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The GIMEMA LAL1509 protocol, designed for adult (≥18-60 years) de novo Ph+ acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients, was based on a dasatinib plus steroids induction - with central nervous system prophylaxis - followed by dasatinib alone in patients in complete molecular response or chemotherapy and/or allogeneic transplantation in patients not reaching a complete molecular response. Sixty patients (median age 41.9 years) were enrolled: 33 were p190+, 18 p210+ and 9 p190/p210+. At the end of induction (day +85), 58 patients (97%) achieved a complete hematologic remission. No deaths in induction were recorded. Eleven patients (18.3%) obtained a complete molecular response. Among non-complete molecular responders (n=47), 22 underwent an allogeneic transplant. Seventeen hematologic relapses occurred (median 7 months, range 3-40.1), 13 during consolidation and 4 post-transplant. ABL1 mutations (5 T315I, 3 V299L, 1 E281K and 1 G254E) were found in 10/13 relapsed cases. With a median follow-up of 57.4 months (range: 4.2-75.6), overall survival and disease-free survival are 56.3% and 47.2%. A better diseasefree survival was observed in patients who obtained a molecular response at day +85 compared to cases who did not. The presence of additional copy number aberrations - IKZF1 plus CDKN2A/B and/or PAX5 deletions - was the most important unfavorable prognostic factor on overall and disease-free survival (p=0.005 and p=0.0008). This study shows that in adult Ph+ ALL long-term survivals can be achieved with a total-therapy strategy based on a chemo-free induction and, in complete molecular responders, also without further systemic chemotherapy. Finally, the screening of additional copy number aberrations should be included in the diagnostic work-up. EudraCT 2010-019119-39

Several papers authored by international experts have proposed recommendations on the management of BCR-ABL1+ chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Following these recommendations, survival of CML patients has become very close to normal. The next, ambitious, step is to bring as many patients as possible into a condition of treatment-free remission (TFR). The Gruppo Italiano Malattie EMatologiche dell’Adulto (GIMEMA; Italian Group for Hematologic Diseases of the Adult) CML Working Party (WP) has developed a project aimed at selecting the treatment policies that may increase the probability of TFR, taking into account 4 variables: the need for TFR, the tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), the characteristics of leukemia, and the patient. A Delphi-like method was used to reach a consensus among the representatives of 50 centers of the CML WP. A consensus was reached on the assessment of disease risk (EUTOS Long Term Survival [ELTS] score), on the definition of the most appropriate age boundaries for the choice of first-line treatment, on the choice of the TKI for first-line treatment, and on the definition of the responses that do not require a change of the TKI (BCR-ABL1 ≤10% at 3 months, ≤1% at 6 months, ≤0.1% at 12 months, ≤0.01% at 24 months), and of the responses that require a change of the TKI, when the goal is TFR (BCR-ABL1 >10% at 3 and 6 months, >1% at 12 months, and >0.1% at 24 months). These suggestions may help optimize the treatment strategy for TFR.

Introduction: Many older patients (pts) with AML respond to intensive induction chemotherapy (IC), but responses are often short-lived and overall survival (OS) is poor. The benefit of post-remission maintenance treatment (Tx) for pts with AML is unclear, as no therapy has shown to significantly improve OS. CC-486 is an oral hypomethylating agent that allows for prolonged drug exposure during each Tx cycle to sustain therapeutic activity. We hypothesized that prolonged Tx with CC-486 could be effective as post-remission maintenance in AML. Herein, we report the primary results of QUAZAR AML-001 (NCT01757535), a phase III international, randomized, double-blind, placebo (PBO)-controlled study evaluating CC-486 as maintenance therapy in pts aged ≥55 years with AML in first remission following IC. Methods: Eligible pts had de novo or secondary AML, intermediate- or poor-risk cytogenetics, and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS) scores of ≤3; had achieved first complete remission (CR) or CR with incomplete count recovery (CRi) after IC, with or without consolidation chemotherapy; and were not candidates for hematopoietic stem-cell transplant (HSCT). Within 4 months of attaining CR/CRi, pts were randomized 1:1 to receive CC-486 300 mg or PBO once-daily on days 1-14 of repeated 28-day Tx cycles. A 21-day dosing schedule was permitted for pts who experienced AML relapse with 5-15% blasts in blood or bone marrow while on-study. Tx could continue indefinitely until the presence of >15% blasts, unacceptable toxicity, or HSCT. The primary endpoint was OS. Secondary endpoints included relapse-free survival (RFS), health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and safety. Samples were collected for exploratory translational endpoints, including measurable residual disease (MRD). Kaplan-Meier estimates of OS and RFS were compared for CC-486 vs. PBO by stratified log-rank test. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were generated using a stratified Cox proportional hazards model. Results: Between May 2013 and October 2017, 472 pts were randomized to receive CC-486 (n=238) or PBO (n=234). Baseline characteristics were balanced between Tx arms. Median age was 68 years (range 55-86), 91% of pts had de novo AML, and 86% and 14% of pts, respectively, had intermediate-risk or poor-risk cytogenetics. Following induction, 81% of pts achieved a CR and 19% achieved CRi; 80% of pts had received consolidation chemotherapy (45% received 1 consolidation cycle and 31% received 2 consolidation cycles). At a median follow-up of 41.2 months, OS was significantly improved with CC-486 vs. PBO: median OS was 24.7 months vs. 14.8 months from time of randomization, respectively (P=0.0009; HR 0.69 [95%CI 0.55, 0.86]) (FigureA). RFS was also significantly prolonged: median RFS was 10.2 months in the CC-486 arm, compared with 4.8 months in the PBO arm (P=0.0001; HR 0.65 [95%CI 0.52, 0.81]) (Figure B). OS and RFS benefits of CC-486 were demonstrated regardless of baseline cytogenetic risk, the number of prior consolidation cycles received, and CR/CRi status. CC-486 did not adversely impact overall HRQoL vs. PBO, as assessed by mean changes from baseline in HRQoL measures during Tx. CC-486 had a manageable safety profile generally consistent with that of injectable azacitidine. Median exposure to CC-486 was 12 cycles (range 1-80) and to PBO was 6 cycles (1-73). The most frequently reported adverse events (AEs) with CC-486 and PBO were grade 1 or 2 gastrointestinal (GI) events, including nausea (64% and 23%, respectively), vomiting (59% and 10%), and diarrhea (49% and 21%). The most common grade 3-4 AEs were neutropenia (CC-486, 41%; PBO, 24%), thrombocytopenia (23% and 22%), and anemia (14% and 13%). Serious AEs were infrequent, mainly infections, which occurred in 17% of pts in the CC-486 arm and 8% of pts in the PBO arm. Few AEs led to Tx discontinuation, most often GI events (CC-486, 5%; PBO, 0.4%). Conclusions: CC-486 is the first therapy used in the maintenance setting to provide statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements in both OS and RFS in pts with AML in remission following induction chemotherapy, with or without consolidation. Oral CC-486 has a manageable safety profile and represents a new therapeutic standard for pts with AML in remission. Disclosures Wei: Abbvie: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: AHW is a former employee of the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute and receives a fraction of its royalty stream related to venetoclax, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Macrogenics: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Pfizer: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Astellas: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Janssen: Honoraria; Servier: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Celgene: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Amgen: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Astra Zeneca: Honoraria, Research Funding; Novartis: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Genentech: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Döhner:AbbVie, Agios, Amgen, Astellas, Astex, Celator, Janssen, Jazz, Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Honoraria; AROG, Bristol Myers Squibb, Pfizer: Research Funding; Celgene, Novartis, Sunesis: Honoraria, Research Funding. Montesinos:Abbvie: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Celgene: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Research support, Speakers Bureau; Daiichi Sankyo: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Research support, Speakers Bureau; Incyte: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Janssen: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Research support, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Karyopharm: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Research support; Novartis: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Research support, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Pfizer: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Research support, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Teva: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Research support, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau. Ravandi:BMS: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Agios: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Novartis: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Orsenix: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Abbvie: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Astellas: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Celgene: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Xencor: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Amgen: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Macrogenix: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding. Sayar:Celgene Corporation: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Porkka:Celgene: Consultancy, Research Funding; Daiichi Sankyo: Consultancy, Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy, Research Funding. Selleslag:Celyad: Consultancy; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Pfizer: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Astellas: Consultancy; Daichii Sankyo: Consultancy; Janssen-Cilag: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Astex Otsuka: Consultancy, Honoraria; Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Incyte: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau. Sandhu:Takeda: Consultancy; Amgen: Consultancy; Novartis: Consultancy; Bioverativ: Consultancy; Celgene Corporation: Consultancy; Pfizer: Consultancy; Janssen: Consultancy. Giai:BMS: Honoraria; Pfizer: Honoraria; Novartis: Honoraria. Beltrami:Ospedale Policlinico San Martino: Employment. Ossenkoppele:Celgene Corporation: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding. La Torre:Celgene Corporation: Employment, Equity Ownership. Skikne:Celgene Corporation: Employment, Equity Ownership. Kumar:Celgene Corporation: Employment, Equity Ownership. Dong:Celgene Corporation: Employment, Equity Ownership. Beach:Celgene Corporation: Employment, Equity Ownership. Roboz:AbbVie: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Actinium: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Agios: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Amphivena: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Argenx: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Astex: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Astellas: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Bayer: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Celgene: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Celltrion: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Daiichi Sankyo: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Eisai: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Janssen: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Jazz: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Novartis: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; MEI Pharma: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Orsenix: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Otsuka: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Pfizer: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Roche/Genentech: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Sandoz: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Takeda: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Trovagene: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees.

We reviewed the frequency and prognostic significance of FLT3 (fms-like tyrosine kinase receptor-3) and NPM (nucleophosmin) gene mutations and WT1 (Wilms' tumor) and BAALC (brain and acute leukemia, cytoplasmic) gene expression in 100 consecutive patients with intermediate and poor cytogenetic risk de novo acute myeloid leukemia (AML) receiving conventional anthracycline-AraC based therapy. We observed a strict relationship between unfavorable karyotype and BAALC1000 (p = 0.0001). Multivariate analysis of 81 patients with intermediate karyotype revealed that younger age (p = 0.00009), NPM gene mutation (p = 0.002), and WT175th percentile (2365) (p = 0.003) were independent, positive factors for complete remission (CR). WT1 expression above 2365 was correlated also to longer event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) in the same subset of patients (p = 0.003 and p = 0.02, respectively); the same finding occurred in younger patients with AML with intermediate karyotype (p = 0.008 and p = 0.01, respectively). In patients with intermediate karyotype, FLT3 internal tandem duplication (ITD) negatively affected EFS (EFS at 30 months: 30% vs. 6% in FLT3-ITD negative and FLT3 positive patients, respectively; p = 0.01) and OS (OS at 30 months: 38% vs. 20%, p = 0.03). The positive prognostic value of high WT1 expression does not have a clear explanation; it may be implicated either with WT1 anti-oncogenic function, or with the stimulating effect of WT1 oncogene on the leukemic cellular cycle, possibly associated with an enhanced response to chemotherapy.

Autografting (or autologous stem cell transplant [ASCT]) followed by “rescue” with Philadelphia chromosome (Ph)-negative hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPC) remains a good procedure to guarantee prolonged survival for patients mobilized and autografted soon after diagnosis. Among 50 autografted patients who were treated with interferon alpha (IFN-α) and imatinib (for cytogenetic relapse after IFN-α), 41 are alive at a median of 51 months (range, 8 to 106 months). Twenty-eight (56%) patients maintain major cytogenetic remission after ASCT + IFN-α ± imatinib. Such results are probably better than those achieved by IFN-α alone and are similar to the best results obtained in younger patients after allografting with human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-identical sibling donors. The integration of imatinib, during the coming years, into an autografting procedure could represent important progress towards developing a cure for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients who cannot undergo conventional allografting. Semin Hematol 40:72-78. Copyright 2003, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.

We examined safety and efficacy of STI-571 in 24 bcr/abl-positive patients with CML post PBSCT. At start of STI-571 therapy, nine patients presented in blast crisis (BC) or in accelerated phase (AP), and 15 in chronic phase (CP). Patients were evaluated for hematologic, cytogenetic and molecular response, survival and toxicity. In general, STI-571 was well tolerated in this heavily pretreated group of patients with a non-hematologic and hematologic toxicity profile similar to that observed in a previous phase I trial at comparable doses. Five of nine patients with CML in transformation (AP, BC) were evaluable for hematologic response. Two of five patients had transient reductions in WBC and blasts, and three patients achieved a sustained hematologic response (>4 weeks). Cytogenetic analysis in these patients revealed numerical and/or structural responses. In CML chronic phase, STI-571 induced complete hematologic responses in all patients and major cytogenetic responses in 61% of patients with a complete cytogenetic response rate of 46%. This report indicates that STI-571 is a safe and effective drug in heavily pretreated patients. No apparent additional side-effects were noted in this patient cohort. The high rate of complete hematologic and complete cytogenetic responses in CP patients is remarkable, as intensive treatment approaches plus IFN-alpha failed to be efficient in achieving long-term stabilization of CML in this patient cohort.

Background, methods and aims of the study. It is widely established that the prognosis of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is related to clinical (age, denovo or secondary leukemia, presence of comorbidities), cytogenetic and molecular (e.g. FLT3-ITD, NPM1 gene mutation.) factors. We have developed a Comprehensive Risk Score (CRS) identifying three prognostic subgroups with favorable (low risk karyotype or intermediate karyotype + mutations of NPM1 gene without FLT3-ITD), unfavorable (high risk cytogenetics or FLT3-ITD without NPM1 mutation or secondary AML) and intermediate (including all the other patients not belonging to previous groups) prognosis. The clinical utility of CRS was tested on a cohort of 292 AML patients included in the REGAL registry, a regional Italian registry that was established in October 2010 at the University of Genoa. Results. Analysis of age distribution confirmed the increased incidence of AML in patients older than 60 years (n. 182, 62.4%). Patients with de novo or secondary AML were 210 (71.9%) and 82, (28.1%) respectively. Patients with significant and often multiple comorbidities at diagnosis were 131 (44.8%). Seventeen patients (6%) received only supportive therapy, 217 (74.3%) intensive induction regimens (mainly FLAG-Ida and 3+7), including 96% of patients with age below 60 years and 61% of those over the age of 60 years. Therapy with hypomethylating agents (azacitidine and decitabine) was given to 31 patients (10.6%). In the whole cohort of patients 24 months projected survival (OS) was 66% among 62 patients defined as low risk according CRS (median not reached), 37,9% among 118 intermediate risk patients (median 13.8 months) and 12,7% in 112 patients included in the unfavorable risk group (median survival 4.8 months) (p =0.000, Fig. 1). In patients aged younger than 60 years, OS of favorable and intermediate risk groups were similar (77% and 72% in 39 low risk and in 44 intermediate risk patients, respectively), whereas the outcome of 27 high risk patients was worse (OS 28.2%, median survival of 10,3 months, p 0.0001). In the group of elderly patients (> 60 years) the outcome of the intermediate group was rather similar to that observed in the poor risk group (OS 16% and 7% in 74 intermediate and in 85 poor risk patients, respectively, p n.s). On the contrary OS of 23 favorable risk patients was good (49%, p = 0.0015).Twenty-nine patients have actually received an allogeneic bone marrow transplant (BMT) during first CR (66% of 44 with indication) and 14 in second or third CR. The sources of stem cells have been HLA-identical and haploidentical sibling in 45% and 50% of patients, respectively. Discussion and conclusions. Our study suggests that the predictive value of CRS is clearly affected by the therapeutic strategy. Whereas the score allows the stratification of the whole cohort of patients in three groups with different outcome, in younger fit patients a more intensive therapeutic approach, such as the FLAG-IDA regimen and a wider use of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation made possible by the use of haploidentical donors, results in the super-imposable prognosis between favorable risk and intermediate risk patients. However, the same intensive approach cannot overcome the unfavorable features of the majority of high risk patients. In the elderly group median age and comorbidities prevent patients from receiving intensive induction therapy. Therefore, intermediate and unfavorable risk patients show a similar poor outcome. In elderly patients the achievement of a good outcome is related to disease status (denovo AML), favorable cytogenetic and molecular features, good performance status and administration of intensive induction and consolidation treatment, including BMT in selected cases. Disclosures Carella: Seattle Genetics Inc.: Research Funding.

The benefits of allografting noted in some malignant diseases might be safely extended to metastatic breast cancer by a combination of cytoreduction with high-dose chemotherapy (HDT) and autologous stem-cell transplant (ASCT) with graft-versus-tumour effect mediated by transplanted donor immune cells with nonmyeloablative allografting (reduced intensity conditioning transplantation, RICT). 17 patients with heavily pretreated disease were given tandem transplants. 13 patients sustained donor engraftment. Three had partial remission after HDT and ASCT and complete remission after RICT; they achieved full chimerism and all developed graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) before regression of cancer. Another patient did not respond to HDT and ASCT but had partial remission after RICT, giving an overall response rate of 24%. Five patients had grade II or higher acute GVHD and five had extensive chronic GVHD. No non-relapse-related deaths occurred during the first 100 days. Five patients (29%) were alive 90-2160 days (median 1320) after RICT. This two-step approach is feasible in patients with metastatic breast cancer.

We postulated that it is possible to safely extend the benefits of allografting to metastatic breast cancer by combining cytoreduction achieved with high-dose therapy and autologous stem cell transplant (HDT/ASCT) and graft versus tumor effect mediated through transplanted donor immune cells with nonmyeloablative allografting (RICT). Seventeen patients, 41 years of age (range, 31–57), with heavily pretreated disease were given HDT/ASCT. No patient died after HDT/ASCT. Thirty-one to 92 days (median, 51 days) after HDT/ASCT the patients received fludarabine 30 mg/m2/day x 3 days and cyclophosphamide 300 mg/m2/day x 3 days and donor PBPC from HLA-identical siblings. Postgrafting immunosuppression consisted of cyclosporine and methotrexate. Donor lymphocyte infusions were given to 11 patients with stable mixed chimerism and/or progressive disease, who did not show signs of GVHD. Thirteen patients (76%) achieved sustained donor engraftment. Three patients achieved partial remission (PR) after HDT/ASCT and complete remission (CR) after RICT; another no-responsive patient achieved PR for an overall response rate of 4/17 (22%). The first signs of responsiveness in CR patients began at day +80, +90 and +110 and the maximal response was achieved on day +240, +300 and +390. The 3 remitters patients achieved full chimerism and developed GVHD before regression of the disease. Grade ≥II aGVHD occurred in 5 patients (29%) and extensive cGVHD in 5 patients (29%). No transplant-related deaths (TRD) were observed during the first 100 days. Three patients died of extensive cGVHD in the first year. At April 2004, 5/17 patients (29%) are alive 90–2160 days (median, 1320) from RICT. In conclusion, this 2-step approach is a feasible procedure in metastatic breast cancer patients; the exploitation of graft versus tumor effect is a promising finding.

Conventional allografting has relied on a combination of myeloablative and immunosuppressive therapies, which results in substantial morbidity and mortality. To circumvent the problems inherent to the toxicity and treatment related deaths associated with allografting, it has been recently assessed that it is possible to achieve engraftment of donor hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) after immunosuppressive therapy combined or not with myelosuppressive but nonmyeloablative therapy.1-5The basic observation which serves as the rationale for non-myeloablative hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (NST) originates from the documented therapeutic potential of adoptive transfer of alloreactive donor lymphocytes to eradicate resistant malignant host cells escaping maximally tolerated doses of chemoradiotherapy. This is an observation that has provided an option for cure of patients with a large variety of hematologic malignancies,6-8especially chronic myeloid leukemia (CML).7-14

Introduction: Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a highly heterogeneous group of clonal disorders, with very different prognosis in given individuals, overall survival (OS) ranging from more than 10 years (y) for the more indolent conditions to only few months (m) for the forms approaching AML; beside of the well-established disease-related prognostic systems (classical IPSS or its revised form [IPSS-R], the prognostic implication of comorbidities is emerging as a relevant patient-related factor influencing clinical outcome. Aim of our study was to evaluate the clinical impact of comorbidities in a series of MDS patients whatever treated in a “real-life” setting. Methods: this retrospective cohort study involved the MDS patients consecutively registered between Jan 2011 and Dec 2013 into the Registro Ligure delle Mielodisplasie database, a regional registry established within the framework of the Italian Network of regional MDS registries. Data of 318 patients (pts) with available complete assessment of comorbidities at diagnosis were included into the study. The clinical characteristics and comorbidities were all considered into the analysis. Comorbidities were evaluated according to both hematopoietic cell transplantation-specific comorbidity index (HCT-CI) and MDS-specific comorbidity index (MDS-CI). All survival analyses were made from the date of diagnosis to last follow-up, death, or progression to AML. Unless specified, survival analyses were Cox models using continuous variables accounting for interactions. Results: Our cohort mainly consisted of older (median age 75y (range 40-98) “lower-risk” MDS pts: according to IPSS stratification, 151 (54.7%) pts were classified as low-risk, 86 (31.2%) as intermediate-1, 32 (11.6%) as intermediate-2 and 7 (2.5%) were in the high-risk group. One or more comorbidity of any grade of severity was seen in 177 (55.7%) pts at diagnosis. The more common comorbidity was cardiac (26.5%). At least a single comorbidity was present in 61.2% of pts older than 75y and in 50.6% of younger pts (p=0.07). Cardiovascular disorders were more frequent among older (32.9% for >75y vs 15.1% for ≤ 75y, p75 y (48% vs. 28.9% for < 75 y (p=0.001). A lower comorbidity score impacted on the clinical choice for active forms of therapy, while pts with an higher burden of comorbidities were preferentially treated with supportive care, even if difference did not reach significance (p=0.07). Overall survival and risk of non-leukemic death (NLD) were analyzed (median f.u. 26.9 m (range 1-220). HCT-CI did not significantly correlated with OS nor NLD (p= 0.1 and p= 0.07, respectively), while MDS-CI was found to be of prognostic significance both for OS (mean 136.6 (95%CI 116-157) m for the low-risk group, 81.3 (95%CI 61-102) m for the intermediate group and 48.1 (95%CI 30-66) m for the high-risk group, p=0.001) and for NLD (mean 159.6 (95%CI 139-180) m for the low-risk group, 96.5 (95%CI 72-121) m for the intermediate group and 49 (95%CI 31-67) m for the high-risk group (p Conclusions: a comprehensive evaluation of comorbidities according to a tailored tool such is MDS-CI helps to predict survival in patients with MDS and should be incorporate to current prognostic scores in order to better define clinical management of these patients. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Acute myeloid leukaemias (AML) evolving from a myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) or secondary to chemoradiotherapy frequently display unfavorable biologic characteristics. This may explain the lower remission rate obtained with conventional chemotherapy. Recently, the association of Fludarabine with intermediate dose Ara-C has produced interesting results particularly in high risk AML patients. Here, we report on 42 secondary AML patients treated with a combination of Fludarabine, intermediate dose Ara-C, G-CSF with or without an antracycline (FLANG, FLAG-IDA or FLAG). Overall, complete remissions (CR) were documented in 14 patients (33%) and partial responses (PR) in 12 (29%), while 10 patients proved resistant (24%). Six patients (14%) died early. The presence of a prognostically unfavorable karyotype had a negative impact on the CR rate (20% compared to 50% for patients with an intermediate prognosis karyotype, p 0.05). Patients treated with FLAG, FLANG and FLAG-IDA had similar CR rates. At the time of this analysis, after a mean follow-up of 12 months, the mean duration of CR is 16 months (range 3-66) and the mean survival is 11 months (range 1-67). The median time to granulocyte recovery (neutrophils0.5 x 10(9)/l) was 20 days (range 12-39) and 50 x 10(9)/l platelets were reached at a median of 26 days (range 9-56). Taken together, these Fludarabine containing regimens proved to be an effective and tolerable treatment for patients with secondary AML. Patients above 70 years of age may also benefit from this therapy, however the problem of treating patients with adverse chromosomal abnormalities still remains unresolved.

Cytotoxic lymphocytes (CTLs) which recognize distinct antigenic peptides on CML cells, contributed greatly to the eradication of leukemic cells after allografting. Previously, BCR-ABL specific peptides and the PR1 non-apeptide, were found to elicit a CML-specific CTL response. PR1 is a peptide derived from myeloblastin (MBN), also known as proteinase 3. MBN is abundantly expressed in azurophil granules of normal myeloid cells and is substantially overexpressed in certain immature myeloid leukemia cells where it may be important for the maintenance of a leukemic phenotype. PR1-specific CTLs (PR1-CTLs) lyses and inhibits the proliferation of CML cells but not of normal myeloid precursors. The association between the emergence of PR1-CTLs and the response to IFN-a in vivo strongly implied that IFN-a can induce remissions via induction of a CML-specific PR1-CTLs response. Therefore IFN-a, given to CML patient with undetectable disease achieved with IM, might enable its discontinuation. Ten consecutive CML patients, who were in stable CMR for at least one year after IM therapy, discontinued IM and received IFN-a. This drug was given at the dose of 3M/U/m2 weekly. The median duration of IM therapy before discontinuation was 60 (range, 31-76) months. At a median follow-up of 40 months (range, 26-58 months), five patients still have undetectable level of BCR-ABL transcript. Five patients relapsed at a median of 8 months (range, 3 – 11 months) but all except one, achieved a new CMR after reintroduction of IM. Grade 2 intolerance (muscle pain, fever) to IFN-a developed in 6/10 patients. The details of patients characteristics will be discussed during the presentation. These preliminary results demonstrate that treatment with low dose IFN-a offered to CML patients with undetectable disease is feasible and this approach may become an attractive alternative to TKI discontinuation alone. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Abstract 4251 Kinase domain (KD) mutations are associated with resistance to Imatinib in CP-CML but their incidence and prognostic significance before any treatment are unclear. To assess if KD mutations at diagnosis may have prognostic significance, we have recently reviewed (before treatment with Imatinib) the mutation status of 45 patients,of whom low risk: 24 patients; intermediate risk: 8 patients; high risk: 13 patients, according to Sokal/Euro. We found that a) no patient with low and intermediate risk showed KD mutations at diagnosis; b) 4/13 high risk patients showed the following mutations at diagnosis: S265R, E255K, F359Y and E255V/E258V; other 5 patients developed mutations during Imatinib treatment (E255V, T315I, E255V/E258V, H396R and D248-274). All patients with low-intermediate risk are alive and well at a median of 44 months (range, 15-71 months). On the contrary, 3/4 high risk patients with KD mutations at diagnosis progressed and died of blastic evolution at 23, 33 and 69 months despite Nilotinib and Dasatinib therapy. Other 3/5 high risk patients who developed mutations under Imatinib, died of blastic evolution at 22, 23 and 43 months despite Nilotinib and Dasatinib treatment. Seven high risk patients are alive under Imatinib between 4 and 51 months. In conclusion, the KD mutations at diagnosis were frequent in high Sokal/Euro risk group supporting the concept that such mutations could be related to the basic biology of the disease. These data, if confirmed, could modify our approach to high risk patients with KD mutation at diagnosis, i.e. utilizing second/third TKI generation earlier during the disease and, in selected cases, reconsidering allografting earlier before leukemic evolution make such procedure useless. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Abstract 4675 The prognostic value of WT1 expression at diagnosis is still controversial. It has been retrospectively evaluated in 99 consecutive non pretreated non M3 AML patients who had undergone a complete prognostic work up at diagnosis and had received intensive chemotherapy. Biological markers were evaluated on fresh marrow samples collected at diagnosis. WT1 expression was evaluated using TaqMan Gene Expression Assays as described. All patients received induction therapy with combination of fludarabine, Ara-C and anthracycline ± low dose gemtuzumab ozogamicin (n. 59) or with a conventional combination of Ara-C and anthracycline (n. 40) A conventional post-induction chemotherapy including intermediate dosage Ara-C was administered to all responding patients. Univariate comparisons between patients in CR vs non CR were performed using chi-square analysis or Fisher's exact test for categorical variables and t-test for continuous variables. P values < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Analyses were performed using SPSS. The prognostic impact of WT1 expression was evaluated using quartiles as cut off point and selecting the one with the lowest p value. The event free survival and OS were calculated using the Kaplan Meier method. Non CR after the first induction course, relapse and death due to any cause were considered events. OS and EFS duration were calculated from start of treatment. The impact of multiple predictor variables was assessed by multivariate analyses according to the Cox regression model for OS and EFS while for the evaluation of RC was used the Logistic regression model. Median age of patients was 59 years (range 17-81). Cytogenetic alterations were prognostically favorable in 3 patients and belonged to the intermediate prognostic group in 77 patients (normal karyotype in 75 patients and +8 in two). Nineteen patients had a poor prognosis cytogenetics. For statistical analyses we considered two karyotipic groups: unfavorable (19 patients) and not unfavorable (80 patients). CRs were 60/99 (60%), of which 40 in 51 patients aged 60 or less (78%) and 20 in 48 older than 60 years (41%). Twenty-six patients relapsed, 54 are alive, 45 have died, with a median follow up of 360 days (range 20-2300). In Table 1 are reported clinical indicators of outcome being patients grouped according to the percentile of WT1 expression with the lowest p value (75th). Statystical analysis showed that all WT1 quartiles were balanced for other prognostic factors, such as cytogenetics, BAALC expression, FLT3 and NPMA and B mutations, age, blast count and therapy. The lack of consense on the role of WT1 level at diagnosis in the prognostic stratification indicate that further clinical studies are required. The clear correlation between the level of WT1 transcript and the tumor burden explains why WT1 is used in the follow up of leukemic patients as universal marker of residual disease, also in patients with specific chimeric products. On the contrary, the biological explanation of the prognostic impact of WT1 transcript level at diagnosis remains uncertain. Over the years WT1 gene has been considered as an oncogene or a tumor suppressor gene. In our experience the protective influence of high WT1 expression cannot be explained with an association with good prognosis biological features (such as mut NPM and / or low BAALC). The positive prognostic value of high WT1 expression might be implicated either with WT1 antioncogenic function, or with the stimulating effect of WT1 oncogene on leukemic cellular cycle, possibly associated with an enhanced response to chemotherapy.Table 1WT1 2400 N./N.pts (%)p univ,p multiv.*RR (95% CI)CR (all karyotypes)41/ 75 (54)19/24 (82)0,0260.063.364 (0.927-12.202)CR (int/good karyot.)36/59 (61)19/210.010,0276.649 (1.240-35.645)CR (denovo AML int kar)31/45 (69)14/15 (98)0.020,03412.557 (1.218-129.446)CR (denovo, N.K.)26/40 (65)15/16 (94)0.0250.0413.430 (1.111-162.318)EFS at 24 months (all karyotypes)8%6%0.0020.050.486 (0.235-1.007)EFS at 24 months (int / good karyot.)9%64%0.0010.0230.360 (0.150-0.866)EFS at 24 months (de novo, N.K.)5%70%0.0010.0070.227 (0.077-0.671)OS (all karyot)15%55%0,110,660.837 (0.371-1.890)OS (int/good kar.)18%63%0,050,180.507 (0.186-1.381)Table 1 legend: * for multivariate analysis age, karyotype, FLT3, NPM mutation, BAALC expression, denovo/secondary disease were considered. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Residual diploid hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPC) represent a quantitatively useful reservoir from a therapeutic standpoint, particularly early in the course of the disease. Clinical evidence for the persistence of diploid HPC in CML has been provided by the fact that Ph-negative cells are mobilized into the blood of patients treated with chemotherapy/G-CSF, IFN-a and, more recently, with Imatinib. In this report, we update our experience in 50 patients with early chronic phase not previously treated with IFN-a. All patients completed the mobilization protocol (ICE/mini-ICE) and diploid or prevalently diplod HPC were mobilized in peripheral blood after G-CSF. High-dose therapy consisted of Busulfan (4 mg/kg/d x 4 days) (44 patients) or TBI-containing regimen (6 patients). No patient died of the procedure. After engraftment, all patients were treated with IFN-a (3–5 MU/d three times weekly). The median follow-up of 50 patients is 77 months (range, 8 to 142 months). At present (July 31, 2004), 39 patients (78%) are alive at a median follow-up of 89 months (range, 43 –142) from autografting: 15/39 patients maintain major cytogenetic remission (MCyR) under IFN-a (1 patient received MUD in MCyR;) 23 patients (22 in CP and 1 in AP), who relapsed cytogenetically received Imatinib. Sixteen out of 23 pts on Imatinib achieved MCyR (2 patients) or complete cytogenetic remission (CCyR) (14 patients). Eleven out of 50 patients died at a median of 35 months (range, 8 to 106 months): 9 patients of blastic transformation (2 in the Imatinib group), 1 patient of fulminant hepatitis and 1 of cardiac arrest under Imatinib treatment. In conclusion, intensive treatment with autografting/IFN-a ± Imatinib was able to control the disease in 39/50 patients of whom 31 patients are still in major/complete cytogenetic remission.

The development of reduced intensity conditioning regimens (RICT) has renewed interest in allografting for patients with multiple myeloma (MM). Taking advantage of this new approach, we firstly postulated that combining maximal tumor reduction achieved with autografting and the benefits of RICT, we could achieve more cures of multiple myeloma (MM) with acceptable toxicity. Sixteen patients, 51 years of age (range, 36–63) with previously treated stage III MM were given melphalan 140 mg/m2 and autologous peripheral blood progenitor cells (PBPC) reinfusion. The regimen-related toxicities were moderate with a median of 8 and 11 days of neutropenia and thrombocitopenia, respectively. Forty-six to 156 days later (median, 79 days), the patients received fludarabine 30 mg/m2/d x 3 days plus 2 Gy TBI and HLA-identical donor mobilized PBPC. Postgrafting immunosuppression consisted of cyclosporine and mycophenolate mofetil. Donor lymphocyte infusions were given to eight patients with stable mixed chimerism or progressive disease who did not show signs of aGVHD. Engraftment occurred in 14 patients (87%). Ten patients (62%) are alive with 9 of them in continuous complete remission 11–36 months (median, 30 months) after transplants. All remitters patients achieved full chimerism and developed GVHD. Grade II–III acute GVHD occurred in 7 patients (43%) but no patient died of aGVHD. Three patients (18%) developed extensive chronic GVHD requiring intensive therapy. Six patients died; five of them of progressive disease and one of progressive disease combined with extensive cGVHD and interstitial pneumonitis. In conclusion, this 2-step approach is feasible and demonstrated to have a strong antimyeloma activity with reduced deaths due to acute toxicities.

Background: Imatinib, a selective inhibitor of the bcr-abl tyrosine kinase, induces CCR in the majority of patients with CML in first chronic phase (CP). In the present study we addressed the question if such achievement of CCR can occur also in patients relapsed after autografting and IFN-α therapy. Methods: from 1991 to 2001, 50 patients with early chronic phase were treated with hydroxyurea; subsequently, when WBC count was less than 10x109/L, the patients were treated with idarubicin containing regimen (ICE/mini-ICE protocols), mobilization of diploid or prevalently diploid peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) with G-CSF during the early phase of recovery after chemotherapy and high-dose therapy followed by autologous diploid PBSC previously collected and cryopreserved. After engraftment, the patients received maintenance therapy with IFN-α (3MU/three times weekly). From september 2000, Imatinib became available for CML patients relapsed after IFN-α treatment. From that time all patients who relapsed after autografting and IFN-α received rescue therapy with Imatinib at 400 mg/daily for CP (Novartis protocol CSTI-106) and 600 mg/daily for accelerated phase (AP) (Novartis protocol-Italian Cooperative Study Group CSTI-003). Imatinib was given to 22 patients cytogenetically relapsed in CP and to 1 patient evoluted in AP. Results: At the time of analysis (July 31, 2004), the median treatment duration with Imatinib was 32 months (range, 1 to 47). Four patients stopped Imatinib between 9 and 12 months for no response/progression. The patient in AP died of heart failure one month after starting Imatinib; since this patient have had previous history of cardiac failure, it is not clear if this event should be correlated with Imatinib therapy; two other patients died for progression. Imatinib induced major cytogenetic responses in 16/23 patients (70%) of whom 14/23 achieving CCR (61%). At a median follow up of 36 months the PFS and OS were 78% and 87%, respectively. Grade ≥III hematological toxicity occurred in 5 patients; this toxicity resolved with temporary discontinuation of the treatment. Conclusion: Imatinib is an effective therapy for CP-CML patients who relapsed after autografting and IFN-α. The high rate of sustained haematological and cytogenetic responses achieved with Imatinib were associated to a favourable and manageable toxicity profile.

ASCO guidelines recommend the use of granulocyte-colony stimulating factors (G-CSF) as adjuvant agents after autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT), for shortening the period of severe neutropenia and reducing the related risk of life-threatening infections. The recently available pegylated formulation of G-CSF (peg-filgrastim) could have some potential advantages in phase of recovery after PBSCT, such as self-regulation mechanisms, particularly useful when neutropenia duration is unforeseeable, possible reduction/standardization of growth factor costs and possibility of more manageable outpatient treatments. We investigated the effects of a single s.c. injection of peg-filgrastim (6 mg) on day 3 in 11 patients (8 with multiple myeloma, MM; 2 with non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas, NHL; 1 with acute myeloid leukemia, AML) planned to receive autologous PBSCT. Mean age was 55 years (range 24–65). In 7 patients PBSCT was performed as consolidation in first complete or partial remission, while 4 patients received the procedure as salvage treatment for chemo-sensitive disease. Conditioning regimens were intermediate/high dose melphalan in MM, BEAM protocol in NHL and TBI plus cyclophosphamide in AML. For comparison, we selected a group of 11 historical controls matched for age, type and status of disease, conditioning regimen, and number of CD34+ stem cells infused, who had received standard daily s.c. administration of G-CSF (300 mcg/d) from day 5 to neutrophil recovery after autologous PBSCT. No adverse events occurred in patients treated with peg-filgrastim. Bone pain was the only side effect referred by one patient. There was no difference between the two groups in terms of median time to hemoglobin recovery, days of febrile neutropenia and number of red cell or platelet transfusions received. However, the median times to neutrophil > 0.5 x 109/L (10 days, range 9–13 vs 12 days , range 11–14, p < 0.000) and platelet > 20 x 109/L (10 days, range 8–15 vs 13 days, range 12–20, p < 0.003) were significantly shorter in peg-filgrastim group. The median number of G-CSF injections in controls was 12 (range 9–20), so that the mean cost of this drug for single patient was 1,764 euros, as compared to 910 euros for patients receiving peg-filgrastim. We conclude that peg-filgrastim and G-CSF have comparable safety and efficacy profiles in patients affected by hematological malignancies who undergo autologous PBSCT. In this specific setting of patients, peg-filgrastim could be cost-effective. Whether peg-filgrastim may be also superior in reducing the periods of neutropenia and thrombocytopenia, requires to be confirmed and further investigated in larger studies.

Background: We postulated that it is possibile to safely extend the benefit of allografting to relapsed or resistant Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (HL) by combining cytoreduction with high-dose therapy/autologous stem cell transplant (HDT/ASCT) and graft versus HL effect mediated through transplanted donor immune cells with nonmyeloablative allografting (RICT). Methods: Twenty-two patients, 32 years of age (range, 16–39) with heavily pretreated disease were given HDT/ASCT. At a median of 92 days after HDT/ASCT the patients received fludarabine 30 mg/m2/day x 3 days and cyclophosphamide 300 mg/m2/day x 3 days and non-T depleted donor peripheral blood stem cells from HLA-identical siblings. Postgrafting immunosuppression consisted of methotrexate and cyclosporine. Cyclosporine was withdrawn early in patients with mixed chimerism or disease progression. Donor lymphocyte infusions were given to 12 patients with stable mixed chimerism and/or progressive disease. Results: Seventeen patients (77%) achieved full chimerism and 5 patients mixed chimerism. Twelve patients (55%) achieved CR after tandem transplant. The first signs of responsiveness in CR patients began at day ≥60 and the maximal response was achieved on day ≥80. The remitters patients achieved full chimerism and developed acute/chronic GVHD before regression of the disease; moreover, 5 patients achieved CR after DLI. At last follow-up (July 31, 2004), 9 out of 12 CR patients are alive at a median of 1844 days (range, 1092 to 2045). Subsequently, 5 patients relapsed and are now alive on therapy and four patients maintain CR after a median follow-up of 1874 days (range, 1092–2045). Acute GVHD grade ≥ II occurred in 9 patients (40%); chronic GVHD developed in 5 patients (23%), four of them with extensive chronic GVHD requiring further immunosuppressive therapy. Two patients died of GVHD/infections, 1 patient died of extensive chronic GVHD and 7 patients of progressive disease. Conclusions: This tandem auto-allotransplant protocol demonstrated to be highly effective also in advanced resistant Hodgkin’s Lymphoma patients. The exploitation of graft-versus-lymphoma effect is a promising finding