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BACKGROUND Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is uncommon among subjects aged ≥ 70 years and the better therapeutic strategy represents an unmet clinical need. MATERIALS AND METHODS This prompted us to explore our real-life data on a retrospective cohort of 45 older APL patients (≥ 70 years) consecutively diagnosed at eight different hematologic institutions in Latium, Italy, from July 1991 to May 2019. RESULTS Two patients (4.4%) died from early hemorrhagic complications before treatment could begin. Twenty-two patients (51.1%) (Group A) were enrolled or treated according to standard clinical protocols, while 21 (48.8%) (Group B) received an ATRA-based personalized approach due to poor performance status. Morphologic complete remission (CR) after induction therapy was achieved in 33 patients (76.7%) with 100% of patients in Group A and 52.3% in Group B (p

Background Patients with hematological malignancies are at an increased risk of SARS‐CoV‐2 disease (COVID‐19) and adverse outcome. However, a low mortality rate has been reported in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Preclinical evidence suggests that tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) may have a protective role against severe COVID‐19. Methods We conducted a cross‐sectional study of 564 consecutive patients with CML who were tested for anti‐SARS‐CoV‐2 IgG/IgM antibodies at their first outpatient visit between May and early November 2020 in five hematologic centers representative of three Italian regions. Results The estimated serological prevalence of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection in patients with CML after the first pandemic wave was similar to that in the general population (about 2%), both at national and regional levels. CML patients with positive anti‐SARS‐CoV‐2 serology were more frequently male (p = 0.027) and active workers (p = 0.012), while there was no significant association with TKI treatment type. Only 3 out of 11 IgG‐positive patients had previously received a molecular diagnosis of COVID‐19, while the remainders were asymptomatic or with mild symptoms. Conclusions Our data confirm that the course of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection in patients with CML is generally mild and reassure about the safety of continuing TKIs during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Furthermore, we suggest that patients with CML succeed to mount an antibody response after exposure to SARS‐CoV‐2, similar to the general population., The estimated serological prevalence of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection in patients with CML after the first pandemic wave was similar to that of the general population (about 2% in Italy). Our data reassure about the safety of continuing TKI treatment during the ongoing pandemic and suggest that patients with CML succeed to mount an antibody response against SARS‐CoV‐2 whether on TKI treatment or not.

Introduction Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) has evolved in the past 20 years from an invariably fatal disease to a long-lasting, chronic disorder that can be treated with different targeted drugs and that allows survival expectations approaching those of age-matched controls.

Systemic anaplastic lymphoma kinase-negative (ALK-) anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) comprises a genomically heterogeneous disease that is considered a distinct entity by the 2016 World Health Organization Classification of Tumours of Haematopoietic and Lymphoid Tissues. Other than lymph nodes, systemic ALK- ALCL may affect extranodal tissues, sites where the inflammatory background may be especially prominent. In this scenario, myxoid change is exceptional in systemic ALK- ALCL. We describe a rare case of systemic ALK- ALCL with distinctive myxoid changes, carrying specific chromosomal aberrations that affect the clinical outcome. Careful morphological, immunohistochemical, and molecular workup is mandatory because a myxoid background should not be a reason to ignore the possibility of a lymphoma. Finally, extensive correlation with staging and the detection of prognostic biomarkers such as DUSP22 and TP63 rearrangements are essential for the diagnosis and prediction of clinical outcome in ALK- ALCL.

The SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) outbreak is upending current life and generating much anxiety and uncertainty. The effects of home confinement, social isolation, cancelled schools, closed businesses, and negative economic impacts have had serious consequences. Hematologic patients (HP) are a subset of highly vulnerable population with increased risk of developing severe COVID-19 symptoms due to their immunocompromised status. These risks have been augmented during the COVID outbreak because of deviations from current standards of care, e.g., reduced visits, treatment supply and access to routine exams. This study investigated the impact of the current pandemic on HP assessing demographics, medical information, mental health and caregiver practical management. In collaboration with AIL (Italian Association against Leukemia) and CNR (National Research Council), a survey was generated and distributed to Italian HP. The general population (GP) were used as controls. The assessment used the DASS-21 questionnaire, a self-reported, 21 item screening instrument that provides independent measures of depression, stress and anxiety with recommended severity thresholds subscales. The survey was self-administered between April and August, 2020. The questionnaires' reliability was verified based on an analysis of its internal consistency using Cronbach's alpha. As of 30 June 2020, 1113 HP and 1125 GP completed the survey from 20 Italian Regions. The two population groups were homogeneous by age, gender and distribution and included regions at both high (CHP) and low (CLP) prevalence of infections at the time of the survey. HP and GP median age was 50 years (range: HP 11- 93; GP 13-85). 61% HP and 68% GP were female; the rest were male. The year of diagnosis of hematological disease ranged from 1965 to 2020; 21.9% had chronic myeloid leukemia, followed by Hodgkin (15.7%) and non-Hodgkin (15.9%) lymphomas, chronic myeloproliferative neoplasms (15.9%), multiple myeloma (8.9%), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (4.9%), acute myeloid (5.6%) and lymphoblastic (3.25%) leukemias, other (7%). 1071 HP and 1125 GP responded about their occupation as follows: employed full/part time (38.7% HP , 47.7% GP), retired (19.2% HP,10.8% GP), freelancer (9.2% HP, 12.2% GP), unemployed (6.2% HP, 3.4% GP) , students (4.6% HP, 3.2% GP), company executive (4.1% HP, 4.8% GP), manager (2% HP, 4.7 % GP), cooperative member (0.7% HP , 0.7% GP), housewife (8.5% HP 4.8% GP), other (6.8% HP,7.7% GP). During the pandemic 63.7% HP didn't work and 36.3% did work compared to the GP group (33.8% didn't; 66.2 % did). Where specified, the reasons for not working were: layoffs (10.9% HP, 15.9% GP), lack of work (8.1%HP, 15.6 % GP), vacation/ parental leave (4.4% HP, 3.5% GP), reduced business activity for economic reasons (2.2% HP, 3.3% GP), occasional work (2.1% HP, 5.7% GP), seasonal employment, (0.6% HP,1.1 % GP). 625/1073 HP (58.2%) were in active treatment. Of these, 40.1% were in Day Hospital, 56.4% were outpatient; and 3.5% inpatients. The remaining HP were off therapy (448/1073; 41.8%). 1105 HP and 1127 GP responded to the DASS questionnaire. Extremely severe depression was found in 12.9% HP vs 7% GP; 18.1% HP expressed severe anxiety vs 9.6% GP and extremely severe stress was present in 7.1% HP and 5.3% GP. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the internal homogeneity of the questionnaire was 0.95, confirming the cohorts correctness (0.8 or greater, indicates a very good level of reliability). Providing care to HP during the pandemic has been challenging for both patients and doctors. Restrictions on visits and lab/instrumental exams, reduced equipment supply and a paucity of personal protection equipment (PPEs) for health care providers and patients have penalized normal routine care. As a result, 38.2% HP postponed or did not attend scheduled therapy and >50% had difficulty obtaining PPEs through normal sources; 57% in CHP and 36% in CLP regions had to buy them themselves. To our knowledge this is the first report of the impact of the pandemic on psychological distress, work consequences and illness management in HP. Most of HP in this study are outpatients in active treatment. Interesting data emerged from job losses, which is more common among HP. The DASS-21 instrument revealed higher anxiety and depression levels in HP. Detailed results including longitudinal analysis and high versus low geographic prevalence of COVID-19 infections will be presented. Figure 1 Disclosures Abruzzese: Incyte: 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; Pfizer: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Bms: Honoraria.

The overwhelming success of tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients has opened a discussion among medical practitioners and the lay public on the real possibility of pregnancy and conception in females and males with CML. In the past 10 years this subject has acquired growing interest in the scientific community and specific knowledge has been obtained “from bench to bedside”. Embryological, pharmacological, and pathophysiological studies have merged with worldwide patient databases to provide a roadmap to a successful pregnancy and birth in CML patients. Male conception does not seem to be affected by TKI therapy, since this class of drugs is neither genotoxic nor mutagenic, however, caution should be used specially with newer drugs for which little or no data are available. In contrast, female patients should avoid TKI therapy specifically during the embryonic stage of organogenesis (5–12 weeks) because TKIs can be teratogenic. In the last 15 years, 41 pregnancies have been followed in our center. A total of 11 male conceptions and 30 female pregnancies are described. TKI treatment was generally terminated as soon as the pregnancy was discovered (3–5 weeks), to avoid exposure during embryonic period and to reduce the risk of needing treatment in the first trimester. Eleven pregnancies were treated with interferon, imatinib or nilotinib during gestation. Nilotinib plasma levels in cord blood and maternal blood at delivery were studied in 2 patients and reduced or absent placental crossing of nilotinib was observed. All of the patients were managed by a multidisciplinary team of physicians with obligatory hematological and obgyn consultations. This work provides an update on the state of the art and detailed description of pregnancy management and outcomes in CML patients.

Deferasirox (DFX) is used for the management of iron overload (IOL) in many haematological malignancies including myelofibrosis (MF). The ‘RUX-IOL’ study retrospectively collected 69 MF patients treated with ruxolitinib (RUX) and DFX for IOL to assess: safety, efficacy in term of iron chelation response (ICR) and erythroid response (ER), and impact on overall survival of the combination therapy. The RUX–DFX therapy was administered for a median time of 12.4months (interquartile range 3.1–71.2). During treatment, 36 (52.2%) and 34 (49.3%) patients required RUX and DFX dose reductions, while eight (11.6%) and nine (13.1%) patients discontinued due to RUX- or DFX-related adverse events; no unexpected toxicity was reported. ICR and ER were achieved by 33 (47.8%) and 32 patients (46.4%) respectively. Thirteen (18.9%) patients became transfusion-independent. Median time to ICR and ER was 6.2 and 2months respectively. Patients achieving an ER were more likely to obtain an ICR also (p=0.04). In multivariable analysis, the absence of leukocytosis at baseline (p=0.02) and achievement of an ICR at any time (p=0.02) predicted improved survival. In many MF patients, the RUX–DFX combination provided ICR and ER responses that correlated with improved outcome in the absence of unexpected toxicities. This strategy deserves further clinical investigation.

A limited amount of data has been published in chronic-phase chronic myeloid leukemia (CP-CML) patients aged75 years treated frontline with second-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors.To address this issue in a clinical 'real-life' setting, we retrospectively analyzed 45 CP-CML patients (pts) followed in 20 Italian Centers and treated frontline with dasatinib (DAS).Median age was 78.4 years (range 75-89.2 years). DAS starting dose was 100 mg QD in 35 pts (77.7%), 80 mg QD in 1 pts (2.2%) and 50 mg QD in 9 pts (20.1%), respectively. The median follow-up was 42.6 months (IQR 20.4 - 63.3).Grade 3 and 4 side effects, both hematological and non-hematological, were detected in 6 (13.3%) and 12 (26.6%) pts, respectively. Pleural effusions of all grades occurred in 13 pts (28.8%) after a median period of DAS exposure of 14.7 months (IQR 3.0 - 33.1). The rates of DAS dose reduction and permanent drug discontinuation were 53.3% and 20.0%, respectively. As the best response, 42/45 patients (93.3%) achieved a complete cytogenetic response (CCyR), 35/45 (77.7%) a major molecular response (MMR) and 24/45 (53.3%) a deep molecular response (both MR 4.0 and MR 4.5). Only 1 patient (2.2%) progressed to the blast phase after 13 months of therapy; 8 deaths were observed (1 CML-related and 7 CML-unrelated). Cumulative event-free survival and overall survival at 36 months were 64.7% (95%, CI 49.4 - 80.0) and 82.3% (95%, CI 70.3-94.3), respectively.These findings, although evaluated in a limited and selected cohort of patients, suggest that DAS might be effective in older patients (aged75 years) affected by CP-CML with acceptable toxicity.

Few data are available on the treatment with DFX in patients with transfusion dependent Ph- Myeloproliferative Neoplasms in fibrotic phase. Here we report 48MPNpatients and iron overload treated with DFX. Starting DFX dose was 20 mg/Kg in 23 patients, 15 mg/Kg in 20 patientsand 10 mg/Kg in 5 patients. After a median treatment of 27.6 months, 5 patients achieved ferritin500 ng/ml, 11 1000 ng/ml and 3 a reduction50% of basal ferritin with a global response rate of 41%. As to hematological improvement, 9/47 patients (19.1%) showed a persistent rise of Hb1.5 g/dl, with disappearance of transfusion requirement in 6 cases. The median OS from DFX initiation in patients with chelation response was 61.0 months compared to 15.8 months in patients without chelation efficacy. Treatment with DFX is feasible and effective in MPN with iron overload and a hematological improvement can occur in a sizeable rate of patients.

BACKGROUND: After ruxolitinib discontinuation, the outcome of patients with myelofibrosis (MF) is poor with scarce therapeutic possibilities. METHODS: The authors performed a subanalysis of an observational, retrospective study (RUX-MF) that included 703 MF patients treated with ruxolitinib to investigate 1) the frequency and reasons for ruxolitinib rechallenge, 2) its therapeutic effects, and 3) its impact on overall survival. RESULTS: A total of 219 patients (31.2%) discontinued ruxolitinib for ≥14 days and survived for ≥30 days. In 60 patients (27.4%), ruxolitinib was rechallenged for ≥14 days (RUX-again patients), whereas 159 patients (72.6%) discontinued it permanently (RUX-stop patients). The baseline characteristics of the 2 cohorts were comparable, but discontinuation due to a lack/loss of spleen response was lower in RUX-again patients (P =.004). In comparison with the disease status at the first ruxolitinib stop, at its restart, there was a significant increase in patients with large splenomegaly (P 10 mg twice daily predicted better spleen (P =.05) and symptom improvements (P =.02), the reasons for/duration of ruxolitinib discontinuation and the use of other therapies before rechallenge were not associated with rechallenge efficacy. At 1 and 2 years, 33.3% and 48.3% of RUX-again patients, respectively, had permanently discontinued ruxolitinib. The median overall survival was 27.9 months, and it was significantly longer for RUX-again patients (P =.004). CONCLUSIONS: Ruxolitinib rechallenge was mainly used in intolerant patients; there were clinical improvements and a possible survival advantage in many cases, but there was a substantial rate of permanent discontinuation. Ruxolitinib rechallenge should be balanced against newer therapeutic possibilities.

To evaluate the role of bosutinib in elderly patients aged >65 years with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), a real-life cohort of 101 chronic-phase CML patients followed up in 23 Italian centers and treated with bosutinib in second or a subsequent line was retrospectively evaluated. Starting dose of bosutinib was 500 mg/day in 25 patients (24.8%), 400 mg/day in 7 patients (6.9%), 300 mg/day in 33 patients (32.7%), 200 mg/day in 34 patients (33.6%), and 100 mg/day in 2 patients (2.0%). Grade 3/4 hematological toxicity occurred in 7/101 patients (6.9%) and grade 3/4 extra-hematological toxicity in 19/101 patients (18.8%). Permanent bosutinib discontinuation due to toxicity was needed in 12 patients (11.9%). Among the 96 patients evaluable for response, 74 (77.0%) achieved a complete cytogenetic response (CCyR), while 64 of these 74 patients in CCyR (66.6% of all 96 evaluable patients) also achieved a molecular response (MR) (major MR [MR 3.0] in 21 [21.8%], deep MR [MR 4.0/4.5] in 43 [44.8%]). The 3-year event-free survival and overall survival of the whole patients' cohort from bosutinib start were 60.9% (CI 95% 49.3-72.5) and 86.4% (CI 95% 77.2-95.6), respectively. Our real-life data show that bosutinib is effective, with a favorable safety profile, also in elderly patients with important comorbidities and resistance and/or intolerance to previous tyrosine-kinase inhibitor treatments. As a consequence, it could play a significant role in current clinical practice for frail patients.

Recommendations for dyslipidemia management aimed at reducing arterial occlusive events (AOEs) have been recently published. So far, no data have been reported on the management of dyslipidemia in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients treated with nilotinib. We investigated 369 CML adult patients, stratified according to the new Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE) scoring system. Plasma levels of cholesterol, HDL, LDL, and triglycerides were measured prior to the start of nilotinib and after 3, 6, and 12months. The 5-year cumulative incidence of AOEs was 15.9%. Patients with cholesterol levels > 200mg/dL and LDL > 70mg/dL 3months after treatment showed a significantly higher incidence of AOEs (21.9 ± 4.6% vs 6.2 ± 2.5, P= 0.003). Patients belonging to the high and very high SCORE risk group showed a significant increase of AOEs (34.4 ± 6% vs 10 ± 2.1%, P< 0.001). In multivariate analysis, both high cholesterol and LDL levels and a high and very high SCORE risk remained significantly associated with the risk of AOEs (P= 0.008; HR = 3.5; 95% CI = 1.4–8.7 and P < 0.001; HR = 4.4; 95% CI = 2–9.8, respectively). Overall, 78 patients (21.1%) presented dyslipidemia at the time of CML diagnosis and 88 (23.3%) after starting nilotinib, but only 26 of them (29.5%) were treated with statins. Low LDL and cholesterol plasma levels are associated with a significant lower risk of AOEs in CML patients treated with nilotinib in the real life.

In addition to the best possible overall survival, discontinuation of the tyrosine kinase-inhibitor (TKI) treatment [treatment free remission (TFR)] without observing a recurrence of the disease has become a standard part of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) care. Worldwide, more than 2000 patients with CML have attempted TFR, and very rare instances of disease transformation have been reported. Several studies in the last decade have demonstrated the feasibility and safety of TKI discontinuation in selected patients with CML who achieve deep and sustained molecular response with TKI. This has moved prime-time into clinical practice although open questions remain in terms of understanding the disease biology that leads to successful TKI cessation in some patients while not in others. Despite the remaining questions regarding which factors may be considered predictive for TFR, treatment interruption is a safe option provided that adequate molecular monitoring is available, with prompt re-initiation of TKIs as soon as major molecular response has been lost. Data from ongoing trials should help refine decisions as to which patients are the best candidates to attempt TKI discontinuation, frequency of a safe monitoring, optimal strategies to sustain ongoing TFR and increase the number of patients who can access to discontinuation programs.

Hypertension is a commonly reported comorbidity in patients diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), and its management represents a challenge in patients treated with 2nd- or 3rd-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), considering their additional cardiovascular (CV) toxicity. The renin angiotensin system (RAS) contributes to hypertension genesis and plays an important role in atherosclerosis development, proliferation, and differentiation of myeloid hematopoietic cells. We analyzed a cohort of 192 patients with hypertension at CML diagnosis, who were treated with 2nd- or 3rd-generation TKIs, and evaluated the efficacy of RAS inhibitors (angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi) and angiotensin-II receptor blockers (ARBs)) in the prevention of arterial occlusive events (AOEs), as compared with other drug classes. The 5-year cumulative incidence of AOEs was 32.7 ± 4.2%. Patients with SCORE ≥ 5% (high-very-high) showed a significantly higher incidence of AOEs (33.7 ± 7.6% vs 13.6 ± 4.8%, p = 0.006). The AOE incidence was significantly lower in patients treated with RAS inhibitors (14.8 ± 4.2% vs 44 ± 1%, p < 0.001, HR = 0.283). The difference in the low and intermediate Sokal risk group was confirmed but not in the high-risk group, where a lower RAS expression has been reported. Our data suggest that RAS inhibitors may represent an optimal treatment in patients with hypertension and CML, treated with 2nd or 3rdG TKIs.

The impact of ruxolitinib therapy on evolution to blast phase (BP) in patients with myelofibrosis (MF) is still uncertain. In 589 MF patients treated with ruxolitinib, we investigated incidence and risk factors for BP and we described outcome according to disease characteristics and treatment strategy. After a median follow-up from ruxolitinib start of 3 years (range 0.1-7.6), 65 (11%) patients transformed to BP during (93.8%) or after treatment. BP incidence rate was 3.7 per 100 patient-years, comparably in primary and secondary MF (PMF/SMF) but significantly lower in intermediate-1 risk patients (2.3 vs 5.6 per 100 patient-years in intermediate-2/high-risk patients, P

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Background Role of erythropoietin (EPO) in the treatment of late anemia in patients with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) is still undefined. Methods Fifty CML patients treated at 14 institutions with frontline imatinib for at least 12 months and in stable complete cytogenetic response who developed a late chronic anemia treated with EPO were retrospectively evaluated. Results Median time from imatinib start to EPO treatment was 42.2 months [interquartile range (IQR) 20.8-91.9]. Median Hb value at EPO starting time was 9.9 g/dL (IQR 8.9-10.3): Eleven patients (22.0%) were transfusion dependent. Alpha-EPO (40 000 UI weekly) was employed in 37 patients, beta-EPO (30 000 UI weekly) in 9 patients, zeta-EPO (40 000 UI weekly) in 2 patients, and darbepoetin (150 mcg/weekly) in the remaining 2 patients. On the whole, 41 patients (82.0%) achieved an erythroid response, defined as a stable (>3 months) improvement >1.5 g/dL of Hb level, and 9 patients (18.0%) indeed resulted resistant. Among responding patients, 10 relapsed after a median time from EPO start of 20.7 months (IQR 10.8-63.7). No EPO-related toxicity was observed. Conclusions Results of EPO treatment for late chronic anemia during long-lasting imatinib therapy are encouraging, with a high rate of response.

Ruxolitinib (RUX), the first JAK1/JAK2 inhibitor approved for myelofibrosis (MF) therapy, has recently been associated with the occurrence of second primary malignancies (SPMs), mainly lymphomas and non-melanoma skin cancers (NMSCs). We analyzed the incidence, risk factors and outcome of SPMs in 700 MF patients treated with RUX in a real-world context. Median follow-up from starting RUX was 2·9years. Overall, 80 (11·4%) patients developed 87 SPMs after RUX start. NMSCs were the most common SPMs (50·6% of the cases). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that male sex [hazard ratio (HR): 2·37, 95% confidence interval (95%CI): 1·22–4·60, P=0·01] and thrombocytosis>400×109/l at RUX start (HR:1·98, 95%CI: 1·10–4·60, P=0·02) were associated with increased risk for SPMs. Risk factors for NMSC alone were male sex (HR: 3·14, 95%CI: 1·24–7·92, P=0·02) and duration of hydroxycarbamide and RUX therapy>5years (HR: 3·20, 95%CI: 1·17–8·75, P=0·02 and HR: 2·93, 95%CI: 1·39–6·17, P=0·005 respectively). In SPMs excluding NMSCs, male sex (HR: 2·41, 95%CI: 1·11–5·25, P=0·03), platelet>400×109/l (HR: 3·30, 95%CI: 1·67–6·50, P=0·001) and previous arterial thromboses (HR: 3·47, 95%CI: 1·48–8·14, P=0·004) were shown to be associated with higher risk of SPMs. While it is reassuring that no aggressive lymphoma was documented, active skin surveillance is recommended in all patients and particularly after prolonged hydroxycaramide therapy; oncological screening should be triggered by thrombocytosis and arterial thrombosis, particularly in males.

Background Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) revolutionized treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). However, the first months of therapy are crucial, as optimal response is defined as the achievement of molecular milestones at 3, 6 and 12 months (mo.) and as many toxicities, also causing a TKI switch, are more frequent in the 1st year. Methods To evaluate achievement of early molecular response (MR) and incidence of events leading to a TKI change during the 1st year of therapy, we retrospectively studied 1650 CP-CML patients diagnosed from 2012 and 2019 at 31 Hematology Centres and treated with frontline imatinib (IM) or second-generation (2G) TKIs dasatinib or nilotinib. Optimal MR at 3, 6 and 12 mo. were assessed according to 2020 ELN recommendations. Results Frontline TKI was IM in 926 (56.1%) and 2G-TKIs in 724 (43.9%) cases: the main clinical features at diagnosis of the entire cohort and according to frontline treatment is reported in the Table 1. Commonest comorbidities were arterial hypertension (38.7%), previous neoplasm (13.6%), diabetes (11.3%), peripheral vascular diseases (7.8%), COPD (7.5%) and ischemic heart disease (6.8%). IM-treated patients were older (p Optimal MR was achieved at 3 mo. by 1186/1430 (82.9%), at 6 mo. by 1025/1352 (75.8%) and at 12 mo. by 826/1264 patients (65.3%), respectively. Total number of patients discontinuing TKI in the 1st year was 321/1650 (19.4%), being higher with IM (237/926, 25.5%) than 2G-TKIs (84/724, 11.6%) (p0.001), hematologic toxicity (1.7%, 2.0% IM vs 1.4% 2G-TKIs, p=0.25) and progression (1.0%, 1.2% IM vs 0.8% 2G-TKIs, p=0.56). Cumulative incidence of discontinuation at 3, 6 and 12 mo. were 5.6%, 10.7% and 19.3%, respectively; values for IM and 2G-TKIs at the three timepoints were 8.1%, 15.0%, 25.5% and 2.5%, 5.3%, 11.5% (p Conclusions This real-world study on over 1600 CML patients shows that almost 20% discontinue frontline TKI during the 1st year, mostly for primary resistance or toxicity. Discontinuation rates are higher with IM compared to 2G-TKIs, mostly at 3 mo. and are probably due to a lower attainment of early MR. The impact of older age, higher risks and heavier burden of comorbidities in IM patients should be considered and need deeper investigation. Figure 1 Figure 1. Disclosures Elena: GILEAD: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; NOVARTIS: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; PFIZER: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; CELGENE: Other: funding for meeting participation. Sportoletti: AstraZeneca: Consultancy, Honoraria; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria; AbbVie: Consultancy, Honoraria. Stagno: InCyte: Consultancy, Honoraria; Pfizer: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Support for attending meetings and/or travel; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Support for attending meetings and/or travel, Research Funding. Iurlo: Pfizer: Speakers Bureau; Incyte: Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Speakers Bureau; Bristol Myers Squibb: Speakers Bureau. Bonifacio: Novartis: Honoraria; Pfizer: Honoraria; Amgen: Honoraria; Bristol Myers Squibb: Honoraria. Breccia: Pfizer: Honoraria; Incyte: Honoraria; Abbvie: Honoraria; Bristol Myers Squibb/Celgene: Honoraria; Novartis: Honoraria. Latagliata: Novartis: Honoraria; Pfizer: Honoraria; BMS Cellgene: Honoraria.

Background: The presence of peripheral blasts (PB) is a negative prognostic factor in patients (pts) with primary and secondary myelofibrosis (PMF/SMF) and PB ≥4% was associated with a particularly unfavorable prognosis (Masarova L et al, Cancer 2020). Ruxolitinib (RUX) is the JAK1/2 inhibitor most used for treatment of MF-related splenomegaly and symptoms. Its role has not been assessed in correlation with PB. Aims: To evaluate the impact of PB percentage on RUX efficacy and prognosis Methods: After IRB approval, the "RUX-MF" retrospective study collected 804 RUX-treated chronic-phase (CP, defined as PB Comparisons of quantitative variables between the 3 groups were carried out by Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn's tests while association between categorical variables was tested by the χ2 test. Variables significantly associated to RUX stop/leukemic transformation (LT)/overall survival (OS) in univariate analysis (Log-rank test) were considered for multivariable analyses, carried out using the Cox regression model, with evaluation of the model's performance in terms of goodness of fit. Results: Pts were categorized according to PB at RUX start: PB-0 (no PB; n. 487, 61.3%), PB-5 (PB 1-5%; n. 283, 35.8%), and PB-9 (PB 6-9%; n. 24, 2.9%). Pts characteristics at RUX start were: median age 68.1y (24-89); males 58.1%; PMF 52.5%; JAK2, CALR and MPL mutated: 80.5%, 13.1% and 2% (4.4% triple negative), high DIPSS: 7.6%; PLT25 x10 9/l: 10.8%/16.4%; spleen length ≥10 cm: 47.8%, TSS ≥20: 60.6%; ≥1/≥2 high-risk mutation (HMR): 69/18 out of 167 evaluable (41.3%/10.8%); fibrosis grade ≥2: 77.9%; starting/cumulative RUX dose ≥15 mg BID: 61.4%/52.6%. Higher PB count was associated to high DIPSS risk (PB-0: 1.9%, PB-5: 16.2%, PB-9: 21.7%, p At 3 and 6 mos, 26.9% and 30.4% of evaluable pts achieved a SR, while 59.7% and 68.1% were in SyR, respectively. At 3 mos, SR (PB-0: 31.8%, PB-5: 20.6%, PB-9: 10%, p=0.001) and SyR (PB-0: 62.9%, PB-5: 55.5%, PB-9: 36.8%, p=0.02) were less frequently achieved by PB-5 and PB-9 pts compared to PB-0 pts. This association remained significant for SR at 6 mos (PB-0: 35%, PB-5: 23.9%, PB-9: 14.3%, p=0.006) and for both SR (p=0.003) and SyR (p=0.01) at any time. After a median RUX exposure of 1.5 y (0.1-8.9), 491 (61.8%) pts stopped RUX, 110 (13.9%) had a LT and 365 (46%) died. In univariate analysis, at 2y PB-9 pts had higher rates of RUX stop (73.9% vs 40.8% and 34.3% in PB-5 and PB-0 pts, log-rank p In multivariable analysis, PB-9 pts confirmed their association with: 1) RUX stop (HR 3.74, 95%CI 1.51-3.70, p20 (HR 1.66, 95%CI 1.05-2.61, p=0.03), and HMR≥2 (HR 2.69, 95%CI 1.26-4.47, p=0.007); 2) LT (HR 3.71, 95%CI 1.71-8.04, p Conclusions: CP-MF pts with PB>5% have a worse response to RUX and a worse outcome. Personalized approaches beyond RUX monotherapy may be useful in this context. Further clinical trials evaluating combination strategies and new drugs are required. Figure 1 Figure 1. Disclosures Palandri: Novartis: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Celgene: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; AOP: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Sierra Oncology: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; CTI: Consultancy. Abruzzese: Bristol Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Honoraria; Incyte: Consultancy, Honoraria; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria; Pfizer: Consultancy, Honoraria. Iurlo: Bristol Myers Squibb: Speakers Bureau; Pfizer: Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Speakers Bureau; Incyte: Speakers Bureau. Bonifacio: Bristol Myers Squibb: Honoraria; Novartis: Honoraria; Pfizer: Honoraria; Amgen: Honoraria. Cuneo: AbbVie: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; AstraZeneca: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Janssen: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Gilead: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau. Pane: AbbVie; Amgen; Novartis: Other: Travel, accommodation, expenses; Novartis Pharma SAS;: Research Funding; AbbVie; Amgen; Novartis, GSK , Incyte: Consultancy; AbbVie; Amgen; Novartis, GSK, Incyte: Speakers Bureau. Lemoli: Celgene: Other: Support for attending meetings and/or travel; Jazz, Janssen: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; AbbVie, Daiichi Sankyo, Servier: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau. Cavo: Bristol-Myers Squib: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Honoraria; Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: TRAVEL, ACCOMMODATIONS, EXPENSES, Speakers Bureau; Adaptive Biotechnologies: Consultancy, Honoraria; Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Travel Accommodations, Speakers Bureau; GlaxoSmithKline: Consultancy, Honoraria; Sanofi: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; AbbVie: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Breccia: Novartis: Honoraria; Pfizer: Honoraria; Incyte: Honoraria; Bristol Myers Squibb/Celgene: Honoraria; Abbvie: Honoraria.

Introduction. New guidelines for the management of dyslipidemia and lipid modification in order to reduce the risk of cardiovascular (CV) events have been recently published by the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and the European Atherosclerosis Society (EAS). New recommendations regarding the target value of plasma lipids in very high and high CV risk patients have been provided, in addition to an estimate of the CV risk with a new Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE) chart. Few data have been reported on the management of dyslipidemia in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients treated with nilotinib, and the association with arterial occlusive events (AOEs). We therefore analyzed a large real-life cohort of Italian patients with CML treated with nilotinib outside of clinical trials and evaluated the association between AOEs and plasma lipoproteins levels; moreover, we estimated the prognostic value of the new SCORE chart to predict AOEs. The secondary endpoint was to report the management of dyslipidemia in the clinical practice. Methods. We identified 233 adult patients with CML who were treated in 20 Italian centers with nilotinib. All patients were stratified into low to moderate (SCORE ≤ 5%) or high to very high (SCORE risk >5%) CV risk, according to the new version of the SCORE 2019. We recorded concentration levels of cholesterol, high-density lipoproteins (HDL), low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and triglycerides at diagnosis of CML, before starting ponatinib and therefore after 3, 6 and 12 months of treatment. All AOEs (cerebrovascular, peripheral vascular and CV events excluding hypertension) were considered. Results. The median age was 50 years (range 20-88) and the Sokal score was intermediate-high in 45.5% of patients. The median follow-up was 5 years (range 3.4-10.5). Nilotinib was administered as first line of therapy in (72%) of cases or second or subsequent lines of treatment for inefficacy (20.9%) or intolerance (7.1%). At baseline, nilotinib was administered at the following doses: 800 mg/day in 9.3% of patients, 600 mg/day in 87% of patients, 400 mg/day in 3.1% of patients and 300mg in 0.6% of patients, respectively. The median time of drug exposure was 60 months (range 2-155). The 48-month cumulative incidence rate of AOEs was 14.1±2.7%. Patients with cholesterol plasma levels > 200 mg/dL and LDL >70 mg/dL at baseline and 3 months after starting nilotinib, showed a significantly higher incidence of AOEs (24.5±7.3% vs 11±2.7%, P=0.02 and 22.3±4.9% vs 5.9±2.6, P=0.003, respectively) Figure 1. Patients with triglycerides levels > 200 mg/dL 3 months after starting nilotinib, showed a significantly higher incidence of AOEs (56±20.5% vs 13.3±2.7%, P=0.011) Patients belonging to the high and very high SCORE risk group showed a significant increase of AOEs (32.8.1±9% vs. 9±1%±2.6%, p=0.001). In multivariate analysis, statistical significance of cholesterol plasma levels > 200 mg/dL and LDL >70 mg/dL after 3 months and high-very-high SCORE was maintained (P=0.018, HR=3.4, 95% CI=1.2-9.4 and P=0.004, HR=3.5, 95% CI=1.5-8.2, respectively). Overall, 46 patients (20.5%) presented dyslipidemia at CML diagnosis and 65 (29%) at the start of treatment with nilotinib. Despite dyslipidemia, only 6 patients were taking statins during the treatment with nilotinib and only 5 started it after 3 months of nilotinib: 3 patients were treated with rosuvastatin and 2 with pravastatin. Conclusions. Our findings suggest that a proper control of dyslipidemia, keeping cholesterol and triglycerides plasma levels ≤ 200 mg/dL and LDL ≤70 mg/dL is associated with reduced risk of AOEs in CML patients treated with nilotinib. An under estimation of the clinical importance of elevated plasma lipids as a risk factor for AOEs events represents a possible issue in the real-life. Figure 1 Disclosures Abruzzese: Pfizer: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Incyte: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Bms: Honoraria; Novartis: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Galimberti:Incyte: Honoraria; Novartis: Speakers Bureau. Castagnetti:Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria; Incyte: Consultancy, Honoraria; Pfizer: Consultancy, Honoraria; Bristol Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Honoraria. Pregno:Incyte-Italy,: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: conference reports; Novartis-Italy: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: conference reports; Pfizer-Italy: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: conference reports. Bocchia:CELGENE: Honoraria; Incyte: Honoraria. Gugliotta:Novartis: Honoraria; Incyte: Honoraria; Pfizer: Honoraria. Foà:Abbvie: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Speakers Bureau; Roche: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Incyte: Speakers Bureau; Janssen: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Roche: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees.

Background Limited information is available regarding the rate of long-term cardiovascular (CV) mortality in chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) patients treated with second- and third-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors (2ndG/3rdG TKIs) in the real-life practice. Methods We identified 656 consecutive CML patients treated with nilotinib, dasatinib, bosutinib and ponatinib. Results The 15-year CV-mortality free survival was 93 ± 2.8%. Age ≥65 years (p = 0.005) and a positive history of CV disease (p = 0.04) were significantly associated with a lower CV-mortality free survival. CV disease accounted for 16.5% and 5% of potential years of life lost (PYLL) in male and female patients, respectively. The standard mortality ratio (SMR) following ischemic heart disease (IHD) was 3.9 in males and 3.8 in female patients, meaning an excess of IHD deaths observed, in comparison with the population of control. Conclusion. Prevention strategies based on CV risk factors, in particular in those patients with a previous history of CV disease, should be considered.

There is little information about cardiovascular adverse event (CV-AE) incidence in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients treated with bosutinib in the real-life practice. We identified 54 consecutive CML patients treated with bosutinib, stratified according to the Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE) assessment, based on sex, age, smoking habits, systolic blood pressure, and total cholesterol levels. The 40-month cumulative incidence of CV-AEs was 25.2 ± 8.1%. Patients with the SCORE of high-very high showed a significantly higher incidence of CV-AEs (55 ± 12.9% vs 9 ± 9.5%; p = 0.002). Overall, 9 CV-AEs were reported, with 2 deaths attributed to CV-AE. In conclusion, the SCORE assessment before starting treatment is helpful in identifying CV-AE high-risk patients during bosutinib treatment.

Background Risk of death is particularly high in patients with a previous history of arterial occlusive events (AOEs) and the probability for a recurrent event is around 20%. Little is known about recurrent AOE and the role of secondary prevention in patients with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) with previous AOE, treated with second- and third-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors (2ndG/3rdG TKIs), nilotinib, dasatinib, bosutinib and ponatinib. Methods We identified a real-life cohort of 57 consecutive adult CML patients treated with 2ndG/3rdG TKI. All patients had a previous history of AOE. Ongoing use of secondary prevention of AOE (including antiplatelet agents, anticoagulant therapy, and statins) before starting a 2ndG/3rdG TKI was recorded, as well as CV risk factors. Results The 60-month cumulative incidence rate of recurrent AOEs was 47.8 ± 10.9%. Despite a history of AOE, 10 patients (16%) were not receiving secondary preventative measures. Patients treated with nilotinib and ponatinib showed a higher incidence of recurrent AOEs (76.7 ± 14.3% and 64 ± 20.1%, respectively) than those treated with dasatinib and bosutinib (44 ± 24.2% and 30.5 ± 15.5%, respectively) (p = 0.01). Only treatment with a 2ndG/3rdG TKI given as second or subsequent line therapy showed a significant association with an increased incidence of recurrent AOE (p = 0.039). Overall, 17 recurrent AOEs were observed; 3 CV-related deaths were reported. Conclusion CML patients with a previous history of AOE treated with 2ndG/3rdG TKI represent a particular patient population with a higher probability of experiencing a recurrent AOE; individualized treatment is needed to optimize secondary prevention.

Very elderly (> 75years) chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) patients at diagnosis are sometimes treated with different doses of imatinib (IM) based on concomitant diseases and physicians’ judgement. However, data on long-term follow-up of these patients are still lacking. To investigate treatment response and outcome, we retrospectively revised an Italian database of 263 very elderly CML patients receiving IM from the time of diagnosis. Median age at diagnosis was 78.5years and 56% of patients had 2 or 3 comorbidities. A complete haematological and cytogenetic response were achieved in 244 (92.8%) and 184 (69.9%) patients, respectively. In 148 cases (56.2%), a major molecular response was observed, which was deep in 63 cases (24%). A blastic phase occurred in 11 patients (4.2%). After a median follow-up of 45.0months, 93 patients have died (9 from disease progression) and 104 (39.5%) are still in treatment with IM. Incidence of grades 3–4 haematological and non-haematological toxicity was similar to those reported in younger patients. Five-year event-free survival was 54.5% and 45.2% in patients ≤80years and > 80years, respectively (p = 0.098). Five years OS was 75.7% and 61.6% in patients ≤80years and > 80years, respectively (p = 0.003). These findings show that IM plays an important role in frontline treatment of very elderly CML patients without increased toxicity and any effort to treat these patients with standard doses should be made in order to achieve responses as in younger subjects.

Arterial occlusive events (AOEs) represent emerging complications in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients treated with ponatinib. We identified 85 consecutive CML adult patients who were treated with ponatinib in 17 Italian centers. Patients were stratified according to the Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE) assessment, based on sex, age, smoking habits, systolic blood pressure, and total cholesterol levels. The 60-month cumulative incidence rate of AOEs excluding hypertension was 25.7%. Hypertension was reported in 14.1% of patients. The median time of exposure to ponatinib was 28months (range, 3-69months). Patients with a high to very high SCORE risk showed a significantly higher incidence rate of AOEs (74.3% vs 15.2%, P&nbsp

Background Among the unresolved issues concerning management of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients, the most feared are long-term adverse events due to TKI treatment. Although TKIs have revolutionized CML outcomes, their use has also been associated with severe side effects including cardiovascular events, of which peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) is the most frequently reported. In 2010 we began a long-term collaboration with local angiologists and vascular surgeons to investigate, screen and follow patients on TKI therapy. Placque formation, evolution and follow up of 150 patients were studied and are presented here. Methods We analyzed 143 CML and 7 Ph+ Acute Lymphoid leukemia (ALL) patients, all of whom were treated with TKIs. Careful assessment of cardiovascular risk factors (i.e., age, smoking, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, high LDL or low HDL cholesterol levels, family history of heart disease or other cardiovascular disease) were done according to the European Society of Cardiology Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE) risk charts. A complete vascular screening, including physical examination, and a series of instrumental tests were performed for all patients. Tests included doppler echocardiography (US) of supra-aortic arteries with measurement of pre-bulbar IMT, abdominal arteries and inferior limbs arteries and veins (IL), ABI of the posterior tibial artery and digital photoplethysmography (FPG). Patients needing surgical intervention were referred to a surgeon. The team of hematologists, angiologists and surgeons met periodically to discuss results and intervention approaches. Results Patients included 76 males and 74 females with a median age of 53.7 yo (range 18-85). All patients were treated with a TKI at diagnosis, 87 (58%) with imatinib, 63 (42%) with other TKIs, including ponatinib (2 LLA), and all received TKI therapy for a minimum of 12 months since 2010. For analyses purposes, patients were divided in 7 different age groups at diagnosis (18-30, 31-40, 41-50, 51-60, 61-70, 71-80 and 81-85 years; patients incidence per group was 6%, 18%, 18.6%, 27.4%, 13.3%, 12.7% and 4%, respectively). Each patient in the study received yearly screening, and this increased to every 3-6 mo if abnormalities occurred. Of the 150 patients in the study, 10 (7%) developed severe PAOD (grade 3-4) requiring revascularization. Districts involved were: carotid (5), renal (2) and extremities (14 IL, 1 subclavian). Three patients were polyvascular requiring intervention in multiple regions. 18 patients with no malignancies requiring surgery were used as a control group and matched for sex, age, diabetes, smoking, district and intervention to compare patency rates, morbidity and mortality. At event, these 10 patients were taking imatinib (1), bosutinib (1), nilotinib (5) and ponatinib (3). None of them had a previous PAOD, but all had cardiovascular risk factors (100% were hypertensive). Median age was 66.8 yo (range 46-82) and the median number of PAOD risk factors (age >60, hypertension, diabetes, male gender, nicotine abuse and coronary heart disease) was 2 (range 1-5). Plaque was deemed significant when stenosis was >30%; at this point it developed very rapidly, with signs of arterial thrombosis within a year, requiring intervention. IMT scores (measuring thickness of carotid artery wall) and ABI followed by FPG and their variation over time proved predictive for plaque evolution. No patient died due to complications relating directly to surgical intervention or within 30 days post-surgery. One patient required a major limb amputation at 12 months. Patency rates were similar in the TKI and control group at 12 months (88.2% vs 80%), however the frequency of reintervention (endo or open) was 50% in TKI patients (n=5) and 11% in the control group (n=2; P Discussion Multidisciplinary evaluation, comorbidity analysis and cardiovascular risk assessment in CML patients are highly recommended, at diagnosis if possible, to implement a tailored treatment strategy and to identify patients who require strict monitoring of risk factors during treatment. Extensive and detailed information on the 150 patients in this study will be presented with a focus on the onset and characteristics of thrombotic arterial events, medical/surgical interventions, analysis of instrumental parameters (ABI, IMT, FPG) and correlation with clinical data. Disclosures Abruzzese: Pfizer: 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; Incyte: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Bms: Honoraria.

Background. Clinical course of the novel Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is extremely heterogeneous, and infected individuals may be asymptomatic or develop acute respiratory manifestations. Elderly people and patients with pre-existing comorbidities, including malignancies, may be at higher risk due to their immunological impairment. On the other hand, still limited evidence suggests that some target drugs used to treat hematological cancers, including tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI), may have a direct antiviral action or an indirect immunomodulatory effect on the abnormal inflammatory host response to SARS-CoV-2. Aims. To describe the prevalence of symptomatic and asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection in a cohort of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients. Methods.This is an ongoing prospective study ideated and conducted in the Centers of the regional network Rete Ematologica Veneta (REV). According to the Italian Ministry of Health data as of Jul 22, 2020, prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in Veneto, as documented by molecular test on pharyngeal swab, was 0.4%. For comparison, two other centers from Regions with lower prevalence (Lazio and Friuli-Venezia Giulia) were included. All consecutive CML patients coming to the participating Centers were offered to participate to the study, which was approved by local IRBs. Patients in Treatment Free Remission (TFR) phase (i.e. not taking TKI at the time of pandemic) were included as a control group. After collecting information about risk factors for COVID-19 (travels, work exposure, cohabitation with infected subjects) and respiratory or general symptoms experienced from mid Feb 2020, patients were tested for anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgM and/or IgG antibodies through a immunochromatographic qualitative assay (COVID-19 IgG/IgM Rapid Test Cassette, Menarini Diagnostics, IT; sensitivity IgG 97.2%, IgM 87.9%, specificity IgG/IgM 100%). Patients with positive results underwent a pharyngeal swab for molecular detection of the virus. Results. From May 18 to Jul 29, 2020 a total of 339 patients were enrolled (238 from REV centers and 101 from other centers). Males were 183 (54%), median age was 63.2 (range 26.5-93) years. Median time from CML diagnosis was 8 (range 0.1-29.6) years. The majority of patients were in frontline TKI treatment (n=174, 51.3%), and the remaining were in 2ndline (n=80, 23.6%), 3rdor further line of treatment (n=35, 10.3%), or in TFR (n=50, 14.7%). The type of TKI currently assumed was imatinib (n=134, 39.5%), nilotinib (n=63, 18.6%), dasatinib (n=52, 15.4%), bosutinib (n= 24, 7.1%), ponatinib (n=14, 4.1%) or experimental (n=2, 0.6%). The majority of patients was in major (n=79, 23.3%) or deep molecular response (n=204, 60.2%). Thirteen and 3 patients declared close contact with COVID-19 infected individuals at work and/or at home, respectively. The frequency of newly onset or worsening symptoms during the last months was as follows: anosmia (2.4%), ageusia (2.1%), cough (4.7%), pharyngitis (2.6%), dyspnea (2.4%), fever (3.2%), headache (7.7%), asthenia (13.6%), arthralgia (14.9%), dizziness (6.5%), nausea/vomiting (2.7%), and diarrhea (4.4%). Five patients out of the 238 in the REV cohort (2.1%) had a positive IgG test, and two of them were also IgM-positive. All resulted negative at swab performed after the serological assay. They were 4 males and 1 female, aged between 53 and 72 years. One of them, in treatment with nilotinib, had a symptomatic infection in early March, confirmed at that time by molecular tests, and reported close contact with infected subjects both at work and at home. All the other patients (2 in treatment with imatinib, 1 with nilotinib and 1 with bosutinib) reported no or only mild symptoms and had not performed diagnostic tests for SARS-CoV-2 before. Anosmia, ageusia and fever were the only symptoms significantly associated with anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG positive test (p Conclusions. We reported for the first time the serological prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in CML patients. Serological studies in the general Italian population are ongoing and will be used to make comparisons with our cohort. Prospective enrollment in the present study is ongoing and updated results will be presented at the Meeting. Acknowledgment. This work was supported by Fondazione Cariverona (ENACT Project). Disclosures Semenzato: Abbvie: Honoraria; Roche: Honoraria; Takeda: Honoraria. Pizzolo:janssen: Speakers Bureau; Abbvie: Speakers Bureau. Krampera:Novartis: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Janssen: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees.

Breakpoint cluster region - Abelson (BCR-ABL1) chimeric protein and mutated Nucleophosmin (NPM1) are often present in hematological cancers, but they rarely coexist in the same disease. Both anomalies are considered founder mutations that inhibit differentiation and apoptosis, but BCR-ABL1 could act as a secondary mutation conferring a proliferative advantage to a pre-neoplastic clone. The 2016 World Health Organization (WHO) classification lists the provisional acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with BCR-ABL1, which must be diagnosed differentially from the rare blast phase (BP) onset of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), mainly because of the different therapeutic approach in the use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI). Here we review the BCR/ABL1 plus NPMc+ published cases since 1975 and describe a case from our institution in order to discuss the clinical and molecular features of this rare combination, and report the latest acquisition about an occurrence that could pertain either to the rare AML BCR-ABL1 positive or the even rarer CML-BP with mutated NPM1 at the onset. Differential diagnosis is based on careful analysis of genotypic and phenotypic features and anamnestic, clinical evolution, and background data. Therapeutic decisions must consider the broader clinical aspects, the comparatively mild effects of TKI therapy versus the great benefit that might bring to most of the patients, as may be incidentally demonstrated by our case history.