use of 5-HT3 antagonists as anti-emetic prophylaxis in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) receiving induction chemotherapy, nausea and vomiting persist in many cases. We performed a Phase II single-arm study evaluating the use of aprepitant on days 1–5, in combination with a 5-HT antagonist on days 1–3, in AML patients undergoing induction chemotherapy with daunorubicin on days 1–3 plus cytarabine, given as a continuous infusion, on days 1–7. This was compared to a retrospective cohort of AML patients that received the same chemotherapy regimen with a 5-HT antagonist but without aprepitant. The cumulative incidence of vomiting/retching by the end of day 5 was significantly lower in the aprepitant vs. the control group (26.3 vs. 52.8%, p = 0.013). The cumulative incidence of nausea by the end of day 5 was 61% in the aprepitant group vs. 75% in the control group. The total use of supplemental anti-emetics on days 2–5 was also significantly lower in the aprepitant group (p = 0.01). In contrast, the cumulative incidence of vomiting/retching by the end of day 8, the incidence of vomiting/retching on days 6–8, and the use of anti-emetics on days 6–8, were not significantly different between the two groups. The results suggest that the use of aprepitant may be associated with a lower rate of emesis during aprepitant dosing days, but not afterward. However, this requires confirmation in a randomized trial.

We evaluated outcomes of 100 patients with high risk AML treated with Ida-FLAG induction as first-line therapy. 72 achieved remission with one cycle; 19 did not. High risk cytogenetics and TP53 mutations were associated with failure to achieve remission. In those reaching remission, allogeneic bone marrow transplantation was associated with better relapse-free and overall survival. Those not achieving remission with induction therapy were extremely unlikely to reach remission with further therapy and had a dismal prognosis. Exploratory molecular analysis confirmed persistence of the dominant genetic mutations identified at diagnosis. Ex vivo chemosensitivity did not demonstrate significant differences between responders and non-responders. Thus, Ida-FLAG induction has a high chance of inducing remission in patients with high risk AML. Those achieving remission require allogeneic transplantation to achieve cure; those not achieving remission rarely respond to salvage chemotherapy and have a dismal outcome. Alternatives to conventional chemotherapy must be considered in this group.

The outcome of adult patients with AML who are primary non-responders to two courses of induction chemotherapy is poor. However, the utility of a 3rd induction for a select subgroup of these patients is uncertain. Here, we evaluated the rates of response and survival after a 3rd course of induction chemotherapy for primary non-responders with AML. We identified 98 patients from the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre between May 1999 and March 2015 who were non-responders to induction and reinduction chemotherapy. No-response to re-induction chemotherapy was defined according to the Revised Recommendations of the International Working Group for AML (JCO, 2003) as patients who survived > 7 days post re-induction and had persistent AML in blood or bone marrow (>5%). Median age was 58.3 years [range: 20-76.6]. 50 (51%) were male. 2% had favorable, 18% normal, 18% intermediate, and 48% adverse cytogenetics. 50% had de novo AML, 23% had AML secondary to MDS or MPN, and 17% had therapy-related AML. Induction chemotherapy consisted of "7+3" (n =88), Nove-HiDAC (n=1), Flag-Ida (n= 2), or similar variants (n=7). Reinduction chemotherapy consisted of Nove-HiDAC (n=70), Flag-Ida (n=7), "7+3" (n=1) or other similar variants (n =20). No patients received the same regimen for both induction and reinduction. Of the 98 primary non-responders, 15 received a 3rd induction regimen, while the others received supportive/palliative care ± low-dose chemotherapy (57 pts), or a non-induction clinical trial (26 pts). Average age was 56.4 (sd: 12.9) for patients who received supportive/palliative care and 47.0 (sd: 17.5) for patients who received a 3rd induction (p=0.008). Other baseline characteristics including gender, cytogenetic risk, marrow blast count post 2nd induction, and time between 1st and 2nd induction, did not differ between patients who did and did not receive a 3rd induction. Time to 3rd induction was a median of 54 days [range:36-126] from the start of the 2nd induction. Of the 15 third inductions, 7 were clinical trials evaluating novel agents in combination with induction chemotherapy, while the other 8 were combinations of standard chemotherapeutics (Flag-Ida n=1), AMSA+HiDAC (n=2), Daunorubicin+ HiDAC (n=1), Nove-HiDAC (n=4). Of the 15 patients who received a 3rd induction, 3 (20%) achieved a CR following Nove-HiDAC and Flag-Ida or AMSA+HiDAC chemotherapy, where the Ara-C was given as continuous infusion. 1 patient underwent allogeneic stem cell transplant (SCT) approximately 3.7 months after 3rd induction and remains alive 4.6 years post CR. 2 patients relapsed 2.3 and 4.7 months post CR without having received alloSCT. None of the 12 other patients responded to the 3rd induction and none had prolonged aplasia. 2 of 15 (13%) died during 3rd induction. Among the 83 patients who did not receive a 3rdinduction, 1 achieved a CR after a phase 1 clinical trial (MDM2 inhibitor) and remains in CR 3.6 years following an alloSCT. For patients who survived the immediate post induction period and were discharged from hospital median overall survival from the start of the 2nd induction did not differ between patients who did and did not receive a 3rd induction (276 days [range: 78-1304] vs 181.5 days [range: 47-1855] respectively p= 0.14). Median duration of hospital stay (including subsequent admissions) was longer for patients receiving a 3rd induction compared to those who did not (94 days following start of the 2nd induction [range: 47-169] vs 57 days [range: 51-181], respectively;(p= 0.003)). In summary, remissions after 3rd inductions for primary non-responders are uncommon, and short-lived, suggesting that 3rd inductions should be considered with caution and only when an SCT strategy is in place. Disclosures Gupta: Incyte Corporation: Consultancy, Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding. Schuh:Amgen: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Yee:Novartis Canada: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding. Schimmer:Novartis: Honoraria.

Background: Therapy for patients (pts) with high risk AML remains unsatisfactory. Retrospective studies have demonstrated activity of fludarabine, cytarabine, GCSF and idarubicin (FLAG-IDA) and of mitoxantrone, etoposide and cytarabine (NOVE-HiDAC) as salvage therapy in pts with relapsed or refractory AML. A recent randomized trial indicated high complete remission (CR) rates with improved relapsed-free survival when FLAG-IDA is administered as frontline induction therapy (Burnett et al. J Clin Oncol 2013). Since 01/2011, we have used FLAG-IDA as a first line therapeutic option in pts with high risk AML (poor risk cytogenetics, antecedent myeloproliferative neoplasm or myelodysplastic syndrome, and/or therapy-related AML) in an attempt to improve CR rates and permit more patients with AML to advance to allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (alloHCT). Prior to 2011, either 3&7 or NOVE-HiDAC was used as first line therapy in patients with AML. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of consecutive patients with high risk AML treated with front-line (a) FLAG-IDA between 01/2011 to 03/2015, (b) NOVE-HiDAC from 01/2006 to 12/2014, or (c) 3&7 from January 01/2011 to 12/2014 at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, to determine the CR rates and overall survival (OS) associated with the different regimens. Results: Patients characteristics are in Table 1. Fifty-two, 32, and 30 pts received FLAG-IDA, NOVE-HiDAC or 3&7 as first induction, respectively. Patients receiving FLAG-IDA had more high-risk features (i.e. complex cytogenetics, more azacytidine failures) compared to those receiving 3&7. Overall CR rate (i.e. CR + [CRi] + [CRp]) with FLAG-IDA, NOVE-HiDAC, and 3&7 respectively was 86% (n=42/49), 84% (n=21/25) and 50% (n=13/26), respectively. Median CR duration, censored at time of transplant, for pts receiving FLAG-IDA, NOVE-HiDAC and 3&7 was 3 mos (0.5-15), 3.5 mos (1-9) and 5.5 mos (0.5-42), respectively. OS at 1 year with FLAG-IDA, NOVE-HiDAC and 3&7 was 61% (95% CI, 41% -75%), 55% (95% CI, 34%-72%) and 21.6% (95% CI, 7.4%-40.7%), respectively (log-rank test p-value=0.0076). On subgroup analysis, there was no statistical difference in OS for pts ≥70 years. Of those with a donor identified, 35% (n=13/37), 73% (n=11/15) and 29% (n=5/17) of pts who were treated with FLAG-IDA, NOVE-HiDAC and 3&7 underwent an alloSCT, respectively. Pts with sAML may have had a higher transplant rate due to donor searches initiated earlier. Probable and possible invasive aspergillosis infections in pts receiving FLAG-IDA, NOVE-HiDAC and 3&7 were 50%, 34% and 33% respectively. Institution of earlier bronchoscopies led to increased fungal detection in the FLAG-IDA group. Median length of stay and ICU transfers were similar between groups. Induction deaths were secondary to sepsis, respiratory failure, invasive aspergillosis, and hemorrhage; these were similar across groups. Two pts receiving NOVE-HiDAC, with prior MPN, died of progressive splenomegaly and liver failure. Conclusions: Toxicities associated with frontline FLAG-IDA and NOVE-HIDAC induction are acceptable. FLAG-IDA and NOVE-HiDAC induction can result in durable CR, permitting patients with high risk AML to proceed to alloSCT and providing more favourable survival rates than frontline 3&7. Randomized studies are needed to confirm these findings for pts with poor-risk sAML and tAML. Table 1. Patient Characteristics FLAG-IDA(2013-2015) NOVE-HiDAC(2006-2014) 3&7(2011-2014) N=52 N=32 N=30 Median Age,y (range) Age Disclosures Gupta: Novartis: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Incyte: Honoraria, Research Funding.

Background: Children and adults with Down Syndrome (DS) have an approximately 20-fold increased risk of developing acute lymphoblastic leukemia, which in the majority of cases is of the B-cell precursor (BCP) type, and have significantly inferior outcomes due to both higher relapse rates and increased treatment-related mortality.During treatment for ALL, children with DS are at a higher risk of complications such as prolonged neutropenia, severe mucositis and longer hospitalizations. In view of the significant barriers to successful treatment for pediatric DS-ALL and the absence of outcome data for DS-ALL in adults, we retrospectively reviewed the outcomes of adult patients with DS-ALL treated at our center. Methods: All patients greater than 18 years of age diagnosed with DS-ALL who were followed at Princess Margaret Cancer Center/University Health Network (PMH/UHN) between January 1, 2000 and June 30, 2014 were identified using the institutional leukemia database. Diagnosis of ALL was established by standard FAB WHO Criteria using multiparameter flow cytometry for immunophenotyping according to ISCN guidelines. Treatment of adult DS patients with de novo ALL and those with relapsed ALL who had not previously received intensive asaparaginas therapy, were treated according to a modified Dana Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI) ALL regimen; reduced doses of methotrexate were used due to the increased risk of mucositis reported in children with DS. This regimen includes an at least four fold higher total dose of E. coli derived asparaginase compared to other adult regimens. Results: Seven adult patients with DS-ALL were treated at our center from 2000 to 2014. Four of these were diagnosed with de novo DS-ALL (after age of 18 years) and three patients developed a late isolated bone marrow relapse of DS-ALL as adults after previous treatment for childhood DS-ALL. Approximately half of our patients had favourable cytogenetics and half had intermediate risk cytogenetics . Treatment was not altered based on cytogenetics. The median age of 4 patients, with de novo adult DS-ALL, was 26 years (range 21-42 years). 75% achieved a CR after initial induction; one patient died during induction from sepsis. Two of the four de novo adult DS-ALL patients relapsed after CR1 durations of 11 and 35 mon.. One patient received palliative chemotherapy. At the time of last follow up, 3 of these patients have died. The one remaining patient is alive in continuous CR at 41 mos. The three adult DS patients with relapsed ALL had a median age of 14 years (7-15 years) at diagnosis of primary DS-ALL and 29 years (21-36) at the diagnosis of relapse. Two of these received DFCI as re-induction while the third received Hyper-CVAD. Despite achieving an initial remission all patients with relapsed DS-ALL died , two from subsequent relapsed and one from an invasive aspergillosis. One patient relapsed while on therapy at 4.7 months. The other patient relapsed while off therapy at 15.2 months. The overall and relapsed-free survival of adult patients with DS and de novo ALL at 3 years was 50% and 33.3%, respectively, and thus markedly inferior to results of a similarly treated population of adults (aged 18-35 years) without DS ( 3-year OS 83%, 3-year RFS 77%) at our center. Conclusions: The results of our series of adult patients with DS and ALL suggest that the barriers to successful treatment of ALL in adults with DS are similar to those observed in children. Although the rarity of adult ALL in general, and that of adult DS-ALL in particular, limits sample size and conclusions, this report is to our knowledge the first describing survival outcomes of adults with DS and ALL and highlights that treatment of primary adult DS-ALL is feasible but significantly less successful compared to adults without DS. As in children, subsequent relapse and treatment-related mortality impacting outcome are equally problematic. Disclosures Gupta: Incyte: Honoraria, Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees.

e18022 Background: Therapy for patients (pts) with high risk and relapsed/refractory AML is unsatisfactory. Since Jan 2011, we have employed FLAG-IDA as first line therapy in pts with high risk AML...

Background: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with t(8;21) or inv(16) is commonly referred to as core-binding factor AML (CBF-AML). Although this group represents a favorable cytogenetic AML subgroup, 30-40% of these patients nevertheless relapse after standard intensive chemotherapy. The incorporation of high-dose cytarabine for postremission therapy has substantially improved the outcome of CBF-AML patients, especially when administered as 2-4 repetitive cycles. Here we present retrospective data from a single centre, on this favourable AML subgroup. Methods: We analyzed retrospectively the outcome of 80 sequential patients with CBF-AML (46 t(8;21), 34 inv(16)/t(16;16)) treated over a 13 year period from 2000-2012. The median age was 48 years (range 20-80) with a median white cell count of 13x109/L(range 1-426x109/L). All patients underwent induction chemotherapy consisting of daunorubicin (60 mg/m2/d x 3 days) and continuous infusion cytarabine (100 or 200 mg/m2/d x 7 days, for ages

Background: Therapy for patients (pts) with high risk and/or relapsed or refractory AML remains unsatisfactory. Retrospective studies have demonstrated activity of fludarabine, cytarabine, granulocyte colony stimulating factor and idarubicin (FLAG-IDA) as salvage therapy in pts with relapsed or refractory AML. Furthermore, a recent randomized trial has indicated high complete remission (CR) rates with improved relapsed-free survival when FLAG-IDA is administered as frontline induction chemotherapy (Burnett et al. J Clin Oncol 2013). Therefore, since January 2011, we have employed FLAG-IDA as first line therapy in pts with high risk AML (i.e. poor risk cytogenetics, antecedent myeloproliferative neoplasm or myelodysplastic syndrome, or therapy-related AML), or as first salvage in pts with primary refractory or relapsed AML, in an attempt to improve CR rates and permit more patients with AML to advance to allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloSCT). Methods: A retrospective review was conducted of the 62 consecutive patients with high risk AML or primary refractory or relapsed AML treated with FLAG-IDA between January 2011 to December 2013 at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre to determine the CR rate and overall survival (OS) associated with FLAG-IDA remission induction chemotherapy. Results: Baseline characteristics of the patients are listed in Table 1. Fourteen pts received FLAG-IDA as first induction, whereas 48 pts received FLAG-IDA as salvage (39 as first salvage and 9 as second salvage). The overall CR rate (i.e. CR + CR with incomplete platelet recovery [CRi]) using FLAG-IDA as frontline therapy was assessed in 13 patients, as one pt died during induction therapy and therefore, was not evaluable. Of the 13 evaluable patients, all achieved CR or CRi. The overall CR rate for the salvage induction group was 73% (i.e. 31% CR and 42% CRi). The CR duration was censored at time of transplant. The CR duration for pts receiving FLAG-IDA as first induction was 3 mos (range, 0-15 mos). For pts receiving FLAG-IDA as salvage therapy, the CR1 duration for primary refractory AML pts was 6 mos (range, 2-58 mos) and CR2 duration for relapsed AML pts was 4 mos (range, 1-12 mos). 76% of patients (n=10) who received frontline FLAG-IDA induction chemotherapy, and achieved CR/CRi, had a donor identified, but only 40% of those pts underwent alloSCT. 85% of pts (n=30) who received salvage FLAG-IDA, and achieved CR/CRi, had a donor identified, but only 53% of those pts proceeded to alloSCT. The length of hospital stay during the first FLAG-IDA induction was 33 days (range, 17-96 days), whereas the length of hospital stay for salvage FLAG-IDA induction was 43 days (range, 10-305 days). Fourteen percent of pts in the first induction group were admitted to the ICU during their induction, compared to 17% of pts in the salvage induction group. The median ICU stay was 39.5 days and 14 days, respectively. There was a 14% death rate during FLAG-IDA induction for both groups. The median follow up time from diagnosis for both groups was 15.28 mos (range, 2-70.4 mos). Overall survival at 1 and 2 years in the upfront FLAG-IDA induction group was 65% and 41%, respectively, while OS at 1 and 2 years for the salvage FLAG-IDA group was 60% and 35%, respectively. Conclusions: The toxicities associated with FLAG-IDA induction, including induction death rates and ICU admission rates, are acceptable and similar in the untreated and heavily pre-treated groups. FLAG-IDA induction can result in durable CR rates, permitting patients with high risk AML or patients with primary refractory or relapsed AML to proceed to allogeneic transplantation. | | Front-Line N=14 | Salvage N=48 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------ | | Median age, y (range) ≥70y (%) ≥60y (%) | 65.5 (21-76) 2 (14%) 10 (71%) | 50 (18-76) 2 (4%) 10 (21%) | | Gender | 7M : 7F | 22M : 26F | | Secondary/Therapy-related Prior MDS Prior MPN | 14 (100%) 2 (14%) 2 (14%) | 17 (35%) 8 (17%) 2 (4%) | | Cytogenetic risk group Good Intermediate Poor | 0 4 (28%) 10 (71%) | 3 (6%) 28 (58%) 17 (35%) | | Molecular abnormalities cKit mutated FLT3-ITD mutated | 0 1 (7%) | 2 (4%) 5 (10%) | | Median no. prior treatment regimens (range) | 0 | 1 (1-2) | | Prior chemotherapy regimen Daunorubicin + cytarabine NOVE-HiDAc Other | NA NA NA | 43 (90%) 11 (23%) 3 (6%) | | Disease status Primary refractory Relapsed CR1 duration